johnpalmer

Just a note to confirm that I remained horrified by the world, horrified by the Israeli government's treatment of Gazans and Palestinians, horrified by Putin's aggression against the Ukraine and his throwing Russians into the meat grinder of war to make that happen, sick to nausea of the US Federal government's "immigration" policies and enforcement ... and well, all of the policies, from the ones that directly impact me to the ones that slightly less directly impact me. But all of it impacts the nation's collective well being and  -- i just can't articulate. Only cry.

Re-reading i see i was not clear in my comments about Dad's coming heart valve repair. I had gotten in my head that the open heart surgery would be possible for him AND would result in a long lasting repair. Since Dad is otherwise healthy, i imagine him having many more years.

I don't think he imagines himself having many more years that he wants -- and he dreads a lingering existence in which he needs others to care for him.

Realizing how long three months seems at the end of your life compared to how fast things are flying by for me right now.... well, the considerations around how to resolve Dad's heart valve have probably led me to think more about my limited time in this life than about his.

I spent a good bit of Sunday with him, helping him get his boat in the lake. Unfortunately the engine wasn't cooperating.

Also got some yard work done with the pleasant weekend weather.

It's back to sauna, glasses fogging over when stepping outside, windows covered with condensation, fog in the trees in the morning.

Fig season is beginning. I'm done with the mulberries and elderberries: the rest can go to the birds and other critters. The blueberries have tailed off as well. If i can motivate myself, i want to get winter plantings of brassicas and lettuces in. This month is hard to imagine as time to plant but since i didn't do much in the way of summer seedings (one sad marigold sprouted and is not thriving) I've nuked weeds and i can actually imagine preparing the beds.

I got some grass seed in the front right as rains were beginning where i scalped the lawn -- which was pretty much all invasive stilt grass. I have grass seeds for the orchard, too, where i will only focus on "the boulevard" and the square anchored by the corner of garage and house. Moss is taking hold  in a good bit of the orchard and, despite Carrie's running tearing out chunks of the moss, it would be nice to have something that needs less mowing.

Worked late yesterday, and maybe late earlier in the week? It's a blur.