July 2010 – Page 2 – TheCapeBlog

Gardener’s Diary – Early July

Soaking rain storm yesterday morning, which came after I watered and well-timed at that: parts of the garden got 1 1/2-2 inches of badly-needed water. 8’d the roses, daisies, hibiscus and some of the hydrangeas in the evening.
While it was raining, I put up another shelf and swept the big shed. Used part of the frame from the old slider.
Have some nice blooms on the nasturtiums.
Peter’s old trash barrel shed is working out great, I’m using it to hold soil, peat moss and the recycling bins. The latter may or may not be a good idea, depending on whether spiders that bite decide to live there. Brought a bunch of old pots to Mahoney’s for recycling last week.
The weird purple plants that I removed from Bob Janik’s front yard because they looked so hideous and out of place actually make a nice corner backdrop for the coreopsis. I’m delighted that the little yellow daisies that I also transplanted have come up
Picked up a decorative feature for the garden, a smiling head that looks like Brent Spiner. Someone at work gave it away, along with some other items.
Yesterday, dropped Robert off for sailing and took Emme and James to the Falmouth Rod & Gun Club’s annual Youth Day.
I offered to pay them to take two chores off my plate, edging the lawn around their rock garden and the most horrible of all, painting the deck railing. I’m tired: I don’t want to do these myself and I don’t want the hassle of hiring someone.
Brought James and Tyler to Sea Mist late yesterday afternoon.

Night Off (Not Exactly)

Earlier this week, I freed two young robins from the netting on the blueberry bushes. It was a horrible process, and I apologize again to the birds.
I put up the new wind chime this morning and made an appointment for an overdue (since February) eye exam.
On the way home tonight, I realized that I had no chores or errands planned. It was a good deal more pleasant outside tonight than it has been for most of this week, so I washed the truck.
The semi-deja vus are still happening.

Happy Holidays (Not)

I don’t like holidays because holidays are designed for couples. Couples as in, women with online names like “Bunny” or “Kitten” who post with words like “Yum”, and the men who love them.

Now, don’t get me wrong: it’s none of my business whether or not you raise your legs for some man, ladies, or get down on your knees for that matter.

I just don’t understand why you are in a lower tax bracket than I am as a single filer*.

*Example: a married couple with a combined income of $60,000 has a marginal tax rate of 15%, while a single person with the same income has an MTR of 25%.

I also don’t understand why holidays have to do with couples, to the exclusion of everyone else.

Christmas, for example. Why do jewelers advertise to men who are looking for a gift for the women who raise their legs for them? What would be wrong with a marital status-neutral ad with the tag line, “Every woman deserves beautiful jewelry”. Whether or not we have to buy it for ourselves.

I used to love Fourth of July, but no more. Fourth of July should be as marital-status neutral as they come, but it’s not.

Everything is around family get-togethers, which means that there is, inevitably, some married couple in the middle of all of it, fussing over the burgers and the potato salad because never-married people can’t afford a place big enough to entertain more than, oh, one or two guests. Maybe three if all the guests are under age 16.

Family-oriented events are tough enough on us adoptees without making coupled-ness a prerequisite for celebrating the country’s Declaration of Independence, for cripes sake.

About the only holiday left for single people is Halloween. In fact, single people, i.e., children, have the most fun on Halloween.

Could be why it’s my favorite holiday.