It's 6 a.m. and I've just spent half an hour scrubbing the bathroom. The tub needed cleaning and I figured as long as I was taking a shower, and shaving my head, I should just go ahead and do it. After all, I was already wet and I could rinse myself and the tub off at the same time. Efficient, but tiring, and the day has barely begun!
(I hadn't even had coffee, but I've remedied that situation now.)
Going back to work in the fall always feels a bit chaotic even on the home front. It takes a while to settle into a routine and figure out how to get household tasks done while working all day. I am absolutely NOT looking for sympathy here, because I realize everyone struggles with this and most people don't get a summer off. I'm just saying the adjustment period can be a bit crazy.
As you can see, things are still happening in the garden, even though it really does feel like fall out there. The zinnias are blooming (top) and some of our roses are going gangbusters with a second flush of flowers -- this red one at the back of the garden always performs well, and our yellow rose looks vigorous too. Our salmon rose also bloomed again, and it's my favorite so I was happy for that -- I cut the flower and brought it inside and it's perfuming the whole living room.
As you can see, things are still happening in the garden, even though it really does feel like fall out there. The zinnias are blooming (top) and some of our roses are going gangbusters with a second flush of flowers -- this red one at the back of the garden always performs well, and our yellow rose looks vigorous too. Our salmon rose also bloomed again, and it's my favorite so I was happy for that -- I cut the flower and brought it inside and it's perfuming the whole living room.
I've started listening to an interesting podcast on my walk to and from work. It's called "Alligator Candy," and it's about the 1973 disappearance of a boy named Jonathan Kushner in Tampa, my hometown. In fact, his parents worked at the University of South Florida, as did my parents, albeit in a different department. (I'm sure they didn't know each other.) Jonathan was abducted while riding his bike to a local convenience store, but despite that, I don't remember my parents being too nervous about us going out on our bikes or riding around the neighborhood. We were "free-range kids" just as Jonathan and his brothers were -- and as many kids were in the '70s. In fact I don't remember hearing about this case at all when I was growing up. I would have been almost seven years old when the crime occurred, and I guess I was just blissfully ignorant. At any rate, it promises to be an interesting podcast.
Dave and I also started "Mrs. America" last night, a TV series starring Cate Blanchett as Phyllis Schlafly. I'm excited to watch it, in my never-ending quest to understand the mysterious (to me) conservative mindset.
Remember how I mentioned the demolition of a former government office building on our high street? Well, this was the state of things several days ago. The building is pretty much entirely rubble. Funny thing about this video -- see how it's tilted? I had to stand on my tiptoes and blindly hold my phone up over a plywood barrier to film it. I did it three times, and every single video was tilted like that. Apparently I am incapable of holding the phone straight under those circumstances.
Dave and I also started "Mrs. America" last night, a TV series starring Cate Blanchett as Phyllis Schlafly. I'm excited to watch it, in my never-ending quest to understand the mysterious (to me) conservative mindset.
Remember how I mentioned the demolition of a former government office building on our high street? Well, this was the state of things several days ago. The building is pretty much entirely rubble. Funny thing about this video -- see how it's tilted? I had to stand on my tiptoes and blindly hold my phone up over a plywood barrier to film it. I did it three times, and every single video was tilted like that. Apparently I am incapable of holding the phone straight under those circumstances.
41 comments:
Or maybe the world is tilted on the other side of that wall.
We recently watched Mrs. America. Exceptional. I’ll be interested to learn your insights on that specific conservative mindset after you watch. I won’t share my take before you do.
I like the expression "going gangbusters" to describe a rush of vibrant growth in the garden. I just looked up the origin of this expression "...from popular U.S. radio crime-fighting drama "Gang Busters" (1937-57) which always opened with a cacophony of sirens, screams, pistol shots, and jarring music".
Schlafly rang a bell, and after looking at the Wiki, now I remember why.
The roses look lovely. It was an unusually warm day here at 26 and the potted cyclamen is looking very unhappy.
Your flowers are gorgeous! Going gangbusters is such a wonderful old familiar saying. I haven't heard it in a while. You have a super day, hugs, Edna B.
Those roses are gorgeous. The look like long stem roses. I can't wait to hear what you think about Mrs. America.
Your flowers are beautiful.
I think I've given up trying to understand the conservative mindset.
Beautiful flowers! The book Jesus & John Wayne is a good (& terrifying!) look at the religious conservative mindset.
Beautiful flowers. Our roses are going gangbusters too. What a season!
Oh that conservative mindset scares me to no end these days. Yesterday's Texas' new law really took my breath away. My first thought was Texas is the new American Taliban.
As I would have said to Carlos had he taken that video:
You're so gay you can't even hold a phone straight.
My thoughts on the conservative mindset is that they have the right to their opinions. Trouble is, they seem to want to inflict their opinions and choices on everyone else.
Amazing Flowers My Man - Stay Strong
Cheers
Your roses are lovely! That's something I've never tried growing, but my daughter and her husband grow beautiful ones. I'll have to do a post sometime featuring some of theirs.
I think you did a great job of filming something you couldn't see.
Those flowers are beautiful! I am enjoying September here as the weather gets cooler and it isn't so humid.
Those zinnias are gorgeous colors! I taught for 37 years so I know that first part of the year shifting of gears and schedules. Like a rusty piece of machinery grinding into action! :)
Fabulous roses, It is too bad that building could not have been re-purposed.
The color of the roses is amazing.
One of the many things that irritated the living snot out of me regarding Mrs. Schlafly was her willingness to tell women how to live (ie. stay home, make babies and cakes, clean house) while she lived quite a different life giving speeches and all of that.
Going back to school was always a little stressful. I usually spent about two weeks prepping. In a way it was energizing.
The roses are breathtaking! That's something I've never grown successfully.
I'm chuckling at Mitchell's and Bob's comments on the tilted video :) It's strange that after three tries there was no change in the result!
I find that cleaning the shower while already in it is by far the easiest way to do a hard job. The steam helps the cleaning process, and you don't get your clothing soaked trying to rinse down the walls.
I guess you're just not a straight shooter.
On the other hand, you are a master gardener. Your posies are beautiful.
beautiful clump of red roses and a great picture. I have some pink roses that bloom twice a year, spring and fall.
I did NOT know that! Very interesting! I have no idea where I picked up that figure of speech.
It's a great show so far. We're only up to episode three.
Interesting that Schlafly was making news even in Australia!
It IS a good old saying.
They would make good cut flowers, it's true!
I'm just continually fascinated by it because it is so utterly alien to me!
I remember you mentioning that book. I really should read it.
It is an unbelievable development, isn't it? Asking neighbors, friends and family members to report on each other. It's appalling.
Ha! Well, I AM that gay, so that's a pretty good quip. :)
Flowers always give a boost!
Our rose bushes are all very old -- like, decades old. They predate the current owners of the flat.
Yeah, it's nice to have some cooler weather, I agree!
That's EXACTLY what it's like.
I know! It seems wasteful to tear it down. It wasn't even that old. Maybe 30-40 years?
They ARE a really great color.
The TV show portrays her as somewhat frustrated in her own ambitions, and I wonder how much of her vehemence was rooted in trying to talk herself into being satisfied with a domestic life. (Which she ultimately outgrew anyway.)
I'm exhausted! LOL
Yeah, I always clean the shower while in it! It's probably my least favorite household task.
I am definitely not a straight shooter, despite my best efforts.
That's what ours do -- May and September, with May being the bigger display.
I'm going to look at that series, "Mrs. America". She was the quite hypocrit, doing all the things that she didn't think other women should be doing. I wonder if she was jealous or just didn't like the competition.
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