Still Coughing

We flew the red eye home Thursday morning, landing just a few hours after Spaulding and Molly arrived with Teddy. They were in town for the weekend to celebrate Randy’s wedding. Stephanie picked them up at the airport, and they were all asleep when we got home. With our colds, we were reluctant to hug when they woke up and had to avoid cuddling with Teddy, just admiring the cutie from afar.

Grant took Spaulding to pick up a rental car while I slept, then Molly shopped for food to cook. Teddy’s gut is extremely sensitive. Since he is only breastfed, she is on a non-dairy, non-gluten, non- processed foods, non-some other stuff diet to help soothe his tummy. Brava Molly, and it seemed like the regime would be a good one for most all of us to follow. Very healthy. However, it means she really cannot eat out, hence she cooked all her meals for the weekend at our house before they moved to the B&B in Howey in the Hills with the rest of the wedding party. She planned to carry little containers of her food to the wedding. Such a good mom.

It was Bloom and Grow Garden Society’s Spring Fever weekend, and I was committed to volunteering both Saturday and Sunday. Friday was a walk through along Plant Street to familiarize zone leaders with our duties, particularly good for us first timers. Then, Saturday morning, assigned to start at 5:45 (garden club time means be there at 5:30 or earlier), I arrived and helped the vendors in my zone find their specific spot. Thank goodness I was assigned to work with Ginny and Steve, who had staffed this zone before and knew the ropes. We allowed only Zone 8 vendor trucks through the barricades at Park Street, telling other vendors their correct entrance area and preventing random trucks from driving down Plant Street. All in the dark, wearing our hi-viz vests, or in my case, a bright neon green bike jacket with reflector tape, since it was cold. By 8:00, the sun was up, the vendors were ready, and the barricades were filled with water, so no one could move them. After a car had run into a Christmas golf cart parade and hit two people a couple of years ago, the city of Winter Green requires unmovable barricades for any street event.

At 9:00, my official duties were over, so I walked some of the show, buying a purple love grass (Eragrostis spectablis) and a fairy hibiscus (Hibiscus poeppiggi) from the native plant booth, a first time vendor. I also bought a threadleaf sundew (Drosera tracyi) from the booth next to them. (I have become way too enamored of watching it capture fruit flies.) Home to bed for a couple of hours. I’d walked 8,000+ steps. 

Grant and I returned to the show in the afternoon. I wanted to speak to the carnivorous plant vendor again, because I’d forgotten what he’d told me about repotting my aristolochia. Evidently, it doesn’t like regular soil, so that’s why it has been barely growing, and perhaps why Patten’s suffered. This time, I wrote down his advice: sphagnum and/or orchid mix. It doesn’t mind tap water, unlike my sundew which must have rainwater only. Fortunately, my neighbor Nancy has a rain barrel, and she said I could get water anytime.

We also stopped at a booth of art made from objects welded together. The teapot flamingo was already sold, thank goodness because I don’t think I want to become a one-note buyer. The Bundt pan turtles were cute. Does Peg need a metal goat? I wanted the 7’ long rusty metal fish with AC fans in its body, but it really was too large for me to place, at this time. Perhaps I’ll figure out where it could go. Grant balked at the $2,000 price tag. We settled on a toolbox spilling out tools, $100. Too big to put in the back of the rental car, the kids having taken our truck filled with our cooler, baby gear, suitcases, etc, I told the artist I’d pick it up Sunday. Besides, I think it good psychology for other people to see “sold” on art.

Sunday afternoon, I didn’t have to report for duty until 3:45. My parking karma was working, and I found a spot for my truck in the lot right behind Tony’s Liquors. I offloaded the dolly, retrieved my art, and heaved the piece into the back. I was at my lifting limit with its alleged 40#, and I worried about my shoulders and knees, but done. Parking karma still strong, I drove to the other end of the show and found a space right next to my zone. 

Now, I could sit on my little stool and wait for the vendors to pack up and go away. Not quite as efficient as the morning setup, but I was back at the house by 6:00 for dinner with everyone. Salmon, green salad, sautéed squash, and ice cream, non-dairy for Molly. We should definitely eat this way every day. As if.

Spaulding and family flew out at 6:40 AM, leaving the house so quietly at o’dark hundred I didn’t even wake up. So good to see them, so sad we couldn’t hold Teddy or hug his parents. Next time, which will be soon. 

We lazed around all day, still snotty and coughing.