Be Grateful

19:15 Friday, 28 August 2026
Current Wx: Temp: 63.9°F Pressure: 1020hPa Humidity: 63% Wind: 6.67mph
Words: 522

It has been just a beautiful day today. We seldom had days like this in Florida. Mitzi and I drove down to the Schuyler County Historical Society Museum to pick up our copies of Our Savage Neighbors: How Indian War Transformed Early America, which is part of a series of books we'll be reading and discussing about the Sullivan Campaign.

The drive down into Montour Falls was so pleasant. The views were beautiful, no traffic to speak of, though there was quite a lot when we got to the light in Montour! The other morning, I drove to Trumansburg to pay the optician (because I don't write checks), and I mapped out a longer route just to see the countryside. A wonderful drive, though a real scare when an orange tabby leisurely walked into the road in front of me. I slammed on the brakes and went hard to port to miss it, but wow. Good thing I was only doing about 35mph. I think that cat is short one life.

I am making an effort to be mindfully grateful for this peaceful and serene landscape, this wonderful weather and our circumstances in general. At night, after I turn off the TV, I sit and listen to the crickets and the coyotes. We have all the doors open (except for the screens) because it's been just so pleasant. I admit, the coyotes can get a little spooky, but it's still cool.

It won't always be like this, but these days have been priceless. I genuinely love it here. We're making progress on the house, everyone we've worked with has been outstanding. It's stressful because it is such a huge expense, and we've never done something like this before, but not because anyone has been difficult to work with. (Sorry, Mrs. Perreta.) We really like all the people that have been doing this work.

We've had lesser experiences, like with the guy who did the tub/shower replacement. But he wasn't a bad guy, or difficult to work with. Just talked too much and smelled of cigarettes. But a decent sort of guy for all that.

I'm going down to the firehouse to donate blood tomorrow morning. Because it's the right thing to do, and it helps put my face before more of the folks around here so I'm not such a stranger.

Then I guess we're going to drive down to Ulster, PA so Mitzi can buy a bed frame and a box spring. I've been enjoying listening to music on my drives. This is for the guest room in the new place. I don't think we have enough room in the storage unit, but she thinks we do. We won't need it for about six months, but I guess it's a bargain.

Anyway, perhaps this is the calm before the storm. If it is, I'm still here for it. These have just been wonderful days. I hope we get the house built and I get a few in the new place before things go sideways. But in the meantime, I'm so very grateful for this moment.

Because the beat goes on...

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