Heat index values are expected to be up to 110º this week.  If you think that becoming S. India is “no sweat”, think again.

I just gratuitously took the weekend “off”, perhaps in anticipation of the weather from hell.  I figure, if someone needs or misses me, I’ll hear about it.  If that sounds lazy and self-indulgent, well, think what you like.  I did get a lot of necessary things done–including sleep.

Actually, yesterday S was insisting I come over because he was bored and needed a “funny old lady” to “keep him entertained” (help him kill time).  So that’s my purpose.  He then proceeded to give me a long psychotherapy discourse (text) on how he felt and what he needed.  It was impressive.  Needless to say, I was not amused or persuaded.

I had to cancel my upcoming cardio stress test at the hospital, because my insurance wasn’t convinced by my doctor that I needed it.  Hey, one less medical expense to add to all the others!  I’m running out of medical spoons to give.

I’m staying alive to outlive the psycho-criminals who run our country now, but also living for the day when my son and I are able to talk and hang out again.  I may be here a while.  I won’t hold my breath.

Gardeners all over the country are reporting an unusual absence of seasonal pollinators this year.  Each one thinks they’re doing something wrong, but it turns out these are not isolated phenomena.  My unscientific guess is climate extremes and use of pesticides working its damage up the chain.  Things are accelerating.  Normally these flowers would be covered in bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects.

This is when all the gardening pays off.  The beds are mostly full, or being filled in.  Veggies are being discovered and getting incorporated into meals.  Mystery flowers and squashes are taking over and starting to reveal their identities.  Trees I left alone are tree-ing.  Natives are filling out all the spaces.  Pollinators,  little critters, and birds are busily keeping the whole web functioning, despite human attempts to poison them and destroy their habitats.

But more fun than all that is when my son gets a chance to go outside and suddenly discover what’s new out there.  “We have black hollyhocks!”  And when he’s able to find plenty of photogenic flowers and plants right in his own yard to use in posts and articles, I feel like my work is worth it.  Plus being able to produce food at a time we have to tighten the budget is one of the few ways I can contribute.

I’m also enjoying the garden collaboration with E.  He is discovering and using the food I’m growing, while also growing his own, partly from all the leftover seeds I gave him.  He ran out of room in his garden for some of his seedlings, so I planted them in mine, in this case red chard and peppers.  Sometimes we’re just out there walking around talking shop, which is gratifying.  He’s learning the same way I did, trial-and-error, plus research, and maybe a little guidance sometimes.

On another front, I’ve been doing more driving and rides, but my eyes are really starting to fail me.   I can’t see the signs until it’s too late, so I end up either lost or almost getting in accidents, sometimes with Gkid passengers.  I can’t afford the routine cataract surgery I need, even though it’s mostly covered, because I’m still paying off dental bills.

I finally paid off my credit card dental charges, but had to postpone paying off Avdi for the rest of my medical debt.  There’s no money after I pay my bills each month.  Ironically, my credit score is the highest it’s ever been, for what that’s worth!  It all balances out somehow.

Today was so cool out, it could have been early fall.

Out in the garden, E discovered lots of new potatoes in the veg garden and dug them up, which was amazing.  He also sighted some unidentified baby squash on the monster plants in the strawberry bed.

I did some weeding and puttering.  E worked on his area, and mowed the lawn.

The three sisters area has quite an assortment of corn, beans, and squash coming up.

The wide round leaf with the funny little red knobby thing is golden seal.

Correction: Those were NOT chickens.  You did not see any poultry.  It was a hoax.

Happy Summer Solstice/Father’s Day!  All the kids get to be with their Dad this time.

A beautiful large doe just strolled through the yards!  She just glanced at me as I greeted her, as if to say hey back, and continued her stately stroll.  Sorry I didn’t get a photo.  I did get some other summery pics, like these pipevine swallowtail caterpillars, swarming all over the Dutchman’s pipe!

I “slept over”, minus the sleeping, but other than that, all is well.

Stacey got the house!  J&C (with cat) will move in (“temporarily”) sooner, while she takes school exams and finishes out her work.  She (and one of the girls) already have jobs lined up here.

Y came home from camp yesterday.  He seems to be happy from the experience.  He even interacted briefly before retreating back into his cave.  The kids were off from summer school for Juneteenth, so it was a full house again.

I did the usual erev preps.  One of the dishes featured carrots and beets straight out of the garden, with peas.  Everyone but E, who had a rehearsal, was at the table, at least briefly.

It was so hot out, Loucious and I spent most of the day inside, L lying on the AC vent.  I did manage to take some photos, though, including this elephant ears that managed to winter over and come back up, as did some other bulbs that I left in the ground!  I guess that tells you something about climate change.

I barely spent time at the Avdi’s today, what with doctors interspersed with giving rides.  I had a lab in the morning, and a cardiologist in the afternoon.  The last was at Mercy Hospital South campus, which is vast, and my first time driving myself there.  I was so exhausted just from all the driving.

I still have more tests to go, but it doesn’t seem to be too serious.  Now if I could just afford the eye surgery so I could see where I’m driving, that would be an improvement!

Look, the black hollyhocks finally started to bloom!

Today I sowed more veg seeds in the remaining gaps in the veg garden.  For now, it’s about as full as it can get.  I actually brought some greens home with me for a change.

Mostly I just hung around with S, picked up K, and even made a quick trip to the grocery store for myself.  I had to wait a month until I got paid again to get some food.  Not a lot, just something to subsist on at home.

Besides for towering over everyone, S has learned a great deal about self-regulation and using words to express his feelings.  He’s realizing he’s not the center of the universe, and can’t just order everyone to do his bidding!  He’ll state his preference in a situation, but then concede that not everything can be scheduled around his priorities.  He gets let down easily by a friend not being at his beck and call, but is better at letting it go and not escalating or browbeating.  He doesn’t try to order me around like he used to.  He tries and likes new foods that he would have turned down before.  He seems fairly good about leaving Avdi alone to work or rest.

The weather was finally dry and cool enough to work in the garden, so I weeded the entire veg garden without breaking a sweat.  I finally came in for our family charcuterie meeting, with even S contributing ideas.  Then S and I went downstairs and he showed me the project he’s working on, with excellent writing skills and visuals.  He’s much better at communicating.