Cooler Temperatures - Bigger Idiots!

Ah.....finally a nice cool evening. It's been so hot here and so many days have passed without once wanting to open up the house and let it air out. So tonight it's cooler outside than it is inside....what a wonderful night to air the house out. EXCEPT.....several idiots in our neighborhood have chosen to have their fireworks fun tonight! Yeah, I went in and re-read the ordinance. It states sales can start today.....but firing of fireworks is from July 1 through July 4, 8 a.m. to 11 p.m.
In past years I did write to each of the city commissioners regarding my feelings about fireworks. Big fat zero! Today we drove past a fireworks stand that is ran by the Hutchinson Fire Department!!!! Hellooooo!
Last year after the fourth of July, our lawns and streets were littered with trash. Even my swimming pool was full of scraps of paper and ashes.
I don't understand how once something has been established for years and years, it is suddenly decided to reinstate the sale and firing of fireworks.
It also seems to me that quite often the person who'll blow many dollars for something to burn up (be it fireworks or tobacco products), is also usually the one who needs "financial assistance" at some point.
Bottom Line: I hate fireworks! 99% of the people who shoot them off don't even know what they're celebrating...other than that they get to shoot off fireworks!! Duh....maybe it's NOT fireworks I hate...maybe it's the stupid people who entertain themselves with them. Don't even bother leaving a comment if this upsets you....this is MY blog and MY opinion!!! BANG!!!!!

Summer's Here!!!

Doesn't take long with 100 degree temperatures to recognize that summer must actually be here! It's WARM!!! Pool temperature is up to 86 degrees...almost needs to be cooled down a little...almost!

I have lots of day lilies blooming...all those orange "things" at the end of the pool.

Wanted to show you the cannas...they have continued to come up in abundance. I had killed out the grass around them, put down plastic and mulch and landscape timbers. Now every few days I'll see a big lump of mulch...and sure enough, there'll be a 6" tall canna stem and leaf under the plastic. So I tear a hole in the plastic and let it come through!






And...here's what happens when you don't heed the advice of others. My neighbor told me two or three years ago NOT to put my solar blanket on my grass or it would kill the grass. Well, at that time I had an old solar blanket and some bermuda that I wanted dead...so I covered it...nothing much happened. So I figured he must not know what he was talking about.

Last Sunday it was really warm and I mentioned that I was ready to take the solar blanket off "for good" (for the rest of the season)...so my son helped me and we laid it over on the grass to dry...for MAYBE 30 minutes..no longer! Monday this is how my grass looked! Oops! Well, honestly, if I was going to kill grass, that was the first I would have wanted to go. It's not very good grass..mostly weeds I think...not much of a loss and I think it'll probably come back.


And then...here's my tomatoes. The two Roma tomato plants aren't very tall at all, but about two weeks ago I counted 24 tomatoes. So far I've picked two and another one is almost ready. The plants are absolutely COVERED with tomatoes...not much foliage, but lots of fruit! And really good!

Hope your summer is going well. We've been extremely busy here...lots going on and I've neglected my blog. Lucky you!!! I'll try to do better in the future! later...

Working for Forgiveness ???

Today I stopped at the Kwik Shop to buy gasoline. The older woman in the car in front of mine was clearly "stumped" at the computer instructions, etc. I watched for a few seconds while I got my Dillon's card out (to save $.02/gal) and thought to myself, "She's gonna ask me for help...I know she is..." I got out of my car, swiped my Dillon's card, made my gas choice, and started fueling....she's still looking. Then I kind of thought about the way I'd treated the woman in Aldi's the other day (see last blog) and thought, "Do the right thing..it won't hurt you!" So I walked over and helped her through it. She didn't have a Dillon's card, but she did have a Dillon's credit card and was supposed to get $.15/gal off. I got her started and went back and completed my fill up, then went in and paid. Walked back to my car and she's checking her ticket..looking confused. She looked up at me and said, "It says I only saved twenty cents." So I went and looked. It said she'd saved $.02 per gallon. I told her I wasn't familiar with the Dillon's credit card and she probably needed to take it inside and ask. So she did.
Anyway...I KIND OF did a good deed to replace the rude one I did the other day. I hope. Later..

