What's up for today...

I'm in the middle of my loooong week of working. Tuesday, I started to feel a bit of a scratchiness at the back of my throat (and a girl at work had said she woke up feeling sick). I felt run-down, too, so I assumed I was getting some sort of cold, took some medicine, and lounged in front of the tv until I couldn't keep my eyes open. I also had to work the next morning and thought getting some sleep might be a better idea than watching more of The Hills...a show I just got sucked into that night. (I'm a reality tv junkie...once I start, I find it hard to stop...no matter what the show is!) All day at work Wednesday, I just felt tired and a bit headachey. Today, I'm just a little stuffy...could it actually just be mild allergies? I had never had them, but last year I would feel a little like I was getting sick, but then just get stuck at the stuffy head stage. It has been said that, even if you have never had them, once you live on Cape Cod for awhile, you acquire them. Quite frankly, I prefer allergies to summer colds...at least my nose didn't get all drippy.

Anyway, today, I came home and went outside to plant my newest additions. I had gotten some new hostas last week. I changed my mind about where I was going to put them, so now I don't know where they will go. I planted one, and then it started to get cold and dark and I thought it was going to rain again. (It didn't.) I also put up my tomato cages. Only the very large one in the right side bed will be for tomatoes. I am hoping to train my watermelons, cantaloupe, and cucumbers to vine up. And then I put in two for the two types of beans I'm growing. I'll stick with the old bamboo and twine trellis for the snow peas, though.

My seedlings are doing better. The only ones that seem to be taking their time are the sweet peppers. They are beginning to emerge, but only one out of the 6 I planted. Like I said, this is the last year I waste my time on them. (Unless they actually produce!) I am eager to get stuff outside, though.

And at work today, I got taken out by one of my bosses. Apparently, it is procedure for one of the 'full-timers' (most every one is part-time at Trader Joe's unless they are a 'boss-type') to talk about what is good, what is bad, and just a 'thanks for working with us, here's some food'. Now, for me, I don't like to take breaks. I work 6-hour shifts and am allowed a paid 15-minute break, by law. I rarely take it, because then I don't want to go back to work...I'm in 'done for the day mode' once I sit down. And then there's the fact that you can't get food at IHOP in 15 minutes and I can't afford to take a long break on a 6-hour shift. BUT... since it was a 'conversation with a boss' it didn't matter. So, not only did I get to have pancakes, eggs, and hash browns for free this morning, I also got to take AN HOUR break...PAID! It was still kind of weird, though. I don't like to eat in front of people, I don't like to try to make conversation with people I don't really hang out with, and I always feel weird about company paid meals. (I have a lot of issues, I know.)

Hubby's getting his back from the repair place this weekend, so I am hoping we start riding and we can get back in shape. Yes, I could be out walking right now, but it's cold!

I am doing better about not just coming home and getting right to the business of sitting down. Today, after my bit of planting, I cleaned the kitchen and while doing so, decided to make Hubby some cupcakes. He's been mentioning them lately, and tonight is 'tv night' for us, so he may want a treat. He always decides he wants it after the bakery has closed, though, so this might be good enough. Just yellow cake with chocolate buttercream. It never tastes as good as the bakery, but I basically had to wing it as I don't usually have baking products on hand. I used up every last grain of sugar for the cupcakes, and then had to eyeball everything for the frosting since I just happened to have some powdered sugar. (note to self: need sugar next time the urge to bake strikes.) I should've known, actually, as I decided this past weekend that I wanted cookies. I made it up as I went along, using a chocolate chip cookie recipe out of the ol' Betty Crocker. They ended up being very delicious cashew oatmeal cookies. Today I bought chocolate chips, but now we know, they will do no good until I get sugar!

Why am I rambling? because I had two breakfasts today and I am trying not to eat all the cupcakes before Hubby comes home!!

