A cardinal is bellowing for all its worth, heralding the start of this beautiful day. Sunshine, blue skies, wispy clouds, a gentle breeze in the 64-degree weather, and the sounds of walkers, joggers, runners, and traffic surround The Haasienda on Shroyer Road.
The dogs sense something is in the making and they will be excited when my first student arrives this afternoon for the official return to in-person lessons. It will be nice to have students and parents coming back to the house. There are three students I have not yet met in person and they’ve been with me for 1+ years. I had several students graduate that I had not seen in person for two years, and several post-grads I never got to meet in person. I am planning on meeting up with each of the post-grads throughout the summer months.
After putting on the coffee and feeding The Quartet, I began an initial tackle in the living room with The Parting of the Dust Ceremony. During the past two years of not having in-person lessons was that I became quite lax in housekeeping. Now, I have never been a stellar housekeeper. The quarantine offered me an opportunity to ignore some basic life components and I did.
My sinuses are congested and I have a slight headache; I suppose something is in the air. I’ve performed a sinus rinse and that should assist with the congestion.
I may work for a few hours and enjoy a nap before getting ready to teach until 11:00 PM. I still have seven Zoom students in Iowa, Colorado, Wyoming, and California that can take the later times since they are two to three hours behind my time.
Time to finish some other things and get on with the day. Make it a great day!
I had such a marvelous time at the park. It was a busy, fun eight hours of such wonderful guests and celebrating their experiences. The time moved rather quickly.
After finishing my stroll through the park, I took Bus 11 from the old Heritage House to Town & Country Shopping Center in Kettering where I was met by Mama Kay just as she finished Mass at St. Albert’s. We went off to meet Libby at a subway sandwich shop, Jersey Mike’s, across from Centerville’s Dorothy Lane Market. We had an enjoyable time.
Now, I am enjoying a Lincoln Zoom session with several Lincoln scholars and am loving the stories and shared experiences. The one gentleman actually lived in Centerville/Washington Township during his career tenure with Mead Data. He was also Bill Clinton’s campaign manager when Clinton ran for president his freshman year at Georgetown University.
The evening air is a bit on the chilly side and I probably won’t remain on the deck too long.
Except for Erma, who I rescued at age nine, the other three have been with me since eight to ten weeks old. Chief will be twelve in November, and The Sisters, Bailey and Harrigan, will be nine in October.
While they’ve each grown and developed such amazing personalities, I have noticed so many poses, looks, or reactions from their young puppyhood years. Bailey’s is probably the most distinct because she’s not truly abandoned much of her puppyhood. And, I love it.
Here are some of my favorite poses or looks that they had as young pups and still have, today.
It was a bit chilly at 7:00 AM so I returned to my bed with my coffee and bagel. At 9:00 AM, it is finally at 65-degrees with an anticipated high of 78-degrees. The cardinals are belching some of their favorite all-time hit.
For about twenty minutes I have observed a rather chunky cardinal in the tree from Mama Kay’s backyard but after putting on my glasses I have discovered it to be a large dead leaf that has turned orange.
For the past several weeks, I’ve been contemplating a number of things to consider, or rather, reconsider. The questions of “what do I want or need in my life?’ coupled with “what is it I no longer need or want in my life?”
Daunting questions? Yes. Yes, they are, yet they’re vital to life, now, and what I potentially face as I continue this aging process. However, I will not be intimidated by such choices with planning, and eventually, making decisions as I treat them like a typical life adventure. I have always loved adventures and hope that devotion never wanes because adventures, whether physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual, are what keep me going and thriving. They also keep me thinking “young.”
One of my fears since youth have concerned finding myself “stuck” or in a rut. Having lived a life invested in the performing arts and education has kept that fear at bay. I observed early on, that Mother, and her parents, Grandpa Leroy and Grandma Donna, always seemed to keep up with the times, keeping fresh and not as stiff in behaviors and beliefs as their ages might warrant. I did see signs, at times, but I never saw any of them buried in vaults of rigid demands to stay put as I observed in others who were of similar age.
