A Gift Idea

As of this morning, I am asking Santa for a pair of strap-on ice skates! It now seems that it will be the perfect gift for me this year.

I had to go to the store very early this morning. The main roads were pretty decent despite yesterday's snow, snain, sleet and subsequent rain. But beware of sidewalks and parking lots. Most are water covered ice.

I am very fortunate that I did not fall on my rump. I slid gracefully down our front walk and out our gate to the public sidewalk beyond this morning and marveled at my good fortune. Good luck to all in the mucky midwest!

Exciting Garden News

Exciting for me, that is. You ask "what could be so exciting in December in a garden"? I'll tell you...the children's garden design/plan I was working on for the past month got the green light!!! This a plan for a 'permanent' children's garden at the Tippecanoe County/Purdue Extension office. It will be right in there with the All-American Seed Selections garden, the community garden plots and more. Free for the public to come, relax, enjoy, learn and take away ideas for themselves.

So now even more work begins (after Christmas). Final design, sketches, supply and wish lists, begging for help in the spring...I better start making a list to keep all the lists straight.

Happy Holidays!

Draining

Last week my spouse took time off from his job to help me repair a broken kitchen drain line. That's true love baby!

I had been dreading this particular job more than a root canal. We had to spend a lot of time in a dark and dusty crawlspace and then still more time on the "surface" reconnecting the drain pipes under the cabinet. It was grueling. All totaled one or both of us had to make no less than five trips to the hardware store. *sigh*

The first trip we bought what we thought we would need to replace the broken line. The second trip we bought a reciprocating saw to rip out the last old stubborn pipe in under five minutes--it always pays to have the right tool for any job! The third trip was for more PVC cement since ours was glued shut and not even a serious wrench was getting that baby open. The fourth trip was for the correct PVC cement that would dry in two hours and not two to four days--oops. The fifth trip was to get the last connector needed to fix the drain under the sink, so we could finally have free running water in the kitchen.

It's a dirty job well done. And the amazing part is that no one was neglected and permanently injured in the process. Wow.

Freaky News

http://dsc.discovery.com/news/2008/11/11/hair-claw-protein.html

Did anyone see this odd Discovery news bit about human hair related to lizards and dinosaurs? Bizarro. Check it out.

Halloween Costumes

I know it has been almost two weeks since Halloween, but I'm just now getting around to blogging about it. I was focused on the election and trying to get some fall gardening clean up tasks done while the great weather lasted. I'm never done, but I felt as though I accomplished a lot with the time I had.

So anyway... the family had a great time over Halloween with carving jack o'lanterns, 161 trick or treaters coming to our door, and the girls going door to door begging for more treats with me. Even my husband had a good time being at home. I think his favorite time was asking hapless kids if they wanted candy or straw. It threw everyone off balance and a few kids took him up on the straw!

Silliness abounded in our neighborhood. One of my neighbor's is particularly good at creating new witch costumes for herself every year and this year I was in awe of her coke bottle lens glasses and pointy wart nose. It was hard to tell who had more fun, the grown ups or the children. I love that about our neighborhood!

A First

This is the first time I voted in a presidential election and picked a winner!

That being said, I am ecstatic that the political commercials are over for another year!!!

It's a beautiful day.

Halloween

Okay. Halloween is this Friday and as usual someone in my family is still trying out figure out what costume to wear. So I tossed out an idea. Personally it cracks me up and now I'm thinking that it would be awesome as a party event.

Come as your favorite painting. Huh, you say.

Just think about the famous paintings out there you could use as material. Edvard Munch's "Scream", Andy Warhol's "Marilyn Monroe" collage, I could go on and on.

Perhaps my husband has a point that it would be more funny for a bunch of art and art history geeks.

Vacation Revisited

I have returned! My vacation was all the things people hope for in a vacation--relaxing, entertaining, filled with beautiful scenery, lots of good food and lots of shopping. That is what people want isn't it?

I went to the Holland Museum to see their Dutch collection. Very interesting and diverse. Lots of pretty little shops are downtown in Holland, Michigan. I went into quite a few of those.

