Sunday, September 09, 2007

Sunday Chat



See that mess? See that almost empty planting bed with the clump of peppermint amaryllissssy stuff? I was going to separate the clump to spread the bulbs out a bit, but it turned into a monumental job. The English Dogwood had taken over the bed with it's running root system so I had to pull huge amounts of it out.
Then I noticed the lattice was pushed in, thanks to two lazy large dogs that like to lay in the cool dirt. So that had to be dealt with ... sigh.


I did find some artifacts. Here's a boingly bouncey dog toy from the days when the "puppies" really were puppies. Flounder still likes to carry things around, but nobody is actually chasing balls anymore.

Never buy one of those cool looking coiled hoses. They seem like a good idea.

"Wow! A 25 foot hose that stores itself! Cool!"

The first time you use them is the last time they coil themselves back into a neat slinky-like spring. Notice the REAL hose dangling over the dumb Gordian knot coil hose.
That's the one we use.
Yes, I know I should take the coilless one down.

Flounder appreciated all the freshly cleared dirt and returned to lay in it and press against the lattice I had just restored.
Sigh ...



Feather could not be bothered to move from ther lair beneath the stairs. She stayed there even when the water from irrigating the newly planted bulbs flowed all around her. The mud it carried left a Feather shaped impression when she got up for her supper later.



I also finally took down the icicle lights that had hung over the bedroom bay window since ... um ... last Christmas.
We are so white trash sometimes ...

The mornings and evenings have been wonderfully Septembery this week. It probably would seem sweltering to a nonFloridian, but the air is different even though it's still 90 degrees now at 7:46 pm. It's hard to describe and of course, it's all relative.





We had a visit from Emma due to the fact that she became ill this week at college and needed to see our doctor. She was pretty sick with an abcess on her tonsils that everyone who peered in her throat described as "scary-lookin".


I passed and took their word for it. We enjoyed babying her and feeding her real food, although for the first day all she could eat was hot soup due to her throat. We did get to sit with her last night and watch underdog USF whip the tight shiny uniform pants off mighty Auburn University.
AMAZING! Even I, the nonsportanian was mesmerized by this David vs. Goliath battle.

Emma's back at USF now with orders to rest and take it easy between classes. It's tough to have your baby get sick when she's away from home.

Now, it's 8:11 and I'm bushed. There's some papers that need to be graded in my briefcase, but I'm feeling a lack of ambition at the moment.

I think I hear my novel calling me.

19 comments:

Sharon said...

I have felt fall in the air too, I'm SO relieved. It almost feels like you can breathe again. I also have noticed the haze is lifting here and there. I'm looking forward to fall and blue skies. :) Hope your baby feels better soon. I had my tonsils out when I was 34, no fun.

threecollie said...

Poor, poor Emma, away at school and so sick, and poor folks worrying about her. Hope she feels better very quickly
Hmmm, novel...one you are writing or one you are reading?

OldHorsetailSnake said...

I don't know why you didn't leave those lights up. Less than 4 months to Christmas. Hell, less than one month till the merchants start telling us to shop early. Comeon, FC, get with the program.

roger said...

every post you do, ok, almost every, is the start of a novel. (maybe the middle)

virtual hugs to emma and her caretakers.

Deb said...

What is it with girls and their throats in the first week of school? ;) Glad she's feeling better!

MinorcanMeteorolgist said...

Why'd you take down the Christmas lights? Christmas Season starts in just a little over 2 months!!
I feel that Septembery weather, too...I can smell it in the air...A lot of my friends at school think I'm crazy when I say "it's starting to feel like fall." The second Datil harvest is starting to come in, too!!

Anonymous said...

I'm with Hoss- isn't it time to start decorating for the holidays? Hoss is also aware of the David vs Goliath sports analogy- I believe his Mighty Ducks had someting to say to Michigan's Wolverines yesterday.

With a little home lovin' Emma will be back up and running soon. I think when they go to college it's a bit like kindergarten: a vast new germ pool. Except you're not there to do all that hands on care.

