I Can Not Tell a Lie

I am about to go all George Washington on the cherry tree in my front postage stamp yard.  I feel like burying a hatchet in it.  Before I go on, my apologies for not writing yesterday,  it was simply a hugely busy day which and I simply could not muster up the strength to be witty or charming.  Just ask my better half.
I have talked about this tree previously (see Cherry Blossoms).  While I love the blooms, that is about all I love about it.  Let's discuss what I don't love.  1.  It needs a trim.  It seriously resembles a weeping willow at this point.  2.  The blooms are starting and it's only a matter of time before the yard and front steps turn pink and I go crazy and try to attach the broom and dustpan to my arm like Inspector Gadget.  Ooh, or maybe some helicopter blades that can pop out when I need to be carried away to my 'Happy Place' literally!  Aside: Did anyone else really want to be Penny or was it just me?  3.  I am pretty sure it brings ants.  I have suspected this in the past and my mother confirmed this yesterday.
It's really hard for me to talk about having ants in my kitchen because for the most part I am a clean person.  And I associate ants and other critters with the opposite of cleanliness.  But in this case, that can't be true.  I would hate for anyone to read this and think "oh my, she has ants! what a sow!"  Serioulsy if you could see me on all fours cleaning up crumbs on an hourly basis, you would know I am a clean freak.  Which brings me to another point.  We really need another dog.  Ahh, this post is going nowhere...........fast.  I have decided if you have kids and they are still of age to drop food on the floor, a family dog is a must for cleaning up.  Luckily I met a really nice man yesterday with the most gorgeous Rottie I have ever seen.  I took it upon myself to ask him where he acquired such a beast and he gave me the name of his breeder.  This particular young fella was 6 mo and already 90 lb's.  This particular breeder breeds for size and temperament.  I am so excited to get in touch with them!  His paws were immense, but he was so sweet and even tried to sit on my lap, literally knocking me over!   Anyway, I have never cleaned the floor so much since November.  Even with all of Lux's shedding, it was nothing compared to what I sweep up now.
Ok, so I spent yesterday the afternoon cleaning out the pantry, spraying with Raid (yup, I am a horrible mom and don't feel like messing around with natural cleansers; we all breathed in Raid as youngsters and turned out pretty decent)   and setting ant traps.  The cleaning was actually a long time coming! It felt great to sort out unneeded items and organize items that go together.
The last thing I want to say, to end on a positive note, is that clippings from the tree make beautiful centerpieces.  I just clipped a few stragglers from the branches and arranged them in tall clear vases.  I also brought one arrangement to school to support our study of trees and flowers.      
So let's recap:  I had a great busy weekend, found a reliable Rottweiler breeder (although rescuing is still not out of the question) and a clean pantry.  If you were wondering what has been happening in my life since Saturday, you are now us to speed.  TTFN!