h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Howday AR1!

Lovely to hear from you

My mom was out of town (not this weekend we just had - but the one before it). We always fill up our window boxes, planters and outdoor pots this time of year with flowers. And we do it togther, as we both love planting (and I'm the only one that can lift the 20-40 lb bags of potting soil... so I'm crucial to the planting process! ) But since her back has been bothering her lately, I went out and purchased about $100 of flowers and planted them all while she was gone. When I picked her up from the airport - I didn't tell her, and waited until we pulled into the driveway for her to see them. She was thrilled! She likes a variety of color. So I had:
Geraniums (light pink, hot pink. salmon, red, white and purple), Petunias (dark purple, white, yellow, pink, red, varigated white w/purple stripes, red w/white stripes)
Lobelia (a hanging plant that produces dark vibrant blue-purple blooms about the size of a pencil eraser - it trails over the side of the planters and window boxes)
Dahlia's (1 snow white, and 1 lemon yellow)
Viola's (lavender, pale yellow, dark purple with yellow centers) Some type of grass that stays in a mound and has pink flowers that are in the shape of a ball at the top of the spikes)
Begonia's (salmon, red and white)
Cockscomb (red, yellow and orange)
Marigolds (bright orange and yellow-orange).

Our Irises are also getting ready to bloom in the backyard, we have them all along a retaining wall, and one azalea bush that is just starting to bloom!

And we've had rain several times since then - so they are just gorgeous! My back, arms and legs were killing me the week after (I moved around the 60 lb planters after I filled them with flowers... not smart!) And as our front lawn slopes down towards the driveway, and my garden cart/seat has wheels on it, I kept my leg braced against the hill so that I wouldn't roll down it while sitting on the the cart and planting. (I did this for hours at a time) so I have pulled a muscle or tendon in my knee and have been gimping around for a week nursing that. I went walking twice yesterday though (Sunny and 70 degress outside - perfect!) and that seemed to loosen up the knee.

Otherwise everyone is fine here, am still waiting to see if my boss is going to sell the company or not. It's starting to look more and more like he will keep it, and just take a loan out to pay his ex-wife off. We're like a family here at work, and everyone has been terribly upset for the past 6 months about the possibility of us being disbanded. Hopefully we'll know for sure one way or the other this week.

Sounds like you had a lovely and adventurous weekend! Next time make sure you have your racing helmet on!
Let me know how your garden turns out!

Have to get to work now - have a great day AR1!
love,
Michele

Hi Michelle Thanks for your super letter. Gosh you are a busy bee. But honestly is it not doing too much to be moving those heavy planters around?You must be careful. It is later that one feels the effect of having been a "mover of heavy articles" I know all the flowers you mention. They sound beautiful. I do not have any violas although I love them. I also do not have cockscomb in the garden and to be honest I have not seen them in England. Your irses sound super. Are they different colours and what type are they. You are a very clever girl - both with your trowel and with your tweezers!! And your Mum is a lucky person to have such a lovely daughter.
I am sorry about the possible job change. I do hope it turns out alright for you and that your boss is able to keep you all on. I went swimming yesterday and then inspired by your gadening went to a super nursery at Hildenborough. The plants were magnificent. Fortunately my fiend Marianna was with me so I had to tell her what I needed and she went and searched for them. It was a nursery very much in the country and on a hill and surrounded by beautiful trees. I had to sit in the car as there was no way she could push my chair and the flowers. Whilst she was choosing the plants she heard a cuckoo. She also found some eidelweiss plants so we each treated ourselves to one. I have gone in for geraniums in a big way this year - both the trailing and bush type as well as a few pelargoniums. Hopefully I shall not have to water them so much.
Keep well my dear and try not to hump to many planters around now.
Much affectionate love and a big AR1

Very dear Michelle, Not a peep out of you for ages. How are you? I do hope bearing up under the strain.Please send me just a note to say that you are alright. I am worrying about you. fond Love AR1

Howdy AR1!

Sorry for not responding sooner. I've been a bit moody lately, so I havn't been on as much (trying to work things out in my mind so that I don't have to bother everyone else!). Plus h2g2 has been slower than molasses!

