What You Need

While it's not my favorite Rolling Stones song (Gimme Shelter is), I can't help that one life altering phrase from the Stones echoing in my mind sometimes.

You can't always get what you want
But if you try sometimes well you might find
You get what you need.

I usually take the last week of April as a Staycation week.  It's been that way for more than 10 years.  This year a coworker had a wedding to go to in the Dominican Republic and she would be gone for most of the week. Since we're a small office the unspoken rule is only one person out at a time. 

So I signed myself out for vacation the first week of May instead and (like so many things) it's going to work out just fine.  The weather this week is coolish at best with a few days of rain forecast.  Which would normally be fine with me except I'd like to finish the exterior house painting which needs warmer, drier air.  My staycation week forecast is in the low 80's at this time.  Perfect!

Yesterday was another fine example of the want/need conundrum.  I wanted to continue working on the deck.  But SM was congested and we had a pretty steady light rain all day so we put on the sleepy pants and binge watched some Blacklist episodes and napped and then watched Zero Dark Thirty.  

Not how I imagined the day going but in the end we both remarked that the enforced down time was not unappreciated.

I could go on for hours about the want/need thing.

I didn't want to get married (never thought I would) but I sure am glad SM is in my life.  I need him more than I need me.

I didn't want a third dog when Casey Pig wandered into our life.
  


I need her now.  She has such a happy spirit that I can't imagine life without her.

I want an easier drive time
And no more hot flashes.
And to loose 20 lbs without effort.

What I need is to get there safely no matter how long it takes.
I need (and have) fans and AC wherever I am.

And even if I'm chubbier than I want to be, I really just want my Dr to tell me that I'm healthy for another year when I go see her next week for my annual checkup.  Regardless of what the scale says.

How bout you?  Any wants/needs you'd like to share?

In Theory...

In Theory...The "barrier" of flower pots that edge the deck keep my Sweet Ginny Girl from falling off it.

The reality is that the direct sun flattens the flowers (except the Geraniums) in the afternoon.  

And it's only been in the 70's.  So I guess I'll need to move these into the shady area's and tell SM that we need to put up some sort of short railing.

In Theory...Every seed you plant should germinate.  And it would also help if the person who planted the seed would note the type and if it was new seed or an old seed save.  (ahem)  

Of course, the reality is that if you have a bare spot for reasons known or unknown, you can still plant more seeds.  Or in this case some Yarrow that I spotted at the nursery.  Perfect for calling bees!

In Theory...Trees should be planted in the Fall.  

Seems like we never learn and our new Red Maple is in shock.  The 30 mile drive home from the nursery on the outerbelt tore up some of the leaves and we had a ton of rain the first week it was in the ground.  I'm sure none of that helped but it's still hanging in there.  Each afternoon it gets all wilty which makes me think it needs water but I can't imagine that's the case.  Oh well...

In Theory...Cold and flu season should be winding down.  




The reality is that SM travels a lot and seems to pick up whatever creeping crud is out there.  He mowed the lawn the other day and came in all congested and watery eyed so we thought it might be his very first bout with pollen allergies.  But he's not responding to anti-hist's so we're assuming it's just a bad cold.  He passed out last night with a hit of Nyquil which kept him down most of the night.  Poor guy just can't catch a break.

Rain coming in today.  That's why the pics are kinda dark.  
Happy Saturday Everyone!

Blimey!

I've delt with rosy cheeks for years.  My heritage is German-English so my fair skin has always been a bell weather to how I'm feeling.

I flush whenever I'm feeling strongly about something.  I learned long ago never to lie about something because my face turned red if I did so.  

Angry?  Step back.  My face, ears, neck and chest would ignite.

And anyone could tell if I'd had a glass or two of the good stuff.  I'd wander around looking like a lush (which I probably am).

No...I've pretty much spent my entire life with what the English call ruddy cheeks which never really bothered me all that much until lately.  

For the past year my cheeks are red all the time with acne to boot.  
Rosecea?  
Probably. 

Nothing seems to help so when I head in for my "annual" checkup next month I plan on asking for a topical creme for it. 

Ultimately, I blame menopause for this.  
I'm red when I flash, I'm red if I don't.  
Just add it to the list of joyful plagues that the loss of hormones has given me.

To all you young women out there...

Enjoy it while you've got it!

You have NO idea how much you'll miss it once it's gone.  

 
 

A Slow Sunday

A quiet week here this past week with rain every single day.  Which is not unappreciated I must say.  

There's nothing more thrilling than standing with the hose watering an area of dirt because you sowed the seeds and now you can't tell where they are so you have to water everything.  

Thank you Mother Nature!

SM had an all day job out of town and I had post-ops Saturday morning.  

I then headed back towards home with a list of errands which included groceries and a pharmacy stop.  By time I got home the grass was dry enough (ha) to mow so I went ahead and attacked the yard since we're forecasted to get another 1-1/2 inches of rain today. 

Everything is all green and moist outside this morning as I type this. 
SM is still sacked out, exhausted from his busy Saturday.
The birds are singing.
The washer and dryer are humming with some laundry.

All is right with the world.

Can I Be Tired Now?

It's looking better but we've still got more to do.  

I just finished potting the annuals up.  In the rain.  I'll put them up on the edge of the deck later.

Skirting the deck will have to wait for another weekend.

And I want to build a "raised bed" for flowers alongside each side of the stairs.  We'll need to shop for pavers for that, plus I want to have a walkway  and create an area for the grill.  

So we are FAR from finished...
(Psst!  I'm glad I'm going to work tomorrow.  I'm kinda tired @;)

We Dropped A Wad

Do people say that anymore?  We dropped a wad?  

