I had a great day today!
It did start out a little weird as I woke up from a one of the strangest dreams I've ever had and you know I've had some strange ones. Lucky for you, I'm not going to relate it here because it could be triggering in about fifty different ways. It wasn't that hard to interpret as it played on a huge childhood fear of mine with lots of other little salient details that I know well as symbols for parts of my life that I will probably never truly be at peace with.
This brings to mind something that a woman and I were discussing via email a few days ago about the word "closure" and how we all so love to think that traumatic events can come to closure and that when they do we can tie them up in neat little bows in their boxes and put them away, never to worry about them again when in fact, this hardly ever really happens. We may, over time, learn to live with what has happened. We may use the experience to help others. We may even come to a place of peace about it but it will always be with us in some form. At least that's how I see it. Perhaps I am just misusing the word "closure" but it's not really a concept that I put a great deal of faith in.
But that is not what I came here to talk about as I so often say. I came to talk about what a great day I had which mostly involved weeding. God, I love to weed. There's just something about being on my knees and plunging my trowel and hands into the dirt to dig up and pull weeds while listening to a book or podcast that makes me so happy. I am using my body! I am outside! I am in the dirt! I am making way for rows of vegetables! I am tending my tiny plot of land.
It was still hot today but not the killer hot that drives me back into the house, melted and soaked through with sweat. I even felt a cool breeze two or three times. Just for a second, but enough to notice and appreciate. It got overcast at one point which also helps and for a little while there was even the barest mist of rain but it turned out to be merely a slightly-damp kiss from Chac Mool, not a full-on drenching, powerful, naked embrace of love.
You know what I mean.
So I did that for most of the afternoon with breaks taken to cool down and rehydrate. No need to kill myself. And I still have plenty more to do. I concentrated mainly on one area today which was that strip in the picture above between the two fences. It was thick with weeds. I had to dump the garden cart twice with all that I pulled and my hands are sore and red and ants attacked them and I must have pulled some stinging nettle of some sort but I am happy.
Mr. Moon called me about noon to tell me that he was on his way home. The weather forecast had been abysmal and they did not want to chance it. Yesterday they saw such heavy clouds over the water that five waterspouts formed at one time. They were a distance away but those things are scary. So I told him to come on home but then he called me a few minutes later to say that they'd changed their mind, the sky looked so clear, the sea looked so flat, and they were going to go out but just a little way. And so they did but before too long, the weather changed again and they decided to opt for safety and came on back to land.
That's Florida for you. Or probably anywhere on the water.
He's home now. He did get one keeper grouper and that is going to be delicious. "Keeper" means that it is a legal size to keep. There are strict regulations about these things for each species. It must neither be too small or too large. You can identify a fishing boat because it will have a permanent sticker or decal on a gunnel which has inches and feet printed on it like a ruler or measuring tape. And oh- a "gunnel", also called a "gunwale," is one of the boat's sides.
Aren't you glad you know this now?So I am happy and I have a happy husband. He did not fish so long this weekend that he is exhausted, sore, and sunburned. He's just cheerful. I like him like that. I, too, am cheerful so for the moment at least and life is good here in Lloyd. His fish-stinky laundry is in the washing machine and I figure it will take more than one washing to rid not only the clothing but the washing machine itself of that smell.
I do not especially mind that. I had a sister-in-law once who sometimes spoke of "the smell of another woman's body on a man's person."
I knew what she meant. I prefer the smell of grouper.
Love...Ms. Moon
Sounds like a good day, digging in the dirt is always a good day. My garden is getting ready to be put to bed. The annuals are dying and the perennials look done for. The grass has almost stopped growing and this afternoon a huge flock of sandhill cranes flew overhead, calling out as they flew by us. It's just a damn long winter.
ReplyDeleteYou know the sandhill cranes come to Florida, right? Lon and Lis can set their watches on when they fly over their house in the evening.
DeleteYour seasons are so short and definable compared to ours. I suppose this is no surprise.
One day I want to see the cranes in Florida.
DeleteAgain, i have fish envy. I've had grouper and it is sublime.
ReplyDeleteGrouper is a wonderful fish. You are right.
DeleteThat strip of garden looks fit to be planted. I can't get to my knees on the ground any more, but I can on one of those reversible garden benches--sit/kneel. I left it behind for Laura to use, if she wants.
ReplyDeleteI bought one of those and it doesn't work for me! It's too much trouble to move it as I travel along the rows. But thankfully, my knees are not bothering me horribly now. I am most grateful for that.
DeleteI don’t like weeds at all, but I do get a lot of satisfaction from pulling them out!😄Look at that bed you cleared out- yay for you! Everything here in my garden is getting kind of tired … hard to believe this season is almost over😳 happy Saturday evening to you.. xo, Rigmor
ReplyDeleteA lot of things are looking weary here now too. Especially everything I had in the garden!
DeleteThank you, I now know which part is the gunwale and wonder why I never bothered to look it up myself. They get mentioned occasionally in books I read. I've read several that are set on the Florida coastlines, they usually involve hurricanes and murders.
ReplyDeleteI'm happy you got that entire section weeded and felt a hint of cool breeze too. I always love that first tiny hint the season is finally changing.
I looked it up to make sure I was calling the right boat part by the right name. I am no expert on boats. Yes. Hurricanes and murder are what the Florida coast is best known for. And drug smuggling. I wonder if there's still drug smuggling going on? Probably.
DeleteThose breezes were so tiny and short but they were real.
That last line! Oh my gosh, lady, you are too funny.
ReplyDeleteHeh-heh. Thank you, Debby.
DeleteI've never had most of the fish Mr M catches. Fresh caught fish is the best.
ReplyDeleteWell, you've never lived near the Florida coast. I'm sure you could get grouper and it would be frozen, which can be absolutely fine, but it is pricey. Same with snapper. Truthfully, by the time these sports fishermen have paid for boats and boat repairs and maintenance and gas and all of that stuff, our fresh grouper is probably more expensive than what you'd pay up north. But the fisherpeople have a great deal of fun catching it.
DeleteThere are those measuring things on railings near the water here. Our fisheries and wildlife people are very strict. Do you need a fishing licence?
ReplyDeleteDefinitely need a fishing license. They put the fish scale decals on boats so that the people who catch the fish will know whether to throw them back in right away or keep them. But yeah, I always see those scales and measuring things at marinas here too.
DeleteI love fresh caught fish. Nothing better.
ReplyDeletewww.rsrue.blogspot.com
It is so true.
DeleteGreat job on the weeding, Mary! I may do some weeding this week myself as it is long overdue and the weather should be cool enough to do it. I always feel so good when the weeding is done but I really procrastinate about actually doing it.
ReplyDeleteWishing everyone more happy days!
I would rather weed than clean house any time. So- I procrastinate on cleaning by weeding!
DeleteNothing like freshly caught fish! And I agree that *closure* never truly happens......I like the way you described the little tucked away box.....never to be opened again? But no, the box is always there........whether it gets opened wide, or not
ReplyDeleteSusan M
There probably is something to that word but it just bugs the crap out of me. It's like saying that we all need to forgive- not for the person who harmed us but for ourselves. Basically, my opinion of that is "Fuck No."
DeleteIt did not reach triple digits yesterday! 99˚ but still. today I got up late and it was already in the low 80s when I went out and instead of watering this morning I did some weeding! I'll water this evening. supposed to get to 99˚ again today. still no rain though there was lightning in the sky last night but far away.
ReplyDeleteLike an Arctic cold front, right? Ha! It will get cooler. I swear to you, it will! And someday it will even rain again.
Delete