Monday, September 7, 2020


 Things I do not like about the new blogger:

1. The font size gets all wonky no matter how you set it.
2. The pictures aren't the right size. (This could be my fault.)
3. Unless you do the shift-return thing, it's gonna double-space you. At least part of the time.
4. I guess that's all. 

All righty then. Update on the jelly. 
It's not jelly. It's not even syrup. And if I want to save any of the efforts  that have gone into picking, mashing, stirring, cooking, and sterilizing, I need to pour all of the purple juice from their jars, wash and re-sterilize the jars, and boil and boil and boil the purple juice with more Sure Jell and possibly more sugar and then pour it all back into jars when it has (hopefully) thickened and put them all back in the canner.
But why not? What else have I got to do? 

Today's been a rough one for me. Feeling low and useless. My walk didn't help. Hanging clothes on the line didn't help. Watering plants in the garden didn't help. Sweeping and mopping (twice!) the kitchen and bathroom didn't help. The lingering smell of Fabuloso and white vinegar which I usually love isn't helping. I made a roux for gumbo. Not helping. I've got bread rising. Not helping. I gathered I don't even know how many eggs. No help whatsoever. I did the Monday Washington Post crossword in nine minutes. Guess what?
Didn't help. 

This picture that Lily sent helps a little though.


Magnolia is swinging her pet caterpillar. That girl may turn out to be the next Jane Goodall. Or maybe Steve Irwin. Only she won't get pierced in the heart by a sting ray. Just pierced in the heart by her love of animals. 

And honestly, there's not a thing wrong. I mean, you know- besides a world-wide pandemic and the fact that our planet is literally burning up and also the fact that we have a president with the worst case of sociopathic narcissism the world has ever seen who is determined to wreck what's left of the earth (I mean, Nero may have fiddled while Rome burned but Trump plays golf while the world burns), become richer, get re-elected by any means necessary for four more years so that he can stay out of prison, destroy Democracy and become Emperor of the Universe and secret on-the-down-low lover of Putin. I'd say Kim Jong-un too, but rumor has it he's dead although I would not, at this point, rule out necrophilia as one of Trump's sexual proclivities. 
Know what I mean? 

To be honest, I have nothing to complain about. I may well be the luckiest woman in the world and we all know it. Not only do I have everything in the material world a person could want, I am rich in what really matters which is love. To give and to receive. 
Hell, I even realized today that six weeks after a pretty damn severe accident, I am just about back to where I was before I fell. 
And yet. 
Some days are just hard. That's the way it is. That's being human. Some days the memories and the dreams and the state of the world and all of the realities of what has been and what could have been and the losses of the friends and the regrets that usually stay small just loom large. 

Tomorrow will be better. 
And I'm going to boil the hell out of that beauty berry juice and create something biscuit-worthy or know the reason why. 
Maybe. 

And here's something that makes my heart swell. 



That's a picture of my May that her friend Django Bohren took when she was eighteen years old and a student at New College in Sarasota. Dear god, what a beauty. And you know what? She is every bit as beautiful now as she was then, only more so because of everything she's been through, everything she's learned and loved. 

Everything's gonna be all right. 

Love...Ms. Moon

22 comments:

  1. I feel I'm posting too often....but your life is the highlight of my life most days lately..... sorry about your jelly. I was SO hopeful. Crap, that will be SO much work to re-do..... but.... an experiment...and one you likely will not attempt again. Hope you can salvage it to at least syrup if not jelly. Yep....the days..... the cloud settles upon all of us at times.....it shouldn't? but it does and we have to embrace it, as I know you do. It's all real and we have to experience it. May....I've always thought of all your children...she is the most like you. She's gorgeous
    Susan M

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. May is, in many ways, the most like me of all my children. But I can see myself in all of them, even if they don't look like me.
      Yes. Some days are just down days and we get through them, don't we?
      You never post too often. I mean that.

      Delete
  2. as I just commented on your last post, I thought beauty berries were poisonous.

    I don't like the new blogger because I can't drag and drop images anymore, now I have to go through about 7 steps to get a picture in the post. and the font size changes too which are bullshit.

    I find that days when I stay away from twitter and FB and avoid the news, I am much happier and my afib is less active.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Nope. Beauty berries are definitely not poison. Just eaten on their own, they are not very good. Supposedly the crushed leaves provide protection against mosquitoes but that I do not know about.
      The way I put pictures on my posts works the same with new blogger so that's not a problem for me.
      Yes. Avoiding the news can definitely be the best thing for our health.

      Delete
  3. Boil, boil, double trouble. Maybe throw in a couple of apples for luck. If it's not poisonous, it won't kill ya.
    New blogger and I are just fine. I have no idea why it pulls out the tricks, especially font changes. But, I post the post and then look at it, and then revert to draft to correct any errors I find. Mine or Bloggers.

    ReplyDelete
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    1. I do the same- going back and fixing things but it seems like every time I miss something. ARGH!
      I would have thrown in apples if I'd had any.

      Delete
  4. So sorry you are feeling low. I send virtual hugs and wish you a peaceful night.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I'm sorry life sucks right now. Sending hugs and love and a terrible joke:)

    "Why can't you hear a psychiatrist using the bathroom? Because the 'P' is silent."

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You're right- that is a terrible joke. The terribleness of it made m laugh!

      Delete
  6. Django , oh my, y'all go way back! WOW, you better come up here and see him!
    Little blue pill, works wonders, I must say!
    You are right, there is nothing else to do than do overs!
    The lion has eaten everything - keeping down the population of cute animals. I am sad .

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. When I met the Bohrens, Tucker wasn't even born yet. Corinna was two years old. Lily just born. No Jessie yet either! May and Django have been really good friends since they were children.
      So when you say "little blue pill" I'm assuming you're NOT speaking of Viagra. Am I correct?
      Dang lion. I'm so sorry.

      Delete
  7. One of your special talents is communicating your vulnerability. Most people put up shields but you let us in, sharing your deepest, truest feelings without pretence. That is a gift. Better luck with the beauty berry project part two!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Well, I don't share everything. Trust me. But I've never shied away from admitting that I have bad days. Why pretend?
      BB Project, day 2 went quite well!

      Delete
  8. Holding your hand right now. In solidarity and love. There are days like this. I’m having one too. May tomorrow be better dear Mary.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I hope your day was better too!
      Whenever I think about us holding hands, I tear up. It's such a strong image to me. It is a comfort in the darkest times. Thank you.

      Delete
  9. Thinking of you. Hoping for better days ahead.

    ReplyDelete
  10. When was May at New College? I wonder if it was when I lived in Sarasota?! (Late '90s. She's probably younger than that, isn't she?)

    Too bad about the jelly, but bravo for giving it a try and I definitely think you should see if you can make it work with more boiling. As you said, why not?

    Some days suck. I just can't think too much about the state of the world. I can't decide if it's healthy or avoidance. (Or both!)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. She was at New College probably around 1996. She was born in '78. So maybe y'all were there at the same time!
      These days, avoidance IS healthy.

      Delete
  11. I think everyone is getting fed up of this pandemic (AND TRUMP), we just have to keep putting one foot in front of the other and keep going. And I love Magnolia's dress - what a pretty little thing she is!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That is a cool dress, isn't it? She's a doll baby.
      In some ways, Trump IS a pandemic. A global one. His decisions affect the entire world. And not in a good way.

      Delete

Tell me, sweeties. Tell me what you think.