Gardening....Novice?

Is there a word for being worse than a novice?  Rookie?  Newbie?  Infant?

'Cause if there is, that's me.

Remember my black thumb?  It has not gotten any better over the last three years.

However, if you drive by my house, you would think I am a MAJOR gardener. 

This is garden #1 -- Potatoes, peas, onions, lettuce, carrots, spinach, and strawberries

Here's #2 -- Poppyseed, watermelon, cantaloupe

And here's #3 -- Corn and unsuccessful poppyseed

Insane, I know.  

Here's the thing.  They are not all mine.

They are not even half mine.  My in-laws live in town and want way more garden space than they have.  Since they practically gave us the land we live on, we graciously said it would be fine for them to have a garden at our place.  One garden turned into two....which turned into three.  In a couple years we may not even have to mow. 

I am experimenting with this thing called gardening in garden #1. I read and researched, and then we planted.

And when I say "we", I mean that my father-in-law put the seeds in his little planter and drove it up and down the rows.  My five year old "helped" by demanding to push the planter with grandpa, causing grandpa to do this crazy walk -- side-step -- run thing down the rows with my son.  I stood there and watched.  It was a beautiful bonding moment.

This has been a terrible year to try to figure out how in the world to grow stuff.  We have had virtually no rain, lots of hot days, and crazy amounts of wind. 

I would have license to complain, except that every time I go out to check on things, my father-in-law has already watered the garden and tilled the rows. 

So in all my studying up on this subject, my best advice is to offer garden space to the in-laws.  Odds are there will be a built-in gardener in the package deal.

I Still Say It Is A Fact....

....males just are not very good at finding stuff.

Supporting Evidence #3,452.

Last Sunday's Easter Egg Hunt.

It that egg were alive, it could have bitten him.

He looked all around this little bush.  For a LONG TIME.  The expression says it all.

And for those who are thinking about the fact that I just posted the other day about all of the things I have lost, I am happy to update that I have located everything on the list.

I'm also happy to report that the Easter eggs were also found.

Eventually.

Oh Be Careful Little Mouth What You Say

Before you say...."It's a good thing we are not sleeping at home tonight.  The wind is so loud today I think we would have to camp out downstairs.".......

Make sure you really AREN'T SLEEPING AT HOME.

Also choose your words carefully and think of a new phrase for "CAMP OUT". 

Otherwise, things will end up looking something like this.

We were supposed to leave for Nebraska yesterday at 4:00 p.m.  At 12:55 p.m., my husband's fire pager went off.  They were being called to a large grass fire.  The winds were blowing at a solid 30-35 mph, gusting to 50-60 mph. 

He hesitated, knowing there was a chance this could be a LONG call, and unsure if he would be back by 4:00, but knowing it could be a very bad situation.  The 2nd page made up his mind.  When you are part of a volunteer fire dept., you go as much as you can, but you don't typically go when you have plans to leave town.  However, a 2nd page means if you are located anywhere remotely close to being able to respond and you are not sick to the point of dying, you really need to get there. 

So he went.

Four came and went.  As did 5:00 and 6:00.

At 7:00, the grandparents and I took the boys to McDonalds to lessen the blow of not going on the weekend trip.

Around 8:00, daddy came home, hoping they wouldn't be called back to the scene.

Around 8:30, as we started the teeth-brushing, bedtime routine, my son reminded me, WORD FOR WORD, about what I had said about the wind and "camping out". 

And the fact that their trip to Nebraska got canceled.

I hate that he remembers everything.

S'mores, anyone?

Move On, Murphy

Sometimes my blog sits unattended for days and weeks because I have nothing to say.

But sometimes it simply has to do with time.

I started a post about my amazingly quick trip to Illinois, and how much I love my family out there.

I took pictures for a post about Easter.

I have wanted to document my new attempt at gardening.

But, as my colleague just said to me yesterday, "Life has snuck up and jumped me from behind."

That could not be more true.  These past couple of weeks have been a whirlwind.  At moments it has felt more like a tornado, but in light of the weather the south just experienced, I can safely say that I am probably closer to whirlwind status.

However, Murphy's Law has landed right smack in the middle of my world.

In the past few weeks I have wasted countless hours searching for important flash drives, my cell phone, a school contract, a much-needed notebook, and two lost books. 

Fortunately, I have found everything except the books.

Unfortunately, I need to have one of the books read by Thursday.  I am on Chapter 1.

It is time for Murphy to pack up and move on. 

Test

This is a test.

This is only a test...

This is an annoyed blogger who wrote a lengthy post with strategically placed paragraphs and line spacings, only to have all spacings and paragraphs disappear upon publishing. No amount of editing made it better.

If this works, more later....

Here's What I Know....

• It has been a LONG time since I have been to my blog.


• Hence, the bullet points.


• I was in two different states for two different trips in 10 days time. Well, three if you count the one I live in.


• I still love serving on accreditation teams. I am not sure how it is possible to come back completely exhausted and re-energized all at the same time, but that is pretty much how it always feels.


• Our Illinois trip was great.


• It is possible to make a 10 hour trip with 2 kids and 4 adults with no technology and only one stop.


• Six months of free satellite radio in new vehicles is a great marketing plan. I can see how one could get addicted to that small luxury.


• If you think the price of fuel is bad in Kansas, visit Illinois. You will feel better when you return.


• I enrolled on Monday for my first master's classes.


• My bank account is saying OUCH.


• School ends on May 17, my classes start on May 18. So much for summer break.


• I am contemplating working full time next year.


• I might be certifiably crazy.

Drowning

Drowning in work.

Drowning in the mess in my house.

Drowning in thoughts.

If you haven't seen me by May, please send help.