Redbuds and Rants

I am constantly amazed by the people who manage to write a new post everyday and still have time to read other blogs. So today instead of lots of photos and trying to write anything profound, I will just share my journal entries so far this week.

Monday:

• Beautiful day. Cleaned up area near roadside for new flowerbed expansion. Tried to start new tiller to till up bed.
• Planted kohlrabi and sweet basil in vegetable garden which husband tilled on Sunday. Tried to start new tiller.
• Weeded back yard. Tried to start new tiller.
• Painted part of buggy seat which will sit in main flowerbed. Tried to start new tiller.
• Husband came home from work and started tiller on first try.
• Husband tilled up part of new flowerbed, then turned it over to me.
• Finished tilling flowerbed; no need to exercise today.

Tuesday:

• Another beautiful day. Planted new perennials in new roadside area. Storms forecast for tomorrow. Hope new plants don't get hailed on.
• Painted rest of buggy seat.
• Too tired to exercise.

Wednesday:

• Rainy day. Perfect for getting my hair cut and shopping for a new outfit to wear to daughter's graduation this weekend.
• Get hair cut--lookin' good for shopping!
• Visit major department store #1. Pass up the sleeveless dresses (should have kept up with those dumbbell exercises this winter). Pass up the bold geometric prints and baby doll dresses that look like something Twiggy used to wear. (For you young ones out there, Twiggy was the Kate Moss of the '60's.) Find one dress possibility and several jackets and tops. Head to fitting room with armload of clothes. (Experience has taught me out of 10 outfits tried on, I'm lucky if one looks good on me.)


• Try on polka dot dress with red shrug. Doesn't look too bad. Turn around for rear view. Never mind--dress goes back on hanger. Try on gray pantsuit--a definite possibility and on sale besides. Jacket fits, pants are a little snug--can I lose ten pounds by Sunday? Try to sit down and find that the pants are low-rise and fastener on waistband cuts into navel when I sit. Back onto hangar. After several more outfits, decide white trapeze jacket has possibilities. Will put it on hold.


• Visit two more stores. No dresses worth trying on, so settle for checking out jackets and dressy tops. Empire waist tops and floating tops should camouflage midriff bulge. Dressy blue top is very comfortable, but makes me look six months pregnant. Finally decide to buy two tops, but they're too casual for graduation.


• Finally go back to store #1 and purchase jacket put on hold. Today is senior discount day, and though I'm not a senior citizen, their cut-off age is very low, plus I have fake I.D. in case they question me. Nobody asks for I.D. I get the 20% discount.
  
• Final stop at Walmart for some basic necessities. On my way to pick up antacid and dental floss, I pass by dietary aids. I pause for a moment and decide to forego buying some Slim-Fast. The chocolate doesn't taste bad, though, when accompanied by a Big Mac and fries. I notice a new diet plan displayed prominently in center aisle. It promises to "flush" away pounds in days. After imagining for a few moments how this might work, I put box back on shelf. My digestive system is very delicate as it is; no need to invite more problems. Waiting in the check-out line I have time to peruse several magazines. I'm intrigued by the headline that promises a 30-lb. weight loss by Memorial Day (c'mon, who's that gullible?). I have time to read the whole article; the culprit apparently is high fructose corn syrup, and listed are many products containing it. I put back magazine and decide on a salad for supper.
  
• Stop to exercise at Curves before going home.

Author's commentary: Shopping for clothes used to be fun for me. Now it's a chore. When I find something I like, I usually discover that I am in the petite department or that it is only available up to a size 8. (I am neither.) When are clothing companies, other than a few more expensive specialty brands, going to realize that my generation--the Baby Boomers--make up the largest segment of the population? When will they give us some flattering choices other than clothes that make us look either like ridiculous teenage-wannabes or else frumpy matrons?

I think too many mainstream clothing designers are still following the Barbie principle. But Barbie is going to turn 50 next year! And even my "skinny" friends complain about their thickening waistlines; nobody I know has an 18-inch waist, for heaven's sake.

Thursday AM: Getting ready to go shopping again, but this time with Beckie and shopping for plants. Should be a good day. All plants come in my size.

Oh yes, the redbuds...As you can see, the blossoms are slowly giving way to green leaves. I am always a little sad to see the lovely pink-purple blooms go, but thank you to whoever told me to notice that the leaves are actually heart-shaped. Also when the tree is covered with leaves, that means the hummingbirds are on their way!

Have a good day, everyone!