Just sitting here at the moment, sipping some refreshingly iced mint tea made with fresh mint from the garden.  That, and a secret stash of Mexican chocolate laced with cinnamon.   Momentary slice of bliss.  As the month of July winds down, here are a few updates and closures on posts for anyone who may have been following this blog or are so inclined to care.

Hydra lives, but barely. Beginning way back with the Tree of Heaven…….the S.O. had to hit it with some killer juice a number of times more.   The trunk looks totally dead, but don’t let that fool you. Up until today I thought it had truly been eliminated, but lo and behold, I discovered and pulled up a few sprouts in the perennial bed  (that were not even close to the trunk) this morning.  At least it is only a few, but this indicates to me that the beast lives on.

The Dinner Club for the Anti-Socialites continues on a mostly monthly basis.  The last time we met, we sat down and actually made a list of the restaurants we have visited and rated them.  Not that it means anything, but I think it made us feel a bit Zagat.  We’ve been out for a total of fifteen times so far and visited thirteen different places.   So far the favorite seems to be the Turkish restaurant.  Expanding upon that, my friend brought me a copy of some music by Ersen, a 1970’s Turkish psychedelic rock band that reminiscent of a cross between Jethro Tull and Led Zeppelin – except in Turkish.  I  have actually been enjoying it, and one of my twenty-something kids wants a copy, which I guess says something right there.  After dinner we shared some apple tea (elma çay) and Turkish Delight (locum) that I brought back from Istanbul.  We are planning to expand our radius to find the best eats in this valley.  It’s a kick, what can I say?

Speaking of food, the Skinny Girl here has lost twelve pounds (12 lbs.) since veering off the highway that day on an unplanned detour to Weight Watchers.  While not amazingly dramatic (as a matter of fact, virtually nobody has noticed, much to my chagrin), I have to say that it has at least opened up a whole new wardrobe via the attic.  The plastic tubs I had filled with “Soon-clothes” (clothes I will fit in “soon as I lose some weight”) have mostly become “Now-clothes”.  What I have noticed though, is that as the roundness has left my face, it is replaced by more of a drawn, saggy look. I guess that is the trade-off.  And there is no taut belly.  Only exercise will help that….I hope.  I will start that Soon.  It’s always something…..

The Turkish decorative plate, serving as a metaphor from Shards of Our Lives (whose story raised a bit of ire among a few) has been sitting on the dining room table for many months.  However, I finally attempted to glue it back together and it’s looking a lot better than I would have thought.  Unfortunately, there are gaping holes where the ceramic had totally smashed to dust or has been lost.  Part B of the plan is to find some kind of filler.  That might take another few months, but a mostly whole plate lying on the table indefinitely looks better than the broken one.   I am thinking if I can get it back into a wire plate holder without it cracking, it can be hung up high enough (away from the S.O.) so nobody will even be able to tell.  Only we will know.  Stay tuned.

The fence between us and the neighbor on the right has proven to be a really great idea and a great relief.  It has cut down on some of the noise generated from Next Door and pretty much eliminated the Visual Disturbances.   Although the loss of the crab apple was sad,  their massive Rose-of-Sharon hangs over the top of the fence, lending a decorative air.  My tomatoes and basil are doing just fine, despite my worries about reduced sunlight.  Just harvested my first yellow summer squash this afternoon!  Life is good.

The story of Buck and the Turtle generated an impassioned letter from one of my siblings  (at least one of them reads my blog!).  Kumbaya.

The season for fresh figs seems to have gone by, at least in my neighborhood.  I finished the last one this weekend and they are not appearing at our local stores and farm markets anymore.  However,  the recent discovery of some designer-type Fig Icecream (!!!) should stretch it out a little more.

The bandages will finally come off the arm tomorrow morning when I have my orthopedic appointment.  I can’t wait, although I am wondering what it will look like and have been having images of Frankenstein in my  mind.   Showering with the plastic baggie taped around the arm was not working out very well.  The discovery of an item called “The Reusable Cast and Wound Protector” was a good find.  It slips over your arm (or leg, if you need that) and makes a seal so that water does not get in.  While a little awkward, it beat the plastic bag schtick hands-down.  I would highly recommend it if anybody finds themselves in that kind of predicament.

OK, I have been nibbling on the Phlox here and there.  I think I am going to throw some on top of the salad tonight. If anything, it will look festive.

Donned with gloves, I wrestled the Euphorbia Candelabrum into a black body bag today.  It did not go willingly.  It is sitting out on the porch now, looking like something ready for the gallows.  Tomorrow morning it will be picked up with the trash.  Although this saddens me, our relationship is over and in good conscience I could not pass it on.

And into August we go……