week 25 in review

Yes, it's that time again: the weekly roundup! Settle in and ride along with me.

On the home front

It's only small scale excitement here this week. I am loving that my rudbeckia (black-eyed Susan) is starting to bloom with perfusion. It's probably my favorite perennial since it needs such little care and responds well to apparent neglect. This would be compared to petunias, with whom I have a love/hate relationship. I have never grown petunias successfully because they always get so leggy. I've been told to pinch them back, but even that hasn't worked terribly well in the past. We have a hanging basket of 'tunias this year that joined the household full of blooms. All I can say at this point is that it looks like a big colorful mess that does NOT respond well to neglect. Sigh. 

Our tomatoes appear to be doing well, unless you count their untimely end when supped upon by birds.  We've already lost six ripening toms to the winged beasts.  Yesterday Ken picked up some rubber snakes to thwart the little pretties, and we'll see how they work. I do not--repeat, do not--want to go the route of caging.

Family 

My Aunt Hap, dad's remaining sibling, turns 85 next month, so a big family bash is planned in Cincinnati. Hap's nieces and nephews are in touch via global email to keep each other up to date on plans and ideas. Of the six branches of the family descended from the siblings, five will be represented at the party, and we're working on the sixth.  As usual, I will be the lone standard bearer from my clan.  And Dana and Mike, I'm trying to figure out if there is a way to see you since we'll be so close!

I've been scanning more pictures that came home with me from dad's, and am feeling inspired to take note of all the questions that occur to me as I look at these. I know nothing, for instance, of my dad's grandparents, and close to nothing about his father's side of the family.  It's time for my aunt to succumb to an interview. Fortunately she is an encyclopaedia of family lore and her memory is very good.  I've decided to write down some of my questions and send them to her in advance so she can start filling her tank with an arsenal of stories. That's Hap on the right, with her sister Enid, probably in the mid 1930's. I adore this picture.

At work

It's been a slow week of continuing to purge and pack, and work on the flow of a new design for the Center's web site. Some of that is fun, but much of it is tedious.  No word on the job.

On the table

Some lettuce from our garden! Alas, no pictures, but what a treat to reap what has been sowed!

On a personal note

For a change I got to spend all day at home yesterday. I spent it dividing my time between domestic necessities like laundry and vacuuming, making headway in reducing and organizing the clutter that claims my office, and scanning photos.  All in all, I am quite pleased with myself! I will make an effort to follow up today with more of same. Aren't you glad to know this?

I'm not aware of much on the radar of the week ahead, but stay tuned! And have a good one yourself. Ciao!