How to Spend a Fine Sunday Afternoon

It is real easy, especially since last November, to look at nothing but the downside and gloom and doom.

I am guilty of it myself. Most of my posts are about how bad things are, or will be, or could be.

Today I am in a different mood. Right now I am sitting on my back porch, feeling the gentle and slightly chilly morning breezes, drinking a cup of ice tea and watching my granddaughter ride her bike in the back yard. Over her laughter and questions about everything I can hear the birds singing in the woods; the rooster next door crowing his greeting to daybreak (4 hours late, but hey; I wanted to sleep in too) and over the hill, down by the river the faint horn of a freight train making the crossings. When things get real quiet I can hear the squirrels barking and causing the tree branches to dip and sway as they jump from branch to branch.

The Rose of Sharon is in bloom, but nothing else. I am a perennial gardener. I throw a perennial in the ground and I am done gardening. Since it is usually the annuals that still flower this time of year I have very little in bloom. But everything is still green and we are starting to get tomatoes. Three or four weeks late, but they are starting to come in. The grass is still growing, but only needs to be cut once a week, instead of twice.

Today is one of those special days we have so rarely; the days between running the air conditioner and running the furnace. I have things I need to do, but none that I have to do. I think that is one thing Franklin got wrong. He said the only two certainties in life were death and taxes. He forgot about the ‘To Do’ list. I always thought ole Ben was a lucky man. If I find out he never had a chores list I’m going to downright jealous.

I don’t live in suburbia. I have visited there once or twice, and don’t think I could live there. My backyard is fairly private. Not running through it buck-nekkid at noon private, but probably running through it buck-nekkid at midnight private (how’s that for a mental image?). I don’t have a homeowners association ‘requesting’ I trim a bush or weed a flower bed. If I want to let the weeds grow another week, I can. If I want to not run the weedeater along the front wall, I can let it go. The Missus may object, but at least she won’t send me a nasty letter. She’ll tell me about in person. At least twice.

I may make today a Manana Day. A no requirements day. One where I can just eat and nap, or do exactly what I want, and not what somebody else wants me to do. I need a day like that every so often, and today I feel like I’ve earned one.

What should I do with Manana Day? A little web surfing? Maybe a post or too. I am behind in my posting, but there I no REQUIREMENT that I post anything, so I can do that today. I do need to get my son’s car up in the air and see what that noise is coming from the rear end. But I don’t have to today. But, getting dirty under an old car is something I like to do, so I may do it anyway. I’ll just have to require somebody else to do the hard work. Like putting it up on jackstands.

The grass doesn’t need cutting, but I may do it anyway, just for the exercise. I also have a half-hours work to finish up my back porch. I may do that too. Not because I have to, but because I want to, and I’ll enjoy doing it.

But right now, it’s off to do a little surfing. If I find anything interesting I’ll let you know.