The Too Long Weekend

It was supposed to be a three day weekend.

The plant closed for Good Friday. I slept. And slept. And slept some more. Eventually, I staggered outside for some gardening:

This is the area behind the swing. I've tried many times to turn it into a lovely little corner garden, but it refuses to be cultivated. The ground is rocky and weed-choked. Obviously it prefers that state because most of what I plant here dies.

I had first intended these tires as planters for peppers. The rubber will keep the soil warm. Peppers love warm soil and the temperature actually determines the hotness of the pepper which is why the hottest peppers come from Mexico. Cold climates don't produce spicy peppers.

The problem with the tires is that they are still attached to wheels. I thought it would be a fairly simple matter of removing the tires so I got four heavy, flat tires from my father. Kurt tired to remove one wheel and the tire whooped his ass thoroughly. Instead of up cycling, I got a pile of useless junk. Surely there had to be a way to make it work. I cleared a few weeds, then laid the tires down. I decided to put plants directly into the wheel. I used an old pillow case as a liner, then filled the wheel with aloe. I have way too much aloe. Every year, I repot it all, give a bunch away, throw out many plants, and still have far too much. Aloes like heat. They obviously don't need much attention from me since I am over-run with them so they should do well here. I can't move the tires if we have a cold snap, but I can cover them and if all the aloes die, well, I had too many anyway. I realize under the wheel is the ideal warm, dark, protected place for bugs and snakes. But I also know this is the South and I probably have a gazillion creepy-crawlies under the house anyway. I just won't look for things that make me scream.

Saturday I had another low sugar where I was not aware of what my body was doing. This time Kurt caught on and asked me a series of questions. I told him it was Monday and he didn't need to know my name. He fed me chocolate. I slept for hours. By the time I dragged myself out of bed, it was raining and the day was pretty much over. I had a lot to do, but hey, I've got one more day.

Sunday Kurt's truck broke down. It started running choppy while we were in town and it eventually left us stranded at a gas station. We called our landlord. He fiddled with parts I can't name and we managed to get the truck to a neighbor's garage.

Monday Kurt took my truck to his work. He had to be there at 6am. I had to be at work at 3:30pm. My plan was to borrow my father's truck. But Dad is evidently pissed with me because he wouldn't let me borrow it. I called in, lying to say I was sick because I couldn't find a ride. I realize I don't need my job, but I do like it and I don't want to get fired. So today (Tuesday) I got up at 5am to take Kurt to work. He doesn't know when he will be off. Last night he came home at 8pm. We hope he'll be off when I get a lunch break at 6:30 but if not, he'll have to beg a ride to my work so he can drive home. Or be stuck at his work until I get off at midnight. This, Readers, is the reason why couples should not be on opposite shifts. The main point (besides the money) of him taking this job was- he has a truck now. Before we were on the same shift, we rode together, and sometimes one of us had to wait either for a shift to start or for the other to arrive. But now he's gone all day, my sleep is horribly disturbed, and I just wanted to cry when his truck wouldn't start.

I didn't really get anything done Sunday because we were either on the phone or trying to figure out how to be on opposite sides of two different towns without pissing anyone off or neglecting responsibilities. Monday night I was depressed, certain my job would end. I tried sewing, cooking, reading, and crystal ball work, but over all I was just too anxious to really focus on anything. I worried about when the truck would be fixed, why Dad was being stubborn, and what if we go through all this and Kurt loses his job? I think that's my biggest fear- I need security and now that we finally have it I don't want to lose it.

This is a bump in the road and while inconvenient, it's nothing we can't handle. I'm trying to view it as a lesson from the Universe- nothing is ever simple. We have enough money for the repairs (if Preston ever figures out what is wrong), we are both working (I hope), and now we know for sure who we can rely on. Right now I'm going back to bed because I have a very long day ahead of me and I should rest while the house is quiet.