Friday, May 14, 2021

Planting, Clarifying and Moonstruck

 Excitement has ruled the morning and it isn't even 8:30 am. It seems like the temps didn't dip as low as forecasted but if I hadn't gone out there and covered up and moved plants, it would have. The first thing I did once arriving downstairs, sleepy eyed is feed the Feral Fam. Even though it didn't get as cold as they said, I gave them extra food last night to keep them warm. Radley was in attendance after a three day absence and he quickly made his way to his special spot where I give him a dish of food just for his highness. He wolfed that down while I was preparing the dishes for the other cats...well, I fixed HP her dish, then the other cats. Radley let me pet him this morning before he made his fateful move. He wanted more food and he climbed up to where the bowls are and as he climbed his fur attached itself to the sticky fly trap. There was a whole lot of shaking going on! I tried to calm him but a wild cat goes with its instinct as he ran out of the garage. He did get that thing off of him in a second but now he equates the sticky fly trap with me, so he kept his distance. Hopefully, he will come around to letting me pet his head again. Saw the newbies out playing in the back under the close watch of Punky. They have a lot of pent up kitten energy from being rather docile yesterday because of the rain and the cold. 

Roy called this morning and Peggy had texted him that he left some of his diplomas at the house. He is going that way this evening with several things he has reconsidered keeping and to pick up the previously mentioned diplomas and he realized he left the attachments for the vacuum cleaner behind. I think he is coming to understand all the pre-work I did before each of our moves and a deeper appreciation of all the prep work that needs to be done. 

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I finished the gorilla cart but went to Ace to get longer screws for the dumping mechanism. I also made one more stop at Reems Creek for another flat of zinnias and two shrubs to take the place of the dead hydrangea. While in the neighborhood, I looked at galvanized fire rings to use as a container garden. Still thinking about it but have enough work to do to keep me busy for quite sometime. Right now that seems to be the key to keeping me off the roads not only to help Covid, but now because of the shutdown of the Colonial Pipeline. It went back online Wednesday evening but they are saying it might take a week or two to return to normal. Also, I am trying to conserve in case it is not back to normal because my long time friend, Beth, is coming to spend some time with me. She lives such an adventuresome life, always has, and she is on a sailing trip and will be docked at Charleston. So she is coming up this way for several days. 

Recently, I wrote about culling out possessions and that mainly the things going out to be enjoyed by someone else were things I bought in anticipation of guests here at the house. In hindsight I wasn't very clear in writing about that. Years ago, I read an essay by a woman who contemplated how she packed for trips. She said she brought clothes, like lounging pajamas, because she thought she would be someone different on her trip. She never wore these things cause she did her default, of just wearing what she had on till it was time for her to get dressed to go out or whatever. So even though there was a time I entertained and had people over, it was over forty years ago, when we moved me up here, I didn't become the hostess with the mostest, because that's not me. Like I was thinking that we would have so many come visit, I bought extra everyday stuff to accommodate the crowds. With the exception of silverware and dishes, everything else has gone to new homes. And the truth still is, one has to be pretty self reliant if one is staying with me more than one or two nights... 

Once the rain stopped the other day, Punky took the kitties up to the gravel road. She sure was keeping an eye on me and she had them run to the cleft of the rock when I came too near for her comfort level. Mike the Mower Man mowed yesterday with his last bit of gasoline. He did our yard and Mary Joyce's. I emailed him last night cause I found a wasp nest in the ground and usually the cure is gasoline...which...is in short supply. For now my plan is to stay away cause wasps are in a continual bad mood, even when they might seem happy. 

I have worked outside planting flowers and trying to tear out the dead hydrangea. Worked in the garage and did laundry. I have been busy all day and keeping an eye on the gas situation. Seems like more stations are getting a supply more than previously this week. 

And it seems to be a good time to stop and post. Moonstruck is on and it is one of my favorites. 




 

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