Dear Blog, I don’t understand chairs that have a front side higher than the backside. Those chairs throw off my body big-time. Lower back grouches, cheek muscles buzz, and knees say “You know better than to sit on this chair.” As for my dangling legs on those chairs, dang. I often perch on the edge of a chair so my feet can say hello to the ground. There you go, my complaint for the day, uncomfortable chairs.  In the otherwise department, I’m feeling quite chirpy. Three things that happened within the past several hours:  Uno) Paint brushes came out. The above photo is a peek of my painting in progress. Dos) We got a 10 cent/ per gallon discount at the gas station, 30 bucks for a full tank. Whooo-hooo! Tres) We saved 60+dollars at the grocery store, thanks to coupons. Plus the organic peanut butter, ground bison, canned bamboo, and juices were on sale. Score, luxuries! Today’s yummy homemade meal: Ground bison burger with deep fried tomatoes, fresh basil, and lettuce on a toas...

Dear Blog, I did some good work in the yard this morning. I transplanted the last of the basil seedlings and three milkweed seedlings, pulled out the going-to-pot carnations, culling the freshest to propagate, and pruned an overgrown pink geranium plant, which cuttings I’ll plop into a row beneath the eating room. (Ha! I wrote a long complicated sentence intentionally. Did it work?)  While sorting the carnation branches, I spied a snail perched on a branch. The little fellow gave a great performance. Yep, I made a video of it making its way out of the raised bed that included going by, over, under, and around a dried avocado leaf.  Snail seemed to be booking it, sliding three minutes to travel 12 inches or so. “Come outside,” I said to the Husband from the screened patio door. “It’s beautiful. I’ve heard four different birds singing.” And, he did, sitting nearby perusing the Internet while I played with the plants. Every so often we chatted, we sang, we laughed. I have a wonde...

Dear Blog, If I dared I would fantasize what life would be like today if I had not miscarried 31 years ago. It was early in the first term. I’d only discovered I was pregnant about two weeks before. The First Husband and I were on a road trip.  The first day I felt different, lighthearted and relaxed. I remember breaking into song, “I’ve got joy, joy, joy deep in my heart,” as I drove north on Hwy 80 passing the Vallejo exit for Marine World. It surprised both of us. Several days later I took a home pregnancy test. I did a couple of them to make sure. Hurrah!  We had been trying for seven years. Towards the end of our trip, in the middle of nowhere, we got a flat tire. The First Husband wasn’t feeling well; he didn’t have the strength to lift the new tire in place. I thought I was being careful by sitting on the ground and using my legs to help lift the tire. Wrong! That evening the budding embryo was gone.  The male gynecologist who saw me a couple days later told me you...

Dear Blog, Life is good. Hopefulness and joyfulness are in bloom! Truly yours, Septuagenarian Barefoot Su-sieee! P.S. Three things I did today. Ran errands with the Husband. Doodled. And, rested to recoup energy from a fun, busy week of doing nothing. 

Dear Blog, I don’t consider the Husband and I looking like hippies when we were young. What do you think? Ding dong…. “Is this where Susie and Dick live?” asked new acquaintances of ours.  “No,” said the homeowner. “Would you know where they live? They’re having a party today.” “You mean the hippies,” said our neighbor. (I’ll imagine he pointed happily across the street.) When we heard the story, the Husband and I cracked up. It’s nice to know that we are perceived as being friendly, odd, nature-loving, loosey goosey, but responsible, type people.  Once upon a time, when I was a blossoming young woman (balasang in Ilocano), Daddy looked at me, said, “Don’t be a hippie,” and walked away. Hahahahahah. Truly yours,  Septuagenarian Barefoot Su- sieee !

Dear Blog, Yesterday morning, I had in mind to visit a museum in Santa Cruz, then I began moving a piece of furniture in the living room after which I discovered a brown water stain by the kitchen table that led to moving more furniture, along with dish ware, cookbooks, and big plants. Ouchy, Mama. Hmm, could be why I’m tired today. Fortunately the stain was caused by the overflow of water from the plants. I need to finder deeper planter saucers.  Before all this happened I was already in the motion of making pickled cucumbers. Eight pickling cucumbers yielded a small jar of relish, two jars of dill pickle spears, and a jar of bread-and-butter pickles. All first time things to try for me. I follow recipes for refrigerator storage because I don’t trust my ability to can them safely. Besides, how many pickles can we, two old fogeys, consume? The Husband was a willing participant to all of yesterday’s action. The old guy can still lift and nudge a heavy object into place with the skil...