Month: July 2026

Public Art Project?

Last Friday’s walk and latte morning was around my favorite walking trail. So was today’s. On last Friday’s, I walked by something that looked like an 8″-9″ red and copper striped yam-shaped Christmas tree ornament. It was hanging from a tree branch, sitting at eye-level a few feet off the trail. I snapped a photo and posted it on Instagram a few days ago.

On today’s walk the red-striped ornament was gone. Poof! But about 3/4 mile further along the trail, another colorful object was dangling a few feet off the trail. This one was a 12″x14″, and at first glance I thought it was a banana, but it could be a summer squash. Tonight on Instagram I posted this one as well. Here’s both because the first one didn’t make the blog:

I wonder what I’ll find next week. Edited to add the 3rd photo, which I found on July 30th

Red Sox chances of making the Wild Card round in the 2026 playoffs: 69.1%

 

Not A Haircut Day, But

Back in June I mentioned that I was going to buy a book (or two) every time I got my haircut. I totally missed it last time. To try and make up for it, I decided to try going there two days ago (Tuesday), but it turns out they are closed Mon/Tuesday, unlike what I assumed, Sun/Monday.

Just before I was headed out there today (Thursday), I got a text from a friend, Trish, wanting to know if I wanted to get some lunch. I texted back and said that I was driving to Sandy to a bookstore and to eat at a BBQ place and see if she wanted to do that. Came back, “Sure.” I picked her up, and off we went. To make up for missing the last bookstore visit, I bought two books this time.

Oh, when I got home this afternoon I looked to see when my next haircut was; it’s just four days from now…

Red Sox chances of making the Wild Card round in the 2026 playoffs: 71.0%

 

Hump Day

Photo from July 2016; it was our “Epic Sunrise” for that year’s Moss Motoring Challenge.

It finally came to an end. The Red Sox lost the afternoon game of a double header today. They did win the early game for a club tying 15 in a row. They are off tomorrow, and now we’ll see how many they lose in a row starting Friday.

I made an appointment at U-Haul to get a trailer hitch put on the GTI. Because of the wrap I can’t use a roof rack or the foldable trunk rack that works on the Miata. The appointment is next Thursday, I think. When I left, they texted me a link to the reservation, but when I clicked on the link, it took me to the U-Haul website. There were no details on the page I landed on, just the words, “This feature is only available in the U-Haul App.” So I downloaded the app and clicked on the text link again. It didn’t open the app; it just dumped me on the same web page. There wasn’t any way I could see in the app to type in a reservation number, so I uninstalled the app.

I ordered a Kuat Sherpa 2 rack from Amazon yesterday, and this afternoon I put it together. I’m going to have to be careful and check my clearance going in and out of the driveway because of the steep drop at the end. I may have to pull the car out and then put the rack on.

Red Sox chances of making the Wild Card round in the 2026 playoffs: 71.9%

 

Piano Man

For those of you who saw yesterday’s Instagram photo, nothing happened. Dodged a bullet.

I am halfway through “And So It Goes” the HBO documentary on Billy Joel. It’s broken down into almost equal-length two-and-a-half-hour episodes. I was a big fan of his first album, and that is the only one I have a copy of. If I go look at the titles of the tracks, I guarantee I’d hear the chorus in my head. The rest, at least in my memory, had only one or two songs on every subsequent one of his albums/CDs, so I never bought them. So maybe that is why I was surprised that I knew a whole bunch of his songs. I wonder how many I’ll tap my feet to in the second…

Faux Sunday Part 2

Seeing as I did my usual Sunday ride to Stomping Grounds to get a muffin and latte yesterday, I should have gone for a walk. I didn’t though, I rode the bicycle back there this morning. Latte, but no muffin.

Last Thursday I didn’t leave the house. I didn’t have anything I needed to go out for and it was lightly raining, so I made my own coffee at home and settled in. Friday I went to Fred Meyer for the weekly grocery shopping trip, and later in the day I ran to the post office to mail a postcard. Both in the GTI. Saturday I spent the rest of the day inside after the morning’s bike ride. Today, Sunday, was almost the same as yesterday, bike ride then inside. Three out of four car-less days.

And the Red Sox won their 13th in a row and are creeping up the standings.

Red Sox chances of making the Wild Card round in the 2026 playoffs: 61.1%

 

Faux Sunday

Because today was the day I was supposed to ride the exercycle, I opted to do the Sunday ride today. I had my usual latte and muffin at Stomping Grounds, and I was home at 8:30, and, since I had some time this morning, I watched the first episode of Season 2 of Andor.

I finished off Season 1 last night. And while I am enjoying it, if I stopped right now, I’m pretty sure I would carry on with my life just fine. This afternoon after the Red Sox game I watched the second episode, so I guess I’m in it now.

On a side note, the Sox won the game; it was their twelfth in a row. But as a true fan of the team, I know it is only a matter of time before they revert to the “loveable losers” I know them to be.

Red Sox chances of making the Wild Card round in the 2026 playoffs: 54.6%

 

Nice Kitty

I’ve got to get off Instagram; I am too much of a sucker for the ads they run…