Anybody seen my green thumb?

I have a confession: the gecko green room (belonging to Boy #1) is really pretty nice. After the first coat -- OK and the second -- I was pretty sure it was horrible and that we'd have to find somewhere else to say our bedtimes prayers. Because there was no way I'd be able to set foot in it ever again.

The painting begins

Behold: gecko green abounds

But somewhere between coats 3 and 4 -- oh yeah, you read that right. We needn't go into now why Sherwin Williams is both my most and least favorite of paint stores -- it started growing on me.

Which is good. Because I'm having trouble growing much of anything else at The House. For instance:

Sorry tomato plant

Close-up

My <ahem> lovely tomato plant. Actually, it's two plants: one regular tomato and one grape tomato, plus a sweet red pepper for good measure. With all our rain this summer, it's actually produced a decent crop. The grape tomatoes were huge -- looked like mini romas -- and were pretty tasty. The single sweet red pepper it produced was wonderful. 

But something kept tasting the full-sized tomatoes. And then the ones that hadn't been sampled ended up tasting sorta fishy. How? No idea. And yet, look at the close-up: there's new growth and blossoms alongside the sorry, dead shoots.

And then there's this: 

Once upon a time, when it was gifted to me, it was a lovely succulent with sweet little yellow flowers. Now it's a stick showing off just a bit. It's a good thing I don't take this personally. . . and that I can grow other, normal houseplants. 

Also that we live fairly close to the grocery store. 

-ma'am

Keeping romance alive

Editor's note: Do not be alarmed by the title; this is a family-friendly blog.

I'm sure you've heard what They (even when we wonder who They are) say: In order to keep a relationship fresh, you need to surprise your honey from time to time. I did that today.

Now, The Husband is used to answering odd calls from home at work. They generally involve matters of technical import (When the printer does that thing it's been doing, what do I need to do so I can still print?) or, when I still had a child or two home during the day, first aid (Remind me what I'm looking for when I shine the flashlight in his eyes to make sure he doesn't have a concussion.).

But today I stumped him. No kids at home during the day, relatively few tech hiccups this week, and he heard: What's the 4-letter acronym to stop bleeding? You know -- the one that involves "elevate"?

Yes, folks, I'm keeping the romance alive by surprising my man! If it hadn't involved bodily harm, it would have been even better.

But I learned several invaluable lessons this afternoon. Stuff like, without 2 operational opposable thumbs, it's very difficult to:

• Bandage the thumb you just sliced open, especially while simultaneously trying to apply direct pressure and not bleed all over anything. Well, anything else.
• Chop. Anything. Making dinner was an experience.
• Lift hot, heavy items. Grateful to have help getting dinner out of the oven and on the table.
• Fold stuff decently. No comments on the laundry this week.
• Open zip-top bags. Putting things away was trying.
• Put hair in a ponytail. I look lovely; leave it at that.

If only the bandages would have held, I'd have been in much better shape. As it was, I had to redo a load of dress slacks that somehow got bloodied, as well as change my own clothes after I ended up looking like an extra in a zombie flick. And, actually, I needed Boy #1's help to do that, because my opposable thumb deficit left me unable to unbutton my own shorts. Doesn't anybody think about this stuff when they design clothes?

I managed to bluff my way through doing the dishes, but face-washing set me off again. Next time the knife-sharpening guy tells me the knives are sharp and to be careful, I'll listen more closely.

-ma'am

Warm toes, cold. . .trees?

No doubt about it, "tween" boys (so named because they're be-tween being children and teenagers) are special. . . just some are more special than others.

Take Boy #1, for instance. He's quickly approaching that double-digit birthday and couldn't be more thrilled. But there are still some endearingly little-boy characteristics that warm this mama's heart. For instance:

Can you read what it says? "Secret pocket" -- because having stuff you need to hide doesn't necessarily mean you can remember where you stashed it. I got a good, long chuckle that day I found it.





And then there's his fashion sense. The Husband and I told the boys we'd paint their rooms this summer, so long as they agreed to help. Even let them choose their own colors. Well, after I talked Boy #2 out of the bright red stripes he really, really wanted. (We do a good job painting but amateur home improvement talent only goes so far.)

So Boy #1 moved into the guest room while we began rehabbing his abode. In the early evenings, it's a bit chilly in there, so this is what he's been wearing to bed:

 Here he is, just down for breakfast one morning. Nothing too unusual, right? Ah, but look closer:

 

There it is, the piece de resistance: fuzzy, knee-high soccer socks, to keep your toes toasty, no matter what temperature the room is. He calls this his "suwinter collection." You gotta appreciate his sense of humor.

And, while we've been busy upgrading inside the house, forces of nature have been busy outside. We lost a big hunk of a very tall tree in the front yard; but were exceedingly grateful that no one was hurt and no property damaged when it fell. Some good friends lent their manpower and equipment to help the boys chop it down and haul it away.

The aftermath

Section of tree that fell

I'll have photos of the room makeover before too long (we're not quite done yet). But here's your tease: The color he chose? Gecko green. Yeah. . .let that sink in.

-ma'am