Jess and Todd Day

Rain—tons of it—was falling early Friday morning when I awoke (at four). I definitely fixed my roof! There wasn’t a drop of water on my porch and it’s a huge improvement because the porch is a vital resource during the inevitable power failures of Winter. I cook in the porch on the barbeque and I use it as a fridge too.

When a downpour comes with wind, as it did at times yesterday, you get the full Timpani effect of my roof because there’s the deluge itself, plus the waterfall effect of water blown off the branches of the trees landing on the metal. I was dreading the morning dog walk, but a miracle happened.

At seven-thirty the sky cleared, and golden sun illuminated the treetops and made them glow. The the sudden and dramatic change in the weather was a wonderful relief. It was vital to exercise Her Highness in case she was going to be imprisoned with me in the car for the trip to Nanaimo. 

But I decided to go as a foot passenger. The sky was bright and deep blue; it was a spectacular day—a wonderful twenty-three degrees. We sat in the sun on the ferry and meandered through the old town to kill time before catching the ferry home. I got into the spa in the sunshine and then baked an Apple cake for Jess and Todd, once we were back. 

•

I registered to vote in the provincial election by mail. The thought of going to a polling station does not appeal to me at all.

•

It’s cloudy and there may be showers, but it may clear later, too, because starting tomorrow and for over a week, we’re predicted to have nothing but warm sunny days again. I’m thrilled that Sheba and I will be able to be outside again and go for long walks. 

The new lawn has come up around the Apple trees, and it looks fabulous. There are some spots needing more seed that I’ll attend to soon. But it looks great and I love knowing that I won’t have a sea of weeds and prickles and vines there anymore.

Todd and Jess are hoping to get the three-forty-five ferry, and be here shortly after four. I can hardly wait.

Curtain Begun

I had a fabulous day I had yesterday. It was sometimes sunny, often cloudy, but it remained bright and warm, so it was pleasant between showers of rain. 

What made the day great was spending it in the studio. I cut, glued and wove plastic tape until one o’clock. I really had fun. It would have been quick and easy to simply hang long strands of single colour ribbons, but what I’m doing is way more fun.

The photos, below, are of half of the curtain that will conceal the studio’s double glass doors. It’ll hang, of course, outside. Weaving and gluing the top—replicating the top of Maypoles from my youth—is the part that takes the most time. But what fun!

In the afternoon, I had a particularly long spa, Sheba and I had a good walk and I moved all the assembled ribbons from flat on the table to hung on the wall so I can use the table for the second half of the curtain. But today, I’m busy with preparations for Jess and Todd’s visit.

I’m going to Nanaimo this morning after the dog walk for some supplies. I won’t be working on the curtains except to do a little more of the horizontal weaving. I think the curtain is going to look fabulous when it’s done. It’ll add colour to the backyard. Of course, I’d rather not have them—they’re plastic. But I found four dead birds one day beneath my studio doors and windows this past summer, and so these curtains are essential.

•

Of course, after the absolute high of yesterday, came a bit of a crash today. My mood is vulnerable to the frustrations of life—frustrations like weighing the same for a week in spite of a prisoner’s diet and the glue not drying on the ribbons I put together yesterday. It may take a long time because the plastic is not porous.

Storm One: Wave Two!

I was glad to squeeze a short walk when the rain stopped yesterday morning. We had drenching rain from three am until nine. I was happy for all the plants that I’d transplanted on Tuesday and my emerging lawn. I scattered fertilizer under them to soak in during the coming waves of rain.

I desperately longed to bake yesterday. That’s what I’d normally have done on a stormy day like yesterday. Instead, I sat by the window periodically to watch the wind blowing the branches about. It’s very pretty and dramatic. There was enough wind to create a great display but not enough to make the Fir trees too far much for my peace of mind.

I de-leafed the Marijuana plants, being very careful not to damage the colas (buds). It’s the kind of finicky work I adore. It took forever! Now, I’ve hung all the de-leafed plants hanging upside down in the dining room; they’ll go into the studio after Jess and Todd’s visit.

At three-thirty the sun came out. I guess the first wave of the storm has passed. Five more days of it are predicted. Bad timing for Jess and Todd’s plan to come here; I’m prepared to hear they want to postpone. Sheba and I went for our third walk of the day because I wanted to be outside in the heat of the sun.

In the evening, I watched Enola Holmes on Netflix. Candy floss, exquisitely done. I loved it a night indoors by the fire.

•

Yesterday I ate more than I have in ages and I haven’t weighed myself for days. I’m still very keen to get my weight down more, but yesterday I just kept snacking after weeks without. I only ate healthy stuff, but I ate quite a bit. Today: Restraint!

This morning, I was awakened by the sound of torrential rain at five. It sounded like we were living beside a train track. I got up, got dressed and went out for wood. When its super stormy outside, I want a fire on! Of course, the rain stopped as the fire started roaring in the fireplace, but I’m glad to have a nice dry home on such a day. 

By seven, it was still dark out and pouring again. Sheba scratched at the door, I let her out and she immediately turned around and came back inside. She did that twice before I urged her out during a respite from the downpours. 

Then … a miracle! Suddenly the sky started clearing. I went outside and man-oh-man is it wet. The trails will be rivers and lakes today. But the sky has turned bright and there are huge patches of blue to the west. The second wave of this storm seems to be passing as I post this today. It no longer looks and sounds like the apocalypse.

Still, it’ll likely be a day spent indoors—and that’s okay because I have something fun to do! The plastic tapes I ordered are here. They’re in five electric-bright colours with which I’ll be making the outdoor curtains I want for the studio windows and doors. (These curtains will prevent birds from hitting the windows.) I’ll be working in my nice clean studio listening to the CBC on my fabulous new radio with a small fire lit. Hooray!