My Latest Adventure

In the middle of last week, fully (almost) recovered from my birthday blowout and some intense yard overhauling, I had a chance to do something I’ve only had the opportunity to do a few times before. I met a former blogger, Jan, from https://mommermom.wordpress.com/. She is no longer blogging but we have kept in touch through email and snail mail. I received a card several weeks ago that she had a little time before her flight from Portland airport and would I be available to meet? So, of course, I rearranged an appointment to go meet her in person. She was with a friend from college meeting other friends from college so it was lively conversation.

Satiated with lunch at Beaches

We had a lovely lunch and of course, we all had lots of questions. Jan no longer has a reliable computer and felt blogging was taking too much precious time from her large family. We all know how that is with more commitments than time.

Lunch was good, conversation was better.

Jan’s friend is a retired librarian and asked why I blog. I explained why I started blogging when I became so ill that I could do little else than read or write. No television, no sewing, no driving and barely being able to ride or walk without tipping over were a fact of life for well over two years. The more I thought about it the more I realized I didn’t fully answer that question. Why do I still blog when it crosses my mind like so many other’s whose posts I enjoyed, to give it up?

My birthday t-shirt. So very true

The simple answer is in the last line of the September t-shirt I wear. I have a mouth I can’t control. I’m a blabbermouth, a storyteller, a communicator. I love to converse and I will tell you about myself to get you to tell me about you. There is a level of trust involved here and I’ve never been let down and work hard at not letting anyone else down.

Thank you, Jan.

I don’t have time to blog. I also need this community more than it needs me. As I’ve healed from one profound illness and face another, bloggers have helped sustain a positive focus. Giving this up is like cutting a main artery. Friends I have made here will always be friends in my heart. The people I meet virtually all have good hearts and are trustworthy. Getting to meet them in person is an extra bonus. So, thank you Jan, for including me in your visit to the area. You and your friend were a delight to spend time with and I felt like we had know each other for years.

Asters in full bloom

Have you had chances to meet fellow bloggers? How was your experience of it?

From my heart to yours,
Marlene Herself

The Rest of the Story

There has been so much going on that I almost can’t remember it all. The last two weeks of August and the first weeks of September were so packed that I slept a lot of last weeks trying to get my bearings.

My son (TS, tech support) came from Arizona to bring my daughter his car. They had three older cars in the driveway and his was not used except for long trips. It seemed logical to have my daughter pay her brother a reasonable amount each month instead of a bank. They both win. He will eventually get something more suited to his snow-covered mountain area. She will have AC in the summer and back warmers in winter, something she has been without for almost 10 years now.

It’s so pretty

2013 VW Passat beats 1997 Olds Bravada all to heck

My son took me for birthday lunch at my favorite German restaurant where we ate lightly, so we had room for my favorite birthday dessert. Yes, I had it twice this year. Then we proceeded to work it off in the back yard. He bought me a yard of ¾” rock for my birthday and unloaded it from my sister’s pickup. I helped by directing. We moved the landscape logs and added more so he could complete his vision for my back yard. He loves to move things around. Last time it was all the furniture.

TS shoveled it all.

He worked on my daughter’s old car finding that what the mechanics had said was wrong with it, was not. When I took mine in for an oil change, they told me the water pump was leaking and plugs and wires needed to be replaced. I had a new engine put in four years ago and all of that was done then. He called them on it and they verified it. We are looking for a new mechanic but I think it will always be the same story. My daughter needed the hinge on her old car door fixed. He broke the windshield but he fixed the door. I love that kid. Then he anchored an upright post the roofers failed to do. Does anyone need a lazy kid? Let me know if you find one. He’s not it.

TS making sparks cutting rebar.

TS doing slave labor

Since my birthday fell on Labor Day weekend, my daughter and I had three days to celebrate. On Saturday we drove 30 minutes to the Swan Island Dahlia Farm for their yearly open house. This was my first visit since moving here. I had to share a few of the hundreds of varieties they grow. Can you find the bunnies in the mix?

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Sunday was breakfast at Bread and Ink downtown and then on to the Chinese Gardens for a little walk around and tea. Then to our favorite metaphysical bookstore, New Renaissance. They had a porch sale!

