What’s on the iPod: Swim Until You Can’t See Land by Frightened Rabbit
It was another busy weekend for me. Saturday I hopped in the car with my daughter and we headed to the nursery. We made the mistake of starting at Lowe’s. She wanted to buy window boxes and plants, and I know they have both.
After walking around for ten minutes trying to find a cart, I decided the plants I was seeing paled in comparison to those at my local nursery. Plus the prices seemed a bit steep. So we abandoned the big box store for my favorite kind of shopping — local.
Great choice made even greater by the unexpected half-off sale on market packs. I took home marigolds, pink petunias, and coleus. The perennials weren’t on sale, but were quite affordable, so I got two more coreopsis (different variety this time) and two white phlox. Daughter picked up vegetable seeds and more herbs. We came home and planted.
I found my mint I’d planted last year and gave up for dead. It was big and bushy, so I see mint juleps in my near future — probably Wednesday or Thursday, when our temps are to spike from these lovely 78-degree days to over 95.
Yesterday was a nice day, as well. We took my husband out for Father’s Day to a local bistro. We waited 30 minutes, but it was so pleasant outside we didn’t mind at all. Brunch was ho-hum and took longer than our wait for the table. Unacceptable given the limited menu. The waitress was busy, but it slowed down considerably after we were seated, so there was no reason why she couldn’t have offered us more drinks or acknowledged the long wait. I found it quite ironic that our to-go order arrived at our table a full 15 minutes or better before we got our food. Her tip reflected her concern.
We spent much of the day puttering around the yard. I took sheers to the dead daisies and coreopsis tops (removing dead stuff allows the plant to refocus the nutrients on the living parts — true of most plants). He took the chain saw to the dead parts of the Japanese maple in the back, mowed the lawn, and started digging a hole for our new tree. His children gave him a Franklinia for Father’s Day, which he’s been enamored with for a while (I married a botanist). Halfway through digging, he turned to me and said, “Isn’t it ironic that children will give you a tree for Father’s Day that creates more work for you to plant it? It’s like buying you stuff to wash your car but not offering to wash it for you.” He was exhausted — our backyard is clay and rock.
We saw a nice movie on Saturday — Monsieur Lazhar. It was a beautiful Canadian movie done in French, one of those quiet little wonders that leave you with more feeling and warmth than any blockbuster out there.
Today I start one more marathon week. The work is still streaming in, piling up around me, and threatening my weekends, not to mention my sanity. I’ve not marketed much because I’m a little concerned someone else will want something NOW instead of in three weeks. I’ve already priced one job out of existence (partly on purpose) because I just don’t have time to do it.
Also working to get word on an unpaid invoice. I’m not liking at all that the client promised a call and hasn’t, and has avoided two emails since. It’s paid this week or I’m done with them. There are too many other clients needing my attention to have to mess with whatever issue is affecting my payment.
How was your weekend? What’s on your desk this week?
Remember when there was a rumor that June was slow for freelancers? Sounds like you couldn't prove it by us.
The weekend was emotional. First, our dog-sitting for our favorite family member, Kali (my sister's family dog,) came to an end. There's something so special about opening a door and being greeted by an excited, jumping up and down, living being – no matter how short a time you're gone. 🙂
Then Father's Day had me missing my dad who passed in 2007. It doesn't help that the weeks leading up to has your Inbox flooded with don't forget Dad marketings.
This week is busy finishing up two case studies, starting another, ghostwriting an article, working on a white paper, and whatever else I'm forgetting at the moment.
Beats the alternative. Have a great week, everyone!
I love how the both of you are so busy. It gives me hope that someday I'll be in the same boat. Having work is a great thing and will help you get through the dog days of summer. Have a great week everyone.
Cathy – after a decade or so the "don't forget Dad" ads (and for me the "don't forget Mom" ads as well) almost stop registering. I tend to notice the Mother's Day ones more, since I was a kid when Mom died so the loss still feels more acute on those days Mom's birthday was also mid-May, so that probably doesn't help either.
I actually thought Father's Day was the week before, so yesterday when I saw lots of Happy Father's Day messages on Twitter I realized why almost no one was returning calls or e-mails yesterday, LOL.
