Booming Banter

Ohio can be prone to late frost so the rule is don’t plant annuals till Mother’s Day comes. Well the big day is here and I’m raring to go but it’s very nippy still.

My Mum was a great lover of marigolds. Each spring, in between the bushes, she’d fill the whole front garden with them that looked like a carpet in summer.

Maybe because of this overdose of orange from back then I’ve never been a great fan of marigolds until recently when I discovered that they are one of the few plants the deer don’t devour.

They also ward off other critters that might be known to nibble too. So this summer we’re going with the giant variety and will combine the marigold minefield with other deer detractors such as the pungent smelling salvia. Last year I had some success with mint as a deterrent and its back in profusion already. This is going to be a mighty fortress!

Benefits are not limited though to keeping the bucks back! Both marigolds and salvia should bring on the butterflies. To be sure we have plenty of flying colors a few coreopsis are going in too.

Now all there is to do is wait for the warmth to return and get digging.

For today though a snuggle with the furball is on the cards while Dad does dinner.

Blessing # 335 – Itchy Fingers

Today inside the prison where I volunteer a speaker talked about anger.

Its something that touches all of us at some time. Some have short fuses other simmer and then explode. The older I get the shorter my fuse has become.

We talked today about what you can do to help manage anger. The resounding consensus was that if you can you take some time out.

This made me think of one of my favorite confectionery products a chocolate coated biscuit called a Breakaway. We don’t have them here in the USA but in the UK they are a regular feature of the lunch box.

We all ate them at school and it was so relaxing and comforting to nibble off the chocolate all round the biscuit before biting into it. Truly a great stress relief.

This time out gives a moment of relaxation and a time to pause and think.

In dorms filled with hundreds of women a little break away alone is a luxury that’s difficult to find.

Maybe something that we who can should appreciate, practice and relish a little more.

Blessing # 335 – Time Alone

Our Dibley is celebrating his 11th birthday today. He has brought great joy to our lives and Aaron can hardly remember a time when he wasn’t around.

When he came home to us he was literally a furball and we stood on him so many times it’s a wonder he walks at all.

He chewed up many things from carpets to curtains. Once he even ate my friend Laura’s new pyjamas while she was wearing them. Now that he has matured he limits himself to shredding socks and taking BIG BALL for a walk.

What a well traveled furball he is. Born in France he rode in the car to Switzerland when he was just three months old.

He has also been on the channel tunnel train to England, seen Big Ben, crossed by boat from Scotland to Ireland and flown across the Atlantic in a jumbo jet all before he turned three.

Since then he has taken vacations in  eighteen different states and was even once mistaken for the famous Bo Obama while strolling down the Mall in Washington DC.

A pampered pooch is an understatement! He is quite naughty and demanding when it comes to table manners and barking to get his treats.

He is currently something of a medical  challenge too with his Cushing Syndrome. His doctor is working to stabilize that and he even got a birthday card from his animal clinic this morning.

We love him so much and are very grateful that he has been such an important part of our lives for all these years. May he have many more happy returns.

Blessing #334 – Fourpawed Family

Krishna is a very patient person and also a perfectionist. We are in many ways polar extremes.

A good example of this is when we are out shopping. He will examine details like sell by dates or the quality of each piece of produce whereas I’ll just grab and go.

At times this results in my being less than gracious. If I’m in a rush I can snap at Krishna to hurry up!

Patience though is really valuable when it comes to cooking and for sure this is why he has a reputation as a great chef.  He takes the time to get the balance just right. Looking forward to my smoothie lunch that he’s blending right now. Made with his homemade yogurt, ripe mangos and bananas.

Patience is also critical in keeping books in any business.  So while I was out yesterday he got to work preparing the inventory of all the little items we put up for sale.

Had I done this it would have been a very rough and ready scribble but what he has done is quite  beautiful. It is almost a work of art. Priceless!

Blessing # 333 – Best Supporter

A few weeks ago at our Tuesday Morning Group we were talking about taking risk and « stepping out of the safety of our own boats »

Krishna and I are not adverse to adventure having moved around a lot but there has never been much risk associated with this as we were always well protected and taken care of by our employer.

Today we placed a bid on a little house in an area of Columbus that is the focus of revival. The area was a fine place in the 1920s but went through a very rough patch more recently. It has had a bad reputation but is progressively improving and the mayor is committed to turning it around.

Another item on my bucket list is to do a house flip. You may recall a few months ago we’d hoped to flip that big old Victorian house into a guest house. Well that was ambitious and fortunately perhaps fell through.

Just like starting small with the glass cabinet store what better place to start than with a cute cottage. There is only so much roof and only so many windows in need of change!

Best offers are due in by the end of today so we took the risk of going in a bit below asking price and we’ll know by Friday if we are successful.