I have a good feeling that whatever happens I'll land on my feet! If I don't find a job or make enough money working freelance, I'll just take a second job! (being a single mom - I've worked up to three jobs at a time to make ends meet, not somthing that I want to repeat however. At the age of 43 I was hoping that I would be able to spend more time with my daughter, and not less...) But who knows? I'm very optimistic, and I'm a "mover and a shaker" so you don't have to worry about me sitting on my butt feeling sorry for myself... I'll be out there making things happen! (I'm pretty independent if you haven't already figured that out!)

How have you been lately? I wanted you to know that all of the flowers I planted for my mom that weekend she was out of town are absolutely fabulous! We've had a lot of rain, and everything is very lush. Plus, all of my irises are in bloom! (YAY!!!) How is your garden doing? I bet it's lovely!

I was out of town this past weekend (Memorial day today - three day weekend here in the US) and my mom, daughter and I went to Grand Lake in Oklahoma and stayed with my aunt and uncle. (about a three and a half hour drive) It was a lovely weekend! The weather was perfect!

Look forward to hearing from you!
Michele

Hi Michelle I thought that I had replied to your super letter - full of courage and hope. Sorry I had not. anyway I am so pleased that you had a great time at Grand Lake. It sounds a super place. Do you sail on it, or swim? Also so pleased that the garden is coming on well. It is so rewarding to garden even if it is a bit of instant gardening.
We have had a lovely weekend celebrating the golden jubilee of the accession of the Queen to the throne. We went to a street party and it really was a great deal of fun. I was treated as a "normal" person by all and that was a huge relief.
Yesterday we went for a super drive down the coast looking for isolated beautiful places where I could end my days. Lots of beautiful busy places but very few which were quiet enough for me. I am afraid that I am not a great one for crowds.
I hope that the job situation is perking up and that you are being offered what you want and deserve. You must be a very talented person
I loved reading about your daughter's slumber party. Thank goodness mine never had those!!. In any case it was always easier because there were two older brothers who used to take care of the girls.
My friend is off to Ireland tomorrow and I shall miss her. Fortunately only for a week.
Well, my dear friend take care of yourself and remain as cheerful and encouraging to all as you are. An affectionate AR1
PS Sorry I encouraged the dear boy with his sense of humour. It made me laugh!!

Hi AR1!

Not to worry about encouraging Lurcher - he is very funny and quite a dear! If it weren't for his humor I'd have gone insane several months back!

Your street party sounds like it was a hoot! Our next big weekend is the 4th of July (Independence day ) that will be another three day weekend, with fireworks!

I'm cleaning out my desk today - tossing all of the old irrelevant files, etc. So I won't have as much to go through at the end of the month. I've already taken half of my personal items that were in drawers and on my desktop home. I left a few, so that it wouldn't look abandoned (I like that "lived in" look!).

I am really hoping to make it to the UK next year. I have never been, but have always wanted to go. Keep your fingers crossed that this will be a successful business venture for me!

Lots of love and
Michele

Hi Michele dear So sorry not to have replied before. I have been verree bizzie with all my new contacts and friends. Super. You seem to be very philosophical about the new move. that is the way to do things. Que sera, sera. Such a wise song. And if one takes it to heart it can prevent a lot of heartache.(that sentence sounds a bit cracked!) How are your Mum and your daughter. I suppose that you are not going to be able to have a summer holiday this year if the new firm have just taken over.
I wonder how your garden is looking. I am pretty peeved because the two beds in front of my flat are looking splendid withe roses, hoeysuckle, delphiniums, astilbes,sweet williams, philadelphus, and lovely honeysuckle all coming into flower and smelling deevine. Today I received a note from the secretary of the management committee announcing that a scaffolding would be going up all around my flat on Thursday so that they could do some repairs to the roof.That will be a real test of my character when I see my little garden being flattened by huge metal scaffolding. Really. I suppose that I must be philosophical about it. I must away to bed. Take care of yourself dear friend. A big AR1