I went to Grand Rapids, Michigan and I totally and completely enjoyed visiting the Frederick Meijer Gardens! I just got back and I want to go see it again! The size and scope of the gardens is breathtaking! I highly recommend it. I was told by a well-meaning employee there,that the gardens took about an hour and a half to tour. After the first three hours there, I wondered who could possibly only take that long? It took my childlike curiosity about two hours to explore just the five acre children's garden, which was so awesome I wished I was eight all over again. It must be something to see in every season--they are open all but three or four holidays per year. Wow.

I stayed in Traverse City for a couple days enjoying a view every evening and morning of Lake Michigan from my hotel window. It was a great place to sit in a cozy chair, drink coffee and read. During the day, I visited local shops (like Cherry Republic's Embassy where they believe in free samples of the goods they sell!), wineries (like Peninsula Cellars whose shop is located in an old school house and they create wines called Old School Red and Detention) and local points of interest (like The Commons, a creative re-development of an old state hospital turned office/shopping haven--no oogy vibes, that I noticed).

The weather in Michigan last week was changeable. The leaf color made up for the rain and a dip in temperature. I had to go buy a new coat and an additional sweater to compensate--since I had forgotten to get my winter coat into my car before I left home. Oops.

In the end, each place is in my mind as a place to revisit.

Busy, busy

I've been busy, busy this month. Apparently, I forgot to mention that this is also one of my favorite things about fall. So many choices, so much to do and where to start?

Along those lines...a couple of brief updates...

A couple weekends ago, I finished the rough work on our new patio space. Soil was excavated and moved to raise beds around the perimeter. It is looking pretty interesting--if you are a dirt loving, happy digging gardener like myself. Recently, as a treat to myself, I stopped by my favorite local rock/mulch supplier and drooled on the possibilities of things I could creatively use in my newly dug space. Aah, the possibilities...did you know that rocks are expensive and are sold by the pound and ton? Astounding! What a racket!

I've been very busy ferrying children to and from various lessons--like most parents I know. This has been giving me more time to read frivolous fiction in copious amounts in an effort to save gas and entertain myself. My pragmatic side tells me all the while that I should be reading something more informative or philosophical to expand my internal horizons. I tell it to shut up and be quiet.

I took some time to make a decent resume for an interesting job I spied. Unfortunately, I was too slow out the gate and the position was filled. Only a slight bummer. At least I have a resume and I now remember how to write one. Twelve years between writings is more than a bit rusty.

I also have been taking care of the usual busy business of domestic life, fall cleanups, wearily pondering election choices and preparing for an escape.

Right now, that escape would be from a man who just called me asking for an A. McC. Amazingly, despite my insistence that no such person has been at this number for more than ten years, this man was positively insistent that he spoke to someone at this number (about a week ago) and left this mysterious A. McC. a message. Wow. Isn't the stubbornness of humanity to persist in the face of error something to behold?

Of course, this kind of thing is typical here. Unsuspecting, careless dialers frequently fall into the trap. I should clarify that our number varies by only one digit in either direction from two separate businesses--one a doctor's office and the other a gun shop. Imagine the fun we could have if we weren't tethered by a pesky personnel code of ethics? Boggles the mind.

My Favorite Season

Fall is here! I love the parade of blue skies contrasted against the vibrant colors of the changing leaves, and the crunch of the leaves underfoot. I love the cooler days and nights when I can snuggle into my favorite sweater and feel cozy.

Blustery days are great with the sounds of the leaves rustling more and scritching across streets and sidewalks. The smell of burning leaves and wood bring on childhood memories aglow with screaming laughter and quiet fun.

I love the anticipation of the first frost, Halloween and ghost stories ripe in the darkening evenings, the first snowfall and hot drinks next to a pretty fire. Thanksgiving is nearer with all the wonderful comfort foods of childhood and more.

Welcome autumn! Welcome.

More valuable than gold?

I would never have thought I would be debating the perceived monetary value of gold, oxygen and computer ink jet ink. But I did just that last evening for five minutes with my curious spouse.

Our conclusions...

1.) Oxygen was voted to be more expensive per ounce (when purchased) than gold and ink jet ink.

