We went to a student recital at the Cape Cod Conservatory in Falmouth yesterday afternoon. Some very talented kids.

On Saturday, Emme and I went for a walk, or at least tried to, at the Pickerel Cove Recreation Area. We got a fair way into the woods when we were stopped by “Private Property – No Trespassing” signs.

We stopped at a yard sale and picked up a file cabinet for Ron, then went back to the house for tea. Ron made his special spaghetti and clam sauce for supper. Emme was very gracious and allowed us to bore her with Fluffles stories and reports of the price of fish. She also helped me in the back with the dead limb and catbriar cleanup.

I managed to get a throat full of atomized hot pepper while I was cooking the other day.

Said pharmaceutical chemist Lloyd Matheson, who once inhaled some capsaicin accidentally: “It’s not toxic, but if you inhale it… you’re gonna’ wish you were dead.”

Got to use the Stihl because Ron was hurting from yesterday’s clean-up. It’s fun!

Tom Capizzi came over with a revised proposal for creating a new room in the basement.

Today Ron and I did some clearing of cat briar and other nuisance weeds around the spots where we hang the hammocks.

Last night, we attended a lecture at the Cotuit Center for the Arts about oyster farming on Cape Cod. Two oysters each were provided.

Unplugged the bathroom sink this morning.

Ron and I cleaned out the grass garden at Edgewater today. To my astonishment, there’s already a good 6-8 inches of new growth on one of the big grasses.

Crocus have started, also the grass in the oval. Much, much earlier than last year!

Khamla got a job offer and has given notice.

Ron’s biopsy came back negative.

The surgeon removed the pin from Ron’s foot. He is now permitted to walk bandage-less.

Best of all, Ron’s knee surgery has FINALLY been approved by the Worker’s Comp administrator.

I was going to bring Mr. Fluffles in for grooming, but we just can’t afford it. It’s not so much the grooming fee, but the anesthesia. Mr. Fluffles has the groomer too terrified to work on him unless he’s unconscious.

I don’t blame her.

Ron gave me a pair of gauntlet gloves to wear, and after trying all kinds of different grooming tools, I finally found one that seems to work.

It’s a great device with two sets of combs, one fine and one coarse. It works extremely well on Fluffles’ undercoat, and I was able to get rid of several nasty knots today, especially with the gloves on for protection.