Some Moments...

On Monday I had to go to an eye doctor because I had scratched my eyeball really bad last Friday (self-inflicted, don't ask).  Over the weekend the irritation came and went, but Monday it felt like I had a 2 x 4 under my eyelid.  Once the home remedy stuff fails, I eventually have to concede defeat and bow to the experts, so I get my eye checked out, and yes, it's really scratched.  I need eye drops, blah blah.  The drops make me half-blind for awhile, though my eye is already better after just a few days.

This morning, I do the drops, then decide to build the last raised bed box because the watermelon plants aren't looking so hot.  One-eyed, I manage to saw, hammer, etc., get the box in position on the bank, fill it with soil, and plant the melons.  What a relief.  Three boxes finished; zucchini, watermelon, tomatoes in the ground.  Because my place is on a mountain ridge, I have steep slopes on both front and back sides of the house.  I have to drag the hose up the steps to water the higher ground.  The effing crap hose is heavy, always kinks, and is a total bitch to maneuver without wiping out the plants that grow on both sides of the walkway.  I have worked out a technique that runs the hose on the edge of the steps, allowing me to drag it, keeping it away from the plants.

I get nearly to the top of the slope and the hose gets stuck.  I do a rodeo lasso twist movement that should have unhooked the hose.  In a perfect world.  Instead it flies in the air and smacks down right on top of my four beautiful, lush and happily growing Snapdragon plants.  Seriously.  What are the flaming odds?  I just stood there, looking at the destruction, the sound of the sharp snap as the stalks broke off still resonating in the air.

Much cursing followed.



After I watered--and lowered my blood pressure with many repetitive mantras--I brought the seven stalks inside, and now have a nice bit of color on the kitchen counter.  As soon as I can enjoy them and not think how much prettier they were attached to the plant, I'll feel better, I'm sure.

Right.



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This afternoon I had to do some of my international banking.  It always makes me nervous and tense, though I'm not sure why since I pretty much know what I'm doing.  I have to factor in fluctuating exchange rates, add and/or subtract the variables in the two week period between my request, the bank's receipt, business handled.  If I could just walk into my bank in Edinburgh, do my business, smile and walk out...man, how much easier things would be.

But no.  I have to send letters, there's no margin for error, I have to fall back to my high-powered corporate days and write the perfect, intelligent correspondence with facts, details, accounts and rates.  It exhausts me.  I've actually put off doing the letter for three days.  Which is about my threshold for things hanging over my head.  This afternoon I sucked it up and got it done.  Hopefully, I won't have to deal with this again for another six months...in theory, at least.

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On a happier note--hoses and banks behind me--I bought this totally cool garden folly at the co-op on Sunday.  Mom and my sister looked at me like I had maybe lost the plot, but I just couldn't resist.

I stuck it in the ground by the bird bath.  My own little universe, with planets and stars.  I really love the whimsy.  (I know it's hard to see.  No matter how I tried, I couldn't get a photo that didn't sort of blend the ornament into the background.  Click on the pic, it might show up better).

Okay, you're out there thinking, what's cool about that?  This is what's cool about that:

It glows in the dark!!  I can look outside at night and see the universe in my garden.

And yeah.  I'm smiling.