2.) Ink jet ink was decidedly more expensive than gold per ounce.

Very odd.

Maintenance Plan

It's official. I have a bunion. That's like what "old ladies" get. I AM NOT AN OLD LADY! I am told it's not the worst they've seen--nor the best. Now that I know what is involved, I can understand why so many wait until they are elderly to get it fixed.

Apparently, my limited options are: 1.) Suffer with the pain 2:)Pain management (medicate, support, ignore, repeat) or 3:) Surgery.

Joy. Can you feel the joy? It gets more joyous.

It's been explained to me that surgery involves major cutting and repositioning of two toe bones, adjusting ligaments and tendons to length and permanent wires in my foot. (Goodbye metal detectors at security!) I understand I would not be walking except to visit the loo and grab more nourishment for a week. At week 2, I would be starting physical therapy and walking up to 15 minutes and standing less than an hour a day. At three weeks double that activity. At 4 weeks I would be walking a mile. Did I mention crutches? Crutches (singular and plural) were mentioned for up to six weeks.

I can't believe all this also means 4 weeks not being allowed to drive a car. Hokey smokes! Imagine that--one month!

I think this process would/will kill me. Yes, I'm whining. Wouldn't you? Okay maybe not. I always knew I made a horrible invalid. I, who define my life as constantly on the go would be forced to be waited on nearly hand and foot for almost a month. It's INCONCEIVABLE!

On the non-sarcastic side of joyous...I have been told that I would not be able to do laundry, cook family meals, clean house or generally maintenance anything that requires a lot of standing, bending and awkward reaching by myself for a few weeks. (I have been told that I could tell others what to do to accomplish said tasks.) LOL. I see management in my future. (Wait. I already do that. Maybe with the invalid card I would see better results. Pause. Again, I laugh.)

This could be problematic and a basic retraining of all involved. I'm not against the surgery. Actually, I think it would be nice not to have the painful reminders of a deviant foot joint, and to be able to find shoes that fit without having to climb over a mountain of them before finding the jewel. But anyone who knows me, my family and my house can probably figure out how much planning this will take to pull off.

Thank g-d it is an "elective" surgery. Based on pain and how much I can stand to put it off...it's nice that I can choose when to have my foot repaired.

That sounds a bit like taking a car in for a rotate and balance of the tires. "Okay, Ma'am this time we're changing the oil, changing the air filter and checking the fluids. Would you like the free car wash and air freshener with that ?"

Maybe it's not all that different as we start to get older. Older models do require regular maintenance checks.

Wow!

I am thrilled to be a part of a master gardener committee that helps to feed the hungry in our local area! I was especially proud of this group of people after receiving an update on the volume of our donation contributions thus far for the year. Read the tally and see what you think.

From June 20th to September 4th, you have helped to harvest and I have delivered:

Broccoli 76 pounds

Cauliflower 38 pounds

Cabbage 121 pounds

Kohlrabi 78 pounds

Banana peppers 9 pounds (plus more that were included in "Peppers")

Peppers 87 pounds

Eggplant 58 pounds

Tomatoes 647 pounds

Grape tomatoes 88 pounds

hot peppers 7 pounds (plus more included under Peppers)

Cucumbers 6 pounds

Green Beans 40 pounds

Golden Zucchini 156 pounds

Patty Pan Squash 36 pounds

Total 1,450 + pounds!!!!!!!

It's incredible, but there is still more to harvest this month. I'd say it has been a very good year!

Good Things!

The weekend brought me a lot of good things!

I enjoyed time at a farmer's market (where I came away with several delectable goodies), an antique shop, and a coffee shop (yum). I loved my time out at an old movie theater seeing an 80's classic film with my girls and husband! I indulged my taste buds with a cone of "peanut butter cookie dough" frozen custard.

I have a muddy yard full of new grass seed and fertilizer, trying to germinate and grow. (Grow grass, grow!)

My husband and I are the proud new owners of 16 new jars of homemade pickles made with our four hands. I am happily, short one bottle of wine (Sadly, the last of last fall's vacation bounty.) and some Gueyre cheese. I have new memories of laughter sharing new tales of adventure and old daring childhood adventures. (It's a wonder others and I lived!)

