Be careful when you fight the monsters, lest you become one. - Nietzsche

[anastasiav]

Not Martha's entry today shows some cake forks - forks made specifically for eating cake! I need a set of those!

I'm trying to think what I haven't talked about. Saturday was (as you know) amazingly summer-like weather, and two things were notable: E had some stomach bug that caused him to have many messy explosive poops, and after a nap we let him go outside and play in the sandbox anyhow. It was a lovely day, and we actually spent time in our back yard, which we pretty much never, ever do. We should probably do something to make it more pleasant out there, but I have no idea what -- the fence needs to be replaced, the grass grows sparsely (or not at all in many places), and, in general its just a very bleak space, and I have no idea of what to do to make it better. We've tried for a long time (resodding, fertilizer, grass seed, dethatching, daily watering, etc.) to deal with the grass issue, to no avail. My mom is constantly telling me I should put in this or that plant, or landscape, but those sorts of gardening things fall far, far outside my a) ability, b) time, and c) interest. If I had the money, I would hire someone to come and just fix it but I don't.

Sunday we drove around a lot, he mostly slept in the car, and we bought him (among other things) his Easter suit. Also many PJs. I also spent a lot of time on Sunday sorting, washing, and folding his old clothes to go to resale, an activity which I increasingly detest.

I would be very happy if it stopped raining, as the wipers on GRUE are broken, which makes my daily 1.3 mile commute a little hair raising.

Here is a photo of the crazy smokestack that goes up through the center "courtyard" of the building I work in. Note that there are no actual doors to the courtyard, only windows.

Comments

[bunnyjadwiga.livejournal.com]

Do you have a place to sit down in the yard? A table and chairs?

[anastasiav.livejournal.com]

We pull chairs out of the garage to sit on. Despite the fact we have an 8' high fence, I suspect that anything left out all the time would vanish within a few weeks.

[fairestyarrow.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure, but I think your back yard is just too darn shady for grass. As I recall, one little corner can grow grass, but that's it. I think you should talk to Gen about alternative groundcovers, something you can still walk on, but can tolerate shade.

[anastasiav.livejournal.com]

Well, its true that its pretty shady, but at least half the yard gets sunshine for 80% of the day, and it seems like I should be able to grow grass there somewhere....

[felis-lupus.livejournal.com]

I will be having Fridays/Saturday off fairly soon, and could come over some afternoon/evening while it is still light out and actually take a look at the backyard, like we tried to plan last year. There are solutions to your not-grass-ness! :)

[anastasiav.livejournal.com]

Thank you -- but don't you have a house and lawn of your very own now that you should be devoting your weekends to? I'd feel guilty.....

[felis-lupus.livejournal.com]

Actually, no, not much of a lawn at all, and I don't really want one. :) Have some gardens that will need major rehab, and LOTS of leaves. If you need any oak leaves, I've got plenty! All you can cart away, for free!

But one afternoon of planning for you should not a guilt trip make. Especially if you feed me dinner, or something. ;) I will bring you a list of things that like shade, and take a look at the yard, and we will talk plants. I have to leave the house sometime, it may as well be to visit people I like seeing, rather than just the dentist...

[dreda.livejournal.com]

If that is not a door panel of Beatrice and Dante in the NotMartha post, I will eat my hat. I want to fly to the UK and abscond with it immediately.