Fools rush in

One thing led to another yesterday, as it tends to do on your "day of rest." On Saturday night a bedside lamp went on the blink, leading to bustling around, pulling out strange little tools, and laying out lamp pieces on tables. Then a trip to True Value Hardware on Sunday morning, with mutterings from a certain person about how "they won't have what I'm looking for." And of course they didn't, although somehow the lamp got repaired by this same person likes to tell me: "it's a good thing you married a genius."

My part in the domestic drama came when the genius pulled the bed away from the wall to unplug the offending appliance, revealing enough dust to stuff a pillow, and give Martha Stewart a conniption fit. Out comes the vacuum, and there goes another hour. As I say, one thing leads to another...

What does any of this have to do with an olive tree? Well, we stopped at the West Seattle Nursery on the way home, leading to the impulse purchase of a spindly little olive tree for $19.95. As John pointed out, "a bargain" as the label says we will soon be harvesting "up to 20 pounds" of olives right in our backyard.

Since Seattle feels more like Anchorage this week (damp, cold and wet) maybe it was the thought of Mediterranean sunshine and dry hills that pushed us over the brink. Olive trees are borderline winter hardy here in western Washington, but never mind, the label also said I could plant it in a large tub and "bring it inside" during cold spells. Along with all the other tubs of Zone 8 plants I try to grow in our chilly Zone 7?

Anyway, we're ready for summer to finally and truly get here. Sizzle is wearing her winter raincoat again.