Let the craziness begin

Well, after getting an extra day off last week, I found out that my 'second' job has scheduled me for 5 days this week. Plus my 2 days at my first job, I will be working 7 days this week. Which, of course, will move directly into the following week which makes it at least 9 days in a row, but more likely 13 days. Now, I don't really mind, since I am still getting out by noon most days, and I am also scheduled in at 6 a.m. instead of 5 a.m. most days next week...but, it's not something I want to get stuck doing week after week. Sundays are time and a half, but a girl's gotta have some time off, you know?

So, of course, I am back on my 'let's schedule everything so that nothing gets missed' kick. How long will that last? Possibly a week...probably a couple days. I love lists and schedules, but am rubbish at sticking to lists of chores because to me they are just things that can always be put off one more day. I had decided that since I will be working every day, that I would use today to do a major house cleaning. That way, I won't have to come home to an extended day of 'work' by having house chores to do. Instead, I will be able to come home and do what I feel will be enjoyable...gardening, reading, exercising, walking the dog...not cleaning or running errands.

I have already cleaned the bathroom this morning (mostly...Hubby's still sleeping so I had to save the cleaning of the shower and the vacuuming of the dust). Last night I scrubbed the kitchen. It is that time of year when the ants start coming in. I hate it. I don't remember having this problem until the year we came back from our year on Nantucket. But now they always show up. They have their path from the kitchen window area, up to the corner cupboard and then over across the sink. I have just been cleaning the kitchen with a bleach spray and scrubbing the floor when I first notice them, and then put some ant traps out. I hate using bleach, but they gross me out SO MUCH that I am compelled to break out the harsh chemicals. Then all I can smell is bleach, which makes me want to gag, but I don't know what else to do. Anyone know of any sure-fire, natural ways to take care of ants? I'm sure there are tons of suggestions online, but you never really know what actually works.

On the garden front, I have two watermelon seedlings breaking through the soil, but no cantaloupe yet. They germinate at the same rate, so I'm not holding out too much hope for the cantaloupe. I will still sow some directly once it's warmer outside. My tomato seedlings have started sprouting their second set of leaves...yay! I don't even eat tomatoes, but I am always excited when stuff grows. My Genovese basil seems to be growing at a slower rate than the sweet basil. My jalapenos are sprouting, but the bell peppers aren't doing much of anything. The peppers germinate in 10-21 days though, and it's only been 10 or so days, I think. Mostly I started indoors to keep me from being tempted to plant outside, though, so pretty much everything is going to be sown directly in a month or so. And every time I go to the garden store with my friends, I say that I am all set and I don't need anything else. But somehow, I always come home with something else. First it was another variety of pepper and edamame. This time it was another type of radish.

But how could I resist: Easter Egg Radish!!?

Pink and purple radishes! It will be hard not to just stare at a bowl of them!

Hubby seems to be increasingly excited about the privet I put in last week. We have been discussing our next steps on that side of the yard. I don't want it to look silly (or be too obvious that I just put them there to block the neighbors) so I am hoping the tiny, bare 3 foot sticks grow quickly and merge with the giant 8 foot ones I put in. Then the hedge will run about half-way down the length of the fence, meet up with the oak trees growing there, and then merge into what I hope will eventually be a tranquil corner of bamboo.

I guess you can't really tell from this picture, but that is my bamboo plant. I have transplanted it to the back corner of the yard. There I have a bench, what used to be a rock garden but is now over-grown with ivy, and a birdbath and some statuary.

My vision is a corner of bamboo behind the bench, a mossy floor, and maybe some ferns. It would make a quiet little sanctuary, I think.
The problem, of course, is the slow rate at which my bamboo is growing. And the cost of bamboo keeps me from buying any more.

Oh well, enough sitting around...the trash isn't going to take itself to the dump!

my 'extra' day off this week...

I was expecting, at the very least, scattered showers. Knowing my luck, I assumed it would pour all day. Finding out that it has been raining like a ...well, you know...elsewhere off Cape, I feel pretty lucky to be settling down after a long sunny and warm day of gardening. Normally, I would be working today, but as much as I need the money, I am happy to say...I was not at work today.

