LIFE IS INTERESTING, ISN'T IT?

Friday I had a call from my friend, Travis, a retired airline pilot. He was wondering if I could drive him to the airport to start his journey to Stockholm to join Janie, his significant other. Since I owe him two or three favors I told him yes. When I picked him up a half hour later he related that he'd been to the airport the night before (driven by a neighbor) but had missed the flight. Fortunately, the neighbor had waited to make sure Travis was on his way, but, obviously, that had not worked out. He had called me at one in the afternoon.

Travis outlined his expected itinerary, but the catch is he has to fly standby. It's apparently part of his retirement package---free, but with hitches. The plan was he would be flying from here to Dallas; from there to Heathrow, and from there to Stockholm.

Friday night I had just stripped out of my clothes and about to put on the nightie when the phone rang. It was eleven p.m. Travis asked if I was in for the night through much static. When I finally figured out he needed assistance I learned he had been to Dallas and was back here. Donning a jumper Plug made a hundred years ago and gave to me when she outgrew it but serves as something I wear in the yard when I have to wear something other than night gown, I returned to the airport to give Travis a ride back home. He was really depressed about the whole adventure which I understood. Lest it sound like I was a big martyr in this scheme, not true. Though I don't live close to the airport, thanks to the freeway, I was back home at 11:45. Moved pretty well for an old lady, don't you think? Travis said he would be back to the computer to try to figure another route.

All through Saturday I kept wondering how he was rerouting and where he might be and hoping everything was working out. Finally, Saturday evening I wrote an email:

From: LIT
Sent: Jun 20, 2009 8:15 p.m.
To: Janie
Subject: PLEASE tell me

when Travis gets to Stockholm. Was the third time the charm?

Also, Janie, let me know if you, or you and Travis, need a ride from
the airport on the 30th. And let me know your air line & flight
number so I can check online to see when you'll arrive. My two
grandchildren from Tx will be here, but they would be delighted to meet
you, and we can handle the drive---day or night. It would be an
adventure.

LIT

Today I was delighted to receive an answer. Here it is:

From: Janie
Subject: Re: PLEASE tell me
Date: June 21, 2009 4:10:36 PM CDT
To: LIT
Reply-To: Janie

Hi LIT,
I am here! Went to LGA and taxied to JFK to catch an 11:30pm departure, but it all worked. I had so little confidence I would actually leave, I drove myself so will incur the tremendous parking fee, but all seems minor compared to the time I lost with Janie here. Thanks so much for the rides and offer of more, but we will have to just drop by to meet the kids.
See you in early July,
Travis

I can't believe he finally made it. J

So, you're wondering why Janie was in Stockholm ahead of Travis. Well, here's the skinny. She was presenting her data to a group of scientists there, and her ticket was paid for by the scientists. She's not really expecting a Nobel prize from this, but they were excited about seeing Stockholm and environs together. I'm excited about having such interesting friends. They also play musical instruments at Renaissance fairs, and their appearance reflects that era. Travis is also as addicted to estate sales as I am, and she is a fantastic cook. Very interesting people.

None of this would have been available to me if I'd stayed in the little town where I retired. There were those who couldn't understand why I'd want to move at that point in my life, especially to a place where I knew no one but one son and one daughter. But I think life is interesting--- especially when you go out and look for it.

POP QUIZ

Identify this flower. (100 points)

TAKE N. KOREA SERIOUSLY

Seldom do I enter political statements, but sometimes I feel prodded to do so. This time the prod is a vegetable.

As you know I belong to the local orchid society, and we recently visited the greenhouses of one of our members who happens to come from S. Korea. She is married to an American who was in the service there, and I assume is now a citizen since she works at the local Air Force base. They have a son who graduated from high school this year. In addition to the impeccable greenhouses she also had a vegetable garden in the back yard with four cucumber plants growing along the fence. She said they were Korean cucumbers; she had brought the seeds here.

My cucumber plant label said to harvest when the cuke was 3-4 inches long. Well, I was a little over eager, and the one I cut was 2 1/2 inches long. I stand corrected. However, I think you will agree that another half inch would not have made it look anymore impressive.

American cucumber on the left; Korean cucumber on the right. (The Korean cucumber has a very tender skin. No peeling necessary.)



Now if the Koreans are growing cucumbers like this without genetic engineering, etc., don't you think it's time to consider their exploration/building of nuclear weapons very seriously?

The Cucumber-Zucchini War

So how many of you were holding your breaths waiting for Jaz and me to admit we knew next to nothing about planting a garden and how it would grow? You could have warned us at the outset that we were embedding those transplants too close together when we still had time to move them. Are you just maniacal? Go ahead and get your "tee-hee-hee's" over with.

However, we will learn from this (as I said at the outset), and we will probably have to provide purple hearts and medals for bravery to the pepper plants and the yellow squash. The tomatoes are also taking a battering from these aggressive plants. This picture is from a couple of weeks ago.



The zucchini has the enormous leaves, and the cucumber is to the left with a little lighter green leaves. The tomatoes are at the back. What you can't see is that the cucumber is stretching out its tendrils to everything around it and growing, and growing, and growing. We'll probably never find all the cucumbers. Anyway, I've had a small harvest. Take a look.



You see a couple of Swiss Chard leaves, parsley, zucchini, oregano, and lettuce (in a pot---not in the garden). I've also had a couple of grape tomatoes ripen. Anyway, that night this was my dinner.



You know what? Michele Obama is quite correct. It does taste better if you grow it yourself.

I am a little concerned about how many times a week I can eat zucchini and how many different ways to prepare it. Good news though. Dogs like zucchini.

More about cucumbers another time.

OH, HAPPY DAY!

Because of a need for mailing supplies I dropped in on the local son at work to finagle bubble wrap from him. Achieving that goal I came home to work on the package. The phone rang, and it was my Texas son calling to give me good news. Following that conversation I called the local son to pass along the good news. We celebrated via Ma Bell.

Then I called the D.C. daughter to send the good news even farther. More celebration. Then, guess what! The Illinois daughter called me (really to get D.C. daughter's phone number; I am Information, please), and I got to tell her the good news too.

I got to talk to all four of my children (adults though they are) on the same day. What a great day!