Wild Kingdom

It was a day, not unlike any other day upon the Serengeti. After a long dry and hot summer, the rains had returned and life was abundant. Gone were the tiresome teetsy flies and dust storms, no longer were they pestering the Dik Dik antelope as they romped and fed upon lush new greens. A sense of calm had settled in and life was good.

Unknown to the gentle and friendly Dik Dik, a predator had come among them, silent and deadly. Perhaps there was something about his appearance that seemed familiar, known, but there was definitely something about his movements; the way his eyes were watching. He moved slowly, deliberately on the edge of the herd.

Time passed, and THEN...WITHOUT WARNING...one of the beloved Dik Dik's WAS GONE! JUST LIKE THAT! Quickly, the other Dik Diks assembled, and word passed that one of them had been taken by the familiar one, the one that had been watching. There seemed to be a panic in the herd, yet no one said anything, did anything...they just looked about them in shock. This loss made no sense. Why that one? He was not injured, ill or aged. He was young, full of life and healthy. Some of the Dik Dik's looked around them and said amongst themselves, why not that one, or even that one? They couldn't understand, it didn't make any sense at all.

Some one was unexpectedly fired from the nursery this last week. It was shocking and upseting. A reminder it was, of what can happen if you are not careful. There are two predators that walk the Serengeti, and it's a wise decision to immeadiately pick something up or look busy as soon as you spot them. AVOID EYE CONTACT.

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Today, I cleaned the Basement/Garage. It was a day long job and a dirty one at that. All I can say, is thank all that is Holy for ShopVac people. It will suck up almost anything, and by anything I mean ANYTHING! Including spiders. Spiders that are so big that they leave a shadow on the wall as they scurry for a dark corner only to be sucked into the vortex of the ShopVac. Have you ever seen the Giant House Spider that lives in Seattle? I kid you not people, they exist and they are HUGE. Did I also mention that they are FAST???

THANK GOD FOR SHOPVAC!!!

One of the things that also lives, or I should say, attempts to live in our basement/garage is my orchid collection. Is it still a collection when half of them are dead from drought and mistreatment. It is my shame of shames, especially from someone known as Greenthumb. I think what happened is that so much STUFF eventually got piled and stacked around and in front of them that it became near impossible to get to them. The shear mess of it all kept me from going down at all. Much to my surprise, several still live and for there valliant effort, I have cleared the barriers, erected a new home closer to the sink and the heat and have renewed my committment to them, at least for another 6 months.

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The Christmas decorating progresses, and things are looking good. I'll know more when I get in tomorrow, I've been off for 2 days and left a to-do list. Open House is this coming Saturday. It's all got to come together this week.

Playing Catch Up

Do you ever head for your former stomping grounds, whether it's your home town or in my case, your other home town, without telling anyone, except maybe the person you are going to see? I do, and have, in fact just did. Saturday after work I made my way south to Portland to visit my best friend Skanky and her Mother and my other best friend May-May. I knew that I was only going to have a short time to visit, so avoided telling anyone else that I would be there. This accomplishes a couple of things. I get to have all my time with the girls to myself, and I avoid feeling bad if I can't see anyone else due to timing, convenience or what ever. Sometimes you just need to have the flexibility to do what you want. Another thing that this allows you to do though, is take an opportunity to surprise someone that you have been neglectful about staying in touch with. The real payoff to that one is when that person really is surprised to see you and happy about it. It's a gamble I know, but it worked out, or at least so it seemed.

My Skanky is preger's with her first and we have had no time together since the big news. We spent the day together on Sunday shopping, driving around the hood and seeing the changes about town. The best part of it all was the one on one time, the talking, the laughing, the tears and the hugs. I had no idea how much I needed that until I got it and felt something healing and warm inside at the end. Monday I got to be with May-May. May-May and I are gardening buddies of the best kind. We can whore ourselves at nurseries with the best of them, and when we are together, it's non-stop fun, especially as we drive by the wholesalers and give them the double birdie salute. We came up with some fresh ideas for her side yard, then headed out to scope some plants for the site. Before we knew it, it was time for me to head for homo.



As I headed homo, I had to stop by the old job and see my Cha-Cha. I've been a terrible friend lately and not kept in touch. I should be beaten and publicly shamed, but he might enjoy that way to much. So I settled for a drive by at the office and really did surprise him. It was so great to see him, to hear that sassy talk and laugh with him over coffee again. It was just not long enough. I hope he know's that he means a lot to me. I miss his wit and charms so much. It's just not the same anymore. While I threaten to do so every day, there just isn't anyone that can replace my Cha-Cha.

Finally on the road north, with the sky blue, the sun shining, I cast my eyes about me and smiled at my good fortune. I only got to be with a few good friends, for only a short amount of time, but coming together was as if no time had passed. This to me, is the truest sign of friendship. Some may not understand my relationships with people, having different kinds of friendships or different definitions, but for me, to have these people as well as others, be a part of even a smidgen of my life, is so golden and precious.

Christmas??? Already?

