IrishAngel’s blog

Finding surprises in every kiss

Knowing there is nothing you want to miss

Every day is bliss.

Feeling the love you never knew

Even when some things turn blue

This love is true.

Falling for someone so small and weak

Doing so many great things that are meek

Life is what you speak.

It was a busy day for Alison. She had been trying to finish her garden project, and had the opportunity to complete it today. And that is what is was...complete. It had been a while since she had followed through with anything lately.

She had started the project Saturday, buying plants and compost, and getting some tools together. However, Sunday was too busy to get anything done. So, on Monday, she started on half the garden. The soil on that side of the walk was wonderful and rich. Worms were working their way through the soil, giving it life. Roly polies crawled around between clods of dirt. It was so exciting to get the soil worked up and ready for the pansies and white a**??. She planted a border of the white ****, then filled in with white pansies, delta blues, and blacks. It looked so lovely.

Tuesday turned out to be busier than expected. The only thing going on was a portrait session for her dear son. Finally, Wednesday arrived. Alison felt like she had lived two entire weeks in the past two days. It didn't help that Wednesday began very early at 6 am. The baby had been sleeping fitfully since 4 am, and decided he needed to be up and awake much earlier than usual. Alison's fabulous husband retrieved the baby and changed his diaper before bringing him in for a morning feeding. It had been a while since Zed had nursed in the bed. He fell asleep again once his belly was full, and had a quick catnap next to his momma. By 7:30, it was obvious that he was ready to have fun. Thankfully, he played in his playdome outside after his morning feeding/nap. (Sometimes it was hard to tell if he was sleeping or eating.)

As Zed played on his own, Alison started packing up the mulch on the other side of the sidewalk. She could tell as she picked it up that the soil underneath was dry and would need a lot of work. After she got the mulch cleared, the baby called to her. It was time for another nap. For this, Alison was grateful. She felt a bit guilty making him play by himself so she could work on this project. Once the baby was in his crib, she returned to her project.

The sun was really starting to beat down on her. She noticed her project from Monday was starting to wilt. The tilling would have to wait. Alison returned inside to slather herself in sunscreen...50 spf. The heat also had parched her throat, so she found one of her new plastic cups and filled it with water, downing the refreshment in just a few gulps. She also filled her new watering can with 2 gallons, and gave her flowers a much needed dousing.

When Alison looked at her new gardening space, she sighed. It was definitely going to take a lot more work than the previous space. Nothing grew there very well, and she was about to find out why. As she drove the spade into the dirt, it proved to be more like sand near the wall. She also found dozens of rocks as she worked her way out to the main walk. It too Alison almost an hour to turn the 1.5 cubic feet of space into workable soil. She mixed in extra compost to help improve the health of the soil. As a bonus, Alison discovered the sprinkler head that had been buring for who knows how long. Now, with it uncovered, the area might improve.

She was able to plant all the white **** before going inside for a little lunch. The project was finished in the afternoon with a few stops to feed and play with the baby. The project turned out very nice, and hopefully all the plants would enjoy their new home. It felt good to finish that project. It always feels good to finish a project, a book, a game, anything. There is something honorable in finishing something you start. It really gives you a sense of pride. May that feeling last until the next time you start something and help you go through with it. Perhaps tomorrow at Weight Watchers. Have a good night.

What is your definition of cheating?

 Cheating on what? A test? Your SO? a poker game? I think anything that gives you an undue advantage would be cheating. That includes on your SO. You have love from 2 people instead of just one. I'd call that an advantage.

Babbles and giggles

Smiles and hums

Raspberries and clicks

No teeth in your gums.

You try to make noises

And all that we hear

Are squeaks, squawk, and babbles

But they're all loud and clear.

Have you ever been skinny dipping?

Once upon a time, late late at night when I perhaps should have been sleeping, it happened. A couple friends (you know who you are), and I went to my mom's house and jumped in the pool in our underwear. I suppose technically that isn't skinny dipping, but it's as close as I got around other people.

What are your neighbors like? (The ones you live near or next to, not the ones in your Vox neighborhood!)

Our neighbors are very varied. We live in a very large apartment community in east Denver. There are many Russians in our community, and they mostly keep to themselves. Recently, a few rowdy Texans have moved in. They are interesting and occasionally obnoxious. Next door lives a nurse with her youngest son. He attends the middle school down the road. They love our dog and the baby. Above us lives someone who is possibly either OCD or on crystal meth. She vacuums every day, sometimes in the middle of the night. Above her is a young couple with the cutest miniature pinscher and a cat named Diego. Diego has some black spots on his face that look like a mustache and mini-goatee (the lip triangle kind). The people who live there are a special ed. teacher and an accountant. They are not nearly as boring as that sounds. I know that there is a black family with great decorating taste in the next building, as well as a sweet little woman with a poodle. Everyone is so different, and we all meet at different times, but we all live well together.

Alison decided she needed a project. Nothing much, just something to keep her busy while the baby was sleeping. After reading several blogs, she decided it was time to try her hand at gardening. The weather was starting to warm up very nicely, and it seemed the ideal moment in time to make the attempt at cultivating a green thumb.

She chose a spot outside the front door, and thought a few flowers would look nice in there. It wasn't much of a spot, and it was going to be lopsided due to the bush growing on the east side of the walk. "Who cares?," she thought, "It's just a few flowers." She had even let herself dream of having a vegetable container garden and a trellis for zucchini. But, not wanting to get overwhelmed, she set a starter budget and made plans to visit a greenhouse.