I was not the typical child. I have never been the typical adult, either. Some would say I “marched to a different drummer” yet, I’ve simply lived life as I’ve desired. While growing up in the small town of Elwood, Indiana, and experiencing a lot of campus life at Ball State University while visiting with my father during his classes, or during my many camps until becoming a BSU student, I lived in a world of music, history, genealogy, and the performing arts, mostly directing and writing. It was a different, distant world than other children my age. My family, teachers, neighbors, and experiences always pushed me beyond any borders that could have been potential barriers. I will forever be grateful to those people who believed in me.
I never fit in. I still do not. And, that is okay! I always feared that should I fit in, I might end up being just another puzzle piece in a gigantic 10,000-piece puzzle, unable to accomplish much because of being a tight fit. I never needed to, nor wanted to stand out, but I have always wished to simply be my own puzzle. Ironically, my life has always had moments of standing out and being in the spotlight, sometimes by choice so that I could accomplish what I felt needed to be fixed, but mostly by happenstance. Many times, I found myself out front because I needed to learn something in order to be of service to the next chapter. I do like those times when I make a decision to do something and the journey takes off in a different direction.
So, I will attend to mowing the yard and some trimming while listening to music and plotting the next steps and directions to take. It’s exciting. Yes, a bit intimidating, but how exhilarating and blessed to have choices and options.
Whatever is on your buffet of life, be sure to enjoy the ability to select and make decisions! And, by all means, make it a great day!
I took a bus to the top of Dayton’s Grafton Hill neighborhood to see the spot where Edward Deeds’ barn once stood at 319 Central Avenue. It now resides within The Heritage Center at Carillon Historical Park.
This grassy area was the location of the Deeds’ home and the carriage house where Charles Kettering invented the automobile electric starter and where DELCO was founded.
The neighborhood continues to offer hints of what this once fashionable area looked like.
The west side of Dayton around the Salem Avenue area once boasted some beautiful homes. Sadly, the neighborhoods grew into a dilapidated looking state but many areas are busy rehabbing.
It’s a rain cloud-filled sky but so far, so rain at the moment. That could change quickly.
I enjoyed a relaxing morning working from bed with both Harrigan and Bailey snuggled against me. Now, a little before 10 AM, I am now on Bus 17 heading downtown to grab Bus 14 or 8 to venture over to the former site of the Deeds’ barn up on Grafton Hill. The barn was moved to The Kettering-Moraine Historic Park many years ago, and now resides at Carillon Historical Park inside the Heritage Center. A replica of the Deeds barn is located in the park.
The bus driver and a fellow passenger are loudly discussing the gun situation that occurred the previous day at Miami Valley Hospital and how the ills of society are too great to fix.
My brain, however, is wrapped around seeing the former site of the Deeds barn where the collective geniuses of Dayton, known as The Barn Gang, met and worked on many inventions, most popularly, the electric automobile starter by Charles Kettering, and where DELCO (Dayton Electronics Company) was established. Although nothing familiar to The Barn Gang remains on the site, as a researcher and writer, I always need to make such visits to absorb the area and explore a little.
Whatever your adventures hold, make it a great day!
PHOTOS: The Sisters, The Haasienda from the bus stop, and me.
Before leaving for the park, I checked the radar app to see when the rain would be heading in. My weather app forecast the rain to arrive later this evening or very early Thursday morning. Throughout the day, guests and volunteers said their apps or the news offered a rain arrival time of anywhere from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM.
So far, no rain has shown itself in Kettering. We had awful dark clouds rolling above, accompanied by thunder, but no drops.
I walked in the front door at 1:55 PM, took off my park shirt, opened the door to the deck for the dogs to come and go, and threw myself into my bed. I woke at 4:00 PM, just in time to feed the dogs, and went right back to bed until 6:10 PM.
