When I got up this morning the guys working on laying the electric lines to the generator had already been at it for quite awhile. I felt a little guilty but not much. This is obviously the job that never got finished. And they're working as hard as they can. In fact, they're still working as I write this, many, many hours later.
When I let the chickens out they were delighted to discover dirt and grubs and worms and were all over that trench where the lines are going to go.
They've been hanging around there all day long, keeping the guys company.
I found a tiny egg today in a nest and whether little Miss Violet laid her first egg since last spring or whether one of the new chicks is actually a hen and laid it, I do not know. It's sort of lumpy and bumpy as well as being small. Time will probably tell me which it is.
It would be nice if one of that little flock was a girl. Or perhaps it was even the egg of Darla, coming back to laying again after her long journey of setting, hatching, and raising of chicks. It takes a while for them to regain enough strength to produce eggs again.
One of the first things I did this morning was to check on what Ida was doing and where it was.
And then I had a small panic attack. Not kidding. I really did. Just thinking of the people in Louisiana, the ones I know, the ones I do not, made my heart race.
Jessie and the boys came out for a visit and that helped. When they were on their way I texted Jessie and asked if I should make pancakes. She replied that they had just had pancakes but that August told her to tell me yes. He wanted some SOOOO bad. I offered to make biscuits instead and that was a suitable substitution. So I did. We sat around the table and Levon and I had eggs with our biscuits and bacon but August and Jessie just cannot tolerate eggs which is so sad. Biscuits were eaten with mayonnaise and tomatoes and salt, pimento cheese and tomatoes, butter and peach preserves. It was a biscuit feast.
After second breakfast they wanted to make jewelry with the plastic beads I keep in a bowl for them to do just that with. Levon made a bracelet, August a necklace. For some reason, I forgot to take pictures but trust me- they were works of art. We read a few books, one a new one that I'd gotten in North Carolina which we'd never read yet. Levon was so entranced by it that he wanted me to read it twice. "What do you like about it so much?" I asked him.
"Everything!" he said. It was a very sweet book. And we did read it twice.
"Everything!" he said. It was a very sweet book. And we did read it twice.
And that was about it. It was too hot to go outside and play and Levon started showing signs of wanting a nap so off they went after splitting the last biscuit between them. I have no idea how two such small boys can eat so much food.
After they left I decided to DO SOMETHING about the mess on top of the dresser where I keep the sewing things. And I did. I mean, it's not like a model of order and neatness now but it's better.
Slowly, slowly, as I keep saying.
Slowly, slowly, as I keep saying.
And Jessie went through the purse bag and took two home with her. Hurray!
I dusted a few things and swept a few rooms and then I went through the photos on my iPhone (which are also stored on my MacBook) and deleted about 150. It would take me a month to go through the whole thing but I should do it. So much space being taken up with one picture after another of random chickens and baskets of garden vegetables and jars of canned produce and almost exact replica shots of the kids and sleepy time pictures of Jack and of Maurice which I am often compelled to take because they look so cozy and sweet.
When it comes down to it, all of my favorite pictures generally make it here, to the blog, so unless that disappears (and it could!) at least they're somewhere.
Mr. Moon called this morning. He said he's ready to come home. I bet he is. And I'm ready to have him home. He'll be flying in Tuesday night, getting an Uber to where his car is parked at the credit union where he has an office, and then driving home. I'll probably be fast asleep when he gets here but I'll wake up to kiss him good. I've been perfectly fine by myself and don't imagine that'll change before he gets home but just knowing he's here somewhere in the yard or the house is a comfort. I told him that I'd made a big curry last night with tofu and he said, "Well hurry up and finish it!" which is our joke because he claims not to like curry but I have never noticed him not eating it, especially if I make naan to go with it. Here's what it looked like.
It had cauliflower, peppers, okra, carrots, mushrooms, delicata squash, scallions, eggplant, tofu, cashews and coconut milk. Jessie made a cauliflower and potato curry herself last night so when I offered her some of mine to take home she said, "Nah, I have a lot of what I made left over," but then she tasted it and said, "Okay. I'll take some of your curry."
That made me feel good.
That made me feel good.
I'll probably finish up the rest tonight.
So for the first Sunday in three, it's been a pretty fine day. Just seeing those grandkids and Jessie cheered me considerably. Those boys are so funny and so fine. August was interested in the pile of things I'd found in purses and so I showed him my pesos and other stuff including the Elixir of Love perfume. I opened it up and let him smell it.
"Isn't that nice?" I asked him.
"Isn't that nice?" I asked him.
"It's lovely!" he said.
He put a little bit on his own neck.
He is lovely.
He is lovely.
Sometimes I wished I believed in the power of prayer. I have so many I would pray. They would all be the asking-for kind, I'm afraid. Asking for safety for those in Ida's way. Asking for the health and continued well-being of my family. Asking for at least a decent amount of good years more with my beloved. Asking for the safety of my grandchildren and that they always know they are loved and cherished, each and every one for who they are.
Today Levon tried to make me decide which was my favorite cat- Jack or Maurice.
