Visitation

     Front window, 'ventilated' porch full moon magic.

   
     Good friend takes care of Alzheimer's failing mom prompts 'Service seems later life's focus.' comment.  Chinese astrological sign is Horse - Kate quips: mule?, ass? - put head down, get on with it.  Figure one way or 'nother serve: might's well enjoy.  Swett Lodge work tough, dirty - fortunately not sad situation friend faces - benefit body, challenge mind.  Demeanor undoubtedly House like - dour, curmudgeonly, usually own favorite company, practical - some convoluted way rest assured: happy guy.
     Minimally party prep - build window screen frame/cupboard shelves, end 'banquet' table;

sort garaged metal pile scrapper's Toyota pickup send away enhance garage access/storage;

scrub/wash wood TV tables, plastic chairs, Weber grill Kate loans; hang clip lamp/make bench in carport potential rain party location.  Country friend dinner visit with Kate, Eugene airport retrieve Char & Fred Walter - Glen Ellyn, IL mom, dad - fresh from Missoula MT visit.  Shutterbug ma in town handling photography neglect picture record.

Wednesday visit, explore Kate's yard - garden, bees, bushtit/starling - eventually ascertained - nests, perennials, chickens, shop: adult playground! - drive to ridge top park enjoy views, azaleas, rhododendrons, bleeding hearts.  Attempt early cash in after Kate's yummy home dinner, neighbors fete 'til midnight. 
     Aware more settling back porch area fill necessary line level scope behind garage car park.  Brush pile branch nubbin attach one end string; eyeball level wrap around cement drain pipe other end; level check - nearly perfect: good eye!

Both end of string areas 'bout right grade, grassy middle 2 - 4 inches high: dig fill here.

     Leisurely beautiful Thursday am join parents, Kate Lane Community College motor.  Kate goes to work, we tour campus quad: enjoy sculpture/birds/plantings - Fred continually tree moss curious/frisbeeing, hula hooping coeds/sun soaked student center atrium bench snooze - yeah ALL of us/cafeteria kefir.  Rejoin Kate video monitoring students during simulated dummy (forget his name) - Kate's bailiwick at Lane - Code Blue.  Chauffeur Char & Fred 'round springy bungalowed Eugene's Whiteaker arts district, retrieve Kate for late Thai dinner. 
    Garden coming on well: few anomalous purple - usually white - sweet pea flowers;

squash.

Friday am - party day - beans push up:

nothing Thursday evening to - not 'field of dreams': field of beans - Saturday am.  Beans just want to have fun!  Corn, okra showing.

Kate's for shower, mom notes wobbly chair, turns out dangerously so, steam - least once per visit: another bulging list add on, chair repair, shower, drive Kate's Suby to Winco, party procure.  Home, unload, return car to Kate's, home again adjust, clean grill 'til Mom, Fred, Kate arrive 'bout five pm Swett Lodge bestowing Kate chosen sole scouring house warming gift.

Fire up burger charcoal; group thoughtful neighbors - one Ruth's school chum, LA friend now in Portland (G&T house warmed, here on party clothed table)

come by, lawn chair congregate behind back porch.  Hands clearly overflowing Char takes co-host bull horns flits about connecting guests/food, drink like twenty something bar maid - what a gal!  Treon clan members - Dylan, Madeleine (that makes four generations present) sporting pipe banged well bruised foot ball, Judy, Jason, Ruth, Cory, Jesse, Marisha, friend Kelly - inundate, devour.  Dinner - Swett Lodge cheeseburgers, salad provided; beans, black eyed peas, few kinds chips including rice/bean, mango salsa, brownies, bunt cake, ice cream cake, donated - complete, younger set spirited hoops match on MLK park cross the street court.  Older folk retire - finally stuff my face -  front room cool evening mitigating red hot earth stove flue heated to 'bout ninety degrees all doors open: true house warming.  Backyard screams, commotion: Cory's big toe callus court exertion blister, peel off reveals toe bottom meat beneath.  Excitement, heat cooling, crowd thins, Fireworks Man makes himself known, buzz leans Fourth of July.  11pm: Swett Lodge mine again.  Successful evening.
     Fred, Char depart homeward Saturday; party clean; transplant kale, rutabaga; relax.  Sunday scrape three wheelbarrows behind garage car park fill;

distribute 'round back porch; return stainless monster salad/bread bowl to Kate's; pick up chain saw; successfully, safely - thanks! - sever three back porch/garage metal roof to be threatening backyard tree limbs;

dice up; garage north stack;

firewood to be brush, one limb left for another day.

Tree looks pretty good though 1/3 to half foliage removed - hopefully grow on: elsewhere.

Won't be able to postpone Swett Lodge underpinning look see much longer - house warming marks next construction phase.  Thanks to one and all who've made all possible 'til now, to come.  Be well, enjoy, hang in there.