Just look at all the life basking in the late summer heat.  It’s like a living sculpture garden.  I think that’s part of why I don’t just keel over and die!  Too many discoveries yet to be made.  So many beers yet to try.

I’ve been purposely not commenting (barfing) on the latest antics of trump and his idiots.  He’s obviously (and medically) utterly demented and delusional.  They take your keys away for much less.  Yet he insanely still has nuclear codes and declares war every five minutes.  He’s maniacally genociding whole populations here and abroad.  He’s a small mind with grandiose delusions of megalomania.  And his Borg thugs just prop his decaying ass up and pretend nothing’s out of the ordinary.

“All you zombies show your faces
All you people in the street
All you sittin’ in high places
The pieces gonna fall on you!”

The Hooters, 1983…almost 1984.

OK, where was I?  In the garden, where it’s sane and not unnaturally hideous.

It’s actually bearable out.  I did some gardening: cleaned up and hand-cultivated the two raised beds by the fence, removing all the gourd vines that were starting to fade while I was at it.  I moved the potted tradescantias to the patio beds.  I watered everything again, so by the time I have surgery and sequester at home, hopefully the garden will survive.  Still harvesting big juicy tomatoes, eggplant, and zucchini.

These black swallowtail caterpillars suddenly showed up all over the remaining parsley and dill.  I was wondering where they were all season.  I’ve seen the butterflies, just not their cats.  In fact, a half dozen or more of various butterflies have been happily  congregating around their favorite flowers.

It’s cooler today, only supposed to reach 90º or so!  Pretty quiet here.  Y had a friends sleepover.  Stacey is here to take N to rehearsal (where else) and K/S to the Japanese Festival at MOBOT, while S stays here.  I am thinking garden thoughts while I still can.  In a few days I get my other eye surgery, then restricted again.

Here’s what I’ve got so far.  More later.

As promised, the rest of the City Museum photos, which only took two days to back up via dysfunctional Spectrum.  See the axolotl?!  The rays were gorgeous.

I’m at Avdi’s to spend the night.  Tomorrow they say it will return to normal hot summer for the duration?  We’ll see.

Words will have to suffice to describe Uncle Robert’s fabulous visit and experiences.

First thing yesterday morning, Avdi showed Robert the museum TRAINS!  I opted out because of the extreme heat, but they got to have their trainscendental moment!

After a break for rest and regrouping, we met at the City Museum.  This time Avdi and I got to initiate Robert!  This is where words fail to describe his first experience!  We let him “lead” the way, and all three of us got fully immersed and engaged in crawling and sliding around in funny positions through dark tunnels and mazes, having a blast.  Robert was astounded and delighted!  We were like kids again.  I saw parts of the museum I’ve never seen, which is normal.  We were unable to make it to the roof, but it was too ghastly hot anyway.  We spent hours there, even after Avdi cut out early to be home for the kids.  Robert and I fully enjoyed and exhausted ourselves.

We adjourned to my apartment to chill and talk for a while, which was equally as nice as all the above.  There was so much to catch up on.

Later, we picked up the Chinese takeout order, and got to talk while waiting–it was a huge order.  Then we did Shabbat blessings and overflowed the table, there were so many of us.  Jess, Stacey, and most of the kids joined us.  To the kids’ credit, they mostly hung around, though tired.

After dinner, for our grand finale, we took Robert to Ted Drewes frozen custard, which also duly impressed him.  Stacey and S joined us.  It was still meltingly hot out, but the typical crowds didn’t mind.

Finally we all dispersed to our various beds, exhausted but happy.  Robert is taking the train to KC to meet Bob today.  It’s back to Cinderella for me, but that’s fine.  I got my fine and worthwhile blood fix for the foreseeable future.

The temp now is 103º, feels like–wait for it–121!?!  It’s almost volcanic.  (“If you’ve made it alive this far…”)

I have a lot more photos than this, but I think backup has heatstroke or something, so this is just a teaser.

“Uncle” Robert arrived yesterday evening, and we all had a long-awaited fantastic reunion.  Everyone got to meet him or reunite.  There’s so much to catch up on.  Some funny stories were recounted.  Robert got to know the kids a little, and hear about some of their experiences.  K/S cooked a wonderful meal for everyone., and Robert brought cake and ice cream.  R finally got to meet Jess, and see Stacey.  I was just soaking up the sense of closure, all the good blood in one room!  It was like an impromptu party.  Loucious was overjoyed.

