johnridley | A thing or two

Took Friday off, and we went to J's parents house to help with some chores. We did quite a lot of stuff and didn't quite get home before the kids got off the bus. We came home with 18 of their strawberry plants. This variety was given to his father something like 70 years ago. They're possibly the best-tasting strawberries in the world, but apparently are extremely finicky; too hot/cold/wet/dry and they yield little to none. Also they don't transport at all once picked. Pick and eat. But we think they're an heirloom and worth saving. Since they're selling the house this year, it's now or never.

Friday evening, T and I went for TKD testing. I tested up to yellow-with-green-stripe, and he tested up to blue. I think the blue belt is the coolest looking, but of course the black has its own panache :) He was very happy, kept going on about how he's now 3 belts away from black.

I had a great time in sparring; the oldest teacher there, who is about 12 years older than me but is extremely strong and has great technique, wound up sparring with me 2 of 3 times because almost everyone else testing on my level was little kids. On the last round we really went at it and we were quite close to some spectators. I think they were getting a little worried because I was really kicking at him, he was charging and punching me and gave me a couple of (very light contact) back kicks which looked bad but weren't. He said "Oh god, I'm exhausted" a couple of times, to which I said "GOOD!" and went after him, smiling. As soon as time was called we fell into each other's arms laughing. I respect him a great deal, you can tell that he loves teaching and loves the students, and sometimes takes half the class to give lessons in respect and patience and control and working hard to get something worth working hard for to the young kids.

Yesterday was spent mowing the lawn and doing random stuff.

Today we served fellowship at church, which is theoretically in honor of T and my birthdays, but was a week late which meant that J was baking and serving (with L helping) on Mother's day while I chauffeured a friend back to her apartment at the retirement center in town.

After coming home and changing, L and I went back to church and helped ourselves to a couple dozen maple seedlings; cub scouts are supposed to plant some seedlings for their forestry program. We also picked up some random trees that are sprouting for ourselves. I'm trying to plant about 50 or so trees on our property this year. The ones at the church are growing under the power lines and will be ripped out next Saturday anyway.

Then L and I went to Lowes and bought 110 castlerock blocks to make a planter up front, and also a spiral willow tree which according to the tag will grow quite big; 30 x 25 feet, bush-like.

The planter is going directly in front of the house, where the Junipers a/r/e/ were. I went and borrowed a chain saw, took them down to stumps in about 5 minutes (I love chain saws), then the minivan and a chain and I removed the stumps. The brush pile out back, home to many friendly snakes, rodents and rabbits, is now a lot bigger and smells of juniper. While I had the chain out I also dragged a big old rock around to the side where we plan to make a walking garden.

Then L and I planted the trees we dug up at church since they got pretty shocked and were looking the worse for wear.

Just remembered to lube the bike chain before coming in for the evening.

This week I will till the area up front (after moving some cool moss that's growing there) and build the rock retainer, then I need to get a couple of yards of topsoil and compost and top that area up.