Sigh. What a wonderful week it's been. Despite the slow crowd on Sunday at the Garden Center, I don't think anyone complained about the 70 degree weather and the much needed rain. And Monday with the low 80s? If you weren't enjoying that then clearly you weren't outside last week when everything and everyone was melting.
I'm melting today over this picture of our sweet grandbaby Halle. She is growing so fast and this is her being introspective on a Monday.
The good news is her parents moved from Holly Springs to South Durham, six minutes from the Garden Center and ten minutes from us. Yes - SIX MINUTES. Insert my googly eyes here.
Erica uses the Garden Center as a morning outing at least once a week now. Halle is getting to know the goats, chickens, and ducks. She also loves to swing and everything is quite entertaining to her.
This past week, Halle zipped by the play area and headed to the offices. Erica texted and told me to look out my window after sending this picture of Halle. I immediately jumped from my chair and ran outside to find them. I had five minutes before our leadership meeting. I had "plenty" of time for a kiss.
Halle wasn't having it when she saw me start to leave. So Erica scooped her up and handed Halle her phone before a complete meltdown. No, Halle, I'm not babysitting today. Geez.
We chatted for a minute or so before Halle was done; done with the phone that is.
I heard it first. I heard the knock of the phone on the pipe. Please tell me that was not the open pipe that runs excess lake and rain water down into the creek area. Picture this pipe like a water slide. Now picture our faces when Erica and I looked at one another. Really, what were the chances when the pipe was at least 7' from where we were standing?
Well *&%^. I immediately trampled down through the weeds, small trees, and piles of last fall's leaves to rescue the phone, praying it didn't actually go into the water slide pipe. I looked around everywhere then fished around at the bottom of the pipe but I didn't find it. Erica was telling me her phone is water proof and it's probably gone.
I looked down and realized I was standing in poison ivy and had successfully climbed through poison ivy all the way down to the bottom of this open pipe. I climbed back up. My phone went off with a text alert - Lizzie was asking if I'm coming to the meeting. Was now officially late.
What the heck were we going to do? I couldn't go back down there with a skirt and covered shoes. What did I do? I called John, of course.
I called in a panic and he magically appeared. He walked down the hill in his long pants and boots, reached the bottom, and immediately found the phone....in the water. Just like that! He barely had to try.
Crisis mostly averted, I kissed Halle and Erica goodbye, gave a thankyouthankyouthankyou to John, and rushed into the house to wash my legs with Dawn dish soap and warm water in case any poison ivy oils were on my skin. I successfully arrived 15 minutes late and felt itchy the entire meeting, knowing I was going to be covered in poison ivy. I just knew it.
Today, I can report no poison ivy rash. Lesson of this story: Do not rush into the woods to retrieve a phone without first checking your surroundings.
But we can encourage you to rush to the Garden Center for all things green and blooming. Even on hot or rainy days, you can pick up a new houseplant or four (the indoor section is air-conditioned, thank goodness). I swear Joey keeps adding more variety and we are all running out of room at home, but remember- you don't need less plants, you need more shelves! See you soon!
