Saturday, waiting on the rain

I woke up at 7:00 AM and immediately went outside to drag the hose in front and put the sprinkler on the front lawn. There is a 60% chance of rain Saturday night, but I can't take the chance with the new grass seed. So, I spent the next few hours moving it from spot to spot and setting the stove timer for 25 minutes in each spot.

Meanwhile, when I was inside, I posted the Blog for Friday and a few pictures, filled out this weekend's ToDo list and the short grocery list. I also peeled two russet potatoes, two carrots, two parsnips and two onions. I got out my new, smaller slow cooker and put the chopped veggies and one whole small onion in. I checked and I don't have any beef stock (I usually add about 1/4 cup in the bottom) so I added 1/4 cup of water, a peeled garlic clove, a bay leaf and some dried thyme and parsley. I topped that with a roast I'd thawed, patted dry with paper towels and then dry-rubbed with Montreal steak seasoning. I put rings I'd cut out of the middle of the other, bigger onion on top the roast, put on the glass top and turned it on High. I put the rest of the second onion into a baggie in the fridge.

Finally, I was done with the watering. I jumped in the shower, got dressed and headed out on my errands at 10:30 AM.

First came the library and then I went to Kroger's. Knowing I had other stops, I had cleverly brought along the big cooler, so I put the meat, milk, eggs and frozen stuff in it. Then I went to Home Depot. I bought four 50-pound bags of top soil, three more bags of mulch and a six-pack of yellow and purple pansies. One of the Home Depot guys helped me load the car, which I was very grateful for, BTW!

After that, I stopped at the Coney Island next to Home Depot and treated myself to breakfast and my first cup of coffee of the day. I got back home around 12:30 PM and found I'd missed Jake and Carla. Damn! They were coming over to borrow my extension ladder and I wanted to see just how they were gonna get that back to their house in their car. But, it was gone and so were they, so they must have coped somehow!

I put away the groceries and then got to work. I put about 1/3 bag of top soil with an equal amount of good (Miracle-Gro) potting soil I had in the wheel barrow, mixing it with the hoe. Then I went out and filled up the tub around the new mail box. Into that went the six pansies (they are usually hardy enough to take a few frosts) I watered it all down and, even though the plants are still small, it looks pretty good!

Then I loaded the other three bags of top soil into the wheelbarrow and took them to the back patio (it was at that point I REALLY appreciated the guy loading them for me, lol!) Then I went back and got the three bags of mulch and took them to the patio, too. I got both rakes (leaf and garden) to the patio and then stopped. My back and knees are killing me, so I think I will lay down for a bit, maybe nap, and get back to this later.

I went in and it was just after 3:00 PM. I grabbed a book, shoved cats out of the way and lay down on the bed. Jake called and explained how he got the ladder home and itemized what they had gotten done so far this weekend: raking, fertilizing the lawn, cleaning out all the gutters, etc., (that made me even more tired!) I warned him about overdoing it, but hey, who listens to old geezers like me? Sensibly, I am going back to bed!

Well, maybe not. Before I went back, I checked the weather on the Internet. The barometer is falling and there is a big cell of rain and thunderstorms just below Toledo, Ohio, moving north, heading my way. I'd guess (and it's only a guess) I have about two more hours of dry weather. So, gritting my teeth, I head back outside, after turning the slow cooker to "Warm."

First, I got the mail and took some shots of the new flowers. Then I went out and pulled off all the slate around the reflecting pool (a washtub in its former life). When we first made this, I had filled in the raised bed with compost. Over the years, the compost has settled, but the wash tub has not, so most of the slate is tipped upwards and no longer seems "natural" So, my plan is to use top soil to level the area around the washtub, replace the slate, add more mulch and regain my "natural" look.

I pulled off all the slate (there was a lot more than I thought, lol! I pulled the wood chips back with a rake and then added the top soil. Unfortunately, some of the dirt fell into the pool, but I'll figure out how to deal with that later. I used the flat of my hoe to tamp the dirt down, angling down towards the pool. Then, like a puzzle, I fitted each piece back around the washtub. It doesn't look anything like the old one, but it does seem to work.

Then I filled in the top and sides with new wood chips. I washed down all the rocks with a hose and then used my net to get any wayward wood chips from out of the water. Finally, I filled the washtub back up with fresh water. I took a series of photos so you can better understand what I was doing. I do like it, but have to confess, it won't look "right" until the wood chips weather a bit.

I coiled up the hose, gathered all the tools and took them back in the garage. I left the last bag of top soil and mulch lying on the patio, figuring the rain can't hurt them. I went back in the house and washed up at 5:20 PM. Another box on the ToDo list I can check off!

I ate dinner just after 6:00 PM. Not the greatest roast I ever made (I think the fresh herbs and mushrooms I usually use add a lot to the dish) but good none the less. I put away the leftovers, strained and saved the au jus for possible gravy another day and soaked the crock.

It still hasn't rained, so I checked and found the storm I feared moved northwest and slid on by us. So, I am glad I took the time to water this morning. I liked being outside in the fresh air and the breeze so much, I got my book, sat on the front porch rocker and read until it got dark.

While waiting for the only TV I want to see tonight (A fight on HBO between Bernard Hopkins and Joe Calzaghe) I watched a Comedy Central show with Lewis Black. Funny guy! I switched over to HBO when the fight came on and watched it until 11:30 PM. Great fight! And, my guy (Calzaghe, a Welshman) won! So, I went to bed happy, but still a little sore, lol!