This afternoon I’m on the porch of 4 East Third. There’s more traffic noise here, obviously, but otherwise things are pretty quiet. The boys are upstairs watching TV. Andy and I just finished a game of catch, my throwing him pop-ups that he had to catch without stepping beyond the sidewalk that runs between the side of the house and the garage. Earlier in the afternoon, I took a ride on Dale’s bike around the east side of Warren, and then north on the bike-hike trail to the State Hospital in North Warren and back. My butt was very sore when I finished. I think the seat is a little too high, even for my long legs. I started reading Sara Paretsky’s latest book, Ghost Country, not one of the V. I. Warshawski series. After four chapters, I’m ready to put it aside. I find the writing style very irritating. It’s as if Paretsky is trying too hard to do something different. I was going to look for a better read at the Book Rack during my bike ride, but the store closes at 1:00 on Wednesday.

Barb has been working on various projects around the hose. She recently finished the downstairs bathroom, stripping off the busy wallpaper that I always thought was such an odd choice for such a small room, painting it a color that’s hard to describe (it’s not an off-white, more of a cream and beige blend) and then adding a border where the walls and the cupboards meet the ceiling. She’s currently repainting the front porch and her fastidious approach to this project will probably keep her busy with it through the end of the month. She also cleaned and repainted the walls leading from the kitchen to the basement but is still working on the steps. What she is doing around the house is certainly not frivolous. They are long overdue projects that Dad never tackled when he was healthy and Mom would never have the interest in or energy for. The bathroom looks much improved, especially with the new washer and dryer, which have an almost aerodynamic design. What I can’t figure out is why she wants to continue to live her life in semi-seclusion. It’s not like she can’t get along with people. Lynn just stopped by with Scottie and Marisa, and she and Lynn had what sounded like a pleasant, unforced conversation for 15 minutes. Scottie’s here while Lynn takes Marisa to the dentist. Barb just tried to get the boys to play outside, but Andy and Eddie are such drones right now.

Andy complained of having a sore throat yesterday so I bought him some lozenges. It’s better now, he says, but after two different symptoms in two days (a headache on Monday), I’m keeping close tabs on his well-being.

It’s only Wednesday, but already it feels as though I’ve been here for a week. That both is and isn’t a complaint, depending upon which part of my brain I stroll through.

Look forward to seeing you on Monday.