Seeing It Through in Everyday Ramblings

Early roses from the neglected front garden across the street. I have lived here over 15 years, and no one has every lived in the house. The family comes in from the coast where they live every 4 months or so and cleans up, but no one has ever stayed. It is a good-sized house, but it is falling into disrepair. I think the family is waiting for the mother, who has a touch of dementia to pass but maybe there is a sibling dispute. It is clear that she was a dedicated gardener at one time.

Sad to report that my poodle friend Frieda, Mrs. Sherlock’s 14-year-old standard poodle died this week. I adored that dog, and Mrs. Sherlock tells me it was mutual. She was a little barky when playing but not at home, she was chill. And she had remarkable energy even until a few months ago when her kidneys started to fail. I have been walking with her ever since she was a puppy.

She wasn’t as interested in other dogs as most dogs. Friendly, tolerant. I was the only person I know she jumped on and that was only when we would race around a green space together and she would get excited. She tolerated stranger attention well. So hard for Mrs. Sherlock who also hasn’t been feeling well. So much transition in her life.

I have been busy with League stuff all week and a few days ago my cable provider who I get the internet from sent me a new router. Like going to e-sim on my phone I was anxious about figuring out the setup and didn’t want to do it during the week in case in in the process I messed up coverage during the time I was teaching.

After this ridiculously busy morning I finally had time this afternoon to make the attempt. And I figured it out! Chuffed, I am. And the service is faster for sure. So that’s a win.

Weirdly when I went to the community garden this morning to water there was string blocking out my plot. It was attached to a stake at the front of the plot and the fence in the back and it was about two feet off the ground. It followed the contours of the box that frames my plot. That is about six inches off the ground.

It was like someone was marking territory and the legacy blueberry back by the fence that I have been taking care of for the last four years was not inside the boundary. To water and weed I had to step over the string and as there was no one there I just undid the knots at the fence. The box to the east is full of self-seeded snap dragons and weeds. There are now six bags of soil conditioner on the ground next to it. That plot has space inside the string for a person to work the plot in.

The plot to the west has no string. It is this profoundly annoying mystery. I sure hope no one messes with my plot. I sent an email to the Parks Department that oversees the gardens and to the titular garden manager who is a complete flake and haven’t heard anything back.

I haven’t spent that much time this year cultivating the garden plot but still…it is hard not to worry as I have some perennials in there.

My skin condition has been active in the last few weeks, and it is uncomfortable and takes extra maintenance. I wonder if I am going through something like a reverse adolescence and that is what is causing the flare up. I honestly don’t know what might be triggering it. I thought the weight loss would help.

On top of that I had the brilliant idea (maybe not) of teaching the glutes this last week, the big muscles of the buttocks. I noticed early in the week that my back and sacrum were sore. Obviously, this is an area where I could use some shoring up. The discomfort in my old dog hips has been intense. Learn by doing, I guess.

In spite of all this I think there are signs that my mood is improving. I am taking the last week of the month off from teaching and League things. The days are so much milder, the air fragrant and at least right this moment the sun is shining.

And I did figure out how to install the darn router, so there is that. I also took care of a problem that four people were working on for the League, and my students have been quite vocally appreciative lately.

That helps the burden of annoyance and sadness I am carrying right now.

I hope I can find some balance in there somewhere to see me through.