The end is near

miss hummingbird enjoying the cigar plant. We have a few more weeks of these before they make the long trek across the Gulf of Mexico

we have been having storms and sun almost every night

multiple sunflower heads

lots of Shanna's friends turning 40

while Daniel turns 10

elaborate candle opens up, spins and sings

after yet another storm

cousins met up in Cedar point

I found this never used bicycle in the trash. It was missing a pedal which I scavenged from another bike. Maya likes it fine

Glad to have glads

I got the dreaded phone call yesterday from my friend's father saying she is too weak to have visitors or even speak on the phone. Getting the strength to get up to use the toilet takes everything out of her. She can text though. The last time I saw her was the day before I had surgery and I spent most of our time on the phone dealing with my useless insurance trying to figure out why there was no record of them approving the surgery. She had just gotten news from hospice that things were progressing after a period of stagnation. So not a good visit.

I am sad.  Life can be so unfair. She is 9 years younger than me. Breast cancer7 years ago and its treatment resulted in leukemia which was successfully though painfully treated but ultimately led to lymphoma which she refused treatment for. She had enough. Her hips are broken due to avascular necrosis due to steroid usage which could not be repaired as her lungs were too weak withstand surgery. She is in pain but narcotics make it difficult to breathe and her lungs were already only at 30%

It has been hot and humid making my reintroduction to running difficult though I am still biking and resumed lifting my weights. On one of my bike rides, I saw a perfectly good bike out for trash along with a bag of professionally framed photos (complete with price tags totaling over $200) Went back with the car. Didn't notice the missing pedal until I returned. Well I have plenty of junked bikes though it was quite an effort to get a pedal off of one of them. Finally successful today just in time to watch Maya and go for a bike ride with her. She is too big for the other bikes I got for her which need to be repaired. But now I can trash them

I am cooking 5 spaghetti squash as I type and will freeze the contents. I am awash in zucchini too.
Leaving for California in 2 days for some cool air.