We spent a lot of money at the nursery yesterday.  I could have spent more but really didn't have the room even though SM drove the truck and I followed in the Camry.  Mostly because the truck is old and you never know what's gonna blow on her.  But we actually filled both vehicles with plants so I suppose I HAD to stop.  

But I could've bought more.

Just saying.

So here's the loot.  When I look at it in the pictures, it doesn't seem like much.

We got the Red Maple tree planted before I crapped out and SM had to go run a job.  

Guess what we'll be doing today?  Yep...The rest of it.

I bought 3 different hydrangia varities.  Some that will take the full sun and one that can't so we'll place that one back by the fence.  And more blueberries!

We're starting to lay out the landscaping area around the back deck.  
Gosh!  So much to do....I'd  best get off the computer!

Start Your Engines

This past week, Spring has smacked us all up-side our heads.  

She's started her engine and stepped on the gas, squealing her tires.

Guess who else is squealing?

I always like to plan a staycation week in April just because there's so much to do.  Since Winter hung on so long I decided to delay my staycation to May.  Kinda wish now I'd taken the time as planned.

There's SO much to and so little time during the work week.  

Last weekend was spent covering walkways with DOUBLE landscape fabric and then tossing mulch on top of that.  

I'm hoping that this "triple threat" might prove a solution to the weedy walkway issue.  I also bought some composted moo-nure that I tossed on top of the mushroom compost.

Can you tell I'm serious about the garden this year?

We've had some on and off rain this week so Wednesday, after a long soaking rain the night before, I went out and direct sowed all the raised beds planting lettuce, carrots, beans, cucumbers and both summer and winter squashes.  

Along with flowers.  Lots of flowers.

Nothing's come up yet but I hope to see signs of life in a few more days.

The back inground beds are for working on later after everything else is done.  Part of me wants to say "Screw it" and NOT plant the beds this year.  I actually had to mow the weeds down and then temporarily covered them to keep things from expolding again.  

I'm considering tossing a thick layer of cardboard on it (which will take time to obtain) to squelch the weeds and just let it sit for a year.  We'll see.  I'll probably have SM till it and plant it all up as normal...Weeds be damned.

Last week SM and I also took some time to wander some of the local nurseries looking not only for annuals but also thinking about shrubs and trees to finish off the (never ending) back porch project.

We didn't buy anything, just noted prices (ouch) and considered what we wanted where.

SM wants to take me to a nursery, Growers Outlet, that he visited back in February down in Pineville which is a bit of a haul from here.  I told him that we'll be taking the truck in case we find stuff we want.  

So lot's and lot's to do.  Pictures of our progress to come.

My Goodness!

My Goodness!  Have I got plans for this long Easter Weekend!   

I'm in danger of getting nothing done because my head is spinning everywhere I look.  There's the necessary household tasks and then there's all the extra stuff. 

I want to get mulch for the garden walkways this morning but 
My Goodness! 
It's windy!  I looked up the forecast and it's supposed to gust to 20mph today.  Ha!  We'll see how much work I actually get done today.  

I plan on doing all my direct sowing in the raised beds after the winds die down.  Maybe Monday.  Our last frost date is April 15th but once we get past tonight (39) that's it!  Nothing forecasted below 40 through the 15th!  Yeah us!

I want to get to a nursery and start shopping for plants.  Blueberries, peonies, hydrangeas, redbuds, azaleas...I'm in a fever can't you tell?

My Goodness!  You should see the yellow haze over everything!

 

I saw this on FB and had to laugh.  It's true.  Ya'll can complain all you want  to about snow but we get actual pollen accumulation around here.  Makes your eyes grainy and you can taste it in your mouth.  I expect we'll actually see it in the wind today as a yellow haze.

My Goodness!  SM had to remind me to color eggs for Easter.  I've got some eggs steaming as we speak.  I've never tried this before but I'm encouraged by everything I read up on it.  Have any of you tried the steaming method for hard boiled eggs?

Time to get cracking!  (Ha...Hopefully not the eggs)
Ya'll have a wonderful Easter Weekend now.

Senior Moment

I've been looking at the header photo I posted a few days ago.  

Something was weird about the picture but I couldn't put my finger on it.  

The photo was labeled "peaches" in my computer file on my laptop.  I had taken a bunch of pictures of our peach in bloom before the hard freeze last weekend skunked every stinking one of them and thought this was one of them.

Then I saw it.  
The awning in the background.
That's not there anymore.

All my new "peaches" pictures were still on my Ipad.
Well, Duh.

At least I figured it out.  
I think it would have bugged me every time of pulled the blog up. 
"What's wrong with this picture?"

Kinda like when I look in the mirror lately.

I turn 53 this month.

Who knew hormones were so important to keeping you looking like the girl you've been the last 50 years?  I'm startled just about everyday when I'm fluffing the hair and putting on the makeup.  

Who is that in the mirror?  
I mean she kinda looks like the girl I used to be.  
But not.  
So I catch myself looking at my image in the mirror.  
I'm changing from the girl I used to know into the woman reflected back that I don't really recognize.  

She seems familiar but not. 
Kinda looks like my Mom.
Sometimes looks like my Dad.
My older Sister?

Nah...It's just me.  
A new me.

Kinda like that back porch.
It used to have a colorful awning covering it.
Now it's got a rock solid, sturdy roof over it.
It ain't going anywhere, I can tell you that.

Kinda like me.  
I may look different.  
But it's still me under there.
 

Fool For April

Continuing with my promise to take a picture on the first day of each month, here's April...
 

So glad you're here April.  I'm a fool for you!