The Weekend Review

I was so excited when I came home from the lake the

other day to see that my daisies are blooming.

Yeah, I spent last week at the lake. I worked myself nearly to death. I weeded the flower beds again. Y'all, I have an invasion of nutgrass. Do you know what that is? It's grass from the devil! Beelzebub, himself! You pull and pull and it just keeps coming back and sometimes, overnight! It's a constant battle, but I'm hoping to conquer that soon. I did a little research and ordered some nutgrass killer. It's called Sedgehammer. I'll let y'all know, if it works. Anyway, I planted more variegated liriope...I'm not even gonna call it border grass because I'm so ill about that other one.

I, also, made a wreath for the front door.

The grapevine and bow was left over from Emily's wedding.

Oh and I, also, planted a few more petunias around the fire pit.

This was before I put down the pine straw.

 

I wouldn't be able to keep these plants alive, if it wasn't for Cliff's tenacity in making the sprinkler system work like it's supposed to. So, flower planting is done and now it's time to get back to painting. It's kind of hard to get anything done quickly because we're only there a couple of weekends a month. But, I have no doubt that we will have everything to our liking by the end of the summer. Cross your fingers!
  
The critter situation has been raised to Defcon 3. It appears I've got all new critters to worry about. I haven't seen any more deer damage, since I put out the Irish Spring soap and hung the wind chimes in the Crepe Myrtle. But, I saw a rabbit sniffing around my purple verbena. I jumped up and ran to the door. I scared the bejeebies out of him and he ran off. I know he came back, though, because I saw the top of another flower chewed down to the ground. We have a plum tree and a peach tree, both loaded with fruit. I've been told the squirrels will eat both. And there are two squirrels, that I know of, hanging out in the yard. Oh and get this, Cliff told me the other day that he thought a surveyor had been looking for the property line, at the edge of the water, for the property adjoining ours. He saw some small trees and bushes chopped down. And then later, he saw a beaver swimming in the area and noticed that the trees that were cut down were consistent with a chewing beaver. At my home in Andrews, we are surrounded by woods and I have never had as much trouble there with critters as I have had at the lake.

Now having done yard work all week, I took it easy over the weekend. Saturday morning, I rode the bike, just kind of hung out and later, at midnight, Cliff and I went out in the boat. A moonlight ride. He put a lounge chair cushion in the bottom of the boat for me, in case I wanted to sleep. I took advantage of that and dosed off, once. I jerked awake all of a sudden for fear that he had put the front of the boat in the bushes along the bank. That scares the freaking bejeebies out of me! I'm afraid a snake will be on a limb right over the top of the boat. That has happened before. I liked to have walked on water, when it did. Lord have mercy, that was the biggest, fattest snake I had ever seen, too. Anyway, we were not in the bushes, but out in the middle of the lake and it was beautiful. It was dark, the moon was about three quarters full and you could see every star in the sky. We saw many lightening bugs.....more than I have seen since I was a child and played outdoors at dusk. A bat buzzed us. And, and those little beavers were busy and did not like us being near, either. They slapped their tails or something on the water several times trying to scare us away. All of this, and I didn't take a ding dong picture. Oh well! It was dark anyway!

Sunday, we drove to Travelers Rest to ride the bikes on the Swamp Rabbit Trail that runs along the Reedy River between Travelers Rest and Greenville. It's an old rail trail and is about 18 or 19 miles long. Cliff ran for a while and then joined me on the bike. Afterwards, we ate lunch at the Whistle Stop Café...just a few steps from the bike path. It was a great weekend!

Lidia and Sawyer didn't come to the lake this weekend, they had a Tai Kwon Do test for their Red belt. Passed it! I think they only have two more colors before becoming Junior Black belts! Whoop! And then Friday, they had their Awards program at school, at the same time, in different buildings. So, Emily and Matt, his mama and daddy and I did the divide and conquer maneuver. Emily and Matt went to Lidia's awards program and Patty, Joel and I went to Sawyer's. I got a few pictures of Sawyer....I'll show you in a minute. But, Emily's camera wouldn't work, so we didn't get one of Lidia. Bummer! Sawyer received the perfect attendance award for the last nine weeks and he qualified for the S.O.A.R. program starting in third grade and going through fifth grade. It's their schools gifted and talented program. He's a smart boy! Lidia received the Honor Roll Award and a certificate for all A's. She is a smart girl! And if Lidia had attended this school in second grade, I have no doubt that she would have qualified for S.O.A.R., also. We are all so proud of these two. They are doing so great in school and with their extra curricular activities!

Sawyer, Second Grade Awards program.

 

Bless it, he's still sad that he won't see his second grade teacher, Ms. Gregorich, anymore. But, he got her email address and no doubt, will be in touch with her over the summer.

 

 

Ok now, I know you were wondering how many miles I rode the bike this week...so, here you go:

May 24......28.50 miles

May 26...........10 miles

May 28...........10 miles

May 30......10.02 miles

May 31......29.25 miles

 

After Sunday's ride, I have no doubt that I will be ready for this bike tour. My tush was only mildly uncomfortable and my legs said, "we can keep going!" Ha!

 

Til soon,

Laurie

Wouldn't You Like To Be A Fly On The Wall?

I certainly can't take credit for this gorgeous picture. But it does give a clear indication of the beautiful spring we are having. The photographer who snapped this gorgeousness is David Thebeau.