My weekend was slow. It was too hot to paint or do yardwork Saturday, and I wasn't feeling 100% (working theory: the egg I used in the batch of veggie burgers I made Friday may have gone bad when the fridge thermostat was broken). Late Saturday afternoon I watched Bringing up Baby, watched a little HGTV, then watched The Prestige…I might write about TV but I'm not used to watching it for most of a day. It was so boring. I didn't accomplish a thing – not acceptable for someone raised with the Scandinavian work ethic.
Sunday I felt a little better, but not quite 100%, but I did laundry, read the paper, called an elderly family friend who I try to check up on at least once a week, started reading a book, changed the sheets. Little things, but at least I felt as if I accomplished something.
I'm planning for a light workload for a few days. I have one article to write this week, but the next three days will be physically and mentally challening – forecast highs are 97, 95 and 93, with increasing humidity. The "cool off" will be 87 on Thursday and Friday. Not fun without any AC. I'll manage – been through longer and hotter heatwaves – but I hope my dog can cope. She's had AC her entire life and is, well, a bit of a princess about creature comforts… I know I get grumpy with it's hot and I can't cool off, so I can imagine how grouchy Doggie Lily will be!
I had the opposite weekend, Lori. I worked to get a project done Saturday morning, and from then on, it was relaxing–meaning meeting up with friends for lunch, then zoning out on bad TV (Storage Wars and North Woods Law) and reading an entire book. I needed that!
Be careful of that mint, Lori. One of our neighbors planted it in our yard, and it took over. We finally pulled it all out because it choked everything else to death.
Cathy, at the beginning, I thought your sister's dog had died. Thank goodness it just went home! I, too, know the joy of exuberant dog love. 🙂
Paula, I'm in the same boat as you when it comes to this week's heat. My poor beast doesn't tolerate heat well at all. But at least he starts the day cooling off in the lake. That helps–for a while.
I also have one more busy week, and then it's a little less of a hectic pace. But I refuse to complain about work. As Cathy said, it beats the alternative.
I love Franklinia. Definitely worth the work.
I just landed a six week article gig — one per week — at a rate I'm happy with, starting this week. Waiting for a ghost writing contract/deposit to arrive, and marketing my new release and upcoming workshops. Also, ran into technical difficulties getting my short story release out, but working with webhost to fix that –should be up late today.
Thanks for the info on the light — will look into it.
Cathy, I remember that rumor! Wonder why people still think we're in the midst of a recession? I'm swamped!
Sorry about your losing "custody" of the pup. It's an empty spot, isn't it? And I'm very sorry Father's Day made you sad. I'm clinging like Saran Wrap to my parents these days as I watch them get older.
Wade, has summer officially started for you? If so, yippee! Time to get those queries out (actually, two weeks ago would have been ideal). You of all people should have no trouble getting a business going.
Paula, that sucks. I think marketing has become so saturated around these "holidays" that it's a turn off even if your parents are still around. I'm tired of being pressured to buy crap they don't want.
Bad eggs! Ewww. That would ruin a weekend! Hope you're feeling better.
Gabriella, if only that mint would spread! We have lemon balm, which is the gardeners version of kudzu vine, I swear. I've ripped out tons of it, yet there it is, reseeding every damn place I look. Even the marjoram went nuts on me! I'm not averse to hacking it down to size.
But mint….ah, mint juleps. Minted sauces. Mint in my water….. 🙂
The Franklinia is getting a nice gravel base for drainage, Devon. We're not going to lose it if we can help it.
Congrats on the gig! And much luck on the light bulb fix — mine was a piece of cake. Five minutes. I hope it's the same for yours.
See why I love this community? 🙂
Wade-you definitely will be.
Paula-it is getting easier to ignore those email marketings. The 1st few years I would burst into tears at card shops around Father's day.
Gabriella-LOL! Sorry to give you the scare. Kali is very much alive & kicking. She's a real cutie.
Lori-good plan – treasure the moments.
Thanks, Lori, I'm much better now. Yesterday I was markedly improved and today I feel back to normal – just really warm. (Good news – the AC I wanted went on sale and I have one reserved…now I just need to find a carpenter or handyman who can build it in so I can use it!)
Funny how the mint, lemon balm, and the garlic mustard that's invade yards around here all sound so good, but are very invasive.