A friend turns 90 on Monday, so I wanted to get her a gift. She loves to garden, so I decided to get her an azalea bush. Well, I should have thoght better! We left here and drove a bit to get to Lowe's where there were no working electric carts. So, a guy got a wheelchair and I was pushed erratically though the garden center. One employee just wagged a finger and said "over there." Another, thirty minutes later, said, "on the rolling stands."
The young guy who was pushing me kept showing me roses and petunias. It was not his job to know the plants. Finally, after great tribulations and insults, I called for a manager. The manager of the garden center came and wondered why I could not find the azaleas. Well, I did not want Encore Azaleas, the kind that are supposed to bloom for 8 months. They don't and were $29 or some outrageous amount.
As it turns out, Lowe's does not carry regular azaleas, Coral Bell, the color I want or any color of that sort. I left after the manager helped me and went to another big box store. Just the thought of searching for an electric cart made me ill and more exhausted. I could not stand being in the parking lot, so we left.
Next, I went to Publix where I knew the plants would be much more expensive. We sat in the car for 30 minutes waiting for a cart. Why do I try to shop on Sunday afternoon? I went in and only found some three inch pots of plants. I had settled on those on sale 2/$5. And, they were not flowers. Then, I saw a plant up high, a red azalea. Aha!
More than half the buds were dead. The manager of the floral department came and I asked him if they were reducing it or could they dead-head it for me. He said, "How about I give it to you for free?" FREE? He said yes, and I was happy!
My friend loves to dig and plant flowers. I knew this would fare better with a little neglect than flowers and still she would have flowers to make her happy. That is why I did not settle for something else when searching for azaleas.
I took it to the car and went back to get Tommy's cereal. Luckily, Cheerios were bogo. And, they were heart shaped. Tommy ate the last of his cereal Sunday morning and only told me after the box was empty. I have asked him to tell me ahead of time, but he doesn't. I decided that a package of expensive chicken was cheaper than eating out and better than eating meatballs again. So, I brought home a small package of expensive chicken.
We arrived home 3 hours after we left and I was exhausted. I deadheaded the azalea, watered it and put it out for an hour in the late afternoon sun. It looked much better when I brought it in. I have addressed the card and will take this to my friend tomorrow. I will put it out in the morning and transport it in a sunny place in the car on Monday.
I waited until the hour and did my one minute of "marching." Then, I just went to bed for an hour. I was going to cut Tommy's hair, but was too tired. When I got up from the rest/nap, I did two more sets of one minute and an hour apart.
Right now, I am waiting for the chicken, potatoes, and onions with dry Italian Seasoning to bake. We will also have a salad. One breast or less will be dinner. Another portion will be here for Monday night. I may make a chicken sandwich for our lunch when we go out on Monday. At any rate, I won't have to cook until at least Wednesday, I hope. There were three breasts and we might have eaten half of one breast.
To finish my Sunday, I will load the dishwasher. I suppose I will wash my hair before setting out for Cullman on Monday.
Monday
I slept almost 6 hours last night. I only had a one hour nap on Sunday. Sometimes, a short nap does not work. I just get more tired and cannot sleep. I also took a good slug of my liquid melatonin before bed last night.
The azalea has been watered again and is outdoors once more. The tight buds are now showing a bit of red. I don't know if it will bloom more before I can get it to her. There are actually two plants in the pot. I hope she will separate them when she plants them.
This post is way earlier than I wanted to post, but it is either now or evening, so it will be now.
Just being out exhausts me! Do you find that the older you get, the less you can stand shopping?
People are amazed to discover that employees at Lowes, Home Depot, etc. are not trained experts. These are people making slightly better than minimum wage.
ReplyDeleteYou should go to a nursery if you want experts. That is why stuff is more expensive there, but...
hoosierboy,
DeleteI was not looking for an expert! I just wanted to know where azaleas were located. As I said, the guy pushing me had no reason to know where anything was or what was an azalea.
I have never been one of those that can go shopping for hours. Even my dd is same. When we'd go shopping, 2 hours was our max and we had to head home and that was pushing it. Now, since it's such a drive to the city I feel like I always have to try to get all my errands done and take advantage of the fact that I am there, but then I'm exhausted by the time I get back home. I'd rather just order everything I an online, but then dh complains about delivery drivers every day and all the boxes to get rid of :/
ReplyDeleteOne,
DeleteAt one time, I could shop all day, maybe not buying but one thing. I would drive to Memphis and my sister and I would travel 30 miles to go to a mall and stop at other stores on the way. It has only been since I injured my knee and back that I am exhausted. The way my back hurts, I would hate for anyone to complain about boxes.
I've never been a happy shopper anyway, so yes, I can imagine as I get older, I will avoid stores as much as possible.
ReplyDeleteSAM,
DeleteThe short drive to a store bothers me now.
No, I've never particularly liked shopping although I don't mind grocery shopping. I was wondering if you have an Aldi- I pretty much do all my grocery shopping with them. The prices are so good and at least here, everyone wears a mask. Do you guys have a nearby public library- it's a good place to go and its free! I have 4 within 20 minutes so am very fortunate. I have a few azaleas- pretty but the blooms sure don't last long here. My goal this week is to make some needed phone calls and get some maintenance done around here ugh!
ReplyDeleteNan,
DeleteWe have Aldi's, but I cannot grocery shop on my feet. So, I avoid it. I am going to go and see what the red bag chicken is all about, but will get nothing else. The library was closed last I heard. I go there to check out books, nothing else, so probably won't be going. Azaleas are such a show and bloom here when the dogwood bloom, so they are worth the effort. They make a beautiful backdrop for other flowers and are great shrubs. I hate having to have maintenance done. Good luck with it.
I don’t like being out at all. Home is my comfy place. I had to shop with our guests but didn’t enjoy it one bit.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, expensive store chicken is still cheaper and healthier than eating out or to-go food.
Rhonda,
DeleteI don't like being exhausted. If I could enjoy being in a store, I am all for at least looking. Those raw chicken breasts were too expensive, but I was able to cook them as I please and eat them when I please! Sorry you were forced to shop.