Sunny Days

The past few days it's been sunny. It's cold in the early afternoon, but as the day progresses it becomes bearable. I have been loving this weather, the sun not setting until at least 5:30. That's the way it should be. There is ample time in the afternoons to work outside and get things done before the sun gallivants off into the distance, mocking me. I have a strange little quirk that has been in my possession since I was a child. Sunsets make me mournful. They bring out of me a longing that practically drives me insane. This only lasts for the half hour or so that it takes for the sun to disappear. Then the night comes in, and I'm in a different world.

But I like to think I've been productive the past few days. On Monday I babysat a friend's daughter for 6 hours. The more I babysit, the less I want kids. I don't mind them, but I like them going home to their parents. I don't want to get stuck with a needy creature 24/7/52/18+. I can't imagine. I don't want to imagine.

I also made Mexican meatballs on Monday. They are from a recipe that my sister-in-law sent me. they are quite tasty, and my husband is quite joyful every time I make Mexican food. Earlier that day I started to remove the brambles from the trees and the barn.

Yesterday I cleaned out one of the gutters on the barn. It was absolutely, horribly clogged. It took me over an hour just to clean that one part. I then finished cleaning the rest of the brambles that were attached to the barn and trees. After hours of work I finally got them all out except for the roots. The roots are ginormous. I took an axe to them, but could only get off small chunks. The larger of the two is about 6"x4", to give some sort of perspective. Maybe I'll take a picture and post it.

Today I cleaned the other accessible gutters of the barn. These ones stunk unbelievably. I had to use my hands because I don't have a tool and the hose didn't reach. I've washed my hands many times and the smell still won't leave. I also started to clean up the insulation from the shed that I have been trying to demolish for many months. I cleaned it out of my garden first, then grabbed a few chunks and filled up 3 bags. I then commenced to hack at the blackberry bushes and filled my yellow bucket with them. I finally removed the broken, blue container that the previous tenants left. It was filled with dishes and pots. I threw out the pots because they shattered when I lifted them, but I have no idea what to do with the dishes. Who knows how long they've been there, and they've been covered in mud and rotting things so that there were prickles growing out of them! I've left them in the yard for now, but that's not a permanent location.

I also have been doing quite a bit of reading for school. I wondered where all my time went last week, and I realized that it was because I was finishing reading Don't Sleep There Are Snakes. It was a delightful read, and even though I didn't label it "school reading", it will definitely help me with my final paper. He brought up many relevant points.

I have not done physical labour for so long, I am lazy to go to ballet tonight. I will still go, because that is what I need to do, but I am quite tired! Going to ballet requires an extra hour of driving. But I have already paid for the class, and I know I enjoy it while I'm there (despite looking fat in my leggings and tank-top).