Be Careful Where You Put Things

When we first moved here from the West Coast, the neighbors invited us to a "crab feast". Nina asked, "how many should I order for you." We both answered, "one is enough". She just laughed and said, "I'll get a dozen." We just shook our heads.

That weekend we discovered the Chesapeake Bay blue crabs. What a lot of work. But with the local seasoning (which we discovered years later makes excellent french fry "salt") and good friends, the time flies by.

A year later Lily and Walt visited, so we took them to the most famous local joint, "the cracked claw". The tablecloths were brown wrapping paper. I will never forget Lily's jaw dropping as an arm came in from behind her and upended a big pan of crabs right on the table. Needless to say, if you are from the West Coast and only know dungeness crab, it is an alternate universe.

She picked up a bumper sticker, but those never grace our cars, so we stuck it on my weed collector. Now it is 25 years later. The sticker is where we first put it and the Cracked Claw is now merged with Peter Pan Inn up in Urbana because they put a highway intersection where the old shanty crab shack was. No wonder people have a hard time downsizing. Things come into the house, they get put some place, and they stay there for years! Accumulation, but good memories too.

Singapore National Day

August 5th, remember that date. It floats through the week each year, but it is always the day of celebration at the Singapore Embassy, one of the best attended receptions in town because Amb. Chan sets a really good table!

This is the 45th anniversary of Statehood and the 20th anniversary of closer strategic defense and military ties.

The pictures I took inside were either dark or blurry (I am still learning how to use my iPhone as a camera). But I did stop outside to get one of the shields on the brick retaining wall as I walked up to the event at International Place.

Did I say we had pouring down rain the two hours before?

My boss lives in Northern Virginia and an old oak tree limb was sent right through his sun room. The 125 year old oak in the backyard, fell roots up across the power line so they were without power. But it wasn't just his tree, two other same-size trees were leveled on top of the lines too. They were the target of a severe downdraft with winds at 70 mph. The foot thick trees didn't bend, they snapped under the force. Quite a storm.

Remembering Dates

The years go by indiscriminately. I felt I had not had my sewing machine "cleaned" last year, but maybe it was two summers ago, but no. Three years. Oops. Isn't that supposed to be annual?

Took my babee in for cleaning - takes ten days. My sewing room looks so empty without it. But I love my little niche with my blue ribbons, the picture of Berg Eltz, plenty of light, every tool within reach, oh, and this year, a shopping bag one of the quilters couldn't remember where she found it, but saved for me....All About Jane.

So I go to claim the machine and pay an arm and a leg, and casually ask the new clerk I haven't seen before, but about my age, "how often do you clean your sewing machine?" "I've had it cleaned twice in ....twenty years." Shock and awe.

I probably won't wait that long, but I discovered an alternate use for the Outlook Address Book. Under Sewing Machine, for the company name, I put down I had it cleaned in the summer of 2010. No more faulty memory either.

Already?

It is August already and the long promised company will soon be here. Guests from Germany the first weekend and from Hawaii on the last weekend.

It will be like taking a vacation in place. We will get to sleep in our own beds, but will see the monuments through fresh eyes.

This is my favorite screen saver at the moment, the two grandchildren heading to the pool for a swimming lesson.

The tractor is John Deere green, but the old brand is Oliver Super 44. Close enough to remind me of the third cutting of alfalpha. Those were the days.

Chicken Out Closes

Just one after another of our long time tenants are disappearing. They never ask our permission or give us warning. One day we drive by and the tell tale signs of departure are apparent.

In this case, no more neon sign, just the outline of the etched name remains and a solitary paper in the window, Retail Space For Lease.

No more marinated rotisserie chicken - remember how we used to divide the quarter pounder white deal with brocolli, Martta?

Personal Recognizance

I graduated to a real gym in Martta's pursuit of my personal fitness in November 2008. For the same price as me alone for Curves (gym light according to Miss Martta), I could join at the family level and Neil could have full access too - as long as we paid the membership for three years up front. Did that.

I think we went once together.

I go all the time. But this Saturday took the cake.

I am just saying goodbye, wondering whether I would make my Weight Watchers monthly weigh in for free, or if the overactive fork would do me in, when the attendant - and I don't even know her name - said, "Excuse me. Where is your husband?" I must have done a double take. I didn't even know she knew there was a Mr. me. "I never see him. Does he need help to get here? I would be glad to give him a personal call telling him to get out of bed, and get in here!" LOL all the way to WW.

Laundered Levi's

These are discarded laundry samples of the bottoms of men's golf shorts - sturdy fabric and enough variety in color to make a charity quilt - given to me by my friend at Levi. They were headed to the trash bin when I volunteered, there might be enough for one of our church quilts.

All a person has to do is cut the tracking labels off (six clips of the plastic fasteners); cut off the hemmed bottom while making sure you can squeeze a 9" square out of the result; and then accumulate 63.

Takes a while. Now to wait for a long winter weekend to assemble. It's light now, so I need to go out and weed. Working on the front because we have company coming next weekend.