Boys vs. Girls

I always throught that my children were treated equally....ha.

My son lived with his girlfriend (now wife) for a few years before they married and I was fine with it. Last night my daughter brought her boyfriend home and I had a hard time relaxing my fist from around the butter knife. They aren't living together, but they do spend weekends (and some weeknights) having sleep-overs. True, she is almost 20 years old and I should be over this protective, don't-touch-my-daughter-you-disgusting-pig phase, but I'm not. Will ANY boyfriend ever be good enough, in my eyes?

shel

Happy 80th Birthday, Dad

My father (the world's greatest) turned 80 yesterday. On Saturday. May 9, 2009 we held an "open house" birthday party for him at Kickapoo Creek Park in Lincoln. In lieu of presents, Dad asked for people to bring canned or boxed goods to be donated to DOVE in Clinton. I have three big boxes full of food to deliver tomorrow (IF the rain has stopped; otherwise, no way!) Dad enjoyed talking with old friends and family members. He got a very moving note from his niece Leslie, thanking him for being such a good uncle. She was very eloquent and touched dad and mom's heart with her kindness.

The folks had a 55th wedding anniversary party nearly two years ago. They had the same request...donations for DOVE. After so many years together, they didn't NEED anything else. This is a great idea for celebrations, especially with the poor economy and need in general.

shel
p.s. I found three morel mushrooms and my husband found one. Ya-Hoo! Dad had a feast.

Morel Madness or A Walk in the Woods

What a fabulous day! I had an extra hour this morning so I put on my showman baseball cap, tucked my jeans into my white socks, and pulled on a long-sleeved shirt. With the morel staff in my hand, I headed into the woods. After 45 minutes and several scratches from the %$#@*!! Japanese honeysuckle, I found myself standing in the middle of the path, listening to the birds and admiring the wildflowers. The sweet scent of the Russian olives (very invasive trees) made my head swim. It was the perfect opportunity to talk to God. I asked Him for help in finding at least one mushroom for my father's 80th birthday. (He loves morels.) Then I realized the time and started back home at a quick pace, eager to get to Middletown to see my grandson.

All of the sudden I noticed a morel! It was just a foot off of the path that I was following. Wow. A slow and deliberate search of the immediate area assured me that there was only one...just like I had asked. The prize is currently soaking in salt water, patiently waiting in my refrigerator. Dad will get his mouth-watering treat on Friday.

I wish you all happy hunting.
shel

Cough, Hack

Today I have a low grade fever (99.8, which is actually high because I ususally run under 97) so I stayed home. My face is full of mucus, as is my throat and chest. Hot tea and orange juice have helped to make me feel somewhat better. Constant Comment hot tea is the zen for my wild world...love it!

I have been doing small things around the house, then resting. The washing machine was just plain gunky on the inside (where does all of that thick stuff come from?) so I gave it a good cleaning, and then ran a load of bleach water through there. Now I need to start my jeans load. In a few days I hope that my upside-down umbrella clothes dryer will be put in the ground so that I can dry laundry outside. I HATE hanging up clothes, but I will do so 1.) because it is better for the environment and 2.) we are on propane, and it is EXTREMELY expensive to use. I'll try to save money any way I can.

Dishes are done and the sink is clean. I still need to sweep, mop and vaccum. Tonight's dinner will be meat loaf and mashed potatoes, so I should get that started pretty soon also.

In the meantime I need to clean out the van. I can't go into the yard because it has rained, rained, and rained some more over the last two days. I'm ready for some nice weather!

Hope you are all feeling well.

shel

No Morel Luck

After rearranging a few appointments today, I was able to stay home and mow (a two hour job because of all of the sticks that were down) and then wakl in the woods on my quest for the famed morel mushroom. Today there were wild phlox in bloom, as well as Dutchman's britches (or is it breetches?) and yellow violets. In addition to photographs, I got lots of mosquito bites. I'm hoping that I didn't find any deer ticks or poison ivy.

