Vacation...or Things Don't Always Work Out as Planned

Hi All,


How is Everyone?  I've missed conversations.  I've read blogs, but not commented much this past week.  Sorry.....


As you all know because I wouldn't shut up about it for so long, we were to be on vacation this past week.  And we were.  But not as intended.  We had a staycation.  Which is ok...just not what was planned.


Last Friday night as I was yakking on the phone with a friend, Fletch was putting the final "stuff" in the car.  I got off the phone and went out and Fletch was no where to be found.  He finally showed up about 10 minutes later with Rob, our neighbor across the street who is an electrician.  I thought, this does not bode well.  We could not get any outside lights (i.e., brake, turn signals, etc.) on our camper.  And then the car battery died. 


I won't go into all the gory details of us licking our wounds for several days.  By Wednesday the problem was fixed (blown fuse in the wiring for the camper which we could not get to - naturally), but that was too late in the week for us to take off for our intended destination.  We did console ourselves by checking weather and seeing that we would have had heavy rain for a lot of the days we would have been gone which would have meant not as much hiking as intended, etc.


Things happen for a reason.....


Meanwhile, we did hike locally in Evansburg State Park one day.  We felt like we were in an aviary - there was so much loud and constant bird song and chatter.  It was beautiful.  We saw lots of Spring flowers blooming.  Phlox and Buttercups:

Virginia Bluebells:

May Apples:

The leaves of May Apples are perfect for Wood Sprites to hide beneath!


And shelf fungus (not technically a flower, but beautiful and interesting):

Not much else was done other than reading and knitting on my end.  Match and Move is off the needles as of 3:00 this afternoon.  No pictures yet...I still have ends to weave in and blocking.  But I LOVE it.


I finished "The Swans of Fifth Avenue" which I would give 3.5 starts.  I really like Melanie Benjamin's writing style (loved "Aviator's Wife), but found this book a bit depressing and then annoying.  Am now reading "Commonwealth" by Ann Patchett and am like parts and some parts are just plain annoying.  I think I'm in a funk with reading.  Am definitely looking forward to Book Bingo to spur me on this summer.


We did a few things around the house and I tried not to do domestic chores (cleaning and laundry), but gave in mid-week.  And look where I found Tyg after I cleaned the upstairs bathroom:

He actually felt warm and then we noticed the cut on his ear.  Like Maestro, Tyg is an extremely good patient.  He held still while we put some Neosporin on his cut and then slept most of the day.  He is fine, except for bringing in ticks.  The "natural" tick repellant we are using seems to be working.  The ticks get on him, but only on the surface of his fur - they don't burrow down and bite him.  The unfortunate part is that he brings them in and they drop off in the house.  Uggghhhhh.


So it is back to work for me on Monday and I'll be back to regular commenting on all your blogs.  I have been enjoying them, but mostly on my phone and commenting via my phone is a PITA.


Hope you are all well and enjoying life.  See you soon!!