FALL INTO WINTER

This Sunday the time changes and we get an extra hour of sleep. I for one really need it.

Somehow this has been an overkill week for me, beginning with Tuesday when I did my regular pool practice (later*), shopped both Lowe's hardware and Harris Teeter for groceries, before coming home.

It was at Lowes when the trouble started. Needing a bag of pea pebbles to put in pots for drainage I spied the smallest bag I could find so I could lift onto the cart. The check-out clerk actually asked me if I needed help getting to the car but of course I said "No thanks, I can do it."  From the cart into the trunk of the car was only about 20 inches but the lift was much heavier than I expected. It took about three tries and I think my periformis muscles over strained. Or some muscle was not happy.

Continued home where I sat down after lunch to rest before the Zumba Gold class.  I have had the teacher, Cathy's class before at Meadowmont Wellness but that was 'regular' Zumba - this is supposed to be for seniors.  Senior what I don't know, Cathy was going as fast as usual and being the dancer of the class I tried to keep up. Actually I did not feel bad after the workout class, dressed for dinner and thought I would sleep well as I was getting very tired.  Took a sleeping pill just in case.

Wednesday at 3:00 a.m. I woke up with a frozen neck, shoulders, back, right arm and pain running up and down by body. Holy Toledo!! what have I done. Trying to resist a pain pill I made hot tea, heated my "Hot Packs" in the microwave and went back to bed to warm and relax the muscles (have to get up at 6 to get tot he pool by 7:30 a.m. Don't ask.

About 6:30 I had my gym bag packed and was heading for the car with I realized I could not stand up straight - thinking the pool would be good for sore muscles I kept on going.  Couldn't get in the pool; couldn't get in the car; was going nowhere.  I could stand up and work or lie down but getting from vertical to horizontal, or vice versa was PAINFUL. My sister, Jan was coming for lunch at 11:30 - I chose to stand and fix chicken soup (what else?), and had the crock pot hot by 8 o'clock.

Saved by chicken soup and spending most of the day with my rice filled "Hot Packs" I survived. That is until I got in the pool this morning, tried kicking and did a short practice. Once home I looked at the TO DO list and realized that this warm day may be the last for a long time and it is time to plant the BULBS!!

So I just 55 bulbs in 16 pots of varying sizes, taped up the bags of reminder potting soil and swept off the deck.  Why pots you ask?  Some years ago Mother went to the Netherlands especially to see the Floriade_Netherlands exhibition, the pride of Dutch horticulture and held only once ever ten years.  Naturally at such a show tulips take a prominent place. Watching one of the gardeners moving pots of tulips around she asked why so many little pots. The gardener replied that by using pots they could be protected during the winter and moved to any desirable place when blooming. This is added is the result of "growing old too soon and too late smart." Save your back digging in the ground, protect them with a cover of straw for the winter hibernation and you will have tulips blooming come springtime.

With that knowledge Mother returned home, found a corner behind the house and had half a bale of straw ready for cover. Every year she prepares more than a dozen pots with tulip bulbs, tucks them along the foundation of the house, insulates them with the straw cover and waits for spring. They get just enough moisture to live and are packed so water will not freeze in the pots and crack the terra cotta. What could be bad?

NOW I am tired but my back is not nearly as painful as it was yesterday. And we have a 6:15 dinner reservation. What to do the rest of the day? As little as possible.

Yes I have some sorting to do but that will be a lazy time task.
I may need a drink - something with rum.
BBF