I realized (yet, again) that despite life's challenges, I am truly blessed.

Labor Day a Holiday?

Have you ever noticed that for many Labor Day means laboring? I have. I'm one of those odd balls that just doesn't get the idea of a day off for everyone. (smirk.) Okay, well maybe you don't have to go into work, but does that really mean that you aren't supposed to work at home as well?

I have a capacity to see three days as a prime time to do those distasteful jobs that are always more fun for two. To heck with spending big bucks on a hotel to travel to your fun, why not just playfully torture your spouse or significant other while you put in a new lawn, fix broken plumbing connections or can pickles? Don't the experts say that couples that play together, stay together?

I guess 'labor' and 'fun' depend on your definition. I'm having fun earning my blisters this weekend! Anybody got some ointment?

What pain?

I am pleased to announce that my odious foundation project was completed last Friday!!! No thanks to the bureaucratic machine that hinders more than helps. In real time, the crew only took 6 1/2 work days to to the job. I was very pleased with the end result. If a basement and crawlspace wall can be beautiful, then these newly redone sections are gorgeous!

I am eager to tie up the remaining loose ends surrounding the project--adjusting a couple plumbing issues that came to light with all the new light and crawlspace access, sculpting new planting beds, planting grass and getting the a/c back in business so I can remove the window a/c units. I figure that is more of the trade off of "you have to take the good with the bad" scenario.

I am currently operating under the impression that having contract work done on a house is a lot like having a baby. It is a BIG PAIN in the rump, but when you see the shiny new results, somehow you just don't care as much about the pain and the memories of the pain will diminish somewhat. Yes, I could be lying to myself, but frankly, I don't care at this point.

Thoughts from others about my previous entry

One person thought it was so nuts that she called a local radio station after reading my blog...

The station aired the story (during the evening rush hour). The DJ made a comment saying that the new rule was due to a fear of being sued for injuries.


One other reader wrote the following...

I just read your blog... Are you serious??? The kids REALLY can't run on the blacktop??? That is the single most asinine thing I have ever heard in my life...

I am SO glad that C. no longer goes there to school. As much as that boy runs around, it would just be a matter of days before he got suspended and I started with the school corporation, the newspapers & TV coverage... All hell would break loose, no way would I lay down & let that one happen, trust me...!!!

Then they have the gall to wonder why all the kids are overweight and sluggish... I am completely stunned and outraged, and we are not even there anymore...

Holy smokes...

Also, I have had a few people comment that it is sad with the ever increasing obesity of children. And one person stated, "At least they get recess." Further remarking that they are aware of at least one elementary school that no longer offers recess.

Is that even legal? It's inconceivable to me! Where are these moronic rule makers?

What is this world coming to?

Last week my youngest child came home from elementary school and told me they have a new rule.

The rule: No running on the blacktop portion of the playground.
*Note: Basketball hoops are on both ends of the blacktop.

"Surely, you must be mistaken," I say. "I'll be sure to go ask the principal about this."

This morning, I got a moment to speak with the principal...

"I heard that there is a new rule about 'no running on the blacktop playground? Is this true?"

"Yes."

"Is this a new corporation policy?"

"No. Each school may decide on this."

"So, why the rule?"

"Someone might get hurt."

Disbelieving my ears, aghast that someone might think that children running on a playground is so dangerous that it should be prohibited, I could not help what came out of my mouth.

"That is a ridiculous rule! You might as well start wrapping the kids in bubble wrap!"

The principal gasped. Then replied, "Now, wait a minute. We have a nice grassy area for the kids to run on."

"Yes. That should be very nice for the kids that like to play soccer, but what about kids that want to play basketball? It's just ridiculous to think that will work for them."

"I'll be sure to look into or this."

*Yeah, right. I sarcastically, said in my head.*

I tell you truly, the mind boggles at the lengths that some people will go to keep people safe. Think about it. Where will it end?

Dance of Joy!!

The kids have returned to school this week. Hooray! I usually do the parental dance of joy and then take myself out to my favorite book store and coffee shop. This year, I did all that in my verdant imagination.

