Odds and Ends this Week

My daughter’s puppy graduated from obedience school.

She is still a psycho, hyper, hole digger, destroyer of everything puppy but at least now she will sit . . . for a treat. I hope they send her for some graduate courses.


New York State became the first state to ban the declawing of cats. I did a bit of political work for this effort and it felt really satisfying to accomplish something positive in the midst of all the national political negativity.


Peachie was home for a few days getting everything ready for her impending wedding. I will be walking her down the aisle and she has finally chosen the processional song - “Can’t Help Falling in Love With You”. I’m grateful that my dress has pockets which I can stuff with tissues. I will be a blubbering fool.


Martha and I started doing a little ancestry research and I found this about my paternal grandmother:

Born in Malmo Sweden, sailed the Umbria via Liverpool and arrived Ellis Island on 12/12/1896. Worked as a maid. Married and had four sons.

A devout gentle soul, quick to lend a hand.

While 3 of my grandparents legally came to the United States thru Ellis Island, apparently my maternal grandfather snuck in illegally through Canada.  If I am told to “go back to where I came from”, I think I will choose Malmo, Sweden.


Lastly, I recently saw this:

It has unsettled me greatly.

Full of Grace

The experimental plot in my veggie garden.

It contains plants I’ve never tried before like fennel, broccoli and brussels sprouts and appears to be doing quite well. I gave already enjoyed a few spinach salads from it.


This handy contraption called a Frog Log.

So many chipmunks drown in our pool every year and it makes me cry. I have no idea why they jump in but this float is supposed to help them climb back out. Fingers crossed.


My oldest daughter is in Europe with college friends having the time of her life. Every picture and video she sends home is filled with such joy and exuberance that it makes my heart smile.


That our local library offered this:

I am so glad to live in a place where there can be a Drag Queen story hour for ages 0 - 10 and no one loses their mind over it.

This week my sister and niece will be visiting at the lake. We have had a long standing tradition of a women’s week/end which used to include my mom. She will be greatly missed but sweetly remembered.