Sunday, August 28, 2011
Small world in Luck, Wisconsin
I went to Cafe Wren for breakfast and Internet access this morning. Typical Sunday morning.
I looked at e-mail and responded where appropriate. I read the Sunday comics. I read headlines and a few articles from the usual 18 sources. I did a blog post about Nigeria to the Teaching Comparative blog.
Then I posted some pictures from the beautiful day at the lake yesterday. As I was finishing up my coffee and online routines, the woman at the next table held out her smart phone, which displayed one of the photos I'd just posted (the one of the landscaping king of Little Blake Lake), and asked, "Is this you?"
Somehow, she'd been online with her phone and found the blog post mere minutes after I posted it.
She introduced herself and her husband who lived at the very north end of Little Blake Lake (on a point beyond the wild rice beds). She asked about where Sidetrack was and if the new fire pit was in the lot with all the fancy landscaping. She and her husband frequently paddle their canoe into the lake to catch fish. He recounted a story about catching a Muskie one spring and having to drag it onshore because he didn't have a net in the canoe. Then, since he was onshore, he helped Sidetrack's next door neighbor get his pump started for season.
We exchanged some more pleasantries and information (but not names).
I left, put the top down on the Miata, and drove back to Sidetrack with the wind in my hair and moderate amazement in my mind.
Came home to have dinner with our youngest son, who is in town for the evening.
We'll be back to Sidetrack next weekend.
I looked at e-mail and responded where appropriate. I read the Sunday comics. I read headlines and a few articles from the usual 18 sources. I did a blog post about Nigeria to the Teaching Comparative blog.
Then I posted some pictures from the beautiful day at the lake yesterday. As I was finishing up my coffee and online routines, the woman at the next table held out her smart phone, which displayed one of the photos I'd just posted (the one of the landscaping king of Little Blake Lake), and asked, "Is this you?"
She introduced herself and her husband who lived at the very north end of Little Blake Lake (on a point beyond the wild rice beds). She asked about where Sidetrack was and if the new fire pit was in the lot with all the fancy landscaping. She and her husband frequently paddle their canoe into the lake to catch fish. He recounted a story about catching a Muskie one spring and having to drag it onshore because he didn't have a net in the canoe. Then, since he was onshore, he helped Sidetrack's next door neighbor get his pump started for season.
We exchanged some more pleasantries and information (but not names).
I left, put the top down on the Miata, and drove back to Sidetrack with the wind in my hair and moderate amazement in my mind.
Came home to have dinner with our youngest son, who is in town for the evening.
We'll be back to Sidetrack next weekend.
Boredom is underrated
Yesterday was a quiet day. The weather was nearly perfect. I spent a lot of time doing little or nothing. Talked with neighbors a lot. I did some work, but my heart wasn't really in it. Here's what my boring day looked like.
Gardening tools sat unused
Lake surface near the shore looked like an aerial view of swamp land with a floating snail shell
Boats were unused
Unidentified flower
Rudbeckia with an imperfect petal
Salvia for the hummers
Landscape champion neighbor and his new fire pit
Gardening tools sat unused
Lake surface near the shore looked like an aerial view of swamp land with a floating snail shell
Boats were unused
Unidentified flower
Rudbeckia with an imperfect petal
Salvia for the hummers
Landscape champion neighbor and his new fire pit
Saturday, August 27, 2011
My cute chemosis
The lake and Sidetrack are beautiful. Heard owls, eagles, loons, pileated woodpeckers, and lots of warblers yesterday.
My eye is better this morning, though it's still red and a little puffy around the iris.
I spent yesterday reading and napping. Finally went over to Larry's after supper and found him on the couch with his heating pad. He pulled a muscle while mowing his lawn. Spent the day on the couch.
Mark and the boys arrived about 7:30. Mark had to be stern in order to get the boys to take off their new school shoes and put on their cabin shoes before they ran from the car to the dock for fishing. I guess Susan gets the weekend to prepare for teaching.