It’s now 8:10 PM and I am on the deck for the remainder of the evening, or until rain arrives. My Walmart groceries were delivered by 7:40 PM and I am loving my quiet time. I have Thursday and Friday off and am trying to come up with some fun activities that are hopefully places to explore that are not my regular haunts.
In the meantime, I’ve things to research and a project proposal to tidy.
My bagel and tea are consumed and now I’m just relaxing and listening to nature and Shroyer Road’s traffic mixing it up. The sky is clear and the temperature comfortable.
I have an early shift at the park and then a free afternoon and evening. I’d like to head somewhere with my camera but the upper eighties is to be expected for the final temperature of the day.
The Quartet is relaxed one minute, chasing a trespassing squirrel another moment, or greeting a dog and owner walking along the Rockhill Avenue sidewalk beside Mama Kay’s yard.
As I look across the backyard, I may give it a swipe with the mower, this afternoon. We’ve been forecast with 95% chance of rain for Thursday and that will send the grass shooting up a bit more than I prefer it to be.
On with the day. Whatever your day holds for you, be sure you make it a great day.
PHOTOS: Harrigan was in a snit and wouldn’t pose for her photo. Chief kept his back to me the entire time.
The morning began bright and early on the deck and by 1:00 PM I was ready for a nap. And, nap I certainly did.
I joined Mama Kay at Elsa’s Mexican restaurant in Kettering where she and a number of other St. Albert, The Great parishioners joined to celebrate the fortieth anniversary of Father Dan’s ordination. I spend so much time with folks from St. Albert’s that I’ve become their token Methodist.
I returned home, not feeling too chipper and hoped to work at my deck desk. Instead, I moved to the chaise lounge and immediately fell asleep from 6:30 PM until after 9:00 PM. I’ve since moved inside to my bedroom where it’s 10:15 PM and I’m already set for bed.
I’m sure it won’t be long before my eyes are closed and I’m off to sleep.
This offering is from DailyOM and is not my own writing.
Stoking The Fire Within
A warrior perseveres in the face of adversity, stands up for their beliefs, and speaks in the service of those who cannot.
There are certain personality archetypes that we all carry within us, such as the inner child, the lover, and the mother. Some of these archetypes present themselves strongly, while others lay fallow. For example, there is an inner warrior in each one of us, but in some of us this warrior is underdeveloped to the point that we are unable to stand up for ourselves, even when necessary. There can be many reasons for this. We may have grown up with a parent whose warrior aspect was overdeveloped, and we responded by repressing ours completely. On the other hand, we may have grown up with parents in whom this aspect was dormant, so we never learned to awaken it in ourselves.
A warrior is someone with the strength to stand up for what he or she believes; someone who perseveres in the face of challenges and obstacles; someone who speaks and acts in the service of an ideal; someone who protects those who are too weak to fight for themselves. Regardless of the reasons for an underdeveloped inner warrior, you may begin to notice the lack of its fiery, protective presence and wish to awaken it. You may need to stand up for yourself in a certain relationship or situation, or you may have a vision you want to realize, and you know you will need the courage, energy, and strength of a warrior to succeed. Similarly, if you find that you often feel scared, anxious, or powerless, rousing this sleeping ally may be just the antidote you need.
One excellent way to cultivate the presence of your inner warrior is to choose a role model who embodies the qualities of bravery, strength, and vitality. This person could be a character in a myth, movie, or book, or a historical or living person you admire. Simply close your eyes each day and contemplate the quality of energy that attracts you to this person, knowing that the same potential lives within you. Confirm for yourself that you are capable of handling this energy responsibly, and stoke the fire of your own inner courage.
It’s just after 8:00 AM on this beautiful spring morning with the temperature at a most comfortable 72-degrees. The full round of birds seems to be in tacet mode this morning with only one or two reminding me of their presence. The breeze is busy but I am not certain if it’s missing any trees. And, The Quartet appears relieved with me at my “desk” on the deck since that means I am probably not heading for my stroll in the park.
