20. A Sea of Weeds

The lawn isn’t tall enough to mow, but the back yard looks terribly shabby. Maybe this is because the back yard is now entirely composed of weeds, and weeds have that flowery, puffy top, which perhaps helps to emphasize their height.

This is the first spring when the weeds have finally succeeded in taking over completely. It’s very demoralizing. It looks so ugly and lazy. If it were not for the cats, I would like to bury the yard in weedkiller and see what happens. If mother were here, I’m sure she would have to attack the problem with all her single-minded ferocity. She would drive me nuts, being utterly indifferent to the cats’ welfare, but sometimes you need a mad dictator to get things done and make the trains run on time.

21. Pop and Kay

Pop is heading out on his rounds, and he says that he is going to … he pauses, and then says that he is going to help move some furniture for Kay. In other words, he is buying Kay some furniture. Actually, he is buying her a TV, presumably a high-definition TV. Is it too much to hope that he will be more content to stay over there now? I just pray that he is not going to cry ‘poor’ when I want to start running the air-conditioner this summer. Remember, he is also being pressed by Jack and Jill and their financial woes. The weather is still surprisingly comfortable in the middle of May, but we are surely fast approaching the sweating season.

22. Seniors' Tour

Pop is going on another seniors’ tour tomorrow. An Indian casino, again. So, I have another day to myself. Alas, he had to spoil the news by noting that it is also my birthday tomorrow, a fact I was happily unconscious of, and sorely wish he had been unconscious of. It might be one thing if he tossed an extra twenty bucks my way, or offered to pay for a book like he did on Christmas. But he probably wants to play the slots tomorrow, or maybe even put some chips down on a number. That’s fine. I am well-stocked. I will be thrilled just to get the air-conditioner running again this year.