A Rant...you might just want to skip it!!!!

Why is it that sometimes modern technology has turned so many people into blooming idiots!? Within the past few days I've experienced more stupidity than should be possible.

It started at our local post office on Saturday. I KNEW it wouldn't be a good day to do what needed to be done because the "good guys" (Mike, Dennis, and Lynn) wouldn't be there. Little did I know that the two "female postal employees" (you have no idea how much I improved what I've been calling them for the past 48 hours) were morons! And even that's a compliment to their intelligence. Because I fully intend to write a letter to the local postmaster, I'm not going to go into all the details here...but....it started with clerk A serving customer A at her window. Customer B was standing in line ahead of me and my son. Another gentleman was standing at a table clear across the lobby writing on something...no where even near the line!!!! When customer A completed her task, she walked away from the window. Customer B just stood there with her thumb ....oh, never mind....she waited until Clerk A INVITED her to come up to the window...a useless waste of time!!! Shortly after that Clerk A must have decided that she needed help, so she called for Clerk B. Clerk B came up and said, "Next!"....that would be me and my son...we walk to within a foot of the window, when lo and behold, she sees the guy who had been at the far table and said, "NO....he was in line awhile ago...I'll get him first..." So we went back to the line....now just us. Finally Clerk A gets free and we walk up to her. Our goal was to have my son's name put on the post office box that I've had for probably at least twenty years. This part I'm not going to go into...but she was the dumbest, rudest, stupidest ____________ I can imagine. And then to top it off, Clerk B says, "Do you want me to do their stuff?" when she got free. Thank heavens someone else came into line and she wound up with something to do, because I thought between my son and me we would probably actually show them what "POSTAL" means!!! There's so much more here and I'm not going into it. My blood pressure won't take it!!!
Then today....I went to Aldi's...I bought 3 bags of chocolate chips and a bag of small red onions (special recipe :).....) After I got in line (and if you've ever been in Aldi's you know everybody's hopping and the pace is pretty fast...excellent cashiers!!!) the woman ahead of me says, "Oops, I've got a dented can...I'll be right back!" HELLOOOOOO..... I hadn't put my items on the counter because I thought if she isn't back by the time it's her turn, I'm moving in front of her stuff. So the guy behind me puts his stuff down and I'm sure was wondering why I didn't step on forward. I checked and here come Grannie Gertie with her un-dented can...and goes back to where her stuff is JUST IN TIME! So I lay my chocolate chips and onions on the counter to wait my turn. Grannie eyes my chocolate chips, says to the cashier, "Ring up one of those chocolate chips for me too...I'll run back and get one." Cashier agrees to...still moving along. Grannie's total $$$...of course, she has to dig in the bottom of her purse for it. I'm standing there with a $20 bill ready...but not Grannie!!! Finally...it's my turn..Grannie's still sacking so I stepped behind and around her to get my stuff! She takes ahold of my arm and said, "Those chocolate chips...are they in the first aisle about halfway down?" I gave her my best "eat S--- and die" look and said, "Yeah..probably..I don't know...I don't work here!" She waddled off and the cashier and the guy that had been behind me were both cracking up. I apologized and said that I seem to have a VERY short fuse today!
Next stop...MY credit union. I give them 2 $20 bills, and 2 $10 bills and say, "Hi..I'd like to have 10 $5's and 10 $1's please". She needs my account number. I said, "Just to trade me cash straight across...are you serious?" She said, "What's your name I can just look it up that way." I just dug out my card and thought if she asks for my password, I'm DONE! When she did give me the change (exchange)...I said, "Thank you...sure seems like everyone likes to make things a lot more difficult than they need to be..." and I left.
I have to go somewhere later. I probably shouldn't but it's a planned event and at such event I need to be nice. It's not going to be easy if anyone shows up wearing their "I'm stupid" hat!!!
Now...while you may not have enjoyed this particular blog, it was, for me, a lot less calories than chocolate, a lot less energy than a bicycle ride, and the only other stress-reducing thing I can think of requires two people and right now I can't imagine anyone that I would tolerate!!!
So.............thanks for listening......you have a good'n, ya hear?

