That's the sound of the mighty black locust falling to the ground in big chunks. It wasn't as bad as I thought. They worked very quickly. 5 minutes after i walked back into the house, the single trunk evergreen was down. That one they didn't use the cherry picker on becus my neighbors' wires were too close, so they cut it at the base and pulled it down with ropes.

With the locust, they completely forgot that I'd asked them to cut the wood in 16 foot lengths for my sister's boyfriend, who has a sawmill. Oh well. The cat didn't seem overly bothered by the noise. They left somewhat of a mess on the lawn with all the small branches and sawdust, and while they had a leaf blower, they didn't really use it. (If i use this guy again, i will make a point about that.)





Yesterday, i began rolling or wheelbarrowing the smaller pieces to the driveway, but here's some of it on the lawn. Why move it? I don't have to, S. is bringing a backhoe to lift and move it all, though if i thought i could move all the pieces (I can't) i would. I'm very protective of my yard and garden, what can i say. Luckily, i have a good back.

After writing out a check for $1400, i bagged the trip to Agway for birdseed, suddenly feeling poor. I did go to TJ Maxx, but luckily, didn't find anything there i liked.

At stop n shop i bought some shrimp for a stir fry dinner last night. I asked the guy behind the counter for a half pound of the shrimp. He repeated that number to me when he weighed it and i bought it. But something was irking me, how could it have come to $5 and change when a full lb was going for $6.99. Something wasn't right, and when i looked at the price on the shrimp, i saw that he charged me the higher price someone without a stop and shop card would pay.

It was a difference of just a little over a dollar, hardly worth the cost of gas to travel 3 miles back to the store to get a refund. If stop and shop is open today, i plan to do that at another stop n shop on the way to my mother's for Easter. But what bothers me is the larger picture here. For 13 years, i've been traveling those extra 3 miles to shop there rather than the Big Y which is just around the corner from me. But i'd say on an average of 1 out of every 3 shopping trips, a mistake is made...human error, by the cashier. (Never in my favor.) If you don't examine your receipt like a hawk, you're paying even more than you already are. With the cost of nearly every food item going up, i can't afford to pay even an extra $1 i don't need to. So i'm going to write a letter to Stop n Shop corporate HQ today, on Easter Sunday.

So anyway, back to my tree. I spent 2.5 hours lifting pieces of wood, putting it in my wheelbarrow, which at most can carry 3 pieces at one time, then trudging 30 feet to my driveway, where i dumped it for easy loading by sis' friend. A good workout, to be sure, and i hope to do a bit more either before or after Easter dinner at mom's, which actually is early this afternoon.

An old friend of mine is making a surprise visit to see my sis and mom. OK, an old boyfriend from 15 years ago. We still keep in touch, usually just once or twice a year, strictly platonic.

Did I tell you of the case of the exploding pot? I bought 2 pots at a local nursery here as i wanted to have some houseplants at the office, but there's no direct light, so i shopped for some shade-loving plants, one of them being a pothos. Anyway, i bought 2 pots made out of bamboo in pretty colors. They were attractive, and renewable. The leaflet said they would "deteriorate" in 2 to 3 years, but i still liked the idea.

I bought the pots and plants last Sunday, and potted up the plants that night. Brought them into work on Monday. Tuesday a.m. i discovered at work that the pot had literally exploded. It was all cracked and dirt was falling out. I don't think anyone, like the cleaning crew, had dropped it and then put it back together again. I had heard strange cracking noises the day before, actually. I don't know if, in the process of absorbing the 1/2 cup of water i poured in there did something, but the bamboo seemed very brittle.

Far too many times when something i buy doesn't work out, i don't bother to do anything about it and write it off. I really don't feel i want to do that anymore, even for small purchases. So i called the nursery and spoke to the owner's wife, who was very nice about it. I told her i knew it looked like i had dropped it, but that i hadn't, and that i'd like a refund. In response to my question, she said that no one else had complained of bamboo-exploding pots. She was very nice about it and agreed to a return, tho now i can't find the receipt, and i had planned on returning it yesterday, but got caught up in my yardwork. So now will likely have to wait another week as they close before i get home from work.

I hope to get my mom to cut my hair when i go over later today. Maybe someday i'll have the nerve to try to cut it myself.