I have several of those hoses that still need to be wrestled into submission...where's the picture of the finished clean garden bed.

Anonymous said...

So, crawlspace under the house? I suppose that is typical for the area. No basement?

#2 Son stopped by from med school yesterday with a limp. He's not sure how he injured it but made full use of the padded recliner before the TV with some sort of sporting event on it.

Doug Taron said...

Your posting about the Christmas lights remined me of the song Redneck Woman by Gretchen Wilson.

robin andrea said...

Poor Emma. I hope she is feeling better soon.

Fall is definitely in the air here. This morning's temp was 43 degrees. That's what we call sleeping weather. Makes us want to the pull the covers up and stay under them for just a little while longer.

Florida Native Musings said...

ever mis spell something with those Christmas Lights?

Nice work on the yard.

Yours in the Bond

R.Powers said...

All,
Thanks for the warm wishes for Emma. I believe she's on the mend.

Sharon,
It begins slowly that's for sure.

ThreeCollie,
Reading, but I keep thinking ...

Hoss,
The thought crossed my mind, but this string was dead.

roger,
if you're trying to inspire me, keep it up. i think if i just took this idea in my head and started ...


Deb,
...and apparently no matter how grown up, they are still your baby :)
Still painful to see them in discomfort.


HurricaneT,
My datils are doin it too.


Vicki,
I believe you are right about the huge new germ pool. Pics of the finished bed have to wait for me to finish :)


Pablo,
Yup, crawlspace is traditional. Cool air beneath the house and up above the termites ... mostly. No need to worry about frozen pipes.
Basements are almost nonexistent in Florida due to the water table's proximity.

Doug,
Yes, that would be us :)
What a cutie she is.

Robin,
Sleeping weather is what we call the low 70's. It's all relative. 43 sounds delicious.

Scott,
What? Not sure I gotcher meaning.

Anonymous said...

Oh, I felt fall in the air this week, too even though just a breath. Poor Emma. That germ seems to be making its way through this area. Hope she feels better soon. My boy would stay home from school, but he has his driver's license now and nothing will keep him from a chance to get behind the wheel. There should be a sale on Christmas lights anyday so you won't have to do without long. Get cracking on that novel won't you? Writing I mean. We can't wait.

SophieMae said...

So glad to hear Emma's on the mend! What a blessing for her to be able to get home for some of that TLC. Believe it or not, I came down with a miserable case of tonsilitis when I was there. Thankfully, only once.

WallyWorld is already starting to put out their Christmas stuff. Might as well go ahead and leave it out all year. It's just about come to that, anyhow.

pissed off patricia said...

You could probably hear Mr Pop cheering from here during that USF game.

Having dealt with tonsil problems all my younger life, I understand Emma's pain. And it is a pain!

I have a coil-ie hose and it knows how to recoil itself everytime. You just need to train yours better ;)

Florida Native Musings said...

Sorry FC. Got ahead of myself. That noted Southern Poet "Foxworthy" once said that if you ever misspelled a Holiday Greeting with Christmas lights, you might be a redneck!

Also, if you cut your Grass and found a Car or if your Momma forgets to take the Malboro from her Top Lip before she tells the State Trooper to Kiss Her A--....oh sorry I got carried away.

Yours in the Bond!

Ava said...

The picture of the "coiled hose" made me giggle!!!!

Love the pictures! Especially the ones of the dogs!

Susan said...

We've been noticing and enjoying the cooler morn and eve temps, too. It's funny how others haven't noticed it yet. I'm lovin it!

Alan said...

The mornings and evenings have been wonderfully Septembery this week. It probably would seem sweltering to a nonFloridian, but the air is different even though it's still 90 degrees now at 7:46 pm. It's hard to describe and of course, it's all relative.

Yep, I've almost decided to start cleaning up the garden so I can get the cool season stuff in.

I hate August the way some folks up north hate February.

.....Alan.