the mulch

I need to document The Mulch, which took over much of my mental space, a lot of my lung capacity, and a fair amount of the boy's vocabulary for about 3 weeks of last month. I requested it (free! delivered! too good to be true!) to mulch the berries.

I had read that you should cover your berries with at least three inches of wood mulch for the winter. I thought I could also use it in the front beds...so I requested a truckload. AHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHA. it would have been funny, and absurd, if it had been delivered as promised. A truckload of wood in my smaller-than a truck front yard. And the neighbors (all around, not just the special ones) would have noted what a nutjob I am, and maybe they would have taken some of it, and that would be great! But the tree service delivered it to the wrong side of the street.

this photo was taken AFTER about 30 wheelbarrow loads and 500 phone calls. I took it to post the mulch on criagslist for the second or third time, and I am happy to report that it is completely gone thanks to one final gallant effort by those amazing neighbors I mention here and there.

AY MEN

thank you oakland

thank you, for leaving my car alone when i leave it unlocked overnight

thank you for sending a neighbor over to remind me about street cleaning

thank you for being fantastic when i left my RED PATENT LEATHER wallet on the front seat of my car, again overnight.

and most of all, thank you for leaving my house unmolested when i left the door OPEN a few inches all day today. happy easter, indeed.

lesbians!

i think i found some lesbians in my neighborhood! it's an older, african american neighborhood, and there are lots of guys in big clothes hanging on the corner, and lots of incredibly friendly older people who want to check out the babies, but not so much on the gay tip.

Today the babies and I took our walk early, and in a totally different direction, and we met Lydia and Cheri (Sherry? there are an infinite number of ways to spell that name), who were out gardening. Sheri told me a nutty story about some twins who were born a month apart, and then i asked about their garden. That's when Lydia piped up. Lydia had two dreads hanging in the front of her face, and the rest of her head was shaved. you know what i'm saying: lesbians. Anyway, hallelujah AND it gets better because: Lesbian Gardeners. Thank you jesus.

I walked away with two agapanthus (the same plant i hacked to bits and gleefully ripped out of the garden here, but it's not a water eater, so i'll give it another shot) and a lovely sunshine daisy thing.* She told me the name about 4 times as she fondled the blossom (hehe) and told me to look it up on Annie's Annuals, but I can't remember. Anyway, it's beautiful and I love makin friends with the neighbors.

* update. the daisy is the Ring of Fire. I'll let you fill in the rest.