I told him that I could not. That I love them in such different ways. That I love Jack because he is sweet and cuddly and that I love Maurice because she is exactly who she is.
He didn't really understand. I mean- how could Jack not be my favorite? He doesn't bite or scratch and Maurice certainly does.
Someday he'll probably get it. Maybe when he has kids or cats of his own.
Today Levon tried to make me decide which was my favorite cat- Jack or Maurice.
I told him that I could not. That I love them in such different ways. That I love Jack because he is sweet and cuddly and that I love Maurice because she is exactly who she is.
He didn't really understand. I mean- how could Jack not be my favorite? He doesn't bite or scratch and Maurice certainly does.
Someday he'll probably get it. Maybe when he has kids or cats of his own.
I think I'll go make some naan.
Love...Ms. Moon
What a lovely philosophy to pass on to the grandchildren. Love people differently, no favorites. They're such beautiful children. Never too many pictures of them. Same with cats and chickens.
ReplyDeleteYou're so sweet, Liz. Thank you.
DeleteI don't like curry either, but I'd probably love yours.
ReplyDeleteWell, I would never make you curry if you don't like it! I would make you whatever you wanted.
DeleteAll of your "ask for" comments are prayers in their own right, Mary. Even though you may not believe in the power of prayer, you definitely sent those out into the universe! A lot of us are sending out the very same prayers!
ReplyDeleteI don't like this hurricane named Ida ... that was my Mom's name!
perfectly said, Marcia...... that's what I thought as well. And I am also sending out the same *prayers*
DeleteSusan M
Oh my gosh. I can't imagine a hurricane named Ruth. I'm so agnostic that I can't even believe in the concept of sending things out to the universe. I know that a lot of people do but it doesn't make any sense to me. I wish I could believe that my energy could be sent out to the universe as an intention but it doesn't work that way in my mind. In some ways I am just so cynical, I suppose. And like I said- sometimes I wish I wasn't.
DeleteSeems like Jessie always knows when you are in need of a visit! I saw 4 of my grandkids this weekend and we had great fun! They range from 2 years old to 5 years old and I am always amazed how they have grown and changed each time I see them.
ReplyDeleteGlad Mr. Moon is heading home. Seems so long that he has been gone!
I swear- I can see my grandkids growing from one week to the next. They just DO. And I always tell them. Levon especially loves to hear that. Probably because it means to him that he'll be able to operate a vehicle soon!
DeleteI'm glad that Glen is coming home too. He's been gone about a year now. You're right.
I am glad you had such a fine day and sending kind thoughts out into the world whether you call them prayers or not is always good. Safe trip home to Mr. Moon.
ReplyDeleteThanks, e. I am so looking forward to having my sweetheart back at home.
DeleteI'm glad it was a good Sunday and you got to see and spend time with the boys. My boss's daughter also can't tolerate eggs. For her I think it's something about the albumin, like an allergy...?
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I like your point about loving differently. I've often thought of that over the years -- how loving one person feels different from loving another, based partly on them and partly on where I am in my own life. We talk about love like it's a single emotion, but it's really a spectrum of emotions, isn't it?
I love the picture of the chickens around the trough. They look so interested!
Yes. They keep trying to see if August is more able to tolerate eggs but they just affect him. He gets skin reactions. It's not a huge big deal if he just gets some in a recipe but he really cannot eat eggs on their own. They try to avoid them for him.
DeleteAnd love IS different in so many ways. It's not just romantic love and agape, is it? That's too limiting. There are all sorts of combinations and distinctions about how we love the ones we love. It's rather beautiful.
Those chickens WERE interested in that ditch. Indeed!
Once again, reading about your day and your loving family fills my heart. Something about knowing that this kind of family is out there in the world softens a bit of my anxiety.
ReplyDeleteAnd writing about them softens my anxiety Jill. Thank you for being here so faithfully.
DeleteYou're all a pert of my life Ms Moon. I can't go without :)
DeleteI've just deleted about 250 photos from iCloud too, because I reckon my blog will end up being where most of my favourite photos are stored. I have this vague idea that one day I will sort them all and make albums but "one day" is like "tomorrow" in that it never comes, does it. And I'm glad Mr. Moon is on his way home soon! I'm sure he had a wonderful time but you'll both be glad when he gets home right?
ReplyDeleteYep. You're right about "tomorrow" and "some day".
DeleteAnd I think that Glen and I will definitely be glad when he's home.
I regularly have to delete pictures from my iPhone. I don't use the cloud so my phone storage gets used pretty quickly.
ReplyDeletea nice day with the boys and Jessie and soon Mr. Moon will be home.
It's good to delete pictures no matter what. I think they clog our brains as much as they clog our devices.
DeleteYou said some beautiful prayers right there. Prayers go out into the ether and i like to believe they circle and protect our beloved, as we dearly wish. August's hair is curly again. What a beautiful visit you had with Jesse and the boys.
ReplyDelete*beloveds, plural.
ReplyDeleteThose boys are beautiful human beings.
ReplyDelete