I went out after Hubby left for work and bought mulch for around my veg beds, I FINALLY found tomato cages for less than $6 each ($1.99 to be exact), and ran the little bit of other household errands I needed to do. I was out in the yard by 10 a.m. and planting up a storm. I am happy with the results, even if there IS still a long list ahead of me.

I found this growing out in my backyard...I thought it might be a blackberry or raspberry, but a friend said it may be a briar or other such annoyance. I think she may be right. I will just keep an eye on it this year.

Some of my flowers I planted last year look like they are coming back to grace our yard with some pretty. Since I am not that bright when it comes to this sort of thing, and I can't really remember most of what I planted...it will be a surprise when stuff starts to bloom. I can't wait!

I found this growing in one of my vegetable beds today! I am pretty sure it is a pumpkin! I had been using my beds as compost beds over the winter, so after our Halloween pumpkins rotted, they got tossed into the beds and it looks like at least one of the seeds decided to stay and come back as a new pumpkin! Hubby is very happy...he's strangely attracted to pumpkins.

And these are the beds before my mulching task today...

And here they are after 5 bags of mulch...I need at least one, probably 2, more bags to finish it up. I decided to let the lilies stay in the back.

rainy sunday

I guess today would be a great day to clean the house.
I have been so disorganized lately that I didn't even realize that I missed Hubby's car payment last month, and so owed two months worth this month. I was so horrified! Forgetting to pay bills is not something I do...EVER! The really terrible part? Two days later I got a credit card statement saying, 'Whoops! You are behind one month payment.' ARE YOU KIDDING ME!? Upon further investigation, I realized that I HAD made the payment...4 days LATE! I immediately paid the remaining portion of the bill in full because I was so mortified! Then, because of all this craziness, I looked into the credit card we just got to transfer our high interest rate to a '0% for 10 months' deal. I have never gotten a bill and it occurred to me, I never got any emails either. I went to their website, logged onto my account, and read, '$0.00 minimum due'. Phew! I must've paid and forgotten. Then I saw that my last payment was March. ??? I signed up for email alerts so I would know when it's due, MADE A PAYMENT (though, it won't arrive until April 20 because it's the weekend), but figured that since it said ZERO due, I was okay for now. This morning I got an email saying '$0.00 minimum due April 14' WHAT!?

I'm so confused. But more so, I am so ANGRY with myself for letting this happen! How could I have forgotten to pay, not one, but THREE huge bills this month!? Worse than that, we've only had the new credit card for a couple months. The ONLY reason we got it was for the 0% introductory APR...with a late payment, they may take that away! So we're right back where we started!! ugh...

In happier news, it's been raining off and on a little since yesterday. Great for my newly transplanted hedges, bamboo, and other little plants I moved around the yard Thursday.

I didn't start any of my seeds indoors last year. I just basically threw seeds in my veg beds and waited to see what would happen. It turned out alright for me. My carrots didn't get much bigger than about an inch because we had a bunny family move into the space under our shed last year, and the babies ate all the greens from the carrots, stunting their growth. My broccoli was devoured by bugs before getting any fruit. And I have never had luck with bell peppers, though I continue to try every year. This year's the LAST TIME, I swear!

But...I have really been wanting spring this year. And after hanging out with a friend and buying plants and gardening stuff, I needed to get my hands dirty. Looking out at my empty beds (well, except for the parsley and chives that came back from last year), makes me sad. So I started some seeds. Tomatoes, jalapenos, bell peppers, watermelon, cantaloupe, and two kinds of basil. Being the un-savvy gardener that I am, I thought the brightest window were the cat couldn't cause any harm would be the one in the shed. I thought maybe the warmth throughout the day would be enough to keep them warm at night. But then the weathermen were saying there was a chance for snow this weekend. I decided to bring them in and hope the cat would be good.

