Rain, Ice Tea, Dirt and Reservations

Still easily tired, I am pacing myself. Yesterday evening I spent a pleasant couple of hours pulling weeds and trying to get my vegetable beds ready for planting. Yes, I know I am late, but the weather has not been cooperative. Seems we are going from frost to intense heat without Spring to lead us gently in. Supposed to be 90 today. With this in mind I had two goals I wanted to achieve this morning. I wanted to rake the back yard that I mowed yesterday and mow it again and I wanted some dirt brought over to my garden area so I could amend the soil and get started building my beds a little higher.

I slowly sipped my allotted 6 ounces of coffee, savoring it and not just downing it mindlessly like I usually do. I ventured out into the pleasantly cool morning. The forecast on the morning news called for spotty showers, although not in my area, and I was assured by the young man tripping over his words in an effort to spill them out, that by 10 am we would experience clear skies and no clouds. Unable to locate my rake, I started hoeing and pulling weeds. I showed he who is on his trusty tractor with the bucket on front where I wanted my dirt and he even brought me a rake................

The phone (the bane of my very existence) rang. I went back into the office with my dirty hands as I listened to the caller asking if I had any 'slots' left for Memorial Day weekend. I do have a precious few that I want to fill and I asked what kind of 'slot' he might be looking for. One to camp in. Oh, goody, I think, as I ask whether he would be camping in a tent or in an RV. Indignant that I would think him to be tent camper, he informs me that he has a motor home. Now we are getting to the heart of the matter ............ I need to know if he needs 30 or 50 amp service and if he would like a full hook-up or just water and electric. 50 amp, full hook-up. I want everything. I want water and sewer and electric. Yes, sir, that is what a full hook-up is. I have one that is out in the open and one that is shaded ........... Does the one out in the open have shade? No, sir, it is out in the open. So, there are no trees by it anywhere? No, sir, none. No shade by it? None. The site with trees is a double site. There would be a camper in front of you. I don't know what you mean, what is a double site? A site with two campers on it, one in front of the other. Now, say that again, cause I don't get what you're saying. It is one long run about 150 feet long. The site in front of the one I have left has already been reserved and there will be a fifth wheel in front of you. If they arrive before you, they will pull through to site 5, if they arrive after you are here, they will back in. Since you are in a motor home, you will simply pull in, either way. I still don't get it, I found you on-line and you are so close, what with the price of diesel and all............ There is a map on the website, perhaps that will help you picture what I am talking about ......... I don't see it, do I click left or right. How would I get out of the site? I am sorry, I don't have a computer in front of me, but there is a icon for the map of the park. If the camper in front of you is still there when you are ready to leave you can back out. If they have left, you could simply pull through. Well, can I back in? Not if the site in front of your site is occupied (and why would you want to?) Will the hook-ups be on the right side, though? The hook-ups will be on the CORRECT side. (Just in case we are talking about right and left).

I finally completed the reservation and it is raining. Just a drizzle, so I finish raking the back yard and get half of mowed before I succumb to fatigue and come back in. Tired of water as my beverage I decide I want some iced tea. I have some bottled in the cooler in the store, but that is not what I am longing for. I want fresh brewed iced tea. The way my mother used to make it. She had a small sauce pan she always used. She would fill it half way with water and then add two teaspoons of loose leaf tea. Lipton. The saucepan was only used for this purpose and was tea-stained. The spoon in the canister of loose tea leaves was also stained with years of use. Bring the water just to a simmer and cover it to steep. She always used a saucer. That sauce pan did not have a lid that I know of. Didn't steep long and wasn't "timed" by anything. Maybe long enough to flip over the pieces of chicken frying in the pan. The longer you steep, the stronger and darker the tea. Now, here is the secret to good sweet tea ........... Add the sugar to the pitcher and strain the hot tea over it. Stir to melt all the sugar before adding the rest of the water. I don't like my tea too sweet or too strong. I use 1/2 cup of sugar for two quarts and I want a nice caramel color. Sweet tea was a staple when I was growing up. My grandmother always had a pitcher of tea in her house. Hers was sweeter and stronger than the tea my mother made. My sister and I both make our tea the same way. Light, with a hint of sweet. I used to make a pitcher of tea and one of Kool-aid every day when my children were growing up. I can still hear them calling out as I would be putting the evening meal on the table ........ "Dinner's ready! Who wants tea, who wants Kool-aid?"