Day 218

The damp cancelled the barbecue. It wasn’t really raining. What wimps! Carol came and we painted leaves. The colors are perfect for trying to mix paint to match. We enjoyed the quiet activity together. Today Hollie, Megan, and I will go to our Saturday rendezvous at the farmers’ market. I’m looking for bosc pears. They are my favorite fall treat. The rest of the day is open. I could write, or paint again, or clean house, or weed. Or nothing. My choice.

Day 217

Yes to collecting leaves. They are beautiful colors and I have them safe under a wet paper towel until later when Carol and I will get ready to paint them. Mainly I want to see if I can mix the colors using my student paint boxes. I’m not going to invest in a lot of painting materials. Senior Center is having their fall barbecue at Beachfront Park today. It may be damp but I will attend. It’s also payday and annuity payday.

Day 216

Woke up again with a sore back. After stretches and moving, I’m fine again. Might be a muscle ache. Today is senior center duty followed by a quick shopping trip for a new toaster and soft shoes. I have another sliver from dancing barefoot on my wooden floors. The last museum duty was quiet. Not one visitor. We chatted and that was the end until next May. I hope to collect colored leaves from Carol’s yard. I’m in the mood to paint.

Day 215

It was a short meeting and I did get to do both duties. A busy day and a good one. Today is the last day of the seasonal duty at the museum. I’ll miss the chatter and visitors. Maybe I’ll look for another place to spend a couple of hours a week. It is better in the dark months to have outside activity and socializing. I do suffer from seasonal depression and candles and music help, it’s people who make the difference. 

Day 214

I enjoyed yesterday. I was busy filling the list and smiling when it was done. It was a change from senior center. Today I’ll go to board of supervisors meeting to document the time slots and pay attention to the behavior. It is a civic duty. If it is a short meeting, I’ll go to the center for lunch. I’m leaving the paint stuff on the table as I have an unfinished painting there. I want to get back paint and paper.

Day 213

I enjoyed church with Fr. Tom and his social justice sermon. Politically timely. Last night I dreamed that I was painting. I haven’t put wet stuff on dry stuff for years and this morning I took out paint pans and paper. I may recreate the dream painting. The day will start with routine house chores and errands. Need dog food and a quick step through Walmart.  The exercise mat will be in service to my sore back muscles. Greeting Monday happily again.

Day 212

Megan was camping. Hollie and I had a productive walk for our fruits and vegetables then stopped at Carol’s for tomatoes. Gene had a huge crop. I finished  with the bird and put tape on the cracked window. Nothing else happened except three walks and a lot of TV and excessive eating. I feel discipline coming on with the change in my weekly schedule. I say I want more out of my time and I’m the only one who can accomplish it.

Day 211

Today is famers’ market day and Hollie feels better and is coming to town. I haven’t seen her for two weeks! Megan too. She has also been invisible for a couple of weeks. Considering that she lives here, that is unusual. I worked on the Bird-of-paradise again yesterday and my back is sore. I must get back to the mat for the core exercises. The car had its six month checkup. Had an interesting conversation with Patti Alexander while waiting at Coast. 

Day 210

Great to have the story group back. We had an engaging catch-up with travel and family events to share. I didn’t have anything. I confessed to having a juicy prompt from my astrologer friends that I want to write about and the blank page is waiting for the first word. The change ages foretold by astrology were absolutely true for me beginning with 29 ½ and that’s where I want to begin. Then 42, 58, and the already active 84^th year. 

Day 209

Hollie wasn’t well lunch didn’t happen yet. It was a slow day at the museum with only one family of visitors. There were other volunteers to talk with and that was fun. I’m changing my day at the senior center from Monday to Tuesday. I need a change. Two of the Tuesdays I will go to Board of Supervisors meeting with the help of Crystal and Anne who will each take a Tuesday a month at the desk. Today story and tea!

Day 208

Clean house! Yes, I did it myself and then smiled as the dog hair flew already. Oh well, it was clean for a minute. Then I took on the bird-of-paradise plant that is taking over the rose garden. I need to clean out the side against the house where it stays damp in the winter. I filled the green bin and enjoyed every minute. Today, after museum duty, Hollie will pick me up and we are going to lunch. Always enjoy her.

Day 207

Air quality is GOOD! Thanks to the rain, I can breathe deeply outside without concern. I took three short walks yesterday and my left knee complained. I have not had any issues with my knees and I hope it’s just a passing event. Today I am going to clean my house from top to bottom. I want to do it myself even though I came close to calling for help. I enjoy seeing my house neat and spiffy by my own hands. 

Day 206

Damp and welcome. The air is still moderately unhealthy but help is on the way with showers. Today I’ll go for senior center duty and a much needed massage with Karen. I slept well for the first time in a month and it makes a difference in body and mind. I may get a walk early and enjoy the moisture. No errands, just a walk for pleasure. Actually put words in my paper journal. Felt good to write of the bothersome thoughts.

Day 205

No farmers’ market yesterday. The smoke was too bad. I did get a short walk later when the wind changed the smoke direction. Oh, rain. Please come and take away the prison of unhealthy air. Church today. It’s morning prayer and I’m not sure I want to go. Much as I acknowledge the church as my family, loyalty is sometimes undone by lack of stimulation. My spiritual life is my responsibility. I don’t depend on religion to deepen my connection to spirit.

Day 204

It was fun to spend time with the “girls” along with a pint of agate beer. Then we went to the beach and enjoyed our serene ocean. Doesn’t often look like a pond! My back aches from yard work yesterday. I’m so happy to be outside that I don’t mind. It’s been a month since I’ve felt like going out. Today is my favorite family outing to the farmers’ market. Then no agenda. I can make it up as I go along.

