Day 216

Visitors’s center today. I’m looking forward to going and being busy. I need structured time. I did shop yesterday and walk but time goes fast with nothing to show for it and my work ethic complains. When do I get to retire? What would days look like if I didn’t find volunteer positions? I need to develop a creative outlet. Maybe I’ll get the watercolors out again. Story group was perfect, as always. No matter who is here, it works for us all.

The theme was a short love story that ended badly

When Art and Ellen offered to help me have a greenhouse, I was excited. I always wanted one so I could have vegetables all year round. The space where I wanted it was lumpy, uneven ground that was full of years old weeds and old roots. There I was merrily singing and shoveling to level and clear the ground. It was work with joy at the prospect of having the greenhouse. They came with the frame and were surprised at how well the ground was prepared. Yes, I did it with my shovel and several trips to the chiropractor who joked that Medicare would probably take my shovel away from me. I ordered the cover that turned out to be a lot more expensive than I was first told but at this point my love affair with having it were overcome. Then the cover was installed, tied down and all was well. I wanted it done well so I covered the ground with wire mesh to keep the gophers out, garden cloth to keep the weeds out, and mulch for a finishing touch. Then I asked Shawn to build me a planting box. I told him the house was an eight foot square so he build the box 8X2X2. Well, the house was 7 foot 10 inches to the box wouldn’t fit until he found a way to pull the frame tubes out enough to work. Only now the door won’t zip closed. Art came and more adjustments and now the door will almost close. I’m willing to overlook the difficulties as I want this project so much. It took lots of bags of soil to fill the box and then I overplanted a lot. It was late in the season and I wanted to use it so there were plants in every part of the box and on the floor. The plants in the box were very happy and grew into a jungle that I had no way of taming. The sudden realization that I didn’t know what I was doing and now had this monumental mess was deflating my enthusiasm and I actually didn’t go in for weeks. Finally, I took a deep breath and entered ready to overcome the mass of green and bring order and hopefully bring back my desire to enjoy the process. I pulled out kale plants, carrots, chard, lots of spinach, beets, etc. thinning was done by the handsful of overgrown plants. Now I have a friendly relationship but the love went away with the lack of ease that I had wanted. I want a happily ever after so I am thoughtfully planning for next season.