title explained

Onward and upward! something that you say in order to encourage someone to forget an unpleasant experience or failure and to think about the future instead and move forward.

My e-mail: jjmiller6213@comcast.net

Monday, June 9, 2014

Just Another Day On Lakeview Lane

Today's temperature: 59 degrees at 8:00 a.m.--75 degrees at 8: p.m.
Sunny
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Woke up with a real sore foot--checked it out and it had a long scratch on it.  I must have moved my feet during the night and Maggie took offense and nailed me with a claw.  This has happened before.

Got up and pulled on my jeans and long sleeved shirt.  Don the Lawnmowing Man was here and I went out and told him how I wanted him to,"Take your trimmer and please, massacre that Myrtle vine creeping out onto the lawn!"  Which he did.

I should have gone to the grocery store, but instead, around 10:30, I pulled on a T-shirt and shorts and walked up to Pearl's to finish off weeding her garden.  She had decided that instead of just getting the remaining grass out of her garden, she wanted me to dig up 5 trillion Iris, 6 million Obedience plants and a Partridge in a Pear Tree!  

She can work about 5 minutes and I can work about 15 before we have to quit.  She usually sits in a lawn chair and watches and chats while I dig.  She has wooden bark on her garden and I have to rake it away so I can get the dang shovel down into the dirt!  She stood up and went to bend over to pull out some of the Iris I had loosened, and she fell face first in the garden.  

"Stay right there and I will get your chair to help you up."

But she rolled over onto her back and there I was---trying to help a turtle get turned over--a very large turtle or a "beached whale" as she said.  I finally got her to roll over and brought the chair up close.  Then, I sat on the chair to add weight, took both of her hands and we both huffed and puffed and finally got her on her knees where she could pull herself up, by holding onto the arms of the chair, while I sort of pulled on her upper arms and shorts to hoist up her butt.

"Next time you do that, I'm calling Corrigan's towing and have them bring a winch to haul you up??"

I knew she wasn't hurt or I wouldn't have said that and she was laughing and so was I, but a bit worried as she was very dizzy.  She still suffers from bouts of Vertigo from her fall in the driveway when she hit the back of her head.

We decided it was time to quit.  She wanted the extra space so she can plant 2 Delphiniums!  After Merle told her not to buy anymore plants and she promised she wouldn't--but--she wants Delphiniums so we are going to get Delphiniums!!!  Merle won't even notice there is a new plant there.

I can't hardly take care of my own small gardens and now I think, I will have an extra chore next spring, weeding time.  It's okay--if I can, I will.  We both wonder why our kids don't offer to help us, but.....well, you all know how that goes.
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I came home and did two loads of laundry and cleaned the bedroom, than watched my Soap.  

I kept thinking I should get up and go shopping for food, but kept finding things that needed doing...now!  Like moving the bird bath to a new location.  Filling the feeders.  Watering all the annuals.  Sweeping off the porch.

I got done, came in to rest and Dar was at the door.  She was carrying some brocade fabric over her arm.  It was beautiful--heavy with silver threads.  Then she opened it up and it was a Caftan!

The dang thing was huge--wide and long.  White, with silver braid and buttons all down the front and sleeves.

"My Daddy had this made for my Mother in 1962.  Custom made in Spain.  It cost a thousand dollars.  I don't know what to do with it."

"It would make beautiful drapes," I said.

"WHAT?!"

"What do you want to do with it?"

"I want to have it altered--an empire waist.  I want to wear it to my nephew's wedding so my Daddy can see it again."

"Don't you think it might be a bit too formal?"

"Probably, but I don't care."

"Don't you think it might upset your Daddy to see your Mother's special dress on you?
"Oh.  I never thought of that.  It might.  Hm-mm."

She pulled the Caftan over her head.  There were two ribbons, inside, at the waist line to tie and snug up the waist a bit.  

She looked kind of like Cleopatra--or an Arab queen--or...I don't know.  I don't know why I didn't grab my camera!  Missed chance, dag nab it!






"Oh my gosh!  It's heavy!" she exclaimed, as she wrestled it off up over her head.  The waist ties got caught under her armpits and I helped free her.
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She left and I was sitting in my recliner with my feet up--my right foot is swollen.  I jumped when neighbor, Tami, started talking to me through the open window behind me.

"I'm going to have to dig up that @#@*& red bud tree and take it back to Home Depot.  The F#@@*&G thing is dying."

"Have you watered it?"

"I watered it when I planted it."

"You planted it when?  Memorial Day?"

"Yeah.  Why?"

"It is a living thing, Tami.  It needs water.  Just like you do."

"We had rain yesterday."

"We had sprinkles.  Put your hose on an easy trickle and flood the area where you planted it."

I got up and walked out.  She bought the tree for "us".  She planted the tree on "our" property line.  "Now you will be able to see it too," she said.

I couldn't see it unless I opened up my bedroom window and climbed out onto my hedges!!

"I gotta go to the F#@@*&G dentist!"

"How long will you be gone?"

"About an hour."

"That's perfect.  Let the hose run on a slow trickle and give it a good watering---way down to its roots."

"Won't that be too much?"

"Nope.  We don't have to pay for water, so drench the tree really good every week."

I told Pearl and she said, "Tami planted a Sweet Pea tree on my lot line last spring.  She never watered it.  I felt sorry for it, so I watered it in June.  Then, I figured it wasn't my responsibility and I stopped.  The thing was dead by August.  Dumber than a box of rocks!"
<and she talks filthy even though Pearl, Dar, Jackie and I have told her we don't like her cussing>

Maybe tomorrow things will be calmer and I can get to the store?




9 comments:

  1. It's so nice of you to help Pearl. You know, my boys will do anything I ask them to do, but I hate asking them because I know they're busy with their own lives. I figure I'll wait to ask when I'm older and can't do stuff anymore. It would be nice if they inquired if we needed help with anything, but my boys aren't inclined to ask.

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    1. My kids would too and so would Pearl's, but...we are too proud to ask and just think they should know--by osmosis or something, LOL

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  2. Oh my Lord....what a funny post. I can hardly stop laughing at your neighbors antics. Are you the only one there with common sense?
    I think that you should be careful with that "cat wound" You might need an antibiotic. Cats scratches and bites are famous for infection. That's enough advise from Dr. Balisha.
    Have a nice day....Balisha

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    1. I really have never met people like these neighbor's--at least I don't get bored. I put Neosporin on the cat scratch(es). :-)

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  3. It's nice you have neighbors to talk to, and help even though they're kind of like whack jobs. I know we think things are funnier than you do at the time these things happen. :)

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  4. You don't need to watch soap operas, your neighborhood is one. LOL

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  5. So funny! Love the caftan - hope Dar wears it. Tami's new tree is depending on you - Its fate is clear in her hands. Poor tree!

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  6. I forgot all about caftans until this post! If it cost 1000.00 back then she might have a priceless vintage items on her hands...who knows! :)

    LOL at Partridge in a Pear Tree!

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  7. I can just see you trying to get Pearl turned over and back on her feet. LOL Your neighbors are a loopy group. You must admit that you don't exactly live in Mr. Rogers' neighborhood.

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