The Trump sign in the front yard down the street is now flat on its face, and Fiorella didn't do it. Could there be another fan of good government around here?
*
Fio's house sports three full bathrooms. The bathroom on the first floor is adjacent to the guest room, the large master bathroom on the second floor is next to the master bedroom, and the third bathroom, which is rarely used, is adjacent to the two other upstairs bedrooms. In fact, that bathroom is so rarely used that Fiorella, who was cleaning up the counters, toilet, sink and woodwork, was startled to tturn around and see there was a tub curtain behind her.
*
Remember that jigsaw puzzle that Fiorella pulled out of a dark corner and started putting together? It's coming together slowly but surely, and brings Fio great joy.
*
Elder son won't be coming down for a while yet. Fio will miss him and his wife, but your girl wasn't comfortable with them stopping to participate in a big retirement party along the way. You can't eat and swig down drinks with a mask on.
*
Packing would be much easier if it weren't for Covid. Back then, Fiorella could have had all the relatives over to not only help her pack, but lighten her load by asking for various keepsakes. (Fio could have sold some of the stuff too.)
Monday, August 31, 2020
Sunday, August 30, 2020
Three Negatives and Two Positives
Fiorella woke up angry. If Husband had taken better care of himself, he wouldn't have suffered from those medical problems. And if he'd stayed alive, she wouldn't have had to deal with the lengthy legal entanglements of his death and the preparations for the selling of the house, which, by the way, includes shinnying up ladders and peeling adhesives off the wall with her fingernails.
*
Bastrop Son was kind enough to give Fio most of his Sunday and the mulching he did really looks good. If Fio had known what mulching can do for to a flower bed, she would have used it years ago.
*
After having told Daughter that she hadn't had a migraine in years, Fiorella has had two lately--the visual kind, lots of colors and shining lights.
*
Your girl threw away $17 by getting a face shield. She thought it would take the place of her mask, but it turns out that the shield is supposed to be worn with a mask. (Fio has a problem with masks because they blur the vision in her left eye, which has its own problems.)
*
Just when Fiorella was running low in boxes, her Realtor supplied her with about ten of them. Mallary has also supplied her with a handyman who can shape up the house.
*
Bastrop Son was kind enough to give Fio most of his Sunday and the mulching he did really looks good. If Fio had known what mulching can do for to a flower bed, she would have used it years ago.
*
After having told Daughter that she hadn't had a migraine in years, Fiorella has had two lately--the visual kind, lots of colors and shining lights.
*
Your girl threw away $17 by getting a face shield. She thought it would take the place of her mask, but it turns out that the shield is supposed to be worn with a mask. (Fio has a problem with masks because they blur the vision in her left eye, which has its own problems.)
*
Just when Fiorella was running low in boxes, her Realtor supplied her with about ten of them. Mallary has also supplied her with a handyman who can shape up the house.
Saturday, August 29, 2020
From Literary Trump to PoeticTrump
Fiorella is guessing that from now till November, every month there will be a new block-buster tell-all book about Trump or his tribe. Fasten your safety belts!
*
Fiorella is somewhat exhausted and more than somewhat depressed. All she does, day in and day out is pack things for the move. There was a variation today, though--she climbed ladders to pull nails and push-pins out of her walls, and, being that Fio hangs everything she draws or paints, it took a good while.
There are still a few nails further up that she couldn't reach, but maybe one of her kids can get them out.
*
As the time to vacate grows nearer, Fiorella gets more and more nervous. In her adult life, she's lived in five difference homes, and each of them was a step up the scale. This time, she'll be scaling down. *
One thing Fio can tell you after clearing out the desk drawers in the den is that neither she nor her kids nor her grandkids will ever want for writing implements, push pins, staples, or paper clips. In fact, they could build an empire on them.
*
While Trump is living it up
On the campaign trail,
The Children are still locked up,
Hidden in kiddie jail
*
Fiorella is somewhat exhausted and more than somewhat depressed. All she does, day in and day out is pack things for the move. There was a variation today, though--she climbed ladders to pull nails and push-pins out of her walls, and, being that Fio hangs everything she draws or paints, it took a good while.
