Knitters Greenhouse

Today my good friend, Linda Rees, called me unexpectedly, to meet her at the Muncie Mall. Wow! What a way to get out of cleaning the basement today. (I say every day that I'm going down there. I don't.)

She had errands, I had nothing to do but follow her. We were returning stuff from as long ago as last August, but no matter, the fun was yet to come.

"Sure, Carol," said Linda, "we can look in Lane Bryant." Little did we expect such laughing and fun. What, you ask, were we doing? We were trying on the bras.

PLUS I HAD COUPONS! Between all of our purchases, we were very happy to get a jacket for me, 6 bras (read: Grandma's sleeze-fest in cleavage), PJ sets for both of us, and more COUPONS - good for after May 20! All this and we were SAVING money. Forget the idea that if it isn't in your pocket it isn't really SAVED. Oh, well, we sure had fun. And a 2nd dual shopping day is planned so we can use the coupon in the future.

Lunch was at the swingin' MCL cafeteria! Wow, we were really happenin' now. Now, if we could only find us a nice RED HAT and a PURPLE jacket! RHS - here we come!

It had to happen eventually, but Ray was going to make it last forever. I had to tell Rachel that she was no longer going to have a job. It was awful. I will always do what I have to do, but this was bad. She's been a good, faithful employee, and she's a friend. Now, the time has come, through no fault of her own, to have to leave our employment.

Ray did e-mail her about 3 1/2 weeks ago. Then, exactly 3 weeks ago, I made the call - and yesterday, Karen and I went to Nashville to bring home the files and "stuff." Not a fun trip. I wanted to do something nice at the end, so I looked up a Nashville spa, and I bought her a nice "you're fired" gift. Now she can go, pick out products or spa/facial/manicure treatments, and maybe not hate us.

Rachel and her husband, Joe, (see band: Mitch McVicker) had all the boxes and the files sitting outside their house. (She'd been working from her home.) We packed the Suburban, with everything fitting perfectly. I don't think we could have fit even one more box. We went inside, went over details, instructions, etc. We said our good-byes, and, with the hope that we'll keep in touch, Karen and I pulled out of the drive for the long drive back to Indiana.

Now, for the funny part of the story. I didn't sleep well last night - who knows why. So, sometime about 6, I thought I heard Karen get up to use the toilet. I heard the sound of water hitting water, you know the sound, right? Like p-----. But the p----- sound went on...and on...and on... and then some more...on...and on... I thought, "how can she be p----- THAT much?" Finally, I asked, "Hey Karen, is that you going to the bathroom?" "No, Mom. I thought that was YOU." "What???" and we both jumped from bed to see what was going on in the bathroom.

The ceiling was p-----! There was water coming straight into the toilet from above. And there was water also pouring into the bathtub, through a vent in the ceiling. I called the front office, and told them they had a leak. We closed the door to the bathroom, and tried again to sleep. No luck. Just about when I was drifting off again, the water started pouring into the toilet. Nothing like the sound of water to disturb sleep!

So there we were - couldn't sleep, couldn't use the toilet, couldn't take a shower!

I called the desk again, not really to complain, but to let them know the leak from above was AWFUL. They immediately offered to move us, to bring a key, and we didn't have to move all our stuff. We took what we'd need to shower, but didn't bother to get everything. AND - they gave us half off the room! And luckily, we didn't get wet!

I'm looking at ways to escape this summer to the Tour de France. There has to be a way to go cheap! I'm looking, looking, looking, for a way to take Liz, who is graduating from college. This will probably be the last race for Lance Armstrong, trying for his 7th Tour win, and I got to go last year.

So, there are choices of how to do this: 1) go with a group, or 2) do a "self-guided" trip. #1 would mean things are planned out for us, and you have to go with their flow. #2 would mean that we could explore - or we could possibly get lost, not speak the language, and drop off the face of the earth.

I'm thinking of doing #2. Comments?

http://www.adventurestofrance.com/TourdeFrance.shtml
http://www.customgetaways.com/2005_itinerary_self_guided_Pyrenees.htm
http://www.letour.fr/
http://www.elijabet.blogspot.com

p.s. Liz - could you please help me add the links for this?

Pain in my shoulder blade, meaning I should have gone easy when I was working hard for the first time this spring. It aches sometimes, catches sometimes, and gives me a general pain if I turn wrong. It hurts at night when I sleep on that side. I know it will go away if I take Ibuprophen and rest it. It's mainly bothersome, and I don't want special attention. I'm not complaining, but if you'd just rub my back and sympathize. And don't make me drain wet leaves from the pool cover.

I want to write all the things I've accomplished in the two wonderful spring days so far this week:

1-cleaned the garage (swept) Didn't find the sump pump there, which I needed to pump water off the pool cover. Cleaned cat area (yuck), threw away old junk and made the garage look decent.

2-found the sump pump that Ray bought when we had the leaky basement. It was in the barn. I figured how to use it, hooked it to a hose and began pumping off water from the pool cover. This all involved many, many trips to and from to get tools and stuff.

3-used pool cover water, through the hose, to water my geraniums in the greenhouse. Ha-ha, to Doug Spence, who told me I couldn't save them over the winter! I also saved a big barrel of this nice rain water for use to water plants later.

4-cut LOTS of pampas grass type stuff, chopped it with clippers, hauled it to the woods. I hate that grass.

5-cut off roses and got cut with thorns.

6-broke off mums, which are beginning to sprout.

7-raked beds, being careful not to break off the blooming daffodils.

8-spread as much as I had of PREEN & GREEN - (a pre-emergent) until I ran out. I have to buy more. Last year, and in years past, I have had the lawn service to this.

8-worked on plants in the greenhouse. These plants have some dead leaves and blooms that had to be deadheaded. (removed, for those who would have to look up that meaning)

9-picked up a LOT of sticks from everywhere in the yard.

10-dipped leaves from the pool cover - and there is much more of this to do.

Just to confirm this fact: I've been workin' hard! But there is so much more to do! There are so many leaves down near the basement entry, in the beds, and I need HELP. At least we have another sunny, warm day.

I'm back in Indiana, and it is SPRING! Spring means there is a lot of work to do! There is garage cleaning, sticks to pick up from the ice storm, plants to chop off (roses, mums, grasses), leaves to remove from landscape beds. As an inexperienced greenhouse worker, I went out there and watered all the plants. Most of them have survived the winter and all the dried-up leaves need to be culled. Since I was galavanting in Florida, I really neglected the plants and have to catch up with this spring season. I was also very surprised at how hot it was inside the greenhouse, so I opened the windows and doors to cool it.

It's exciting to see all the new bulbs that have come up all over the yard, and all the returning ones too. All the mums are sprouting, the lilacs are budding, and the forsythia is beginning to sprout too. Mostly now there are just daffodils and the beginning of hyacinths. Crocus are about gone and I missed them.

Seeing all I have to do is daunting, but since I need to keep busy, I really do not have to look for anything - it's all right in front of me. And I haven't mentioned all that needs to be done INSIDE the house. OUTSIDE in the sunshine is much better for working.

I also want to see my new great-nephew, Tristan! I hear he is a cutie - and a VERY LONG BABY! Courtney, I can't wait to hold him!