Don't tell God how big your mountain is...tell your mountain how big your God is!

A day with nothing to do. Well, it started out that way. Then, I realized that I need to weed. And dead-head a bazillion spent rose blooms. While I was dead-heading, I found my first Japanese beetle of the season. Not a good thing. Better stock up on dish soap and jars. That's the environmentally friendly way to get rid of those horrible creatures.

Recipe: Fill a jar half full of water, squirt in a few squirts of any cheap dish soap, fill the rest of the way with Japanese beetles that you've picked off your roses! Shake well periodically to thoroughly coat each and every JB with a nice soapy film. Footnote: supposedly, if you squish the icky beasties, it attracts more to the area. That just proves what nasty icky horrible things they truly are. I have to admit that, once in a while, I squish one just for the joy of it.
Icky Beasties!

My garden is in good shape except for the weeds that have found their way up and down and all around! How do weeds get so healthy and strong when it's so dry! I guess that's why they're weeds...they survive. I hope I can be a weed!! But I don't want to be nutgrass...it's too annoying!

Jon also told me a little while ago that I have to take him to the surgeon this afternoon so he can see him before the surgery on Wed. We'll go at 2:30pm (a 20 minutes drive). I hate this sort of thing but as a very wise forum bud of mine gently and sweetly pointed out...this isn't about me, it's about Jon! She's been thru a lot of really seriously tough health issues with her son and she knows about this. Love ya Jamie!! I am looking at it as time to spend with Jon...and I don't give a rat's patoot what we're doing!!

Poor Andy has to go back to work this afternoon. Back to reality after a week in paradise. He got his check from last week in the mail today and was hoping it was a pink slip! Wonder what that means? Maybe he's finally had enough of cab dispatching, or his awful boss, or the ungrateful rude public, or the derelict population of cabbies his boss hires that leave him high and dry. You can't dispatch cabs without drivers. They recently found one of them in his apartment, dead of an overdose of heroine (or is it spelled heroin? I guess spelling DOES make a difference?). Poor guy. I feel sorry for addicts, but they aren't very reliable help. I didn't mean that as heartless as it sounded. I just mean that since this lady-boss of Andy's hires people who can't be counted on to show up for work, it puts a lot of stress on Andy's day. He handles maybe 60-70 calls for cabs in a normal night and with only 1 or 2 cabs, instead of 5 or 6 like there should be, he gets called every name in the books by the public. They blame him because the cab isn't there right now and they call and nag and nag. He handles it well but the stress is immense!...and by the way, he is a VERY reliable worker! He doesn't need this job...he's retired from the Navy and gets a decent paycheck from there every month. But he just likes having a little extra pocket change. And it gives him something to do...I just hope it doesn't impact his health!!

On that note, I'm so glad I'm not working right now. I'm off the job because of summer break at school. I like being here for everyone!

It's raining. Oh, wait. It's NOT raining anymore. Gee, 3 drops. Okay, I'm getting tough now. I'm asking, UNIVERSE... we need 1" of rain at least. Now I'm believing. Waiting for the receiving! It's ever so much easier to pull weeds out of nice wet ground, rather than hard cement dirt.

When we finally got the mail today, there was a beautiful card from Lee of Mass. She's such a peach of a friend! We share the same birthday but it's more than that. She has taught me so much about roses, miniature roses, and about life. She perseveres no matter what. She's strong and does so much for so many people. Anyway, the card she sent had the perfect sentiment. It said "Don't tell God how big your mountain is...tell the mountain how big your God is!" Isn't that just the best thought. I think that will be the thought for the day! It should be my mantra!

The mail also had a letter from the Children's Literature Institute. I take a child's literature writing correspondence course from them. They wanted to know what was up with me. I had totally blown off my last assignment. And all that, after postponing it 3 or 4 times. I had writer's block. Now I have other priorities. I sent them email begging forgiveness and asking if I can get another extension on this assignment. I have the story written but still need to format and print it. I don't want to drop this course. I really DO want to do it! It could be my Calgon. It may help "take me away" from my life once in a while. I really want to do it. But for now I have other things on my mind.

Jie, Rebecca and Victoria, I miss you guys today! Andy just left for work, after a week off. I miss him already. I hope it rains more. The radar looks like there's more on the way, but it's sunny as all get out, out there! I love the sun too. Maybe there'll be a rainbow!

Now that would make my day!