Short and Sweet

It was a whirlwind visit with Jonathan and Alissa, but we made the best of it. I was Mom this weekend, a role that I'm not called upon to play too often these days. Making homemade blueberry pancakes for breakfast, hemming jeans and dress pants, getting shirt collars clean, ironing and arranging for forgotten dress shoes. And I grilled. I did not, however, accompany them on their shopping trip to H&M.

Before we had lunch, they finished with the tree. There is a gigantic hole in the sky across the street, not to mention, a lot more light in our kitchen eating area. And it's hot. Really hot without that shade.

Always looking for that silver lining, Bruce got some cash and asked if they'd be willing to move the stag horn fern whilst they were here. We've been trying, with NO success, to get Jody to come back and move it to the front tree. He put it between the pine trees facing hours and hours of sun which has been doing it no good. With no rain to speak of, watering it was impossibly hard. I had to get out a step stool , holding the hose up in the air, and hope some would fall upon the fern. Here's how they did it:

I apologize for the quality, I took it through the kitchen window. They hooked it on the front of that loader, raised it up to the level of the chain, and we are get to go! One bonus is that I can now enjoy seeing it while at the sink. Who knew all the changes a fallen limb would create?

Everyone enjoying lunch under the umbrella with a gigantic fan blowing away to make things cooler:

Baxter is awaiting some scraps. I am the only one who went in the pool afterward.

Alissa brought a wonderful Taylor dress to wear. Doesn't she have the most amazing skin?

We all know where Jonathan got the squinty eye syndrome from. :)

Seriously, this weekend the heat is definitely making it's presence known. If not for "Top Chef" we would have never had the crowd we did on a sweltering summer Sunday. There were four tapings under this big awning:

I ran over there now and then to take photos for Dana. Jonathan and Amy arrived at 4 AM to set up the produce and it sure showed. The TC folks said it was the BEST produce they'd seen on tour with only four stops to go! You may recall that J & A now have much of our furniture in their home.

They seriously outdid themselves. Along with the produce, they were grilling corn and boiling peanuts!

Because of the large crowds my sales were not too shabby. I needed that! Because Mr. Roger is still recovering,  I'm going through my inventory which is fine except that once I do order, I'll probably forget all that I'm out of. A small price to pay. We'd agreed that in Bruce's absence Bill would come down to help me load the Element. Bruce, of course, was at the funeral. A very sad occasion indeed. When he finally got home, I convinced him to let me take his picture which is no small feat.

Still adorable to me. He was happy to learn that I'd managed to take it all apart with little trouble. Bill loaded the heavy stuff and I was get to go.

While I was at the market, Bruce discovered that the bottom of our water heater has rusted through. We wondered why there was moisture under the rug in the garage! As well, when I went into our bathroom, I felt water on the floor. Double whammy! Fortunately, Bruce was able to fix the leaking toilet with ease. Good grief, what next?

Bruce may be camera shy, but you know who is not. Bruce re-christened our bird, Junior. I still like Juvy. Anyway the reason I'm subjecting you to yet another bird picture is because of the changes occurring. Do you see what I'm talking about?

For one thing his feathers are changing color, AND he's lost his little top crest! He looks anything like a teenager now, more like an old man! Make sure you click on the photo and see his expression large.

When Bruce booked the tickets for Jonathan and Alissa, he figured they wouldn't want to get home to late on Sunday, scheduling an 11 AM Sunday departure. Calling me after the market, Jonathan agreed it was for the best. He did mention that it's even hotter in Texas. Yikes!

The phone rang while I was typing this entry. It was my friend from bridge letting me know that the breast cancer is contained to her left breast, which obviously pleases her to no end. More about that later. The truth is, today I just didn't have my mojo. Don't know why...just didn't. Although I got up at 5:30 this morning as Bruce was leaving for the airport, I didn't get done nearly as much as I should have. Tomorrow, on the other hand, is another day.

Hmmm....

