A bag of tea we bought in a coffee shop in Halifax, so that we could have our bedtime tea in our rather unstocked Airbnb the last couple of nights in Nova Scotia.
I'm feeling better after a second restorative night's sleep, though still a bit coldy. Last night the husband admitted, too, that travel --- while wonderful --- really takes it out of you. I think we both hate to admit that --- well, we don't mind AT ALL admitting that we're in our 60s, but we mind admitting that that makes any difference whatsoever, that 60 is not actually the new 30, and so on. I have done much international traveling while pregnant, for example, and in the company of young children, but although of course jet lag always slams you (and it slams you even harder when you're experiencing it with children who don't know how not to start their day at 3 a.m., because their bodies are telling them they've overslept already), I don't remember being as drained by travel back in the day. Certainly I don't recall being as drained by travel that didn't involve jet lag at all.
So maybe adulting does suck? Senior-citizening involves a certain suck factor? We did actually get into the maritime museum in Lunenburg with senior-citizen discounts, the first time I can recall having done such a thing. Usually you have to be 65, but maybe people age faster in Nova Scotia. Or else the life expectancy is shorter, because people still get lost at sea. Anyway, I do not like the fact that things wear me out more than they used to, but there's no point in denying it.
Feeling melancholy, too, over the death of my friend Jane Greer, a fine poet and an irreplaceable human being. I think she died last night --- that's when I heard the news, at any rate, just before bed, but apparently her death had happened earlier in the evening. She had been in the hospital with diverticulitis and a perforated colon, which was the last thing she ever posted about on social media, but I don't think any of us outside her real-life personal circle (mostly her husband Jim, whom she referred to always as "Mr. Wonderful," or "Mr. W.," for short) realized how serious her condition was. If you have not read Jane's poems, you can find them (among other places) here, and here, and here.
I will miss her wit --- Jane was very mordantly funny --- and her scrappiness. And I will mourn the poems she didn't have a chance to write, while I treasure the poems she did get written.
But the living have to go on living, and today --- the first day of eternity for my friend who has passed into it --- is another day in the coils of time for the rest of us.
Back to the usual weather report, for one thing. It's not as hot as it has been, which is a mercy. The high day before yesterday was apparently 97F; today it's only 90F, which is certainly warm but not life-threateningly so. We could get some afternoon rain, but I suspect we won't, so I had better plan to water the garden and all the outdoor containers.
I have two poems to write about for next week, one of which is a retread of an older essay, and one of which is new (though I've written on the poet before). I suppose I had better make some move toward producing these essays.
The dog will need walking, of course. She's still a bit frenetic after ten days of crate and dogsitter, but it did help yesterday to do some training in the house as well as some walks and general togetherness. Got to get our routine back in the road.
I also need to wash my hair. I was too tired yesterday to think about it, but today I had better get that action on.
SLIGHTLY LATER, MY ABLUTIONS ACCOMPLISHED
My hair is wet, but oh well. I don't feel like wielding the diffuser, and it'll dry a lot on my walk in any case. I did also trim the ends, last night and this morning --- a process that will probably go on for some days until I get it really even (ish). The ends were feeling crispy and dry, probably due to sun exposure, so it's good to snip them off.
Travel capsule clothing is all still drying and airing on the rack inside. I had hand-washed all my dresses from the trip, plus the two pairs of underwear I hadn't had a chance to do before we left, yesterday. These items spent most of the day on the line outside, in the sun and wind, so they were largely dry by the end of the day, though not completely. I hadn't bothered to roll anything up in a towel to remove excess water, so they had started from "dripping wet absolute zero," and by late afternoon dress pockets, for example, still held some dampness. So I brought everything in (now not dripping at all) and hung it on the drying rack to finish. There I'll probably leave it all for some days, while I wear everything I didn't take on the trip.
As you may recall, I took five Wool& dresses on the trip, leaving two at home. I didn't take any linen clothes at all. So even if I don't wear any of those five dresses for the next week, I still have plenty to choose from. Yesterday, of course, I wore my favorite NPL Smock dress.
And today:
*Wool& Brooklyn dress (S/Long) in Beetroot, bought November 2023, last worn June 25 (?? It's been a minute). Wears in 2025: 9 (so a rate of just over once a month, which is okay)
*Secondhand Xero Z-Trek sandals, year 1 of wear
Basic, easy, fun. I don't feel that fun today, but I hope this dress will lift my spirits a little.
YET AGAIN SLIGHTLY LATER
Been out to walk with Dora for about half an hour/45 minutes --- it's pretty warm but not too hot for a substantial walk. Now she's back in her crate by the air-conditioning vent, having her breakfast and cooling off and resting, and I --- I suppose --- am about to get to work. My hair is almost dry, so I don't even have that excuse. Onward.