Rain

Late yesterday morning we had actual rain—rain that was dense enough to be heard on the roof—and that was the time I chose to walk Her Highness. I donned my rubber trousers and wore a raincoat with a hood and overheated as I walked. Regardless, I loved the walk, thanks to the sweet, sweet fragrances of the forest. By the time we got home, the sky was brightening, and the precipitation had returned to delicate angel piss again, but everything growing in my yard looked beautiful, lush and green.

Yesterday, like Friday, was a decent day as far as my asthma was concerned, and today seems relatively good as well. It’s a huge relief to breathe without pain and wheezing. It’s been a rough two weeks, but things seem more positive now and I’ve learned my lesson about staying on my inhaler protocols.

There was a time when I wouldn’t miss a second of the Oscar broadcast, but now I have absolutely no interest in it. I don’t like most movies anymore and I haven’t been inside a theatre for five years. I’m not even interested in reading about the results.

Today is just dull. There’s no sign of rain. It’s just grey and cooler than it was, so I’ll be spreading some more grass seed today, reading and watching Seaside Hotel.

Decently Wet

Saturday began with a short walk with Her Highness, then we went shopping so that I could come home and bake my millionth Garlic, Spinach and White Cheddar tart. I crave this dish.

Then we went for a second walk in the Angel Piss that, thankfully, slowly dribbled down for much of the day. It’s better than nothing, but not much for our wells and forest fire situation. Even though the sky was grey and there was light, light precipitation, our walks were lovely. The forest is so lush right now. 

It was a relaxing day because my asthma was bad again. It was better on Friday, but yesterday was nasty. Today, I feel better as I did on Friday, but I’m going to write to my asthma doctor if I don’t feel better tomorrow.

I cannot watch TV during the day. It is never something I want to do unless I am sick. But I sure love my evenings watching things I record or things on the streaming services that I can now watch on my TV, thanks to my new Apple device. Last night was a Seaside Hotel binge fest chez moi.

And I’ve awakened today to … well, to call it rain is to exaggerate. It’s still angel piss, but it looks like it fell much of the night because the ground looks decently wet. I’ll just keep hoping for more of it over the next week.

I lit the fire this morning to make it cozy warm in the house. We’ll walk and I’ll putz and I’ll eat lots of Garlic tart today. I love just chilling and being cozy on damp grey days. 

These are closed Pitcher Plants.

Band of Brothers

Friday was a great day because it was the first day that I felt good in almost ten days. Nothing else mattered. We took two lovely walks, I read and watched the skies, hoping for rain that never came. My happiest moments of the day were spent watching a Hummingbird take some of Sheba’s fur that I put out for the birds to use in their nests.

This morning the ground is damp, but only due to Angel Sweat. We’ve yet to have rain after two-and-a-half months without any. But the weather forecast if for showers over the next week, so there’s till hope. It’s weird to have six days indoors ahead after our recent long stretch of Summer-like weather.

The Lion of Chaeronea was a gigantic statue of a sitting animal that was built to commemorate a remarkable military unit that perished where it was installed. The unit was called the Sacred Band; it was comprised of three hundred warriors from Thebes and was considered the most fearsome fighting force in Greece. It was undefeated until it was destroyed in the Battle of Chaeronea in 338 B.C.

The Band was composed entirely of lovers. It was precisely a hundred and fifty couples. Greeks believed that its valour existed because no man would ever exhibit cowardice in front of his beloved. When the statue was discovered in 1818, excavation of the site revealed a huge burial site. Drawings made of the skeletons recorded that many of the warriors were buried with arms linked and others were holding hands.

Classical scholar James Romm will soon release a book called The Sacred Band (Scribner).

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I just discovered Seaside Hotel. Season one is currently playing on PBS but there are seven seasons on Prime. It’s a very quirky show, and I love it. When I watched a preview, I had no interest, but the cinematography is spectacular as is the set design and I got hooked. It’s almost melodrama; many of the characters are extreme, but lots and lots of fun.

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I’m bored with this pattern of spending all my time with myself except for three hours a week walking dogs with my friends. I awaken every morning and the first thing in my head is that it’s just another day alone. Of course, it all feels worse when I’m alone and indoors; at least when the weather beckons me outdoors, time passes more quickly.

I’m making myself a Garlic, Spinach and cheddar tart to make myself happy today.

Pizza with Cherry Tomatoes, Chives and Basil.