Par-tay!

Look at what Woodpeckers have
done to this tree trunk!

Monday was a lovely day. I really enjoyed the morning dog walk; everyone is in such a good mood due to the arrival of warmer weather. It was bright and calm; there was no wind. And it was lovely and mild. As I arrived home, the clouds started rolling in, so I got right to work on removing the many branches felled yesterday with Jay.

I would have preferred to install all the plants and bulbs I bought into the gardens, but the wood needed removal and I’ve become blasé about which work I do; I’m content to do anything that takes Pinecone Park forward. Besides, I have all the rest of Spring and Summer to work. 

I got a couple of wheelbarrow loads burned, but then my incinerator collapsed so I had to go into town to get a new one. Then we went to Rollo Park. Sheba pees with excitement when we go to Rollo because that’s where we play fetch the ball. We play on grass where I can be free of worry coming to her paws. She has had lots of trouble with her paws.

And then I lay down—to nap, and to think about what I’ll make and serve on Saturday night. Then Her Highness and I took an afternoon turn together and as we walked, we hit a stretch of trail that I remember vividly because of what once happened there.

Not long after I moved here, I remember being hit with a seizure and needing the tall thin trees that grow up right at the edge of the trail, for support. I felt very disoriented after the seizure and needed the trees to get my bearings. I always think of that whenever I pass through the trail. Since then, I’ve made considerable progress in navigating the world and I do very well here on Gabriola where I feel so incredibly safe and so very close to Mother Nature.

It's not a terribly appealing day today, but it ain’t shite either. I’m drawn to the yard; I’ve bulbs to plant and wood to stack that comes from the bucked trees Jay and I felled last weekend. 

Best news of yesterday: I got a $2,200 tax refund! Par-tay!

 

Chain Saw Man

Sunday’s big achievement was downing a lot of dead tree limbs. The trees themselves will have to be professionally downed. They are leaning toward the house, so I can’t risk falling them without a cherry picker; I’ll be calling in the pros. But at least I’m underway with cleaning up the front part of my yard.

Other than that, the day involved a long Zoom call with my fellow stutterers from BC. I really enjoyed seeing everyone and chatting with them. And of course, there was a lovely long walk with Her Highness on a truly lovely mild day. Daytime temperatures have increased. We are in for a decent week. Hooray!

Today, I’ve to clear out all the cut limbs from the ditch that runs along the front of my yard. Some of them were huge, thick limbs that Jay cut into bits for firewood. I’ll be collecting the firewood and stacking it in the woodshed. But first, I’ll go on a dog walk in the sunshine with my friends.

I’m glad to have a few days of working outside. Later in the week, I must do a big shop and a lot of cooking and baking for a small dinner party I’m hosting on Saturday night. Stacey, Bryce and Nancy are coming for dinner. It’s Nancy’s birthday.

•

Quite a while ago, I met Peter and Ali when we were all trail walking. We seemed to hit it off, and so I invited them to dinner. That went well; they invited me to their house a couple of weeks later. And then, after another week or two, I had them back here again. They are neighbours and they love to play games.

As they left after their second dinner here, they said they’d be in touch to have me over for more games and that they’d be inviting another neighbour whom I really like. That was on March 5^th, almost two months ago.

The absence of any word from them for so long makes me hesitant to contact them; I’ve convinced myself that I said or did something wrong and that now they don’t like me. 

I have a neighbour who seems allergic to responsibility; all her misfortunes, and there are many of them, are the fault of someone else. She understands her world in a way that makes her never responsible for her dilemmas. I’m the opposite. I think all my misfortunes are entirely my fault. 

I’ve been quite unhappy for the past month, believing I’ve fallen far short of acceptable to Ali and Peter.

Yay! Yard Work!

Yesterday, I washed floors, scrubbed stains off of upholstery, cleaned up the cattery and vacuumed up every f’ing thing inside Pinecone Park that wasn’t fastened down—all before going on the morning walk with Her Highness. 

The walk was fabulous. I did not want to go out into the grey cool day, but once I got walking, the forest fragrances and the birdsong raised my spirits. Then, as we came to the end of our walk, the sky cleared, and the sun came out and transformed everything. 

I spent the afternoon outdoors in short sleeves, mowing lawns and clearing forest fall from the front yard. And then Merrill dropped by with Issa, and we had a wonderful visit. For the first time, Issa was content to be in my arms—not only that, she wanted me to hold her all the time. Issa’s one-and-a-half years old. To hold close, a trusting child, is an exquisite experience, a wondrous privilege.

We explored my yard, and then we went through our friendship gate into their yard, and we pushed Issa back and forth on her swing. Following that, I came home and cleaned up most of the crap I’d collected off the front (former) lawn. I have named the front former lawn, the festival of weeds. I don’t care. Pinecone Park is going natural, except for the gardens.

I felt very good for having done some yard work. And that’s a good thing because there’s weeks of work to be done. It’s daunting, but I’m in no rush. I love having something to do outdoors when the weather’s good. I’ve got to get the fountain going today and I’ll get started on cleaning up the backyard and gardens.

•

I reckon I could do a cracker of a job of creating a community liaison/fundraising plan. I’ve drafted a proposed job description for myself that I plan to send Dyan and Dianne if I’m invited to be part of the board.

•

Today’s dawned slightly warmer than of late, and there’s plenty of blue sky to get me outside after the Zoom call I have this morning with my BC Stuttering group.

190 years old; currently the world's oldest 
living land animal.

My Dull Life

Yesterday was a good day: dog walk, finishing another Louise Penny novel, going to Dan’s and Steve’s for a late afternoon get together along with Jay, Dave, Owen and Jim. It was nice being outdoors in the sunshine.

Dan is Canadian. His partner, Steve, is American. They’re married and they’ve lived in the US since the mid 1980s. They moved here because they wanted out of the US, and we talked about American politics for a while. I say ‘we,’ but I did not participate; instead, I listened, and it was hard to do. It was so, so sad to hear what people think about America and the world.

I’ve nothing much to say here anymore. Every day feels the same. It’s cool and dark, often damp, and I ditz away my time doing absolutely nothing of interest to both of you, my readers.

Today was supposed to be sunny. It ain’t, so I’m doing serious Spring cleaning and I’ll likely start my penultimate Penny novel.