diary

Shelter in Place life is interesting as well as good. New windows on the Bay side are to be installed, tentatively the end of this week. So I'm having to take down the new shutters put in during post-hurricane renovations. As well as meeting current codes, the new windows reportedly have a bit darker tint, to take away more of the glare that flashes off the Bay especially during January, when the sun is to the south of us. 

This time of year the sun has moved north, so is over the buildings and no glare off the Bay. Which goes to show that everything is relative, perspective, point of view: the sun hasn't moved at all relative to earth; earth has tilted back down for Northern Hemisphere summer innit.

Contemplating and musing.

Once a week I have a martini, one, usually after church on Sunday. My recipe has appeared here any number of times. Shaker filled with ice cubes. Splash of dry vermouth, well okay half a shot glass. Shot or more of gin. Shot or more of vodka. Splash of olive juice to qualify as dirty and salty. Shake shake bruise the gin shake shake shake. Pour shaken cloudy with bubbles and ice elixir into martini glass, old fashioned type glass if it's to be on the rocks. Two or more olives stuffed with anchovy. Sip. To munch along with, maybe bit of extra strong cheese or handful of nuts, but not necessarily.

Flavor can be adjusted with various gins, of which several on hand. You know, I once thought "vodka is vodka". I was wrong, vodka is not vodka. Right now a potato vodka from Poland, quite nice, first time trying potato vodka. When I bought it, I took a chance and also bought a bottle of cheap American vodka that was on Special Sale. Singularly vile. The military special vodka at TAFB puts it to shame. Not usable even as a mouthwash, during Shelter in Place I'm using it to sanitize hands (vodka isn't sticky) instead of wasting my bottle of alcohol. 

At one jigger a week, the Polish vodka ought to last for months, through summer anyway, maybe to Thanksgiving. 

Sunday afternoon we noticed some folks erecting a chuppa on the beach just below 7H. Probably not a Jewish wedding, but a wedding all the same. Wedding party, just a few folks. Woman in white bridal gown, doing the step stop step stop step stop step in the sand under the trees, heading for the chuppa, escorted by her groom. Maybe her father couldn't come. Or wouldn't. Seldom see the step stop step stop or the groom escorting the bride but as Jesus said of the Sabbath, traditions are for people, people are not for traditions. Top volume music afterward, had to turn my earphones down.

Oh that! New hearing aids, sent to me by the VA, who in my experience look after us. Controlled from my phone, volume and three "mode" settings - - standard, noise, and comfort. A fourth setting in case I want to listen to the television (I don't, but a device hooked up to the tv just in case). Also, no changing batteries, they came with a charger, take them off at night, tuck them into the charger slots, next morning back to 100%.

Here's the trouble though. They are totally unnoticeable, can't tell I have them in, meaning there's danger of stepping into the shower with them on and ruining them. So I must have a reminder. A strong reminder, not something that over time just fades into the scenery. 

My mother's walker. Linda's mother's walker before that, biding its time waiting to serve as walker to one of us. Folds neatly, won't slip and fall, leans against the shower wall. Pulling the shower curtain back, I'm stunned every time to see something so absurd, stop and remember why it's there, take my earphones out before getting into the shower.

Finally, books. Reading again after years, a book I brought from The Old Place, Truck, A Love Story by Michael Perry. Living in his house in New Auburn, Wisconsin, age 38 when he wrote this, in his fifties now. Liking his writing, I ordered another, Population: 485 - Meeting Your Neighbors One Siren at a Time, a used copy for $2 or so. Nonfiction, autobiographical, homey, peaceful and good. 

Beautiful flower, has four blooms now, can't remember its name. Amaryllis. Thanks, Jackie and Donna!

Breakfast: deer sausage on a hoagie bun.

RSF&PTL

T+