I’m off to White Rock later today as tomorrow my friend Beverly and I are off to New York City for a week of sightseeing and general hilarity.  You’d think I’d be over the moon with excitement, which I am, however all this is tempered with nervousness.  Why?  Because I just found out mom had another TIA (transient ischemic attack) last evening.

It’s kind of hard to plan things however if mom can just pull herself together I’ll be back in a week, so here’s hoping.  Alan the wonderful handyman from Nova Scotia is thankfully there with her, so that’s one bright spot. 

I was just there for two nights, and the place is looking pretty damned good.  Alan and his helpers brought in several tons of rocks which went between the two houses and looks very nice. He also put a wall in front of the ghastly propane tank so we don’t have to look at it from mom’s house.

I know in my heart Calvin will take excellent care of the house and pets, however as a mentally ill gardener I’m worried about the plants.  As I type this, I have a sprinkler on as it’s 25 degrees out and I know the irrigation system just doesn’t provide all the water I seem to think those plants need.  I basically drive myself crazy with neuroses.

Luke’s off to France for ten days as part of his new job with BC Tree Fruits.  He’s going to a city called Toulouse where he’ll be learning how to use the fancy new sorting machine they bought, and then that’ll be his job: keep that machine running.  He’s never been to Europe so he’s super excited about it all.  Who wouldn’t be?

All of this should work out with mom, as he’ll leave for France and I’ll be returning from New York, so we can somehow juggle gramma’s care.  Jan’s also there, and that’s a huge quandary for all as she doesn’t drive and so we have to figure out how that woman’s going to get to her job at Mariposa. 

Yesterday when I left Osoyoos I thought it’s so adorable, Luke, Jan and gramma all cause nervous prostration, each in their own way.  It’s really quite wonderful to be at home with just the Hell of the house and garden.  My own handyman, Gilles, pointed out the entire fascia board surrounding the house needs to be replaced.  To own a house means you never have to wonder about where your money is going.

I’m still packing and unpacking, though I’m leaving in a few hours, so I do hope I can make up my mind.  Apparently it’s only around 15 degrees in NYC, and leaving here at 25 degrees makes it somewhat difficult psychologically to pack socks and shoes.  We’re both just taking carry-on, so that’s a good thing as for one week we don’t need an awful lot of outfits.

I made a list of attractions, you know the usual, Empire State Building, Central Park, Greenwich Village, but I also googled Salvation Army stores in Manhattan as surely some wealthy folks will have thrown their designer duds to them?  We can only hope.

If I return to mom and the garden both alive, it’ll be great.  I just wrote out the instructions to Beverly’s house in White Rock and feel totally sick at the complexity, so again, shot nerves….