I worked on a non-creative project until nearly 1:00 AM and the Monday night air was perfect. I really didn’t wish to step inside to my bedroom. But, I am glad I did because I had a restful, nearly uninterrupted sleep. I wouldn’t say I am entirely refreshed but I did wrestle myself back into my pillows as I felt urged to join the awakening world outside by 6:00 AM. I feel as though I have earned this morning.
For the past month, I have averaged 3700 steps per day with some days more or less than others. I am proud of that average although it is nowhere close to the 9000-11,000 steps I use to manage each day.
I a still gnawing at the idea of an adventure, today. I also have Thursday and Friday entirely off but I need to devote some time to house cleaning since students will return to The Haasienda for in-person lessons the first time since mid-March 2020. That should only chew into a few hours of my time for one day.
Now, I need to attend to the previous night’s project before digging into the past lives of Edward Deeds and Charles Kettering.
I always manage to have an exciting time. Tonight’s Fraze Pavilion performance by comedians and film stars, Steve Martin and Martin Short exceeded “exciting.”
I had considered getting tickets to this event, the venue is a five-minute walk from my house. However, I knew I had a late shift at the park and it would probably be too much to get home by 7:00 PM and feel like moving on to a packed event with a huge crowd.
Thursday evening, Sherrie and Jim Weyrauch contacted me with two tickets. I could not pass up the opportunity to see Steve Martin, one of my all-time favorite comedians, film star, and musician. The man turned me on to Blue Grass music in 2013.
For some reason, my former student, Alex Loree, now a graduate student at Bowling Green State University, kept popping into my head. I contacted Alex thinking myself ridiculous as he’s busy up at college. Well, lo and behold, Alex was heading to Dayton for the night so he could go to The Indy 500 with his dad in the morning. At 7:30 PM, Alex, whose family has lived only a few blocks away, rounded the corner on foot, and together we strolled to The Fraze Pavilion.
Now, nine years ago, Alex’s older brother, Michael, attended the Steve Martin Blue Grass concert with me at The Fraze.
At the concert site, I got to see the following friends: (in order of appearance) Nancy Caupp, Barb O’Neill, Tom Sellars, JR Riechers, Stu & Pam Merl, and from a distance, Brody McDonald and Ben Spalding.
Two solid hours of comedy, terrific Blue Grass music, and all sorts of skits and humor. It was brilliant and so enjoyable. There were moments when I would think, “Oh, my gosh, surely they are not going to go there…” and naturally, they did.
I. Loved. It.
(Caution when listening/watching the video!)
As they would through many years of reminiscing, it occurred to me just much those two were a part of my entertainment for over forty years.
I am tired but still wound up from their madcap adventures.
Thank you, Jim and Sherrie for being so gracious with your tickets.
Thank you, Alex, for spending time with me (God, I miss you so much!).
And thank you, Steve Martin and Martin Short for an incredible evening of laughter!
It’s not as chilly on the deck as it was Saturday morning and I am not joined by a dear friend who brought Bill’s Donuts for a working breakfast. It’s a beautiful morning with a brilliantly clear sky of blue, only faint wisps of clouds, and a bevy of birds bathing the world in their combined chorus.
I started on the deck at 7:00 AM with my coffee and bagel to Zoom with Joshua and David in London, and David’s Bostonian parents, Anne & Phil. It was our first Sunday Zoom group in several weeks and it was so nice to resume our weekly morning chat.
The Quartet alternates between lounging about the deck to dashing madly to the yard toward some offending creature that dares to enter our borders.
The wisteria has reached its peak and the blooms are beginning to scatter about the deck.
After 1:00 PM, I’ll join other guests at Carillon Park to resume the Dayton Heritage Day Festival, my favorite event of the entire year.
