Tuesday, August 3, 2021

Love Tsunami


 The beauty berries are putting on fruit and I have never seen them so full. 

Today was quite the day. Good Lord! Truthfully, it's been quite the past few weeks for me. The trip to North Carolina with the adventures there, the journey there and back, catching up on things here when we returned, family things and putting up food and trying to stay abreast of the garden and all of the normal everyday life. The laundry, the sweeping, the kitchen cleaning, the cooking of meals, and so on and so forth. And then Lon and Lis's visit and my birthday and the return of the Weatherfords and well- it's been a lot for an old lady who can't go forever without some time of very limited sensory input. 
Today just about did me in. 
We met up with everyone at El Patron. We were a party of fourteen and the conversations were many and varied and some were loud and some were not and the poor server was amazing getting us everything we needed and everything we wanted and the kids were semi-wild and Hank had brought them all little gifties of stickers and erasers and on top of all of that, it may have only been 81 degrees (my weather widget lied) but the humidity was so bad that it might as well have been 181 degrees and we were all coated with a sheen of sweat except, of course, for Lis who does not sweat.
Don't ask me how that happens. Trust me though. I don't think I've ever seen a bead of sweat on that girl even in Cuba where it was hotter than an iron skillet on high heat. I think maybe she just commands herself not to. 

Anyway, we had a good time. It took us approximately two hours to gather, arrange ourselves, order, get our food and eat. My nerves were fraying and frying and at the end of it all I heard myself saying, "Okay. I've had enough of THAT!" which shocked me more than anyone who heard me, I'm sure. I mean, I love my family to pieces and it makes my heart so happy to have everyone together and joyful but I can only take so much of it before I have to flee. 

Here are some pictures.


Lon and Lis.
'

Lily and Lauren


Magnolia/Maggie/Magdelina was having a bit of a meltdown and did not want her picture taken. August was eating a huge bite of chicken finger with ketchup. Levon was enjoying his perch on Owen's shoulder which seems to be a thing now. 

All of our Southern good-byes with hugs and rehugs and I-Love-You's and See-You-Soon's took us another fifteen minutes, at least, and then Lis and I left and went and did Costco and Publix shopping because it's been a week, y'all.
It has been a week. 

I have to say though, that this has all been a beautiful spot of being able to be close in what looks like may be another long stretch of isolation or at least far more cautious gathering. The governor of Florida has decreed that counties cannot make mask mandates even for schools although the hospitals are full, children are being infected, and the danger of the Delta variation appears to be even more serious than the "normal" covid 19. 

Anyway, I'm going to go calm myself down by making a lovely salad for our supper. I told Lis today that although I can't believe it, I'll soon be buying tomatoes in the store again and I already bought a cucumber at Publix today.
Tomorrow I absolutely must blanch and freezer-bag field peas. Mr. Moon has been picking and shelling them like crazy and I dare not waste a pea. And the okra is still coming in as are peppers. 

Phew! What a summer! And yet, as with the field peas, I do not want to waste a single morsel of a precious moment. 

Love...Ms. Moon

25 comments:

  1. Spinning- so much activity! I am still in anti social mode and am sure that will not change. Masks are worn up here, the number of ill delta folks is minimal...at the moment.
    Such a joyful gathering you were in the midst of! And just look at your friend, dressed in black with a black hat in thousand degree weather looking cool.

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    1. Well, Florida has 24% of all the people with covid in the country. No need to draw a picture with diagrams to explain that.
      Yes. Lis is always calm, cool, and very collected.

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  2. I hope you catch up to yourself. It has been hectic and joyful for you. Have a sweet night.

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  3. I had to look up Beauty berries, and discovered that we have 2 in our garden! P sees a bush on his walk to get the newspaper, and always loved it. Finally found out what it was called ( Callicarpa) and he found one to buy!

