Ron has been quietly complaining since he got here about things he missed from the Bay Area, everything from “cheap” Mexican food to access to a gym to a workshop for his tools.

I’ve sought out numerous ways to fill in these gaps: the Woods Hole Folk Music Society, for example, provided a way for him to exercise his stagehand chops until he got bored with it.

Last month, Ron joined a pilot men’s fitness group led by the VNA and signed up for swimming twice a week at a local timeshare resort.  These seem to have filled the gym/exercise void.  For now.

I found a way to pay for the new room – which, fair to say, I’ve been enjoying immensely – to properly store his substantial music collection.  On impulse, I also paid for rough shelves to line a designated shop area.

He’s taken little interest in either, which now that I’ve gotten to know him better, isn’t a surprise.

Unless under some influence or other, Ron is unhappy.  He lives in his own world most of the time.

The Western Mass. Boy Scouts’ MassJam, which has been here since Friday afternoon, is breaking up this morning.  I have the same tightness of breath as when the Fair closes: opportunities lost, experiences missed; people not met; good deeds not done?

I wonder if this has been a good or a bad weekend for most of the Scouts.  Some were at Stop & Shop on Saturday, raising money for “Scouts and the troops”.  They couldn’t explain which troops, which raised my hackles a bit, not at the kids, but at adults who’d use children in this way.  Ron agreed, which confirmed that I wasn’t off base.  I gave  them $5 and hope it helps the kids and not, “the troops”, which we already support without being asked.

After Saturday’s day trip down Cape, we didn’t do much yesterday aside from the usual transfer station run and laundry.  I did make a run to Sandwich for more mulch but had forgotten about their “Porch Fest”, so missed that.

We enjoyed the reasonably priced Mexican place in East Falmouth yesterday afternoon and JoMama’s today in Chatham.

Planted garlic yesterday.  Took almost the entire raised bed garden!  Finished distributing the mulch.

Shopped at the CapeAbilities store in Chatham (almost everything was discounted at least 25%) and their farm in Dennis.

Peter had a bad night and was up before 4 am to drive Em this morning, so we brought him a Shephard’s pie and argula from the CapeAbilities Chatham store so he wouldn’t have to cook, or shop for that matter.

Great day for a ride.

I did some weeding this morning and a little watering this afternoon.

The monitor and headphones that have been gathering dust in the second bedroom work great with the Dell!

I thought Ron said something that sounded like this at breakfast, but he says not.

Great word, though.  I say it means a frugal, careful person.  Or Venus.  Or a foot.

I’ve been cleaning up my iCloud and Google photos.

Made lasagna.  Picked up garlic for planting.  Dropped off several weeks worth of New Yorkers to Peter at iCape and a 10 gallon bag full of plastic bags at Stop & Shop.

Ron skipped swimming but went to his fitness group and enjoyed it.

Planted 40 tulip bulbs in the driveway garden and finished spreading mulch there as well.  Put down most of the 3rd and 4th bags on the corner garden; left some for filling in missed spots.

Ron’s left leg was giving him problems this morning. He thinks he overdid it at his fitness group two days ago.

Made a Florentine quiche for Em’s visit and cleaned up the kitchen a bit.

I will miss her and our chats to and from work and YAG.

Dug out the last stella d’oro by the deck and put the second ninebark in its place.

Broke up yesterday’s two stellas into three locations: corner garden, driveway garden and next to the front steps to the deck.

Transplanted the third one in the corner next to the bulkhead.

Hurt last night: left hand and legs/ankles.

Ron enjoyed swimming and sauna today!

Mulched the back and the front; hope to do the driveway gardens tomorrow.

Veg burgers and fries for dinner.

Dug out the stellas on either side of the back steps and got one of the Ninebarks planted.

Picked up 6 3-cubic foot bags of really nice pine bark mulch at Scenic Roots.

Ron enjoyed his fitness class.

I mowed the lawn.

We had tea and sat on the deck until it rained.

We did a shop at Job Lot.  Got planters for the stellas, candy, cookies, ginger, caraway seeds, crackers, olives, pistachios, peanuts, juice and tulip bulbs.

I deleted about a Gig’s worth of photos from iCloud.

After visiting the bank and walking through Oktoberfest at the town green, we picked up the replacement for the washing machine o-ring in Yarmouth yesterday.

I helped out at the MRTC booth for a couple of hours afterwards with Phyllis, Elana and a terrific woman from the Tedeschi campaign.  She and I helped load Phyllis’ car: very efficient.

It was a gorgeous fall day and a friendly crowd.  As always, Phyllis’ salesmanship was outstanding.

I made a big stir fry for supper: white beans, broccoli, greens, carrots, onions, garlic, celery.

Ron put the agitator back together and did laundry.

This morning, we flipped his mattress to the “plush” side.  Did the transfer station run, made plans to get together with Em, changed the sheets, did a white wash.

I sprayed the ninebarks and the hibiscus and with Ron’s help, planted the three mums.

The Kavanaugh hearing feels like a breaking point, certainly for friendships and maybe for political alliances as well.

Been raining for a couple of hours.  May continue for most of the afternoon.  I did plant four little guys from yesterday, two Nepeta for Smokey, a Stella d’oro and a Siskiyou.

Hooked up a nice DVD/CD player to the receiver and am listening to Grappelli and Ma.

Both of us donated blood at the Barnstable Senior Center.  The Home Depot garden center was closed.  We did a small shop at Whole Foods.  It was around 5 by the time we got back.

Ron got to go swimming at Sea Mist and met another member of his men’s fitness group there.  He also attended the fitness class later this afternoon.

I bought two-for-one nine bark bushes at Home Depot and picked up two free asters for Peter.  Dropped off two (free) mums from yesterday at iCape.  Peter gave a quick rundown of iCloud photo storage.

Before that, I had to cover a mobile deposit to the Rockland account that had been refused.  Afterwards, I ran around trying to figure out what happened.  Based on advice from the issuing bank, I redeposited the checks and hope this time they’ll clear.

According to Rockland, there was a second mobile deposit made of these same checks, but the issuing bank, Citizens, couldn’t find evidence that the checks cleared.

I went to the branches in Osterville, which are next to each other, and grabbed a Macanudo for Ron at a convenience store and lunch at Earthly Delights.

Made a kale/cranberry/walnut/feta salad for supper and munched on graham crackers for dessert.

The washing machine stopped twice this morning, which drew my attention to mold on the agitator.

Ron figured out how to remove and clean it, and in the process, he noticed that the o-ring was broken.

This sent us on a mad dash to find a replacement.  We went to Home Depot first and got a referral to a company in Dennis that ordered us the part.

Meanwhile, I stumbled on a plant giveaway in their garden shop.  They’re closing for the season and so I piled a vanload of free mums and other flowers, all of which turned out to be perennials!

I worked for a while in the new room and ordered an air cleaner which I hope will correct the occasional mustiness.