Sunday Musings

Friday started out "just another day." True, rain (again) was in the forecast, but didn't materialize until late in the evening.

The pleasant surprise was Ellen Kay (see earlier post for her photograph crossing the finish line at the Penguin in the Park, March) - she was the bus driver for the girls' track team, and the meet was in Shelbyville. After a trip to Rural King (more in a bit), and working on the fish pond, I went to town an picked her up. It was HOT and HUMID (you know what they say - it's not the heat, it's the humidity). In any event, Ellen is not built for the warm weather (and neither, quite frankly, am I).

Our first stop was the visitor's center near the Lake Shelbyville dam. Naturally, it was not open (will likely open next weekend - Memorial Day celebrated weekend). From there, we meandered to the boat launch area and found the end of the bike trail. We took a brief stroll up the path to see what it was like -very nice, crushed rock, and well maintained. Back in the truck and up to the city park to see the Chautauqua. We "found" the other end of the bike trail. Filed the information away for another day.

Then, with not much else available and the humidity too high for us to enjoy much activity, we came to the house. First, sat on the deck and enjoyed the solitude. Then, grabbing a couple glasses of lemonade, we moved to the front, screened-in porch. Traffic was horrible - there must have been five or six vehicles that passed by in the couple hours we were out there. I took her back about 7 pm, as the sky darkened and lightening started in the distance.

Rain came shortly after I reached the house. Ellen was lucky and managed to get the bus back to the school before the rain really started in earnest (including hail) - she called and I "talked" her into her house - which was DARK because of a power outage. The lights flickered here, the TV satellite lost connection (temporarily), and the cats were well hidden.

Rural King? Well, the other day I attempted to get the pond pump/filter started after cleaning. It would not even turn on. Being frugal, I worked over the old pump and filter only to have it quit within five minutes of starting. I gave up and purchased a replacememt (like the original system). Brought it home and place in the lower pond - where the fish live. Brought "last year's model" into the house and did more maintenance. As you can see - the "new old pump/filter" is doing very well in the upper pond. That is always the way to fix something - buy a replacement.

This morning when I left, as usual I stopped where the mailbox is to get the newspaper. The paper was on the ground. The mailbox was in the ditch. I have attempted to recreate the hole where the mailbox was. I then attempted to cut the lower foot off the supporting post. Neither attempt was successful. The mailbox is now about a foot and a half taller than it was (it comes up to my eye level). I have decided it is a two-person job to get it put back in an appropriate position (along with securing in cement).

I then moved to another of my "pet-peeve" projects. Who would every have thought to bury a sink w/drain board (think old fashion sink) in the yard? Apparently, the people who lived her before me. I have hit it enough times while attempting to mow, it is now time to remove it from the ground. The dirt and "hen and chickens" plants have been removed and repositioned in a planter by the septic system. The sink, however, remains a two-person removal project. It will have to wait for another day.

Sundays are supposed to be for resting. I think I will take a few minutes now for just that activity. Of course, I really took Saturday as my day of rest this week - but that is another story.

"Besides the noble art of getting things done, there is a nobler art of leaving things undone. The wisdom of life consists in the elimination of nonessentials" - Lin Yutang