A very good day

I had an email today from an old friend who's still gainfully employed. We last exchanged news in March, just as the current brouhaha took up the world's attention. I was weaving today, and my phone dinged and dinged, and finally I took a break and took a look. An old friend and a nice surprise. A visit in the near future is set up, and only waits me taking care of some details. Good news.

Several months ago, about the time John (above) and I last corresponded, I ordered a watch that claimed it would measure my pulse, temperature and sleep, and ten or fifteen other things. I mailed off my order and credit card number and waited. Then Covid-19 came oozing around every corner. That watch would be a good thing to have, I thought, and waited some more.

First, an email from the supplier in China, informing me my country was putting mighty restrictions on imports from his country, and be patient. And I was, until about a month ago, when the watch arrived. It was indeed a lovely thing. With instruction on a folding sheet of paper an inch wide and ten feet long. I was game, and struggled on. But in a day or so, even I understood the pretty thing's great shortcomings. 

It charged from the computer. Supposedly it retained a charge several days. However, the attachment to the phone was so tenuous it often disconnected, and I could not tell how charged it might be. The watch band was a stylish mesh, but could not be made small enough for my wrist. Between the poor instructions, poor charging and too large strap, I said "Enough" and asked for return instructions.

The return requirements were close to insurmountable, but I did fall off the turnip ship long before they were born. I accumulated all the paperwork, repacked the watch meticulously, boxed it up, paperwork enclosed, and sent it off to...Spain. Yesterday being the one month anniversary of returning the watch, I left them a wake up email to credit my card or else. In return I was asked, in exquisite Chinese politeness, to provide all the information previously supplied. And I told them where to look for it, and to credit me by Friday, or else. I do have a New York credit card, fools.

And back on the front porch, I wonder if I see a zinnia in the pot of lettuce. Could be.

The mandevillas I did so hard by are coming round. I didn't take a picture of the red one. The reds are very easily upset, and though the leaves came through the freeze in great shape, it intends to punish some time more, withholding flowers.

The pink mandevilla, always prolific in the past, has set many buds sure to open this week. Or next.

The white, always my favorite in the past, took the worst damage by not being covered adequately. It lost all it's stems but two, and I doubt it will be able to flower this summer. But, it's doing its job and growing, growing, growing.

And finally, I cut off two of the spent allium blossoms, and left one to add sculpture to the pot of flowers. One of the two blossoms had a sort of bubble gum deposit at it's base. I'd guess it is some sort of moth or fly, hatched or not. Well, it's land fill this week.