last days of may

We hosted a lovely outdoor party over the weekend. It was the first of its kind, in that we had just about everything ready to go a half an hour before the first guests were supposed to show up. Usually we put the early arrivals to work. Not so this Saturday.

It was relaxing, and fulfilling, and once the last of the younger guests left, Duckie asked me to read her a book, then she fell asleep on a blanket close by. She had played hard all day in one way or another, but it still surprised me that she was so willing to crash outside. It gave me a chance to wind down with the last few guests before lugging her back up the hill to her bed. (I thought for a moment the wheelbarrow might be the safest option – damn, but that girl’s heavy when she’s completely unconscious.)

We had three overnight guests and I didn’t have to drive anyone home. In the morning we all had “dirty hippie feet” as C put it, which necessitated a change in sheets and multiple showers. Seriously, my feet were so bad off I had to use a pumice stone. That was probably too much information, but you get the idea.

Since our house is so small (although I’m beginning to prefer the word “cozy”) I got to subject my guests to double episodes of Little Einsteins, which gave me a sick sort of pleasure, especially knowing that several of them were too hungover even to drink coffee. And the music choice of both episodes was annoyingly upbeat.

Yesterday was a day at home because of the holiday. Duck’s post-party meltdown started around 4, when it was time to leave the park and go pick up Brian. All things considered, it really wasn’t that bad.

Moved a lot of dirt yesterday. Put hostas in the ground in what I’m calling the Toad Bed. (It may need a separate address later on.) Transplanted some basil and daisy seedlings into larger pots on Sunday. Visited a local garden center and got three painfully bright pink New Guinea Impatiens because Duckie liked them. I don’t have a freaking clue what to do with them now. The shoulder has been sore but it’s so much worse here at work, when I’m not moving around.

I’m about to get back on the mat for the first time in weeks. It’s really hot today (ask my husband the land surveyor who’s down in South Carolina this afternoon) so running would not be fun in the slightest. And it’s time.

I’ll just breathe. If all I do is sit there on the mat and do a couple of downdogs…

Updated 5/30.

Yoga yesterday was restrained but effective. Maintained breathing, modified everything down to a beginner level, which helped me make it through the entire sequence. Navasana was a reality check. ‘Nuff said about that.

We planted a seedbed yesterday evening. Daisies, zinnias, lettuce leaf and purple basil (I mean what the hell, why not? can you really ever have too much basil?) and alyssum at the border. As always, we’ll see what happens. I am concerned about the high clay content in our soil – that it will cake up and prevent seedlings from breaking through. Anyway.

The transplants are doing quite well – they seem to be very pleased with the extra space. Several of the Genoveses have already sprouted new leaves since Sunday.

I think it’s time to fertilize.

More importantly, it’s time to focus on my girl. She’s been cranky and whiny lately, and while part of it may be growing pains (I think she’s grown a foot and gained three pounds over the last week), part of it also has to do with my attention being directed Elsewhere – party preparations, planting, etc. So tonight I’ll be happy to blow bubbles and throw Frisbees (her aim is weirdly accurate) and read books. Maybe we’ll get some fried chicken and have a picnic outside. We have a lot of cole slaw left over from the weekend.

Oh, wow. Muscles are starting to get sore from yesterday. I mean, I knew it was coming, and I definitely welcome it. But I have got to get up and moving.

*****

Cindy Sheehan officially stepped down as an anti-war rabble-rouser and terrorist sympathizer. It was really sad to see her so beaten down by her experiences with the American political environment. She’s broke, her marriage is over, and now she’s trying to sell the five acres in Crawford she bought to stay up close and personal with George W. An illusion, of course – even when he’s there, he’s not. Clearing brush, my ass.

So I’m sad for her and for all of us. She’s a real hero in my eyes – she did what many people (myself included) want to do – and that’s to step away from all our other responsibilities and focus all the energy on stopping the senseless, dishonorable insanity that our administration is still inflicting on our troops and on Iraqi civilians. Most of us can’t, for one reason or another. She did. And now, for multiple reasons, she’s giving up.

The only political blog I can access here at work is a high-profile liberal blog that shall remain nameless because I’m so pissed at them I can barely stand it. Sheehan’s decision, and excerpts from her posting at another group blog, was all over the MSM by ten o’clock yesterday morning. As of this morning, this particular blog hasn’t said one freaking word about it.

Shameful. Cowardly. Disrespectful.

Arianna Huffington, you and your staff can officially kiss my liberal ass. Cindy deserves better.