There are still a few nails further up that she couldn't reach, but maybe one of her kids can get them out.
*
As the time to vacate grows nearer, Fiorella gets more and more nervous. In her adult life, she's lived in five difference homes, and each of them was a step up the scale. This time, she'll be scaling down. *
One thing Fio can tell you after clearing out the desk drawers in the den is that neither she nor her kids nor her grandkids will ever want for writing implements, push pins, staples, or paper clips. In fact, they could build an empire on them.
*
While Trump is living it up
On the campaign trail,
The Children are still locked up,
Hidden in kiddie jail
Friday, August 28, 2020
What Next?
Fiorella lives in a forest and her neighbors rarely see her, even when she goes up the driveway to claim her mail, so why, day after day, does she always dress cute and go so far as to select the shoes that will best compliment her ensemble?
*
The realtor came over today, her professional handy-man neighbor joined us about an hour later, and then the three of us went through the house together. Fiorella hasn't seen the estimates yet, but it looks like there's a fair amount of work to be done. 😒
*
Change in plan--no more chicken-wire fence, just a lot of mulch. It suddenly dawned on Fio that if she wanted to plant something, good ol' boxwoods would work. She's got them planted elsewhere on the property and the deer have never touched them.
*
Oh, Fiorella forgot to tell you that the Realtor brought a goodly number of boxes for your girl to pack her treasures in, and just in time too because Fio's own resources were petering out. Yep, a lot of plastic bags, Kleenex boxes, and laundry baskets have been pressed into service.
*
Regarding Fiorella's blog on slapping, her British friend told her that she also had slapped and been slapped. What about you?
*
The realtor came over today, her professional handy-man neighbor joined us about an hour later, and then the three of us went through the house together. Fiorella hasn't seen the estimates yet, but it looks like there's a fair amount of work to be done. 😒
*
Change in plan--no more chicken-wire fence, just a lot of mulch. It suddenly dawned on Fio that if she wanted to plant something, good ol' boxwoods would work. She's got them planted elsewhere on the property and the deer have never touched them.
*
Oh, Fiorella forgot to tell you that the Realtor brought a goodly number of boxes for your girl to pack her treasures in, and just in time too because Fio's own resources were petering out. Yep, a lot of plastic bags, Kleenex boxes, and laundry baskets have been pressed into service.
*
Regarding Fiorella's blog on slapping, her British friend told her that she also had slapped and been slapped. What about you?
Thursday, August 27, 2020
Updating Fiorella and Her Move
Hoping that some day Fio will wake up and think, "What would I like to do today," rather than "What do I have to do today."
*
Take Fiorella's advice and never try to move during a pandemic. You have to do almost everything yourself because of the distancing thing and you can't get together with friends and relatives to sell or give away stuff you don't need anymore, but don't want to trash.
*
Hey, your girl has finally found her mother's treasured set of stemmed table glasses, which had disappeared after her last move twenty years ago.
*
Fiorella is going to have a hard time adjusting to a new house, no matter how nice it is, but Sonia Dog will have an even harder time--she's lived in this house since she was eight weeks old. More important, she's lived on five-plus acres that she could explore to her heart's content.
When Sonia and Mommy move, Doggie also have to co-exist with cats, which probably won't bother her unless they run, at which point they'll become fair game.
*
While Trump struts the stage at will
THE CHILDREN are locked in cages still
*
Take Fiorella's advice and never try to move during a pandemic. You have to do almost everything yourself because of the distancing thing and you can't get together with friends and relatives to sell or give away stuff you don't need anymore, but don't want to trash.
*
Hey, your girl has finally found her mother's treasured set of stemmed table glasses, which had disappeared after her last move twenty years ago.
*
Fiorella is going to have a hard time adjusting to a new house, no matter how nice it is, but Sonia Dog will have an even harder time--she's lived in this house since she was eight weeks old. More important, she's lived on five-plus acres that she could explore to her heart's content.
When Sonia and Mommy move, Doggie also have to co-exist with cats, which probably won't bother her unless they run, at which point they'll become fair game.
