Other Wind
27 / May27 / May27 / May

Highlights from a Three-Day Weekend

Friday, we ate cheese pizza at The Mellow Mushroom before X2.

Saturday, I scrubbed algae off the garage doors, which doesn’t sound fun but was actually kind of satisfying despite the fat-bellied spiders and their eggs. Later on, I made up for the yuck work by picking fresh mint and oregano from our neglected yard to use at dinner. The previous owner planted both, and I keep forgetting to use them. The mint has conquered almost the entire herb garden, but I love it anyway. I discovered the oregano one day a few years ago by following the scent of Italian food to it’s hiding spot in the flower bed by the back porch, behind the huge leaf blades of the red hot poker.

Sunday morning, I went with David and his parents to meet his brother and sister-in-law on their way home to Charlotte at a Perkins off the interstate. We all surprised David’s dad with an early group birthday present of beginner kayaking lessons (on the Ocoee) and the promise of a recreational kayak to come (as soon as he finds time to pick one out).

Monday, Memorial Day, I hosted my first cookout, thankfully just for David and myself. Beforehand, I had to call my dad to get instructions on how to use the little “Smoky Joe” charcoal grill that’s been sitting in our basement since we moved in. The menu: grilled chicken drumsticks, fresh corn-on-the-cob from the Knoxville Food Cooperative, my version of creek-fried potatoes (with olive oil and garlic instead of bacon, onions, and butter), and strawberries with vanilla ice cream for dessert.

Afterwards, we sat and talked with our neighbor on her front porch, overlooking her collection of plants and garden ornaments. Recently, our conversations have been about her late husband, a World War II veteran she lost last October. This time, she talked about a lot of things, but I enjoyed most her description of the forests in Germany, her girlhood home—where you can lie on ground like carpet under the trees.

Finally, in the early evening, I got to lie on the ground under the mulberry in our own back yard with the book I’ve been almost finishing for weeks and the mosquitoes biting.


Allow me to add that I cleaned and sealed the deck. And mowed the yard. Another fun-filled weekend!

The cookout was a success too. And we watched another good movie, Happy Accidents. Plus some episodes from our recently acquired Deep Space Nine DVDs.

Posted by: David on May 27, 2003 05:10 PM

Sounds as if you had a pretty good day.

Would have enjoyed your cookout, but scrubing the garage door and sealing the deck, I would have left for the two of you.

Posted by: Mom on June 9, 2003 08:05 AM