It's not even Halloween yet and already Christmas doings are in the making. I got back to work today, and I was immediately sequestered into detailed planning for this years Christmas Open House. There are two people involved in the planning of the decorations and displays for the outside of the nursery and I'm one of them. It's not that I don't like to decorate for Christmas, I just kind of need to be in the mood or the spirit of Christmas to really enjoy it. I'm so not ready for Christmas, I'm still raking leaves and thinking of jack-o-lanterns.

That's the drawbacks of being in the retail world, holidays are weeks and weeks ahead of schedule. The store people were at buying shows for Christmas in July. Looks like I need to shift gears and quick. We have about 2 1/2 weeks until the Christmas Open House. Tomorrow we begin the process of going through the boxes of Christmas Crap to figure out what we have. The thing that's hardest from me, is that I'm the outsider on Christmas. Everyone else has done this role before and no one wanted to do it again so they nominated me, AND THE DID IT WHEN I WASN'T EVEN THERE TO DECLINE. My boss came up to me that day and said, oh by the way, we nominated you to be the Christmas coordinator for the nursery this year. Me, "Okay, what does that mean exactly?"

I'll tell you what it means people, it means that I have to try and come up with ideas, prioritize the projects, organize the people, delegate the tasks and hope that it all comes out in the end. I thought it was going to be just me decorating some displays in the nursery area, just swap out my current displays of fall color for season appropriate material. It's so much more than that. It's everything from the North Tills, to the back door of the nursery. I know none of this makes an ounce of sense to you, you have never been there, but it's a big area, trust me. I can't wait to see how many time I hear the words, "but it's always been done this way" when ever I have a new idea. *sigh*

I do think it will be okay, ultimately, but it's a bit daunting when there are still so many unknowns. I know it will come together as I get a better idea of what I'm working with. I think we have some good ideas and hopefully, we'll be able to execute most of them.

Pooper Friday!

I sit down here every night with the intent to post something other than a picture. I just don't seem to have the energy lately, especially with working at the nursery all day. It really kicks my ass, but in a totally good way. It's a huge change from working inside, and to add to it, it's getting colder, wetter and that really makes your body work even harder. It's definitely getting easier though. I can feel my body getting used to the movements and the demands.

Another reason that I haven't been posting much, is because of Comcast Digital Video Recordings (DVR). I'm staying up too late each night trying to watch shows that I/we record each week. There are so many shows that are on right now, it's the only way we can possibly watch them. Some of the favorites at the moment are Desperate Housewives (duh), Commander in Chief (reeeaally liking this one A LOT), Boston Legal (hating that Monica Potter is no longer on there, what is that about?), Surface (LOVE this one. Total Sci-fi addict.), Lost (DUH), and Supernatural (how HOT HOT HOT is Jensen Ackles??? Can I getta HELL YA?). There's also America's Next Top Model, City Gardner, Debbie Travis Face Lift...and Nick has more that he records. You would think that we spend hours in front of the television, but in reality, we don't because of DVR. We fast forward through the commercials, the whole point to recording shows.

Another reason that I haven't been posting much, just not feeling it. I need to carve out time to write about things, pure and simple. I still have lot's to talk about, thoughts to ponder, just not making the time. I just haven't found that balance yet with the new schedule. Like now, it's almost 9:30pm and I need to get ready for tomorrow, and get to bed. I'm exhausted.

I really miss everyone on here. I'm sorry that I've become so remote and uninvolved. I've totally lost touch with what's happening. I guess life is taking a lot of my time right now. Nick is just now getting over that flu that I had the other week. I feel bad for him, what with back surgery, then a cold and now the flu. Let's hope this is the end of it, because seriously, I'm tired of taking care of his ass. I love that ass, but it's time for a break, and he agrees, he's sick of being sick.

Other than the illness, things really are going well. It's fall, I've got a lot of work to do in the yard before it gets to wet. Time to start winterizing the house, cleaning up the garden and plant the trees from this summer. I've got a bunch of new bulbs to plant this fall too. It never ends, but it's time for this post to do so. Good night everyone.

Fall Flowers and Fruits

Feeling Good! Running off to work now. XO Internet.

I have 45 minutes to get ready for work...

So this is gonna be quick. Sorry, I've been a total lazy ass about blogging lately and I know it. Let's face it, the purpose seems to be influx at the moment. Before, when working at the company, it was a way to let off a lot of excess energy and thought. Now, I seem to not have a lot of that going on. I don't know if it's just because I'm so physically tired every night after work or what. WE certainly have had a lot going on lately and both of have said more than once, it would be nice to get back to a normal mode...ANY DAY NOW would be good.

I'm over the flu it seems. Let me be honest when I say, I have NEVER shit so much in my life. I didn't eat for days and still I shit, if you can call watery green suff shit, and I believe you can. I think smell is the qualifier on that one. Immodium AD couldn't even tackle this one right away. Well, the shitting has stopped and now resumed at more of a normal consistency. I'm eating again and will be going into the nursery today. Harlow has no idea that I'm leaving her today. She has been an excellent nurse maid, well, snuggler is more like it. She just laid next to me the whole time.

Okay, it's late, I gotta get going. Sorry for the short blurb. Thanks for all the well wishes!!!

Greenie is feeling green...I've got the flu.

101 temperature, Montazumas Revenge, Sweats...Ya, it's the flu.

I'll be back later.