oh, what a day!

I had the most wonderful day yesterday, and I mean all day. It started off by meeting Barb at 8:30 and we dug ajuga and monkey grass in her neighbor's yard. Her neighbor had graciously shared with me. We worked until after 11:00 and decided to take it my house where Barb would help me with the layout.

On the way we decided to drive through McDonald's and get lunch. We saw Sherian inside and I started waving and saying her name. I think everyone in there saw me, except Sherian. Finally one of the employees took pity on me and went and told her there was a lunatic at the drive through window waving frantically and disturbing their dinner run. We decided to take our food into the restaurant and crash Sherian's dinner date with a coworker.

Now remember we had been working outside all morning and weren't exactly dressed for the part. That's one of the neat things about getting older, at least for me. I just don't care if I'm not all slicked up when I go out in public. Now I wouldn't go to a wedding in that attire, but you get my drift hopefully. We had a fun lunch and on the way out saw Rebekah in the drive though line and said hi to her.

We arrived at my house and unloaded the plants. We then went to Reno to buy some more plants. They were having a sale on them. Barb helped me choose caladiums and another flat of something I had bought the day before. I can't remember what it's called and there wasn't one of the little thingies telling you the name. Then we went shopping at Tuesday Morning, still in our garden clothes. I was having so much fun I really don't know if we got any looks or not, but we obviously didn't care! We selected a gift for Cathy, Barb's neighbor, and Barb found some stuff for herself. We came back to my house where Ben was working on my berm. I had made it too straight.

By this time it was about 4:00 and Barb needed to go home. Ben went with us and after we dropped her off we went to Atwoods where he bought me some flagstone for my path by my berm. He's even going to lay them for me. What a neat son! After we ate I went outside to lay the stones so Ben would know where to put them. I ended up having them pretty much in a straight line and they just didn't look right. I was thinking that I wished Barb was here and not too long after that she, Jon, and Logan drove up! She showed me that they actually fit together! I got totally frustrated trying to figure which way to turn them to get them to fit so she ended up doing them for me. I think I got one right.

It's a wonderful blessing to have good friends. It seems they often have the knowledge and abilities that I lack. Hopefully I have something I can share with them at some point.

I've already spent 3 hours in the yard and am on my way back there now. I just had to tell you about my wonderful day. It's been a "l-o-n-g" time since I've spent a whole day having fun!

it's a bird, it's a plane, it's... a squirrel??

I was outdoors early taking advantage of the cool morning. I was also praying for my family and thanking God for the cool breeze that was kissing my face. I got a lot done and now need more ground cover or mulch.

As I was raking I heard a crash behind me and a squirrel whizzed past me and ran across the street to our neighbor's huge tree. A small dead branch lay about 4 feet behind me. I guess he was going about his morning business and the branch wouldn't support his weight. Poor fellow; I hope he wasn't hurt. If I had been a few feet over he might have fallen on me! For a moment I felt that I had stepped into a Rocky and Bullwinkle show.

berms and ground cover

Yes, I'm still around. Since basketball is over I had to find something else to do! I have been working in the yard every chance I get. I didn't even cook a meal last week because I was outside or trying to catch up on what had to be done inside.

Our front yard needs so much work. I had prayed several times for soil. We can't grow grass underneath the sweet gum trees and soil had washed away and tree roots are all over the place. Since we had rather eat than buy dirt, I finally just prayed for it. Our friends, Rick and Pam, had a huge pile of dirt in their backyard that they didn't want. They gave it to us! I am so excited about it. (You are probably thinking I get excited over strange things, and yes, I do.)

Connie and Eddie loaned us their truck and Donald and the boys spent Saturday hauling soil. Three truck loads to be exact! I went for the first load and spent my time in the back of the truck leveling it out and pushing it to the back. It was HOT in the sun. So I opted to stay behind in our yard for the next two loads and work in the shade. I spent much time praying for the guys (and Rick) who were sweating it out in the hot sun.

I LOVE Pam's back yard! It is perfect! I told the guys to look closely because that's what I want someday. They probably rolled their eyes behind my back, but it is so beautiful. Then we were at Jon and Barb's Saturday night and I decided they could probably build a deck also! My ideas always mean work for them.

