Rain!

saturday

Saturday got off to a slow start. I slept in until 7:00, and then I was at my computer for over and hour. Then Her Highness and I went for a walk. It was a beautiful morning. When we got back, I trimmed dead material from several plants and vines until lunchtime. After lunch, we went to Eoin and François’ place to fetch some rocks.

Eoin and François have rented 6 goats to eat all the vegetation on a large section of their land. When I got there, all the goats were lying down together. And oh! I was in heaven. I spent time with each one. They are all incredibly friendly and gentle. Eoin and François are now considering getting a couple of goats, and I hope they do. I love being with them; they are wonderful animals.

I got the rocks and was home at 3:00. I did not feel up to unloading all the rocks yesterday, so I left them in the car. I plan to move them today. I’m excited about creating a new bed that will circle a large tree in my yard. I’ll fill it with plants I already have scattered about. It’s going to be a real asset for the property.

The evening was spent, as usual, in front of the telly. I really miss reading, but I don’t have the time for it. I’m either doing chores, or recovering from doing chores, and I just want to vegetate when I am in my recovery mode. It was a lovely evening.

One thing I did last night was call Dwight. We had a great call. It was great, at least to me, because I had two things I wanted to say to him about his brother, and he promised to do the one suggestion I had, I my other point really hit home with him. We were both teary. His brother’s in trouble. He’s lost his job and he’s abusing alcohol, and badly, and Dwight doesn’t know what to do. I think my suggestions were very well received. And that is great because for once, I am the giver, and he is the receiver. It always seems to be the other way around.

sunday

We walked and then I got busy with moving the rocks from the car to the yard and then building up a wall to support a new garden bed surrounding a large tree that once was surrounded by big, beautiful bushes of Salal, all of which died last Winter. I was lifting rocks, toting them in the barrow to where I was working, and then building a retaining wall with them. Plus, I was digging up plants in the yard to transplant into the new bed. And all on Sunday, my day, when I am normally at rest the entire day.

But I loved doing the work. I wasn’t rushed. I took lots of breaks, but they were short because I was so chuffed to be doing the work and the results of my effort were very pleasing. The yard looks pretty rough where I dug things up to transplant, and I tossed all the Boxwood that Steve and Dan gave me except one plant that looks beautiful and healthy.

Midday, I got an email from François and Eoin proposing dinner last night on the new deck at Woodfire Restaurant, and so we met there for dinner at 5:30. (That’s dinner time on Gabe for all us oldsters.) And the big story of the night was Jay’s. He’s sold his big home and bought a new one. He’s still going to be a Gabe resident and I’m very happy about that.

I stayed busy with yard work right up until I had my quick shower before leaving to meet the boys for dinner. Man, I was bushed. It was spectacular to be served dinner and not have to do any prep for myself—and no dishes! Plus, Jay brought a guest, Rives, a retired judge from Portland, Oregon, and I really liked him. We had a great evening together.

I got home just past 7:00 and I was so beat, I quickly went to bed and slept soundly until 6:00 this morning! I heard rain in the night, and sure enough, my empty rain barrel is full to the brim and my Hydrangeas are almost flat on the ground. I was out early this morning in my PJs and gumboots, rescuing them and my Raspberries. 

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Doug and his granddaughter have cancelled their visit. Doug’s daughter and son-in-law have separated and so fitting into their sharing schedule of the daughter has proven too difficult to plan a visit right now. 

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This morning, I lit a fire. I’ve been cold in the house for weeks because the logs keep it so cool. So, finally I am toasty warm in my house. I won’t keep the fire going, it’s just a morning fire to heat up the logs so that I have a warm and cozy day indoors today.