Day Late and a Dollar Short!
One would think, being retired, that one would have all the time in the world for the finer things in life. The trick is to adjust ones schedule accordingly. Since my short time here in Florida, I have tried to familiarize myself with local activities, some of which are proving to be annoyingly elusive. My first act upon retiring was to throw away all my watches, and to shut off all alarm clocks. After all, time is not quite so much of the essence as when I was part of several work forces.
That having been documented, I decided to try and get my garden (I do so hate the term back yard - sounds like a prison exercise area behind the Big House!) to be populated with indigenous flora, in the hope that the fauna would follow. To the exclusion of the big ones with teeth and a deceptive lightening turn of speed I might add. I have planted loads (well, 7) night scented jasmine at discreet intervals round the outside of the screen enclosure, and these delightful plants have at last decided to cover themselves in glory and subsequent trumpet like flowers. However the much desired jasmine scent is working on a very delicate time clock. It seems that between the hours of midnight and 0 dark 30, one may inhale the intoxicating scent of these prolific blooms. Do you see the problem here? This is when I am tucked up in my jammys and sawing logs. I did try to stay up and try to catch this short lived occurrence but as that was in the middle of a tropical storm wannabee, all I could smell was rain. On the up side, when I have guests, I do give them the option of entertaining themselves late at night to try and catch this wonder of nature. Turning to yet another case of a plant not working with me, I have a HUGE spiny cactus that is absolutely burgeoning with flower buds. When do they bloom? Apparently it’s at dawn! Where am I at dawn? Right! Still in my jammys and still sawing logs. I once had a friend staying with me who was a very poor sleeper. One of those night prowlers who cannot sleep, raid the frig, and who want breakfast at sunrise. They were ecstatic to see this ugly plant absolutely covered with gorgeous white blooms, but there is only about a 20 minute time limit, and by the time that I had been dragged out of bed, grumbling and rubbing my eyes, the darned things had closed up again! So I guess that I am going to have to change my sleeping habits to try and get my olfactory senses titillated at midnight, and with a bit of luck, I might get to see my cactus blooming. Now I really know the meaning behind the phrase ‘a day late and a dollar short’.