The passage of time is a very strange thing: It simultaneously feels like the '22 JGHI (John G. Hubbell Invitational) was yesterday and a hundred years ago. For that matter, it feels like just yesterday when my younger sister laughed at me for tucking in my shirt, saying "It's 1980, no one tucks anymore!" She was 12.
August was lovely. It's been a terribly dry year around here: the lakes are way down and the creek is a mudsmear. In addition to that, it's been very windy. That's not a good combination for food crops, so look for even higher prices in the coming months than inflation alone can account for. Everyone wants to eat, whether there's a bumper crop or not. After the last two years, it just seems like Famine should be right around the corner, doesn't it? We were worried about the murder hornets but no one expects the Spanish Inquisition*, I mean famine.
We Americans take so much for granted. We're like spoiled little kids who think food comes from the refrigerator and electricity just lives in the wall until we need it. The vast majority of us never wonder about where it comes from or who worked to produce it and get it to us. Even in the age of biden, which I fervently hope will go down in history as the stupidest era ever**, life is grand. Sure; food, gas, power and stuff is a lot more expensive than it was 2 years ago, but it's still available! We really shouldn't complain until the day we turn the tap and no water comes out. Only then will we be experiencing life the way 99.9999% of the human race has lived it.
The other night, Jay cooked us a swordfish steak for dinner. As sides, we had home grown broiled tomatoes, a baguette, sliced cucumbers in blue cheese dressing and red grapes. It was just a Monday night and we ate better than the Kings of Europe did for centuries. I love the NOW.
I've been working like a fiend. Orders are still pouring in like the world was shut down. The only thing I can think of is that the lockdowns produced a whole new generation of stitchers who are madly in love with needlepoint. I can't keep up but I'm trying. I've never been so busy in my life but it's all good: I'm paying off some of the debt we incurred while raising our kids and putting them through school, at warp speed.
Someday I may write a screed about what a bad idea biden's bribe to college grads is but today I don't feel like exorcising that demon. Today I really just want to feel grateful that I'm able to pay my own debts and that my character is such that I understand why it's important that I do so.
We had several baby showers for Sara and Zach's little girl, who is due in less than a month!
Back at the end of July, the Pivec ladies had a shower for the newest member of the clan. It was at Pam's and she was very excited because it was the first post pandemic parties since the wedding last year. Not everyone was able to attend but it was a lot of fun.
I barely remember anything else that happend in August. Work, walking the lake, sitting on the front hill watching the sunset with a drink in my hand...it was a good month!
The last week of August was a bit over the top. Amy and John, some Pivecs who moved to Arizona many years ago, were back in town for a bit. Jay invited everyone to our house for a get together. Brats on the grill and pizza for anyone who didn't want a brat! Unfortunately for me, that also happened to be the day that the Hubbell ladies had planned on throwing a shower for Sara.
So, I went on down to the ranch and had a blast with all my sisters and sisters in law and nieces and grandkids.
We had a wonderful time, eating, laughing, talking, playing games and giving Sara presents for the baby. It was fantastic! Afterwards, I helped Megan clean up, then headed back to town, where I found my own house packed with Pivecs. They were everywhere.
The afternoon had turned beautiful and the back yard was covered in Pivecs and in the house, I found them everywhere, including a very raucus card game going on at the dining room table. The food was set out in the kitchen and everyone was having a blast. I found myself a seat on the deck and enjoyed my second party of the day.
Come Monday, it was work, work, work all week then on Friday another party. This time it was a different niece up from AZ, with her Dad (Jay's brother Bob) and her two youngest daughters. They happened to be celebrating their 14th and 17th birthdays, which they share, so Katy, their mom, thought it would be fun for them to experience a good old fashioned Pivec Birthday Party! We all gathered at Pam and Steve's for dinner. I have no idea how many of us there were; lots. Once again, the house was packed, the deck was packed and the pool was full of little kids with their parents and grand parents. I brought a chocolate cherry cake. It was a swell party and Katy and her girls were going to the Fair the next day.
Oh, the FAIR!
I'm not a fair goer but I love that so many people are, and that so many of them love it to the insane degree they do. I sincerely believe that the Minnesota State Fair is, indeed, the best state fair and will fight to the death anyone who says there's a better fair anywhere.
Bob did not go to the fair with his daughter and grand daughters, he hiked out to Tim and Mary Lou's place with the rest of the brothers and their wives for a beautiful lakeside brunch. Post pandemic, we've taken to gathering just our generation a few times a year (mostly out at T&M's) without the kids/grandkids. It makes for a lovely, peaceful chance to catch up without all the noise. We have to do it on the downlow because the kids get ticked off when they find out we've been partying behind their backs. It's like we're in highschool and they're our parents and we're throwing parties while they're away for the weekend. FUN!
Now that I'm old, it's too much to suppose that I could party non stop for a week without any repercussions. I got into the car to go to T&M's place in fine health and when I got out of the car on arrival, my lower back went out. It didn't hurt while I sat, so brunch was still perfectly delightful but when I struggled to rise from the table when it was time to go, I found that my right knee wouldn't straighten out. I was falling apart at the seems without even trying.
I think it was all psychosomatic.
The following day I was hosting another shower for Sara and Zack, this one for their friends. Sara and I planned it months ago, I'd gotten everything ready days earlier and the weather was supposed to be perfect, so we'd be out on the deck again but...hosting a party is so far outside of my wheelhouse that my body was trying to sabotage it.
You think I'm exaggerating? The night before the party, I dreamed that no one showed up for it, not even Sara and Zack.
I was THRILLED.
It's not easy being an introvert.
But the party was great! Their friends were all delightful, their was enough food and drink for everyone, they all had a great time, the yard and house looked beautiful and all I had to do was smile and be nice. I can do that for short periods of time.
Sara and Zack got more lovely things for the baby and when the party was over and all that was left was putting away the leftovers...my back felt fine.
It took me five days to write this silly post. Time is a greased pig.
*go watch Monty Python's Flying Circus. You can thank me later.
** anything stupider would mean the extinction of the human race.