Today Avdi is taking Robert to the Museum of Transportation to bask in all the trains.  Later, we’re planning to go the City Museum so Robert can experience it.  Erev Shabbat is going to be very condensed to store challot and take out dinner, so we can spend more of the whirlwind visit giving R the mini-tour.  After dinner we hope to get Ted Drewes frozen custard.  Hopefully in all the excitement, I’ll remember to take photos of not just vegetation.

Yesterday I got a clean bill of health on my left eye!!  I’m so excited to get the other one done.

I did extra cleaning at Avdi’s, so hopefully it won’t give “Uncle” Robert a shock!  Today’s the day!  K/S wants to make him (and whoever shows up) a nice dinner tonight, if Robert makes it in time.  Then we have to figure out which one of all the obligatory STL points of interest we can fit into this very short visit.

The garden is really suffering in this extreme heat with no rain in sight, so I watered some of it again.  There are so many kinds of butterflies finally, plus a hummer or two.  It’s hard to get my cam to focus, but you can get the general idea.  Bees, etc. are happily doing their jobs.  The Mex. sunflowers are too high up to get a good pic, but the bflies like them.  I was happy to see the fall crocuses blooming.

There’s a huge, gorgeous owl that lives up in the trees, and often swoops across the back yard right in front of me during the day!  I wish I could get a photo, but alas.  It’s brown speckled, with a large head and tapered body.

Well, back to the “grind” , which I don’t mind.

This time I made sure to have my phone cam.  First, I watered again, as it’s supposed to be a high of 100º and feels like 109º.  Everything really needed more water.  I had to wear my dorky free shades from the eye doctor so I didn’t get blinded by the light.

I made sure I got photos of the Mexican sunflowers soaring into the sun, and the masses of native blue mist flower, which I’m excited about.  The air was fragrant with sweet autumn clematis draping everything.  There are drifts of delicate white allium/garlic chives all over.  The tall forest of yellow silphium is hanging over the path, it’s so heavy, and covered with bees and pollinators.  The red amaranth is drooping over like arches.

The okra has gone wild like a crazed red sculpture garden.  The shade natives area looks like an actual jungle.  The eucalyptus variety I planted in the herb garden has tripled in height, as have the lemon verbena and lemon balm.  It’s pretty fragrant over there.  Pumpkin-like gourds are hanging from fences.  I’m seeing all kinds of butterflies and hummers, enjoying all the flowers.  I could go on and on.  But I won’t.

You’ll never guess where I was today–without my phone!?  So there’s no evidence…except the obvious, if anyone notices!  It was the cleaning ghost.

And there were so many things to take pics of!  But mostly to water, they were so parched in the furnace.  The Mexican sunflowers finally bloomed bright red, but so high up I could barely see them.

The veg haul was amazing!!  Huge ripe tomatoes, and lots of smaller ones, two zucchinis and two eggplants, all of which I divided between us.  I actually have homegrown produce in my fridge!

It was insanely hot out.  I got lots done indoors, probably too much for my “condition”, but I seem to be alright.  Loucious was my only witness, and he’s not talking.

Yesterday I was able to divide and repot my smaller indoor plants.  I’m starting to think about getting back to normal at Avdi’s.  I can probably drive.  I just have to avoid infection, injury, or too much time in bright sunlight.

I wasn’t imagining the sight improvement–it was instantly clearer and brighter, as it’s supposed to be.  I don’t seem to be having any issues like infection, but I’ll find out Wed. at my second post-op (to which I can drive).

With my “old” right eye alone, everything is blurry and yellowish.  With my “new” left eye alone, distance is more distinct, and the light is bright white!  I can’t wait to see how both “new” eyes will function.

When my brother Robert visits next weekend, I’ll be able to see him 50% more clearly!  Unfortunately, the weather will be a furnace, as he put it, which will continue well into September.  Even CA is getting unusual humidity along with their 100s.

I know I’m sounding particularly self-absorbed at the moment, having spent the last few days alone in my apartment.  I confess I’m not bored or feeling cut off at all.  I found a singularly strange cinematic rabbit hole to go down on Kanopy which keeps getting deeper and weirder!  I have to force myself away from screen-time.  I know, the luxury.  So fire me.