Ed is running around but using a cane and getting tired sooner than he used to. I am doing piano work and laundry and kitty pan duties, and a couple of days ago we tried to take Ziggy to the vet and he kept getting away from us and finally vanished for good. I wore myself out looking for him. We rescheduled for today. I tricked the little bugger with catnip, grabbed him and stowed him in the guest bathroom until it was time to get him into the carrier. He meowed all the way there. We went to the main office of the vet because they had a morning appointment available. That was a mistake. They had about 8 dogs in the waiting room, most of them badly trained, barking, whining, yowling. It was a zoo. We waited an hour with all this going on. Finally got Ziggy another antibiotic and he has fleas and that is a puzzle because I can’t see any on him and I have been looking.

Sol had ordered a bed and mattress and the mattress came first, and it was comfy enough on the floor, as is, so she canceled the bed frame to save money. She is very thrifty, but splurges on nail salons. I am the opposite. I’ll buy something if I need it and do my own nails, which is its own constant failure since piano work destroys whatever I do within a day.

Speaking of which, I am reviewing Schumann’s Aufschwung and am not at all unhappy with the way it is sounding. And I went through a Scarlatti piece with four voices and was amazed that I was able to decipher it as it is super involved and I haven’t touched it in years. I don’t have it back yet, but I know how to get it there.
I am also reviewing some Schubert impromptus. Here’s the thing with Schubert. He repeats the theme several times and each time he changes one thing – extends a voice or makes it non-legato -- little shit that is subtle and hard to memorize. I doubt that a listener can tell the difference. I told Sophie (my late piano mentor) that I think he did it just to be mean. I could ignore the changes, but that’s just sloppy.

About two months ago, I took my favorite 25-year-old ankle boots to the shoemaker and he said they needed a rebuild. I tried to buy new ones, but no one seems to be making this style any more. The leather is still good. It was expensive but I said go ahead and paid him in advance. We’ve been using this guy for years. He is super careful, and I like his work a lot. But then, something bad must have happened, because he can’t be reached, won’t return calls or respond to e mail inquiries. His phone message is standard, he hasn’t changed it. The shop is 40 minutes away in Fort Myers. Ed and I had other business near-by so we went to the shop. A note on the door said so sorry not to be here, will be back by 3. So we had lunch and went back, and the store was still closed. We tried again yesterday. A new sign said he would be closed 3 days at the end of June and would re-open July 2. It was July 2. He was closed. I think he’s having a crisis and feel very sorry for him, but wish he could arrange for someone to deal with his customers while he is dealing with his life. Maybe we can try again next week. The shop isn’t an easy drop-in – it’s 45 minutes away over the bridge, in Fort Myers.

Meanwhile, Ed had to, just had to go to Last Call, the Nieman Marcus discount store in a mall close to Naples. He bought a shirt and a pair of shoes but didn’t find the blazer he hoped to find. He was annoyed when I said no to a really great looking navy blazer, but I tried it on, and it didn’t drape right. If the fabric is buckling up in the back it’s a no and I couldn’t get why Mr. Style thought that was okay, when he’d kill a tailor if he did that to him. Then we went to an antiques store and didn’t buy anything but it was great to see what they had. I got really worn out and we thought we would stop somewhere for an early dinner and then a huge thunderstorm came, so we decided to just come home. Bummer.

xx, Teal