Having my pie and eating it too

My perfect combination is a tennis game followed by sour cream coffee cake from Breezy Acres Farm, in Granby. When I went yesterday, I got a cute little watermelon, broccoli, blueberries, and corn…the flavors of summer. I eyed two cute little mini blueberry pies on the shelf in front of the kitchen and asked if they were taken. Nancy, Evelyn's sister the baker, didn’t know, and Evelyn was outside somewhere. For some reason, though, I thought the person at the register had gotten one for me. When I got home, I looked in my bag and it wasn’t there. I called up and Evelyn said she had just thrown the pies  together, they weren't her perfect pies, and I could have one for free.

Tennis was good but I thought I could use a little more exercise. I told Boyfriend that I thought I might bike. He said, "You'll have to get up that hill." By that hill, he meant Cold Hill. In the old days it was a lot of effort but I could do it. A few weeks ago when I tried it I had to get off and walk. Katie reminded me that there was no shame in getting off and walking. Still, I would rather not do it. I don't like teeter-tottering in the easiest gear and stopping to get off; that's when I could fall. 

So I had the "brilliant" idea of going up Morgan Street instead. It has a gentler incline. I put on a back pack and off I went. When I got there, Evelyn started to say that I was a little nuts, but she changed it to that I was funny. In any case, I got my pie and went home. First I ate half. Then with about two seconds in between half one and half two, I went back and got the other half. 

The little dent at the top of the pie isn't a mistake on Evelyn's part. It's a little nibble that I took out of it while bringing the pie inside. 

The other day Katie and I took a walk along the dike through the corn fields off the bike path. I knew of a biking route that goes left off the bike path when coming from Damon Road but not about this walk, which is an earlier left, when coming from the parking lot. We heard loud booms that scared us. It sounded like shots. We couldn't tell where they were coming from. Two women happened to be coming towards us, from the direction of the Connecticut River, where we were going. They looked like another mother and daughter pair.

They said not to worry, these were corn cannons to scare off birds. When I got home, I looked it up and saw that we weren't the only ones who thought they were gun shots. This story describes how a farmer uses these bird cannons, or noise cannons.

When we got down to the river, we sat in the shade, leaned back, and looked at the water. It sure is nice to have her around. Usually when we do things together, we take a photo together, but since we are not in the same bubble, we are sitting further apart, hence the separate photos. We have talked about integrating our bubbles. Hers is larger so it's not a good idea. This is hard but I'm glad we have enough open space to be together apart.

Sunday morning wanderings

I usually go to Maggie's spinning class Sunday mornings at the Holyoke Y. It is quite a wake-up call and energizing and fun. But it did not happen today, so, for a total change of pace, I went to an alignment-based yoga class at the Hampshire Regional YMCA.

Sometimes people don't realize that most Y members have reciprocity at other locations. These two Y's have different personalities, each with something different to offer. I have their schedules side-by-side on my desktop. The people at the Holyoke Y know me better and have been wonderful and instrumental in helping me get back on my feet and stay there.

Whenever I have a new yoga teacher, that teacher sees that my left hand will not flatten out. As happened today, the teacher comes over and asks if I can undo my claw. Well, if I could, I would. I don't really say that; I just explain that I assume it is arthritis, which I think I also have in my wrists, because I cannot make a 90-degree angle between my hands and my wrists. It probably hurts my down dog because I don't have a good foundation. This teacher suggested, as others have done, to roll up my yoga mat at the front for more support. Also, she brought me over a chair when she saw that I had trouble balancing. I appreciated that.

I am thinking of going back at 4:30 for Pilates. Looking at the schedules, I realized that I could spend a whole day going back and forth between Y's, but then I wouldn't get anything else accomplished.

On my way home, I stopped at Breezy Acres and almost had a full lunch while Evelyn gave me samples of almost everything in her case. At one point I had four plastic forks in my hand. I came home with enough food for dinner...chicken soup, baked beans, antipasto and a new supply of my favorite apples, Macouns. I said I vowed to make some good soups this winter, but my soups always taste so bland and watery because I don't have a sense of what to add. I guess I could read a recipe.

Vanessa James, an old acquaintance who is a professor of theater at Mount Holyoke, was there, and the three of us talked about politics. Her son has an interesting job working for Joe Biden. We talked about whether or not Joe will run, and we agreed that after Hillary's performance in the #DemDebate, it seems increasingly unlikely.

When she closes for the winter, I'm going to miss going over there to our little community gathering place. I told this to Evelyn, who is always so cheerful, and she said not to worry, she's going to be open for quite a while longer. Also, there is always Tailgate Picnic.