Meanwhile in reality, I was preoccupied with hatching a permit for some foundation repair-type construction for my 'money pit'. To pass the time waiting for the bureaucratic wheels to approve said permit, I ironed clothes and did laundry while listening to classical music on a local NPR station. I had entered the trying waiting period after giving up a $10 check with an application and nearly five hours of phone calls trying to get a verbal approval from a separate group of officials for my project.

Happily, not only did I get the permit (after giving up another more sizable check) but I saw my new construction crew begin to dig (with actual shovels) an enormous hole next to our house and then leave. It was quite enjoyable!

I actually believe that the nice Hispanic guys who did most of the digging had a good time picking on each other in Spanish (which I do not understand). I gather this partly because of the laughter that echoed in through the window, and partly from my over hearing, "I'm not the gringo." Which was promptly followed by more laughter.

New Day

Sorry about the rant yesterday. Typically, I hate to read rants. Subsequently, I am utterly embarrassed that I even wrote one.

I have completely recovered my equilibrium after going out last night with my sister, drinking wine, eating far too much Greek food (made by an actual Greek immigrant family--not some weird chain) and following it all up with a giant piece of chocolate cake. (Because no matter how good baklava is, sometimes there is just no substitute for chocolate.) Isn't it amazing what comfort food can do for your psyche?

Now, nothing is wrong except the sugar and sleep hangover remains that I know coffee will pleasantly disguise until bedtime.

The Bureaucracy: Round Two

Here we go again... My life knows no bounds of delight at having to wrangle yet again with the bureaucratic machine. This time not in the form of schools, but in the form of building permits.

You know, it really is absurd that an office makes an honest fellow pay money to them so they can decide from a ridiculous distance what is a "safe" building project. The even more absurd part is that said office levies a fee based on how much said work is going to cost the victim. (Oops! I meant to say the owner/builder of the property.)

Mind, it is just my personal feeling here that the charge follows the logic of "Hey they must have some money to begin a project like that in the first place, so therefore they must have more we could have, right?" It couldn't actually be to save the building from caving in and avoiding the demolition permit. Ha ha.

Oh, What a Web!

In the "God is still good to me, and there is still beauty around me department"....

Yesterday morning was a treat!! I went for a walk in the morning fog. I saw lots spiderwebs covered in dew in peoples' yards, four rabbits and of all things a groundhog!

Then I got home...on my way inside, I narrowly missed running into the largest spider web in the backyard. The thing was enormous!!! It stretched at least 20 feet at its top two anchor points, and the center had a diameter of about two feet. NO kidding! I dragged my husband out to see it and he freaked out. After all, what kind of crazy spider attaches a web from the downspout to a rose of sharon shrub (althea for you garden savvy folks) twenty feet away?!

I felt compelled to take pictures of it. I got a couple really good pictures of it and several other webs that adorned many features in my garden. I must admit it was very cool to see how different they all were and the creative locations chosen by my nocturnal arachnid friends. They were beautiful to see them all covered in dew droplets, much like lights or pearls.

After I was done with my pictures, I disturbed my girls. While they grumbled, I dragged them outside in their pjs and flipflops. The magic of what they saw stopped the grumbles, and they enjoyed it too.

Bureaucracy

Bureaucracies...have you ever noticed how they are not unlike a giant hydra? Heads everywhere all at once and not one independent of the other. All able to knock you down and drag you deeper into the muck that they protect, serve and propagate. Ugh.

Whatever happened to the paper reduction acts? Were they all replaced with the CYOA (cover your own a--) act? Are bureaucracies a conspiracy to steal precious minutes of lives everywhere to give credence to the idea we are all just a number and identical in nature?

These are the questions that I have after spending the morning signing my life away in the public school system so my children may attend them. Personally, I am doubting that anyone will be able to transcend the bureaucratic wheels long enough to teach them anything beyond "conformity."

Remodeling: Only 10 years in the making...no sweat!