*
While Trump struts the stage at will
THE CHILDREN are locked in cages still
Wednesday, August 26, 2020
Slaps Hurt
Fiorella grew up being slapped--not often, but enough that she ducked whenever her mother moved her hand too quickly, which made Mom all the more angry. "You act like I beat you!" she complained, and if Fio cried, she said, "Stop crying. That didn't hurt!"
But it did.
*
Fio would like to tell you that she didn't slap her own children, but she did--less than Mother, but enough that she is now regrets it. Kids can be trying, but she should have found better ways of handling situations.
*
It's hard being a mother--to deal with a house, a husband, a job, and teaching your children right from wrong.
*
When Husband was a child, he got switched with a willow, which he had to get from the back yard. It was the thing to do back then.
*
When Husband and Fiorella were first married, he would slap her if she said something he didn't like. It wasn't often, but enough that she became so she became very careful around him. Many years later, way past the slapping stage, she asked him what made him stop.
"I grew up," he said.
*
Why is Fiorella telling you all this? Because it rides her, and she has to tell somebody.
But it did.
*
Fio would like to tell you that she didn't slap her own children, but she did--less than Mother, but enough that she is now regrets it. Kids can be trying, but she should have found better ways of handling situations.
*
It's hard being a mother--to deal with a house, a husband, a job, and teaching your children right from wrong.
*
When Husband was a child, he got switched with a willow, which he had to get from the back yard. It was the thing to do back then.
*
When Husband and Fiorella were first married, he would slap her if she said something he didn't like. It wasn't often, but enough that she became so she became very careful around him. Many years later, way past the slapping stage, she asked him what made him stop.
"I grew up," he said.
*
Why is Fiorella telling you all this? Because it rides her, and she has to tell somebody.
Planning for a New Life
On the way home from Walgreens with two bags of medicinal chocolate, Fiorella noticed that the imported trees in front of the parking lot of the giant army-surplus store had withered and died
in the Texas heat while further down the highway, the native oaks, elms and cedars were prospering.
'Nuff said?
*
The outside of Fio's house got power-sprayed yesterday. One more step toward moving out, which Fiorella is getting more and more nervous about. There are still so many things to get done, like trading in Fio's two aged cars as a down payment on a gently-used four-door and learning how to drive it, like finding an appropriate house and actually moving in.
*
Your girl has moved before: from Akron to Waco when she was a child, from Waco to Austin for college, from the dorm to a duplex when she got married, from the duplex to a rental, from the rental to a home--all in Austin. Next came the move to Georgetown. Six moves, and now one more--probably the last one, but who knows?
*
Fio had a nice visit with Elder Son over the phone yesterday, which pleased her not only because she likes to keep track of her offspring, but because he was responding to her plea for communication from the outside world. Fiorella is so isolated that weeks can go by without her holding a verbal conversation with anyone.
*
Bad news--the deer ravage the unprotected plants in front of the house last night. There goes another hunk of money down the drain. Wish Bastrop son had recovered them when he partially mulched them.
*
Good news--Fiorella had a wonderful visit with friend Suzy across the deep blue sea. How many years is it now--thirty?😋
in the Texas heat while further down the highway, the native oaks, elms and cedars were prospering.
'Nuff said?
*
The outside of Fio's house got power-sprayed yesterday. One more step toward moving out, which Fiorella is getting more and more nervous about. There are still so many things to get done, like trading in Fio's two aged cars as a down payment on a gently-used four-door and learning how to drive it, like finding an appropriate house and actually moving in.
*
Your girl has moved before: from Akron to Waco when she was a child, from Waco to Austin for college, from the dorm to a duplex when she got married, from the duplex to a rental, from the rental to a home--all in Austin. Next came the move to Georgetown. Six moves, and now one more--probably the last one, but who knows?
*
Fio had a nice visit with Elder Son over the phone yesterday, which pleased her not only because she likes to keep track of her offspring, but because he was responding to her plea for communication from the outside world. Fiorella is so isolated that weeks can go by without her holding a verbal conversation with anyone.
*
Bad news--the deer ravage the unprotected plants in front of the house last night. There goes another hunk of money down the drain. Wish Bastrop son had recovered them when he partially mulched them.
*
Good news--Fiorella had a wonderful visit with friend Suzy across the deep blue sea. How many years is it now--thirty?😋
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