In a whirlwind of activity yesterday evening, I processed three bank statements.

Partied with Gabriel Fauré, friend of Camille Saint-Saëns. Requiem in D minor, Op. 48 on YouTube. Blew me away.

Ham fortified salad for lunch today.

After giving the heat a chance to lessen in intensity, we headed for Rock Creek Park. Nevertheless, it was still 87 degrees when we left the Durango in the VFW parking lot. The air bothered us more than the heat. Humid and thick.

Mary remembered that some kind of old car show was supposed to happen today on the square. We set out in that direction. Crossing the bridge, we soon saw something was going on around the courthouse.

As I started taking pictures, the Sony RX100 II began to act up again. It insisted on shooting with flash. Outdoors, imagine. Fortunately, I had the old reliable Sony HX20V with me. Used it the remainder of the day.

I am prejudiced. Antique cars should be restored to their original appearance. Anything less shows a disrespect for the memory of the designers, for the original owners and even for the viewing public. There. My two cents worth.

That said, there were a few vehicles at the show that approached my standards.

Some politicians were taking advantage of the crowds to campaign for the upcoming election in August. County Mayor Joe Boyd Liggett was handing out old-fashioned fans like the ones we used to find in the church pews advertizing a local funeral "home". Joe had his name on these fans. Mary and I got one each.

Returning to the park, we set out West towards the Cornersville Road. Got as far as John Wallace's bench when Mary decided to double back. The sun had just come out then. That, added to the humidity, had Mary panting. She made good use of Joe Boyd Liggett's gift all the way back to the car.

After a late supper, I accompanied Mary as she watered plants. It had been a good day.

72.8 °F, mostly cloudy.

Ham, potato salad, corn on the cob, butter beans and cranberry sauce for lunch today. Bosc pear and black grape appetizers.

A young technician from Medical Necessities came to check the oxygen concentrator and change out the auxiliary oxygen tank.

Though late, Marion made it for cards. His presence always sharpens up Mother. She's very protective of her seventy year old son.

Our company accompanied us as we dropped off two checks at First Farmers. Then, we took them home. 87 °F, suffocating.

I went with mary to carry off the garbage, then talked her into a side trip to El Superior for guavas and papayas. I was in no hurry to get back to the house.

I was out on my scooter. Mary said it looked like rain. I said, doubtfully, I wish it would. It did. I almost reached the dry of the garage when the scooter decided to act up. The rain got harder, but I was stranded. By the time the scooter decided to behave itself, the rain had trailed off. But, I was wet.

Not through and through though. In no time I was dry again. Wasn't even enough rain to give the tomato plants a good drink. Just enough to cut the oppressive heat. Thankful for small things.

71.5 °F, partly cloudy.

Partied with Beethoven on YouTube last night.

Chicken drumsticks, plantain, steamed carrots and sweet peas for lunch today.

We watched Great Expectations (2012) from Netflix. A Dickens story that never grows old.

71.0 °F, clear.

Mary ordered diabetic test trips at Kroger.

Lunch at Burger King. Whopper Jr.s and fries.

Walmart.

We ran into Martha from church. Last I heard, she's still working at the health department.

Waiting for Mary to check out, I was approached by Terry Wallace. He was director of the county's ambulance service while I served on the county's board of commissioners. County mayor when I was on the county Board of Equalization. He's retired now and enjoying himself playing tennis, says he.

We picked up the test strips on the way home.

Deborah called. The old house, where niece Andrea used to live, is " laying flat on the ground". Whaley finally got around to razing it. Deborah got her water cut off again though. Oh, my.

A little rain for the tomato plants this evening.

66.8 °F, rain.

For lunch today, we had salads featuring mesquite smoked turkey breast. Guava juice on the side.

After her siesta, Mary mowed grass and watered plants.

Deptford Pinks are out.

The bales of wheat hay were loaded and moved out today. Mary thought I should rush out and take pictures of the process. Maybe I should have.

Splendid two-popsicle day.

71.7 °F, clear.

Tilapia for lunch today, with patacónes, steamed okra and stewed turnip. Avocado on the side.

We put in some time at the park. Leaving the Durango at the library, we made it almost to Cornersville Road before turning back.

From the park, we drove to Walmart, getting gas for the Durango and key ingredients for tomorrow's planned salad. Mary had her hair cut, just before SmartStyle closed.

72.2 °F, clear.

Partied with Jack Webb last night on YouTube. I love those old episodes of Dragnet.

For lunch today, I had beef and mushrooms with egg noodles. Cantaloupe appetizers.

After Mary's long nap, we had coffee, then headed to the park. Left the Durango at the VFW and took in the stretch to the library. We spotted two Great Blue Herons. My hands proved too shaky for the zoom camera. Mary had better luck.