Monday, June 1

In my last post I mentioned that the pool was still very cool. Yesterday, Sunday, I decided I was going to get in. Pool temp was 74 degrees. I eased onto a floater and managed to stay in the water for about an hour and a half. It was cool however.
Today the temp was 76 degrees and I tried it again. It's amazing what just a couple of degrees can do. I was actually pretty comfortable today. The water isn't sparkling clear yet, but I can see the floor drain and it's getting there. Come on, Sunshine!!!
All my plants are doing wonderful. I have five or six tomatoes that are pretty nice sized. My cucumber vines are covered with blooms. The cannas are growing like weeds. The elephant ears are incredible!! Last year I waited FOREVER before they came up and then I might have had four leaves at best. This year I waited 18 days and have 6 "stalks" and lots of leaves. I like them so much that I'm wondering if I can just bring the pot inside for the winter rather than digging the bulbs up!
My little fish-less pond is beginning to get a settled-in look. The zinnias and marigolds are still pretty small, but they've come up all around it. The zebra grass is doing great too! I'll take a picture in a few days and post it here.
Well, today I finally turned on the air conditioner. The past couple of days I've been tempted but wanted to wait until June 1 at least. Yesterday I went downstairs and was reading/watching tv, and with no air conditioner it was still cool enough that I got a sheet to cover my feet and legs. This a.m. I ironed, then mowed, then cleaned the pool....I was hot and stinky and ready for some cooler air....so the a/c is now on!!! Between the a/c and the pool pump I'm sure my electric meter is SPINNING!!!!!
I don't know exactly why (I do have some ideas), but today has been a day for me to count my blessings. Several times today I've felt happy - thankful I guess...for no apparent reason. I like that feeling alot! Count your blessings...they're incredible!

What a Difference a Few Days Make

Picture #1 - that's BAAADDDDD!!!! That's last Thursday, May 21....and I'll admit I was very very concerned!!!

Pool guys came Friday and by noon Saturday it looked more like Picture #2. Picture #2 was taken today, Friday, May 29. It's still cloudy, but I've had everything checked and my chemicals are "perfect"....just need to wait for sunshine and heat to make it get clear. After a 44 degree overnight temperature a couple of nights ago, it may be awhile before I can get in it anyway!!! It's NIPPY!!!!!


This Picture #3 was taken May 11...that was the first little sprout that came up in my elephant ear pot.










And Picture #4 was taken today...I have 6 plants and they're growing so fast you can just almost stand there and watch them get bigger! I'm very pleased with them!!!


It's been a very busy past few days....bottom line, my son is moving back to Hutchinson from Texas. I'm delighted!!! I don't know that he'd say he's delighted...but I think he's feeling relief from some unnecessary stress that was in his life. (NO....not a woman..... he's EXTREMELY happy with that relationship!!!) Anyway, he'll be moving back within the next week or so and I'm pleased about it. 'Nuff said!!

Work in Progress

Well, I talked a couple of friends of mine, Lee and MaryLou, into transporting 5 landscape timbers in their van. I bought 4 a couple of weeks ago and learned that an 8' landscape timber will NOT fit into a Honda Fit! I had to leave the tailgate open...open and UP, in fact, which wasn't something I really wanted to do. First thing I've found about the Fit that I don't like. There's absolutely no place to "tie down" the rear hatch...unless you'd go up to the license place and that puts a rope or whatever across real paint...and that just "ain't gonna happen!" Anyway...so today Lee and MaryLou and Wally (their little dog and Schiz's best buddy) hauled some timbers and 5 bags of mulch home for me. After a good deal of sweat and several glasses of iced tea, here's the finished project. I was using black plastic under the mulch when it occurred to me that I was preparing to throw away the heavy plastic bags that the mulch came in...so I started using it instead! I'm pleased with the final outcome.

And here's my potful of elephant ears! Aren't they growing like crazy? Yesterday I took the plastic bag off for good (I've been putting it back over them at night). I think that's THE way to get elephant ears to sprout: greenhouse them!





And...






