Friday, June 22, 2012

Life changing event, fondling treasures, sweet docents, severe security guards

A life milestone was achieved yesterday.  Let me explain... In the 1970's  King Tut  did a North American tour that was so ragingly  successful that hit songs were written about it.  Everyone went to see it.  When it came to Seattle, lines were around  the block. People with tickets stood for hours waiting to get in.  EVERYONE  went to see the boy king....... except me.  My parents wouldn't let me go. For reasons which were their own.  Even when  Feral Jane's parents offered to take me they said no. They would not be budged in their decision.  I have lamented their parenting choice for years and I have always felt like I missed something very ...very important.  There has been a void in my life for 30+ years.... a big ole gaping whole of  'what if'.  Until  last night.  Accompanied by Jimmy, Feral Jane and two other good friends, I stepped through the hallowed gates of the Pacific Science Center and into  the arms of Tutankhamen.  He was waiting for me just like I knew he would be.  He acknowledged that my pilgrimage had been overlong and appreciated my love and dedication.  The reward that he offered for such  devotion from a worshiper?  I can now get on with my life.  That hollow place in my essence , the dark abyss of nothingness, was filled to overflowing in the last 24 hours.  I am complete.
Jimmy finished the tour in under an hour because ,as he likes to point out.... HE saw it the first time (pppfffflfffle). When he finished, he came back to find me, only to discover that I hadn't made it through the first chamber yet.  He giggle over my rapt attention to every detail and then sighed heavily, resigning himself to a looong wait.  And it was a long wait.  Jane and I shut the place down. Sweet little ancient docents were gently prodding us forward toward the end, announcing every two minutes or so .... "The museum closes in 30 minutes".... "The museum closes in 28 minutes".... 26...24........  We probably would have pushed the envelope a little harder  except the docents were backed up by some pretty no nonsense looking  security guards who stood with crossed arms, daring us with their eyes to take a step backwards.  I wanted to explain to them  how this moment in time was a life changing event for me,  the culmination  of a  30+ year  journey, a peak  experience,  a catharsis... nirvana even.  But one glance at their bored expressions told me that all they saw when they looked at me , was another henna- haired, horned rimmed hipster, dawdling at the back end of a herd of great unwashed.  I was keeping them from dinner and they wanted me out.  They were so hungry and so bored they couldn't  (or wouldn't ) see the glow emanating from every inch of my person.  So, I reluctantly said good bye to the  darling boy king and the remnants of his short life and headed into the gift shop where I filled a bag with all the Tut gak I could justify.... pencils, refrigerator magnets (everyone should  have a mummy rm)  a  journal with a 3d cover of Tut, a wallet and many golden book marks. I sit here this morning fondling  my treasures, equal in all ways  to the contents of  Tuts tomb. Content at last. 

Monday, June 18, 2012

We need goats, work never ends, No potatoes this year

We have had a few days to  sit and wonder at all we have accomplished in such a short period of time.  Now to bemoan all that we still need to do.  The 10 x 5 ' potato bed  still has no soil in it.  Ok it has some ... but I twisted my leg hauling  wheelbarrows of soil up the hill  last week and  said to myself... "We are well into June so ...probably no potatoes this year" ( ... a tear falls...)   When we were  digging out blackberries and  terracing garden space in April ( when the potatoes were supposed be planted) we knew  we probably wouldn't  have any this year.   So, this weeks project is to get the bed full of soil with the remainder of the  mountain  of  5 yards of planting soil we had delivered  a month ago.   We decided to plant some fast growing things in that bed this year, beets, more lettuce, maybe some turnips.  We don't know yet, we just have to get it done.  After that we can concentrate on   cleaning out more overgrown areas of the property.  And here is the big news. We have decided to procure  some goats to do some of the yard work for us.   The back quarter acre  is completely overgrown with   so much  stuff... we don't even know what is back there.   The entire area is a five star, goat  restaurant.  We don't even care what kind of goats.  We would like a boy and a girl so  we can have  goat milk in the spring for cheese. 
There are piles of brush to be dealt with and   an area beside the house that is buttercup hell.  The area by the house  will have to be done with  edgers and lawn mowers.  And we are thinking of procuring a chipper for all the brush.  That said I should stop hanging out on the computer and go do some work.

10x5   box that needs to be finished

One yard of soil that needs to be dispersed

buttercup and blackberry  jungle that needs to be controlled

pile of brush that needs to be chipped

5x12 lengths that need to be turned into compost beds

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