Everything sublime is as difficult as it is rare. Baruch Spinoza

Thursday, June 1, 2023

Resolution



As has been noted by some, Mark got the message. He didn't appreciate that phone call, then I drove it home. He is suitably humbled and will do as I have asked, put the cleanup as a priority over lopping saplings. He's a good man, but a deeply stubborn man. Aesthetics mean nothing to him, especially when he's on his own mission. He has always been the garden weeder because he is very adept at it. He can clear weeds about five times faster than I can. Yesterday he weeded the iris in front of the veranda and the plantings in front of the rest of the house. There is a large flower bed in this area, as well. He said he would do that one today. 

Mark has also committed to cutting up and removing as much of the tree as he can with his chainsaw. He said that will be most of the tree and he will do it this weekend. He has client work he needs to do, the 15th of a month is always one deadline or another. He committed to removing the falling down arena fence after that is done. The neighbor did me a favor, Mark didn't like it and he saw, because of the call, what I have been telling him is real. That, combined with formidable me showing up, was enough to get him to cooperate. I told him I'd make a rhubarb pie. When it's done. As far as the lawn, Bill has been gone. The have a small RV which is not there, so they went camping. Mark will ask for the use of his mower when Bill gets back. Honestly, the tree and weeds in the flowers bothers me the most.


The iris and peonies are blooming. It's a riot of color. I need to thin phlox, that pretty flower is so invasive it's choking out three of the flower beds. The positive is weeds don't stand a chance! We are well above normal in temperature, at least what use to be normal. It will be 90F today and in that range into next week. Also very humid. I had to turn the air conditioner on last night. In May! Being so hot and humid at the time of year where we normally have spring weather is unhelpful.

I will end with the thought that the entitled neighbor actually performed a service. Getting angry, at Mark, cleared my funk and gave Mark a wakeup call. Listen to the aware one in the family!

12 comments:

Lori Skoog said...

Ahhhhhh. Progress is on the way. That iris is gorgeous. Wish ours were that color.

Val Ewing said...

Beautiful Iris flowers! I have nothing like that at all.

Well, I guess a bit of motivation was needed. Me? I don't have the other half to do that [I'm smiling because my hubby needed a fire lit under him to do things when he was able!]

Sounds like you got it under control.

Boud said...

Well, good for both of you! Mark sounds like a person who has great difficulty switching tasks from what he originally decided on. I think getting the tree dealt with will be great.

Sandra said...

Lori, I have a lot of iris. So many have been choked out by grass the past few years. Nature is kicking my butt!

Sandra said...

Val, yes, from the outside. He wouldn't have been open if that call hadn't happened.

Sandra said...

Boud, you got that right! He is also a high anxiety person, so it takes some finesse getting through to him. This was a good thing, it made him see what I have been saying was more important than he thought. He is task oriented and this wasn't a task in his mind. He really is not visual at all. He wouldn't be able to tell you the color of his office. Aspergers is in his family, a brother has been diagnosed and lives in a community farm setting. He's intellectually fine but has no judgement. Mark's mother likely was Aspergers. A sister in CA, too. I believe Mark is high functioning Aspergers and he has come to agree. He said he shouldn't agree because it sounds like an excuse for a lot of things. I told him it's a reason, not an excuse. So I, an impatient, fussy somewhat demanding person marries Mark! It's been interesting. We have both learned along the way.

Far Side of Fifty said...

Oh property management all takes time and $. Ask for a couple of million over the normal asking price and maybe the hotshot neighbor will get the message:) That Iris is a beauty! Oh was it hot and humid today...we turned the air on today...it just was stuffy in the house. Skeeters will cart you off at night too:(

Sandra said...

Far Side, HA! 10 million, it's all yours! It is so humid already. I think it's our normal now.

Beatrice P. Boyd said...

Sandra, I have fallen woefully behind in blog reading and while I didn't comment on all your previous ones (and those of other bloggers we well) I did catch up on the post that prompted this one. In all fairness, I would not like that neighbor either and glad that you and Mark have reached an agreement. Far Side did have a fun solution and maybe even $5M would work??? The purple iris is lovely and in my favorite color too. I always enjoyed the ones we grew in our VA garden, if only they stayed around longer (sigh).

e said...

I'm sorry it took a bad neighbor to finally drive the point home. Your neighbor sounds greedy and self centered and I'm sorry your husband is left to do so much on his own and has a hard time asking for help because he has so much to do. Your flowers are lovely.

Sandra said...

Beatrice, you are a very busy person! I know what you mean, I have a riot of color for a couple of weeks, then poof. Gone.

Sandra said...

e, he's a person who was a celebrity. He's what I'd expect.Mark will accept help from Bill and his brother. That's about it. The gardens are in full glory right now.