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Saturday jobs

My husband spent about 2 hours working in the yard (at the lake house) today, raking, sweeping off the roof, mowing the yard and chopping away at a Japanese-something-bush (with yellow flowers) which wants to take over the yard. About 50 years ago one of the neighbors gave a sprig to the former (and first) owner who just loved to plant things everywhere, so there you have it.

Now he is fixing the kitchen sink. I kept finding water on the floor, and at first thought I was just being careless. Fortunately, I didn't slip and break a leg, because yesterday it was was a puddle! I dragged everything out from under the sink, and still couldn't see anything, but felt the pile of dusting rags and they were soaked. Apparently the elbow was leaking and because I have a rubber drain mat under all the cleaning supplies, the water eventually flowed out on to the floor after it filled up a package of paper towels. After 20 some years, we don't know if one of the periodic blasts from the quarry in Marblehead jiggled something, or if one of the Methodists who rent from us in June decided we had a garbage disposal (we don't) and tried to undo the mistake (he found piece of something like a pen lodged in the elbow).

Also, having my van back, I traveled outside the gates for groceries. I admit I'd been stopping at the Wal-Mart superstore which opened last summer, but today I went to Bassett's Market at the corner of Rt 53 and 163. Ah, now there is a store! You get treated like a queen, or at least a valued customer. When I stared glassy eyed at the peanut butter selection, a staff person asked if he could help, and directed me to the organic section. Sometime later, he saw me in another aisle and inquired if I'd found what I needed for peanut butter. Was I impressed he remembered not only me, but what I was looking for. You bet! Also, they offered free sample, small bags of freshly popped corn which I happily munched on. The bagger noticed my ice cream was soft and rushed someone back to pick up another one before I even noticed. When I asked the produce guy about the advertised turnip greens (I was so happy to see that), he knew right away that they didn't have any and that the tag was a mistake. I love it when a plan comes together, don't you?