March 2025 Island Trip – Day 12

Today is my DH’s birthday! When asked by my #2 daughter what he did today, her reply was, “Wait, you spent your birthday doing manual labor??” Our children are much better at giving themselves day’s off for things like birthdays and special occasions. I am proud of them for their sense of self-care 💜. And….!

He got the new rose box installed!!! The old rose box was all but rotted away. He worked so diligently on the design while using materials that we had.

I hung out and helped where I could with the box project, and also cleaned up other non-rotted out beds in the same area. We (he) took the soil from digging to level the new box into the field below Stella where there was a big divot in the lay of the land. No more! The mower will no longer wonder why I’m driving it repeatedly through a mini-canyon, where it refuses to cut grass 😂.

After completing this task, we retreated to Stella. It was in the high 40ºs but the wind chill was -18º, making it feel like 30º 😳. I took a snooze. My DH took a well deserved shower. Around 5:30 we enjoyed gifts. I got him two beautiful antique Chinese brass dragons that we are thinking of naming Jack and Diane. They also need Chinese names. I got us both a 7” auger for drilling planting holes, and ‘permission’ to buy the drill required to use it 😏. This is for both of us because every time I ask him to dig a hole so I can plant something large, his face falls. We live on rocky (very) soil. This way he can exercise an auger to do the labor, and I get my hole dug while he has fun! Also, a pair of undies in the style he likes covered in succulents! I found all of these gifts at our local horticulture show last month. There is always a good reason to go to a garden show!!

We had dinner at our fav little restaurant in town with our neighbor to the east, who then agreed to come to karaoke when I answered that I would sing. Why else would I go 🤣? We had a great time. Our friend said, once at the bowling alley where karaoke happens, “I feel deliciously sleazy! Sitting at 9PM at a bowling alley, pool hall, bar, with Karaoke!! Reminds me of my youth!!”

We stayed a song or three later than she did, returned to Stella, had some GF cheese cake our friend sent us home with, the other night, for birthday cake, and are enjoying some Bonnie Raitt. It’s been a really good day.

And here’s a house painting update: