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7.31.2011

What a day

I had a very nice visit yesterday afternoon with my friends, the Ofenhitzers.  When I arrived at their home Klaus was out walking the dog, and that left Erika and me a chance to get caught up for a good long while.  We chatted and laughed a bit until 'the boys' arrived home.

This is the first time I have met Loki (which is [a] German word for 'mischief').  If you knew Klaus you would know how completely appropriate it is for that monniker on his dog!  Kaidra, their beautiful Dalmation (and their baby), died about two years ago. So being a good German, Klaus went out and found a German Shepherd to mend his broken heart.

The plan was for Klaus to cook - and I was looking forward to his bar-b-que - but appetites got the better of some of us, so we went out to dinner at one of their favorite haunts in Waterford instead.  It was busy and therefore very noisy.  Needless to say conversation was a little rough, but the company and delicious  meal was still worth it.

I noticed Erika's small garden area was overrun with weeds, so as we parted last night I offered to drop by and eradicate the problem for her/them, if they wanted and didn't mind.  See, Erika had had a stroke a year and one half ago, and hasn't been able to do those things she so loves doing.  I could easily identify with her situation in that following the surgery for my intestinal 'blowout', I was unable to bend for quite some time, and I watched my lovely beds become a haven for every manner of weed. 

It's definitely a blow to the psyche to see things happen and have no control of the situation or outcome.

They accepted my offer and I made plans to return the next morning to pull out the offensive mass of weeds.

I arrived at their home this morning about 10:15 or so and got right to work.  The weeds pulled out fairly easily and I managed to bag up four very full lawn refuse bags of green nastiness before I was dismissed for the day. ;)  Thankfully, there was a nice breeze to keep me company, and I was in the shade the entire time.  I arrived with a large cup of water, which Erika made sure Klaus kept filled as I worked, and by one-thirty I was ready to call it quits.  The temp began in the mid-eighties and had climbed to near ninety by one o'clock.

Still, it was a snap. 

A huge dent was made in a sort of medium-large area, and I will finish it up Wednesday morning once I return from a Michigan road trip.  More on that another time. 

For now, I need to clean up and get ready to head north - first, to Saginaw for one more Saginaw Eddy Band 'concert in the park,' and then on to Traverse City.  Fill you in later.  Try to keep cool and dry in the meanwhile.

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