It's been twelve days since the last post. I've thought about you out there on the other end of electronic energies. A deep breath and a plunge will make this communication happen today. Before I go further, let's take a moment to rally our thoughts 'round Wendy who over at the farm battled plumbing problems that morphed into an illustration of Murphy's Law. She sent a couple of pictures since the whole (only six-years-old!!!) septic system was drawn into question during the day...

This is the big septic truck being hauled out of where it got stuck.

Later in the day, Wendy confirmed that the clog was solved. No details.

We're all sorry for this day of Wendy's mess interrupting the Empty Nest she's experiencing with both boys away.

John drove Aidan to a nearly month-long cello and music institute in Michigan last weekend. Keoni will return from his European adventures this coming weekend. He Skyped me from their Airbnb (and later from Rome) that is aerie-like perching on a cliff-side overlooking a small bay on Amalfi Coast. What a gorgeous place! with a tiny beach below.

Keoni sent this of Julia who looks like she is rising from the sea of ancient myths.

And, the seaside view...


And what of the great move-in at Dock, you ask? The place is live-able. There are plenty of other things to do but no hurrying now. My back and my feet are groaning a Thank You!

Mary, middle wheelchair, following one of our neighbors in her wheelchair, walking is Sharon who is one of my next-door neighbors; following them is Bill who is Mary's husband. Sharon asked me to join them for dinner at the "Bistro" café located through a series of building connecting hallways that are as bright and open as this one.

A beautiful evening after dinner so Mary and Bill gave me a little tour of some of the Dock offerings. This was one of the many courtyards or areas outside those spacious hallway windows. Often, the halls spread out into seating areas with exits to these sorts of areas outside.

One of the scenes outside windowed seating areas along the hall circling the skilled nursing care building.

This is in one of the largest courtyard-type areas near the childcare center. There are three ducks that come back every year to raise a clutch of ducklings. We saw all three groups. This is the biggest brood with the oldest ducklings.

And here they are again...

Meanwhile, the moving stuff was still in progress and Aidan came over to help me put back together the table that was refinished way back last year.

Aidan hard at work--for hours of patient enterprise and not a little muscle to get it back together.

Alas, after we successfully put all the pieces back together, the supports for the extension ends wouldn't stay together because the wood screw holes were too old and quite worn. A couple of trips to Ace for different screw sizes and still no-go. We stopped our labors. But at least the table was back together though without operable extensions.

But, all that labor was not lost. A couple days ago good friends Bob, who had refinished the tabletop, and Bobbi came over, and after another long session Bob had it tweaked and re-tweaked and re-tweaked so the extension ends work fine now.

I think cordless drills must be right up there with furniture sliders as helpers for humankind.

Tweaking.

Bob had made tiny pegs the day before from oak scraps in his garage workshop. He used them and some hefty glue to fill the worn screw holes and then re-screwed the parts back together. Then, we found the extensions were somehow binding and wouldn't work. Bob solved this dilemma by small tweaks in how we'd lined up the whole mechanism. It is very surprising how elegantly these table extensions are constructed and assembled. Far more precise than is evident, at first--it is a very old table dating perhaps to early 20th Century.

Well done, Bob and Bobbi!

Over in Missouri, Sandy came across an old photo of Aunt Hilda and Uncle John's wedding. She was one of my godmothers and the youngest of Mom's family.

Aunt Hilda and Uncle John.

And, Sandy located Aunt Jackie, now 90 something--Dad's youngest sister. Sandy and Jeanenne got together and went to see her. We all remember she was very shy about having her picture taken so Sandy captured her very quietly with her phone so I could see her, too. This is one of the pix that I like a lot with Jeanenne smiling in the background...

From the Weather Desk: Weather remains a subject in conversations here that includes exclamation points. Gosh, it's raining a lot!

But it clears up every once in awhile. Aidan and I got in another walk or two...

Aidan helped me get this shot.

From the back edge of the farm property.

Back in the music room Aidan played several of the pieces for me, or parts of them, that he was working on to prepare for his Michigan trip.

I can't help but remember a similar posting in this blog six years ago when Aidan stayed with me to housesit Carol and Janie's home just before he and Keoni flew away to join their mom and dad in Pennsylvania.

June 11, 2013, posting. I didn't know yet that I was going to Pennsylvania, too.

So, my friends, enjoy your moments--they're out there waiting for you. There will always be somebody grabbing the last parking space. Don't let such stuff occupy your attention; at least not too long. When you wake up in the morning, you get to find out what happens. Maybe someone will Skype you from Italy, or your dog will nuzzle your hand just when you need some love. Maybe, it's an uncomplicated day like a lot of others. Your day is a gift you get to unwrap.

Whirlwinds of change

Kaleidoscopes of color

Infinitely, unimaginably small 

Infinitely, unimaginably large. 

In a moment

Of ordinary time

Something beyond all

Spins close--
Touchable for a moment. 

My heart swells

And I know something 

That has no words. 

The Universe smiles with me.