Mid week hoo-hahs

 These are my dulcimers. hanging on a wall.  Good place for them, right? I haven't even attempted to play them in a couple of years, I don't think.  It's ridiculous. The blue one is a students dulcimer, made by  an elementary music teacher in Hendersonville, North Carolina.  She would teach her students to make their own instrument , with a cardboard box and then the wooden neck and strings. It really has an amazing sound, and was the perfect low cost investment for kids to make (which included their own artwork on the front) to learn to play this simple Appalachian instrument.  I fell in love with this one, and bought it for 35 dollars.  The wooden one next to it is a custiom made dulcimer from Black Mountain Instruments in Calistoga, California. My friend married a lovely man decades ago who builds these beauties. He walked me through choosing the design, the woods and then proceeded to build this dulcimer just for me. In fact, there is a  plate inside that reads, Built with Love for Annie Kelley, by David.  I will treasure it as long as I live.  Maybe I will even get it down and play it again. I keep thinking about taking lessons, as I'm not the musical instrument playing savant that I wish I was.  But finances and time and stuff always get in the way of that happening. Maybe this will be the year. Who knows?

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 It's Wednesday. I have to go to the dr appt that I cancelled yesterday.  I just didn't feel like going, as I overdid it [again] on Monday and was limping terribly and hurting yesterday.  I couldn't sleep Monday night, so that only made Tuesday worse. I opted to stay home and take it easy most of the day.  My son graciously finished all the mowing, side yard and back yard for me. He also worked on my little electric weedeater and got it running and even used it some. I have been wanting to get a little electric weedeater because I can't handle the big gas one.  Turns out we still had the old one in the shed.  Arrghhh..I swear, the Irishman told me it didn't work anymore and I thought he had gotten rid of it. He bought a big Troy Bilt gas weed trimmer, because he said the little one isn't good for this property.  It's so damn heavy I can't use it. And he pretty much won't, until I badger the hell out of him. He hates doing yard work. And I HATE badgering him about anything. I get mad and will just do it myself.   So, anyway....now I have the little trimmer back, and while it will not cut brush, it is great for cleaning up around the decks and garage and that kind of thing. (Which is mostly what I need it for anyway.)   I used it a bit this morning, until it ran out of string. I need to have the boy show me how to load it, as I probably knew once, but have forgotten.

  I am doing laundry this morning. The forecast 2 days ago was for rain today.  Then yesterday they pushed that rain to Thursday. Then this morning, they brought it back to this afternoon.  Sigh... I am not going to risk having my laundry caught outside in thunderstorms, so I'm just using the dryer. Hopefully this will be the last time this summer. I love hanging them outside, as you know, even though it's more work. They just smell and seem cleaner from the sun. O ! the glorious sun !!  lol  

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  I am getting my sister-in-law on Friday and we are taking a day trip down to my brothers house in Southern Illinois.  She still can't drive, because of the brain cancer. And she's getting a little cabin-fevered.  She gets out with her husband and her daughter, but I think she needs a break from her immediate family hovering all over here too.  So we will head south at about 8 AM and stay gone until we're ready to come back. It will be a good time for us.  My youngest sister was going to go, but has decided she cannot leave her teacup Yorkie at home by itself all day. Her husband is going to be out of town, I guess. I'm not sure why I didn't say "Bring her along" but I didn't.  Maybe I just want some selfish time with my sis. At any rate I am looking forward to it and plan to have a grand time. Plus--I get to see my niece and love on her some. She's 10 now, and growing up way too fast.

 I feel a little ho-hum today. Nothing exciting going on, but I think the dryer has stopped so I can get the last load ion the washer. That'll be good. I also have to go and get some coffee today, as I finished the bag of beans and don't have any in my pantry.   EeeeeeKK  !!  (That doesn't happen very often). I usually buy 2-3 pounds at a time, because I have to drive 20 miles to get them. And you know how I am....lol

  I also need to get some seed to plant green beans.  That bed is ready. The Irishman has gotten the 4 little round beds ready that the trellises go in, for planting snow peas and lima beans. The bean harvest last year was pitiful, but the blazing temps and drought hit everything pretty hard. (Some things worse than others). It's getting so late...and the seedlings I have are looking pathetic and need to get in the dirt SOON! 


  SO--I better go get busy.  I am so good at procrastinating...


TTFN.




Namaste.