I Am SO Sore!
My grandpa died a couple of years ago, and we recently sold his house to a developer who’s going to knock it down and do who knows what on the acre lot. So Daddy told me that if I wanted any of granddad’s plants, I should go and dig them up because this weekend is our last chance to be on the property before the new owners take possession.
I had to be off work Tuesday afternoon anyway, so I loaded up the kids and we all went over to grandpa’s with shovels and plastic bags. I wanted at least some slips from all his shrubs, every single iris corm I could find, and all his narcissus bulbs. I forgot how many bulbs and corms grandpa had laid.
We got to grandpa’s about 2 (had to stop by Home Depot for sand and mulch and some small shovels for the kids), and it was sprinkling. So I had the kids stay in the car while I got started on the back flowerbed. I did the whole bed, and by then the rain had stopped. I filled six bags (plastic grocery) with daffodil bulbs and iris corms. Then I turned the kids loose on the flowerbed around the biggest oak tree. They dug iris corms and filled two bags. I dug daffodils from the rest of the yard — another bag. I also scoped out what all I wanted. I found a bridal veil tree and dug it up, added a couple of very small slips of “yellow rose of Texas” (that’s what grandma called it…I think it’s another form of spirea), and then found several more. I filled one bag with the bridal veil and spirea slips. The kids finished the tree bed and I started them on the iris lining the vegetable garden. The youngest lost interest, but my older boy worked for a good hour before pooping out. They filled another six bags with corms. I dug the almost-blooming Dutch Iris from the bed by the back door (three bags) and then went around front and started on the miniature purple iris and daffodils lining the front walk. I got about six more bags from there, but it was looking like another storm, and the car was crammed full. It was also 4:30, and I wanted to get the almost-blooming flowers in the ground before nightfall. So we stopped.
When we got home, I managed to get about seven bags of things in the ground before dark and mosquitoes made me quit. It was a good afternoon’s work — but HARD. We were all three filthy, so I showered and then let the kids take long baths while I fixed supper. We fell into bed about 9, completely bushed. I woke up at 5:30 so sore I could hardly move. I suppose I should have gotten out of bed and done my usual workout, but I was just too tired and sore to even try. I lay there and talked with the kids when they came in at 6, and we finally got up and started our day at 6:30.
Last night was church night, so I didn’t get anything planted. But I am here to tell you — I was so sore by the end of choir practise that I am not sure I could have bent down to plant anything anyway. I’m still sore this morning, but I have got to try to get a few more things in the ground tonight. We are going back tomorrow after I get off work, because I only got half of the iris and I can’t stand the thought of grandpa’s plants being bulldozed for some stupid development. There’s also a flowering quince, two wild roses, and another shrub I want to dig. So by this weekend, I should have enough planting to do to keep me busy for a couple of weeks. Thank goodness I have days off over Passover! I’ll still be able to clean the house and do some planting.
Oh, and get the taxes done. I’m not filing till April 15 though. I have to pay $500 because I used the IRS worksheet to figure my W-4 last year, and their figures meant I didn’t have enough withheld. I’ve gone in and re-done my deductions. I’m taking fewer of the deductions they say I’m entitled to, so my paychecks will be smaller, but at least I won’t have to try to find $500 next April.