It was then that I realized the basil was beginning to sprout! I have a small terrarium that I could fit 4 of the 7 seed packs I made, so I put the tomatoes, one of the basils, the watermelon and the cantaloupe in. The next day, I saw the tomatoes were sprouting!

I needed something to keep the heat on my other seed packs...down to the basement to search for anything I could make into a 'greenhouse'. I found some old plastic zippered pouches from some curtains I bought years ago (yes, I tend to keep strange things thinking that some day I may have a use for them!). I was able to put the remaining 3 seed packs into the pouch and zip it up, safe from kitty! The other basil was starting to sprout, but none of the other plants were doing much. I even realized this morning, that the melon seeds had opened...but only the outer shell remained. So, I took out my seeds and replanted the melons and peppers this morning. In about 10 days, I should see some more action. Otherwise, I'll just wait til it's warm and throw them in the ground, as usual.

In unrelated news, I decided to bring my empty growlers to work with me, in case I felt like beer Saturday night. It was cold and rainy, but I was really looking forward to homemade pizza and a baseball game, and decided I needed beer to go with it. Did I mention how much I love going straight to the brewery to have my beer taken right out of the tanks?! It just makes me happy!

privet

Yesterday after work, I went out to see a friend (my aunt who is just 4 years older, and so has been my best friend since birth). Her hubby was not due to go to work til later in the day, so she waited and made a big breakfast for us all to have for lunch. Then, we moved outside to have coffee and enjoy the beautiful weather. Generally, when I plan to visit her, it rains. Even when no rain is in the forecast, somehow, I bring it on. We had a laugh about the lack of rain and abundance of sunshine.

She had been telling me of a wholesale plant sale that runs March-June (?) and of the 8 foot privet hedges they currently had. EIGHT FEET! That would instantly block my neighbors! I just got my 5 bare root, 3 foot privet hedges...but these would be so much better. For $30 each, I was on the fence (har har) but Hubby said it would be a good idea, so I went for it. So, how to get them home?? Miraculously, 3 plants fit into my little Chevy! There's no way I could've gotten any more in there, but 3 fit and I was glad for that.

Here they are once I got them home and out of my car. What a workout!

I don't know if you can really tell from this picture, but all three are up and already I can't wait for them to fill in. They are really going to do the trick. Already, a couple times, I didn't realize someone was standing on their deck!

And Moxie was just being cute, wondering if she would get a bit of my sushi...she didn't.

Sunday: 9a.m.

Saturdays have become a sort of 'errand' day for us. It is the only time Hubby and I have together to get things done...since the world shuts down on Sundays. We're still trying to figure our best route for the fence. I hate looking at our neighbors, so I'd rather put money into a really tall hedge than to just fix the fence I already don't see the purpose of. This is how it looks from our patio (which Hubby put in himself...the yard was just a big dirt field when we moved in.) The upper right hand corner is just about where the neighbor's deck is. You can kind of see the slope of the yard and if the neighbors are on their deck, which is a normal raised deck, their eye level is just over the top of the fence. This is a slightly better view of how the back corner of the lot slopes down. It's a good couple of feet below the level of the house. Here's the patch job they (mostly Hubby) did on the broken section of fence.

We looked into having a new fence put in, but we wanted to raise the level of the 'ditch' so that the fence would actually give us a 6 foot privacy fence, instead of the 4 feet it gives us now. The only place we went to that was open yesterday, does not do any landscaping aspects, so wouldn't be able to grade the yard. I have some friends who landscape so I am hoping to catch them before they are too busy, and see if they'd be able to do it. Then we can maybe salvage the panels that are not broken (or rotted) and put up the 'new' fence ourselves.

The other possibility, since we are putting money back into this, is to ask my friends the price tag of a fully grown (or nearly fully grown) hedge. Then I don't really care if the fence eventually falls into the neighbors yard. In the meantime, I've already bought bare root hedges that I'm just going to plant elsewhere and then transplant them later, when I know where they are going.

