Today was the first spring day that made me want to put the convertible top down on my VW bug. As I came home from the office about 1:30, I thought what a glorious day it was--but it's only a five-minute drive, and I didn't bother. No more than got in my driveway than I realized I'd left my groceries at the office. So this time, I put the top down and had a lovely drive. I was tempted just to ride around TCU for a while. The temperature is 79; a week ago today it was 19. Ah, Texas.
Last Sunday, in the late afternoon, it was warm but not like today. Still I got out and cleaned out the porch planters, getting rid of leaves and dead plants. It made me feel spring was only a day or two away, which is of course over-optimistic in Texas in February. My porch plants need watering today, but that's sort of problematic these days. The Bundocks, wonderful contractors who keep my house in order, put in new railings for me because I've had some balance problems. I discovered this weekend that in so doing, they had cut off access to the outside water faucet. So now I have to do this acrobatic thing to get under the railing, turn the water on, then sit on the step, duck under the railing, and pull myself up. I told Lewis Bundock it's okay for now, but check with me in ten years. Lewis suggested I just leave the hose on and let the nozzle keep it turned off, but even Jordan chided me for that last summer, because when she was a child I taught her that was a bad thing to do to the hose and the nozzle both. I think tonight, since there are only a few survivors of winter to be watered, I'll use an old milk jug. In another month, it will be time to think about fresh herbs and plants for the rest of the planters--I always grow basil, which flourishes, but somehow I'm one of the few people who can kill mint. This year I want a new start on sage--what I have has gotten stringy and ugly. But the thyme and oregano are indestructible! And my big pot of chives comes back every year. In the spring, with lavender blossoms, it's really lovely. Then I'll have to turn my attention to the flower beds, but I think my days of hands-and-knees gardening are over. I may mostly tell Jim Sharratt, who keeps my yard in good shape, what I want done. Jordan and Christian gave me a gardening bench, and I can weed using that. My trouble is once I get down, I can't get up unless I have something to hold on to. Oh well, if that's the worst of my complaints, I'm okay.
The cat has settled comfortably on the manuscript I was going to edit. Maybe that means it's nap time!
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