Soil purchased...sort of.

 So as I said, I have enough on my gift card to get a bag of soil. First mistake, didn't make sure I had the barcode loaded before we got there. 

I could not find the email that I could have sworn I had kept in my mail page so it would be right there. Well apparently I decided to just clear the page out of reflex the other day and it wasn't there. Standing around, getting frustrated, two associates tried to help me and then said to go to customer service and see what they can do.  Even the very patient and very knowledgable young man could not find it and it wouldn't come up on my account on the website.  He was very kind and (knowing this was part of policy) just took $11 off our total (bought a 12 pack of coke as well since it was cheaper than the store) and so essentially got the soil for free.

Now then, back at home I got on the computer hoping it would somehow magically be right there. Nope... you see... when I send mail to the trash... it's another page of emails.. I had to scroll down and page after page until I got to the beginning of the month and there it was. I even emailed my brother telling him about my problem but since it was not his direct email there was no way he could resend it. So anyway, found it with the barcode and pin, saved it as a pdf and printed it out. Damn straight. (it is currently 9 pm and I forgot to take it out of the car, lovely smell in the morning).

Now, this means I will be able to go back to HD with my printed card, grab another bag of soil and now will have 2 bags that will fill up my raised bed! Whooo! Do I feel like I'm cheating? Sort of, but a lot less cheating than people who purposely cut holes in bags and then have them discount it down because it's a 'broken bag'. This was a total fubar on my part that was not on purpose to cheat the system. They are allowed to mark down merchandise to about $20 at their discretion so I'm going to get a second bag and be done with it. I was also going to try and get some carrot seeds but there was an older disabled man and his wife looking right where the carrots were and I was not in a mood to deal with them. Will try the library next week.

It's starting to change. Poor thing is looking more and more ragged lately due to the ravages of caterpillars, age and parrots. Also leaves are dropping but not that drastically. Leaves are blowing into the garden beds for sure though, got rather blustery the other day and weather says we may have Santa Ana's again and temps jumping back up to 90 next week. Oh yay. Mother Nature is having a hot flash.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rocky spied a lizard. Picture on the left is from March and the one on the right is from today. Almost can't see it, but it's toward the back, head down and apparently he didn't seem interested in actually trying to get it. I think the bougainvillea thorns might have poked him last time. That 'bush' by the way is totally being ravaged by loopers, but if the gardener comes through again it'll all be cut down. Like the lantana is downstairs. Seriously, that lady completely chops all the green growth off the lantana every year. It's horrific. Yes it grows back but it doesn't need to be hacked back like that! She's so very proud of herself cleaning up the spider plants and raking the soil and all that. God bless her but honestly.

So no photos of the garden because it's just dirt right now but soon, very soon will be planting again.