Anyway I sorta kinda have built a berm. I have decided I want to be creative and not just have a flat yard, thanks to ideas from Barb and Pam. I'm just going with the tree roots, high places, the existing ground cover, and adding to it. I'll have to get pictures when I've made more progress. It is going to be wonderful!

Earlier last week I bought some St. Augustine sod and the boys helped me get the ground ready and lay it. It's only a start, but it will look good in front of my ground cover. It gets sun there and I've been watering like crazy, so hopefully it will live.

The switch from watching basketball to yard work has been quite a change for my body. I have plenty of muscles that are protesting my strenuous labor.

adjectives and verbs

Dominant
Destroy
Crush
Clobber

Massacre
Superb
Obliterated
Smoking the net
Put the clamps on

What do these words have in common?? They describe the NBA Celtic Championship Win last night! I have a whole new bunch of boys! Now I still like the Mavs, but since they didn't stay in the playoffs very long I am just thrilled that Boston won it! I don't think there's one on their team that I don't like. I really do like them; it just wasn't because I DO NOT like the Lakers. Here's a couple of words from some sports articles that describe them. Their list wasn't quite so long.

Fizzles
Lakers didn't show

Now this is the probably the first and last time you'll hear me praise Kobe Bryant so don't miss it. This is what he said according to Fox Sports, ""They were definitely the best defense I've seen the entire playoffs," Bryant said. "I've seen some pretty stiff ones and this was right up there with them. The goal was to win a championship, it wasn't to win MVP or anything like that, it was to win a championship." He must of been in a daze. He's usually much too arrogant to do anything other than praise himself.

Final Score: Boston Celtics 131 Los Angeles Lakers 92

a done deal

I awoke this morning and lay in bed thinking for a few minutes. I was so relaxed and had been blessed with a great night's sleep. I contemplated about how blessed I am that God doesn't hold my sins against me. That sure is a good thing, for if He did, He would have quite a long list under my name. Now others might, and often do, but God does not.

103:8-12
God is sheer mercy and grace; not easily angered, he's rich in love. He doesn't endlessly nag and scold, nor hold grudges forever. He doesn't treat us as our sins deserve, nor pay us back in full for our wrongs. As high as heaven is over the earth, so strong is his love to those who fear him. And as far as sunrise is from sunset, he has separated us from our sins.

It's things like this about God that cause me to love Him even more.

home again home again

We made a rather quick trip to Lafayette, Louisiana this weekend. We spent one night at the Hilton. It was an older Hilton and not quite what I had expected. It was clean though and that's the main thing. The bathroom was small, the view wasn't that great, and we didn't even take time to go on Cajun Jack's Swamp Tours. Maybe next time. We did eat at a Cracker Barrel and had a very nice waitress and excellent fried chicken tenders. I tried some fried apples which were really good. I also enjoyed the trip down memory lane. I had never been to a Cracker Barrel before and enjoyed looking at the candy from years gone by. I LOVED my candy growing up! If I had fifteen cents I thought I was rich and could buy LOTS of candy with it. We had penny candies that had five pieces inside. Now I'm beginning to sound old.

I promised I wouldn't blog about why we went. Those of you who know......well you know.....the rest of you will find out later. I think our kids feel like bugs under a microscope since I have started blogging!

It's nice to go and even nicer to get home. My washing machine is humming and I'm about to load the dryer and start another load to wash. My dishwasher will be full as soon as I finish loading it and it will work for me also. I think of Proverbs 31:15 which says, "She gets up before daylight to prepare food for her family and to tell her servant women what to do." Well I certainly didn't get up before daylight, but I thank God often for my "servants" which make my life so much easier. And no, I am NOT talking about my children! Although that might be an idea for the summer. Hannah wanted another book so she earned money Friday. It was nice for our bathroom to be clean without me doing it. Our children clean their own bathrooms, but I don't require them to clean ours. Enough said, gotta go and get my servants started.

my day just got better

I was trying to use my sewing machine this morning to hem a towel that the edges had come unraveled. Somehow in the past few days of sitting unused on my table the thread had gotten messed up and it wasn't threaded correctly. It took me a LONG time to figure this out and I experienced much frustration. Exasperated I said, "I am having the horriblest time."

Hannah said, "Mom, horriblest isn't exactly a word." A home school mom's delight!!!! Okay, then, I am having the "most horrible" time.

I think it's time to put the sewing machine away!