Too often, Friday night becomes a “throwaway”, and I get mad at myself when that happens.
The main reason is that most of the leisure time activities I enjoy, like yard work or visiting an art gallery, happen during the day. By the time 6 pm comes around, the sidewalks have been rolled up.
Lack of Motivation
Maybe it’s the humidity, or the remains of the pollen, but getting in gear this weekend has been a promethean task.
There were a couple of community activities on the calendar, and I didn’t attend even one. Envisioning the traffic, parking and participation in the events themselves, especially because of the heat yesterday, was much too much and not too very, very.
Little Miss Scully
After searching for a year, my friend across the street finally got herself a puppy, an 8 week old German Shepherd which she named Scully, after the agent in the X Files.
After being liberated from a 9-pup litter, Scully is enjoying being an only child.
She is doing an excellent job of training her two human “slaves” to recognize when she is hungry or needs to go out. The human have already gotten into the habit of putting ice cubes in her water (she loves them) and mixing her dry food with canned.
She is learning words, like her name and “No”.
Letters to My Senators
Not that it will do any good, but I finally sent the following correspondence to my two pro-illegal immigrant Senators:
I do not agree with any proposals to grant amnesty to the 12 million+ illegal aliens in the United States.
I do agree that the border needs to be better protected, and that employers who hire illegals should be punished.
How is granting immunity to those who have entered this country illegally different from rewarding any other kind of law-breaking activity?
Would you, for example, agree to release murderers and child rapists from prison because businesses “need” them to do work that other Americans allegedly refuse?
Mexico is a wealthy country, but its wealth is concentrated in the hands of a few. Mexican citizens should work on improving conditions in their own country rather than bringing their economic and social problems to ours.
Finally, I resent the anti-US attitudes expressed by those pro-illegal groups who demonstrate against our laws. The Southwestern part of the US no more “belongs” to Mexico than New England “belongs” to the UK.
This Cape Cod voter is strongly and emphatically opposed to any legislation that provides a means to citizenship to those who are here illegally. I do my own housework, yard work and hire US citizens when I need help from a skilled trades person. Businesses should do the same.
Spending and Saving
I have a good job, and say this not just because my performance review is coming up next week and my esteemed boss is, to say the least, internet-savvy, but because it’s true.
There are certainly others coping with the high cost of living here who aren’t so fortunate. For example, only a short distance away, the prison guards in the county jail very likely get pelted with offal in exchange for what is essentially a chambermaid’s wage.
So, being able to pay the bills and have dignified, intellectually challenging work is a circumstance worthy of gratitude.
Gardener’s Diary
It’s summer, maybe not by the calendar, but yesterday, it hit over 90 degrees.
Sprayed the roses today.
This time last year (Memorial Day weekend), there were hoards of gypsy moth caterpillars dangling from trees. Only found one this year; turns out, the neighbors had their trees treated, so perhaps my yard benefits as well.
The rhodie is very pretty, and the violets I transplanted last year from Peter’s yard are doing well.
Mowed the lawn, watered and weeded this morning. Heading over to #11 to do some yard work there in a little while.
A couple of morning glories, one re-seeded from last year, have started, and several nasturtiums, from this year’s seeding. Have lots of seedlings from the mystery packets from the 2006 Home and Garden show.
10-Points
…to MTV’s “Human Giant” for their skit “Mother and Son Moving Co.” which ends with the superimposed message “Don’t Adopt”.
Absolutely great.
Gardener’s Diary
Seedlings appeared yesterday, one week after sowing!
Planted nasturtium, aster and morning glory seeds this weekend. Found that soaking the morning glory seeds produced rootlets, even without time-consuming clipping beforehand.
James and I are making progress on clearing the overgrown forsythia in their back yard. The soil is so excellent, I suggested planting vegetables; James: “No more gardens!!”
Good News from Newsweek
According to the new NEWSWEEK Poll, the public
Gardener’s Diary
Looking back to last year, it feels like we are a little behind schedule. There’s a lot of growth in my yard, but very few blossoms, although my neighbors’ tulips are quite pretty.
We’ve had a fair amount of rain this spring, maybe not as much as last year; some of us think the very wet Spring was the reason the hydrangeas were incredible, more blossoms than we’ve seen before.