Tomorrow is another day. Hopefully I will find some mushrooms to fix for my dad's 80th birthday.

shel

Morel Mushrooms

It's that time again...time to brave the wild coyotes, timber rattlers, and (shudder) poison ivy as I start the quest for the highly prized morel mushrooms. Last week I scouted the area with my camera (and big hopes). I took pictures of wild flowers that were growing willy-nilly over the leafy forest floor. It's too early for the lady slipper orchid to be up, but I'm hoping that I can find it again this year. To see an orchid growing wild is a rare and wonderful sight for central Illinoisians.

The weather has been in the low 80's for the last two days. Added to the moist conditions, the heat should have made the morels pop up. Tomorrow I have a few hours to walk through the woods with my handy-dandy walking stick (complete with a compass and a morel finial) and my camera to see just what I can find.

The grass needs to be mowed, as well, so I'll have to get busy with that.

shel

Spring Chores

I hope to be able to stay home one day this next week to do my spring garden chores. I am far behind in weeding and cutting off the dead leaves and such from my flower gardens. Mulch is needed by the ton. I hope I can buy some for a reasonable price.

In a week or so (usually around Mother's Day) I will spread weed & feed on my lawn. The grass is in bad shape this year as I didn't care of it on schedule last year.

I have annuals and tropicals for the planter garden up by the porch, so I will get that planted on Monday or Tuesday. I can still cover the area if there is the threat of a late frost.

It's much too early for tomato plants to be set, but I have purchased ten. There are nine green cabbages already in the ground, and the peas and radishes are up. Potatoes haven't broken ground yet. I hope to put straw mulch on the veggie garden in the next week or so.

I've only mowed once so far, so I will definitely need to do so again.

I love to do the spring cleaning of the gardens. My biggest problem is finding the time!

shel

Earth Day/Earth Month

In observance of Earth Day/Month, I will be teaching approximately 250 second and third graders from Clinton and the surrounding area schools (including those homeschooled) about seeds, rhizomes, tubers, spores and more tomorrow. I've done it for quite a few years now, and really enjoy it. The kids are SO much fun.

First we talk about different ways that you can get more plants; seeds, rhizomes, spores, tissue prop, and so on. I have examples of just about everything. The kids seem to like touching stuff, so I'll pass each item around the room. Then we'll concentrate on seeds...those which look like what we eat (think of corn & peas) and those that look nothing like the mature version (carrots). Kids like to call out the answers. We briefly go over what seeds to NEVER eat, and I stress that an adult should be asked before consuming anything outside.

Of course, there will be time for questions and answers (we have 25 minutes together). The BIG thrill is the seed game. I created a 12 box area on two different boards, labeled board A and board B. Original, I know. I have seeds glued to the top part of each square, and a dot of Velcro. The kids have to match the empty seed packets (with the other side of the Velcro) to the seeds. The class is divided in half (there's usually 12-20 kids per class) and race to see which team can get all of the seed packets in the right squares. The kids have to work together to figure out which is which. It's a blast.

I didn't make hand outs this year as an effort to cut down on waste. Hopefully the kids will go home with a greater understanding of plants and more passion for their planet.

shel

Circus Fun

Today I took daughter-in-law Jessie and her son Bryan and my 3 month old grandson Gabriel to the Circus Pages performance in Bloomington. Gabe loved the bright lights and was a perfect angel. Bryan went wild over the elephants, lions and tigers.

Somehow the circus is different from what I remember as a kid. Every 10 minutes there was a break in activity as the ringmaster announced something else for sale...peanuts, popcorn, electric globe light thingies, stuffed elephants on a stiff leash, cotton candy, coloring books, and more. I remember much more action (and clowns that were really funny) and less pumping the crowd for more money.

Tickets were $15 each for adults (kids were free with the ticket from a fast food place). The bleachers were skinny boards with lots of bumpy metal pieces to pierce soft, fatty flesh (yes, my butt). There were WAY too many people in the audience, so many had to sit on the dirty, cold cement floor of the Sale Barn.

The important part is that Bryan absolutely loved it. He and his mommy got their picture taken with an elephant ($5) which he was allowed to touch. It was priceless.

Oh, to be a child again. Since I can't be, I'll try to make sure that Bryan and Gabe have the best possible time.

shel

Happy Easter

Today was a beautiful, if somewhat chilly, day. The ground was muddy in a few places and the redbud didn't open yet (it will tomorrow or the next day) but the day was perfect for an Easter Egg hunt. While I kept Brianna, Ady, Jaden and Bryan busy decorating Easter Bags for the collecting of the goods, Erin, Steve, Jessie and Brandon went outside to hide the 108 eggs and scatter other candy.

