It’s a little after 8 PM, and I just finished the day’s tasks.

Aside from visiting Mary at JML, I didn’t do much out of the ordinary.

Drove to Walmart then to Toys R Us so James could find a Beyblade. Got back in time to do the transfer station run with Peter. Went to Highfield to volunteer, but by the time I got there, everything was locked and most of the vendors were gone.

I did some laundry, picked up a few things at Stop & Shop, made supper, changed the sheets on both beds and can’t think of anything else that would have eaten up the day.

Of course, it didn’t help that I woke up almost exactly 12 hours ago, at 8 AM.

The boys are really enjoying the ping pong table. Me, too.

I counted over 40 tomatoes!

I gave the garden a good watering. This afternoon, Peter and I brought the snow blower to Heights Small Engine Repair. The ramps worked great.
This morning, I rented a gigantic combination wrench and tightened the big outdoor shower bolt.
On the way back, I stopped at Paine’s and picked up a pillow for the hammock and a sailing ship door knocker.
Putting up the door knocker was a good trick, since the front door is metal and I don’t have any metal bits. I did it, though, and can’t believe the difference it makes.
This afternoon, I pruned and dead-headed the Summersweet and the inkberry bushes. It is killing me to dead-head the hydrangeas.

Fed the vegetables and the other annuals today.

Candy was stung by one yesterday, and I ran into a bunch this morning while mowing in the back.

Fortunately, Tom of the Turf Company was able to come out on short notice and spray.

I got the front gardens watered. Candy’s hibiscus have started to bloom.

Yesterday, I painted the bench and planted two Helena’s Blush and two Sedum as well as a couple of little begonias rescued from a nursery.

Put down hemlock mulch in the front to hide all the violence done to the ground as a result of planting. It looks pretty good and I hope everything winters over so that I can concentrate on the back side of the fence next year.

I put the outdoor shower together last evening. It’s working fine although it needs one or two joints to be wrenched tighter – hard for me with carpal tunnel.
I bought a cool solar frog and a lantern. That should complete the garden features. I want to finish the front today and maybe do some painting.

Spent about 3 hours mowing and weeding at Edgewater yesterday. Gave the rock garden a good soak. It looks great – miraculous, since it’s received so little care this year. Destroyed several slugs.

Planted purple fountain grass in front of the fence at Dixon a couple of days ago, did more weeding and dead-heading today.

Have been storing up food and beer for the cookout this Sunday; the downstairs frig is full.

Transplanted James’ strawberries to the vegetable garden, and they seem to be okay this morning. Miracle Gro’d the annuals.

Made a decorative pseudo-fence to partially hide the mulch pile.

Candy put in hibiscus yesterday next to her pool; I hope they take.

Finished the driveway and did some weeding and dead-heading at the front entrance to Winslow Farms, pruned the big hydrangea, washed the truck, watered and did a transfer station run. Otherwise, I’ve been eating junk food and relaxing today.

Have been working in the yard off and on for the last 8 hours.
There was so much weeding to be done, and I’ll bet when I start again tomorrow, I’ll find even more.
I’ve managed to keep the gardens alive and even reasonably healthy, and I’ve been pretty good about pruning, but not weeding.

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Dug up the purple butterfly bush today and was horrified to see that it has almost no roots; no wonder it’s done so poorly.
I bought a new, larger one at Mahoney’s. Will try to get it to acclimate better than the old one.
Had a nice chat with Richie, too. He has a great attitude towards long-term customers, considers us “friends”.
Paid a visit to Country Garden in Hyannis; what a place.

Picked and ate the first tomato today. Got fired. Glad to never have to go back to the “Black Hole of Calcutta”.