chaos

The day so far: the roofer arrived at dawn, or what felt like dawn, climbing up his big ladder to the roof to begin hammering and soldering, followed by the Aetna poison guys who were disappointed that the concrete for the deck has already been laid because they were supposed to spread a layer of termite poison on the ground beforehand. So they had to drill holes in the concrete to inject their stuff. Followed by the deck guys, who've filled my yard with lumber and equipment and are hammering in the sun. Followed by the garden guys whose number I found on a lamppost yesterday, who did a tour with me and will come soon to help me prune and plant. (The lilac is old and most of it has to go; the Japanese maple is dying of thirst.) The neighbour pointed out the two dead trees between our properties and suggested we take them down.

My mother's accountant wrote that something was sent out with the wrong SIN number, and her tax guy sent various forms to be signed; we are still having problems with the IRS demanding money that we think we don't owe, so many emails are flying back and forth and much money is being spent on experts. Plus yesterday I realized that instead of my usual Tuesday afternoon class at U of T starting today, my boss had suggested we try it in the evening and had made the change, which I'd completely forgotten and had scheduled a Tuesday home class. So much panicked emailing and calling to head off people coming over here tonight, since I'll be at U of T. The home class changed to Monday. Many emails.

My bank manager and I need to meet but cannot find a time; various social invitations need responses; and I spent time with Airbnb trying to book a room in Ottawa for my July visit to visit my aunt and Paul McCartney, as I cannot stay with my mother any more. Because she has died. As I will die one day myself.

At which point, time to jump on the bike to head to Mt. Sinai Hospital for my annual eye exam for glaucoma and general disintegration. Just before rushing out, took a call from my son. Last month his new bike, specially fashioned for his six foot eight frame, was stolen. He bought a new one, and the front tire was stolen. He bought a new front tire and an inviolable lock, and this morning found the back tire gone. He has been having a very hard spring, and all this did not cheer him up. His mother tried.

And then it was noon.

Last night, finally caught "Bletchley Circle," the final episode, so I'll have to find the first three. How very sad that my mother did not live to see this, as it's not just about what the people at Bletchley did, secretly, to win the war, but about their lives afterwards, especially the lives of women who went from exciting and challenging work to homemaking. I do not think my mother minded that, however. She would have loved to see the show. And after that, watched Simon Schama about Shakespeare's England, with a long treatise on Falstaff. I'll check the Stratford program to see if any of the history plays are on this year, and make sure to see them. The night before, the wonderful "Shakespeare Uncovered" series, with a program on "Hamlet." TV at its best.

I hate this chaos in my home and feel I'm about to be blown away in a high wind. But this too shall pass. The weather is sublime, and we are all healthy. My eyes are fine. Onward.