#2898 weekend wrap-up

Thinking back over it, I've had a pretty chill and restful weekend. Did I check many/any things off my to-do list? No.  Am I upset about it? Not at all. I'm okay with what I did do, and I'm really okay with being okay.

On Friday after work I went to the Garden to record blooms. The plants are really starting to show off now. The lilacs are blooming, as are the peonies and the wisteria. Alliums are popping up everywhere. Pollen count is high, and there are bees buzzing around all over the place. The horse chestnut trees are blooming and the hummingbirds are feeling very territorial about it. There are bunnies and squirrels and quails all over the place. 

When I got home, I went up to my room to practice with Duolingo, then figured I'd sleep for a bit until it was time to pick T up from work. Fortunately, MT came upstairs to see what I was doing (sleeping soundly!) and he told me he'd pick T up, so I crawled under the covers and went to bed for real.

The dogs let me sleep in until around 7am on Saturday. I had a slow morning puttering around the house, then I went out to do some work in the yard (very rare for me.) After, I showered then did some work on my planner. For the past jillion years, Lizzie and I have been giving each other planners for our birthdays. Last year, she said she didn't want to get a planner because she was going to fashion her own. Since I'm a copy-cat, I decided I'd do that as well. I am doing the same layout as my Papier planners that I have been using for the past few years. It's kinda cool, and also kinda not, I think. A few times I found myself wondering what the hell I was doing when this same thing could be purchased and it would be ready to go. I'm committed to it now, though, so I'll try it for a year. I did like the repetition of making the pages. It' was meditative.

Today I went to Red Butte Garden for my Sunday morning docent shift. It was a gorgeous day: blue skies, mild temperature in the low 70s, and bright sunshine. The Garden was hopping. There were so many people visiting today! Both of the trams were full and busy all day long. I had to tell some folks that it would be an hour before they would have a chance at a ride - they were lining up for the complimentary tours. In the end, I counted 52 people who got tours today. (I downloaded a counter app to keep track.) I talked to people from Rhode Island, Alaska, Florida and the Bay area. I pointed people in the direction of the wisteria, the natural area trails, and the Children's Garden. I took photos of families (at their request.) I told folks where they could find some snacks or a place for lunch. I smiled and I smiled and I smiled. It was exhausting.

For a person like me, an introvert, it takes a ton of energy and willpower to engage with people like I do at Red Butte Garden. Before my docent shift, I usually stop for coffee at Starbucks, I listen to calming music, and take my time getting there by driving up 800 South through the neighborhoods instead of taking the freeway. In other words, I gather my chi. After the shift, I am mentally and emotionally tired. Usually I go straight home, but today I stopped at Trader Joe's because I was out of many staples. The store was packed with people. The check out line went all the way down the chip aisle. It was madness. When I got home, I had to nap to recover. 

After my nap, I came downstairs and turned on the TV. The Padres were playing the Braves on ESPN, so I plopped myself down on the couch to watch a few innings. I wound up watching the whole game. At some point I told myself to get up and do something, but my body refused to cooperate, so I gave in and just let myself watch TV. After the baseball game, I turned over to the NBA playoffs to watch the end of Game 7 between the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Denver Nuggets. The Timberwolves won, and I like that outcome. Oh yeah, and the Padres beat up on the Braves, and I liked that, too. 

So now here I am, at my desk. I just made some spectacularly wonky art. It's just really not very good, and that's totally okay. I may show it to you at some point, but today is not that day. I'm feeling protective of it and of my feelings about it. 

What am I looking forward to in the week ahead? I taking Tuesday off from work because MT is having a medical procedure that requires someone to give him a ride because he will be heavily sedated. Friday is MT's birthday. I'm pretty sure we will go out for dinner at a place of his choosing. In the meantime, there will be all the usual stuff: work, bloom recording, cooking, cleaning up, reading, language practice, art, plants, dogs, etc. 

I'll leave you tonight with a couple of photos. I took this first photo at Red Butte Garden on Friday evening at the arbor between the Fragrance Garden and the Medicinal Garden. I wish it was a scratch and sniff photo! This scent of the wisteria and the lilacs was so sweet and intoxicating! I just wanted to sit on that bench and soak up those amazing smells.

Then there's this next pic. Yesterday I was at Lowes looking at plants. I heard an incessant chirping very near me. I looked all around, and I finally noticed a little movement in the plants right next to the ones I was buying. I focused in to see a wee sparrow perched in a plant, chirping for all he was worth. I don't know if he was stuck or if he really wanted to be there, but he was there the whole time I was looking around. Maybe he'd found his happy place.

Have a great week!