Laboring on Labor Day...

Today I've been finishing up my porch project. I've actually been working on the porch for more than a week now-- I started last Friday, and painted one coat of paint, and then, it rained the rest of the weekend. I waited and waited to put on the second coat and then yesterday I put on two coats of the sealant stuff, which didn't take long at all. I'm a bit disheartened because the light blue paint shows a lot of footprints-- my flipflop prints show up especially bad, and while you can wipe the prints off, I'm not planning to sweep/mop everytime I walk outside. I knew it wouldn't always look pretty and new, but I did hope it would look good, you know, at least until I finished and put all the furniture back on the porch.

I also did some "gardening". I'm sure it comes as no surprise that I'm not much for gardening. I did plant a few flowers in the flowerbed last year as a surprise for my mom-- on my hand and knees, planting. It was NO FUN. I mean, why the heck do people think gardening is a fun hobby? I have no idea. But, I did plant some ivy into a pot-- it was my type of "gardening"-- sitting in a chair outside, with the plant in front of me. But my hands did get super dirty:



Aren't you all impressed? Now I'll have dirty fingernails and probably some blisters on my hands and people will know I'm not a lady who lunches but that I work hard for a living!!! Just like Scarlett.

I'll post pictures of my new porch, ivy included, when I am totally finished. I'm waiting on a couple things to dry off before I put them back out. But see how dirty I got? I'm even wet from using the hose to clean off some furniture:



I also painted a cute little table with red spray paint-- it looks cute, but I got into some ants on my right leg. I didn't take any pictures because I was too busy hopping around the yard trying to stop itching. I'm sure it was hilarious to everyone else.

Between all my hard work today, I've had a bit of a chance to read The Blind Assassin.



But Jessica, what about your book list? Love in the Time of Cholera?, you are probably wondering. Relax, dear readers, I'm still doing that. The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood, was another book I bought several years ago with high hopes of reading. And after seeing in on all sorts of book lists while researching my book list, I decided to put it on there. Then I picked it up last week, while our list was still pending, deciding to get a jump on it, and realized, its a REALLY strange book. And being the good friend I am, I decided to remove it from the list so that Katie wouldn't have to be subjected to this weird sci-fi story within a story within a story within a memoir thing that the book has going on. Its gotten better but its still really strange. I'll start Love as soon as I finish this one.

To end my Labor Day post, here are some pictures my mom took in the Grove Saturday!!

Betsy and Peter-- isn't my sister so pretty?



Nicholas and his friend, Kellie-- I LOVE Kellie. Can I trade her for Nicholas?



Parker in her cheerleader outfit!! Beautiful!!



In her Ole Miss bed. This bed usually stays with Dad in Newton but we brought it so she'd have a place to rest. She preferred the ground most of the day.



She's a tired girl-- its a hard job being so cute all the time, you know.



Me and Parker!!



Parker and her new friend Sophie who is also a cheerleader. Although I am way to Southern to be mean about it, I do believe the red looks better on Parker than the navy looks on Sophie. However, Sophie's mom did tell us that they also have a PINK cheerleader outfit and Parker seemed really excited about that. Perhaps Santa will bring her that!