ONE STEP AT A TIME

Another step taken: James took most of last Thursday to get David's car ready to sell. We have listed it on internet, put for sale signs in the windows and parked it in the area between the street and the sidewalk in front of the house. So far I've had three inquiries. Hopefully it will bring enough to almost pay off the cruiser and take one bill off my list. It was hard to do because it was David's "work" car. When Poocheroo heard him turn into the alley she would always bark to let me know he was coming home. I miss that.


With this hot weather, Poocheroo (second name: Digger Dog) in an effort to find a cool place to lay started to dig on the south side of the house. She actually got to the bottom of the foundation and the stonework started to crack in one place! A trip to Orschlin's to get some pavers and a couple hours of sweaty work on the part of James and I filling the holes and placing the pavers next to the house stopped the undermining of my kitchen but I had to go out today and sweep the dirt off of the pavers from where she dug in front of them! Now she is digging on the south side of her pen next to the fence but my potato boxes are on the other side so she can't dig her way out. So far she hasn't discovered she can dig under the fence or jump forward as well as straight up so she is still contained!

My tulip tree is blooming!!!! It's about waist high this year and has had three beautiful pink blossoms. I was so happy to see it I just had to go out and find someone to tell! Doris from next door (91 last week) looked out her kitchen window and thought I had tied a pink ribbon on the branch and had to come over and see it. They are very fragile blossoms.

My pots on the front steps are looking good. I put coleous(?) in one of the pots this year.

I miss my weeder! Seems like I have been spending a lot of time outdoors working on the flower beds. In an effort to save some work I put plastic ground cloth under the dining room overhang and under the flowers by the basement door and by the front steps. See the old bathroom sink behind the hosta? We ran a hose from the window air conditioner to it so it doesn't drip on anyone walking by and now the neighborhood cats and the birds have a place to get a drink. So far it has been mainly june bugs that have used it.

I put my old canner and big soup pot to use as planters on two of the stumps in the yard. James drilled some holes in the bottoms for drainage then I filled them and planted some begonias in them that I picked up on clearance. Hope they do well and don't walk off.

My rose bush out back by the garage has had a lot of blooms. I love the color and smell of them. I did learn it is a good idea to wear gloves and long sleeves when pruning or pulling weeds from around it. You're never too old to learn. David hated mowing around it. So far James hasn't complained. I would move it but haven't found a good place to put it. Guess I'll have to plan a special rose bed. Hah!! I don't have a big enough yard or enough energy to do everything I would like to do. I did dig up a small space behind the dog pen where the sun does shine for a small garden: potatoes, tomatos, peppers, cucumbers and zuchinis and yes I did spade it up myself so it is a small space but doing well.

Poocheroo had to come over and see what I was doing with the camera so I took her picture too. I can't neglect my little furry pal! She thinks she has to be in on everything.

Just a few of the things I've been keeping busy with day by day with God's help.