I am still elevated from last night’s Steve Martin & Martin Short show at Fraze Pavillion.
Today, many of my Hoosier family and friends will enjoy the racing in the oval brickyard for the Indy 500. I remember hurrying home after church to prepare the Sunday Memorial Day cookout at Grandpa and Grandma’s house near Lapel. I’d sit in the garage while Grandpa Leroy prepped the grill, the old black radio, paint-splattered and always seeming to be on its last leg, crackled as we heard the announcer keep us abreast of the details.
Of course, the ritual of Jim Nabors singing “Back Home, Again, In Indiana” is still a cherished moment for me. I always marveled at how well THE ANDY GRIFFITH’S SHOW Gomer Pyle could sing so beautifully.
And then, Tony Hall’s, “Gentlemen, start your engines…” In 1977, the sentence was altered as the first female Indy 500 driver, Janet Guthrie, joined the line-up.
Enjoy the long weekend, remember all the brave souls who gave their lives for our country’s cherished freedoms, and make it a great day!
A beautiful morning with a blinding sun, clear skies, and a most agreeable temperature greeted me at 6:30 AM, as well as four loving dogs who needed some attention.
The Dayton Heritage Days Festival returned to Carillon Park after a two-year hiatus and both the Carillon Park Band and The Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra offered some fantastic performances. It was so nice to have the return of this event.
After a four-hour “stroll in the park,” some friends are retrieving me at 1:00 PM for some fun adventures. I am ready!
Let us all enjoy this day while keeping those brave souls in mind who served our country and who are no longer with us.
At 1:00 PM, I departed the park with my bonus siblings, Laura and Michael, children of Mama Kay and John and Janice Moore. Michael is home for a long weekend visit from North Carolina.
Our first stop was Calvary Cemetery where we paid our respects to Laura and Michael’s grandparents, the Zeitlers and the Moores. At first, we had a bit of trouble finding Emerson and Irene Moore’s graves, and then I remembered I have previously used the internet to find gravesites. I went to the Calvary Cemetery website and there was a grave locator.
We left Calvary and headed to Woodland Cemetery where I gave the bonus sibs a highlights tour: Erma Bombeck, Johnny Moorehouse (with the dog sculpture), Col. Edward and Edith Deeds, Governor Cox, Paul Laurence Dunbar, and finally, the Wright Family with the graves of Wilbur (on the 110th anniversary of his death, Orville, Katharine, Otis, Ida, Susan, and Milton.
We returned to Kettering to check on Mama Kay who had been at a medical appointment. Within a few minutes, we were seated at a Mexican restaurant that we frequent. Lots of great tasting dishes accompanied by even more laughter.
By 5:00 PM, I was working on the deck before fatigue overtook my mind and body. I napped for an hour, returning to the deck a bit more refreshed, and am digging into several projects.
Tomorrow is entirely free. I’ve no shift at the park and teaching is off this week. I am trying to decide if I am to take off on any adventures or simply remain on the deck with my projects which are so fulfilling and exciting.
But, for now, on with my projects, and an audiobook of James Traub’s biography, JOHN QUINCY ADAMS.
It’s a bit chilly on this last Saturday morning of May 2022. I was on the deck drinking coffee with my studio manager, Rita, both of us bundled in blankets to tidy up the summer schedule. Bless Rita, she brought a dozen Bill’s Donuts!!!
I will leave the house at 11:30 AM via Bus No. 17 for my stroll in the park. I’ll arrive at 12:10 PM and take lunch in the eagle-watching area before starting my shift at 1:00 PM. I’ll rush home by 7:10 PM and will greet former student, Alex Loree, to attend the Steve Martin & Martin Short comedy time at Fraze Pavilion, the tickets courtesy of Sherrie & Jim Weyrauch. The last time I saw Steve Martin at The Fraze was July 2013 and I was with Alex’s older brother, Michael.
