What an unusual couple months. Seems like everything needed updated and took time and thought – I needed a new form of contact lenses, the under-sink water purifier is on its last legs so a new one is coming from Amazon on Tuesday, the oven turns itself off whenever it wants to and needs replaced. Pat wants a gas cooktop, so why not add that in? The garden was wild and overgrown when we returned home from Ireland. In London – saw Angela Lansbury on stage in Blythe Spirit, which was superb and quite funny. And thrilling.

The tooth guard that I wear at night needed fixed. We lost my car keys on the trip, recovered a misplaced camera (whew), lost a hiking hat, and tripod. My husband has the MTHFR genetic mutation. Ditto one of his son's. Now the other two are getting tested tested. At the end of the trip my right foot plantar fasciitis flared and I needed to stretch, take care, etc. hobbled a bit.

Soon after that I was on my way to pick up Pat from his office to go to one of his buddy’s daughter’s weddings and the garage door wouldn’t open. After unsuccessfully phoning neighbors, I walked outside to see whose car was in their driveway. Finally borrowed a car. Yikes, and the next day had the garage door fixed.

Our credit card was violated so CitiCard phoned to tell us about it and then sent out a new one. Need a new clothes washer cause I can no longer stand the smell of the front loading high efficiency model. And I can only wash 4 towels at a time, so I may be saving energy, but it takes me about 12 one-and-one-half-hour loads per week or more which will take 4 loads in the new LG top loading washer. So that was supposed to be here Wednesday, but Lowe’s now promises delivery on Tuesday morning. Things that we’ve put up with for a while are all getting repaired. Perhaps this is what happens after 12 years in the same house and 13.5 years of marriage.

Since I was gone 4 out of 5 weekends in May, plus 2 weeks, I had so much catching up to do. Bills, accounting, friends, laundry, etc,, etc.

Just made a fabulous dessert for a dinner party last night – meringues topped with homemade lemon curd and berry coulis. Amazing. Had 6 friends over for dinner and ate on our lower patio and it was wonderful. The space is so relaxing that everyone stayed until 11 pm which is virtually unheard of in Salt Lake.

Overall we are well and happy. Pat and I hiked about 2 hours last Sunday and he did fine. He says that moving doesn’t hurt much but that sitting does. He’s barely limping and not complaining so that makes me think he’s well on the road to racquetball and Pickle ball.

On our tour of Ireland, even the Blarney castle was interesting with its poison garden. Alas, the Blarney stone may have eaten Pat’s hat. We stayed in very good hotels, ate fresh right-from-the-garden food and grass-fed beef. Dublin is a favorite city of mine now. A grand statue and tribute area to Oscar Wilde. We visited the authors museum, and the National Gallery houses a small but impressive collection of Velasquez, Monet, Impressionists, a Caravaggio, and others. Including Brecht and Picasso. Didn’t tour the Guinness brewery, but ate the scrumptious chocolate they make with ale. Pat says that he now understands the luck of the Irish – it’s bad luck. They sure took centuries of hits from the British and other conquerors.

Harrods devotes a whole enormous room to chocolates and confections. I was amazed and thrilled. Problem was I couldn’t eat it all. The Victoria and Albert was tres interesting and we spent a morning at the Tower and really enjoyed the tour by the Beefeater. This may sound mundane to you, but I’d never seen it before and was awed. History began crawling though my veins as Hilary Mandell’s books echoed in my brain.

I didn’t take classes at the Fashion Institute this summer because I’d miss too many classes. Now I’m glad I didn’t as I have time to oversee and manage the mild kitchen remodel and other assorted handyman chores.

It’s finally hot here, the flowers are gorgeous, and I’m up for long reads and puzzles on the lower patio.