The Last Days of Summer

Our long spell of hot and smoky days ended Sunday when a cold front moved through in a big rush, causing a twenty degree drop in temperature.  Yesterday was cool and cloudy and windy, the kind of raw fall day that finds you making pancakes for breakfast, which we did!  Today dawned bright and clear. 

As we thought, the arrival of students back at CU has resulted in a spike in our COVID numbers.   It is alarming, but it helps to see a visual chart like the one below where the light blue denotes the cases that are from CU students and the dark blue denotes the county residents.  It seems clear where the problem lays.  

As a result, the City of Boulder declared that CU students aged 18-22 years old could no longer "gather," and actually quarantined several fraternity and sorority houses that had hosted large parties as the school year began.   A "gathering" was first defined as "more than one person," but today the ruling was redefined to mean "more than two people," so at least two students can walk across campus together, or two roommates could go grocery shopping. 

 I do feel a bit sorry for all these lonely students, but then I feel a bit sorry for all us oldsters who simply want to get through this pandemic without getting sick or worse.  As you might imagine, the new ruling doesn't sit well with many students.  Notice the "Where is my money?" included on this sign. 

We've been doing a lot of painting down in the basement in preparation for new floors being installed tomorrow.  Paul's old green walls are going to end up a "Steel Blue," which should look great with all the bright white woodwork on the windows and closets.  But that painting happens after the floor goes in, since the baseboards will all be taken out as the new floor is laid over the old, and when they go back in they will be a bit higher than they are now.  So it's better to paint the walls after the floor is in.  

But meanwhile we painted the ceiling in Paul's old room and over most of the yellow walls in the adjacent utility area.  We also reworked the little alcove where the little fridge has been living for a few years now, giving it some different storage containers.  

Here is a "before" photo....

...And here is an "after." 

Although the alcove is now Steel Blue, the stairway and walls near the door are all now grey.  Goodbye sunny yellow and hello soothing grey! 

I don't think I ever wrote about how I finished the leaf quilt that I last mentioned way back on August 5th.  

I quilted it very heavily, which I enjoyed doing very much. 

Here's a detail of the back showing some of the dense quilting.   I really enjoyed creating this quilt and look forward to hanging it in the living room for the fall season.  Thanks again to quilt artist Rian Ammerman for posting her tutorial on the process she's worked out for creating this type of piece. 

Ben has been busy with his own creative project, the updating of a 2000 Ford Ranger XL, which he bought two hours after the owner, our neighbor, put a "For Sale" sign in its front and rear windows.  Talk about an quick sale!  Well, Ben has wanted a truck for some time and this one was easy to buy at a great price.  Not only will it be great for schlepping things -- we've already schlepped a used dresser from the thrift store to Paul's new digs -- but it will be a great vehicle for Paul to use when he learns to drive.  When Paul first sat in the truck his comment was, "Do you think Dad will let me buy this from him?"  Well, probably, but first you need to get a driver's license!  Ah, well, all things in their time. 

Ben has already given the truck a good cleaning, upgraded the seats, and replaced the rear latch.  Next up, new door handles.  

And the other big news around here is that we bought a gas fire table from Costco, just perfect for warming up the cool nights outside.  Add a few faux fur blankets and we may be able to do some "social distanced" visiting on the patio this winter.  

For soon enough our Indian Summer will be gone and the darker, colder fall and winter months will be here.  

Already the colors are changing, and if Ben and I don't get up to the high country soon to see the golden Aspens, they'll have turned without us enjoying their display.