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  4. i do not understand your governor.

    we are having full tilt school but with masks here. it's going to be a mess as less than 40% of the adults in the city here are fully vaccinated. i'm mentally preparing myself to teach in our attic again (if the district lets us- i'm pretty sure they are going to want to micromanage us and force us in the buildings even if the students stay at home so we can 'babysit' students with supervision needs and teach the rest of the students at home. i'm getting all my summer meet ups done outside and getting ready to be back in our own little bubble. i think we may continue to go in person to costco, the hardware store and the meat market. everything else can be delivered. be safe. we are all watching what happens 2 weeks after school starts up in the feral mitten.

    xxalainaxx

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    1. I don't think there's much to understand about our governor. He's just a huge asshole. He's not stupid. He went to Yale and then to Harvard Law school. But he's going to run for president and he wants the Trump vote.
      This whole damn epidemic has become a multi-layered cluster fuck and so much of it could have been relieved if we'd had a decent president when it began and if people weren't being such complete dicks about getting vaccinated.
      But should I tell you how I really feel?
      Ha!
      You be safe too, dear Mrs. M.

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  5. I think I'd have been overwhelmed several parties ago, but you've had such a parade of celebration and happiness. Good for all of you! And happy birthday yet again!

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    1. Yep. I think I hit my wall yesterday but today has been easy-going. I feel rested.

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  6. Circuits were overloaded. I get it. Introverts like us need breaks in between events to stabilize ourselves. Pack everything together in one non-stop stream and we start m-e-l-t-i-n-g (whether it is humid, or not). Still, glad you've had these opportunities. As you say, back to battening down the hatches and hanging around home (esp in FL with its @ssh0le of a Gov).

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    1. You got it, Mary- overloaded and melting.
      And don't we have a supreme shining asshole for governor? Yes. Yes we do.
      And we shall all suffer for it.

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  7. I get it. Too much socializing in a short period of time especially weeks of it. it's good and fun but just exhausting.

    I think your governor and my governor are having a contest to see which state ends up with the most dead people from covid.

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    1. It's true. I am not used to being such a social animal.
      I think you're right about our governors. What in hell are they thinking? I mean, it's their constituents they're killing.

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  8. I imagine you ARE ready for some quiet time! Still, how fabulous that you were able to enjoy everyone's company.

    I wonder what would happen if a local government imposed a mask mandate anyway? The state attorney general would take them to court, I assume, but in the meantime they'd be requiring masks and some people would surely comply. Or maybe they could make masks "strongly recommended" or something like that. There must be a way around that idiot in the governor's mansion.

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    1. Our head of the school board has asked (don't you love that?) for a temporary mandate for all school kids from Pre-K to 8th grade to be masked in classes. Let's see what happens.

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  9. Our governor and the Texas asshat are evil twins separated at birth, it’s like they’re trying to outdo each other in denialism. Such sweet pictures! I too fear we’re in for another period of isolating. That thought makes me feel depressed. Just glad I got to visit and hug my loves.
    Xoxo
    Barbara

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    1. Yes. This time of being able to hug our loved ones is precious and made all the more so by the knowledge that we may have to stop doing it again for awhile.
      I can bear not socializing but the no hugs/no kisses thing is too much to think about.

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  10. You have enjoyed your family and friend gatherings but you did need to have time to rest too! We love them to death but it can be exhausting after awhile! :)

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  11. You have had an amazing few weeks haven't you - absolutely joyours - BUT, I'm with you, after a while I need my space and quiet time too. It's lovely to have both isn't it!

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    1. It is indeed lovely to have both, dear lady.

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  12. Lordy! I hope that Owen does not drop Levon. I see his protective hand on August's right shoulder and I love that detail. It shows his kind nature.

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  13. Hello late. I hope you get back to your before supper post! Do you call it supper or dinner? But not so late to inconvenience Mr. Moon.

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  14. Yes, you're going to need time to recharge after so many days of being social. Still, everyone together is a beautiful moment. The remembering of it roots and grows. It's lovely to have all your children back home.

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Tell me, sweeties. Tell me what you think.