orchid

Somebody had a fine meal, some shark taking a bite of a large red snapper one day and from the same man a grouper the next http://www.newsherald.com/news/20170709/fish-tales-taxman-cometh. 

Birthday July 10.

Today is Linda’s birthday and three gift projects are on the agenda for the day. Last Friday the washing machine died, the washer that was here in 7H when we bought the place two and a half years ago. Linda disliked it instantly for various issues of front-loaders, but vetoed replacing it, seeing it was working. Friday we checked Consumer Reports and Appliance Center had the exact HE top-loader that CR recommended, to be delivered sometime today along with its companion dryer, which CR also raved about, so I’m staying put for that, birthday project #1. This is the only wife I’ve ever had who would choose new laundry machines instead of the diamond ring she was entitled to for our 60th wedding anniversary last week.

Birthday project #2 is to review and update the widow file so Linda has what she calls the Death List of what to do if I die. Make that “pass” instead of “die” and put IF in italics, caps, and bold because it isn’t going to happen, so what a waste of her birthday, but this is the gift she chose and insisted on. What to do First? Dial 911 and tell them not to run the syreeeen. Second, call that one-eight-hundred number that's listed there and book the nudist singles cruise, it’s already paid for. Three, close the file until she returns from the cruise. Four, reopen the file and check the obit I wrote back in 2010 before going to Cleveland Clinic.

Birthday project #3 is go out to dinner this early evening. It was supposed to be Linda’s choice but she’s choosing Captain Anderson’s, saying it’s because she thinks I want to try their seared sea scallops. That wasn’t the idea, but there we go. I think it’s the Jewish Mother: “No, never-mind that I’ve been longing to go to Grand Marlin, I know you want to try the sea scallops at Captain Anderson’s, so that’s my choice, maybe I’ll get to go to Grand Marlin some other time, maybe next year, knock on wood and the EvilEye don't notice.” 

So anyway, that’s birthday Plan A. 

Orchid a phalaenopsis, is from TJCC. Looking over it across StAndrewsBay reminds me that long years ago, sixty-three years in fact, it would have been 1954 exactly, I tried with Linda, to rationalize away an earlier, competing crush that was basically over but of which she had been jealous, by quoting to her the title of a country song by Grand Ole Opry star Carl Smith, "I overlooked an orchid while searching for a rose" but was told it was corny, which it probably was, as nearly all country music is corny; and listening to it again this morning realized the lyrics don't fit and aren't suitable anyway.

So, happy birthday!

DThos+