Failed Repairs

Yes please! I got a tax refund of three thousand dollars!! 

Yesterday, I mowed the lawns and got rid of the weeds and large mushrooms that had sprung up all over the place. I planted my new Hostas along the north wall of the studio. And then, at eleven, it started raining just as I was about to get back to work on the Fern Garden. I was not saddened by the rain; I had my fabulous book to read (The Tennis Partner), kitties to pet and Sheba by my side as I settled down to read.

The Tennis Partner, as I’ve written here before, is written by Abraham Verghese. His Cutting for Stone was one of the best reads of my life. This book, though, is a memoire of his relationship with a fellow passionate tennis player who also happens to be a resident doctor interning for Verghese. Verghese is Professor for the Theory and Practice of Medicine at Stanford University Medical School and Senior Associate Chair of its Department of Internal Medicine.

I ate it up. It likely ain’t for everyone, but it’s addictive as the cocaine that features prominently in the story’s plot. 

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Today was predicted to be cloudy with showers, but it’s quite nice and there is lots of blue sky and sunshine, so I’ll be able to work outdoors. My plan was to start with stealing rocks from the neighbours that I can use to line the front garden (I got started on that) and then to mow the weeds growing between the raised beds of my fruit and herb garden.

 Well, I got started on that too, and then the pull rope on the mower got stuck. The repair looked easy: remove the flywheel cover and see why the rope is getting stuck. But I could not get the flywheel cover off. Two of the three bolts would not come off, so I have written to Daryl for help.

So it was back to toting rocks and building up the short wall separating my front lawn from the garden. I found the work to be exhausting, but I’ve made good headway on that job. I also got some Ferns moved from the forest and near my septic field, into the Fern Garden.

Tonight, I’ll watch the latest National Theatre offering: Official Barbershop Chronicles.