Several weeks ago daughter Luan asked if she could have grandson Dan’s graduation party at our house. ‘Of course, good idea,? I said. ‘We’ll probably use the garage for the food,? Luan added. ‘Fine,? I said.
A few days later some word absorption started. A lot of people will come to our house. Maybe I should do something. Yeah, there’s those two chairs that Hazel put off having reupholstered. Better call Decoratin? Dianne.
That thought was followed by a flood of had-to-be-done-now projects. The lawn? Oh, boy! I hadn’t re-seeded from when the grubs did their gnawing two years ago. Heavy raking, re-seed NOW!
The ice storm didn’t help. My cedars really took a beating. A dozen along our drive way had to be removed, but their absence left an ugly void, highlighted by a now-barren flagpole that looked naked.
What to do? Call a landscape expert. ‘You could move those rocks into a teardrop shape, mound up the dirt in the middle, plant golden Spirea or some other bush, cover the rest with ground cover, grass or bark.?
Sure, and keep a chiropractor, the emergency people, On Star, masseuse and pastor handy.
What did she say? She wanted to use our garage? The pitted and cracked floor, the paint-peeling walls that are nearly covered with hung-up garden tools, golf stuff, antique and modern hand tools, tennis rackets, stuff for the pool, barbecue, lawn sprinklers and varmint control plus a whole bunch of stuff that I thought would be handier there than in the basement.
Better call Dandy Dave and get his garage floor improvement suggestions.
Better check the posts in our split rail fence. Seems I recall some tilting, like they are broke. Where the heck did I put my post hole digger?
Should I run my edger around the driveway now, or can I wait till closer-to-party time? Will anyone even notice? What really HAS to be done?
All the above!
I guess I better start reorganizing the basement. No, it’s not the lower level, it’s cellar storage-catch-all, out-of-sight area.
Somebody is bound to go down there. Certainly some of Luan’s invitees will snoop, pry and look for flaws to compare to their own pristine living areas.
Longtime Jottings readers will remember I usually plant a lot of geraniums and marigolds. This Spring the ‘lot? meant multiple flats. Bare ground cannot be seen. Fill ’em with flowers, I say.
Another look at the outdoors. That flagpole looks even more barren. Better put some sentinels by it, like five- and three-foot dwarf spruce. No, the landscape guy didn’t mention it, but they can’t think of everything.
Let’s see. Are the branches on the trees in our yard hanging too low? Should I be cutting them back? Is somebody going to trip over that crack in our sidewalk? I had our house repainted last year, but should I have it repainted for THE party?
Maybe I should get rid of those fall-blooming perennial flowers and plant blooming annuals. You know, like putting carrots in salads for the color.
That flagpole again. Should I have it repainted?
I wonder if I’ll have time to re-roof the birdhouse?