This, That and The Other Thing

   This has been a busy couple of weeks.  We finally got the Outback home from the mechanic, Hillslide Auto Repair  & Towing in Little Falls, after nearly a month's stay there.  The car needed a new EGR valve (whatever that is) and that had to be special ordered because the Outback is a 1999 Subaru.  When Dave finally got it installed his computer and the Outback wouldn't communicate.  He thought we just needed to drive it around for 50 miles or so but that didn't work.  He decided to change the wiring harness (again, what's that?) and guess what, that was it!  The computers spoke to each other and the Outback passed inspection. And it did not cost what Jeff was afraid it would!!  Last week Jeff changed the air filter and that improved the way the car ran
much so he decided why not go all the way and change the oil filter and oil so he did that yesterday.  We spent about half an hour arguing where the dipstick for the transmission fluid was located.  I got out  the manual and with a dim memory of where I had seen it before I kept saying 'up there by the window'.  Jeff kept saying no it can't be.  Finally I put the manual away and went back to the lawn mower and he finally found it...up under the front window...in the general area where I had thought it was.  He even filled the windshield wiper fluid!  The Outback is ready for summer!!  We got the air filter for the Forester but Jeff's got to go with me...or just go himself...to get the oil filter and oil for it.  I'm lucky I remember it needs oil! 
   Part of the lawn has been cut 3 times now...and part hasn't been cut at all.  I've managed to do the front straight across by the road and the hill on the other side of the garden 3 times.  The part between the house and garage and on this side of the garden is really in need of it's 3rd trim but it's either rained or been too hot to cut. The entire back yard hasn't been touched!  Jeff hasn't done anything about the garden either.  He wants to plant in the greenhouse but besides from 'window shopping' at the nursery he hasn't done anything.  I don't think he really feels like it this year.  The raised bed boxes are all falling apart and have to be replaced and he's not looking forward to doing that, either.  It's tough getting old when there is so much outside work to do.
   The shop got off to a great start and hasn't stopped.  That means I don't have  a lot of time to do much of anything except knit.  I went down today to restock baby hats and went to the Otesage for lunch with a friend from the shop.  Haven't been there in years!. I love that place.  We had lunch on the patio of the Hawkeye Grill and even though it rained we stayed outside under an umbrella.  Didn't get wet at all!! Wish it had been nicer weather but can't have everything, huh?
   I've been lucky enough to get back together with some friends from my college days at Herkimer College.  Maggie and I met for coffee in Cooperstown last week and talked for over 2 hours!  We had a ball!  We were laughing and giggling like a couple of teenagers...usually when we talked about another friend, Tim, who lives in Florida.  I'm friends with him on Facebook and we've been chatting regularly. It's nice having these old friends back in my life again and I really want to stay in touch with both of them.  Tim wants photos from us and has sent current photos to me.  Maggie doesn't use social media so I get to see everything first and then share it with her. Today I got a photo...sent from
Tim's iPhone...of him after a needle biopsy and I told him he didn't look too bad...just a little green around the gills. We always teased each a lot and have fallen into the same pattern.  Maggie and I will get together soon and take some photos so I can send them to him.
   Jeff's brother lost his companion of 27 years last week and Jeff has been very supportive of  him. He went to Tim's house in Floyd the night after she died and we both went to the calling hours and funeral in Ilion and then the reception in Sauquoit.  Sunday Tim called Jeff and invited us to his home for dinner.  Some of his children and step-children were there and they were going to do some bbq-ing.  I had made a pot of pulled pork and Jeff said we'd bring that.  Fanny wasn't too happy to be there with us because there were 4 small dogs in the house (2 pugs and 2 Jack Russell's).  Most of them all got along well...Fanny wasn't really sure what they were...she was 3x as big as them...but after awhile they left each other alone.  The little kids wanted to pet Fanny but we didn't let them because she was so afraid...curled up under Jeff's chair!  She didn't growl or bark at anyone...or anything...but we didn't want anything to happen either.  Fanny didn't relax until we were all back home and she was in her...or my bed!
   One of my old friends asked why didn't I try to write like I did when we were kids 50toomany years ago living on Dewey Ave and putting together our own newspaper.  I wrote short stories about the kids in the neighborhood then and   I  wrote again in college.  Well, I was bored with knitting one night and had finished my last library book so I sat here and tried to write a love story.  Got 2 chapters done and left it on the blog.  It's definitely adult fiction and it got a little PG-13 on the way to an R rating but I kept it from getting to X.  There are 2 more chapters finished that I'll put in July's blog if I get some encouragement. I'm not interested in the way I use to write.  I think that's normal, you're suppose to evolve.  If you like it , let me know. 
   I've decided there is something about middle-aged women and big SUV's.  I can get into my Forester all right on the driver's side but have some trouble climbing in on the passenger side.  Today I climbed into my friend's big Jeep twice and twisted my left knee each time until when I finally got back into my Forester my knee really hurt.  I've been sitting here with a heated beanbag on it all night.  Why is there always something new to hurt?