A relatively quiet day yesterday. We had an engineer from British Gas come to make a minor repair on our boiler -- the timer switch, which we use to control when the heat runs, wasn't working correctly so he replaced it. At this time of year we usually set the boiler to come on first thing in the morning, for about an hour, just to warm up the house. But we don't want the heat to run all day, and that's what was happening. I came home from work one day last week to find the house stifling. Argh!
I also went to the doctor for a routine follow-up visit after all my medical tests in the spring. I really want to repeat that calprotectin test to see if the numbers are still elevated -- if I still have inflammation in my guts, in other words. The doctor seemed unconvinced that it was necessary but it's a cheap test so she went along with it. It's mostly for my own curiosity. It bothers me that I had an abnormal test that is completely unexplained and I'd like to either see that it has resolved or get to the bottom of it.
Olga, meanwhile, took advantage of the sunny day, lying in the yard on her bed. It wasn't particularly warm out there but she didn't seem to mind.
Our passionflower vine has produced several of these heavy-looking passionfruits. I suppose we should come up with a recipe to eat them, assuming they're the eating kind. I know nothing about passionfruit! A squirrel already got to one of the ripe ones, but I think we have five left.
Finally, Milton has proved to be the gift that keeps on giving. News emerged yesterday that the Rod & Reel Pier on Anna Maria Island, where I spent a lot of time hanging out with friends in my 20's and 30's, and which I photographed several times on more recent visits, was destroyed by the storm. It had already been damaged by Helene, but now it is completely gone. Shocking!
Coincidentally, I wore my Rod & Reel Pier t-shirt when Cherie came over on Wednesday night, as a sort of talisman against the storm. Strange to think I was wearing it at the very moment the pier was collapsing into the water.
Don't expect too much from passionfruit, to me it's one of the most disappointing fruits, too many seeds and too sour, but that may be a matter of personal taste.
ReplyDeleteThe fungus with the leaf on top would make a great calendar picture for October. Did you find it in your garden?
ReplyDeleteGood to read (in your previous post) that your loved ones in the US are fine. We didn't catch more of "Kirk" than a stormy night and some rain, either, nothing too bad.
Unexplicable test results would me want to repeat the test, too. Who knows - it is not unheard of that results have been mixed up at a lab.
Sorry to hear that a place you have fond memories of is now gone. You wearing the t-shirt really was an odd coincidence!
I love the amateurish lettering on the old Rod n' Reel Pier sign and I am sorry that the pier itself has gone. It will be interesting to see if it is rebuilt.
ReplyDeleteSo sad about Rod N’ Reel. The fungus looks prehistoric. What a beauty. I’ll be interested to read about your experience with the passion fruit. I imagine it’s not a commonly grown fruit in London.
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