Bronchitis 1, Pat 0

Sickness reigns supreme. I'm slowly getting better from lung crud. My advice: don't get it. If you do, go to the doctor sooner than 8 days into the coughing fits, which is how long I waited. "It's just a cold!" Well, sometimes it isn't. On the weather front, we've had two little snowstorms. The first was in mid-October, which is unusually early. The second was the other day, which makes more sense. But, temperatures in the upper 50s are predicted for this week. Gotta love Ohio. We're all over the place. Mom keeps asking when spring will come. "Mom, it's only November. We still have to deal with January."

My meds. I'm so happy.

The downside of fall color. Eventually all those pretty leaves fall off.

Our neighbor Braden and little Shelby, their puppy.

I've been remiss

Okay, I admit. I've been lazy. It's been 2 months (!) since my last post. In Ohio, that's the difference between "what do you mean I have to mow the lawn and it's 90 degrees?" and "let's light the fireplace." We've had a weird autumn. Some trees are in full color and others are ignoring the entire autumn thing. "I believe I'll remain green" is their motto. We think after some freezing temperatures, they'll change their minds. I found some pictures on my camera from summer. So, enjoy some wildflowers and tomatoes.

Summer: bergamot (pink) and a member of the carnation family (red). I think I posted a picture of the bergamot in July.

Summer: one darned big tomato (our brother-in-law Jack grew this).

"Me" and "hemming": two words I never thought I'd use in the same sentence. Moving to Ohio is a game-changer. P.S. These are pj's - not "real" pants.

But the real me still comes out: my Ikea plates in wave length order. P.S. My new countertops in the kitchen are on view. Silestone "Lyra" - meant to look like marble.

Hard to swim

Our beloved YMCA pool is empty for annual cleaning and painting. It won't be done and ready for swimming until the day after Labor Day. We're taking AOA aerobics and AOA strength classes during the swim break. AOA= active older adults, and the classes aren't as wimpy as you might think. Just ask Bob how his triceps are feeling after Thursday's strength class. :)

No one is in danger of drowning! Aren't those lane lines beautiful?

Early summer

I'm a beetle. Not a fly, not a bug.

Fireflies are back. Okay, they're not flies. They're beetles. This is apparent from the photo above. It's summer. Fireflies (or lightning bugs, as you prefer - but they're not bugs, either) love warm humid nights. They out in the yard signaling to one another.  Other summer things we're seeing and doing: making iced tea (thank you, Fred and Beth, for the iced tea maker), going to Ikea (the only one in Ohio), and watching my calla lilies bloom.

Iced tea! Invented just for hot, humid summers.

We saw the stop sign. So, we stopped.

My pink calla lily - also have some yellow ones.

Lots of stuff to do

Busy time in Troy ... GOBA riders, then the Cincinnati Pops concert, and finally the Theatre on Ice competition. I can't keep up! We went to the Pops concert on June 21. Longest day of the year - so it didn't get dark till the concert was nearly over. Bob had his picture taken with the mezzo soprano soloist, Amanda Pabyan. On the 22nd, we watched the Theatre on Ice teams practice at Hobart Arena. Since time on the ice is a scarce resource, each team got 10 minutes to practice. That's it - no more. Final competitions started later that day. Of course, we have some pictures.

Bob and Amanda Pabyan, soloist with the Cinci Pops.

The blue skaters.

The umbrella skaters.

Don't let go!

GOBA: Great Ohio Bicycle Adventure

GOBA came to Troy on Sunday. For you Californians used to Amgen bike races, GOBA isn't like that. It's real people who ride through the Ohio countryside every June, stopping at places along the way. Obviously, to ride miles and miles, the riders have to be in shape - but they're not Tour de France material. We saw lots of tandems and recumbents. Real people bikes!

A sign at the park entrance where GOBA riders were camped.

A tandem recumbent trike. How cool.

Close up of tandem recumbent trike.

GOBA riders camped in a Troy park. Note laundry hanging on line.

California trip, part 1

I was in California June 4-10 for my niece's high school graduation. It was so good to see family and friends, as well as old haunts in San Luis Obispo (and some new ones, too!). One thing I forgot in the two years I've been in Ohio: the phrase "June gloom," which refers to summer fog along the coast. It can be cold and dismal, which most out-of-state tourists don't realize - as they go shopping for a sweater or jacket. :)

Tanja, Ryan, Lola, and Sue Ellen at Karlee's grad dinner at 10th Street Grill, Los Osos

She graduates!

Another high school grad in the family.

June gloom. Fog rolls in over the hills.

Big gas heaters for outdoor dining in the fog.