Life

Well, ok, Monday was Dad's birthday.

We stayed super busy that day. I went out early and picked up a load of hay to use as garden mulch and stopped by mom's with it. We did a little planting and such in her yard (mostly sweet potato slips).

Then we drove up to New Lebanon to the bank. Our bank reissued everyone's credit/debit cards because there was a possible compromise of the security. Well, as luck would have it, mom's new card was screwed up. The banker tried to fix it during the 30 minutes we were there, but no luck, so we had to come back.

Now, for most of you, I'll remind you that this is the very bank where Dad fell, the fall that turned the tide of his life. So, we were just going to roll through the drive up ATM, but no, the ATM said her account was deactivated. So we had to sit inside the bank while it was worked on. We finally left, problem not resolved, and went out to Stockslager's nursery to get more sweet potato slips. Duke (second generation owner) was there and he said to say Hello to my sister Sherry. So, sis, Hello from Duke. I told him about your 5 acres and that he ought to be glad you were in TX or you'd be giving him a run for his money!

We went on out to Eaton and had lunch and bought some temporary fencing supplies for our Possum Creek Garden. Mom is worried the deer will eat our moisture/weed barrier hay. We stopped on the way back to visit dad. Boy, that was tough. We either start out these visits laughing and end them crying or vice versa. This one ended with the crying, err sobbing.

We went back to the damn bank where he fell and after another 30 minutes the problem was resolved and mom is now in plastic business. We then went to Possum Creek, planted the sweet potato slips and put up part of the plastic fence. I still have a section to till up with the tiller from HELL - so the rest of the fence won't go up until that section is completed.

Then, we came to Kia Rio and moved a little bit of dirt, aka excavated, my stone walkway. I then took mom home and we had dinner and I got home about 10.

So, that is how we survived dad's birthday this year.

We have been doing stuff in our own yards and I have gone to Possum Creek (PC) to water. We totally skipped spring. It has been in the 80's for a few days now, not good for freshly planted plants and seeds. Praying for rain.

I have been working in my yard and have some headway on the herb/veggies in my own yard.

I have also modified some 2 x 8 heavy duty lattice to make trellis' to place behind the house. They will be about a foot away from the house and I am going to plant annual vines on them. One is a yellow black eyed susan and the other is, I think, a carpet vine or something, anyway, it is red. I plan on intermingling them, so most of the back of the house will hopefully be green foiliage with red and yellow flowers. In the late fall, I will take them down (there are 6) remove the dead vine materials (fun times for all) and store them until next spring and repeat. I'll likely do this until I can (1) afford to buy a really large native tree and (2) until it is big enough to shade the back side of the house.

Isn't my life sexy as hell here?

Oh, more news I have a weird movable bump on my left thumb, right at the joint (not the knuckle) at the web. Mom says it is from over use of gardening tools and said she has had them in the past. My arm still hurts and my hand is still sore.

I still feel like I have a knife inserted by my right scapula, but the pain is subsiding. My darling brother is sending me a Sears card so I can sneak off and do things for mom and let him pick up the tab. First stop??? New freaking tiller. He is a good brother and a good son.

Ok, nuff for this post!

Riveting, yes?