Wednesday's Productivity

Root Stock Roses 

Most hybrid roses are grafted onto hardier root stock and one of the most common root stock for roses (in southern California, at least) are Rosa "Dr. Huey", which is a climbing rose with clusters of dark red roses.  I am not one hundred percent positive that this is a Dr. Huey rose, but, I do know that it is a root stock rose.  Because the hybrid roses that were growing on these rose root stocks have died, but the root stocks have continued to thrive!  I am happy to have them and they seem to tolerate much neglect without any complaints!  

Today has been another sunny and warm day.  I slept in this morning and found it hard to get going!   I am so not a wake up and start on the day's to do list type of person!  Eventually, however, after replying to blog comments, etc., I practiced the piano.

The kitchen tap has been dripping a very slow drip for the past several months (the rubber sealer ring probably needs to be replaced, but, I am unable to do it myself and I didn't want to call someone to do it for me before both my daughter and I were fully vaccinated).  I've been placing a small stockpot type of pan under the tap to collect the water; it fills up overnight so every morning, I use that water to water some of the garden plants.  Then, it fills up during the day and I use the water to water a few more plants in the evening.

This morning, when I took the pot of water to water some of the plants in the front garden, I noticed a sign on my front door - apparently, the power company had sent out someone to trim the pine tree at the back of my garden that is close to the power lines.  If they had knocked on the door, I didn't hear them (I was probably asleep!), but, my daughter said she didn't hear anyone knocking, either.  They wouldn't have been able to access my backyard because the gate was locked.  Anyway, there was a phone number to call, which I did.  I spoke with someone at the tree trimming services that had been contracted by the power company; they will try to send someone out, tomorrow morning, around 8:00 a.m.!  Eek!  I'd better set the alarm and wake up to unlock the gate before then!

Finally, in the evening, after procrastinating as long as I could, I started on the bedroom.  I dusted the bedside table and tossed one empty jar of balm.  The two drawers had been decluttered, earlier, and they seemed to be OK for now. 

Then, I moved on to the desk.  Oh, that desk seems to be a magnet for piles of paper!  I have the hardest time keeping the surface cleared!  But, I took everything off and dusted.  Sorted through some papers and set them aside to be torn up and recycled.  Earlier this year, when neighbor S was cleaning out her garage, one of the items she got rid of was a wooden desk organizer.  I saw it out on the curb and called her to ask if I could have it and daughter helped me to bring it and a shoe rack home.  I had cleaned the desk organizer and had been waiting to clear my desk to set it up:

Wooden Desk Organizer

There is a crack on the front of the little pull out drawer but, it is otherwise fine.  It has room for files and papers and I think I can make it work for me.  

I probably spent about an hour sorting through the papers on my desk and I still had everything spread out on my bed when my daughter called me to take a break to have the cup of coffee she had made for me.

After coffee, I watched the evening news and tore up the papers I had set aside to recycle.

Then, I went out to the garden.  I took the grocery bag of papers I had torn up and cut back when I was cutting up all those old documents.  All those bits of paper was used as mulch on one of the flower beds!  I put them over the cardboard and newspapers I had spread out, earlier.  Whether it will stay in place is anyone's guess!  I do plan to get some bark mulch to place over everything.  

I also spent some time weeding - not around the peach tree as first thought, but around the area where I planted sweet potatoes, last year!  When I harvested the sweet potatoes from that vine, back in January, I had left the vine in place.  Later, all the leaves died, but, yesterday, when I was watering the garden, I noticed that there was some new growth near the beginning of the vine (near the original sweet potato top I had planted)!  Maybe, if I am lucky, I might get more new sweet potato vines growing again!  Wouldn't that be nice?

I was out in the garden for one hour and came in at 8:00 p.m. as it was time to make dinner.  I cooked frozen pot stickers (gyoza) because daughter is a bit tired of soup, mashed potatoes, etc., and I figured the pot stickers would be soft enough for her to eat.  It was a meal we both enjoyed!

After dinner, I did the dishes, scrubbed the sink, and then, headed to the bedroom to tidy the file folders and stacks of paper I had left spread out on the bed.  My plan was to stack them back on the desk and work on them, again, tomorrow.

Except... when I went to the bedroom, there was not a single file folder or piece of paper on my bed!  The Organizing Fairy had been and put all the papers and file folders in the desk organizer slots and moved a few other things around, too!  Well now!  What a pleasant surprise!  Such a blessing!  She also helped me to change frames on one picture that I had of my mother and I.

With the file folders off the bed, I was inspired to dust the top of my chest of drawers, launder the knitted blanket that was on the bed, and, change the quilt!  I will wash the quilt that was on the bed, tomorrow, and put it away for awhile.  

I still have to sort through the papers that are in the file folders and find room for the folders in the file cabinet, but, I can do that one folder at a time.  

Still to do in the bedroom - clean the window and window sill, dust and tidy the dressing table top/clean the mirror (dressing table drawers are tidy), go through the closet, and vacuum.

Today, I am grateful for:

- The Organizing Fairy's surprise visit!
- New growth on the old sweet potato vine
- Free "mulch"
- Working appliances
- What I was able to accomplish

Today's joyful activity was being surprised by the Organizing Fairy's visit!  

Thursday's To Do List:

- Continue with the bedroom cleaning and tidying

- Clean the kitchen

- Water the garden (back)

- Load of laundry (quilt)

- Paperwork/filing

- Practice the piano

- Weed

How was your Wednesday?  What are your plans for Thursday?