Back to Sidetrack soon and work on the new teaching tools project.
Stay well and in touch.
My eye is better this morning, though it's still red and a little puffy around the iris.
I spent yesterday reading and napping. Finally went over to Larry's after supper and found him on the couch with his heating pad. He pulled a muscle while mowing his lawn. Spent the day on the couch.
Mark and the boys arrived about 7:30. Mark had to be stern in order to get the boys to take off their new school shoes and put on their cabin shoes before they ran from the car to the dock for fishing. I guess Susan gets the weekend to prepare for teaching.
Back to Sidetrack soon and work on the new teaching tools project.
Stay well and in touch.
Friday, August 26, 2011
It's August and I have acute chemosis
It's also been a month since any of us were at Sidetrack. Yikes! A trip to Rockford and a bunch of tropical weather are to blame.
As I toured the grounds this afternoon, I noticed that I missed all but the first few tiger lilies this year. I guess I'll have to come back in early August next year.
The rudbeckia are blooming big time and a few coneflowers.
The winner in the flowering category though are these bright red beauties.
I can't remember what they are. I think they're some kind of flox. I guess I'll have to look them up and plant more of them.
Then I went to work weeding the terrace garden and cutting down brush beside the garage.
Wore me out.
I came in and took a 15-minute nap. When I awoke, my right eye was very watery. I went and washed it out. Half an hour later I had to wash it out again. It was very red.
Washed it out a couple more times. No pain. No problem with vision. Just very red and very watery.
During dinner I noticed a shadow in the lower right periphery of my field of vision. When I looked in the mirror, I could see that I had a "blister" on my eyeball.
Okay, team, that's when I headed for the Amery hospital emergency room.
And, after vitals and an exam, the doc says I have acute chemosis, probably the result of some plant oil/chemical that got in my eye when I rubbed it with a finger full of plant oils or resins that I'm allergic to. No scratches, no foreign bodies in the eye, just some disagreeable chemical. And, yes, if it were on the skin, we'd call it a blister. Perhaps some antihistime eyedrops and keeping fingers out of eye are called for. Should be better by tomorrow.
Hope he's right.
I'd post a photo, but my eye is really not fun to look at. You'll just have to imagine it.
Sun's down. I started a good book this afternoon and I'm ready to get back to it.
Acute chemosis. Sounds important. Glad it's not disabling.
As I toured the grounds this afternoon, I noticed that I missed all but the first few tiger lilies this year. I guess I'll have to come back in early August next year.
The rudbeckia are blooming big time and a few coneflowers.
The winner in the flowering category though are these bright red beauties.
I can't remember what they are. I think they're some kind of flox. I guess I'll have to look them up and plant more of them.
Then I went to work weeding the terrace garden and cutting down brush beside the garage.
Wore me out.
I came in and took a 15-minute nap. When I awoke, my right eye was very watery. I went and washed it out. Half an hour later I had to wash it out again. It was very red.
Washed it out a couple more times. No pain. No problem with vision. Just very red and very watery.
During dinner I noticed a shadow in the lower right periphery of my field of vision. When I looked in the mirror, I could see that I had a "blister" on my eyeball.
Okay, team, that's when I headed for the Amery hospital emergency room.
And, after vitals and an exam, the doc says I have acute chemosis, probably the result of some plant oil/chemical that got in my eye when I rubbed it with a finger full of plant oils or resins that I'm allergic to. No scratches, no foreign bodies in the eye, just some disagreeable chemical. And, yes, if it were on the skin, we'd call it a blister. Perhaps some antihistime eyedrops and keeping fingers out of eye are called for. Should be better by tomorrow.
Hope he's right.
I'd post a photo, but my eye is really not fun to look at. You'll just have to imagine it.
Sun's down. I started a good book this afternoon and I'm ready to get back to it.
Acute chemosis. Sounds important. Glad it's not disabling.
