I'm still doggedly trying to clean out my basement of years and years of clutter. The problem lies with my craft supplies and my flea market stock. It's darned near impossible for me to discard any of this stuff but I have to make room for my "handyman" to tear down a wall and lay out new flooring. He's going to hate me when he sees how much he'll have to work around! Oh well, he's an old family friend and very much like a son to me so he'll figure something out.I love this picture of the Coleus I planted this year. I've never seen another plant that is so varied in color that flowers are not needed. I only planted two tubs which sit at the entrance to my backyard and the color is spectacular. They continue to become fuller and prettier as the season goes on and it will break my heart to pull them up in October.Another gorgeous leafy plant is the Sweet Potato Vine. The limey green leaves are outstanding and I like to place a few impatiens in the pot with it to give a contrasting burst of color. My garden is very colorful but I'm careful to plant things that need minimum maintenance. I rely heavily on Impatiens because there are so many color choices and they fill out beautifully.My front garden is full of various perennials that flower from Spring to Fall. I decided this year that, because it gets full sun all afternoon, I'd plant Portulaca among the perennials instead of Impatiens and it's been quite successful. Portulaca seems to thrive on full, hot sun and even drought doesn't bother it. Again, there are many color choices. I love it when people compliment me on my pretty garden but I'm sure they think I put more effort into it than I actually do. The praise never goes to my head, though, because I remember when we first bought the house in 1968 and I spent many hours transplanting weeds!
I don't know if the "turd toss" is unique to the senior park I spend my winters at or if it's been used elsewhere. The first time I heard of such a thing, I just thought it was hilarious. I spend 6 months a year at a senior park in Florida where I have more fun than anywhere else on earth. In mid March we congregate on "Easy Street" and sign up for the great Turd Toss contest where the Turd King and the Turd Queen for the coming year will be decided by a toss of the "turd".We have a new, unused potty sitting regally in the middle of the road...lid open. As each contestant steps up to the line (about 20 feet from the potty), they are handed a damp pantyhose wrapped bundle of cooked speghetti which they have to toss into the potty. On either side of the street are rows of interested spectators cheering on their favorite contestant...to be honest, we cheer them all on!"Turds" fly through the air landing in, on, or far away from the potty, depending on the tossing skill of the contestant. When someone is lucky enough to land a turd directly into the potty we are ecstatic...there will be a new king or queen this year! Sometimes we have to have a "turd toss off" because of a tie and we end up congratulating the winner and consoling the loser.At the end of the contest, the winners are draped in regal purple velvet robes and crowns and declared the new Turd King and Turd Queen for the next year. Their duties will be to lead the park parades and appear at park functions wearing their royal attire. We take this quite seriously and treat our royal couple with much respect...and more than a few giggles. P.S. I just learned how to attach a photo to my blog. One more success story for this computer novice!!
I had my 66th birthday last week and one of my favorite presents was on a card from my sister-in-law. It was a button that said "I've Survived Damn Near Everything". And I have! I've found that in life you either survive circumstances or cave in. You can get through many problems by standing perfectly still and gathering your thoughts. In serenity comes clear answers or at least rational ones. You make too many mistakes by acting or reacting impulsively.For instance....I bought a new fridge from Sears in May. It was defective so they replaced it within a week. Good service, right? Well, the new fridge had a seal so strong that the whole thing pulled away from the wall every time I tried to open it! I phoned and visited the large appliance department a few times asking what I should do. I was told to lower the temperature in the fridge; blame my ceramic tile floors; I had no guarantee with Sears; I had a 3 month guarantee with Sears; I had a 12 month guarantee with Sears. Finally, I decided to return the fridge for a different one costing more. No deal! The department manager refused because I'd already returned one (defective). So I phoned the store manager and made a strong but polite request for fair treatment. My new fridge will arrive this Thursday! The moral of this story is to stick to your guns but do it politely. Also, go to top management when necessary.
Four friends and I went to the Collingwood Elvis Festival this past weekend. For anyone who has never seen Elvis impersonators, it is all done in fun without making fun of Elvis himself. The impersonators come in all shapes, sizes, sexes, and ages. No-one actually looks like Elvis but they dress like he did, comb their hair (somewhat) like he did, and sing his wonderful songs with gusto. The main streets of Collingwood were filled with people sharing the same interests and enjoying them with no embarrassment. Many come dressed as Elvis and mix in with the crowds....people smile fondly as they pass by. "Blue Suede Shoes", "Suspicious Minds", "Heartbreak Hotel", and oh, so many more, played and sung everywhere we went. It's magical in a way, how almost 30 years after Elvis died he's still revered and celebrated.We bought Elvis bracelets, wore Elvis earrings and t-shirts. We sat for hours and watched one performer after another sing the songs of a man who provided us with some of our favorite moments. We sang along until our voices gave out. We stayed up till the wee hours of the morning in our hotel room...laughing, drinking, dancing to Elvis music. At the end of 3 days filled with Elvis, we 5 Grandmothers hugged each other goodbye and promised we'd do it all over again next year!
I'm still doggedly trying to clean out my basement of years and years of clutter. The problem lies with my craft supplies and my flea market stock. It's darned near impossible for me to discard any of this stuff but I have to make room for my "handyman" to tear down a wall and lay out new flooring. He's going to hate me when he sees how much he'll have to work around! Oh well, he's an old family friend and very much like a son to me so he'll figure something out.
