This morning, I took video and will be putting together a garden tour video tonight, after I finish watering the garden. Until then, here is some cuteness!

Inside cuteness…

… and outside cuteness!

I have been finding piles of outside kittens in that bed in the sun room more often.

The inside kittens quite enjoyed the freshly laundered fluffy blanket and towel!

Today was a wonderfully cool day. We had a high of only 18C/64F We had scattered showers in the region throughout the day, but I did eventually get to put a second coat of paint on the folding table and stump bench. I don’t think they will need a third coat. We’ll have lots of paint for other projects.

I also worked on trimming the lumpy bits on the debarked log. I drained both batteries on the mini chainsaw, with only one last large lump that needs to be trimmed.

We did not get enough rain, though, so I’ve been working on watering the garden. As I write this, I’ve got the last sprinkler set up in the main garden area, and a timer running. Once that’s done, I still need to water the front garden beds. I should be able to get that done while the light holds. Once that’s done, I’ll be able to start editing a garden tour video.

My day was almost disrupted completely. Thank God my sister phoned, first. She started off asking if we wanted cucumbers, which I thankfully declined; we still have pickles from last year! I said no to slicing cucumbers, too.

What does it mean that my sister’s call had me feeling slightly suspicious – and that my suspicions proved warranted?

As we were talking, I suddenly heard my mother announcing that they were in our little hamlet. It turns out they had gone to the cemetery to tend the family plot, and were at a nearby park (where they have public washrooms and water available), where they had their lunch. As we were talking, my mother suddenly asked, “are you going to invite us over?”

I was expecting that.

My answer was, no.

I then reminded her that we need to plan ahead for visits. Just dropping by suddenly is very disruptive.

First, she tried to guilt me. “Don’t forget, you’re living in my house”.

“It’s not your house anymore.”

Again, I repeated that we need time to plan visits. Then she threw a real whopper at me.

“Are you afraid of [my husband]?”

That one had me laughing out loud.

She kept trying to find ways to blame my family, but I finally said that it was HER behaviour that’s the problem.

She went silent after that. My sister and I talked a bit more before she finally said that our mother was in a “mood” and it was time to go.

My mother completely cannot accept that her own behaviour causes her own problems. When she comes here, she’s rude and often cruel. She has no interest in visiting us. Her only interest is in seeing what we’ve done and to criticize me for it – and I don’t mean constructive criticism! But she also expects us to wait on her, hand and foot, and dote on her. She treats my family like crap, insults them, then wonders why they don’t want to be around her. My husband is in constant pain, but he’s supposed to come out and pander to her as well. My older daughter works nights, but she’s supposed to interrupt her sleep to dote on her. My younger daughter has pretty severe PCOS, which affects her physical appearance that has my mother being particularly cruel. Today she wasn’t feeling well, either. My mother, however, gives zero thought to how other people might feel, or what they are dealing with. Her world revolves around herself, and she expects our worlds to revolve around her. There’s only so much of that that can be blamed on her age. Frankly, she’s been like this for a long time.

Oh! There goes my timer. Time to turn off the sprinkler and water the front garden beds.

<<< one hour later >>>

I’m back!

Gosh, it’s so gorgeous out there. I didn’t want to come back inside!

Anyhow. Where was I?

Ah… yes. We managed to not get what would have been a highly disruptive and unpleasant “visit” from my mother.

I’m sure she’s going to try and find some way to punish me for not allowing her to abuse me and my family. I’m just glad my sister made sure to phone ahead this time. The last time my mother talked her into suddenly showing up here, it was quite unpleasant and set my weather dependant work back for days, so she promised to always call first!

For now, the garden is taken care of, the outside cats have been tended to, and now it’s time for me to start on that video! Hopefully, I’ll be able to finish it tonight and be able to upload it by morning. We shall see!

The Re-Farmer