One Woman's Lament

Well, when I said yesterday that the new plants in the garden were going to have to root hog or die, I really did not think they were going to die. But, there you go. That wilted thing in the middle? Yesterday that was a sturdy, strong tomato plant. So yes, we got a freeze. 
Those things growing around it are volunteer potato plants and they look to be fine. I'd love to think the tomatoes have a chance, however slight, of putting out new growth but I doubt they will. I'm not going to pull them up before we leave though. 
Here's another one. 

I've always heard it said that you do not set your tomato plants out until the pecan trees have started leafing out. And guess what? The pecans in this yard still have bare branches. And I myself have often said that yes, I have seen it freeze here in March. But somehow I convinced myself that all was well and it would be safe to go ahead and get those plants in the ground. And Mr. Moon was really pushing because he wanted them to have time to get some good growth on them before the horrible heat and bugs set in. And I'm sure nine years out of ten we would have been fine. 
Well, that's how it goes. I can't control the weather. But next year? Remind me please to remember not to plant until the pecan leaves start showing up. 
The peppers and eggplant look like they might be okay. My African basil looks to be dead. My regular basil is as ugly dead as the tomatoes although the volunteer celery growing with it looks positively jaunty. 

The potatoes look pretty good and of course all the greens I haven't pulled up are virtually frost proof and they look fine. And the rattlesnake beans? 
They are obviously not only heat tolerant, they appear to be frost hardy too. They truly are superbeans. 

I tell you who's going to benefit from this freeze though, and that is the nurseries and garden centers. You know people are going to be rushing back out to get replacements for what they've lost. I suppose we will too but not until we get back from Tennessee.

I spent most of the day trying to get things tied up and tidied up here. I tried on the dresses and surprisingly, a few of them fit. One of them is a truly lovely dress that I bought as my mother of the bride dress when Jessie got married. It will do fine if I choose to wear it. Another dress that would do is almost exactly like the one I wore at May's first wedding. That was my first Johnny Was garment. I found this other one at Goodwill and it is not Johnny Was but Sundance brand and that's hardly surprising as Johnny Was does manufacture some clothes for the Sundance catalog. The one I wore so long ago was a sort of dove gray whereas this one is more of a subtly gray lavender. But I think I like the other dress better. I've never actually worn the lavender dress at all because it never really did fit me but I bought it because who could pass up a Johnny Was dress, albeit one with a Sundance label, for Goodwill prices? Someone was eventually going to want it. 
And then of course the beautiful tights I ordered to possibly go with the lace Johnny Was Goodwill dress with the denim jacket arrived today and I haven't even tried on that ensemble. 
TOO MANY CHOICES! 

I tried on the beautiful, gorgeous, corduroy dress which is just as beautiful and gorgeous as it was when I bought it which was well over thirty years ago. It is the lightest, softest corduroy in a floral print and it has pockets and the most graceful of lines. I did not even dare hope it fit and it didn't. I mean, I could get it on but that does not mean it fit. I think it is my favorite dress of all the dresses I've ever had with a white linen sundress with a long skirt (and pockets) running a close second. And that dress is even older and it does fit. But way too summery for a March Tennessee wedding. 
So that was all that. 

I took the trash, I cleared the area in the pantry where we stash cardboard stuff and took it all out to the burn pile. I washed out the kitchen trash can. I did laundry and I ironed a few shirts for Mr. Moon to take with us on our little trip and also two blouses of mine which I may take with me. 
I winnowed out the freezer, taking some things out to the garage freezer, throwing obviously freezer-burned things away, getting rid of some of the magical freezer packs that come in deliveries which need to stay cold. I also went through the refrigerator and put some of that stuff in the compost (everything that could be composted, I did) because one does reach a point of acceptance that this or that leftover or sauce or product is never going to be used so let it go, let it go, let it go.
Wash the container and get on with life. 

I have not yet started packing and one of my stupidest worries about traveling is making sure I have the things I NEED, while not bringing fourteen extra outfits that I will not. Why do I feel as if it is of utmost importance that I have a multitude of choices?
Well, for one thing, temperatures are going to be in the fifties at night and upper seventies and even low eighties during the day. 
Yes. I know. Layers.
Layers involve a number of garments, just by definition, don't they? 
I am being neurotic about this. 

And meanwhile, as I was doing all this busywork, tripping out on my anxieties and baseless worries, what has Mr. Moon been doing? 
Well, for the past several days, he has been doing all of the paperwork required to give up his dealer's license, to finally and officially retire. Now this is not a simple task in any way. Every time I've gone into the Glen Den, he has been surrounded by documents and forms and folders, filling out the crazy multitude of things that need filling out. Like...legally. 
All of our vehicles which have been insured by the business for many years are now going to have to be insured in our names. Not only does this involve a transfer of all these things, but also requires finding and buying new insurance. New license plates must be bought. 
Oh, y'all. I have no idea what in the name of sweet baby Jebus he has had to be doing. Making copies, filling out all those forms, making sure I sign all the forms where I need to sign because I'm on every single thing we own. 
Right now he's in town, dealing with getting all of this paperwork verified, legalized, documentized, recognized, stamped, sealed, and delivered. 
Holy motherfucking shit. 
And this is a man who, because he had a learning disability, grew up thinking he wasn't very smart. A man who majored in body mechanics (I think) in college because his entire college career was based on his athletic ability which is what he figured he was best at. Everything he knows about business he has learned on his own by experience. When we got married and he told me he wanted to start his own tire and auto-repair shop I was terrified. I had no idea what he might or might not be capable of. 
And you know what? I am not sure I understand yet what he is capable of. 

And here I am, a person who, if she had to pick out and buy her own car insurance would have absolutely no clue in the entire world about how to do it. I have been frighteningly sheltered from any of that. I mean, I think I did it when I was first divorced from my ex-husband although I believe I may have made those decisions even before we divorced, but the thought of doing it now drives me to my knees to pray that I go first, oh again dear baby Jebus, let me go first. 

Love...Ms. Moon