The kids had a great time looking for the eggs. Sadly, my camera battery ran out after taking just a few pictures, so I won't have much to download.

Baby Gabriel was a perfect little boy. His great-grandma Ellegood enjoyed cuddling with him

inside as we hunted outside.

I hope you all had a wonderful, uplifting Easter.

shel

Ah, I Love Having a Computer

I have really REALLY missed being able to jump online whenever the mood strikes. How I enjoy being online late at night (with only one phone line and dial-up, it takes a few hours to simply check e-mail and blog) when I can type my little sausage-like fingers off.

Tonight I made a centerpiece in a ceramic Peter Rabbit container. I used five blue iris and 7 orange tulips (both were mark-downs at Kroger's for a buck a bunch). Since I didn't have any leather leaf (not my favorite filler, but the usual stand-by product) or other greens, I raided my garden for boxwood. The pussywillow branches were the finishing touch. While it's not trophy worthy, I think that the centerpiece is nice out on the oak table in the sun room. Hopefully the cats won't do too much damage before tomorrow's big lunch.

Bryan is sleeping soundly. Time to say good-bye to catching up on the computer and get to bed.

Sleep well, my friends. Tomorrow is an important day (and not just for the candy.)

shel

Occasionally I Just Gotta Whine - Sorry!

Life is back on an even keel for me. Alana is acting much nicer, and has even called just to talk a few times. Max has apologized and has tried to make it up to me by helping me spread mulch. This is a rare thing for him...he HATES to be outside, unless he is shooting.

Garden-wise, I have got to say that it's turning out to be a sunny place. One year I planted 500 daffodils, and they have multiplied wonderfully. Therefore they are blooming their happy little heads off right now, turning my landscape from leafy brown to yellow glory. The redbuds are just teasing me with the promise of color. I hope that they are blooming tomorrow in celebration of Easter.

Since I'm in the middle of the woods, deer abound. Tulips and crocus are usually nipped off before they can bloom, so after the first naive year of living here, I have avoided planting such tempting treats. I do see, however, that a few of the strong-willed bulbs have survived.

A few years ago Becky Heiden gave me a pink pussywillow shrub. This is the first year that she has put on such a magnificent display of softness. I love to use the branches for floral design, so I'll have to go out to cut a few twigs to use for tomorrow's centerpiece.

Friday I found my first snake. It was an interesting little thing; muddy brown with black stripes running vertically along the 6" length. I must have nearly scared the poor baby to death, as she quickly crawled under a rock. Jaden and Bryan both like snakes so I hope I can show them a few this year. They need to accept snakes as beneficial, and not be afraid of them. Supposedly we have no poisonous snakes here, but we won't push our luck...we will admire the snakes from a safe distance.

As far as my huge koi pond goes, well, it's not good news. The sides have collapsed even farther during the winter. I was able to catch two of the small koi (one a buttery yellow and one a platinum white) and transfer them to a holding tank up by the house. I can see from the window that there are two larger koi, both dark, still in the leaf-filled pond. As soon as the weather warms again I will pull them out. Max has promised me that he will help me reduce the size of the pond by building walls 2' in on each side, backfill with soil, and get the boardwalk around the top this summer. I hope this is one promise that he carries through on.

Daylilies need to be thinned this year, as do the hosta along the side of the house. I must take the iris from the holding bed and plant them at my parent's home in Decatur in July. Hopefully they will give me a good bloom here before I bid them good-bye.

The 'Rustic Rubra' magnolia is just starting to show her colors out in front. In the back, the yellow magnolia (I forgot the variety...good thing I have it labeled!) is dragging her feet, waiting for warmer weather. She is a late-bloomer. I do need to transplant her this year as there is too much shade where she currently resides.

Mowing was a challenge. Since the lawnmower has sat all winter, the tires were flat. There were dried oak and hickory leaves still littering the yard from the strong north winds, so mowing them up was my first priority. Unfortunately I didn't think to wear a face mask, and I inhaled quite a bit of leaf dust, which set off an asthma attack. Guess who won't be mowing bare-faced again!

