8 Sept: a difficult work evening

Tuesday, 8 September 2020

We did not go to work till four thirty because of the heat. The goal was four, but it took Allan longer to get ready than usual because of his wrist being so sore; he needed help tying his shoes. It is feeling better, though, and he had had a good night of sleep. The trick would be not to strain it again at work.

We left the work trailer at home, as we would not be creating much work debris today. I had canceled the jobs where the clients can be counted on to water: Diane and Patti. We stopped briefly at the Depot where all I did is pour a jug of water on a barrel that does not get good sprinkler water while Allan left-handedly deadheaded a couple of cosmos.

We deadheaded at the welcome sign.

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Geranium ‘Rozanne’, Allan’s photos

The temperature kept rising.

At the Red Barn, I did the hose watering, usually Allan’s job, while he deadheaded.

My audience

We could see Diane’s septic vault garden from The Red Barn and wished we had time for it. Working in almost 90 degree weather was a bit much, though, so we went straight on to…

Long Beach.

Our plan for the evening was mostly to give all the planters a super soak watering (except for the bucket-watered ones on a Bolstad, something neither of us can do at our advanced age and decrepitude). The weekly game of dodging the unmasked began on Sid Snyder Drive. Because of the intense heat and the ability to dodge out here, we had not put on our own masks yet.

Allan waits on the street side of the van for a clear time to water the planter.

I had already dodged out to the middle of the street and then back.

It is pretty easy to avoid people out there, although I have been blindsided by a few bicyclists.

I was the one who had to haul the heavy jug of water to the westernmost planter whose plumbing doesn’t work. Takes me two hands to Allan’s normal one handed carry.

Lately, I’ve been having my own arm problems with both biceps feeling pulled out of whack, to the point where one day my right arm would not even function to plant some autumnal bean seeds. And my own right hand won’t close all the way because of arthritis. Add in my knee collapsing under the weight of water, it is no wonder how much I have appreciated Allan doing the water hauling….and no wonder he is bunged up now.

Bring on the end of this horrible work season before we both collapse! Recently, I’ve been feeling sentimental about the idea of keeping Long Beach through 2021, if there were a vaccine… This year the parks and planters were such a bore because I missed planting season. I’d rather go out after a great year with the gardens having been all showy and wonderful. But after our physical setbacks, my determination to half retire is strong. It would be so good to not have the pressure to get so much watered in hot weather. Just caring for the port and a very few private gardens would suit me fine.

We went on downtown to water the planters on one and a half south blocks, not two blocks because the middle of the second block was still thronged with people. It was hot and windy and hard to keep a hat on. Wearing a hat with a chin strap in the wind is Allan’s solution, but I find my neck gets sore from the hat trying to pull itself off.

Allan’s photo

I hooked up the bayonet in each planter for Allan, then crossed the street to the opposite planter, watered, then returned to unhook his hose and go to the next two. It did turn out that unhooking the bayonet with his left hand was doable.

This photo tips me off that he was watering with his right hand, which he was not supposed to do!

standing back even from a good masked person because I also believe in social distancing

I read that to avoid getting Covid, it helps to combine all the methods: social distancing, masking, hand washing, staying home (I wish). In public, you never can tell when someone is going to do something risky like pulling down their mask to sneeze or say “So you’re the one who makes things so beautiful!” Or “You can come to my house next!”

Seeing how busy the middle of the next block was, we left the planters and went to Veterans Field, where I bucket two planters by the stage from a nearby faucet, and then we did the two north blocks as it was after six, meaning the Dennis Co hardware and sundries store was closed.

I get so tired of waiting for people to pass so that I can get at a planter.

We still had enough space to have our own masks at the ready but not on as the two north blocks are pretty quiet. Below, I’m asking Allan to watch for me to make sure I am not blindsided by someone coming around the corner.

Out in the street to avoid someone

Something Allan found

Allan also found a distressed Geranium ‘Rozanne’. The city water truck session that takes the place of our former Friday watering is good but not as good as we were.

Now we had no choice but to dive into the busy central blocks of town. We had only an hour before sunset with 21 planters and four barrels left to water. We watered six in the Fifth Street Park vicinity and tidied the park.

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Allan pushed out into the street

Now for the dreaded block from Third Street to the Bolstad stoplight.

another Rozanne that got missed

Fish alley got bucket watered by me this week.

The sun was setting and we were exhausted and tired of getting chased into the street to avoid the unmasked.

When someone who I see around town a lot, some sort of VIP, forced me to move out into the street yet again with his unmasked face coming by, I said to him, “Look, you’ve got me pushed out into traffic here with your not having a mask on!” I happen to know he is a republican because he once was all excited to see the Republican float at a local parade. I do connect that political party with masking skepticism. His response was sort of, well, er, um, huh as he walked slowly on.

Finally, we did the last four planters near the Hungry Harbor Grille, which is closing earlier now so maybe we no longer need to leave it till last. It is quieter than Third Street.

Most of the Long Beach photos were by Allan, with his left hand!

We drove a few blocks north to the home of Cathy and Bob of Captain Bob’s Chowder, a cafe by Fifth Street Park which they have kept running with take out food only. She had picked us up some coffee beans on her latest shopping trip. We had a good social distance visit about our Long Beach experiences.

the good dogs got biscuits

Almost home at least, we stopped to water the Ilwaco Post Office garden by street light. Tomorrow will be another hot day of evening watering at the port.