Failure

I know that failure is a part of life. Everyone fails at one point or another. I just happen to be one of those people that try to avoid failure like it's the plague. I'd just rather not deal with it. It's not fun or funny, most of the time. However, I've had to learn that I will fail at some point, so I might as well figure out how to go one with my life.

One thing that I've failed at more than once is plant care. I just can't seem to help myself. I have the best of intentions, but, more often than not, the plants I try to take care of don't make it. I don't know if they are like dogs and can smell fear or what, but they see me coming and decide to end their lives. Some hang one longer than I ever expect, but I know that disappointment will strike, at least once, and some plant will give up the ghost.

This spring and summer, I have tried my best to be a good plant mother. My books, camera, and pets seem to be doing okay, so I thought that I'd try my hand, once again, to raise healthy, strong, good-looking plants. I have been pleasantly surprised with the outcome, both with myself and with the plants. Overall, the plants have been doing very well. One had to be thrown out due to a mold situation, but I don't think that was really my fault. In fact, most of my plants are doing great.

The geraniums are thriving. They look so pretty in the front yard. I've even been snipping off the dead blooms so that more will grace me with their beauty.

I just love their red flowers with the bright green leaves. They make the world a better place.

I even have some sweet potato vines. I've seen no evidence of actual sweet potatoes, but maybe I'm counting my potatoes before they sprout. ha, ha. Just a little garden humor. Their luscious green leaves are filled with light; literally, it's called photosynthesis.

I even have some hanging baskets in the backyard. I've had to make sure they are out of the range of Tula's plant-loving mouth. She likes to rip plants out of the pots I put them in. A yard full of grass, but no, she has to destroy all of my attempts to put plants on my patio. Aren't' these baskets gorgeous?

And now there's this. My failure. My shame. This poor guy (or gal) didn't make it. He dried up like a prune. He's crumbly and brown. It hurts my heart. I thought of burying him, but then I decided to leave him in his basket as a memorial. It's my homage to all of the dead plants that have gone before, and to those that I'm sure to come after. I've told him I'm sorry. I think he forgives me. I just hope I can forgive myself.

Work Out

I finally went to work out yesterday. It was the first time in a loooooong time. I won't tell you exactly how long; I do have some pride. Anyways, I found an elliptical machine that didn't look too devilish and proceeded to watch tv and run/walk for about an hour and 40 minutes. Yep, I did exercise for that length of time. Am I crazy? Am I struggling to lose weight? Am I frantic to fit into my favorite pants?

No. I am tv deprived. I admit, I stayed on that machine for so long because I was watching channels that I don't get at home. Sick, isn't it. Bordering on slightly obsessive. I just kept telling myself that I would quit at the next commercial. Didn't happen. I even noted that "Closer" would be on TNT at 8:00 on Monday, so I decided to get to the gym at 7:30.

As I wobbled (literally) down the stairs with the rail in a death grip, I realized I was exercising for all the wrong reasons. But burning almost 700 calories didn't hurt anything. I came home and ate two chocolate chip cookies.

Nikon, Sweet Nikon

I purchased a Nikon D60 SLR just a few weeks ago, and I love it. I would take it everywhere with me if I thought I could get away with it. I'm so not very good at taking pictures with it yet, but I know that practice makes perfect. I have taken tons of pictures in the last few days, and it has been so much fun. I even like formatting them on my computer. My books are growing dusty, and I can hear murmuring from their pages. "Where did she go? I miss her. Will she ever pick us up again?" Fear not, book babies, I do love you. Mama will return soon. She's taking a break from print and paper for a little while, but she can't stay gone long. Maybe I will take pictures of my books and then we will all be happy. Hmmm... I will have to think on that some more. Now, a few of my favorite shots.

My friend Bonnie, lover of ice cream, wanted me to take pictures of her dog, Cotton. I also took pictures of her flowers, and her sister's dog, Mylie.

The angel food cake and beautiful aunt/niece combo are from my Thursday night family fest. Good times, good times. I also got to visit their neighbors who are flipping the house next door. I thought these pictures on their wall were so cool. This picture doesn't do it justice.

I can tell that I'm going to have a long and glorious relationship with my Nikon. Just reading the manual gives me chills.

Family

Yesterday I got the chance to catch up with some members of my family. It was great seeing everyone, and I realized how much I miss them. We ate well, told funny stories, and laughed a lot. Then we had breakfast at Cracker Barrell this morning, and the world was perfect. :) Gotta love french toast in the morning!