As the house needs just about everything you can imagine done to it this will be a good testing ground for tradesmen.

With school holidays approaching I’ve an idea where they might find a strong young laborer to help and a slightly more mature apprentice painter too!

Blesssing # 332 – Stepping Out

A feeble fifth of what has been purchased over the past months was packed into the car today and taken to the shop for sale.

Felt a little guilt about this step. It’s a bit like the little piggy who went to market. How do you choose which goes first?

With Mothers Day this Sunday the selection was made on the basis of what might appeal to Mums. Since I didn’t have access to a focus group, and the friends I did ask didn’t answer me, more precisely this means what appeals to one Mum, me!

Krishna ever patient and helpful came along and helped set up. He deserves a medal. Must look out for one for him!

In spite of my pledge not to overload it the little glass case is now packed to the gills. Some pieces were too tall to squeeze in so they got pride of place on top.

It will be tempting to keep visiting to see if anything is moving but must resist. Have to learn that understanding the market takes time and when you have hundreds of people doing the same thing competition is stiff.

Better instead to feel content that this step has been taken and to prepare for the next major opportunity Fathers Day.

This is tough as all we ever buy poor Krishna is a book, whiskey or aftershave. Anyone with ideas on what Dads might like  will be richly rewarded!

Blessing #331 – Bucket List Tick

P.S. the Pink Lightbulb is NOT Mine

Oh so very happy for Prince Harry and his beautiful Princess Meghan. Those of us who were on the planet in September 1997 cannot fail to remember that little twelve year old as he took that very long last walk with his beautiful Mum.

Now he has his own Princess and they have their own little baby Prince to take care of and what a special baby this is.

The first biracial baby in the British Royal family and the first eligible to one day be President of the United States should he choose.

As we heard this news we were sorting through the treasures accumulated over the past months. It was indeed laborious getting all the items sorted out. The news on the baby helped. You gotta get things in perspective!

Starting at nine and ending at seven it took a little more time than anticipated but the result was satisfying.

All we need to do now is watch and see how this baby grows up!

Blessing # 330 – New Life

 

Beautiful today and celebrations all around.

Cinco de Mayo and the first cook out of the season at our friends Bob and Nada’s. Many years have passed since the Mexicans and the French had their famous battala. Still good to toast the spicy victors and have fun with the appropriately named Coco the Labradoodle!

 

It was also the first outdoor market of the season in our little town and of course a bit of shopping had to be done. Bought a few little items for MY BUSINESS.

Feels so good to say that. Decision taken. Starting small with the glass case.

Working tomorrow on getting things cleaned and labeled and then big ribbon cutting on Tuesday. Must invite a celebrity.

Let the battle of the bijou begin.

Blessing # 329 – Small is Sweet

 

 

Maybe you can give me your thoughts on today’s dilemma.

The antique mall where I hope to sell my rescued treasures contacted me to say they have either a very large booth available or half a glass box.

Now the booth is of course much more expensive than the box. Roughly five time more.

Today I was at my friend Laura’s and she thought it may be a wise to start small and see how things go.

Of course there is no way that a chair or bench will fit unless it is dolls furniture which is what the person renting the other half of the glass box is selling.

The lady in charge of the store was very kind and understanding and reassured me that as soon as a smaller booth opens up then I could switch.

Lots of my little loves would fit well in the glass box but it might take more imagination to see how they’d look in a home if they weren’t on a table or cabinet.

So what do you think? Big Booth or Half Box or wait patiently for the standard booth?

Blessing # 328 – Multiple Choice

Another day another deluge. Thankfully once again we are escaping the worst.

Streams are becoming rivers and the rivers are rising fast.

Krishna made the comment as we were driving into town this morning that it felt like the monsoon in India.

We had to go really slowly as the windscreen wipers couldn’t cope at some points.

The one thing though about rain when it’s warm is that it is refreshing. So much better than rain with cold. Provided you have a good waterproof coat you can even enjoy it.

My trusty Barbour came in handy today. I have a fondness for this old relic that is beyond measure. Krishna bought it for me thirty three years ago just before we got married. At the time it seemed expensive but it cannot be beaten.

It’s made of waxed cotton and has a unique smell but man it can turn the rain.

It spent most of its life in Ireland. First in the back hall of my parents home and later in our own place. It was always the go too garment any time there was rain. So it got plenty of use.

In winter a nice big sweater can be worn underneath it to keep warm and in the summer it’s loose and light. Best of all it has super deep pockets so no need for a purse when you wear it.

When we sold the house last year there were very few items of clothing that were kept. My Mums wedding dress, my Dads cap, my baby clothes, school uniform and the Barbour!

Today it might be classified as vintage. A better term is timeless. In any case it has been faithful to its promise for all our married life and hopefully will stick with me for many years to come.

Blessing # 327– Reliable Old Friend