to speak of many things.
Of shoes and ships and sealing wax,
Of cabbages and kings.

Or, in my case, less poetic and closer to home--it's time, past time really, to insulate the attic. Every afternoon in this glorious weather (mid 80's F, 30 or so Celsius) my rooms upstairs heat up like an oven, far hotter than the ambient temperature.

Even with fans running, it is unliveable. So...with a little nudge from my housemate, I agreed. It's not that I can't afford it (I have a really small attic), it's the mess and noise and men tromping up and down stairs, hollering information and questions to each other. And I've been concerned about the floating fibreglass afterward, but open windows and turning ceiling fans will, I hope, take care of that.

Later this week it will be done. My housemate is a contractor and she will organize and sign off on the whole project. I just need to get my body out of the way for a morning.

The other project (a lot more fun, if you ask me) is to open up the in-ground spa in the back yard. For nearly 20 years it has been covered by a raised redwood deck, which was beautifully built but is now very weathered. The raised deck in the middle of the yard has never been very attractive to my eye, and I've wanted to open it up, fill it in with dirt, and plant a raised vegetable garden in it.

So that's what we're going to do, with B as the contractor again, organizing the whole thing. That is her business, home and garden, and she is very good at it. Maybe we'll even turn part of the back yard into a native plant garden at the same time.

I'd love to jackhammer up all the cracked concrete walkways and patio and replace them with paving stones (partially done already) but the cost would be prohibitive, especially with the other work being done. Maybe some day. Meanwhile--the ants keep marching two by two, haroo....

Doctor said all my test results looked good and told me to get out of his office, he needed the examining room for sick people. I exaggerated an imagined cough, and he rolled his eyes. We have a strange and wonderful relationship, but he's always been there for me when I really needed him.

Almost time for the evening news. I wonder what the idiots have done today.