Sandra’s Koi pond

Well, the dearth of blooms in the garden right now is boring and there’s not too much to write about. So. I’ve decided to admit to something that happened to me that’s both funny and embarrassing.

Funny, too, isn’t it, that most humor is at the expense of someone or some thing. I guess we all have a little schadenfreude in us.

I have told y’all about some absolutely silly things I’ve done in pursuit of making my yard beautiful, but this one was really bigger than silly.

First, let me tell you about my back yard. For one thing, it’s big. And it’s fenced with a heavily wooded wild area all around it.  So it’s very secluded. When I first bought the property, my niece and I dug a koi pond just behind the house. It’s pretty wide, but only about two and a half feet deep, except the center. It’s now filled with really big koi and water plants.  And really big koi make a really big mess in the water.  If you know what I mean.

The only way to clean all the sludge out of the pond is to actually get into the pond and take it out by hand, and that’s really dirty work.

Since it’s so secluded and nothing in my yard is visible from the street, clad only in socks (because the bottom is slippery) and knickers (because I’m somewhat modest) that morning, I cleaned out the pond of several cart loads of crud, then went in to take a shower.

Remembering that the propane truck was coming that day to fill my tank, I called the company to find out what time I could expect it.

“Oh, Mrs. Educate, Dan was there already this morning and put 100 gallons in your tank.”

“Impossible!” I  said. “I was in the backyard all morning and I saw no one. And besides, my tank is 250 gallons and it was empty. You must have the wrong address. Have Dan call me.”

Dan called me and explained that indeed he had filled the tank, but he was so addled when he saw me that he was afraid to call out and put the wrong number of gallons on the receipt.

There. Now I’ve admitted to the world in writing one of my most embarrassing faux pas. No doubt Dan dined out on this story for weeks. How was I to know that he could come in my back yard without me noticing? My dogs certainly didn’t earn their keep by barking.

Anyway, I’ve learned my lesson. It’s better to end up with a wet and dirty tee-shirt than to startle any delivery driver who might come into my backyard unannounced.

I’m sure that you, too, have done some really dumb things so I hope this shows you you’re not alone.