For the most part it's been a pretty good week ...
And then there was the gardening incident today.
Which left me feeling more like:
Oh, just Big Time p.o.'d.
Doesn't help that the local family & friends don't understand at all. They're just not into gardening.
It's just that for the past 5 years or so since I've lived in my apartment complex, I've been working on the gardens. 95% of the time, I'm by myself in the planning and work; 100% of it has been on my own dollar.
Reward? Well, much nicer place to live and some great interaction with neighbors who tell me the gardening makes our apartments seem more like home.
My neighbor Ro has been a consistent helper & I can count on her to help me out 3 to 4 times a season. I can also count on her to break a few flower pots, take plants or solar lights to decorate for her own shindigs or dates, and leave plants in our hallway for me to "fix," after she's all but killed them.
I've rescued some ivy pots for her 4 or 5 times, even replaced some when they were too far gone. This December she took in 3 gorgeous green pots and by end of April, brought out 3 dead beyond-goth sprigs. Told me she'd put them in front of her radiator and - ha-ha! - forgot to water them.
I bit my tongue hard on the anger - but I refused to "save" them again. Recently, Cliff our mailman (yes, really his name) delivered a package to me & asked, "Are those your plants on the stairs?"
Said, "No. They belong to my neighbor."
He, "You might want to tell her they're dead."
Me, "I've saved them for the last time. Like they say in 'Star Trek,' they're dead, Jim. And that's the way it's going to stay time."
The next day, the dead plants were gone from the stairs. And as planting times neared, I get a call from Ro who says she wants to contribute to the planting this year. Pay for half the plants, help put them in & maintain them.
This turned out to be a bad idea because, no, she didn't want to pay her half: $30 for the first batch. I returned the $25 she handed over; it was just too much grief to deal with. However she purchased a couple of Tickweed plants that she told me she was planning to put in the Rose Garden.
In my opinion, I didn't think that would look too good & said so. Found another place to put them where they fit in (among the cone flowers & penta) & looked great. Came home today to find she'd stomped through the bed, crushed the cone flowers & some of the penta & re-planted against the wall marked for day lilies.
For a few seconds, I thought: "What would Sam do?"
Then nixed the idea of attack with hoe.
Her response: "This garden is for sharing. It doesn't belong to just one person."
I called her a bitch. Maybe 3 times during our brief, but intense, conversation.
It pissed me off, too, that she picked this weekend to do this since she knew my 12 year old niece was visiting. Guess she figured I'd just bite my tongue & keep quiet.
Guess she was wrong. The ride back to Emily's parents was interesting since I was driving & trying to explain, "People get mad & so does Aunt Kay. We use some bad words sometimes but that doesn't mean it's okay ... I'm breathing here, see, I'm calming down. Things are going to be all right."
Emily, "It's okay to get mad, Aunt Kay. Everybody does - and I think she really was a bitch. That was really mean."
Felt an explanation to the parents was in order. What a great Memorial Day!!!
If anyone has experienced any similar situation & has advice, I'd love to hear it.
Before anyone says anything about involving other neighbors, I won't. It's just not fair. I'd rather keep the peace in the homeplace, even if that means giving up gardening.
The rest of the week was great - or at least near great. Up to Chapter 11 out of around 26 on the vampire book; had great visits with some friends & family; Emily visited; got to IM with FrodoBaggins252 & discovered what a great costumer & make-up designer she is AND that her eyes are doing better.
Hope to hear from Lorraine soon (sometime this week) and find out how MediaWest was.
Which left me feeling more like:
Oh, just Big Time p.o.'d.
Doesn't help that the local family & friends don't understand at all. They're just not into gardening.
It's just that for the past 5 years or so since I've lived in my apartment complex, I've been working on the gardens. 95% of the time, I'm by myself in the planning and work; 100% of it has been on my own dollar.
Reward? Well, much nicer place to live and some great interaction with neighbors who tell me the gardening makes our apartments seem more like home.
My neighbor Ro has been a consistent helper & I can count on her to help me out 3 to 4 times a season. I can also count on her to break a few flower pots, take plants or solar lights to decorate for her own shindigs or dates, and leave plants in our hallway for me to "fix," after she's all but killed them.
I've rescued some ivy pots for her 4 or 5 times, even replaced some when they were too far gone. This December she took in 3 gorgeous green pots and by end of April, brought out 3 dead beyond-goth sprigs. Told me she'd put them in front of her radiator and - ha-ha! - forgot to water them.
I bit my tongue hard on the anger - but I refused to "save" them again. Recently, Cliff our mailman (yes, really his name) delivered a package to me & asked, "Are those your plants on the stairs?"
Said, "No. They belong to my neighbor."
He, "You might want to tell her they're dead."
Me, "I've saved them for the last time. Like they say in 'Star Trek,' they're dead, Jim. And that's the way it's going to stay time."
The next day, the dead plants were gone from the stairs. And as planting times neared, I get a call from Ro who says she wants to contribute to the planting this year. Pay for half the plants, help put them in & maintain them.
This turned out to be a bad idea because, no, she didn't want to pay her half: $30 for the first batch. I returned the $25 she handed over; it was just too much grief to deal with. However she purchased a couple of Tickweed plants that she told me she was planning to put in the Rose Garden.
In my opinion, I didn't think that would look too good & said so. Found another place to put them where they fit in (among the cone flowers & penta) & looked great. Came home today to find she'd stomped through the bed, crushed the cone flowers & some of the penta & re-planted against the wall marked for day lilies.
For a few seconds, I thought: "What would Sam do?"
Then nixed the idea of attack with hoe.
Her response: "This garden is for sharing. It doesn't belong to just one person."
I called her a bitch. Maybe 3 times during our brief, but intense, conversation.
It pissed me off, too, that she picked this weekend to do this since she knew my 12 year old niece was visiting. Guess she figured I'd just bite my tongue & keep quiet.
Guess she was wrong. The ride back to Emily's parents was interesting since I was driving & trying to explain, "People get mad & so does Aunt Kay. We use some bad words sometimes but that doesn't mean it's okay ... I'm breathing here, see, I'm calming down. Things are going to be all right."
Emily, "It's okay to get mad, Aunt Kay. Everybody does - and I think she really was a bitch. That was really mean."
Felt an explanation to the parents was in order. What a great Memorial Day!!!
If anyone has experienced any similar situation & has advice, I'd love to hear it.
Before anyone says anything about involving other neighbors, I won't. It's just not fair. I'd rather keep the peace in the homeplace, even if that means giving up gardening.
The rest of the week was great - or at least near great. Up to Chapter 11 out of around 26 on the vampire book; had great visits with some friends & family; Emily visited; got to IM with FrodoBaggins252 & discovered what a great costumer & make-up designer she is AND that her eyes are doing better.
Hope to hear from Lorraine soon (sometime this week) and find out how MediaWest was.