Sweating, Gardening, Funny Doctor and A Reason I Put Up With It

Well we all survived the first, strange little heat wave of 2009. I kept having to pinch myself that it was April. I also forgot how cranky the heat makes me. I have no problem admitting I am so not a hot weather person. I mean it’s fine if all you have to do is sprawl next to the pool sipping margaritas or something, but life isn’t quite like that right now.

On a positive note, this summer, with a confidently mobile Ellie is going to be fun! Last summer she was still crawling and then started walking right around her first birthday (July) but even after that she was not “sturdy,” so there was lots of hovering around her, making sure she didn’t wipe out on the deck stair or tumble off the slide. Now, I can just deposit her and her brother in the backyard and be on my merry way! OK not exactly, but it’s a lot more relaxing. Oh, except for the CONSTANT FIGHTING OVER OUTSIDE TOYS.

I try not to let that bother me too much. And did I mention how refreshing white wine is in the heat?

And all those perennials I planted last year? The ones the damn dog did her best to destroy (to punish us for not walking her enough, she’s a smarty, that Ruby), THEY’RE COMING BACK! In little fits and starts and in some cases, pathetically, but there are definite signs of life. It warms my heart, as I’d written the yard off this year. Not enough time or money and with the dog and her destructive tendencies I felt like I’d be better off just burning a pile of cash than replacing all the plants she dug up last year. I’ll post some pictures when there is something worth showing.

In other exciting suburban news, we bought a push mower, which I’m quite excited about. We had to let the “gardener” go (thanks daycare price hike) so we’re going DIY. I have to say I’m not going to miss that infernal leaf blower the gardener used and I feel nice and “green” not using a gas mower. And I’m not just saying this because Erin is going to have to do all the work (I promise I’ll mow too Honey!).

To recap from last week, the doctor asked me a ton of questions and took a lot of blood. I’m supposed to get the results back today. He thinks my tiredness is related to “lifestyle,” (you know all the boozing and partying I do—why does lifestyle have a sort of seedy connotation?). Since I put the blame on my so called lifestyle squarely on my children, I joked with the doctor that perhaps I should consider getting rid of the kids.

“At the very least, you should drug them,” he answered.

I have to love a doctor with a sense of humor.

After my appointment I cut across Central Park to the West Side, where I catch my bus. I wish I’d had my camera. It was one of those quintessential New York spring days (if you’ve ever lived here you know that spring is about four days long and it’s not uncommon to go from cold and rain to unforgiving 90 degree humidity: Hi summer!). Needless to say, we appreciate our often short lived spring.

On Friday, the cherry blossoms were exploding, the tulips dancing, the row boats in the lake were bumper to bumper while there was a line for the motorized sail boats, which glided across the water like little ballerinas. There were baby strollers and nannies and mommys and giggling toddlers as far as the eye could see. But by far my favorite “snapshot” was the giant golden retriever sitting next to his “mom” on a bench, like he was person, or more like a regal king, admiring his kingdom.

The whole park seemed to be bathed in an ethereal, other worldly, perfect Manhattan- Woody Allenesque glow. Like I said, a camera was needed and pictures would have been worth a thousand words so I’ll shut up about it now. I’ll just say it was one of those days where it felt worth it, to put up with all the hassle--the grumpy, shoving people, the honking horns, the odiferous, crowded sidewalks--just to be in this glorious city. It can truly be a pain in the ass, but also: amazing.

Social Butterfly

Took the kids to the park this past Saturday afternoon. I think one of the things I miss most about living in Brooklyn is that there were always people at the playground. Sometimes too many people but that’s another story. There was always someone to talk to and there were always kids for Leo to play with. Since we’ve moved to the suburbs we play a lot more in our yard but I still like to get to the park. Saturday I think I spoke to more people in one afternoon than I have talked to since we moved to the burbs almost a year and a half ago. It made me feel good to know it's possible to have some social interraction in the burbs. Now it's not Brooklyn, but that's ok!

There was Don, the friendly young man playing basketball by himself. Leo was fascinated by him (we have a hoop in our driveway so he knows about “shooting hoops.”) At first I felt bad about Leo bothering him but Don was completely into it. Once he let Leo start shooting the other little kids in the park followed—Don was the Pied Piper of Stagg Field.

I also talked to a dad who was playing Frisbee with his son (when he told me his kid was four I was shocked—I am always amazed at how much bigger and just older (and of course chattier) typical kids are compared to Leo who is, gulp, almost four). I was pretty impressed that a four year old was even attempting to play Frisbee as I have yet to figure out how to really throw one without taking out the nearest tree or car windshield. The dad and got to talking about living in the city versus the ‘burbs (he’s been in our town for six years). Sure enough, Leo saw the Frisbee match and thought it would be fun to join in. He actually gave it a pretty good throw.

We saw some sort of terrier (looked like Toto in “The Wizard of Oz” but he was white. Leo got very excited when we saw him and turned to me and signed the word “cat.” Our dog Ruby is a large (sadly more in width than height Golden Retriever). Leo is not accustomed to small dogs.

On the way home I stopped and chatted with a woman who was gardening in her front yard. It a yard that I have enjoyed ever since we moved in. So many of the yards in our neighborhood are just so boring with these generic non flowering bushes with some blah azaleas and the usual annuals thrown in. This woman’s yard is filled with perinneals, and though it’s early in the season I’m reminded how lovely it looks by summer’s end. I told her I’d been admiring her garden and she beamed (and she said something cute: “I’ve been admiring your children!”

I could tell I had made her day. You’d have thought I told her she was the most beautiful woman I’d ever met. She started talking about how long she’d lived there and which plants do the best. Her husband even came outside and joined in the conversation. I told her I wished I could garden more and she glanced down at Ellie strapped to me in the Bjorn and Leo, squirming in the stroller. She told me what everyone tells me. That I have my hands full. She’s right. I am working on appreciating what I have, instead of always worrying how I can possibily fit everything in. I just can’t do it all and that’s ok. There will be plenty of years to garden. There will be a time when my kids don’t even want to hang out with me. That’s when I can garden. The days are long but the years are short. But in the meantime, I’ll do a little gardening when I can squeeze it in (I actually contemplated planting a few things last night in the dark after the kids had gone to bed but decided not to-how sad is that?).
Pictured above, we chopped down some big, generic suburban bushes to make room for more gardening space. An "after" picture isn't that impressive when you don't have a "before," but there it is. We have a long way to go but we're making progress. Also pictured is Ellie, having nothing to do with the park or gardening and smiling so wide that her eyes are closed. I just couldn't resist this photo. It just sums up her personality so well. Just so smiley.