In other yard news, My bleeding hearts are growing about 4 inches a day, it seems! I saved this one from our front yard the year after we moved in. There was a white one and a pink one, but the white one was too far gone. The brilliant man who lived here before planted them in full sun, but they are shade plants. It grows to a height about mid-way up our outdoor shower wall...that's about 4 feet I think.
My parsley kept on growing through the winter. It wasn't particularly pretty, but now that the weather is warming, it's doing quite nicely. This is actually from just a couple days ago!
And, my hair cut. After leaving the salon, I went to the bank. The first thing the teller said was, 'I like your haircut! It's sharp!' I think she maybe meant it makes me look like a serious person...not the bum that I looked like in my raincoat and muddy shoes?

At work the next day, most people said it was nice, though I definitely felt some were just being polite. One girl, who couldn't believe I was cutting it, and even said, 'I love your hair longer' saw me and said, 'WHY DID YOU CUT YOUR HAIR???'
It is a bit drastic at first...even when I keep it short, I feel a little regret the first couple of days. But I think it's because I used to keep my hair long. Last time it was long and I got it all cut off, I had 17 inches to donate to Locks of Love. But I really do like it short. It gives me an odd feeling of confidence. Maybe because I don't have my hair to 'hide' me, I have to be more assertive on my own?? Whatever...I'll look into my issues in private.
And this coming week I have to seriously think about what to do with my etsy shop. I have it in vacation mode right now, but I am not sure if it's worth reopening. I haven't made anything new, or even gone into my studio in several months. My schedule now certainly leaves me with plenty of time to create; but, I never feel creative any more. Maybe I need to just get in there and 'play'...no expectations or projects...just play time. Hopefully by week's end, I'll know where I stand.

Until next time...

Random things for an extra day off

First of all, the 'a' on my keyboard is sticky...it's really starting to get to me!

Today, I'm getting my hair cut. I kept it a bit longer last time. Partly to try something new, partly because I thought I might want to grow my hair out again. I always liked having long hair, but I can't figure out why that was. It was either just down and long (I never had it 'styled'...it was just long and wavey), or there was the ponytail (which, now that I think of it, probably wasn't that attractive, since I didn't have bangs), or the nun-bun (which was a staple since I always worked in the food biz). When I was much younger (20 or so) I worked in retail and could wear my hair fun, but I rarely did. It was just too much trouble, for me, I guess. My fall-back was a bob, but my hair is so thick, it looked sort of like a helmet. And that is how I feel now...we're at the helmet stage. All day I just keep trying to push the long bangs behind my ears, but they are too short to reach. Then there are the high humidity days, which will be more often than not soon, when my hair just goes crazy with poof and frizz...not at all attractive.

Then I look at pictures of my 'Natalie' cut, as I call it...and I really like it. It is the style I choose most often. So I guess we'll just go with it. Maybe I should bleach it for something different?

I like this one:

Hubby prefers this one:I think it's just b/c the first is blonde and he can't see past the color...since the second shot is just a slightly longer version of the first.

In other (boring) news, I got my 'replacement' shoes. I had to get the black ones. I wanted the black in the first place, but thought I'd be different for once since I think 95% of my shoes are black...anyway, I got an 8.5 instead of the 9 that I sent back. The 9 was really too big...my heels slipped out as I walked. The 8.5...my big toe on my right foot is rather close to the tip. How can a half size make so much difference? Do I seriously need an 8.75 size shoe??? I'm keeping them. I bought them as an 'everyday' shoe that would be comfortable for all the walking we'll do in Vegas. That gives me more than 5 months to break them in...I think I'll be okay.

