Birthday Wish Granted

My birthday weekend has turned out to be amazing!

I came home from work on Friday (my birthday) to find that my garden fence was complete with a working, locking gate!

It’s hard to express how happy this little space makes me. When I sit inside there, I feel like all is right with the world. Listening to the spring peepers, a cool breeze blowing as the sun goes down, marveling at all the different shades of green among the plants. I feel cozy and protected, but also excited to see the plants grow and to think about what else I might do with the space. And I just love how the space looks and that it is all compact. It was kind of stressful to have all different beds and pots all over the place. Now it’s almost all in one spot and it actually has more of a visual impact this way. And I have no choice but to interplant different plants and to think vertically – to practice permaculture.

As you may recall, the fencing was free from Craigslist. The gate is made from the wood from the raised bed that Rocco destroyed. Tom had to buy some new wood, some concrete, the spray paint, and the eye hook.

After stopping at the public works yard yesterday and finding it closed, we went on to Ace Hardware where I got one bag of mulch so I could get the most important mulching done ($3.33). Right after that, I saw a post for free wood chips right around the corner from our house, so Tom went over and scooped them up. I can use them for the pathway in the fenced garden and also can replenish the mulch in the front garden. Gotta love all the people who sign up for Chip Drop not realizing how much chips will drop!

The last major piece will be putting up some lattice against the shed wall for the tomatoes and beans to climb. And I don’t know for sure if I am going to keep the tall posts or what I might do with them.

Out in the front of the house, the hostas are looking robust, the dianthus has some flowers, and I added a marigold to the front corner patch. Lots of sprouts are popping up that look like snapdragons and zinnias. T. and his GF gave me some seed balls for my birthday so I’ll add those somewhere, most likely.

I’m trying not to put anything edible out front since it’s a busy street and I read somewhere that the car exhaust could linger. Presumably the back yard is safer…

ALSO yesterday, in the morning, we had a small yard sale (part of the town-wide one). We made $186! Not too shabby. It was exhausting, though. I took some of what didn’t sell to Goodwill today.

Last night we had dinner with friends at local Mexican restaurant La Catrina. Delicious! Then we took the dog out for some exercise and after that I collapsed. I was wornnnn outttt in the best way.

Today, I had to focus on the indoors. Laundry, cleaning, some grocery shopping. F. and I stopped into Goodwill, where I got a pair of khaki shorts, and also Marshall’s, where I got a dress to wear to T’s graduation for $29. If I can find something better thrifting later, I’ll take it back.  But it’s pretty cute. Later, we went to dinner at my parents.

Meals last week:

Sunday: lunch out with Grandmom M. (at a local pizza place) and no one was too hungry for dinner

Monday: Chicken piccata, corn, grandma noodles, sauteed green beans and roasted potatoes

Tuesday: Scrounge (air fryer dumplings for me, with a soy sauce/rice vinegar/sesame oil/garlic dipping sauce).

Wednesday: Scrounge (nachos with cilantro from the garden for me, air fryer mac n cheese bites and an Italian hoagie from Acme for others)

Thursday: Pizza from Nick and Joe’s.

Friday: Scrounge (I had tuna).

Lunches: I packed all three days!!! Where is my medal? (Leftover chicken twice, pulled pork from Sprouts and mashed potatoes.)

Small wins:

• I got advance word that I have a work trip in the fall, meaning I have more time to make sure I prep for it frugally.
• Earned points on my credit card for items I felt more comfortable putting on there (plane ticket for T., new contacts) and promptly redeemed them for a credit on my account. Will pay off the entire balance before it’s due.
• Washed Ziploc bags out to reuse them (I do this a lot actually).
• Gifted two excess tomato plants to my SIL and will give two to my friend.
• I had small yellow potatoes for roasting that were looking green. So I peeled them and used them for mashed potatoes instead. A little lumpy, but at least they didn’t go to waste. I guess I could have roasted them without the skins, or made potato salad.

My mom gave me a cool book about herbs for my birthday so I will dig into that in a moment. I also left some books at a Little Free Library and took a book about Eleanor Roosevelt.

Mom sent us home with some leftovers. That’s good because once again I don’t have a meal plan…