Yesterday morning I mowed, trimmed, and tidied the entire yard within 35 minutes before showering to head to Neon Movies with Laura to catch 1:30 PM showing of THE DUKE on its repeat engagement. A bonus was seeing Carol Chatfield and finally having the pleasure of meeting her husband, Charlie.
I had not felt gut-well since Thursday night but by 4:30 PM Friday I felt better and headed to a favorite dining haunt and a quick visit to Walmart before jumping back on the bus to head home. I finished some business items and was nestled in bed with a book on Charles Kettering and The Sisters. The last clock-time I recall seeing was 9:20 PM. The rest was snooze history.
I’m resting in bed until 10:30 AM when it will be time to prep for work. I’m snuggly accompanied by Bailey.
It’s a chilly morning. The sky is overcast and the air and ground damp from Thursday’s showers. Fortunately, we have clearance arriving with better weather for the Memorial Day weekend which commences the official start of summer.
Today I have a few items to attend to and then a movie. Saturday, I work until 7:00 PM and at 8:00 PM I will walk a block to the Fraze Pavilion to see the comedic duo, Steve Martin and Martin Short, thanks to Jim & Sherrie Weyrauch.
As a child, every Friday before Memorial Day we’d travel to Forrestville, Sunset, and Elwood cemeteries to place flowers on love ones’ graves. If there were veterans, we added a US flag.
This Sunday is the return of the Carillon Park Heritage Day Festival that has had a two year gap in its ten plus years in the running. It’s my favorite event because I’m surrounded by music and history. The Carillon Park Band and Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra will headline the music performances.
It’s a full weekend followed by a few days at the park and no teaching for the week. Figuring out a mowing the yard plan will take some juggling.
Whatever the launch of your long weekend includes, make it a great day.
PHOTOS: Charles Kettering quote and Chief watching his domain from the bedroom.
It’s overcast and the feel of rain is hovering. Today, I have an eight-hour shift, followed by an hour break and a two-hour park meeting. Naturally, rain is forecast for when I am to board the bus and arrive at the park and when I am scheduled to leave the park at 8:00 PM.
I am eager for the day but also semi-dreading the length. Eight hours of regular shift time, the two-hour meeting, a one-hour break between the shift and the meeting, plus the two-hours total of bus time… that totals to a thirteen-hour day. With the evening team meeting, I’m looking forward to meeting folks I’ve not yet met.
And… I hear thunder crackling in the distance. I am hoping that if there are school groups, the rain holds off so they can have a terrific time exploring the park.
Tuesday was a double farewell to seniors who recently graduated. I do pretty well but having the last lesson with a darling young lady, Mia, was tough. She is radiant with joy and her spirit is just captivating and contagious.
I will have Thursday and Friday off before a park shift on Saturday. Sunday is the Dayton Heritage Day Festival which has been a favorite of mine since it began. For at least twelve years, I’ve sat in the same location with the same folks, watching their daughters grow up before my camera lens. This is a fun concert with the Carillon Park Band, formerly the NCR Band, performing at 2:00 PM and then The Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra at 3:00 PM. I love being surrounded by music and history!
My son made it safely back to England and is fighting a severe case of jet lag. I love to travel but jet lag is my worst enemy, as well as the sinus pressure aftermath upon leaving the plane. I am always prepared with sinus flushes and medication.
Thursday or Friday will be a yard work day.
Mama Kay’s roofers were a family or group of Hispanics who were delightful to hear working. I didn’t mind the loud noises just outside my study window, even when teaching. But, you could tell, despite the work, they had the best attitudes and seemed to have a damn good time! I could hear constant laughter, singing, and just a wealth of happiness. I love that attitude.
And, Mama Kay’s new roof looks great!
It is time to get ready for my stroll in the park. My lunch bag is packed and feeling a bit on the heavy side.
I just noticed that my “welcome” flag in the front yard has sunflowers on it. Continued prayers for Ukraine.
