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It's just about impossible to describe how beautiful this morning is. If I tell you the temperature is crisp (high-50s F), the sky is a brilliant blue and the sun makes everything sparkle, that will have to do, and I'll just hope your imagination and your own memory of gorgeous mornings can fill in the rest. The day is full of promise and I can't wait to get out into it. I'll spend as much of it as I can outdoors; dinner will be grilled steak in an Asian marinade that should smell up the neighborhood very nicely for a finish fitting to the day. The picture is of the huge peony bush at the end of the driveway, its blooms bobbing cheerily in the breeze. Today, outside is a happy place.
I'll be a bachelor starting tomorrow until Thursday. Steve has a trip to company HQ in Sacramento--probably the last one he'll have to take. He hates these trips and HQ in equal measure, so that's a good thing. The latest: the government has admitted to his company that they (government) are very behind on awarding a new contract, so any changeover has been put back for at least six months. That's good news for the immediate future: the guillotine blade stays suspended a bit longer. If we can get all the way to retirement time early next year, that'll be even better. In any case, a bit of the pressure is off. (Retirement income is still a huge problem, given the company's refusal to cooperate with Steve in administratively adding time in--they could, but they just won't, as a "matter of policy"--but we'll deal with that when the time comes.)
Enough of that. I'm headed outdoors to see what I can scare up in the way of some useful activity. Steve's resurfacing the driveway with tar. That's really not as bad as it sounds, but still. I'll have to look busy!
9 comments:
Ralph,
I'm envious. It rained all night into this morning. The drops sounded wonderful from my bedroom window, but I would forego the rhythmic beat for a bit of sunshine.
I had Clouds in Africa and played it every night. Chelsea Morning remains one of my all time favorite Joni's. I play it periodically on Coffee. I figure I can repeat anything I want.
Bummer, Kat! I know how grindingly monotonous dreary days can get. If it makes you feel any better, for us, this is will be one nice day in the middle of a string of gray ones. The clouds will return tomorrow. Let Joni brighten up your day indoors, anyway....
Ralph
Yes have tried the strawberry version but do believe I will try your blueberry recipe...looks so good! And fresh...better than cooked fruit pies although those are yum too. love that dark maroon or dark pink color of your peonies. Will you be taking a start/cutting of them to your new home? Peonies are hard to transplant as they skip a year of blooming once transplanted. Now I have to get outside and plant the roses and hydrangeas I bought. Glad you have a bit of break on the job worries.So hard for those of us in this age category with looming retirement and then job worries on top of it!
Mim
Great picture Ralph . . makes me homesick. Reminds me of the little house we owned off Lee Highway on Danville Drive.
Z&M, I looked up Lee Highway and Danville Street--that's a nice neighborhood, Lyon Village. No wonder you used to hang out at the Rosslyn waterfront, you were so close. Too bad you don't live in the area now--we'd have a good time impressing each other in the kitchen!
Hello, Mim. Nice to hear from you. I have to agree, all pies are delish, but these fresh fruit pies are extra special. If you don't mind pitting sweet cherries, yoiu ought to try them in this recipe when they're in season. Beyond luscious!
We actually have enough peonies in the yard to justs dig up some choice tubers and take them with us wehn the time comes. I have a very old plant, a white one, from my mother, and that'll have to go, as will a piece of that champion in the picture. Believe it or not, that one's about 1/4 smaller than it was last year--that much of it died back in the hot drought. I was relieved to see how well it rebounded. It's a real winner.
Thanks for your thoughts on the job/retirement mess. We all have crosses to bear. We'll see.
That's a 10-4 Ralph. I was back there end of Sept 07 and a friend of mine in Real Estate showed me some of those gorgeous condos overlooking Iwo and a few lined up so owners could get a view of the Kennedy Center and the Mall. I was overwhelmed. The beauty of some of those buildings in Rosslyn just gave me a real cozy feeling. For sure, if I hit the lottery one of them will have my name on it. Most we saw were asking $750,000 and up. But I think worth every dollar. Z & M
Hi Ralph,
Hopelessly behind - so here is my catch-up.
Hope the cleanup isn't too bad in Delaware and that you & Steve made it home safely.
Good news about the RA - sending positive thoughts re-MRI tests.
Good news about Steve's job - perhaps, more will get lost in the shuffle and he will reach the accumulated time.
Flowers are beautiful. I have enjoyed the pictures.
Pie sounds deelish and looks equally as good.
Think I've covered most of the points.
Linda
SEPA
Hello, Lady Linda! Hope things are fine in your neck of the woods, and thanks for your warm thoughts. As for the mess in Delaware: I think we're golden because we bit the bullet and had the roof repaired before too much more rain fell. Hate to spend any more money than necessary on that old trailer, but this was a dire necessity. We had 30-gallon trash cans under the leaks, and I'm sure they didn't fill. I'll found out soon enough--I'm thinking of going down there for the week on Tuesday.
Glad you like the flower pics. There's another one today! And all fingers and toes will be crossed on the continuing job saga....
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