David, I hope that when you read this that you might leave a comment and a link so that the folks who read my blog can enjoy the wonderful pictures you take. Thanks again, for letting me use it!

Just a side note: If Frank Eaton reads this and cares to leave a link, he takes gorgeous pictures too.

Week in Review:

Sunday 4/14/13 - Today, the training group I'm a part of ran the "Magic Mile". Yeah.....I know, I had never heard of it before, either. To run the magic mile, you must run at a faster pace than normal. You may not be able to hold a conversation, just mutter words like....I'm OK or OMG or My LUNGS! But, it's not a sprint, either. The point was to run it so that the coaches can give us feed back as to how fast we may run the Divas 5K next Sunday. I ran the magic mile in 10:22 minutes. This is definite progress for me. And as I posted earlier in the week on facebook....my legs were happy, but my lungs were ticked off!

I've written about my best sista/cousin before. We have crazy fun adventures together. I love that girl! Well, she received some bad news recently. She has been diagnosed with lymphocitic leukemia. It is slow growing and it appears to be in the early stages.We have all been in shock. I tell you this because we believe in the power of prayer and I am asking you all to please keep her in yours.  In the meantime, my youngest daughter sent me information about a documentary she became aware of called "The Gerson Miracle". I have believed for sometime now that we can heal ourselves with food. This documentary just further validates what I believe. If this piece of information can help but one person, then I've considered it to be a success. If you or someone you love has cancer, please, please watch this documentary (found here on Netflix). It could be the one thing to truly make a difference.

And if I've peaked your curiosity about our adventures, you can read more here (Sista Adventures).

Monday 4/15/13 - I ran an easy 2 miles today. After my run, I came back to watch some of the Boston Marathon. It was, of course, later in the day that I heard of the tragic and senseless evil that took place near the finish line. My thoughts and prayers go out to all that were harmed and to the families of and to those who lost their life that day. I grieve with them. I am relieved that the bomber was caught and I pray justice will prevail. It is certainly sad and heartbreaking that not only did innocent people get killed or hurt, but also sad and heartbreaking that such a young man was easily influenced by evil. His uncle said that he hopes his nephew will ask for forgiveness. I do too. He will get what is coming to him, here on earth. He will pay! But, what kind of Christian would I be if I did not also hope that he would seek for and receive forgiveness?

Tuesday 4/16/13 - Today, I decided to add something else to my list of goals. I want to ride my bike with a group called " WomanTours ". This organization hosts bike rides all over the United States and around the world. It is a "women only" bike tour. The tour I want to do, first, is called the "Northern Michigan" tour. It is a 7-day inn tour that traverses along the shores of great Lake Michigan. You bike nearly 40 miles/day. Your lodging, most meals, park fees, van support, and trained guides are included in the price of the tour. Lofty? Oh yeah! But I have all summer to train. In order to do the tour, they recommend you be able to ride 20 miles at one time. Well, I'm half way there. Northern Michigan, here I come!!!

Wednesday 4/17/13 - Rest day!

Thursday 4/18/13 - I did yard work today. Cleaned out my front flower bed. That is major exercise, y'all! My hamstrings are so sore. I called a landscaper about raising the flower bed and adding stone to the facade. Supposed to touch base with him again this week as he was way busy last week. We have a little vacation place at the beach and because we spend so much time there during the summers, I had decided not to plant a garden this year. I just can't keep up with it, if I'm not there. My gosh, I do love a garden and fresh garden vegetables, though. So, as I was milling about the yard today, I began to rethink the decision not to have one. The dirt is calling my name. I may break.

It's a pretty Spring at our house.

Friday 4/19/13 - Began organizing my office/scrapbook/sewing room. Headed back to the beach. Met Cliff for lunch in a little cafe in Pawleys Island. I love fried green tomatoes, so when I saw that on the menu...I perked up. I ordered the fried green tomato with pimento cheese sandwich. Yuck! I was never so disappointed. Anyway, we mozied on. After arriving at the beach, I took off on a 2.6 mile run, then a 3.43 mile bike ride.  I'm in the zone, y'all. Watch out, cause Northern Michigan.....here I come!

Saturday 4/20/13 - Rode the bike 8.67 miles while Cliff ran. He encountered a crazy man walking towards him. He said the man approached him asking directions to sand dunes. Cliff told him he didn't know where he was talking about. The man asked Cliff how he could not know about sand dunes. Cliff asked where he came from and where he was trying to go. The man didn't know. So Cliff offered to call 911 for him. The man left with his hands raised above his head, shaking them. Just a few minutes later, I saw the same man still waving his hands above his head and walking into the woods. That was scary. I'm glad Cliff was there or I might have had to run over him with my bike. Ha! Maybe not. I've already wrecked one time and broke up my arm. I don't think I would risk letting "crazy man" take me out, again.

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And this my friends.....is just some pure randomness....but it's what goes on in my "wouldn't you like to be a fly on the wall?" life.

You remember, Kitter, right? Whitney, my daughter in Denver, posted this to facebook. She called it, "The Face of Insanity". Ha!

You can read more about Kitter (here).

And this is Cliff's way of telling me we are out of Crystal Light. Ha! He's obviously feeling better. You just never know with that man.

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Hope you all had a great week. I'm excited about the warmer weather and the prospect of laying out on the beach soon! Woo Hoo! Gotta go now, I'm off to run with my training group.

Later,

Laurie