Whatever your day holds, be sure to make it a great day!
A gentle rain has moved into The Valley this Thursday morning and I was fortunate to complete my task agenda for the deck.
I had been thinking about switching the location of the large area umbrella with the table and umbrella. Now, my table|umbrella is right outside my bedroom door and the area umbrella is nearer the steps with my chaise lounge set up beneath it. This new positioning will aide me with not needing extension cords strung across the deck.
My twelve-hour day away from home was exhausting but also invigorating. The Guest Experience Team meeting from 6:00-8:00 PM was super and when I returned home I was too hyped to relax or get to sleep.
I’ve a few more tasks to complete and I wish to do so before Noon so I can have the remainder of my day to explore my passion of researching and reading about things in several different topics.
Tomorrow is another “Me” day and I am thrilled! I’ve identified no set plans but I’m thinking a working lunch at one of my favorite haunts might end up as a plan. Saturday, I’ll stroll through the park during my four hour shift and then return Sunday for Dayton Heritage Day Festival.
Mama Kay’s roofers are completing the garage during the drizzle and I suspect they shall finish up this afternoon. They are quite entertaining and pleasant.
Here’s to a raimy day in The Miami Valley but there’s still a goal to make it a great day.
PHOTOS: Wisteria on the back deck; Edith and Edward Deeds, founders of Carillon Park, Dayton, Ohio.
My whirlwind weekend spent with my eldest son, mostly in Cincinnati, was terrific and so enjoyable. He spent Sunday evening at a hotel near Cincinnati’s airport for his 11:00 AM departure to London, Monday morning. I miss him as the time we spend together is never enough.
Sunday and this morning have shown us some of May’s ability to spread chilly air but we have warmer temperatures approaching for this afternoon.
The iris are pretty much gone but my wisteria on the back deck is gorgeous.
The roofers arrived at Mama Kay’s around 7:30 AM and I am surprised The Quartet is taking it all in stride as they’re disturbed by the intruders.
I have been mesmerized by the biographies of Charles Kettering and Edward Deeds. I cannot absorb enough information on these two legendary Daytonians. I am reading both biographies of these men but it is slow-going as I am taking thorough notes.
It is that time of year when I am bidding farewell to my seniors. Yesterday, I had four senior guys for their final lesson with me. These guys have been with me for three years, three and one-half years, nine years, and thirteen years. That is a lot of time spent with each, especially Ian who has been with me the longest.
It is time to pack up and move across the street to the bus stop.
Wherever your Monday takes you, be sure to make it a great day!
What a terrific gully washer of a storm we had from about 3:00 AM until just now, 7:15 AM. Poor Erma, my only dog to be openly scared of storms was glued to the side of my bed while the others just continued sleeping. I am delighted the rain has stopped as it nears bus-stop time at 8:10 AM.
I ordered my Walmart grocery delivery for Thursday night between 9:00 PM and 10:00 PM. At 7:15 AM, I am still without the groceries. At around 10:10 PM, I received a notification that there would be a delay. This has been some delay. I’ve had two previous deliveries which were right on the mark; however, a number of deliveries have been delivered to other houses, mainly next door at Mama Kay’s. I have also had some recent issues with Instacart where they delivered my groceries much earlier than what I had signed on. Some have been delivered as early as three hours before my scheduled delivery. Fortunately, there were no refrigerated items that needed immediate attention since I was at the park when they arrived. Another Walmart delivery was set on my front steps when the delivery instructions clearly stated the items were to be set in “the blue bin” and that described “blue bin” is marked for deliveries. This morning, there seems to be no concern on Walmart’s end that my groceries are to be delivered. Therefore, I shall cancel the order and reorder but I will be swamped once I leave the park today.
It’s a minor speedbump to my day but it is also a service for which I am paying.
I will stroll through the park until 1:30 PM and begin my weekend for which I am most excited to start.