I had lunch with an old friend yesterday after work. We sat an chatted about nothing in particular, like old times. We split sandwiches and a cookie (though, I ate all of my portion even if it was so sweet that my teeth hurt just thinking about it...I'm a sugar junky). Then we went to a garden shop. I wasn't interested in buying any more stuff. I need some tomato cages and then I'm ready to go. But somehow, I managed to find more seeds. Not that I have any more room in my beds once my original crops are planted and growing, but what the heck, right. They had edamame seeds. I suppose, in hind-sight, I could've just waited and traded with my sister, since I think she is going to plant some? Oh well... I also found some pepperoncini seeds. Hubby LOVES these things. He is very specific about the brand he'll eat, though. I almost didn't get them, but the package said there was a pickling recipe inside. Then, on the way to the car, my friend pointed out that if I just saved the pickling juices from an empty jar of the ones he loves...all I have to do is throw my home-grown peppers in!

It's strange being excited for Spring...I'm usually indifferent because Spring leads to Summer and I am not a big fan of Summer. The crowds, the heat...no thanks. (though I do enjoy drinks out on the patio!) This year, though, I am chomping at the bit to get stuff going. I'm sure it is due to the fact that I don't hate my jobs so much that I want to punch everyone.

So today is an extra day off for me. Someone at work wanted to pick up a shift because she didn't get as many hours this week, so I decided I could afford to take an extra day for myself before summer is in full swing. I wanted to do yard work or something, but also wanted to laze about...well, the weather is helping me make my decision by being windy and cloudy and rainy. Looks like all I can do is stay in and watch a movie or read. After I take the recyclables to the dump of course. It's amazing how bottles pile up...and how heavy glass is, even when it's empty!

Sunday: afternoon

So, I got the fence up. We'll see how long it stays up. I need to get some metal supports, I think, for the corners, at least.
This was the first side up.

Then the second.

and the last of the 3 sides.

I straightened out the front side when I realized how crooked it was. I wanted to put a gate in, but I wasn't up for that today. Instead, for now the left corner just has a little extra fence hooked in to close. I can't until my beds are full of green goodness!

I think I will also try to just grow my potatoes outside the boxes, since I had already planned out every inch of my beds.

Now, cold hard cider and the Boston Red Sox v. the New York Yankees!

Sunday: morning

Although I just posted a blog last night, I am doing it again. Today will be pretty full if we do all the things we are hoping to do. Already, I don't have high hopes of getting out to the coffee shop before they close at noon, but I have been making a habit of having several cups before leaving the house, then deciding not to get coffee for our walk. It is the only day I get to see our friends, though, so it's a nice social part of my week.

Anyway...yard work, yard work, yard work. Hubby was kind enough to take the leaves to the dump himself while I was at work yesterday. We had planned on going to the big home improvement store for the fencing I had passed on last year, but needed to get rid of the leaves so we could finish bagging what's still all over the yard. So he actually did it while I was at work...it's not an easy job, emptying those contractor bags full of leaves because I really pack 'em in there!! Next trip I want to go with him, though, so I can fill up a bucket of their dirt. Unfortunately, my car is not made for such errands, and I don't drive Hubby's car (standard...yuck!). Plus, I like him to help once in awhile! Anyway, the first time we dumped our leaves, we saw that our dump has a big pile of dirt for the taking. They even have a shovel there in case you don't have one with you. I am hoping to start my composting bins this year, but they will not be ready to use right away, and this extra dirt will help.

Anyway, this is the cute kit I picked up yesterday... I know, I know...I could have just picked up a cute basket for harvesting my veggies, but I couldn't resist. I also priced out the individual components (onions, garlic, potatoes, strawberries) and it would've been more expensive. It's really just an experiment this year...as I said, these root things confuse me! I think I will have to be very observant about when I plant so I can guess by the number of days when the stuff's ready?

I am also a lover of online shopping. But I have ridiculous feet. I don't think I have two pairs of shoes in the same size. When I go shoe shopping in actual stores, I am embarrassed to say, 'could you bring these out in an 8, 8.5, and a 9...maybe a 9.5, too?' Yes, I really do have shoes in that entire range! My feet are wide, too. So I found a cute pair of shoes online...on the Land's End Overstocks page.

