Start your day with a 34-second smile.  I dare you not to laugh!

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Met Patti for lunch yesterday up at Norterra;  we rendezvous-ed at Lowes' plant department.  They had stunning hibiscus plants on display, and I really miss ours by the hot tub and out front that succumbed to last winter's 5-day freeze.  So after a healthy lunch at Pita Jungle (where we shared cilantro hummus and a Greek salad) when I dropped her back at Lowe's to pick up her car, I ended up buying a couple, one red, one orange. 

Patti followed me back to the house to help me figure out the bra clip so that my straps don't show at the wedding (it works!), and really likes my dress.  We collaborated on which of my turquoise/purple earrings to wear (I have a lot in those colors) and then she was off.

I headed out back to plant the hibiscus.  Sogged up the ground and dug a hole and plopped the red one in.  But before I could even fill in the remaining gap the dirt, Pokey was  there, busily munching away on  the beautiful blooms.

I dragged her away a bunch of times (my poor back!) but with her limited intellectual capacity she did not get the message.  Then she started in on the leaves!  I raced to the guest house to get the fencing we'd used to keep the ducks/geese off of the patio there, and fenced it in.  Of course that fence is NO match for Pokey's strength, but maybe (???) just seeing it will keep her out?  After all, she's 

I came inside to rest my back (digging, even soggy mud, does't make it happy, and dragging Pokey really doesn't make it happy!) and did the Sunday crossword puzzle.  Then back outside to sweep/hose off the pool deck and front and back porches.  By then Pokey had retired for the evening so I could plant the second hibiscus in peace.

When I finished and came inside it was 6:00, and Patti called to see if I'd had dinner yet.  (I hadn't.)  She'd made some fried rice (with veggies/egg/shrimp) and invited me over, but I had to decline because I don't drive at night.  At which point she offered to bring some over for me.  Which she did... and it was delicious.  She is such a good friend!

Jason, the irrigation zanjero, called me late yesterday afternoon to let me know that he wasn't going to be able to do irrigation for us after all on Friday (when we'll be on our way to Jeff & Priscilla's wedding.)  Seems his wife had planned a surprise trip for them.  So instead of having all my ducks in a row (I thought I had it all arranged over a week ago) I was scrambling to find someone.

Lisa Lane can let the water go from the yard, but will be at work when it's time to do the gates on 35th Ave.  Luckily, Joy and Dick will be able to do that for me.  Another crisis averted!

(Now if Congress could just do the same thing...!!!)

Speaking of Lisa Lane (whose chickens were attacked a while back by a coyote - I took care of one of the injured survivors for 10 days): on Thursday a coyote attacked their dog Precious in their backyard. Lisa barely had a voice yesterday; she strained her vocal cords screaming at the coyote.  That (of course) didn't work, but luckily when their other dog Harley raced to the rescue the coyote dropped Precious. 

Lisa finally got Precious to eat something yesterday (a little bit of scrambled egg) and Precious even wagged her tail a bit.  So it looks like she is on the mend.

Off to my Monday morning workout with Jim in a bit (could be a tough one.... I've been too busy to get to the gym this week!), home for a quick shower and then off to PT.  Then a few last minute errands (like picking up Mom's faux cheese that Sprouts ordered) and then off to the airport.

Happy Monday!