Surprisingly, one day this past week the General signed up to begin receiving her Social Security. I don’t have any idea about the amount. I know how she thinks. Her Social Security is her money. Interestingly, my Social Security is our money. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining. I am simply making a statement of fact. All things being equal isn’t going to occur in my life time. We have our money and she has her money.
On Friday afternoon when we were at the Natural Gardener, I noticed they had a good assortment of Agapanthus. Some refer to the plant as an African lily plant. Others reference it as the Lily-of-the-Nile. I don’t recall that I ever saw the plant until Craig was stationed in California. Both the General and I were quite taken by the look. We were living in Midland at the time and attempted to incorporate the look into our patio area in our backyard when we returned to Texas. No offense to those who are Midland proud, but our Agapanthus didn’t fare well in Midland. Our attempt at landscaping fell short of that lush Southern California look. I’m not suggesting that Midland is flat ugly, but the natural habitat doesn’t look much like what you can find in the San Diego area.
When we moved back to Henly in 2001, we attempted to incorporate Agapanthus plants in our patio space. Some years they survive the cold and some years the don’t. Last year fell into the don’t category. I mentioned to the General on Friday that I’d go back into Austin Saturday morning and pick up a large Agapanthus plant from the Natural Gardener. We didn’t have room in the General’s car on Friday to take one with us.
There were some other things the General wanted for the patio area. Add them all together and the expenditure makes for a nice birthday gift. I picked up a couple of metal “wash tub” like containers from Home Depot to plant outdoor plants in on the patio. Of course, that meant I had to drill holes in the bottom to provide adequate drainage. I’ve messed up on that before and it doesn’t play itself out well. In reality, we were playing copy-cat with the landscape design that a friend and professional landscaper is using for her own home. The wash tubs with three or four large Geraniums inside makes for a really good look.
By Saturday morning, my head was somewhere else. Did I really want to go back into Austin? What if I just picked up the wash tubs from Home Depot in Dripping Springs and a few plants and call it quits? Yesterday morning, the General asked if I was going to go to town? She obviously, remembered the commitment I had made on Friday. At least, that was my perception. “Sure”, I responded. I subsequently took the truck and headed toward Austin.
Don’t say, I can’t live and learn. I was not driving my truck into the parking lot at the Natural Gardener. I can park my Miata anywhere. Parking my truck is a much larger problem. The sound of “Give me land, lots of land” always comes to mind when I need to park the truck. As luck would have it, there was a shoulder on Old Bee Caves Road that would work for parking. I’d simply walk across the street and “presto” I’d be there and avoid the stress associated to the parking lot.
As luck would have it, I ran across a couple of friends at the Natural Gardener. The couple live in Austin, but they have land in Henly and plan to build their forever home in about four years. The move will coincide with the wife’s retirement. She doesn’t want to deal with commuting traffic in the interim.
On my way back to Henly, I stopped to visit the father of the guy I had visited with at the Natural Gardner. He is in a memory care center. I almost stopped on the way into town, but determined it made more sense to get in and out of Austin as quickly as possible. I could stop on my way back. I was glad I did. My friend was having a good day. Sometimes when I stop to visit, I’m not sure he knows me. Yesterday he did.
On my way back to Henly, I stopped at Home Depot in Dripping Springs. It was fairly obvious that folks needing parking for Founder’s Day were taking advantage of open spaces at Home Depot. I wasn’t sure I was going to find a place to park. Open spaces were in short supply.
It was approaching noon before I got out of Home Depot with everything I needed. I telephoned the General and provided an ETA and said, we’d go out for lunch. She mentioned that she had checked with Amazon for ordering the Red Bird Plant (aka – Euphorbia tithymaloides) I wanted and a Pride of Barbados plant. Amazon didn’t carry either plant.
On the way back from lunch, the General suggested we stop at Solstice Outdoors. They have recently relocated from Dripping Springs to a new location between Dripping Springs and Henly. Who would have thought? Maybe there are advantages to shopping locally? I walked inside the art gallery and couldn’t believe the good find. I actually wasn’t sure at first that the plant was for sale, but it was the fullest Red Bird plant I’ve ever seen. It could have been inside the room for staging purposes.
I inquired of the sales person, and the plant was for sale. I told her I was going to go outside and look at their plants, but that I definitely wanted the Red Bird plant. What a rare and incredible find. The General and I walked through the plants outside and didn’t see anything that we needed.
It was the General’s idea to inquire about the Pride of Barbados plant. The lady said she thought they had several. So how did the General and I manage to walk right past the Pride of Barbados and not notice? Of course, none of the plants were blooming yet, but they were larger than the ones we’d seen in Austin the day before. It may have been the General’s birthday, but I called it my lucky day. We left Solstice Outdoors with both the Red Bird Plant and the Pride of Barbados.
We re-potted and juggled plants on the patio all afternoon. It was a feel-good day for both of us. The General has invited her brother and sister-in-law to come for dinner this evening. I believe she also extended the invitation to Andrea and Kevin as well.
Frankly, at our ages, we should make everyday a celebration. I enjoy having company over for dinner. If it were left exclusively to me, we’d invite folks over a couple of nights a week. The General is the one who thinks the house has to be in perfect condition before anyone is invited over. The way I see it, if the shutters need to be dusted, have dinner by candlelight. Better yet, spend time on the patio.
The General has reached that magic age where like grains of sands through an hourglass, so are the days of our life. I am older than she, so we need to be attentive to celebrate more, visit with friends often, and make the most of the days before us.
All My Best!
Don