Her husband, Nicholas, was interested in the idea and wanted to help. She knew his interest wasn't in doing it all, but having him involved seemed like a good idea. Finally Saturday came around. The family packed up in the car and headed off to City Floral Greenhouse. It was just south of Colfax, on Kearney. They had ample parking, and several greenhouses. It was quite overwhelming for this gardening newbie.

The baby had fallen asleep on the way to the nursery, so they packed him into his bright orange stroller, still cozy in his infant carrier. They wheeled their way into the main entrance, and began to take in the colors. There were potted plants, trees, hanging plants, and rows and rows of flowers. Alison did not know where to begin.

Eventually, the family was able to locate some help. They were directed to the pansies, and told to wait to plant many other varieties of flowers. In Colorado, the spring weather can be quite unpredictable. The nights can stay in the 30s and 40s well into May. Even then, there may be the occasional June snowstorm. But, the knowledgable emloyee told them the pansies would do well in the slightly cool weather, especially if the are recieved 6 or more hours of sunlight. However, around June or July, the weather would be too hot and the pansies would die. Then, they would probably be replaced by geraniums.

Alison and Nick thought this was a fine plan. They chose a flat of pansies, in white, light blue, and black. They also chose some small white flowers to border the sidewalk. As gardening newbies, they still needed tools. In the far back of the greenhouse, all sorts of tools, fertilizers, and pots could be found. Their helper found them a trowel and a small box of Miracle Gro, and directed them to ask the checkout counter for Cotton Bowl compost. So, they bought a bag of poop. At the checkout counter, they also discovered you can buy live bugs! There were packs of lady bugs (thousands of lady bugs!), praying mantis eggs, and boxes of worms. All the natural composters and pest control you could think of.

A nice young guy helped them out to the car with their treasures, and they found places for everything (even the stroller) in the trunk. It had been a fun and eventful trip, and it would be repeated soon. Alison had plans. Oh, how she had plans.

Have you ever experienced road rage?
Submitted by Question of the Day.

One Saturday, as I was travelling north on I-70 in Florida, I encountered an angry Republican. He drove a black Land Rover with a W emblazoned on an "all-American" sticker on the rear window. I know this because I came very close to his back end as he cut me off and slammed on the brakes. Why did he do this? Because I was only going 10 miles over the speed limit, rather than the 20 or 25 he was accustomed to. Do I blame the Republican party for this? No. But, do I blame people like him for the Republican party? Of course.

Lotus was a beautiful, energetic dog. She felt lonely and abandoned, though, lately. A new person had come into her life and the life of her owners, and she wasn't sure she liked him. He got all the attention that she used to enjoy. Her lady owner was constantly fussing with him--feeding him, holding him, changing the cloth wrap on his butt. It just wasn't fair. What happened to the dog? Why doesn't she get time. Sure, there were the odd moments when she would get a little head pat, or the lady owner would wipe the grit from her eyes. It just wasn't the same.

Before the little guy arrived, the lady owner would walk Lotus every day...even really cold days. Of course, as she got bigger, the walks got a lot slower. But, how was Lotus to know what was in store? She only knew she was getting a lot of great attention and exercise. Now, she was fortunate to be able to go outside for a quick bathroom trip once a day. The man owner would let her run out and do her business in the morning, and she was always let out at night. But, every day Lotus started with bright shining hope that this day would be different. She was always very excited when her owners would get out of the bed at the same time. She danced, and jumped, and shook her tail, making a cold breeze flow around her. In time, though, she realized they were not going to take her on that walk, or play fetch, or even wrestle a little. One pat from the lady owner after she crawled back into bed, and that was that for a while.

Today was different, though. Today Lotus got to go somewhere. It was wonderful! (Even if the little boy child had to go with her.) Lotus didn't especially like riding in the car, but she did like getting to where they were going...usually. She really didn't know where they were going today, only that it involved the nauseating trip. It seemed like forever she was so anxious. Where were they going? What were they going to do? Would there be a ball involved? Lotus panted in the front passenger seat next to her lady owner and tried to be patient.

Finally, they pulled up to a space next to the dog park. This was even better! Lotus didn't need to be leashed, and she loved it! The lady owner put the boy child in a big sash, and they passed through the gates of Nirvana...or at least as close as a dog can get. The owner took off her halter and said, "Run! Find a ball! Let's have fun today." It was wonderful. A black afghan hound came running up to Lotus and started to greet her. It had been so long since she had seen another dog, she couldn't quite remember the protocol--crotch sniff, butt sniff, wrestle. It wasn't as successful as the afghan hoped, and he soon wandered off to be entertained by other canine companions.

The lady owner walked with her beautiful golden to a nearby bench. Lotus jumped up on the bench, forgetting her manners. It took a few tries, but the lady owner eventually succeeded in convincing her dog that the bench was not for four legged creatures. It was a glorious hour, though. They played ball, walked the path, and had a sandy, wet, muddy, fun time. As the wind picked up, the baby began to cry, and too soon, it was all over. Time to head home for the canine creature and her loving owner. Until the next time.

What would you like to do more of?

Travel. Plain and simple. I just like to go places. Gas prices don't make it easy. Nor does the single income. But, right now, it just doesn't make a whole lot of sense to work. I don't make enough money for daycare, and I would have to work more hours than I would like to make as much as I need. I would also like to meet up with more people for lunch, hanging out, whatever during the week.