I have been lurking for a couple of months, but I have to post on this one. I went to the store about a month ago to get one bag of blood meal. I came home with 9 pink fountain guara grass, 2 russian sage, 2 corkscrew grass, and 9 silver falls (to go with the corkscrew grass in a nice tall skinny container i already have). They had some plants 50% off, so I also got a just budding Strawflower, a youngish lobelia basket, and (happy dance) a smallish variegated Weigela. I got about halfway home and realized I had forgotten the Blood Meal. So I stopped at the very nice little garden center at the hy-vee (grocery store) near my house - the garden center is actually done by one of the local greenhouse/nursery centers. They were having a 25% off everything sale and bulbs for a $1.00 (instead of $4.00!), so I got a couple of hanging baskets of yellow and orange callibrachoa (million bells), 4 tiger lillies, 6 stargazer lillies, and 12 assorted - red, white, yellow. I again got halfway home and had to turn around. You guessed it, forgot to get the blood meal!!

This is the year of "no presents but lots of love", and not by my choice LOL. For 11 years, I've spent the entire year trying to figure out exactly what I should get Dave for Christmas, but he just DOESN'T care what he gets..a few books, maybe a puzzle or a crossword book..he's fine..yes, I am the saddest person ever, when my "I've aced it..I KNOW what to get him, only to find turntables for the comp, weather stations he mentioned a million times, the teak shower bench that he said he'd spend cold winter nights sat upon in our brand new slate and stone shower with power jets beating him into submission (only to find he only uses it to stand his shampoo bottle on!) gifts still in their boxes, partly assembled, or just given away. The past couple of years I've given in to his wishes/wants.. and he's been happy with the books he's shopped/bought himself. I'm not, as I love the shopping/surprising/amusing little tags on/thought of you gift giving, and yes selfishly, I wish he liked doing the same as well. When we bought this house with the woodstove, I mentioned that some of the wood that I was splitting and stacking in the woodshed needed a splitting wedge..lo and behold, come Christmas morning, I received a 5lb ice cold wedge of steel..wrapped in a paper bag, and no tag, no name.. yes, I did ask for it, and he's still as happy as a pig in.. whatever ;) lol at the surprised look on my face when that was my ONE gift for the year! Guess I fooled him with my acting skills..so well that the next year I got a Lodge cast iron griddlepan to cook his steaks in for the winter times! Yes, wrapped this time in real wrapping paper and the price tag on it so I'd know how much he appreciates me!!! This year, he asked in November for my list.. I know, gasp! He's cracked it, he's figured out I like to receive AND to give. I'd secretly had books shipped by his parents from England, and a couple of neat things to surprise him, but not over whelm him. On Saturday, December 22 DH Dave went out to the garage to bring in one of the last pieces of door trim we were doing as one of my begged for gifts, and he fell in the snow on a slick of ice. He broke the ball off the top of his humerus, dislocated his shoulder blade and broke his collar bone. After surgery to pin everything to gether, locate the shoulder blade and arm bone, he's home from the hospital now. With his sling and pain meds in place, he's mostly comfortable, but he won't be able to hold the massive hardover books he so wanted, he can't drink the lovely wines and beers he bought, or do the shopping on the list he asked me for in November. He will be able to start therapy in about 2 weeks, and with at least 6 weeks off work that we can ill afford, he has lots of time to think of gifts for next year! Guess I won't be asking for door trim or a splitting wedge! I do love him..honestly! LOL Sorry for the novel! Off to shovel the snow so I can bring in a couple of bins of firewood that I split, with a great wedge!

I finished up all my tax prep yesterday and last night, now just to take to the accountant on Monday. It feels so good to have that done and rest of the paper work filed. Why do I let the filing build up, I have to file to get things in places where they can be found only to take back out again for the papers she needs ;( Your beans sound good. I think I have one batch in the freezer, which is not the same as cooking them with a bit of ham and having the kitchen smell yummy... We got up today and drove an hour to the annual Weyerhaeuser seedling sale this morning, Bought 9 more noble fir (3 years old), couple of nine bark (don't know why when the deer won't leave those I already have alone), 2 Japanese black pine. I'd planned to get some dwarf mugo and by the time we'd stood in line, they were out. Out of the dogwood too. Long lines to get in, not surprising when all the plants are $1 each. If I'd wanted cedar, red alder, or fraser or doug fir, I could have filled the back of my Explorer, plenty of those when I didn't need them. Since we were close, we went on to Costco, Cash&Carry, Fred Meyer for organic lawn food, Trader Joe's for kefir and a handful of things. Now home, and it's raining again!

As long as I get some strawberry shortcake I'm happy. Going to my oldest's for dinner. They asked what I want and all I could think of was asparagus or brussel sprouts. Need to think of an entree . I'm just happy I'm not the cook . It's been wonderful my youingest daughter has been cooking since I started chemo and trying new things. Seniorgal, the drive sounds wonderful . Growing ue we did Sunday drives with all of us piled in the car . Drives through North Jersey with fall colors and stopping for apples or ice cream. Some nice music on the radio ... have a wonderful ride today . Whether it's time to yourself or spending with family , I hope all of you enjoy Mother''s Day !