I have an over-abundance of what you call "the Puritan work ethic." If there's a choice between "doing something that needs to be done" vs. having fun or goofing off, i'll likely do what needs to be done.

I'm just hardwired that way. Keep busy, keep busy, work, work work, even at home. I write my list of things i want to do and then i tackle them, one by one.

Today, for instance. It was a gorgeous day, the way days following god-awful weather usually are. I left my knee-high garden boots out front, and they were filled halfway up; so we got 5 or 6 inches of rain last night!

But anyway, back to my Sunday...I had asked my friend M. last weekend if he would help me barricade my basement against the mice. Ever since the chipmunk came in, i'm a little freaked about it, and they start coming in as soon as the nights get a little chilly, meaning right about now. He had actually offered to help me with it 3 years ago, and i (foolishly) never took him up on it. So i asked him last weekend.

He had several social engagements, so he couldn't do it. I called him Thursday, for this weekend, and he said "possibly." I said, could you let me know one way or the other, Sunday a.m., if you can come up? I'll treat you to a nice lunch afterwards. He said ok.

He also said i could call him by noon if i didn't hear from him. Actually, that was my suggestion. If there's one thing i can't stand, it's having to sit and wait for the phone to ring. Cus if he didn't come, i could be doing a hundred other things. (Puritan work ethic again.)

So by 11 am this a.m., i called him, got his machine and left a cheery message, ending with, could you let me know either way if you can come...He called me back a little later, he was just waking up, and said he'd call me back.

OK, gorgeous day, and i'd already been to Home Depot at 8 am to get more stuff for the mice wars, and did it early enough, just so i wouldn't miss his call later in the a.m. (I also stopped at Walgreens and Wal-Mart.)

Then, when i got home and was still waitign for him to call, i even spent some time applying hydraulic cement to some holes in my basement cinderblock walls where water was coming in from last night's hurricane. I was glad to get that done. I hope it holds.

Anyway, he never called me back, even tho i asked him twice to let me know. It just really perturbed me, as i recalled that he's done this to me before. I think it's very inconsiderate to leave someone hanging like that. I have a feeling that he feels bad or maybe a little guilty not wanting to come up, and so he doesn't call. Course that just pisses me off. Sigh.

So after waiting 3 hours for his call, til 2 pm, i decided to hell with it. I decided i was going for a bike ride. It was simply too gorgeous to be pissed off and sit inside. So i slathered on the 60 spf sunscreen, put on my padded biking shorts, filled a tire with air, donned a helmet and away i went with a map and a general destination in mind. I rode for about 1 3/4 hours and i could've have gone further, but decided i did need to mow the lawn. I brought some watermelon cut up in case i got thirsty, and i was able to put that in the cute little wicker basket i got for my bike.

It was just a pleasure to get out and pedal thru some beautiful back roads in my hometown. After all this time, there are many streets i still haven't been on. My town is very spread out. Picked up 5 beer cans for return deposit. That's what i call multi-tasking!

I did a load of wash and hung it out to dry. Then, after mowing and trimming, i started to pull up some of my veggie plants, which are getting spent. My next post will fill you in on the WOW! quantity i've harvested. As with everything in life, I counted what i picked. These things need to be noted! Prepare to be mind-boggled!

Oh, yeah, i should have a "date" next weekend with "K." Believe it or not, i met him on Craig's List. I said in my post that one of the things i like to do is go to the movies at XXX Cinema, a small, non-cineplex type theater that shows mostly independent and foreign films, my favorite kind. The place has a definite following.

So he responded and was practically falling all over himself to contact me. Turns out, he's the OWNER of that theater and he was tickled pink that i mentioned it in my post. So we're going to meet. (Yes, he's divorced/available.) Should be fun.