Saturday

I woke up at 6:45 to the alarm clock. No, wait a minute, I didn't set it! So, what the hell is that noise? OMG! It's the smoke/carbon monoxide detector in the office!!

Since I put all three up at the same time, they must have a useable life span. I took it down and removed the batteries to shut it up. I can't wait until the one downstairs fails!

I posted the Blog entry and my picture and then made myself a cup of Rick's coffee. I've been thinking about it and decided I wasn't going to drive to Troy and the Volvo dealer this morning (as I'd planned). Unless I go to, say, Home Depot, Meijer's or Westborn Market, I am in my car less than two minutes at a time. So, I barely can here a song, start to finish. And, I have a LOT to do this weekend. I'll try to work it in at lunch sometime next week.

I threw on my shorts and T-shirt and went outside at 8:00 AM to water the front garden before it gets too hot (supposed to be 86 degrees here, today).

I thoroughly watered it and then decided to hose off the siding. In spite of the road now being paved, I was surprised at the dust and dirt running off. Then I did the lilac, the forsythia and the tree garden. I moved back to the back, washing the siding and then watering the gardens as I went.

When I was done with the immediate gardens, I stuck the hose into the reflecting pool, turned the faucet on low and went inside. It was 9:30 AM. I set the stove timer for 20 minutes so I wouldn't forget. I stripped the bed and got the bedding ready for the wash.

I watched some of the morning news while waiting on the timer. The timer went off, so I retrieved the hose and watered the St. Francis garden and the wild garden. Then I called it good and went inside. I watched Jane and the Dragon, the only cartoon these days I like. Sounds silly, but you would have to see it.

BTW, in both the St. Francis garden and the wild garden the Lilies of the Valley are done blossoming and the ferns are taking over. **Sigh** I will miss them. I had routinely cut a handful of the short, bell-like blossoms and put them in a shot glass of water in my bedroom. Why? I love that smell. It reminds me of sex. No, not that they smell like sex, it's just the woman I had an affair with after my first divorce used that perfume. Great memories...

I knew the roses also needed water, but didn't feel like messing around hooking up the back yard hose. So, I grabbed my little gallon bucket, filled it up four times and gave each of them a good drink. Then I took their pictures.

My friend B___ called and invited me to dinner tonight. He's grilling baby back ribs, sweet corn and has a pasta salad, too. Jesus! Talk about tempting! He grills them low and slow, so dinner wouldn't be until about 7:30 PM. Since he knows I have a problem driving after dark, he suggested I just stay the night. I regretfully declined, citing the amount of work I need to do this weekend. But, I wish I could have gone... I should have gone...

I checked my ToDo list and then grabbed the hammock, the D-rings (which I what I call them) and the Locktite threadlocker. I tried to put the D-rings into the eye-bolts, but, it's been two years since I used them and the tree had overgrown them. So, I went back inside, grabbed a wood chisel and a hammer and cut through the bark above and below the eye-bolts.

Now, the hammock came with something I never saw before, a length of chain attached to the round rings. So, I had to play with it (four times!) before I got it to the right height, given my weight. Then I applied the threadlocker and screwed it all tight. I admit I laid there about a half an hour, looking up, past the squirrel's nest, through the canopy of maple leaves and watching the puffy clouds move past. It was great!

I finally made myself get up and moved to the next item on the list. It was almost 6:00 PM and I kept thinking about baby back ribs and grilled sweet corn. What the hell is wrong with me? When did busting my ass take precedence over enjoying my life? I dunno, but it sucks...

Anyway, I moved the bottom half of the chiminea onto the furniture dolly and rolled it outside. I put it on the metal stand and then went and got the chimney. I set it in place and marked the spot with a black magic marker. Then I took it off and mixed up the concrete (a 4 to 1 mixture of cement to water) and, when it was thoroughly incorporated, went outside and "buttered" both the chiminea base and the chimney. I stuck them together (using the magic maker as a guide) and then rinsed off the excess cement.

But, I noticed during all this that the base of this chiminea has a hairline crack all the way to the bottom. So, I think this is the last year for it. Oh well, I did my best...

Back inside, I was starving. Still thinking about baby back ribs and grilled sweet corn, I made up a blue box of mac & cheese. **Sigh** Then I watched "The Outlaw Josey Wales" and went to sleep.