Feel those construction vibes? I do. My house is always a source of some kind of construction activity. This week we anticipate a foundation redo to begin--one third ripped out and built new again. I'm leaving this job to a pro, whom I still expect to hear from and see before Friday. (This a job I definitely want to see over and done with swiftly--tonight would not be too soon. Anybody have a genie in a bottle?)

My job (with the help of my able-bodied mother--another toolbelt diva) is to redo a bedroom. First thing is to close up a hole in the wall from an old door that was removed, put down a new layer of subfloor, build a closet, and repair the walls. Plus, there are at least a dozen more odd jobs that I have barely thought of.

Today, we made great progress by getting about 70% of the hole in the wall complete, and began laying out the subfloor. This is no small matter since we had to carry 1/2" drywall up a flight of narrow curving stairs followed by 5 more trips carrying up the 3/8" plywood for the new floor. The final lifts were over my head, and I am happy to report my mother still has here chin intact. Are we great or what?

It seems that the whole family has jobs to do this week--even the girls. They are spending 6 hours a day at a stable, learning to ride and take care of horses. Today, both girls got to muck out stalls--no small feat on a hot steamy July day. Tomorrow, the weathermen say the heat index is going to reach 100 degrees. I think I feel sorry for my jeans wearing horse riding girls.

Best of luck to all of us being able to function with little or no soreness tomorrow!

Road Trip!

I had an adventure going to the fair city of Chicago, a little over a week ago. I was all excited about going on this trip with my fellow master gardeners, boy, it was the trip! I was gone from 5:30 am until 11:00pm. I don't know if it was serendipity, divine intervention or just plain dumb luck, but the bus I chose was "the" bus to be on as it did not break down half way to our destination. I made a new friend, who made a comfortable companion. We have many little quirks in common much to our mutual enjoyment.

The weather was hot, humid and sunny with light fluffy clouds--not too bad for a July day. We had haze in the morning and late evening to add a mysterious natural atmosphere to the bus trips. And we ended our trip with a spectacular full harvest moon rising over the open fields of green. What a wonderful day to take photographs!

Despite a lot of unexpected waiting time and subsequent delays, most (if not all) of the 100+ gardeners had a wonderful time learning more about the America in Bloom program while touring the Ball Horticulture Company gardens in West Chicago and the new Millennium Park in downtown Chicago.

I loved visiting both places for different reasons. At Ball it was like being able to browse a large candy store with no limit on how many ideas you could take home with you. So many varieties of the came plants and so many colors! The Ball gardens are large and well organized with lots of labels for the plant-name challenged. The staff at Ball also seemed to be very knowledgeable about the plants there. And as they served us lunch while there, I can honestly say their hospitality was exemplary. Thank you very much Ball!

At Millennium Park it was easy to see the possibilities of large public gardens, provided you can get the monetary support. I would love to go back and explore more. The Cloud Gate (or as I affectionately call it, "the Bean") is beautiful! All that highly polished stainless steel is mesmerizing because of it's parabolic mirror-like reflections. There are stately glass block water fountains for people to play in with their children, and so much more. I thought the pedestrian bridge that leads to the famous Grant Park across the street was a piece of beauty. It begs you enjoy the journey of a walk slowly admiring the gardens and city from a variety of angles. In short, an hour was not nearly enough time to explore that area. And judging from the number of parents with children in strollers, I would hazard a guess that they feel the same way too.

Aah, a little sunshine.

I have calmed down since my first entry. I've done a little editing and I'm still trying to figure out what possessed me to start a blog, but why not?

I had a very enjoyable weekend with my kids. We spent time at a nature center I do volunteer work for. Watched a couple movies in the evenings. Visited a close friend and her family, and then just lazed about on Sunday. That's the kind of thing summer is for, isn't it?

And now, the week has begun with the sun shining. The temperatures are cool. The grass is green. The garden is beckoning. (So are the weeds.) The cicadas are starting to chat outside and make think about lazy childhood summer days. Memories made and the memories to come. I'm going to go out and enjoy the day in my garden!

It's Alive!!

Aagghhh. I've just catapulted into the next century with my very first blog. Ah, the agony, the overwhelming number of decisions. I'm overwhelmed. I think I feel faint. This might just take me a few days to recover and move forward.

I'll try not to panic.