To spice things up a little, I bought a flat of the huge faced yellow pansies. They are planted in medium-size containers at the top of the stairs near the pond. I also filled the planter under the mailbox so that Deb, our mail lady, would have something pretty to look at when she delivers our goodies.

I can't wait to get back outside to work but for now I have to be content with looking out the window. Bryan is here and has not been feeling well so we will stay inside. Hopefully this week I can see if the veggie garden has done any growing. The radishes were up, but the peas have stubbornly stayed buried and inactive. Fingers are crossed for a good crop!

My next project involves building a raised veggie garden for green beans, zucchini and cucumbers. I'd like to get that done in the next week or so.

Thank you, dear readers, for putting up with my whiny day. I don't have many of them, I promise. Stay tuned to see pics of the gardens in the upcoming weeks.

shel

Running Away OR Man, I Must REALLY Be a Bit*h!

Have you ever just had one of "those" days? I'm not often whiny, but I'm afraid that today is the day that the whine must come out.

The day started out well enough. I woke up at my niece Erin's house (her hubby is out of town so we had a few girl's nights which consisted of playing Scrabble for hours) and all was right with the world. To get the kids to eat their toast, I read child-friendly passages from a Janet Evanovich between-the-numbers book "Grand Finale". When they stopped chewing, I stopped reading, which is a pity as I really want to get this book finished.

Erin had to leave today, so she took Ady to school and did her running while I stayed with Jaden. We had a great time playing marbles, coloring, and pretending. My daughter Alana showed up with her baby Gabriel (yes, the angels sang when he was born...he's such a good boy!) She was upset because she had just taken the poor darling in for his 3 month shots. Having raised two children myself, I can sympathize with her situation.

Husband Max called and offered to take Jaden, Alana, baby Gabriel and I out to Monical's Pizza for their lunch buffet. This is where things started to get hairy....Alana was grumpy to begin with, due to lack of sleep. Never, I repeat NEVER, say anything negative to a 19 year old that is tired! Max opened his mouth and told her he would never babysit for her on Sunday mornings again, just because the father of the baby (they are no longer an item) wants to sleep late on Sundays. Alana got rather vocal and said that it is NOT the case, and that Erin and I are making things up. She said that she & Will had that agreement long ago that he would get Gabe at 10:30 on Sundays, even though she works at 7:00. I've watched Gabe on Sunday mornings in the past, and I know that Will does, indeed, want to sleep in, plain and simple. I will keep the baby all day, and be THRILLED to do so, but I won't let the lazy now 18 year old father decide that sleeping in on Sunday because he was out with his girlfriend on Saturday is acceptable. My point is that he needs to get his sorry lazy butt out of bed and accept responsibility for his actions (namely, sex without protection and without marriage! ) I didn't respond to Alana's loud voice while we were in the restaurant, nor did I push the point that she told me in the past that Will needed to get his sleep, but the time will come that I will do so. That is the first point of me "being a bitc*".

In the meantime, we were leaving the table (I always clean up the table before we leave because it's the polite thing to do.) Since the meal was a buffet, and the only thing the waitress had to bring was our water and extra napkins, I left a $4 tip for a $19 meal, thinking it was a pretty good tip for her. My husband kind of stalled around, and fiddled with his jacket, etc. As I started walking away, I turned to ask him if the car was unlocked, and I caught him putting another dollar on the table. I don't mind at all about giving her more money. I realize that living on a waitress salary is hard. My daugher-in-law is a waitress, so I am sympathetic. If we would have had full service I would have left more. The point behind this is that my husband was SNEAKY. He was deliberately sneaky. I asked him why he was sneaky and he said "Just get your ass out to the car." His face turned red and blotchy as it does every time he's angry. I told him it didn't bother me that he thought she deserved more; it bothered me that he was going behind my back, rather than saying "Hey, Honey, let's give her another buck."

Once again I just bit my tongue as I was ordered to the vehicle (I would never create a scene).

As we rode back to Erin's house, none of us spoke a word. Alana immediately took the baby and got into her own car (actually, it's MY car that she's driving and yes I'm paying the insurance) and left. Max did the same.

Max has been caught in lies before, as in cheating on me, and worse. I have forgiven him each time, but I think I'm so tired of it now that I'm ready to just pack up and leave.

