More birfday post
Yesterday I woke up around 8 (wha-hoo! that's sleeping in!), did some kitty-petting and other this-and-that'ing, and then sat down at the computer. Where, after a slight but noticeable delay, I noticed the wrapped present prominently displayed on the desk. (It was early, okay? And it was on top of something that I didn't actually have to pick up or touch in order to 'poot....) It was the yummy soft new micro-fleece jammies mentioned yesterday.
I pootered for an hour or so, playing LJ, drinking hot chocolate, and having sugary cereal for breakfast. Dot-poly-snark is in fine form, and I had fun reading the lolyamory macros. After awhile, I started to think about maybe hitting a nursery quick-like before Bean woke up at 11. Then I started to think about crawling back in bed with her around 10 and napping and then waking up with her (we almost never do that anymore: morning person, meet night person. *sigh*). Then mia Madre called and we chatted for about 20 minutes, and *then* I did the bed-crawling. And she woke up enough to cuddle nicely, and then we both got to snooze for a bit. Nice.
(Just as I was about to crawl, the phone rang. I figured it was my sister, and I decided not to answer just then. Good choice! Because it was some God Damm Recorded Advertisement [and not even a politician] when I checked the voicemail. My actual sister called me about 11:30, before she went into an AA assembly for the afternoon, and we chatted for about 10 minutes. She's taken to laughing like our grandmother when she's telling a story - a big guffaw. I should tell her that. I wonder what she'd think.)
Bean and I got up, I made her a short pot of coffee, we hung out for awhile, and then we went out to the nursery. I really, really like Berkeley Horticultural Nursery. Everyone there is wonderful (usually! I got the guy who was trying too hard yesterday). My goal was "a bag of potting soil and some already-flowering potted plant". I didn't quite get what I was envisioning, which was probably the kind of potted plant they have at OSH or something, but I'm still plenty happy.
I ended up getting a breadseed poppy plant for the front yard (I really like those, and I've missed not having them), and some trailing lobelia as well. I *adore* lobelia, and was sad that it all seemed to want more shade than my front yard has. Well! Then I saw the trailing stuff, which is what I prefer anyway, and it's a sun-lover. Hah! And I got a baby lemon tree. I am determined to have a lemon tree - I live in California, for heaven's sake! And in Berkeley, besides! I've managed to kill a couple of them by planting in the ground - this one's a Meyer and it will live in a POT. A really big pot, eventually. Right now, it's in a gallon pot and just needs to trade up a little. I am a native Californian, and I deserve to pick a lemon off my tree when I need one in the kitchen, dammit! (I would have gotten a bigger tree, but they only had 1-gallon ones.)
And the clerk. He was a nice guy, but more helpful and not enough of a sales dude. I forgot to check out the soils myself, so after I put the plants down and ascertained with him that I shouldn't put the tree into a half-barrel right now (let it grow first!), I asked him if they carried American Soil Products soil -- no. Dang. So I asked him for some basic, organic, potting soil. And he started asking me questions about what I wanted to do. What I *wanted* it for was to have a bag of potting soil around, because I always like to have some handy, but he kept asking me questions and giving me unwelcome advice and generally delaying me, until I finally said, Never mind. I'll just get the plants here and pick up some soil at another store I know of. He was kind of relieved -- idiot! All he had to do was say, Yes, you should get a bag of xyz, that will do you fine. And his store would have made another 8-10 bux off me.
Back in the car, and we were both hungry. So we swung by Bacheeso's and got some buffet to go and brought it home to where we were able to pick and choose what to eat (and honestly? It was as good at what I get at work) in the comfort of our own living room. So we geeked and read and ate, and then Bean wanted to give me my other gifts (plural! she really likes to give presents) but it needed just a little fixing up, just 15 minutes or so. Which was fine. I used the time to do a little work-related thinking and organizing and when the 45 minutes or so was up, here she came with a small shopping-bag. And what was inside? Two boxes: a game called Fjords and a jewelry box. The game got exclaimed over (it's by the Carcasson folks, and a 2-player game!) and then I opened the jewelry box. Wow, hurray! Bean has been experimenting with silver clay and I got the fruits of her labors!
Awhile back, I had asked for some small pendant that was flat. I like wearing small pendants and I have 2-3, but they're all dimensional and my usual one actually comes to a peak. Which, often enough, is turned to face me when I go to hug someone, and then it pokes into my bony sternum and hurts me. A flat piece wouldn't do that. And that's what was in the box: TWO small flat silver pendants, both her designs, both on chains and ready to wear. I'm wearing the larger one right now.
Then what? I think another break for more food? And I looked over the game and figured out game play for awhile, and then we played it some. It's totally fun! Each individual game takes about 10 minutes, so the rules say a "game" is 3 "rounds" -- like with sets and games in tennis, I guess. In other words, you play 3 times thru and total the scores. Which we did once, and then I was tired so we cuddled up on the couch and watched Bones together and then it was time for bed.
And today I awoke at 8:30 or 9, have played online, and it's a gorgeous day! I intend to yes, wash more dishes, and also acquire some good potting soil, plant some stuff, and generally enjoy the out-of-doors and the day. (Maybe I'll even clean up the back deck, which is kind of thankless because the neighbor's barky dog makes enjoying it difficult but still. I've got potted plants out there that need attention now that the rains have stopped, and it'll be a lot easier if I've picked up the junk. Oh! and that orchid is starting a bloom too. Yay ancient orchid!)