Gardening

Finally. This past winter seemed like it never was going to end; last year, I started planting flowers the first week in April. Now it's almost May and our Kwanzan Cherry tree out front is just getting around to blooming.

The deck garden has now reached critical mass. I've bought so much dirt over the years that I worry about leaving it when we eventually move. I love you, dirt. [These are not all the containers I have. There are 3 more bins on the opposite side of the deck, plus several more pots waiting in the wings.]

Sprouting now are peas and lettuce. I know my lettuce is all clumpy and crowded, but over the years I have found that it's best not to try very hard when gardening. Just throw some seeds in there and water every once in awhile. Seriously, if you coddle plants too much they will laugh at you and then die just to spite you.

The hostas are popping up as well. I know that some people irrationally hate hostas; at the garden center this weekend I overheard a woman ask, "How about these?" when pointing to some, and the other person responded, "Ewww, no." You try growing anything in clay soil in a completely shaded area, and I guarantee you will also develop a love for these leafy plants.

The tomato plants I started indoors will be transferred into larger pots soon, as well some peppers. (At least I think that's what they are. Not labeling things just makes it more fun.)

It Always Takes Longer Than You Think

Anyone who has ever done a home improvement project knows that it always takes longer than you think. This is why I start laughing hysterically every time a real estate agent suggests that someone "just take this wall down" on House Hunters [apparently I have been watching too much House Hunters lately.] Chances are that wall has electricity and plumbing running through it, and is inhabited by a small homeless man with squatter's rights.

So, silly me, I thought I could "just replace that light fixture." After painting my craft bunker, I took down the round fluorescent light and found this:

Who paints a ceiling orange? No really, please tell me. [A crazy person, that's who.] Multiple theories were tossed about as to the use of this once completely dark-orange room, most of which involved human organs and illegal activities. I try not to think about it anymore.

I tried to paint over it with the color marked on the previous owner's paint chip collection as "ceilings", but that color was anything but "ceiling." I really didn't want to paint the entire ceiling, so I jumped at Jason's suggestion to paint a design over it.

Flash forward, and I am cutting giant snowflakes out of newspaper. When I got one I liked, I taped it to the ceiling and traced around it with a pencil.

Then I just filled it in with an artist's paintbrush with the wall color (Martha Stewart Whetstone Grey.) Huge props to Michelangelo, by the way, painting above your head is hard.

April Readathon: Update 3

Pages read so far: 152

I finished Revenge! I also read a chapter of A Room With a View (E.M. Forster) as a palate refresher and to make myself feel smart. As an actual palate refresher, I made some crustless quiche for dinner. Now, because it is really quiet in here, I am moving on to the movie watching portion of the Readathon. I just invented this portion, but trust me, it's real.

Soon, back to regularly scheduled knitting and painting things content.

April Readathon: Update 2

Pages read so far: 92
Of note: I have been to the gym and made this tasty (but cold) strawberry and pineapple smoothie for lunch. No chores have been accomplished, but I'm on my way down to start my laundry. (I know you were on the edge of your seat about that one. "But what about the dirty clothes, Sarah, WHAT ABOUT THE CLOTHES??")

I'm continuing with Revenge, which is a retelling of The Count of Monte Cristo. It swings wildly between boring and fascinating, and is currently hovering on gruesomely murderous. I will probably finish it today, just to give myself a sense of accomplishment. Why won't it be warm so I can go outside and spray paint stuff? (Hint.)

April Readathon: Update 1

Surprise! I am readathoning. I guess I could watch like 400 episodes of House Hunters in which 24-year-olds buy 2,500 square foot houses for $7,000, and feel bad about my house that is not good for entertaining, but hey, how about something different?

So almost 4 hours into this, not much reading appears to be happening, so this might just be a day of "Look at all of the boring stuff Sarah does on a Saturday when left to her own devices". So far I have read 40 pages. I started out with David Rakoff's Half Empty, which seems like the book of my dreams. Negativity and pessimism are my expertise! But I just can't get into it. I think I was expecting David Rakoff to be David Sedaris, which is not proving to be the case.

On to Revenge by Stephen Fry, which I am only reading because, Hello, Stephen Fry! Have you seen A Bit of Fry & Laurie? (Bonus points for Hugh Laurie.)

Now the TV has been turned on magically by elves, and I am watching the Cherry Blossom Parade. I also need to go to the gym and then swiffer (I love that "swiffer" is a verb) the pollen-and-cat-hair covered floors. And maybe I'll go to the thrift store. In short, not read while "doing" the Readathon. I may also watch a French movie, which is TOTALLY reading, you know, the subtitles.