Day 203

Tea and stories group will meet on the 21^st and get into a routine again. I wish I had stories to share. What has happened to my words? Today the dogs go to the groomer and I need to clean the yard. I missed the green bin pickup on Wednesday. My energy level has not allowed for any weed distribution. Later Rosalie, Karen, and I will go to Port O Pints for Karen’s birthday. It’s a cute little place but acoustically uncomfortable. 

Day 202

It was an busy day at the museum. I like the visitors and their stories. Two more Wednesdays and the season will be over until May. Back to the senior center today. It is a band day and much as I enjoy their music, the volume gets to me. There is more smoke in the air and I’ll walk anyway. The cooler weather will help the fires with a little rain forecast for next week. I need to reconvene the story group. 

Day 201

The board meeting was agonizingly long and difficult. Oh, how did I choose this duty for the Dems! Politics can be incredibly ugly and makes me wish I had a rabies inoculation against vicious people. Today the quiet and peace of the museum where people are happy to be there and have interesting stories. My hair is short again. Janna put a product on that makes it shine. I like that. The smoke particulates are in the moderate range so no mask.

Day 200

Orchids are bathing in the sink. They are doing better since I moved them to the south window. Smoke has been down to moderate particulates and I have had great walks in the past three days. Yesterday was good. Senior center was okay and the Dem committee meeting was productive. I’m glad to be part of it. Today I will attend the board of supervisors meeting and later get a much needed haircut. I want it one inch all over. Easy care.

Day 199

Yesterday was better in terms of productions. At least I did laundry and swept the kitchen but no energy for the yard or big house stuff. At church I asked on behalf of all smoke sick people for a healing blessing. It was a good thing to do. Fr. David’s sermon was on mindfulness and how easy it is to get involved in distracting drama. Conversations after the service were interesting on current events. Later senior center duty and Dem committee meeting.

Day 198

Church today. Father David will be here. I hope to have productive energy either for the inside or the outside of my home. The farmers’ market was fun with Hollie and Megan. I brought home fruit and vegetables. I took three walks, stretched, then sat. It was an improvement and I want more. I know how to get back in routine and it starts with putting the mat down and getting on it. Hesitation wastes energy. I wish I wanted to write.

Day 197

Megan thought the smoke event was over after two relatively clean days. I had to tell her it was a respite, not a finale. This morning I smelled smoke when I picked up the paper. Hollie is coming for the market and I’m hoping walking is doable. I am slow and weak as if I had been sick for a month. Oh yeah, I have been. Even longer if I add the flu episode just before the smoke started. Start over again.

Day 196

The fresh air was wonderful and it’s damp this morning so the particulate count should be lower. I need domestic energy again. The house is needy for attention. I pulled up the artichoke plants as the gophers had eaten the roots. Now I want to replant the area with azaleas next month and maybe make an artichoke patch between the pear trees later. I’m through gardening. I noticed the diminishing interest this spring. I want a yard that is easier to maintain.

Day 195

Brief shower. Enough to notice and hope for more. Lightning close and Minnie is in the closet already. Yesterday was okay. Busy at the museum and I walked in the moderate air quality. Just can’t stay in when there is any break in the smoke. Today I’ll go to the senior center for duty and then a duty for the Dems. I’ll make the reminder calls for the meeting on Monday. I shopped  yesterday and bought gas. Let’s get back to normal!

Day 194

Three weeks of smoke related activities and it is wearing thin. This morning the full moon is yellow instead of red and stars are visible. Doesn’t mean it will stay clear but it is a relief to have a bit of normal atmosphere. Today I must venture out for shopping and museum duty. I can feel my body lose its fitness without walking and exercise. I hope to feel energized enough to be positive and overcome the stagnation. Imagine praying for rain!

Day 193

Another day controlled by the smoke. Nothing to do but what works. So I’m staying inside again. I did get a good particulate mask and by walking slowly, I was able to walk briefly. I can always look inside for activity. There are always drawers, cupboards, and closets to investigate for possible deletions or at least straightening. People came to the coast hoping to get out of the smoke only to find it was worse here. Pray for patience and early rain. 

Day 192

I was flat yesterday and may have more of the same lack of activity today. The Minsals’ are having a party that I will miss as I have no social energy. What I might do is get a particulate mask so I can venture timidly into the hot ugly outdoors. Oh for rain or at least a cleansing wind. This malaise could last until October when the rainy season begins. I need to do exercises as sitting is bad for my body.

Day 191

Today is two degrees cooler. The thick smoke is still an issue. After all the planning and expectation, the barbecue is done and I’m glad for it. Hollie was wonderful. She came early and we stayed until 2 when I just had to get out of there because it was too hot and smoky to breathe. About 100 people came and Jim Wood was great at speaking and smoozing with the crowd.  I will never volunteer again. Too many nit-pickers for progress. 

Day 190

Worst smoke day with ashes falling like snow, hot, still, totally unhealthy day. I walked to the Dem office with my mask on, worked at the fairgrounds getting ready for the barbecue today, and then met with Karen and Rosalie at Port O Pints. It’s a regular neighborhood pub with great sandwiches and lots of beer varieties. I had a delicious Reuben and an agate pint. It was too noisy for comfortable conversation so we came back here to finish our visit.

Day 189

Today I’ll meet the other committee people and we will take things from the office to the building for the barbecue tomorrow. I’ve done lots of inviting and am through with it. Just do it. This afternoon Karen will pick me up and we will meet Rosalie at Port O Pints for her birthday celebration. I will exercise restraint because I need a clear head tomorrow! I enjoy their company and lots of laughing will be the high point of the day.