Fun Times?

Today's high temperature was:  71

Humidity:  62

Off and on showers and heavy rains in the afternoon and evening

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Woke up early to a soft rain, that stopped by 9:00 and the sun came out.  I was going up to The Farm to visit my sister and see her new gardens, but knew heavy rain storms were expected in the afternoon, so decided to stay home and clean up the house.

At 11:00, I got a bright (?) idea.  We know that Pearl wants two Delphinium plants.  We also know Merle doesn't want her to buy anymore plants.  After I weeded her garden and took out some Iris, she had a nice big empty spot for---Ta Dah--Delphiniums!!

I called and asked if she wanted to go across the road to the garden center--where she had seen the plants she wanted--get them, put them in the ground, before the rain and before Merle got home, BECAUSE, we all know, a man is not going to notice--they are so tunnel visioned.

I dropped her off at the door.  She knew right where the plants were and off she trundled.  I parked the car and was in the store before she was.  I went up to the desk and asked where the Delphinium's were.  The girl showed me.  Before I could call out to Pearl, she was half-way across the store and WITH NO CART!!!  She needs a cart to lean on or she can't walk very far.

I scooted out to patio and grabbed a cart.  One of the employees also grabbed a cart and took off ahead of me.

Of course, you guessed it--SHE was giving her cart to Pearl and I came up and said, "I got you a cart!"  We all laughed and then I had a cart to lean on too.  Win-Win.

"I can't find those Delphiniums," she said. "I know they were right in this aisle!"

"I asked the girls at the check-out.  All the Delphiniums have been brought in and they are at the front."

So off we walked.  Well, I walked and Pearl limped and moaned.

Four Hundred and Eleven Thousand Delphinium plants--and--

"This isn't the kind I want.  The one I want is Sapphire blue and isn't all bunched up like these."

Now--when I think Delphinium's, I think:

Tall, spikes

"These?" I asked.

"No.  I don't like that bunch."

"Bunch?"

"That bunch of flowers all on top of the stem."

"You are going to plant them in the back of the garden.  You need a tall something or your Peony plants, in front will cover it up."

"Let's go look outside in the nursery section."

"There aren't any Delphinium outside.  They have brought them all inside to mark them down and sell them."

An employee came by, Pearl said, "Do you have Delphinium outside? "

"No.  We have brought them all in.  These are all the Delphinium we have."

"I want to go out anyway."

So we did--it was sprinkling.  I am stretching and craning my neck, trying to see Sapphire colored plants, so I could walk right to them and Pearl wouldn't have to walk so much.

Pearl said, "I'm sure it was this store.  I don't think it was Lowe's where I saw it."
<I must admit, my shoulder's did slump a bit>

"The name started with an "L".  L something, Delphinium."

"Oh," I shouted with glee.  You want a Larkspur!!"

"Yes!  I think that's it!  I know it has an "L" at the beginning of its name!"

Back inside we went and Pearl asked the check-out girl where the Larkspur were.

"They are all there with the Delphinium.  Larkspur's are a form of Delphinium."

"Well, I KNOW that," harrumphed Pearl.

So we looked some more.  They only had a pinkish color.  DRAT!

"Well--let's go," says Pearl.

"Okay.  I will go get the car and drive up.  You wait at the door until you see me, Okay?"

"Yup."

I walked out to my car, in the rain, and drove up to the entrance.  I waited....and waited...and then I waited some more.  I was going to go back into the store--wondering if Pearl was all right, but I was in a NO PARKING zone.  Just then--here she comes with two Sapphire blue plants.  Smallish, short, bushy Delphiniums.  I put them in the back seat and we came home.

"Let's plant these so they can get a good soaking from the rain that's coming."

"Okay."

I walked into their shed. which has a five foot, eight inch height and slammed my forehead into the entryway.  I backed out a bit, shook the "stars" out of my head, scrunched over to get inside and found the shovel and back out to her front garden.  I dug a hole by the back edge, then picked up the Delphinium pot and looked at the tag.  Their full height?  12 inches.  Spread? 18 inches

"I don't think these are going to work back there, Pearl.  They only grow to a foot high.  You won't be able to see them behind the Rudbeckia plants.  Do you want to take them back and we will go to the other garden place and look for a Dark blue Larkspur?"

"It's called REBECCA, or Brown-eyed Susan!"
<or is it BLACK-eyed Susan?   I'm not fighting that fight again>

"Okay.  Do you want to take the Delphinium's back?"

"Nope.  These will be okay.  They were twenty percent off.  They probably wouldn't take them back."
<a deep sigh tried to erupt from me, but I quelled it>

"Okay then.  Can I move the Obedience and REBECCA plants back near the house and put these plants in front.  I think they are like plants for a border."

"Sure."

So, I raked away the big chunky, stupid bright red bark mulch they put on the garden and dug a hole for the other plants--dug them out, trying to keep a lot of soil with them, put them in the holes and then planted one of the Delphinium in the hole where they had been.  

Raked all the mulch back into place...by now it was raining.

"I will come back Monday and plant the other one, okay?  You set the pot where you want me to plant it.  It will be all right to leave it in the pot for the next few days."

I just hate that she got a plant she didn't really want.  I understand why she did.  I was in her shoes four years ago.  It is so painful and tiring to walk all over a huge garden center (or store for that matter) trying to find just what you want.  You start out with energy and hope and, within fifteen minutes, you hurt so bad you just want the whole shopping trip over and done with.  Thus, you "settle".

That is why I tried to do most of the running around for her this morning.  Telling her where all the Delphiniums were. Getting her a cart.  She just trundles on, not listening to or taking any one's advice.  Then she gets so worn out and in such pain and then....grouchy.

So, now she has Sapphire border plants.  They will look beautiful in her garden, BUT she didn't get the tall spike of Sapphire Larkspur that was what she really wanted.

I am going to go out tomorrow and see if I can find her one.  Then, I will take it down Monday.  If she doesn't want the damn thing, I will plant it in one of my gardens!!!  That will probably make her mad that I took it upon myself.  

Hm-mm.  Maybe it is better if I just go out looking tomorrow and then, if I spot one, Monday I can kind of steer her to the garden center that has it and to where they are displayed.  

Yup.  That might be better.

Onward and Upward!!
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I almost forget--I did a bad thing last night.  Tami (of the neighbor that doesn't know enough to water a new tree), has put those large solar lights all over her side lawn.  Four of them are quite near my bedroom.  I like to sleep with my bedroom blinds up a bit and the window open.  When I lay on my left side, two of those lights shine right in my eyes.  She has them in a raised bed of Bee Balm.

She and her husband worked nights--leaving at 5:00 and returning at 2:00 in the morning. So---last night, after they left, and it got dark enough for the lights to come on, I sneaked over and took the two offending lights out of where she had put them.  I moved them in front of the Bee Balm plants--which are large enough now to shield my eyes from the lights!  

AHA!!!!!

I am quite sure, she will never notice.