Hi it’s Christina –
Happy Mother’s Day to all
the moms out there! So, how will you be spending your day? Are you going
visiting, or are kids coming to visit you?
I think I may have a
combination of both today. I do know we are going over to my sister in law’s
for dinner. We do it every Mother’s Day. My mom comes over there as well, and
we throw steaks on the grill. We give both my mother and my mother in law, flowering
hanging baskets for their back porches. Yes, it’s predictable, but it’s a nice,
laid back, pretty much stress free holiday, which is nice.
The reason I said I “may
have a combination of both” was, I’m not sure if PJ is coming over to our house
today or just to his aunt’s tonight. You may recall, last year my Mother’s day gift
was the frame work for a garden which never got quite finished. This year, we
will be finishing it. At nine, I’ll be calling over to the Co-Op to have them
drop a load of dirt near the garden.
While my husband, and possibly
my son, fill the five troughs with dirt, Dani and I will be off plant and seed
hunting. We’ll probably have to get the finishing items for the garden as well
while we’re out – the screen for the roof, the fencing for the surround, and
the netting for the vine plants to climb. (We made the center trough wider than
the other four so we can center hang a climbing net for the peas, beans, and
possibly cucumbers.)
I also want to pick up the
wood for the boys to make me a potato bin, or spud box as some folks call it. It’s
a really cool concept. Basically, it’s a two foot square box, which stands
three feet high. Three sides are stationary, but the front has removable panels.
There is not top or bottom, it goes right on the ground, and the plants come
out the top. 
You put a layer of dirt
down first, then your potatoes, then you cover them with a layer of dirt. In a
week or so, when the potatoes start sprouting, you cover the shoots with dirt.
You keep doing this until you reach the last removable panel of your container –
it will take several weeks. Then, you remove the bottom panel so you can
harvest that layer’s potatoes. It’s pretty cool. Supposedly, you can yield
around a hundred pounds of potatoes from this small box.
I am also going to pick up
some cinder blocks so I can make a cinder block strawberry patch. I thought
this was such a great idea. If you have ever planted strawberries before you
know they can take over the world. By planting them in the holes in the cinder
blocks, it helps keep them contained. Now the trick will be keeping the birds
away from them. I had planned on lining either the front or the side of the
garden with the cinder blocks, but I may just put a block between each of the
troughs so the strawberries will be protected too.
My goodness, can you tell
I’m excited about finishing my garden? I certainly had not planned on rambling
on and on about it. I had planned on telling you about yesterday’s trip.
We did pretty good, Lys
and I left around twenty after six. Dani sent me a text at five thirty, crying
off from the trip. I had anticipated as much. Between the class trip and the
sweet sixteen, I knew she was going to be exhausted.
 |
| Price Auditorium |
Lock Haven University is
only a handful of miles, and half a dozen turns, off of Route 80, so it was an
easy trip; long, but easy. We arrived on campus at quarter to ten, managed to
find a parking spot, and made our way to Price Auditorium with time to spare –
mostly because Route 80 apparently is the US equivalent to the Autobahn. There was
this one strip, where the speed limit is fifty-five. We were cruising, in
traffic, at sixty-five in the slow lane (we were on our way home, so I wasn’t
in a hurry). Cars were zipping by in the fast lane, at a safely estimated,
seventy-five. One of the cars speeding past was a state trooper, no lights, no
sirens, just tootling along with the rest of the pack.
 |
| Blurry :( |
I digress. We were in
Price Auditorium because only folks with tickets for the graduation we allowed
in the stadium where the graduation was actually taking place. No big deal as
far as I’m concerned. We got to watch from comfortable seats, in a climate controlled,
weather threat free, environment. They broadcasted the commencement onto a
screen, so we probably had a better view of the proceedings than the ticket
holders in the stadium.
There were some technical
issues at first. Initially the sound wasn’t the greatest, and at one point the
screen did go black, but they got all the glitches out quickly, so we were able
to see everything. The only thing I was bummed about was the photo I snapped of
Lisa getting her diploma came out blurry. Lys got a great photo, but because
she took it on SnapChat, I couldn’t get a copy.
 |
| Lisa & Lysa |
We met up with Lisa and
her family when everything was over. We took a few pictures, gave Lisa a card
and some graduation cupcakes Lys had made for her, then we left for home. Lisa
still had to finish packing up her apartment, so she still had a lot to do, and
we didn’t want to get in her way. Yes, it was eight total hours of driving, and
we only got to spend half an hour with her, but it was worth it. Now that she’s
home, and finished with school, we’ll get to see her more often.
 |
| Lisa & Me |
Okay, this blog has gone
on long enough, and I still have the challenge to do, so I am going to end it
here. Facebook folks, there are a bunch of photos, so if you want to see them,
you’ll have to visit my blog.
I hope you have a wonderful
day, and happy writing!
Your Last Challenge was:
Write a
FIRST person experience from the viewpoint of a dollar bill.
Ooo,
I wonder what I’ll be traded for today. Not that it really matters, I’m just
glad to be out of Tommy’s pocket. Ugh, I don’t think I’ll ever be able to get
the wrinkles out, but I really shouldn’t complain. Tommy’s pocket was a step up
from that parking lot puddle Mr. Simms dropped me in.
I
really don’t know much about Mr. Simms, since I was only with him for a few
minutes. He had stopped at the convenience store, that was my latest home, to
pick up some orange juice and some cold medicine. He looked so tired and so
frazzled. I heard him tell the store clerk that his wife and both of their
small children were all home sick in bed, so I guess I can forgive him for not
noticing that he dropped me.
Before
I came to live at the convenience store, Sally found me folded up in one of her
Easter
Before
the Easter Bunny put me into Sally’s egg, I have pretty much traveled the
country. I have lived in toll booths, vending machines, and too many wallets to
count. I have survived a Minnesota winter and a Texas summer. I’ve been traded
for hurricanes in New Orleans, deep dish in Chicago, and lobster rolls in
Maine.
Your Next Challenge is:
This
probably should have been yesterday’s challenge, but since I didn’t have time
for a challenge yesterday, you’re getting it today. Write about either your
mom, being a mom, or what it means to be a mom.
You have ten minutes (be
honest). There is no right or wrong, just write. Spelling and punctuation don’t
count, and NO ONE is allowed to criticize what someone else has written. Go.
