All Day in the Garden

At 6:30 yesterday morning, as the treetops started to shimmer in the golden light of the rising sun, I slid into the spa. It felt wonderful. I was in there for half an hour feeling blissful. What a great, great start to my eighth silent day. Eight days that feel like a year, but I looked forward to a bright sunny and warm day outside with Her Highness walking and working in the yard.

 A Barred Owl watched us as we walked.

Last night was my worst night yet. If I think ahead, I get very scared about my day, the coming week, forever. What I’d like to do, if find another silent person because with another person like me, I would not be self-conscious about being so slow to type my part of the conversation.

I knew that I had to go shopping, so I went early in hopes of not seeing anyone I knew. And we walked before shopping, and what a spectacular walk we had! The forest fragrances are so inspiring in the morning, and the sunshine and sparkle of early morning had me high on nature. I have a new trail I love to walk with Sheba: no hills and beautiful sights along the way.

When we came home for an outside day at Pinecone Park. I have a great, sunny and warm week ahead of me. It’s something to look forward to. Also, working outside means I may encounter some neighbours. I’m not afraid of them. I will feel more relaxed when they all know.

Hydro installed a new pole down the street from me, and they left a small pile of gravel. They use gravel to fill the hole once the new pole is installed, and they left behind their excess. My first goal of the day was to take the bed out of the van, install a large bin that I have and to steal the gravel.

I talked to the Hydro guy weeks ago when they installed the pole. He couldn’t give me permission to take the gravel, but he also encouraged me to take it because no one will use it. It will just sit there forever, the little pile. So, off I went this morning to begin my life of crime.

I fetched two large bins full and covered the muddy, bald part of my driveway very nicely. There was enough gravel to go back for a third load, but I was beat after loading up the two bins full and then distributing them over the driveway. I came in for a rest. I needed it. I walked into the house like a zombie.

I let my rest period extend until lunchtime. Then I was ready for my next task, which was putting the car and its bed in the back, back in order. And then, I got rid of one dying Azalia, and then I got started with moving some big rocks from the front yard to the back where I want to build a bed between two trees. Lifting the rocks into the wheelbarrow was hugely taxing, but I did it. Now I must find more rocks to finish the edging around the bed I’m making. 

Sheba and I went to search for rocks. A friend told me about a place I might be able to get some, so off we went, and I found four large rocks on a forested hill beside the road. I rolled the rocks into the ditch, and then I had to roll them up the other side of a deep, deep ditch. I thought I was going to die. The work was way outside my comfort zone.

Lifting them into the car almost burst my gut. Lifting them out again to put them into my wheelbarrow once I got home, was brutal. Plus, I was feeling badly because I backed into my house and broke the lights on my car. Sigh. I also moved some large rocks that were on my property. A good start has been made on the bed I want to create.

I needed a good rest once half of the bed was built. Then I went out to finish the other side with the last of the rocks I had. I’m going to see if Eoin and François have the few more rocks that I need. They have lots of land and lots of rocks. I’ve been wanting to make this bed for years. Finally, it’s done. Tezspire is bring back life to Pinecone Park as well as to me.

Look at the size of the rocks I harvested!

I ordered five of these buttons (below). They are 3” in diameter. I think that they will reduce my anxiety about encountering people. I will be able to point to the button for those who don’t notice on their own. Adaption!

By 15:00, I was done for the day. It was time for Sheba’s second walk. It was spectacular to be walking in glorious sunshine and lovely warm air. And it’s going to be like this for a week, they say. I get to do more outside work today and every day this week. It’s like Summer out there. What perfect timing to fill the spa! It’s nice not to need a fire.

After the spa, I was pooped. What a full, wonderful day I had. And at the nursery, where I got soil and plants, I felt fine getting things done with notes. Clarence was on the till. I adore him. We always have a good laugh together, but today I showed him a note I have on file in my phone, telling him I am mute now. He said, “Oh, I am so tempted to take advantage of you now that you can’t answer back.” I loved that. He spoke to me, and then he didn’t make a joke about me like he might have. He made me feel great. It was a good experience for me.

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Holy shit. A day pass at Whistler Mountain where I used to love to ski, is now $305. Skiing there means playing with the rich and idiots. A class action suit has been filed against them for inflating the cost of day passes to push customers into buying multi-day passes that make single days less expensive. Greed. It makes me sick. Greed has made Broadway shows financially inaccessible to most people as well.

Pollen on the car window. Taken from inside the car.

The back deck is yellow with pollen. We’re having a very heavy pollen yield this year. Regardless, I will be outside a lot today. It’s predicted to be 18° this afternoon, and 19° tomorrow, and we’re predicted to have sunny clear skies every day until Saturday. Saturday it’s supposed to rain. I hope it comes.

I zoom at 6:00 this morning with Tracey, my co-lead of the STAMMA neurogenic stutterers group; she’s a speech language pathologist. My inclination is to drop out of both my UK and BC stuttering support groups. I’ll find out this morning what Tracey thinks.