Remember I mentioned that I was worried about Corrine? Well, Sunday and Monday's events validated my concerns. Returning from setting me up at the market, Bruce was flagged down by Herb asking if he was strong. Does the sun come up every day? Yes, he answered, he could help. Apparently Corrine collapsed in their bedroom and was wedged between the wall and the bed. Walking into the bedroom, Bruce was greeted by Corrine in only her underpants. Herb answered Bruce's question about covering her up by saying they were too old to be worried about that. Later, when I was just backing into the driveway from the market, I saw Herb helping her out of the car. She needed it! Shuffling at a snail's pace, I rushed across the street to help. Not only was her color bad, she was very, very weak. Why they went to the grocery store together, I'll never know. To refresh your memory of these nice folks:

I took this for practice about two years ago after buying a news lens. She is much smaller these days. Anyway, after returning from a walk with Baxter yesterday morning, I went to take their recycling bins up from the curb. Seeing me through the window, Herb opened the door.

"Where's Corrine?" I asked. 

"She's on the bathroom floor", he replied. 

"Well now, what's she doing there?"

"She collapsed again."

Indeed she had. I found her, lying naked on her back, without her hearing aids, and disoriented. Covering her with a sheet from their bed, I asked Herb if he'd called 911. Yes, he had. Soon thereafter they came, taking her to the hospital, but not before I found a "duster", as my mom used to call them, to cover her nakedness. 

I'll tell you what, few things make me as mad as people working in healthcare who have NO business doing so. I know, I know, it's a stable job, but if you don't have compassion, do something else! It was all I could do not to give the woman paramedic a piece of my mind! According to Herb, whom I spoke with around 6, her blood pressure was so low it was causing her to collapse. Why that is happening, I don't know, however, I don't think it's good. Only time will tell. 

Following that situation I went to the hospital to visit Roger who is still there, resting fairly comfortably, until the blood thinner he's taking does it's thing. Before I arrived, he had horrible coughing fits which actually made him feel better. Trish is sleeping on an air mattress, having not left the hospital since his arrival by ambulance in the wee hours of Friday morning. They are making him wear this:

My poor collapsing friends!

David called while I was there asking if I could give Michelle a ride to pick up her car which, of course, I agreed to. Actually I took her over to Dave's office on Park Avenue so he could take her. On my way home I stopped first at Mead Gardens, a place I've not visited in a while. It just so happens to also be the place that my brother Pat married his lovely wife Ruth. Because it was hot as the dickens by now, with humidity promising to bring out the mosquitoes, I didn't stay too long, but I did stay long enough to see some butterflies, a gigantic grasshopper, and some mallard ducks. As well, they have this amazing wrought iron surrounding the outdoor stage:

Actually, while trying to take the back way into the gardens, I got a little lost in a neighborhood. Maybe I've told you before, maybe not, but Winter Park is big money my friends, with loads of gorgeous old Spanish style homes like this one next to a tiny, lot-sized park I discovered:

I wouldn't mind living there at all.

Driving down Mills Avenue the other night on our date I saw some colorful chairs alongside the road. Yesterday I decided to stop and see what was what. Armed with my camera, I realized they were placed at our notoriously, seating free, bus stops. No clue who did them, or if it was a collaborative project, but here's one of them with what looks like a weary traveler who, for some reason, isn't using it:

Could he have objected to the flower on top?

There is a lot of color on Mills, making it an interesting place to photograph, albeit a little difficult what with all the traffic:

Just letting you know, I'd planned on writing last evening, however, my computer is giving me fits again causing me to quit in frustration. I told Roger yesterday that he'd better get well soon because I need his help!  

Now, on to some exciting news--if you can believe it,  Top Chef is coming to the Market!!! 
Indeed, they will be there on June 5th for three tapings. This could go either way for the vendors; a huge crowd with no buyers, or the opposite, a huge crowd with new buyers! Let us hope for the latter.
The weather was ridiculously hot for this time of year, which made for a very long day. Folks came out in the morning, but who could blame them for not wanting to do so in the afternoon?

Finally, two weeks ago I purchased some caladiums to replace these petunias; I was certain they would be worn out by now, however, aren't they still gorgeous?

Must be that pruning I gave them last month! Randy Knight, from the Polasek, taught me that trick. That reminds me, after quite a few years, RK, is moving on. The gardens won't be the same without him.