Alana is a spoiled brat; my own fault, I know. She is disrespectful and dramatic. I bend over backward to make both of them happy, yet I have obviously failed.

I want to run away, far, far away, and just let everyone take care of themselves. My brain is on overload from doing so much that I don't know how I was EVER able to hold down a job, much less go to college at the same time. My big fantasy is that I can be loved and respected by my husband and my daughter. Until I grow a backbone and start standing up for myself, it will never happen.

Maybe there's a job waiting for me in Jamaica....

Grateful

A friend once told me that she would write down one thing each and every day for which she was grateful. (Isn’t that an awkward sentence? I didn’t want to write “…that she was grateful for” because it’s incorrect, but it sure sounds better.)


I decided that I would list some of the more unusual things down. Trust me, I am VERY grateful for my family, my home, food on the table, my lifestyle, health, etc. But by writing about my oddities, you may learn a little more about me, and I just might learn more about myself!

I’m grateful for the smell of cow manure. It’s true. It brings back childhood memories of spending the summer on the dairy farm with my aunt & uncle.

I’m grateful for my Kitchen Aid stand mixer. Since I am constantly cooking or baking, it is used nearly daily. It tears up those tough batters for cheesecake.

I’m grateful for having two vehicles at my disposal…the van for when I have lots to haul (kid-wise or cargo) and the faithful little Honda Civic with her wonderful gas mileage.

I’m grateful that I have the Internet. I’d be MORE grateful if I had something other than dial-up, though! Good thing I’m patient.

I'm very very grateful for my gardens, even though they aren't perfectly weed-free. They bring me much pleasure.

I’m grateful that I live in the country where privacy is not an issue. Many times I’ll be outside in my pajamas (T-shirt and flannel pants), working in the gardens or mowing the lawn, confident that no one will see me.

I’m grateful for eggs. They are SO versatile and convenient when I don’t know what else to make for dinner or I when I am short of time.

I’m grateful for the rocking chair in the sunroom. My mom made it years and years ago, and sometimes I like to just sit out there and rock and read. Soon I will have another grandson to rock to sleep in that chair, just like I rocked my two children.

I’m grateful for hummingbirds. The kids love to watch them almost as much as I do. They are fascinating, happy creatures, so full of life and mystery.

I’m grateful for fuzzy blankets. I love those big fleecy things that are snuggly and warm.

I’m grateful that my husband gives me my freedom, and is not horribly picky about a clean house.

I’m grateful for my garage refrigerator. I LOVE being able to cook a lot, and keep it safely cooled until it’s needed. The Coca-Cola Classic comes out perfectly chilled…enough to give me goosebumps!

I’m grateful for birdhouses, even the cheap cheesy ones, because they provide entertainment as the birds fly in and out. I love to watch the eggs hatch and the fledglings fly away.

I am grateful for remote controls for the television. I remember when we actually had to get up off of the couch and turn the dial CLICK CLICK CLICK to tune in the four or five channels that we were lucky enough to get. Oh, how spoiled I am now!

I’m grateful for magnets. I have magnets holding notes, pictures, recipes, appointment cards, and more stuck on the ‘fridge and the door leading to the sunroom.

I’m grateful for my purse calendar. Without it, I’d be totally lost. The calendar is the best $1 investment that I’ve ever made.

I’m grateful for my retainers. After going to the trouble of braces, I want to keep my teeth on the straight and narrow, and I couldn’t do it without retainers.

I’m grateful for all of the catalogs that I get in the mail. It’s fun to browse through them, circling things that I would like to own and writing down family members’ names beside items I think they’d like. I rarely purchase, but it’s fun to dream. (There are some playhouses and a jungle gym in PoshTots that I dream about for the kids.)

I’m grateful that the road in front of the house isn’t busy. I can walk a mile each way and rarely ever meet a vehicle, so I can go right down the middle and avoid the poison ivy growing in the ditches.

I’m grateful for my riding mower. Need I say more?

I’m grateful for vinegar. In the past eight months or so I can’t get enough of it. Vinegar with onions and cucumbers, coleslaw, squeaky bean salad…mmmmm.

I’m grateful for crock-pots. I have three, and use two of them frequently.

