I did it!

At last! Today I moved 3 yards of a delicious topsoil mix from the trailer to my first bed. 3 yards is quite alot - your average pick-up truck holds about a yard and a half. My daughter Cory called this morning and asked if she could come up and play, and bring her daughter Madeline, who is 2 1/2. Like there is any other answer than YES YES YES! By 8 am I was out picking up the last of the hated rocks and running the rototiller over every inch of the old compacted soil. It was 9 am before I started hauling load after load in my wheelbarrow. I took a few detours to feed horses and chickens, but I really wanted to get it all done before Cory came so I could play. It takes her a little over an hour to drive here, and they hadn't yet done showers or breakfast, so I figured I had close to 3 hours. And, I almost did it -- I had about 3 loads left in the trailer when she drove up at 11 am...... and this evening I am a stove-up old lady. But boy, do I feel good! HUGE sense of accomplishment, and had a wonderful day with my girls. We went to a nursery new to us, and I bought a trunkful of interesting plants, including a peony and several alstromeria, had sodas at a little diner and came back. Madeline was a very busy little lady all day, she had her hands full helping Gramma and was feeling quite important. She told me shortly after she arrived that my kitty was happy to see her. I had to agree! Her language skills have really taken off the past few months; suddenly it's full sentences and many of them are hysterical. "Gramma, I will ride Paco in, umm, about 3 days" she told me in absolute seriousness. Paco is my little donkey, and while she adores him from afar, she refuses to get close enough to touch. At one point, apparently I was around the house getting soem large rocks to line the beds and Madeline called me repeatedly without reply. She leaned on her mothers knee and plaintivley told her, "Gramma is not taking to me" She is a joy.
When we returned from the nursery trip, Jerry and his son Jerry Lee were putting the finishing touches on the new 2 headed faucet I had requested. One for a timed drip system and one for a hose. Jerry Lee is 38, has 5 children ranging in age from 15 to 5, and lives next door to us. He is a successful contractor and a blessing to us both.
Tomorrow is our annual Bluegrass in the Hills day, held at the remote home of friends. every year we go and enjoy ourselves immensely, but this year I might not go. There is an annual quilt show at the same time in a town about an hour's drive in the oppisite direction, and I have never seen it so tomorrow might be the day. I do so want to go to both. You'll just have to tune again tomorrow to see which one won!