We ate supper at Gary and Cindy's house, and then we all sat around and talked forever. I took a lot of pictures, and they turned out pretty good. Gary and Cindy's grandkids were there, and they are precious. We had so much fun, it was hard to go home.

Kindness

I love the movie "Steel Magnolias." Laughter, tears, Southern woman, Louisiana...what's not to like. I watched it for the 84,000th time a few days ago, and I was struck by all the words of wisdom shared by the characters. To be entertained and learn something at the same time is truly the mark of a great movie. I would like to share a few of my favorite tidbits of wisdom, and please, pardon the language. Some of the characters don't have much of a filter.

Frustration

Shelby: What does Sammy say about all this? (Annelle's constant praying.)
Truvy: Oh, he's so confused. He doesn't know whether to scratch his watch or wind his butt.

More truer words of frustration I have yet to find. Poor Sammy.


The Importance of Sharing

Weezer: Are those magnolias from my tree?
Drum: The judge has not decided precisely who's tree that is.
Weezer: It is mine!

Even adults have a hard time sharing.


Kindess

Weezer: I'm nice! Dammit, I am nice! I saw Drum Edenton at the Piggly Wiggly the other day, and I smiled at the son of a bitch before I could help myself!

Kindness runs deep in some people. So deep, they might not even be aware of it.


Sacrifice

Claree: Hit her! Hit her, M'Lynn! We'll sell t-shirts that say "I took a whack at Weezer Beaudreau!
Weezer: Claree, are you crazy!
Claree: Hit her! Half of Chiquipin Parish would give their eye teeth to take a whack at Weezer!
Weezer: Have you lost your mind, Claree?

In times of great stress, sacrifices must be made. You just don't expect your friends to sacrifice you!


"Steel Magnolias" will go down as one of my top ten favorite movies of all time. I love it more than my luggage, as the saying goes.

Gum

On a lighter note, I have to clean out my office. That's my condition to buying a new desktop computer. You might think that saving enough money or earning a computer through acts of kindness are more appropriate, but I have to disagree. My office is a huge mess, and it's been on my to-do list for about four months. To get it clean is a huge accomplishment for me. Also, my desktop is nine years old and currently contaminated with viruses and trojans that my mom let in through a website that was NOT the Christian morning show she was looking for. (I'll tell more on that story after I get her permission. She wasn't happy about it.)

So, I need to clean out my office. I tried a little the other day. Only succeeded in finding old photo albums, which, of course, I had to spend the rest of my "cleaning time" looking at. One album had pictures of me as a little girl with my grandmother. I've always been close to her, and I remembered she had given me the album many years ago. As I got to the end, after laughing hysterically, I noticed blond hair sticking out the back of the album. Yes, I said hair.

It hit me like a ton of bricks. She had saved my cut hair from when I got about five pounds of strawberry bubbalicious gum stuck in my hair at her house one night. Not only did about eight inches of hair have to be cut away from my head, I woke up stuck to the pillow. It wasn't just a little "stuck" either. The pillow would not come away from my head. My nana had to take the pillow case off, and I walked around looking like a lost middle eastern child with their turban askew. (I have always wanted to use the word "askew.") It was finally decided that cutting my hair was the only way to free me from the gum and the pillow case, which was stuck so closely to my head that ice or peanut butter could not penetrate enough to unstick the gum.

I really don't remember all of the exact details of the gum incident. I do know that it was not the only time I got gum stuck in my hair. It is the only time, though, that anyone saved the gum and hair. There it was, stuck in the back of the photo album. The gum still smells like strawberries after about, oh, 27 years later.

For the record, I sleep with my mouth closed now.

Vistin'

I went to Copperas Cove to visit my friends that I haven't seen in about three years this week. It was great. We got a chance to catch up on all that has been happening in our lives. We went out to eat, shopping, and to see the new Harry Potter movie. I knew that I missed them before I went to visit, but I was shocked to realize that when I got there, it felt as if I had never been gone. That's never happened to me before. I have three friends in my life that I could say that we could go a very long time without speaking and just pick up where we left off. I didn't think that would happen about an exact location. I love my friends there, and I loved my job.

I guess visits are funny that way. No time spent in any one place is totally perfect. There were lots of things that I didn't like about Cove, but my friends there made it such an enjoyable place. I miss it more now than I did when I left three years ago. I am still surprised by the strangeness of it all. I love living in Lubbock, but I know I will always have a home in Copperas Cove.