Chilly But Sunny, An Early Fall?

7:00

Tuesday evening at 7:57

Slept in till 7:00, awakened by sun shining filtered through the blinds in our bedroom window.  It's a fleece morning, 50º outside, a bright sun, puffy clouds, with some rain possible later in the day.

And for those of you who grew up in the 50's, this poem will resonate, bring back memories; for those born later, it won't make much sense.

The Fifties by Barbara Crooker We spent those stifling endless summer afternoons on hot front porches, cutting paper dolls from Sears catalogs, making up our own ideal families complete with large appliances and an all-occasion wardrobe with fold-down paper tabs. Sometimes we left crayons on the cement landing, just to watch them melt. We followed the shade around the house. Time was a jarful of pennies, too hot to spend, stretching long and sticky, a brick of Bonomo's Turkish Taffy. Tomorrow'd be more of the same, ending with softball or kickball, then hide and seek in the mosquitoey dark. Fireflies, like connect-the-dots or find-the-hidden- words, rose and glowed, winked on and off, their cool fires coded signals of longing and love that we would one day learn to speak. Yesterday was overcast, threatening but never raining.  Evie continued her washing, making headway, so that most of the sheets and towels are washed and dried.  And the house is back in order, for the most part.  Since Beth left on Tuesday, and we had one day off from company, Evie decided to invite our neighbors, the Leonards, their daughter and grandchildren, and another neighbor, Pat Jones, over for dinner.  I guess she missed cooking for more than two! So I went off to Wegman's for the first time in four or five days.  I had to stop and get a coffee at Ryder's Cup, then hit Wegman's on a Wednesday morning, a quiet day, few seniors because of Tuesday's discount day, only four check out lines open.  While I was gone, Evie put together baked ziti for dinner, a side of chicken picatta for Joyce.  When I got home, I had soup and sandwiches for lunch, worked some outside, moving rocks, cleaning the garage.  And late afternoon, Evie deep fried some eggplant for our dinner, on our back porch. Evie with Isabel and Brian Baked Ziti Dinner Aunt Beth and Isabel Everyone arrived around 6:00, bringing wine, and Pat brought peanut butter brownies.  We sat around drinking a large bottle of Merlot for an hour, as the kids devoured the appetizers, Evie's specialty, hanky pankys.  Dinner was great, the kids loved the ziti and garlic bread, and the salad was a hit, one my daughter Jill made during her visit, with fresh corn and a white balsamic vinegar recipe.  After dinner, the kids and Evie played Jishaku, a magnetic action game, which they enjoyed and using the magnets in inventive ways.  Everyone went home around 9:00. Brian Sticks Isabel Brian Evie and I then washed and dried the dishes, watched a John Stewart, then went up stairs to read and sleep.  Great sleeping weather. I am off to Jamestown this morning, to get my annual car inspection...fun.