We’re attending a birthday party in Hudson New York over Labor Day weekend. It’s a trek. It’s expensive. It’s for Ed’s dear friend and former partner, Krishna, one of the highest scorers in the national test they give in India, and married to Saras, now retired from heading the Women’s division of the United Nations. Our being there is a surprise. Because there are no non-stops to the airport city (Albany) and layovers are very long, we are flying to LaGuardia and renting a car. Siri tells me the trip is under 3 hours. The literature I got from the car rental said LGA is under renovation and gave us instructions about transportation to their site, and it was involved. Ed needs a cane most times, and I too suffer from unexplained exhaustion. We may have to take a cab to the rental place because “the purple route bus” is or is not convenient to people dragging luggage. Solveiga will come house sit and stay with Max and Ziggy. She’ll bring her two kitties with her, but they will be holed up in the guest suite.

I got a call two days ago from a woman who is a Democratic volunteer. She said there would be a local demonstration on our fishing bridge demanding that Florida politicians address our major water crisis (pollution caused by the sugar corporation). We talked quite a while and I decided to look in on the demonstration and meet her. She said she'd be the one wearing the gas mask. I drove my car to the mall at the foot of Island Avenue and parked there. I walked to the big bridge. It was blazing hot and although I have been using the treadmill, it was almost too much for me. My endo guy lowered my thyroid medication last time I saw him. I'm thinking he made a mistake. Anyway, I found Marge, we exchanged information, and I'll ask her to lunch when we get back from our New York adventure.

Yesterday, I followed Ed in my car so he could take his car to a detailer 25 minutes away and leave it overnight. We pulled into the wrong mall and were trying to figure out where the shop was. So Ed pulled out again and the traffic was so heavy, I couldn't follow him. I made a uey and parked and asked a young man coming out of a Solar shop (whatever that is) if he would call Ed for me since I had forgotten my phone at home. His name is Ian. Ed didn't hear the phone, which was in his pocket, so Ian located the shop on his smart phone and walked me to it – we could see Ed standing on the sidewalk in the distance. It all ended well and Ian and I hugged. What a sweetie. And yes, it was stressful, because Ed would have been stranded without me. So we picked up the Highlander today and it looks as if it just came off the showroom floor.

Today I got a call from the mail editor of the Fort Myers News-Press. He's going to use my most recent contribution and wanted to make a change. I found that interesting, since former editors cut stuff out of my pieces without any discussion. Anyway, he's introducing a personal touch to the process so I am not complaining.
The only person keeping me sane these days is Rachel Maddow on at 9 p.m. Eastern time, M-F, on MSNBC. I hope you watch her. She's phenomenal.

xx from the boonies, home of the tattooed wonders of the world, Teal