Called brother Marion. His shoulder is much better.

Called sister Deborah. She was in Dulles Airport with her Stephen, about to board a plane for Burlington. He has a chance for a job in Vermont.

For lunch: boneless chicken thighs topped with Mary's herbed tomato and onion sauce, seared planks of home-grown yellow squash, home-grown snap beans and home-grown, vine-ripened tomato. Avocado on the side. Strawberry and cantaloupe appetizers.

We watched Germany embarrass Brazil 7-1. Mary especially enjoyed the game, since it was Brazil that sent Colombia's team home earlier.

A late afternoon rain was appreciated. Not only did it make the tomato plants happy, but I also enjoyed breathing the fresh, clean air it brought.

God is all-powerful. Am I right in thinking he could make an exact image of himself, if he wanted to?

71.0 °F, overcast.

Mary was up early. Wanted to attend the baptism of Harrison at the 9:00 am mass. The Durango wouldn't start, even though the battery was charged. I got George to come over from Belfast Market and get the car going. After mass, Mary had the same problem. Richard's brother-in-law came to the rescue. Said it was the neutral switch. Also, advised her to get the transmission checked out pronto.

For lunch, I had chicken tamales, turkey and yellow squash casserole, nopal and tomato. Avocado on the side. Strawberry, cantaloupe and watermelon appetizers.

We dozed away the afternoon, "watching" HITN programs.

George brought us yellow squash and more snap beans from his garden.

78.7 °F, clear.

After yesterday's two hamburgers, a hotdog and a pile of potato chips, the bathroom scales say I didn't gain a pound. Time to buy new scales?

Blood oxygen up to 98% today. Woohoo!

Weekly Mother's day, delayed. Marion joined us.

For lunch, Marion and Mary ate two of our hamburgers from yesterday. Mother had a chicken pot pie. I chose a turkey burger patty left from yesterday, some baby potatoes and the last of George's snap beans. Tomato on the side. Watermelon and cantaloupe appetizers for all.

At cards, Mother asked me in all sincerity, what was the lowest bid she could make. We play rummy.

Throughout our games, brother Marion always agonizes, waiting till he can get relief from his two o'clock Parkinson's medication. Today, he also had a sharp pain in his right shoulder. Had fallen out of his bed this morning. He manages to divert some of his attention, by cards and a constant stream of half-mumbled talk, half to himself and half to me. Thus, we are there for him.

As Mary and I were about to take Mother and Marion home, sister Deborah called. She wanted us to pass through her driveway and see a piece of "history". When we got there, she pointed out two flower beds she was working on. One was lined with stones taken from Papa Routt's old log house, now gone. They surrounded peonies taken from Mama and Papa Routt's graves. Nearby, she showed us tubs that Grandma Beadie and Mammy had used. There was more than I recall at the moment. All very interesting. Seems sister Deborah is creating a family history museum to rival brother Marion's antique tractor museum.

Mary and I took our guests home and made a stop at Kroger The Costa Rica and Netherlands game was at half time when we returned home. We pulled for Costa Rica, naturally. Had a house there for some years. The Ticos held off the Orange 0-0 through 45 minutes of regular time and 30 minutes of overtime, but fell during penalties. Whom will we pull for now?

I accompanied Mary as she watered the plants, then watched the night come on from the outpost. The air was sweet and pure.

69.9 °F, clear.

Mary was up early getting ready for holiday festivities. Victor, Miriam and Gloria were to join us to celebrate the Fourth. Victor and Miriam arrived first, bearing gifts of fresh home-grown figs. When Gloria came, we all watched Germany defeat France, pausing only for lunch.

Mary and I had also been invited brother Marion's house for the Fourth. So, we decided on a little side visit after lunch and before the big game. We had just enough time. Leaving our guests to their own devices for an hour or so, we headed over to Springplace Road.

Claire had sent out invitations at the last moment. For that and other reasons, I feared that Marion, Delores and Claire would be sitting alone with their party preparations. It was almost so. Mary and I arrived to find no one in the house and no one in sight. But, further investigation showed the hosts sitting in lawn chairs in Marion's big shop in back. Deborah and Mother were there. A nearby table was still loaded with food. But, it wasn't as big a flop as I imagined. Andrea and family and Joel with Tabitha had made quick visits earlier. And, as a huge shop fan blew us cool, I ate a hotdog and we six had a good visit, also. Marion told me the day had started off kinda bad, but it was getting better now.

Marion's hobby is collecting old tractors and fixing them up in his shop. Now that the Parkinson's has gotten so bad, his daughter Claire has become his right hand. One of Marion's biggest pleasures is showing off the results of his efforts to anyone who will look and listen. Mary counted ten tractors. That's a lot of work!

Mary and I rejoined our company well before the big game. I wolfed down my second hamburger. We all pulled hard for Colombia, but Brazil dashed our hopes 2-1. Well, there's always a World's Cup four years from now.

Satisfying day.

117 lbs.

71.9 °F, clear.

The first wave always comes while I'm still in bed mornings. A sick emptiness in my gut, a twisting of the stomach. Have to get up, or it will get worse. Breakfast. Who can look at food? Mary forces me to eat.

More at ease by the time Mary finishes her rosary.

By lunch time, I have an appetite. Beef, patacónes, tomato and a steamer of barley, corn and black beans with carrots, snow peas and bell peppers. Avocado on the side. Apple and pear appetizers. A feast.

Post all three of our bank statements.

About dark at the outpost. Anna and George, out walking, stop for a chat.

Peaceful.

67.9 °F, clear.

Was able to get to sleep last night, in spite of my obsessing over Mother's finances. Numbers running through my head. Can't go on like this.

Received my monthly injection of testosterone at Celebration today. The clever nurses called Dr. Tidmore's office. Had figured out I had been taking double the prescribed dose. Hmmm.

Lunched at Burger King. Two Whopper Jr.s and fries using a coupon.

Stopped at First Farmers to make deposits.

At Walmart, I ran into Ray Ledbetter. We then ran into Nayeli, Eli and her Sophia. Later, Mary ran into the owner of Omar's Restaurant.

94 °F heading home.

We watched Son of God (2014) from Netflix. Spanish language option. Mary liked it.

George came by with the keys for #3. Teledyne has already moved out. I vented over Mother. Told him someone else with stronger nerves and in better physical health needs to take my job. These are supposed to be my Golden Years.

75.8 °F, clear.