It has been a week and a half since Xena died in Woody’s arms.  Mingus, who was her most loved elderly kitten, howls a lot and keeps looking for her. He is clearly depressed, doesn’t want to cuddle or play.  Schwartzie is a bit subdued.  Willow has come into her own and has gone from timid to bold, adventurous and all over the place.  She has assumed some of Xena’s duties, like coming to the computer to tell me when it’s 11 a.m. and time to give them treats.  She spends far less time in her ‘condo’ in the wall of the storage room.

We have completely planted all three gardens, except for basil. Yesterday, I finally planted the purple basil in a long pot and Woody is in the midst of transplanting Genovese basil into the main garden.  We have been eating salads and spinach salads. The spinach has been growing vigorously and next week I’ll have to start freezing it. 

I have all my herbs in the herb garden of pots now.  I have one more bunch of marigolds I started that I need to transplant, the 4th type. 

Yesterday I finally was able to see a woman friend, Gigi.She came over at noon with her lunch and beverage, I brought my yogurt and applesauce to the sunporch all screened in and we ate six feet apart.  We’re both been in isolation.  She and Ralph had self-isolated in Florida and then had gone into the mandatory two weeks quarantine here.  It was amazing to have real contact again. We had awkwardly ZOOMed while she was in Florida.

I have the galleys of my next poetry book ON THE WAY OUT, TURN OFF THE LIGHT.  I hope to get through them completely by Tuesday and send off the corrections.  Publishing is crazy right now. The galleys came from the printer directly with no note and no deadline. Never has happened before.  Woody had requested a book from a publisher to read for an interview on his weekly WOMR program, the Lowdown with Ira Wood.  Instead of the promised book, a box of 20 arrived. Woody is trying to get them to the author, as he has no use for 19 of them.  Everything is screwed up.

It’s very beautiful here but I’m worried about my gorgeous huge sugar maple in front of the house.  All the other trees have leafed out but it seems to be stuck halfway.  I have to call an arborist if I can locate one who would come. This is not a time when much is open or available.  If something breaks, we’re out of luck.  I had a difficult time finding a functioning vet who would see her when Xena got sick. My vet retired in April and did not sell her practice.

I work outside as much as I can and as much as the weather permits.  That’s the time I mourn the least and feel the most liberated. The David Austin rose we planted over Xena’s grave has leafed out.  Woody began yesterday laying the irrigation drip hoses in the main garden.  It’s a big job to get the water down in all three vegetable gardens.

Today, Saturday, it was supposed to rain but didn’t.  It’s overcast, humid and chilly. I’m going to catch up on work in the house today and get as far as I can on my galleys. Idid a section this morning while Woody was doing the week’s shopping.  I look out the window at a right angle to my computer and I enjoy seeing flowers. 

I was talking with Gigi yesterday about what we most fear.  Both of us: public bathrooms. I’ve never minded pissing in the woods, but if we were to try to go to Hyannis to Trader Joe’s, Pet Smart or Whole Foods, there’s no available place to do it.  And that would be three to four hours.A big problem for opening.