Historian and author, C. J. King offered a fantastic presentation on Mary Harlan Lincoln, the wife of Robert Todd Lincoln, eldest son of Abraham and Mary Lincoln. She really brought home a number of falsehoods regarding the daughter-in-law to the Lincolns. C. J. lives in Jamaica, Vermont, not too far from Robert Todd Lincoln’s beautiful estate, Hildene, in Manchester, Vermont.
The wisteria continues to open up its blooms around the deck and the iris are still going strong out front but are showing signs of waning.
Be sure to flood your day with thoughts of making it great.
I reached home by 2:00 PM and decided to take a nap rather than eat lunch.
So, nap I did. I woke at 3:00 PM, and attended to a few items around the house before feeding The Quartet and moving to the backyard to begin the mowing. I mowed the back and front yards, transplanted four hostas to the front yard since they’re not seen nor enjoyed in the back yard, watered the new transplants and flowers in front, rehung a shower curtain on the back deck that serves as a sun cover in the evenings, and settled down to some soup before joining a Zoom presentation on the Marys in Robert Todd Lincoln’s life.
The weather is gorgeous and so very comfortable. I am hoping to continue my time on the deck during the Zoom presentation.
Chief and The Sisters are surveying the yard while Erma lounges beside me. The sweet girl rarely leaves my side and continues to occasionally rest her chin on my thigh to let me know I am loved.
I looked up and the clouds were not appealing. I checked my weather app and discovered it is intended to rain by 8:30 PM, so I quickly packed up and moved indoors to my study.
Wednesday evening, after leaving my shift and dining at Carillon Brewery, I stepped off the bus at 6:57 PM, walked 120 (or so) steps to my front, entered the house, changed out of my uniform, loved on the dogs, and fell fast asleep by 7:30 PM. I woke around 10:00 PM to let out the dogs, and several times for nature breaks, but other than those few times, I slept soundly until 6:30 AM, rousing ten minutes before my alarm sounded.
I think I am refreshed and brimming with energy and vigor, but the jury still seems to be out.
I have a four-hour shift this morning and will return home to attend to the lawn and a few other items before settling down for a Mary Lincoln Coterie presentation by C. J. King, a marvelous historian with the Robert Todd Lincoln line, especially. I cannot wait for this Zoom event at 8:00 PM.
Today’s post feels a bit dry. There’s really nothing else to offer. The iris have a brief day or two remaining and the wisteria is beginning to belch out of their pods.
While waiting for the bus, a fine missed is covering the area along with a bit of fog. The morning feels a bit sluggish but I’m ready to plow that away.
As I prepare to head into the park, I’ve had “just another Manic Monday…” flowing through my mind. While the Bangles’ hit song is catching and sweet, it doesn’t feel like a manic Monday. I eased into the day and have not felt rushed.
During the wee hours of the morning a terrific thunderstorm shot through the area. The very warm 80°+ weather that we had known for several previous days has been exchanged for cooler, damp air, and overcast/cloudy skies. My weather radar app shows no rain for this morning, but the heavy, dark gray clouds hovering overhead seem to disagree with the technology.
I am excited for the day at the park. We are nearing the end of the school group visits and that makes me a bit sad. While the late spring and summer months are not without crowds, I will so miss the excitement the little peeps bring with them. The introduction to Dayton’s history is thrilling but when the school children become excited over our area’s legacies, I cannot but help to feel even more pride in my adopted city of almost thirty-two years. In fact, I’ve now lived longer in Ohio than I did with my twenty-six years spent as a Hoosier.
As Bus No. 17 glides down Irving Street, beside the empty University of Dayton campus, the dark clouds have taken leave of The Miami Valley, or at least the area in which I will be spending the next four hours.
On the back deck, my wisteria is budding, ready to burst out for their first visit and my iris in the front yard are excited to spend some time with us.
If your Monday is manic or mild, be sure to make it a great day.
The Haasienda on Shroyer... 