Look at this next picture...see that teeny-tiny little nubbin sticking up at about 2 o'clock...that's the fourth sprout coming up. (If you click on the picture it'll magnify and you'll be able to see it.) New just today!

I also removed the pool cover today. I'm saving that for another blog. I took pictures...and they're not PRETTY pictures!!! Hopefully when the "pool guys" get here tomorrow to open it, they'll be able to straighten it out. Scary! Doesn't look like anything anybody would ever want to get into. I added chlorine back in March (after having a water test done)...and I think I probably should have checked into doing it again in April. I'll add pictures tomorrow. Hopefully after it's all clean and looks beautiful!

BABIES!!!!!

Look at my baby tomatoes!!!! Only two so far, but lots and lots of blooms. I'm so proud of them :)














And do you see the THREE sprouts in the elephant ear pot? My green house method evidently worked...and I will be using it again in the years to come.

I probably needed to see some sign of gentle life today. Earlier this afternoon a friend and I went to see "Burn After Reading". I was confusing John Malkovich with Quentin Tarantino (I know, they look nothing alike..but they both have that "I-wonder-if-they're-really-acting-or-is- he-really-that-demented-and-evil quality)...but this movie is very very like Pulp Fiction to me. Different story, but the same "this causes that causes this" and pretty soon you're back to square one. Violent in parts...and usually you're laughing at things you're not sure you should be laughing at!

We had a rather "private showing"...there were only 6 people in the theatre. I think there were 8 when it started, but there was a man with a boy sitting behind us and I think they must have left early. I didn't expect much of a crowd as the weather today is absolutely perfect and I'm sure most people are doing "outside" stuff. We'd planned to go Friday evening and a hail storm rolled in, then Saturday evening my friend had a card game to go to, so we decided this afternoon would be fun. And it was!! I can't say I recommend the movie, but I did enjoy it..but it does have some sexual references and offensive language that may upset some people. Don't take the kids...but it's pretty funny. George Clooney and Brad Pitt...it's hard to go wrong!

More on the back yard

Blogger wouldn't let me (or I'm not smart enough to figure out how to) post more than four pictures...so this is a continuation of the earlier blog.

Up front I want to say that I'm open to suggestion, advice, comments, etc....

The spreading cedars are SICK!!! They look even worse in person. My opinion is that it's because I trimmed them too early (thinking it was spring)...and then we had an 18" snow storm! It seems to me they're getting greener...but I'm not sure. I don't like them...in fact, I intensely DISLIKE them....BUT...I don't really want them to die because that would mean I'd need to remove and replace them with something...and that's a lot of work! Any suggestions???? Please feel free to either email me or leave me a comment!

And Patsy...if you're reading this....all that greenery along the fence is day lilies and iris...next year, OK?

And here are the two peony plants that I thought I had completely dug out last fall. They are under a big yew bush and behind the shed. Between the shed, the two sides (corner) of the privacy fence and the bush, they get very, very little sunlight. And yet, they have buds on them.


My friend Pat promises to take them off my hands this coming fall. Goofy Things!!!


I really love growing things. But I'm afraid I'm not very good about it. I tend to plant things (like the cannas) and then decide I really should have cleaned the bed of grass and weeds BEFORE I planted. I kind of think if they're going to be strong and tough and live here, they need a little competition! Maybe not, huh??

The Back Yard

Just a little update to show you how "the plants" are looking today. I've got ABOUT 45-50 cannas up and showing now. Here to the right are just a few. I'm going to put down some more landscape timbers and then plastic and mulch around them I think.


A
And here's the baby elephant ear plant. It's growing very rapidly!








The tiny clematis is one that I moved and nearly killed last year. It's just in the worst possible place...but it's blooming!!! My neighbor has a HUGE one that grows up over a big arbor and it's just gorgeous. That's my goal...but I don't think this is the right location for it!





Here are a few of the black-eyed Susans....and that one to the far right is one of two giant purple zinnias that Patsy gave me. The other one is at the other end of this plot and is doing quite well. I had planned to use them around my little pond, but didn't get moving on it fast enough and the zinnias needed to be in the ground.