"It was imprudent of us, in the first place, to become authors. We could have become something regular, but we managed not to.
We were lucky, but we were also determined." Roy Blount Jr

"I don’t change the facts to enhance the drama. I think of it the other way round, the drama has got to fit the facts,
and it’s your job as a writer to find the shape in real life."
Hilary Mantel

Friday, May 04, 2007

A Floriferous Friday

The first part of my week keep me too busy for blogging.

On Tuesday I had the potential for 5 meetings spread across the day and night. The three at the State House were optional, and I chose one: a Flood Assistance briefing by the Governor and FEMA. In the afternoon I had a diocesan committee meeting--conveniently across the street--and an evening meeting at a church in a nearby town.

On Wednesday we had a House session. Before us was the bill to name a portion of a state highway after a fallen police officer with a local connection and to make my town's traffic circle/roundabout a memorial to him and two his colleague, who was killed on duty in this town ten years ago. Family members and a colleague of one officer were present in the gallery--the fact that it was also his birthday added to the emotion. As one of several House co-sponsors, I made a brief address, and somebody made a motion to print it in the permanent journal. Then the bill passed unanimously on a roll call, first time it has happened this year. The next bill was to name a bridge in another town after a soldier killed in Iraq--it was unanimous, also. Though it was a brief session, it was a moving one.

Then my committee met in Executive Session. We killed one Senate bill (unanimously) and passed a bill to fund the non-game species management fund (again, unanimously).

There was a lot of agreement among the lawmakers this week!

I spent yesterday quietly here at the Lodge. Not that I was inactive--3 loads of laundry, moving the big fig tree and the loquat tree to the porch, arranging houseplants on the big deck, arranging my herb table, hoovering the upstairs, judging writers' contest entries, playing with canines, making green chile chicken burritos (which received a rave review from the Chap).

Today is devoted to website work, more judging, and a lot less physical labour.

My pride and joy today is the jasmine I acquired during our Easter visit to my parents in 2005. It's in full bloom and divinely fragrant.



I took a cutting from the vine growing up the side of their house, a plant I've known and loved nearly all my life. It now lives and grows quite contentedly in this very different clime!



Outdoors, my fritillaries are also putting on a show.



As it that monster forsythia.



The Chap and I are dithering about how to spend this weekend.

Next week there's a telethon to raise money for flood assistance, with legislators and the governor and other state officials participating. So I signed up! I've never done one before. Hope we raise a bundle--it's so needed!


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