Our Summer Staycation

It has been a while since writing a blog post. Even in this social distancing season, where time to do those things we've procrastinated continuously has amply served our feelings of accomplishment, there have been other things taking attention. Thus, blog writing takes a backseat, no make that a third row backseat to life. There were things to clean and things to prepare and things to do, but now on this Tuesday morning once again the liberty of easing into the day has arrived. So far, I have given the ferals and Buddy treats, tasted on toast our first attempts of freezer jam and have had a lot of butterscotch toffee flavored coffee. All in all a very fine morning.

Roy's staycation went by too quickly. He was able to get a lot of rest in between all the things we had to do. We got most everything done or at least a beginning to those projects that take time. Roy cleaned the well water filter and got the dryer vent situation taken care of. We finally got the old trash can to the landfill and practiced being ecological by tearing down cardboard boxes and taking those to the landfill as well. The always ongoing, never ending cleaning of the garage got a bit of time and we received a quote for backyard fencing and a gate for the driveway. Roy will get those returned to the fencing company so that we can get on their schedule. The HVAC system was inspected and Mustang Sam went to Jimmy's for an oil change and basic maintenance. I have been thinking about rearranging our bedroom furniture but gee, somehow we ran out of time to get that done.

We finally used our canner for dummies. I bought it four years ago with visions of canning dancing through my head. It just took up a lot of cabinet space, but before making a decision to send it onward for someone else to enjoy, we made peach butter. We waited way to late in the day to begin the process. We made the peach butter in our slow cooker and then used the programmed canning thing to seal and preserve the butter. Next time we need to begin earlier in the day so the peach butter can be thicker. When I said to Roy it is labor and time intensive, I should have been way more specific! I've never canned before but have heard the stories...I don't think he believed me. Nice though, he believes me now. We were able to buy more perennials while they were on sale at Reems Creek. We did some garden work, but not much. We were able to get a few more bags of rubberized mulch to finish out the front flowerbed. May and even into June seemed cooler than normal so garden work wasn't so limited but now that we are in July, the mornings and afternoons are too hot to work. We differ so in our stamina. Many evenings I still have energy to work but Roy has given his all and is ready to crash in front of the TV.

Roy prepared his workspace to be able to work from home if that directive comes again. We ordered a monitor and other computer stuff. I like using this big monitor off the laptop. I ordered and assembled a desk early on in the social distancing season. He was quite happy with the results.

In between all our chores we took a couple of days to take off and enjoy the countryside. We didn't make it to Max Patch but we did get to see some of the countryside around Burnsville and we spent an afternoon in Johnson City. We ate out our first and only meal of staycation, Carabba's. Very well done social distance dining. Sadly, pizza is not included in their COVID-19 menu. Roy was quite shocked and may have not gotten over it, that I cooked all our meals with the exception of biscuit Sunday morning. We tried out the new griller and the hamburgers were delicious! I also introduced Roy to TJ's. He was quite smitten with the veggie and fruit selection but I think his favorite purchase was the cinnamon rolls. Truthfully, I was quite smitten with them as well. 

 We weren't able to attend our neighbors July 4th party because Roy got word of the very strong discouragement of being in groups from the office. Thus on Sunday morning, our first morning back inside the church, we didn't go. All around us on July 4th night, we had a great firework show. Around here people stop shooting fireworks before midnight which is really wonderful. It was a buck moon and we got some great pictures of it from our driveway. We did make it to several bookstores and I am finally feeling the reading mood hit.

The feral kids have discovered the metal basket on top of the antique baker rack out back. This morning four of them were curled up sleeping. Boo is still skittish around me but he is not running as far. With cat food, any food really, the flies are abundant. My latest interest is watching flies land on the fly paper. Well, interest is too much of a word, but some escape and others don't. I need to put another sticky catcher out back cause that thing is almost filled with flies, wasps and other types of flying bugs.

Well, I should stop here and that's what I'll do....