Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Stalkers and Grubs and Graduation - Oh my!

I can't believe how long it's been since I last blogged.  I have thought about it since March but am just now finding time to type something (I just finished typing that sentence and my Dad stopped by unexpectedly. That pretty much sums up my life since October.  It was a nice surprise though - my parents lives 45 minutes away so I don't see them as much as we'd like).  

I believe it's also Bloomin Tuesday and coming up is Fertilizer Friday; I'm joining the parties if I can remember how the hell to get there......   Here are the reasons for my blogging neglect (keep in mind that I handle the accounting for my company as well as our sister company)... this is a summary of my life since October:
  1. Company bought out
  2. Bank Acquisition Audit
  3. Year End Prep Audit
  4. Year End Audit (six weeks of torture)
  5. Purchase of new sister company
  6. Bank Acquisition Audit
  7. Grubs destroyed 60 % of our front lawn; moles created their own race track around the entire lawn tunnelling for the grubs (ie: reseed entire front lawn project)  (The extent of my hatred for grubs cannot even begin to be expressed here with out the profanity police having to step in)
  8. Built patio & finished under deck area (will do a separate post for this with Before & After pics.  I love Before & After pics! This was a huge project considering our yard is Boulderville New England.  I will have to post pics of the pile of rocks we dug out for this #$%#$5 project)
  9. My daughter graduated from high school (ie big graduation party)
  10. A stalker - yup, you read that right.  We are in our 40's and an ex of hubby's from 15 yrs ago went off her rocker and is contacting friends, employer, neighbors, random people trying to contact hubby, pretending to be the DEA and warning everyone that hubby is a dangerous drug addict.  WOW... Shouldn't we be past that crap by now?  Yeah, she's in the same category as the grubs. Still ongoing drama so stay tuned...
So my brain is a disaster but I am trying to remember how to blog.  I didn't even take pics of my yard in April, maybe a few in May.  Here are a few pics from this week, will try to keep the pics / rambling to a minimum. 

First is the side garden; my delphiniums bit the dust this winter but everything else is doing great so it isn't too noticeable.  I replaced them, but they won't bloom for a while:





Garden at back of pool fence.  The Knock Out Roses have gone nuts this year (figured out at the end of summer last year that fertilizing really does make a difference).  Also Sweet William bloomed this year - love it! 




Here is this year's project - the new walkway leading to pool gate - it used to be that fake green grass carpet crap.  I couldn't look at it any longer....  my next post will show before and after pics but here's a sneak peak, a picture taken from each end:




The patio area at the end of the walkway with gas fire pit, new wall, mulch and walk way:




Outside of pool fence:


To end this first-of-the-year blog entry, this is my view as I sit here blogging:


11 comments:

Jean said...

Welcome back to Bloomin' Tuesday! You have certainly had an eventful few months. Your blooms are looking great tho. Isn't it nice that the blooms come even when we ignore them? Jean

Diane at My Cottage Garden said...

TRACY!

So glad you are back. I thought you weren't coming back at all. Rushing off to work, but will check out your lovely photos tonight.

Happy to see you!

The Idiot said...

I'm jealous, I want a stalker!

So, what drugs is the hubby on?

Tracy said...

JEAN: Thanks! It is great they bloom in spite of being ignored. I didn't even get my winter clean up done until May. Terrible spring!

DIANE! I was wondering if you'd given up hope that I would ever return. :) So great to be back. Great to hear from you, as always

IG: Don't be jealous, we're sharing kind of peeps. Send me your address & phone #. Stalker Woman will be there within hours; will call within minutes. Not sure what drugs hubby's dealing / taking- he's hidden it well over the past 13 years. I asked him why we aren't living the life of luxury with his addl income. He said that's part of his cover.... Seriously, our town's PD has received 14 complaints on this crazy in the past 2 weeks; only one from us. W....T....F....

Diane at My Cottage Garden said...

Hi again. I hope this works, because I've had an awful time opening your comments section tonight. I think the problem may be with blogspot?!

Anyway, horrible about the stalker. I hope everything is okay now. WTF, indeed! Things like this are taken very seriously here, and is definitely considered 'domestic violence' (even though they were a couple so long ago) which is dealt with quite severely. Hopefully it is in MA as well.

On a lighter note, you're gardens are looking picture-perfect.

And I'm so glad you are back. Your blog is my favourite.

Cheers.

Tracy said...

Hi Diane - It worked! I had trouble replying early and ended up changing some settings... that might be why it was giving you trouble.

They don't take it as seriously here, but hubby is going to court next week to try to get protection. Fingers crossed... he's going in with all the documentation he can get. She is a complete looney - could start a blog just for the weird things she's done.

Aww, thanks - that's so sweet!
Cheers!

Lona said...

Wow Tracy, what a beautiful transformation you have made to the patio and walkways. It looks beautiful. I love the Sweet William with your roses. You have been so busy. My mind would be worn to a frazzle. LOL!

Fishtail Cottage said...

Thanks so much for linking your garden post to Cottage Flora Thursday's - those knock out roses are so cheerful! xoox,tracie

Shirley @ The Gardening LIfe said...

Wow! Too much excitement! Hope the next few months settle down for you. Your garden is lovely.

Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson said...

Hopped over from Fishtail Cottage. Beautiful blooms! I have that flower (hot pink on the left in your 2nd photo) Can't remember the name, any idea? So jealous of your pool. We just put in a pergola, trying to convince my hubby that a pool would look great next to it. you know, next years project. Convincing not working, I think it's not happenin!

Tootsie said...

oh honey!!! that stalker woman sounds horrible!!! You have been a very busy and overwhelmed lady as of late haven't you?
it doesn't show in your gardens...they are gorgeous!
I am doing a series on garden types...and would love to use a few of your cottage gardens in my post! if you are interested please let me know at gduchak@shaw.ca...email me what photos you would not mind me using...and what link you would like me to put on them...
I would love to share your cottage style gardens!!!
so..thanks for linking in this week. it is nice to finally get around to say hi and thanks to all the gardeners who patiently grow their flowers and who flaunt with me each week!