vw, it's quite nice out today... so you will be rewarded for motivating outside.

YAY! Me loves rewards :).

See you all later!

I had yesterday off. Now I have to work for the next five days. Feh.

It seemed like a good idea to get in a rototilling of the garden yesterday, as it had been non-rainy for a few days and just once I wanted to get my garden tilled before May.

Andi and I went to the hardware store that has a rental store in back, and I rented a rear-tined rototiller for the 2 hour minimum. $29 seemed reasonable, so we drove it up ramps to the back of the minivan and carefully drove it home.

Once home, the damn thing wouldn't start, so Andi called the guy and he said he would be right over to help. Cool. except that I figured out why it didn't start before he got there. However, another problem presented itself. the tines wouldn't engage.

The guy got here and tried to get it to work, and then called another guy, who showed up and tried to get it to work. Nope. they then loaded it up in the back of the first guy's truck and went back to the store with it.

15 minutes later Andi and I went back and got another rototiller, this time the front-type, which I've always observed is a bit less smooth to work with and leaves tire tracks in your garden. At least we got the clock reset, and I got $8 back from my earlier rental due to front tines being cheaper.

Got that back to the house and proceeded to till the garden twice, and the small plot under the lilacs, and a new patch along the fenceline for Andi's snow peas....and a bit of flower bed for good measure. Front-tined tillers have come a long way. While still leaving wheelmarks, this one at least got 7 inches deep, and we could have gone deeper. Not bad at all.

Of course, then I couldn't return something all filthy,so I took off my gloves and spent a few minutes spraying the tines, and bent down with wet hands and put my HAND ON TOP OF THE MUFFLER for a split second of sizzle and yow. The water and quick reflexes seem to have protected it. As of this morning, the palm of my hand has not yet blistered.

We got the roots detangled from the tines, and brought it back to the store under the 2 hour mark, so no extra charges, yay.

Now to work sitting in front of a computer all day. Wacky.

So I'm untying the dog from the hitch outside the coffee shop, and this guy (who I'd noticed looking at the dog while I was inside) comes up.

"Good dog. {beat} Good shoes. Good ankles. Also, I really like your eyes."

Hooo-kay.

"Good dog. {beat} Good shoes. Good ankles.

Um, Good bye.

Creepy.

Creeeepy, Brenda. Was he attractive, at least?

Well, it's nice that he likes your dog's shoes.

Yeah, she's a real fashionista.

I always thought that about Lucy.

Announcement: I am the crankiest cranky-butt who has ever been cranky EVER.

Analysis: establish minimum clear distance. And send me sushi.