Back a my neck getting dirt and gritty

Isn't global warming bad enough? Has everyone gone crazy? Dubya rolls back Clinton's environmental initiatives. He's like president in the Bizarro world. Murder of the upper classes in India. No one knows if it's crime or terror. Geez. Hamas and Hezbollah running amok in the Middle East, supported by Iran and Syria. Crisis in Gaza, Palestinians used as pawns.Tornadoes in suburban NYC. What the fuck? It really pisses me off that I was forced to read the news. I was doing so well without it, obsessing solely on "contractual" and doggie matters, I have no need to be disgusted additionally. I had the temerity to leave the house yesterday for lunch and a pedicure with Sheila. (I'm lovin' the pedicure, it makes my feet so happy and sexy!) Not one worker showed up yesterday but we discovered that Caramel can jump at least 5', which is the height of the plywood blocking the door to the kitchen, where she left 2 deposits. I strongly recommend Nature's Miracle for such occasions, they tell me it removes odors. Today, both the temp and the humidity are in the 90's; not conducive to paint-drying, or breathing either. Joe, the carpenter ( from Italy) is installing the counter tops today, they're beautiful but I long for plumbing, which is dependent on the handsome Nigel the tiler who showed up too early yesterday, when I was out and didn't come back. I'm tired of washing fruit in the bathroom sink. It's really interesting that all our workers were born outside of the US, except for the plumbers. It's a typical NY thing but it illustrates the importance of the immigrant worker, most of whom are legal, pay lots of taxes and work their asses off. Just like my own father did. This is the land of oppurtunity, no?
So happily, tonight is "So you think you can dance?" Nothing makes me feel better watching others slaving away at an improbable task, especially in glitzy, outrageous outfits. Dance is not just talent, it's hard, sweaty, painful work.This show is so much fun, I can almost forget that I live in Dustopolis with dustitude, dustitis and dustarrhea and that my home is decorated with large cardboard boxes full of sinks and faucets, that there is a stove in my front parlor and I probably forgot how to cook anyway (I lost that recipe for boiling water!) and that I am rarely alone and rarely without men in my house, un-neat men at that. Jerry says that electricians and plumbers are sloppy pigs.True dat, but he and his guys are the one's responsible for all the DUST, aren't they? Poor Jerry has to put his truck in the shop for 2 weeks and this is his busiest season but his son is out of the hospital today. He said he's going to give up running his own business, it's too stressful. After my job is done, Jerry. Otherwise, I will have to murder him, as I threaten to do on a daily basis. Oops, I must fetch them some cherries.
You charm more workers with cherries than vinegar!

Too darn hot

Twas Cole Porter (in Kiss me Kate) who wrote wittily:

According to the Kinsey report
Every average guy you know
Much prefers to play his favorite sport
When the temperature is low
But when the thermometer goes way up
And the weather is sizzling hot
Mr. Pants, for romance, is not.

I love that this was written for a woman (Bianca) to sing. Happily for us this was before A/C, “back in the day” which back in the day was referred to as the “old days” but that got old. It’s too darn hot tho, for me typing in this hot tiny room and for all my sweet construction mens. We now have Andy the heating (!) engineer working on the ducts. He is from England just in case you were keeping score.I worry about them dehydrating and am constantly nagging them to drink water. This makes me hot and dehydrated. Because of my international crew, I have been keeping abreast of World Cup matters. While we celebrate Italy’s win, we do not approve of the manner in which it was achieved, nor do we sanction Italy and France’s general demeanor on the field. Sorry, but it needed to be said.
Our car has been returned to us, looking younger than ever. We’ve been through a lot together, been a lot of places too, in the past 11 years. I’m glad not to have lost my little green machine. And they fixed the A/C! Well, that’s all the cleverness I can muster, I am being summoned either for consultation, speculation or general bitchin’ and moanin’. It’s a curious feeling spending your days with so many men around. The men need so much praise and comfort. Dios mio, I think I’ll bring them some cherries. Cerisas! I do so love me cherries. They are only good from July to August and I binge on them daily. I love my workers but I fervently hope they are gone with the cherry season.

Hot time summer in the city

What a weekend! It's been hot and humid, stormy and rainy for 2 days, there were fireworks aplenty last night and poor Caramel is freaked out. Today, she's afraid to even go downstairs! Me too. Everytime I go down there, I discover something bad.
This is the time of year when we have thunderstorm warnings on a daily basis, which can be fun sometimes, but today's storm was a pip. We have water in both sides of the basement, all around our new bathroom, upstairs under our newly installed kitchen door, a small pond in the backyard and the front porch seems to be leaking too. When it rains it pours, haha.
Susann's funeral was Saturday, in Green-Wood Cemetery, only a few blocks from our house. It is a very beautiful place, the grave is on a hill under a tree, the sun was out, the ceremony was very lovely. There was a Celtic flautist and a jazz saxophonist. They provided a calming, soothing element, along with the breezes and Susann's spirit. Her spirit remains in my soul but her loss leaves a big hole in my heart. This is a memorial card chosen by her husband, Craig:

In loving memory of Susann A. Minton
August 21, 1949
June 27, 2006

Here is the solitutude from which you are absent.
It is raining. The sea wind is hunting stray gulls.

The water walks barefoot in the wet streets.
From that tree the leaves complain as though they were sick.

White bee, even when you are gone you buzz in my soul.
You live again in time, slender and silent.
Ah, you who are silent!

-Pablo Neruda

So we didn't get to see "Spamalot" either on Sat. because as we were leaving the cemetery, we had an accident with a BMW which sheared off our front end. Neither Steve or I were hurt. As luck would have it (in the Twilight Zone) the guy we hit owns a body shop so we had it towed there. What the fuck, huh? They said it can be repaired which makes me glad cause it's a good old car and I'm not tready to lose it. After the tow truck arrived, we still had time to get to the wake, only 2 subway stops away. We were glad to be able to meet Sue's out-of-town family and offer support to our dear Craig.

Jerry, the contractor said that the tile guy, very tall Nigel, is starting to tile tonight! Martin did not come today because he had chest pains yesterday and went to the ER. They told him to come back today! Can you believe it? Coney Island Hospital, where they don't care at all. I mentioned to Jerry that I needed to call the place that's doing my Mom's memorial stone when he dropped what he was doing to tell me this story ( funnier with Italian accent):
There was a man whose life-long desire was to have a lavish, expensive funeral when he died. On his death bed, he made his wife swear that she would spend every penny of their savings on it, all $50,000. So, he dies and after the funeral, all the relatives come around, asking for their share of the estate. There’s nothing left, the wife says. What! say the relatives, where did it all go? Well, the wife replies, the funeral was $10,000, the church was $1000, the minister was $500. and the flowers were $500. The relatives are enraged:that’s only $12,000, what happened to the other $38,000? Oh, she says, I had to buy the memorial stone. Incredulously they cry, What kind of stone costs $38,000? Well, says she, a six carat stone.