I am very grateful for sunglasses. Since I have cataracts, the bright sun kills me.

I am grateful for DEET. The mosquitoes are vicious out here!

I am grateful that all of my family members are readers. That way we can share books and not have to spend a fortune. I call it readcycling. (Get it?)

I’m grateful for my history, the bad as well as the good. If I hadn’t of experienced what I did, I wouldn’t be the person that I am today and would not have the family that I have.

I am grateful for my friends that remind me to spend time with them. Sometimes I spend too much time with family and forget about just laughing with friends.

I am grateful for fingernail polish remover. Polish never stays on long. I guess it’s because I use my hands so much!

I am grateful for the smiles I see on the faces of the babies and toddlers that are out and about. When I am standing in a long line at a grocery store, fretting about getting home to start dinner or whether or not I have enough money in the bank, I tend to forget the sweet things. Then I look up and see a child in the cart in front of me, smiling this carefree smile for no particular reason, and I am reminded that life is good. Don’t sweat the small stuff.

I’m grateful for hearing Jaden’s footsteps as he runs to the back door to greet me when I come to visit. It lifts my heart, knowing that he is so excited to see me. I realize this is only a short-term phase, but still, it’s great.

I’m grateful that Ady still likes to bond with me by doing the gingerbread house. This year we will do both a Halloween and a Christmas house. I’d like the tradition to continue, and be a memory for her long after I’m gone.

I am grateful that Bryan still likes to cuddle. I like to hold him at night before I put him to bed. He snuggles right into me, holding his blankie and stuffed lion in one hand with his thumb in his mouth and his long, curling eyelashes resting on his cheek. I hope he never outgrows it, although it will be hard to hold him when he’s 15!

Well, Id’ better stop, or I could keep on with this list forever. What makes YOU grateful? I’d love to hear about it.

shel

56 Years Together/It's a BOY!

Today my parents celebrated their 56th year of marriage. FIFTY-SIX....wow. They have lived together for over half of a century. It boggles the mind.

I took the folks to Rusty's in Decatur for a steak for lunch, then to the flooring store so that mom could browse through the millions of vinyl and carpet samples. It was a challenge...I'd like new carpeting throughout the entire upstairs, and the basement definitely needs new flooring due to the floods we have had. The "I wants" was definitely nagging at the back of my mind. But the day wasn't about me, it was about mom and dad. Therefore, I resisted the urge to purchase.

After a quick stop at Cubs, I drove the folks around in the country to admire the view. We ended up at Fairies Park, watching deer graze at the edge of a field. How beautiful.

The BEST news of the day was from my daughter. Alana's sonogram revealed that she is DEFINITELY having a baby boy!!! "Baby Gabie" (Gabriel will be his name) is exactly 21 weeks along today. I'm SO excited that we now know that we will have a little boy. I've been putting off major shopping because we were unsure of the sex, but now...LOOK OUT! Grandma is going shopping!!!!!!! The little prince already has lots of clothes from garage sales, friends, and relatives, so I will concentrate more on the nursery aspect. I can't wait. Alana & I are going to have SO much fun! The biggest honor will be that I will be in the delivery room with her. It will be tough to see my baby in so much pain, but wonderful to help the precious baby into the world.

After Alana's class tonight at Richland, she came over and we watched "My Mom's New Boyfriend" (I think that was the name) with Antonio Banderis and Meg Ryan. We played rummy, drank Coke and drooled over Antonio together. It was a nice day with an even nicer evening.

shel

Fertilize, Fertilize, Fertilize

Notice to my family members that may want to read my blog:
STOP! If you're not interested in fertilizing, don't waste your time. Call me instead and we'll have a chat about the latest craziness in my household.

Notice to garden fans:
This may bore you, but it's important!

The standard procedure for fertilizing lawns in central Illinois is to haul out the old broadcast spreader and purchase lawn fertilizer and weed killer four times a year. The first week or so of September (remember Labor Day) is one of the most important times for the fertilization. Grass, especially our Kentucky Blue Grass, is back in it's full glory of brilliant green since the weather has become cooler and the rains have started again. Keep in mind that you don't have to buy an expensive name-brand product; instead, compare labels. I happen to be running late this year, but I will definitely do my lawn soon.

