Chronicles Continued

#11- Composting.  Built a compost bin 12 months or so ago and find it such a rewarding experience to be able to compost food stuffs.  Haven’t dug down to the bottom for the ‘product’ will do so when I plant the seeds.  But just to see the bin not increase in size over time, meaning that the contents are working is satisfying.

#10.  The smell of the wash hung out of doors to dry in the fresh air.

#9  General Delivery at the Post Office.

The addresses are scarce and the drivers of UPS and FEDEX unreliable.  If what you are expecting gets wrongly delivered to the door of someone else, they keep it.  The way to ensure that you get yours is to go to the local Post Office and sign up to get General Delivery.  I did learn that if the package arrives after I am departed, it is not forwarded but returned to sender.  I will see if I can fix that with an address label and a pre-pay.

 

 

#8 Driving.  In a car, by myself.  Anytime.  Anywhere.  As fast as.  Rain.  Shine.  Got gas. Good tires.  Maintained.  There is nothing like car driving oneself hither, thither and yon.

#7 Sleep.  I fall asleep and i stay asleep.  No noise.  There are no cows or roosters or people or cars or other ambient noises in the morning.  Only the sound of the sun rising and until I hear that, I am dead to the world.  What a treat is that!

All of these cartoon were in one week, one issue of the New Yorker.

The finished product!

What it takes to get there.

It comes over me suddenly, an inability to tolerate dirty windows.  For reasons unknown our rental contract states we are not allowed to hire window washers to clean the windows on the outside.  Our windows do ‘tip in’ however and if you can make the contortions to reach the bottom of the top window, you can indeed DIY.  I sat down at my desk early morn and with the sun on the rise looked right.  Today was the day!  I couldn’t stand that I was looking through the grime to the world beyond. It isn’t an easy job, as you will see by the accompanying photos. and it also means switching out the curtains from winter black/white to summer green/white; ironing is involved.  But now it is done.  It takes about 3 hours from start to finish.  For the time being it is as if there is nothing between me and the outside world.  I have even hung the curtains on the back of the chairs so I can look out. Tonight I will hang them at the windows to keep the world from looking in.

To clean them, I have this swear-by-glass-cleaner from Walgreens. As I picked up the spray bottle, it felt too light for 6 windows.  Looked among the spices and hiding in the back was a bottle of Chinatown brewed rice vinegar.  Don’t remember when last I used it.  I added it to the spray bottle plus a bit of water and voila.  The best ever.  Most likely this is old hat to all of you, but the rice vinegar did an amazing job.  I will buy more of that rather than the swear-by-window cleaner.

#6.  Big fireplace Logs.  My apartment fireplace is sweet and more than adequate and gives off the glow of hearth with duraflame logs, but here, big, cumbersome-drag-them-up-from-the-basement where I helped stack them last fall logs are ___________.  They feel warm and just getting them up the stairs is an exercise in a number of areas which include, strength, balance, endurance and the knowledge that tomorrow I will have to do it all again.  For the next fire.

#5.  Bought a Bicycle.  How long has it been.  A really!!! long time.  In the meantime there has been inline skating and yoga and …. but a bicycle no.  The nice man at the store had assembled it, loaded it into the back of the car.  At home, I took it out, lowered the seat and got on.  I remember it being so easy.  I don’t think I have ever fallen off one of these before.  I hope the weather changes and that I can give this some time each day.  My mind remembers, but the body is talking back asking “you really think you can do this?”  We are the little engine that could, will.

post script: whew.  The second day was warmer, sunny and already the riding improved.  I could once again balance and this time get up to speed.  We have this. i was worried at that first try but now, no more.