The big garden cleanup continued.  Too many things to mention, so I’ll just post pictures.  Gotta get back to it.

Yesterday was bearable, so I began the job of weeding all the backyard beds before A’s birthday B&B this weekend.  The good news is, I discovered all kinds of flower seedlings trying to come up under all the weeds.  You know there’s a metaphor in there somewhere.

Rain and more rain!  No complaints here!  I spent the night, actually slept.  The garden is rejoicing, including weeds!  More on that later.

In the evening, Jess and I went to a show at The City Winery… HipHopera!  You had to be there to believe opera and hip hop can be fused.  Excellent.  Then I persuaded J to check out the “secret” speakeasy, where we had more drinks.  I think I may have kept her out past her bedtime; I’m such a bad influence.

Walked over in tepid soup, made challah, cleaned, made dinner, etc.  I made fresh-pack dill pickles with some of the fat garden cucumbers.  It was very quiet over there, with everyone in their own room sleeping or reorganizing.  Later, the squirrels got out the water slide, and jumped in the pool, also tepid soup.

Y actually initiated a disgruntled conversation with me about why marriage doesn’t work (no arguments here!), which I later realized had something to do with the latest tensions over plans for the kids to spend part of the summer with their mother.  Between that, and Avdi’s work causing him a frustrating nonproductive day, and other issues, he was not too happy.  Of course it’s all on top of the continuing background of political hell affecting every aspect of life for everyone.

I never did get outside to water, but then lo and behold, it thunderstormed, with tons of rain!  It was a scary storm; Y was huddling in fear in his bed, until I coaxed him out.  I myself was very pleased at the sudden turn of weather events, as were all my plant friends.  This heat wave has been a real killer.

Later, walking home, the sky was this eerie unnatural bright orange, kind of like trump.  Nuts!

Well I did it…I walked over in the steamy soup they call weather here, and proceeded to water the garden (and myself, to stay alive).  The pool was almost like a hot tub, so not much different than the air, nor tempting.

I did manage to take some pretty pics.  Look at them thar fat cukes!!  I can’t believe I grew those!  My evil plan to take over the world with flowers (and apparently elephant ears) is working.

Then I collapsed in AC.  E made these wonderful apple fritters.  Later I made dinner.  I got a ride home.  That was basically my day yesterday.

Today they all were going to “enjoy” themselves at the rec center and other sweltering destinations, or perhaps not, but count me out!

You know it’s hot when I can’t walk to A’s, garden, water, or even take photos.  We’ve been under an extreme sauna setting for days.  No rain.  I’m afraid I might boil to death if I make it to the pool.  If a ride comes along, I take it.  How did Missourians survive before AC?  I worry about all the people still homeless or utility-less from the tornado.

Anyway, I thought I should at least check in.  I’ve been cooking and cleaning for the Avdi’s when I can.  He got himself a co-working space away from the house so he can focus on his work.  E has been busy moving to his new room.  It’s just a matter of time until Y’s stuff refills every available vacated inch, like water.  I just try to stay out of the way.

The squirrels are home, and other than a typical antisocial surly huff by Y, things seemed to be readjusting to “normal”.  E was actually quite friendly.  He’s anxious to start setting up his new furnishings in S’s old room.  I think it’s going to make a huge difference.

K invited his friend A over for Shabbat dinner and a “challah swap”–she had made her own, and we all enjoyed trying them out, and talking.  Except for Y, who stomped off to his room.  K had completed his excellent fresh blueberry cheesecake for dessert.  It tasted as good as it looks.

We’re in an extreme heat wave–heat indices in the 100s, nothing new here–so I have to curtail some of my exercise.

I told Avdi I intend to live long enough to see trump and co. utterly destroyed.  In that spirit, I braved the heat and savagely attacked stubborn weeds in the veg garden as if they were racist fascists.  The “squirrels” come home tomorrow, and I want them to see flowers and cucumbers, not defeat.  This monarch on the milkweeds cheered me on.

Occasionally I took a break to help K with his latest baking project, blueberry cheesecake.  He was also busy doing chores, and reorganizing his living space, while he still has peace and quiet.

I realize cis/white people are just starting to catch up to the horrors that have been the daily reality for hundreds of years, as if this is something new.  Yet each day brings another level of stunning hateful assaults on constitutional rights and hope.  I know it has to get worse before it gets better, but I hate that our kids will have to try to survive in a world like this, with all this damage done.  Something has to give, and soon, and I’m sticking around for that victory.

Just can’t really speak right now, so have some pretty pictures.

It was so hot and humid yesterday, I couldn’t work outside much, except water and admire the flowers.  I don’t get how people run and hike and work out on days like that, when they don’t have to, but that’s just me!  I used to do it for a living.  I’m thankful for AC.  Some days it’s like Florida, only without an ocean.  Why would people retire to that?

I made dinner for us–chili, and all the fixin’s.  Avdi and I watched more old TNG.  I’m enjoying the lull while I can.

We discovered by accident that if you plug in the mysterious black box on the back porch, built-in lights in the patio walls come on!  Only, they keep blinking like strobes!  Another challenge for K to get to the bottom of.