Even in isolation, it was a lot and my pants are reminding me just how much it's been. But #YOLO, amIright?
Also, it should be pointed out that Ali's birthday and final exams came at the same time. She allowed us about 30 minutes of creme brulee (for her) breakfast and gifts before she went back to studying. The girl's focus is impressive, and seems to be paying off well.
She compared work load with a few high school friends who surprised her with a properly distanced and longer-than-expected visit. They're all at different colleges. Shockingly, the demands of a chemistry student at Purdue who is taking more hours than her parents advised are greater than those of other universities.
Not that her friends are coasting. They're all amazing young women who will be excelling in things like architecture and business, marketing and engineering. They've eased into college life a little bit more sanely than our redhead.
Like me, Ali is blessed with great friends. (My sweet friend Tina did a door drop to send yummy caramel/cheddar popcorn as a little MD gift.) Ali's friend, Nikki, brought over a massive, dark chocolate ice-cream cake that I have tried desperately to stay away from. I had bites of Jeff's and just about died. She came back three days later with a different and thankfully smaller one. Corey brought brownies. I'm telling you, the struggle is real. I'll be wearing a mummu soon and not because it'll be summer.
We haven't received all of Ali's birthday gifts, nor did my Mother's Day gifts arrive on time.
I know about the double-wide hammock that Jeff ordered, the width of which is going to be necessary for just my own girth. But Ali is keeping her Mother's Day selection to herself. They conspired on breakfast and dinner and they agreed to accompany me on a really long walk right after breakfast to try to beat the predicted storm.
The weather dipped enough to frost the flowers a bit, and we got a bit of the predicted wind and rain, but we had only momentary power losses. It snowed in Maine. As it was the same storm system that hit states apart, I should feel guilty that our family there got the short end of the weather stick. I'm trying. But I'm pretty happy that we got such a beautiful morning.
Before hitting the couch to celebrate my day a little more, I spent a little time after our walk moving our wood pile from the side of the garage where it smacks my lovely neighbor in the face every time she's out in her back yard. Lois has created an oasis in her yard, so I've been feeling the need to up my game -- something the Captain doesn't quite get but went along with.
He even burned a bunch of the sticks and debris in our chimenae while sharing a beverage and conversation -- distanced of course -- with Duane -- to lessen the job for me.
While I was relocating the remains of my unsightly woodpile behind our shed, and mostly out of Lois' sight, my neighbor across the back fence said hello. Matt was out battling the creeping myrtle, so we had a discussion about the stuff. It provides a great natural barrier between the houses as it covers up and sprouts even higher than the fence, but it also would take over the whole yard if left to its own, creeping devices.
His garage is directly behind our shed, he has a bunch of sticks and wood that I frankly have never noticed (Thank you, creeping myrtle.) We agreed that our joint no-man's land/utility right-of-way would be great space for a communal wood pile. He got my idea of having to keep up (or at least not offend Lois) right way.
"Oh, I know," he said, adding that in prior years neither of the neighbors on his other sides had done a lot to improve their yard, which had lulled him into the same complacent rut I was in. He, too, had taken note of the Lois Oasis. Which was why he was also working ahead of the storm. I may have committed Jeff to bringing the chainsaw over to help with some of the wood.
In other news, Jeff may have repaired the toilet tank I broke using other neighbors' advice.
"Yeah, the guys at Hedlund Hardware aren't convinced," Jeff reported. "But it's worth a try."
We'll see if the fix is really in. With Ali through finals, she's going to make me a batch of macaroons which are going to be payment to yet another neighbor who's agreed to sharpen my lawn mower blades.
We've been gathering for cookouts/drinking on the street -- safely distanced for the most part -- for the past couple of weeks so it's been great to renew acquaintances and remember who's talented or tooled in helpful ways.
Lois and I are planning to organize the next gathering. Here's hoping I don't break or neglect anything else. But even if I do, it appears there are plenty of neighbor to help me out. With Ali now footloose and not employed, I should have enough baked goods to barter.
And it'll be key to get them out of the house.
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