Season Between the Seasons

There is a blessed space between the Spring and Summer seasons here, when it's too warm to leave the windows closed and it's too cool to turn on the AC. For about a month we can sleep with the ceiling fan on and a window open. This is something I've quite gotten used to. In California, I never kept my windows open at night. Well, in Ventura I did, because I lived in a top-floor apartment; perfectly safe, and perfect for catching the cool ocean breeze that came up the hill from the beach.

But all of this perfect 80° weather reminds me that it's time for me to get outside with the hedge trimmers and the gloves; there are flower beds to prepare for summer. If I had a tractor mower, I'd mow the lawn (it's a huge yard). The landlord is supposed to do that, and he does a good job once he starts coming out every two weeks, but he hasn't started that routine yet and our yard looks like crap...

This year, I'd like to use all of the flower pots I have and crowd the porch with flowers and plants. I mean crowd the ledge with them, as well as the steps and the eaves. Let's make this little cottage live up to its quaintness! I wish I could buy a couple of white wicker rockers and I wish I could afford to paint the floor of the porch. That would really spruce things up. The entire house needs to be painted, actually, but I don't see that happening anytime soon. Renting mostly to destructive students, our landlord isn't known for his pride of ownership.

If I had my way, I'd buy this cottage and have the entire front and side yard dug up. New lawn would be laid then a white fence with an arbor and gate at the walk, and new walk would be installed. Everything would be given a fresh coat of paint, the outdoor lights would be replaced, and all of that crappy Monkey Grass would be removed. But will we ever be able to buy this house? And if we get to a place financially that we can consider it, would we want to buy here? We'd still like to move back to Ventura, but that's an even costlier proposition than buying this house!

Meantime, while we wait to see what lies in store for us, I have to motivate myself to get the yards and porch ready for summer. I'm predicting a lot of triple digits this year. That means, the AC will have to be turned on soon, and this brief, comfortable mini-season will be over.