LEVELING

Just before Christmas half of our back yard was a trench and over the winter it sank in several places creating holes and ponds. Monday, Paul borrowed a tiller and spent most of the day tilling up the surface and leveling it. I can't believe how much better it looked. He is amazing. All he used was this tiller, the little tractor wagon and two cinder blocks to weigh down the bed so it would level the dirt. And a rake. And stamina, patience and determination. It looks so good and I hope grass will grow this spring. He plans to sew grass seed.  That afternoon, it rained a slow rain, enough to settle everything down and give it a little moisture to seal it.

Gardening, Gathering, Grooming and Lunch


Wednesday I spent the night with Amy and went to my doctor's appointment the Thursday. All the heart "plumbing" is fine; it's the electrical circuits that cause the skips, which I knew - a little spot that won't behave and insist in causing out-of-sync rythym. So we're trying a new med along with what I'm already taking. If that doesn't work... Probably another ablation. I may have to take med anyway, afterward; but I may not. Return in a month...


Amy and I looked for oak leaf hydrangeas and a red camelia at Lowe's and Home Depot to no avail. Thursday morning I found the oak leaf hyds at Dan West's garden center on Poplar. After the doctor's visit, I looked at Tripp's on Poplar for a red camelia - they didn't have any reds, but was told by the grounds/plant keeper to "try down the road." I stopped at Vador's and they did have the reds, so I bought one, about 4 feet high. I also got a small pot of the yellow petunias. So pretty!

Ready to plant.




We also drove around looking for a house number on Felix (Memphis). We didn't find an actual building or house for that number, but where the house would have been. Aunt Margaret remembered number and street of a house they lived in when the first moved to Memphis in the 1930's, and asked me to look it up. Since I had the opportunity this week, I did, and emailed some photos of that address and where her mother (our grandmother Flora) and daddy (our Papa) lived on Claybrook. There now is a medical facility and it's just across the street from Methodist Hospital. I don't remember the hospital being that near, but as a young child, I'm sure distance was relative - everything looked larger, taller, farther away. Claybrook street sign is just under the Tops BBQ sign; corner of Claybrook and Union. (I walked over to Bruce School several blocks away when I was in second grade, across this busy street. There was not walk-over then; and kids could safely do that "back in the day."

2912 Felix. 2916 would have been to the right where the big shrubs are. Amy and I learned that Felix stops and starts quite a few times, being intersected by whole blocks with no through passage.

Claybrook street sign just under Tops. Methodist to the left.

Today I bought a Knockout rose at Walmart. From the descriptionon the tag, it sounds perfect for my less than green thumb. Just plant it, forget it. I'm pretty sure I know where I want all these placed and have them set in their spots waiting for Gardener Paul to dig the holes for me.The front yard remains sparse but it does need some work. I just enjoy the patio and the cool back yard and there's more room for plants there.

Paul also made us a small raised garden for the half dozen tomato plants and four pepper plants I got before I went to Panama City. This week I cored a pineapple and stuck the top of it in the garden, too. I think it takes a while for pineapples to mature... Jean gave me several herbs to plant and those will go in a container: dill, thyme, spearmint, peppermint and rosemary? oregano? I'm so herbally challenged. While I was at Jean's I got to see Julia who was picking strawberries with her Papaw.

Tweaking the antique truck.

I splurged today and asked Tina to clean house for me, getting me caught up after being gone for two weeks. I also took Oscar to be groomed. And I had lunch with the Buds from work. So good to see Beck, Carolyn, Wesley and get caught up! They (management) took the old "Woodruff Electric" sign down from atop the building. Almost a landmark. Beck said they' gotten a new sign on the ground, somewhat like the "welcome to..." city signs.

Just a great feeling to be able to run errands at will. Other things I accomplished today: copies of some family history for cousin JoAnn; prints of pictures for her and Sher. Post office, library, stopped by Paul's office, talked to Theda. Things I would either not ever get to do when working, or have to schedule into such a tight timeframe it was too stressful and I couldn't enjoy them! People still ask me if I'm enjoying retirement. Absolutely! I am thriving in it!

Saturday Morning

It is cool this morning, and no humidity! Feels wonderful outdoors! Sher is home and "resting," but on her way to farmers' market. I forget about that, but it's nearly nine, so I'm sure everything will be gone from ours.

Paul had to mark a grave for a little boy who died in a tragic accident Thursday evening. Our hearts go out to the Orman family. The funeral is today at noon.

Storms, Fests, Vet Visits & Home for the Weekend

Friday's storm left many WECC customers without power and several of us stayed late to answer phones and take outage reports/locations. I left work around 9:30. Ron got some Popeye's Chicken from across the street around 8:30. It's good - I guess I'd never eaten their chicken. I like it better than KFC. Anyway, Sharon stayed to about 9:00 and I told her she needed to go home (I know - I'm not her boss, but she had open heart surgery in April). She did check with Ron and left soon after. I'd forgotten I left my windows down at lunch Friday and rain blew in - not as bad as I'd have thought considering the storm that went through. (Sunday morning another one about as bad came through the area, I was told, but I never heard a thing!)

My friend and co-worker Sharon who was taking outage calls; what most of us were doing. Others tracked the outages and restorations on a computerized mapping system.

Saturday Paul went to help at his station of the race downtown and we met at the Progressive Club for the pancake breakfast. Neall and Becca (co-chairpersons for Farm Fest) were really busy and did a great job getting everything together.

Paul, Sandra Tucker and Myrtle Bradshaw taking tickets at the pancake breakfast.

Carb-lover's delight!

Awarding trophies to walkers/runners.

I took Oscar to the vet for his annual vaccinations. He had gained 2 pounds, not the 5 I had imagined. Still, 2 pounds on a "little" dog with short legs is a lot - 14%? (I'm mathematically challenged.) Would be like me gaining, well, I'm not saying... But he's okay, he's not hosting any parasites or varmints. The CCVC is remodeled and first time I'd been there since they finished - very nice. They were really busy and we had to wait a while, but that wasn't a problem. As Dr. Julie said, "It becomes a social event." I like to see the pets other people have. Oscar sat in my lap, then since "he does better without Mom" they took him out of the room to the back to give him his shots.
Amy came home for the weekend and I was expecting to go to the grocery store later when she got home, but we made do with some leftovers, and it was fine. We did go later and Paul cooked hamburgers out Sunday. We watched "Mall Cop" on the Blu Ray and she was fascinated, as we all were, with the picture quality. It was a cute movie, too. She stopped by the office this morning on her way home and visited with me and the girls a few minutes.

Paul was breaking down some boxes and one had a wasp's nest in it - he got stung about half a dozen times. Thankfully, he isn't allergic to stings, though I know it hurt.

New colors of daylilies almost every day. These bloomed today. Thanks to God for the miracle of color and growth, and to JoAnn and Byron Ponder who gave me all the bulbs last year!

The humid weather and rains have helped yards and flowers, but have not been the farmers' friend. Our yard looks almost like a rain forest. I put the philo out on the patio. (I will watch it, Mama, and be sure it doesn't wilt or burn up.) It was taking over the den/office. This room looks half again as big without it!