On sale for $12! And, since I had birthday money from the in-laws, I thought I'd actually use it to buy myself something! I got a pair in 9 Wide, after about an hour of 'maybe an 8.5 wide would be okay?' I got them Friday...they are too big. Now my dilemma...take them back to Sears and hope I can get the size I need for the price I paid online? Or just order the new ones online, and return the too big ones for credit, assuming the next size down will be okay? I want them for my Vegas trip because I think they will be a good 'wear everywhere, with everything' kind of comfy shoe. And they are comfy, except a bit too big.

Well, off to refill my coffee cup, grab my wallet, and probably do the shoe thing online...talking it out has enlightened me.

life, in general

Tomorrow is the day off, again. It is amazing how much different my life has become just in the past couple of months. I mean, not drastic changes like moving or welcoming in new family members, but different. My new job and schedule have put me back into a 'good place'. My mood has been a happy one more often than not...which is the opposite of the direction my life was headed before quitting my coffee shop job. It's such a great feeling to be happy.
When we lived on Nantucket, I loved my job, but hated our place. I hated thinking about owning a house, but having to rent a crappy apartment subsidised by Hubby's job. It made me even more sick to think that if we weren't getting 'a break' on the rent, it would've been close to our mortgage payment back home! So I always said, 'if i could have the Nantucket job on the Cape with our house, I think I would be happy.' Seems I was pretty much right. My vet job is not exactly my 'Nantucket job', but it is the same idea...and I still love it. The best part is that I can do it part-time while working another part time job. I am notorious for working a job for a year or so and then just needing to leave for no other reason than I just don't want to be at that job anymore. With 2 part time jobs, I'm never at one long enough to truly hate it. Even working 6 days a week is working out. I think having 2 days off was too much...I got lazy and then hated going back to work even more!
Who cares, I know...I am just finishing up my 6 day of work, looking forward to my day off with Hubby and looking back on the week. I've been trying really hard to not just come home at noon to sit and watch tv. This week I had to take Dad to a doctor's appointment one day, so I didn't have the opportunity to laze about. Wednesday and Friday, I made sure to work out for an hour, even though I really didn't want to or feel I had the energy to. Of course, I felt great afterwards, so I was glad that I did it. Today we went to Lowe's to pick up some fencing for my vegetable beds. I am hoping to get that in the ground tomorrow (and get pics). I also picked up some Basil seeds (two kinds) since I realized I hadn't gotten any. I think I may start some indoor seeds tomorrow, too. While we were there, we saw these cute garden kits. I am a SUCKER for packaging and this was the cutest thing ever. I haven't tried, and wasn't really planning on trying, to grow potatoes, onions, or garlic or any root type plants. I am a lazy, uneducated gardener who needs to SEE when stuff is ready...a snow pea, a bean, a tomato...actual fruit you just pick when it's ready. This stuff that grows underground is too confusing for me. But...the packaging! It was a little 'apple basket' (the kind of tote they used to sell apples in at farm stands) with potato 'seeds', garlic, onion, and some strawberry plants. Well, okay, I'll give it a shot. So tomorrow, I will also be finding a plot for my new plants.
I am using this up-coming week to start my compost bins and 'make' my rain barrel (trash bin with a hole cut in the lid with screen over the hole to sift our debris).
I am also taking an extra day off this week for myself. Yes, I know, I just said maybe 2 days off was too much for me, but once in awhile it might be nice (someone else wanted to pick up some hours, and I've been getting some extra here and there so I gave her my Friday shift). Plus it will be a 'me' day. I am getting my hair cut, I will probably watch a stupid movie if the weather's bad or play in the yard if it's nice. At least next week, if the weather is nice, I can enjoy my yard because the neighbors will be back in school!
So I will post tomorrow with any interesting (or maybe not so interesting) pictures.
There's no real point to this post except that I am hoping to get some yard stuff done tomorrow, and if I don't say so, I may tried to back out of it!!