This has been my favorite time of the week for as long as I can remember.

Strange, since either school or work immediately follow, and I pretty much have hated both my entire life.

I don’t hate actual work, mind, just the people that seem to be the inevitable part of it.

Come to think of it, same with school. I love learning, just hate the personalities attached.

Maybe the last bit of freedom before the start of the serious part of the week is especially sweet. It is certainly heart-wrenchingly poignant.

Today, James, Tyler, Ethan and I went to Sea Mist. We left around quarter of five, so I got home in time to put on some jeans and totally chill.

Tyler came up with a great idea: they went for a dip in the outdoor pool, then jumped into the heated indoor pool. They must have done this 4-5 times. I wonder if the Capital One commercials are having a subliminal effect on the young.

I’ll bet they felt like a million bucks after they showered and put on dry clothes.

I doubt that there will be much celebrating in these parts, but I think grandparents are worth having their own day because we fill an important role. Something about giving the unconditional love that people need to develop a healthy personality.

I was thinking about Nonna this morning; a comment in yesterday’s gardening seminar brought back memories of her putting raw dandelion or chickory greens, I’m not sure which, in salads. I think she called them “radich”, although she rolled the r so that it sounded more like “ladich”.

I’ve been up for a while; fed Neptune’s to the hydrangeas, raked the back lawn and watered. Seeded and fertilized some bare spots in the back.

Anyway, to commemorate the day, here’s a picture of my youngest grandchild, sporting his back-to-school haircut.

Went to a seminar on lawns at Mahoney’s this morning. Picked up grass seed and fertilizer for the dead spots.

Drove over to Wareham for gas, thus saving almost $4, and a couple of other errands, including things for kitty.

Got back in time to mow the back and side yards – with the hand mower. Finished around 7. I didn’t want to deal with the nuisance and the noise of the electric mower, and glad for that – with the hand mower, you can feel and hear exactly what’s going on with the grass, where it’s thin, where it’s come in well.

Hadn’t realized until today how nice and level the back yard is after the grading last year. I guess that crazy man with the Bobcat knew what he was doing!

I didn’t have to rake much, left the small clippings in for mulch. The larger clippings collected on the top of the mower, and I used most of those to mulch the tomatoes. It was also easier to do the edging with the hand mower.

Broke off some lavender by mistake; cleaned it and when it’s dry, will put it in with linens.

Tried painting with metallic paint and a stencil today to dress up the switch covers. Didn’t work very well. Visited some “antique” shops in Buzzards Bay. Can’t find 3-toggle switch covers anywhere.

Someone launched a very respectable fireworks display tonight from the vicinity of Kristina Lane.

Did a little watering today, otherwise was mostly indoors cleaning up after Fluffles (again) plus more filing. Fluffles helped by keeping the papers from blowing away, i.e., sitting on them, and keeping me company.

Had a good meeting with Mike Aupperlee about windows and a few other maintenance/improvement items, including why a bay window would be a really stupid idea on this house (has to do with the height of the windows and the roof line). He’s doing a lot of work with the Riverview School. Good to see him again.

Have been wanting to do this for a LONG time: obtained some competitive bids on auto insurance and found to my surprise that I’ve been getting a good deal. Going to check on homeowners tomorrow.

Fed the roses today (Rose-Tone), probably the last feed until spring.
Was wiped out from the Labor Day cookout, but I did plant three mums yesterday, one a gift from Lori and the Robbins children. They are quite beautiful, and I’m delighted to have some Fall plants in the “empty” spot where the daisies were. Next year, Lupine as well, I hope.
Helped out briefly at Highfield, squared away some paperwork at the Social Security office, dropped off trash and recyclables at the transfer station, then went to Sandwich looking for light switch covers today (none), but I did visit a very nice art gallery on 6A. Took on turn on Sandy Neck, but it was humid and too hot with little breeze; much more pleasant here.

Cookout came and went. Everyone had a good time and ate well.
And I get the leftovers. Heh.

Visited 6 stores this morning looking for an outdoor dining set. Just about everyone but Shaw’s was sold out, and theirs was too much ($99). Turns out, I didn’t need it anyway, but I did pick up a nice folding chair for $3 at a yard sale.

Candy’s potato salad was its usual hit. My green salad went, too.

Lori came over with Eric, Ethan and Emily.

This must have been a top ten – outstanding day.

Finished mowing – easy this time with the stiff breeze and cooler temp.

Vacuumed the carpet, aired out the cellar and swept the bulkhead stairs.

Moved a cart on wheels to the guest room, where it will serve as a nice window seat, once I get a proper cushion for it.

Did a run with Peter to the transfer station. Afterwards, picked up a few more things for the cookout, including corn at an astonishing 12 ears for a dollar ninety-nine.

It’s a little after 7 and getting dark already.
Mowed the back and side lawn today. Will do the front tomorrow.
Planning a Labor Day cookout, shopped today. Surf was up in Falmouth, the water was actually brown. Windy all day, it has died down now.
I put the yard items back in place post Hurricane Earl/URL. There was almost no damage except as I feared to a couple of fronds on one of the big silver grasses.
It’s good to know that everything can fit into the shed when the time comes to put away for the winter.
I was able to clear out and reorganize enough files to get rid of the worst of the two filing cabinets, which I brought to the transfer station today along with the wastebasket full of paper. Rockland Trust was nice enough to take the shopping bag of old records for shredding. The “good” filing cabinet fits into the guest room closet.

This opinion, from an interview last year with Norman Podhoretz:
Q:”As one of the much-mythologized New York intellectuals, do you think intellectuals have gone the way of the dinosaur?”
A:”We still have plenty of intellectuals, but they have become so politicized that they’re no longer capable of disinterested judgment.”

There is something very creepy about waiting on a storm that won’t arrive until nightfall.

I worked off the fidgets by culling out and reorganizing the two file cabinets. I filled up a wastebasket with paper for recycling and a shopping bag with items to be shredded. All in all, a good afternoon’s work.

I’m a little worried about the big grasses, which are quite beautiful. I’d hate to lose them when they are just coming into their glory.