Be sure to also fertilize around Thanksgiving. This will allow a good root system to develop for your lawn to help hold it over the winter.

If you have a score to settle with a bad neighbor, sneak over in the middle of the night with a bag of fertilizer and use a scoop to pour out fertilizer so that you spell something, like "My dog poops in your yard." It's almost like writing "wash me" on a dirty windshield. (I'm just kidding here, although I considered writting a bad word on a neighbor's lawn when we lived in Bloomington...but really, don't do it!)

When the time comes, we'll talk about the spring fertilizing.

shel
p.s. I try to not use a lot of chemicals, but I do take good care of my lawn. There's just something about walking barefoot on a velvety lawn that makes a person's heart happy. (Just ask my brother-in-law, Rick. Happy Birthday, Rick! Happy Lawns to you!)

It's raining, it's pouring.......

It rained again today. Bummer. Normally I wouldn't mind the moisture (my yard has been dry and cracked for quite some time) but I had high hopes of getting the hardy primrose and hydrangea planted, as well as getting the lawn fertilized. Brandon was also supposed to work on my car today (oh, how I love my little Honda Civic!) so that I could stop driving the gas hog van.

I had planned on having a Thanksgiving in September meal for lunch, but my electric oven has decided to play games with me. The poor thing just didn't want to cooperate and cook my bird. Instead, Pizza Hut got a big order, and the turkey, pumpkin pie, broccoli casserole, green bean casserole, baked apples & cranberries, mashed potatoes with sour cream & shredded cheddar, and fried biscuits were served for dinner. Luckily Erin and Jaden came over to help chow down. Most of the leftovers were sent home with them as husband Max isn't thrilled with leftovers (plus the only things he would eat would be the turkey, apples, and mashed potatoes.)

What turned out to be rainy gloomy day ended up being a foggy, damp night. My gardens appreciate the moisture but I'm ready for some sunshine!

shel

Fabulous Day

Oh, what a spectacular day! The weather started out a bit gloomy but it turned out to be a perfect autumn-like day.

My sister Shannon came over to spend her birthday with me. We had Christmas Cookie coffee (sweetened with sugar, vanilla flavored creamer, and topped with whipped cream...it gives me a cavity just thinking about it), turtle biscotti, and chocolate elcairs while we played two grown-up games of Scrabble. NOTE: Grown-up Scrabble is when you use more than two or three letter words for every single turn, which is opposite of my English-poor but extremely intelligent husband.

After a lunch of four cheese lasagna, garlic bread with cheese, a yummy spring greens salad, and corn, we took a half-mile walk down our country road. On the way back to the house we stopped at my friend Becky's house. Her gardens are so beautifully perfect that they should be featured in a magazine. Shannon and I enjoyed the tour that Becky gave us, then Shan had to hit the road. It was a wonderful day.

Miracles DO happen. My husband decided that we would go to the Boondocks restaurant at Weldon Springs, and then watch "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants." DEFINITE chick-flick, and definitely not his type of movie. It was great!

Days like this happen only a few times a year, so I savor every second of them. Life is great!

shel

Bryan's Special Day

Recently my grandson Bryan turned 3 years old. His mommy & daddy threw a wonderful party for him in their new back yard. Bryan got many wonderful presents, but his two favorite were the child-size red wagon (he pulled it around the yard and cried when he had to give it up in order to open more presents) and his Lamborghini. All of the kids had a great time playing on the new swingset (thanks to Papa Max for putting it together, and Wal-Mart for marking it down to $25.00!)

Bryan is coming over to spend the night. I will have a surprise for him...the kids' room will be cleaned of clutter and rearranged! Erin & Jaden came over yesterday to help me pack up the crafts from the captain's bed drawers, and we took the bed to their house. Maybe this surprise is not as exciting as a wagon or battery-operated car, but still pretty cool. Guess that means I need to hang up and get busy organizing!

shel

Townwide Garage Sales

Oh, how I love when Clinton has townwide sales! Usually I am on the lookout for anything that will hold soil or water, but yesterday I was nose-to-the-grindsone in search of baby items. (Which was a very successful search.)

Today I will go back out to a few more, including one just a mile from me, on a garden hunt. Wish me luck!

shel