17 July, 2020 - Going All Day & Getting an Early Start on Writing

Dear, Mom -

Well, whatdya know? It's not even 9 pm and I'm writing your letter. Usually, I wait until it is so late that I just complain about being tired (I mean, I'm still tired at 8:45, but who's to blame?). Anyway, I thought I would get this going tonight before the sun goes down. 

I got up pretty early preparing for a busy day. I took Elsa out for a ride and walk at a local park. Then we came home and Birgit (pronounced Beer-git) was up so I started my day with her.

This is Birgit and her Swedish Poodle Stella. I have never seen a more bonded pair in my entire life!

Side note: Stella has been a therapy dog for Birgit. Stella can calm Birgit down if she starts getting anxious and is an all around great little buddy for her to have. Once, when Birgit was in the hospital, we convinced the staff that it would do Birgit a world of good to have Stella come in for a visit and that she is her therapy dog (true). It really did help her with her healing. She ended up being released a couple of days later. It helps Stella, too. She gets very depressed is Birgit is gone for any length of time.

Here is Stella posing with her HUGE treat in her mouth. She loves to tease my dog Elsa with her uneaten treats.

As soon as I got to Birgit's today, I copied her shopping list and went to Fred Meyer's with both my masks and gloves. Luckily, it was a short list so I wasn't there very long. People were being considerate today and wearing their masks and being more aware of the "six feet" rule. I find that is usually the case if you go to the store earlier in the day.

I got the groceries home, unpacked, sanitized, then got back in my car and drove out of town about 12 miles to Scappoose, Oregon. I needed to go out there to pick up some pickling jars for Birgit's daughter Paula. She is going to be pickling 400 lbs. of cucumbers on Monday. So many people have started canning this year due to the virus that finding the 32 oz., wide mouth Mason jars is not an easy feat. When I called around to stores, the Fred Meyer in Scappoose was the only store that had any. I managed to get 5 cases (60 jars). Paula is an award winning pickler. She has one the Portland Pickling contest 3 or 4 times. So, when people hear she is selling her pickles at her sandwich shop, people turn out to buy multiple jars at a time.

Anyway, I came home from Scappoose, jars jingling in the back of the car. I pulled up behind Birgit's care and transferred them into the back of hers. I went home, grabbed some snacks and water and headed back over to Birgit's. We had to go to her clinic out on 60th and Halsey to get her blood work done. I just sat in the car because they really don't want unnecessary people in the clinic if it can be helped. I did my grocery order from Imperfect Produce on my phone and ate my snacks while I waited for her. She really wasn't very long. Maybe around a half an hour. That is good turnaround for blood work at the clinic. It is usually a long wait with many people. Birgit said she only had one person in front of her.

We drove back to our neighborhood, stopped at Paula's sandwich shop called "Chop", unloaded the jars, then went home. Usually I would help Birgit around the house, but she said it wasn't necessary after all the running around today and that I could do it another time. That was great as I was hungry. I'd really only had the snacks since my early breakfast. So, Holly and I had an early dinner of blueberry pancakes and fried eggs. I had a cup of my Crio Brü cacao drink, too. I love that stuff so much. I got my delivery of double chocolate today. I can't wait to have it in the morning.

That was my day for the most part. I did sweep, mop, and vacuum the house this evening after doing some watering. I think I have a legitimate reason to be a bit tired, don't you? Ha.

Gladiola with an earwig as a tenant

Yellow Begonia (Paula really knows how to grow Begonias)

Horseshoe Geranium - Now that's PINK!

Gooseneck Loosestrife

A Fading Garden Dahlia. I still love the variegation on the edges

My pale Nasturtium growing on my fence :)

That's all for tonight, Mom. I have been at it for an hour to give you a quality letter with lots of nice pictures. I hope you enjoyed hearing it as much as I enjoyed writing it. 

I LOVE YOU! I MISS YOU!!!! --- Your Daughter, Sally💝