Nothing But Blue Skies

For two days now there has been no rain, it's as if we never had weeks of torrential downpours with high winds, thunder and lightening. After a big storm on Tuesday afternoon the skies cleared causing me to say it was a good omen for the Magic game. That sounds perfectly silly, but sports fans are a superstitious lot. It worked you know.

The pool cleaner, after initial hiccups, has done a remarkable job. Oh my, it is a sight to behold how lovely the pool looks. As you may have guessed the above photo is of the pool immediately after the filter came on. Remember how I mentioned that air in the line may have been causing our difficulties? Well, I'm sorting all that out. Not one to let any opportunity go to waste, I grabbed my camera and here we are--lovely bubbles captured. I spent a good part of the afternoon either in the pool, or in the shade reading Life of Pi. Matt gave the book to his dad in 2001 (as evidenced by the U2 concert ticket stub in the book) but I'd never read it. Before I deleted the blogs on my side bar I read on the Book Lady's blog how it was a life changing book. I realized how silly it was having a book like that on the shelf and never opening it. Let me tell you, it is wonderful. Have you got any books on your shelf like that? Maybe the timing isn't right, but just when it will have the most impact on you, I feel confident you will reach for it. There is a wonderful passage about how doubt is an insurmountable enemy to our souls if we allow it to enter our thinking.

Because I've had a few weeks with poor sales, I've begun to doubt myself. I've tried not to, but it is easy enough to do if you are by yourself for much of the time. Those passages in particular spoke to me with the result--a confident middle-aged woman sallying forth! This weekend will be what it is supposed to be, not a reflection of what I'm doing. How's that for confidence?

Bruce arrived in Orlando this morning, but is still at the office working away. I've got the asparagus ready, the potatoes peeled, and the tomatoes sliced, waiting patiently for his homecoming. It's a good thing I don't have much appetite.

Speaking of which, Bruce and I were talking the other night about how incredible it was that I had dry heaves and misery for so, so long. It seems almost like a bad dream these days. I'm supremely grateful for its disappearance. After sitting for any length of time (as short as a meal), I could barely walk needing assistance much of the time. I'm embracing how normal I feel--the only nagging thought I have is that it will return out of nowhere whence it came. Let's hope not.

This morning I bought credit card slips and dropped off the disc with the potential calendar photos at Roger's house. I'm having him print five, I'll pick three once I have them in my hand. I'm finding that is an easier way to choose things rather than on the computer. Let's hope I have a winner in the lot!

Yesterday afternoon I went to Costco to get toilet paper. Anymore Costco befuddles me what with the dizzying array of merchandise, most of which I can't use. It is a great place to get tires, gas, the aforementioned tp, and varying types of soap products. Glasses too. I buy their laundry detergent which lasts nearly six months enabling me to not have to go to the grocery store which pleases me greatly.

I almost forgot to tell you about something that happened yesterday which was very cool. I took the mirrored medicine cabinet doors to a glass shop downtown to get new ones as the current ones have seen better days; I didn't want them marring my bathroom renovation. They've been in business since 1969 and were very casual, actually only taking my first name and phone number for my order. The front desk woman's name is Gail. I mentioned that I'd never been in a glass shop before and would it be possible for me to take a look at the space. Sure. Turns out the owner has a thing for old stuff, taking full advantage of the offerings on ebay. I spotted an old wooden phone booth along with several very interesting old public scales. He ended up pulling out a phone book from 1974 asking if we lived in Orlando then. You'll recall that we were newlyweds in 1974 having just moved into our first home. And here we are...

Joel C. Peck is Bruce's brother for those of you who don't know his real first name, and just below us is Robert S. Peck, his dad. The house listed there is the old rental house on Francis Avenue where his grandmother lived. I was hoping to see how many Pecks were in between Bruce and Cris these days, but they aren't in the phone book. I did estimate the number of Pecks now living in Orlando at around 50. Of course, I'm pretty terrible at that sort of thing but you get the idea--there are a lot more people in Orlando in 2009 than lived here in 1974. You'll also note the lack of area codes. Simpler times.

Every weekend for six weeks we worked on painting the outside of the Hargill house. Judy and Cris lived just behind us in the Peck family home until they moved out of town to Altamonte Springs which seemed far away in those days--still does to me. Judy loves to tell the story of floating in their pool while pregnant with Katie listening to Matt crying at our house. It made her mighty nervous wondering if she would suffer the same fate as me. Remember that the windows were wide open because of no air conditioning. That alone was enough to make anyone cry.

Please let the Magic win tonight. The LA papers were mocking us and I don't especially like that.

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Listening to: Alberta Hunter - My Handy Man
via FoxyTunes

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Listening to: Adele - Hometown Glory
via FoxyTunes

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Listening to: Alicia Keys - No One
via FoxyTunes

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Listening to: The National - It Never Happened
via FoxyTunes