One Thousand pounds

Today I unloaded 1,400 pounds of top soil and compost from my car. Before this, I gathered 12 2x6x8 and 4 4x4x8 pieces of wood from Home Depot. When I got to my car, 2 men stopped their truck in the middle of the lot behind me and got out to help me get my load into Olive. They even used a piece of one of their own ropes to secure it. I offered them a bit of money, they declined and we all went on our way. Thank you kind workers from Moore and Macomb who were on their way to Mustang to patch a ceiling. When I got home, I made a new friend who just happened to be walking by as I pulled out the first 2x6x8. He offered his help, and I gladly accepted. He was an elderly homeless man who I shared a short but nice conversation with. When we were finished, I offered him some money as well. I wouldn't have let him refuse, even though he said, "Oh, now I just wanted to help you." I knew he had no other intentions than to help, and I was really grateful that my first two helpers had declined the only cash I had in my wallet. As he walked away with a few dollars in hand, toward the restaurant two blocks down on the corner, Magnolia (who was watching from the car) asked what his name was. I wasn't sure, so I called out to him to ask. Cecil. His name is Cecil, and I hope our paths will cross again.

The lumber and soil is for our vegetable garden. This is our year. We're going to have 2 4x8 ft. raised beds. We built the first tonight. It was more of a chore than I thought it would be. The first screws were awful and stripping out. I returned them and went back for different ones. The 4x4 posts we're attaching them to are really hard, so it's not turning out exactly as planned, but what goes in the beds is far more important. Tomorrow will be a day outside filling the beds and planting our seeds and vegetable plants. I'm looking forward to it. After we built our first bed, Jake and I came in to put the girls to bed, and then we moved our stove and fridge back into the kitchen. Wowza, I am tired, I hope I'm not sore tomorrow.

I enjoyed my random interactions with people today. I love kind hearts and willing hands, and being able to reciprocate help.

Before I end, I can't say enough about TLC Nursery. If you live in Oklahoma, this place is awesome. It's on Santa Fe and Memorial, and they have everything you can imagine and then some. I really miss Horn Seed Company not only for what it was (a local business that had been in business for 91 years, but closed last year after a fire) but also because it was so close, but the people at TLC are so helpful and have an answer for all of my questions, so it makes the sting of losing Horn hurt a little less. Good service is priceless.

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