Banana tree pruning - ugh...

Tropical as banana trees look and as easy as they are to grow, they're a royal pain this time of year. When I bought my start - maybe 3 small trees - they multiply, too, by the way - the nursery told me after the 2nd or 3rd hard freeze, then to cut back the stalks to where there's obviously life left. They're supposed to die back from the freezes. This winter has been too warm. I don't think we had one hard freeze - that I remember anyway. We might get into the 30s and it's back to the 70s the following day. I wanted winter! Anyway, back to the banana trees - the darn things even have new growth! So, I delegated today to be the day. Of course Tommy was willing to help me. It's so nice to have his help.

Cutting them down wasn't the hard part. The hard part was getting them dragged out to the street. Gosh, I sure hope somebody will pick them up! I really - and I mean really - don't want to have to cut them into pieces and bag them all! I even used the blue tarp that is all ragged and torn that was on my roof to put a lot of the cuttings on and drug that around. I'm too old and in too bad a shape to do this! I'd make one trip, and go sit down and let my heart get back to normal. It sucks! But now it's done. There's one piece left on the other side of the fence I couldn't get to. So, the business behind me will just have to deal with it -- if they will at all.

It's so discouraging. I try to make things look the best I can with what I have to work with. But the business behind me is so junky. It got worse when they put the dumpsters in. When I moved here in '90 there was a privacy fence, but Parigi tore it down a few years ago. I begged them to put one back and they said no. I even asked the business behine me to put one up, but they won't. I sure can't afford it - especially for a rented space! The news I got from Jimmy the other day saying there are plans to put up a fence all around is really good news, but when!

The neighbor next to me on my right has a stupid toilet - can you imagine! -- behind his house and a few other things. So, that view is let's say marred. Then there's the meter poles on my left servicing four meters, and then the falling apart shed that's on the space next to me and a freaking stuffed chair and a few other things that somebody attempted to put behind the shed and didn't quite make it. So, that's an eyesore. I'm so sick of it! What's the point of trying to fix up the patio when all there is in every direction a pile of garbage.

But at least I think the front porch looks better. There's too many little pots of pansies, but if they will grow -- which is debatable -- it might look nice. They're all yellow pansies except for some white with purple that I'll put in a hanging basket when I get some more soil. Well, it's not fancy, but it's quite an improvement over what was there.

Note my green chairs - you don't see it from this view, but there are two with a table in between and the 2nd table is on the other side up against the railing. The chairs were natural color originally and terribly stained and weathered.

A couple years ago I put out lantana in the front bed, which is adjacent to the concrete blocks that leads to the stairs, but they're getting stemy, and I'm ready to put something else there. Maybe in March there will be some nice plants out to choose from.

Otherwise, I managed to get about half the last job I have here done, and we'll be out of work again. I sure hope she's taking a job Monday. This is a very long drought we're in, and I'm not liking it.

I still haven't finished the curtains in my living room. Guess that will take priority tomorrow to get that project finished -- after my job, of course. Then I'll be about out of stalling excuses to start my booth project!

To follow up on Quincy's saga, he seemed back to his old self today. Last night he did curl up on my chest to go to sleep, so he did forgive me. Lord knows what will happen if he is ever put in that carrying cage or a car again! And, the black and white cat wasn't around at all today. So, I hope he found somebody that will give him a really good home.