Perry L. Gardner: Private Journal #24
Sunday, June 18, 1989
Again, long time since I visited my journal. Bonnie has gone to her Sunday evening meeting, and I am sitting here in the quiet of a lovely June evening and putting thoughts together. In some ways a continuation of the last entry—what do I want to do—where do we go from here?
Yesterday, Bonnie and I went to the Clearwater Revival on the campus at Valhalla, N.Y. We rode the school bus from the parking area at Union Carbide and got in at Senior Citizen rates. The sun finally came through after weeks of clouds and rain. We walked around, ate ethnic foods, and listened to live entertainment/music. Next time, we bring folding chairs—my old bones don’t feel good trying to sit on the ground. The whole thing was like a 6-ring Renaissance Faire, so much bigger than the one we had at UUFH on Memorial Day. When I talked to Amy on the phone today, she sounded interested—maybe next year when they are in N.J. It was a pleasant relaxed day, but we were very tired when we left the campus.
Pat invited Bonnie and me over for a barbeque for Father’s Day, since P.J. and Arjan were in town. Pat and Bonnie are working on a resolution of years of strained relations. I hope it works out. Again, it was an all too brief visit with P.J., with much going on and their leaving to catch the Orient Point Ferry. We are trying to set up a visit this summer, but it is difficult to match schedules. I want to climb Mt. Monadnock and would like to show Mystic to Arjan.
I also want to go to Mystic and spend time in the research library and find material on Dad in the periodical file. My Genealogy project has been on hold for some time now, but the interest is still strong, and reading the Winthrop Woman helps vitalize it.
Today was also the last service of the Fellowship year, and meetings are getting fewer, but work at UUFH still goes on. Jim watched over UUFH for outside catered events and that will tie up some prime dates like July 1. I’m also trying to get a parking lot cleared and stoned, which is a project I’ve had interest in for years. I enjoy puttering around in the Fellowship grounds making improvements, for some strange reason. Bonnie wonders why I don’t spend time on home-turf projects. I don’t know what I do it this way? Perhaps because it’s open-ended, I can putter and feel accomplishment without trying to meet a deadline.
The big home project is a new insulated roof. Sometimes I look at it and say it should be easy, and sometimes I lie awake at night and worry that I can’t do it. What if I start and get sick and can’t finish it?—What a mess. It would cost more money than I have to do it. I guess it’s my inbred DIY syndrome.
The boat sits at the dock unused. We have only been out once this year. I have three boat projects moving slowly—sail cover repair, a new tiller, and a gangplank to paint. We also have to schedule sailing time into the agenda. Part of the problem has been too many competing things taking time and energy. I go out and say we should do this more often, and then don’t do it.
The interest in models goes on, but again it’s mostly drooling over kits and plans without building any. But I guess anticipation is part of the fun. I sent for more plans from Raceplanes in California—some rare birds that don’t show up in kits. I have also picked up a couple more airplane kits. We will turn our hand to paint and glue any day now.
I am also falling behind on computering. My record 1989 is a month behind. I did, however, update the UUFH parking lot map for putting in the Beacon, and we get a flyer out for Bonnie once in a while. I still would like to learn to do more good things on it—explore some features that might be useful that I haven’t used yet.
I still have more tests to undergo for assessment of my cancer recovery. It has me concerned at times, but when I feel confident and keep busy with interesting things to do, I forget about it. But the wondering is there, and I want to get on with the cure. I do feel pretty well.