Across from the library, the carnival was still going on.

Ah, the carnival. Daily cares seem so far away. All social constraints are loosened just a bit. Anything is possible. There is no tomorrow. We don't have to worry about being cheated or deceived, because we know we most certainly will be.

We arrived early. Not a big crowd yet.

I should know better, but I was suddenly hungry. Three dollars for a corndog. That's not so much, is it? Heck, it's the carnival.

At the merry-go-round, Mary saw a Guatemalan lady and child turned away. Mary inquired, but the lady only said she didn't have a ticket. A little stand-offish. So, Mary couldn't be the Good Samaritan after all.

Didn't take long to see the whole carnival. It's tiny. We headed back. Mary suggested we take in the town square. Good idea.

We returned home with just enough daylight for Mary to water her plants. I accompanied her, then decided to take leave of another fine day, at the outpost.

We live next to an industrial park. There is almost no traffic on our street Saturday evenings. Quiet enough to hear the Eastern Pewee sing. Quiet enough to hear the traffic on the distant highway. A dog barks in the direction of Belfast. Shouts and laughter of children tinkles in from the drive-in movie theater.

I was thinking, in some hospital bed or some nursing home, there is someone who'd give anything to be in my place.

69.0 °F, clear.

Movement is good. Keep moving.

Mother and I had the little Banquet chicken pot pies for lunch. Mary ate more of her minestrone soup. Cantaloupe appetizers.

Marion and Mother played cards with hardly any prompting.

Delores left Sam with us. During the card game, he sat quietly in the living room and watched Pup Patrol.

I needed to deposit a check from Teledyne before the 3:00 pm bank transaction cutoff, so Mary and I decided to drop our company off at their respective homes. From First Farmers, we took Marion and Sam home. But, at the Pink house, Mary discovered she had forgotten my key. We drove back home to fetch it. After leaving Mother at her house, Mary and I decided against Rock Creek Park. It was 90 degrees outside. Tomorrow would be better.

Instead, we drove to Ace Hardware to look for a good insecticide for the tomato plants. While there, Mary had a copy made of my key to the Pink House for her key set. I ran into an old acquaintance. I thought his name was Lyle. Later, brother George said not. Maybe it was Dale. Hmm. Anyways, this fellow retired after thirty years driving a county dump truck. I weighed him out at the rock quarry scales many a time. Fine fellow. Salt of the earth. Sadly, he now has emphysema.

Mary and I decided on the insecticide, a spray, and bought it. On our way out, Mary saw a wide-brimmed straw hat she liked. We bought it. Back home, Mary realized she had left the insecticide on the counter at Ace Hardware! She was disgusted with herself. So, we made our second unplanned trip. Were able to laugh at it though.

Home once more, I spent time outside. Mary decided to mow grass with the riding mower. At one point, I reached zen, I think. Sitting at the driveway entrance to catch a fresh breeze and avoid the dust the mower threw up, I gazed down at my home and Mary at her work. So peaceful.

As Mary was finishing up, brother George cruised in on the golf cart to check my tomatoes, a tiny bit envious, though he won't admit it. We talked awhile, as Mary put up the mower and brought me my supper.

George left. I took a few snaps in the evening light, then watched the street lights come on one by one from my perch at the outpost.

I'll give this day an eight and a half, maybe more.

120 lbs.

72.2 °F, partly cloudy.

Partied with two Beethoven piano concertos on YouTube last night.

Chicken breast for lunch today, with sweet potato, beets and creamed spinach. Avocado on the side.

We already have several small tomatoes on our plants. Unfortunately, two of the plants are infested with what seems to be whiteflies. Research on the internet didn't give me much hope for controlling them.

Our first yellow daylily is opening up.

At the outpost, I listened to several parts of my audiobook, Stephens' "Incidents of Travel".

Mary waited till the cool of the late evening to set out two ice plants, weed and water.

73.3 °F, clear.

Back to short sleeves weather.

Elsa, a Salvadoran friend of Mary's from New Jersey, and daughter Marilyn, came for lunch today.

We had herbed beef, arepas, rice and nopal. Guava juice on the side.

I left the gals to their talk fest. Spent a lot of time outside enjoying the fine weather, returning to the house only for popsicles.

Eventually the ladies came outside. Mary had to show off her flowers, herbs, etc.

The company left. I was just taking my supper on the garage patio, when I noticed Robert and Denise with Leah making rounds in the golf cart. They stopped to visit a moment.

Leah persuaded me to give her a little ride on my scooter.

The kind of day you remember in the cold of winter.

73.3 °F, clear.