L-R, standing: Aunt Vera, moi, Aunt Reta;
Seated: Joanne

One day Mom's best friend invited me to join her, my aunt, and my great-aunt for "high tea" at The Old House Café and Gallery in Kuroki, which is about 10 miles down the road from the farm here. (That's pronounced Kurr-OH-kee; named after a Japanese general, or so the story goes). The photo above was taken after we'd lunched.

Been on the run pretty much nonstop for a week or two, driving all over hell's half acre for various reasons. Have attended two funerals this week, got my hair cut, and been to the dentist. Three needles for freezing! I swear, two-and-a-half hours in the dentist's chair was an ordeal. I don't care if the dentist IS cute and sweet. Well, it helps. But not enough.

Tomorrow I drive to Manitou Beach for two nights in a rented cabin with my best pal Cathy before picking Emil up from Camp Easter Seal. He's never ready to leave, mind you. Before he gets into the van I have to be introduced to every counsellor on the grounds, twice. And then some.

Tonight we're off to an anniversary party. A couple close to our own age has been married 30 years. Neither one of us can imagine it. When Scott tells me, I say, "Yes, and they are old enough to have grandchildren by now. And so are we! It won't be long...." (Gunnar, are you listening? I was talking about you being soon ripe enough to settle down and raise a family.)

Things have cooled down outside. I'm back in the comfortable bed. But life is never paradise, is it? Now I am killing a good half-dozen mosquitoes in the bedroom before I can fall asleep, and darned if I know how they are getting into the house.

We'll find out on Monday what the results of Scott's blood test was; whether he had West Nile or what.

I am going to enjoy those two nights of R & R at the beach. Maybe we'll go to the mineral spa; must remember to pack my bathing suit.

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