Sunday 22 May 2016

Cleanliness is next to... impossible

It is not unheard of for me to go in to the grocery store with mud on my jeans and soil in my hair. With a lunch date planned prior to grocery shopping I took care to clean up. Pale blue shirt with the Peter Pan collar and best khaki pants slipped over a freshly scrubbed body. I had a mental image of gliding down the grocery aisles radiating noteworthy cleanliness.


Lovely lunch in which I shared my almost got a dog story.  "Let's go to the SPCA," says friend, telling me she knew a medium sized dog was transferring in that very day. Off we went. The dog had been adopted before even getting his little paws on the bus. As it happened another friend was volunteering and put the squeeze on me regarding two older dogs, desperate for a foster home, with a meadow just like mine, to romp away their last days.

"Let's look at them," says first friend. The meadow would work perfectly but no way those Great Dane/donkey mixes could fit in my house. Perhaps I can offer a day in the country every now and then. Twenty minutes later we walk out with my khaki pants covered in black dog hair.

"Bye" we trill and I head for the garden store. I pick up two bags of steer manure not noticing the teeny tiny hole in one bag until I have a giant smear across my pale blue clad bosom.

I smile weakly at the grocery store clerk as she takes in the dog hair and manure. I tried, I really tried.

can you see the peas?
the greenhouse is in business


23 comments:

  1. That's what I like about Powell River, no one cares of you are dressed up. Come as you are. So much better than my old life in the big city. - Margy

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    1. So right, I wouldn't dream of shopping in the city in the state I shop in PR.

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  2. I know the feeling, we could be two peas in a pod! Ha Ha But the good news is that real friends take note of the important things like the peas, and turn a blind eye to the steer poo on your shirt!!!
    Have a great week.
    Wren x

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    1. and ignore the towels draped over the sofa so I can sit in my muddy jeans.

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  3. LOL!--yes, you are living the gardening dream , and unfortunately, it often includes dirt--LOTS of dirt.
    I went to the salon the other day and had leaves in my hair--I had a few minutes before I left and had pruned a couple blackberry vines. I imagine they had quite a chuckle about me after I left.
    Love the yellow blossoms on your rose........

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    1. I think you get known by these quirks but there are worse things than being the woman with leaves in her hair.

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  4. It is better being busy and enjoying yourself than clean and bored.

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  5. I loved your comment to the grocery store clerk. Lol! Your peas are looking marvelous.

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    1. Hard to believe they are producing they took so long to get established.

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  6. So recognisable, I cannot keep myself clean either, there is always something muddy.

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    1. Science has proved making contact with soil is good for us so stay muddy and healthy.

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  7. I don't even bother trying. I think you'd have to live in a bubble in order to maintain clean clothes on the weekend. Besides, what fun is being clean, anyway? It's entirely overrated! LOVE your greenhouse!

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    1. Occasionally I like to see if I can still clean up just in case the Queen invites me for tea, although I suspect the corgis would put their muddy paws all over me.

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  8. Nice to visit again today. You should see me some days when I leave the house to go grocery shopping - not a pretty sight indeed. But, that is the life of a gardener and always excusable !! Jack

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    1. Fortunately there are a large number of farmers and gardeners in this area plus the aging hippie sandals and woolly hat brigade so I have no problem blending in.

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  9. I enjoyed the post and could identify. With me its always the dirt under the nails!

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    1. I was chairing a library meeting the other night when I realised my nails were rather grim. I checked out the other two gardeners on the board and their nails were in the same state. Birds of a feather...

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  10. Sometimes, I don't even try. I just let them make up wild stories for why I'm such a crazy wreck. I'm famous for going to the local giant hardware store in full blown project mode, covered in soil and totally filthy but in need of just a few more bags of rocks to finish a project. I keep them from getting bored waiting to check out and give them a feeling of superiority because at least they're in better shape than I am. I suppose it serves a purpose but secretly I just like horrifying all the snobby people in my area.

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    1. You are a rebel, Tammy and a lovable one too.

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  11. lol. Love that story. I can't tell you how often I've gone to town with grass stains on my knees and dirt under my fingernails. Social niceties are all well and good, but the garden is real life!

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  12. We had to go to the 'city' to shop today. Ralph did a quick check on the broody hens....just a quick dash in dash out....I didn't think to much of it until his heavy gripped soled boots dropped some very good sized manure gobs from the treads...in line at Kroger the food store.....sigh!

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