Three food groups, maybe? Waffle, fruit and whip cream.

A late lunch/dinner was at the Ram where I got my free birthday ice cream mudslide pie slice. Most of my dinner came home with me for later. Ice cream pie won’t keep.

Ice cream and hot fudge has to be shared.

Monday my sister joined us and bought lunch and dessert at Papa Haydn’s. If you ever get to Portland and have a sweet tooth, they have two locations and both have criminal desserts.

Daughter’s cake

Baconne Dolce

Sis’s cake

TS’s German choc cake

My sister also bought me a half yard of rock to fill in what the first yard did not. My daughter pulled a lot  out  with a hoe. Then the three of us pulled the canvas cloth off the plastic one onto the driveway. The guys at the landscape yard thought this was genius as it worked when they loaded the wrong size in the truck and I took it back for the right size. I was not going to settle for something that wouldn’t work for me.  It only took me one morning to get it all moved to the back yard. I ask for odd things for my birthdays. I’m a very practical Virgo.

Flowers from a very kind friend

Tuesday, I went on a diet that will last till my daughter’s birthday in April. I’ll pass on the holiday goodies this year. Birthdays are more important to me. I want another one..

I had another adventure this last week I’ll tell you about next time. Do you prioritize birthdays over holidays?

From my heart to yours,

Marlene Herself

 

 

Plants

It’s been the busiest, craziest summer in so many ways. I’m supposed to be slowing down at this time in life. I’m thinking that as we age, most of us realize we are running short on time and want to stuff as much life and action into what’s left rather than just take it easy.

I have taken a hiatus from my sewing fun and friends as well as blogging to concentrate as much time as possible to getting chores around here completed. Once the carport was repaired, we concentrated on purging, gardening and getting expenses managed so my daughter could afford a car that ran to more than the mechanic. Mission accomplished. More on that next time.

This is the 1997 that’s finally going to get sold, hopefully

Next came getting 3 pickup loads of yard mulch. My sister volunteered her pickup and we did our best to off load it with a little help. My niece looks 12 but is 20 and worked like a trooper on the second load. I’ll tell you about the third load later too. The mulch goes around the plants so they don’t require so much water. The front is getting an update as well.

The scoop holds one yard. We got 6 yards in three trips.

leveling to top of mulch

Cleaning out the truck

Rosemary has been trimmed back, lavender harvested so very early and the Albizzia tree that my son bought a couple years ago and planted has had several trims this summer just to get around it. I did not know it would be so large and unwieldy. It’s not in a good spot for the size it will get. Should have done more research.

Albizia is an invasive species in Hawaii

My Aster has started blooming three weeks early! Never before has it bloomed before September first.

Asters blooming in August

Asters later

I have a new plant given me by my friend, Sabine and it’s showing off it’s first bloom. I truly love being in the yard and playing in the dirt as long as it’s not very hot or sunny. I don’t see all that well in the bright sunlight even after getting a new prescription and glasses.

 

Pineapple Lily

Things started out well enough though I noticed I was having difficulty seeing clearly when looking down at the ground. I was using a shovel to lift the stepping stones so I could move them out. That job has not been completed yet since I found another kind of plant in the process.

The steps were buried under the ground cover. Time for a face lift.

 

A different look for me too.

You have heard of the Face Plant I’m certain. I thought I did marvelous in staggering over the shovel handle on my way down and only winding up with some serious road rash, bent my new glasses but no broken bones of any nature. All the padding makes me bounce well.

Face Plant with road rash

Since I don’t care much for that kind of plant and don’t want any more of them, I called my daughter to drive me to the eye care clinic. She was more than happy to leave work early on a Friday. It took the new optometrist three tries at a prescription due to childhood optic nerve damage but looking down is still a problem. So, no shovels will be left laying down. I prefer my plants upright, thank you very much. It did slow things down a bit but I’m almost back in business now. More to this story coming. I won’t dawdle this time, promise. I’ve missed you all.

My birthday t-shirt. So very true

Welcome to September. Have you had any unusual plants in your garden?

From my heart to yours,

Marlene Herself