My Summer Vacation: Mondo Grass Removal, Part 1

Today's main goal was removing the mondo grass from the path to the anthurium garden from the backyard. I had set up the irrigation system on a timer and bought a bunch of 4" pots so I could take out chunks of the grass and use them later. But as I made the first cuts along the edge to mark the area of removal I realized there were 2 big 8" x 18" things near the sprinkler head that I could also use as planters to keep the grass alive until I relocated it. That made the first part of the removal easier. I did also make 2 smaller pots but decided, when quarantine is over, that I should get a couple of flats and just remove other chunks of mondo grass "sod" instead of a whole bunch of individual 4" pots; I can break them up later as I relocate them.

Looking westerly from back yard at path into anthurium garden before work began.

At the end of today's work session.

Looking easterly before work began.

Looking easterly at the end of the work session.

The holding area for the mondo grass and other potted plants.

As usual, the Saffron Finch was outside my window well before sunrise. The Governor could use it as the starting bell for opening up the beaches! (You are allowed on the beaches from 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunrise.)

Birdrise, thirty-one minutes before sunrise.

I waited until the more reasonable hour of 17 minutes after sunrise to get out of bed.

It looked like it would be a good day to be outdoors.

About 1&1/2 hours after I started I got a call from Laurel, she & Bill were going to stop by shortly; she didn't say why. It turns out Mayor Kim said this morning that places of worship could resume services with proper precautions. She wanted to discuss changing Uncle Kazu's service so more people could attend. We decided on June 2nd, which would have been his 95th birthday. I called Joy, who happened to be at the church with Sensei; Laurel & Bill went over to talk with them about how it could happen. We spent a bunch of time talking after they returned, the service will be on June 2nd at 11 am in the church. Right after the service will be refreshments and cold foods in a couple canopies set up outside so people can stay far enough apart but still be able to talk.

While they were here, they tried to get Sir Purr out from under the couch. He wouldn't budge. Laurel said she could tell it was about 5 degrees cooler where he was hiding out than the rest of the room. She wasn't surprised that they could not get him out from under the couch. Bill also listened to the treadmill; it started making horrible noises about a week ago so I stopped using it. He said it sounds like a bearing that is going; he will see whether he can get parts and how much work it will take to change it.

Bill tries to lure Sir Purr out from under the couch.

Earlier I had noticed Sir Purr was going back to some of his old habits Laurel had mentioned.

While we were talking, Laurel mentioned that she got a call from a woman offering her condolences. She said she knew Uncle Kazu; he used to come to their house for family get togethers and other things. Laurel couldn't remember her name but said she had recently divorced and moved back to Hilo from Texas. I asked Laurel if her name might have been Jay or Jeannette; she said it sounded familiar. Tomorrow I will try to get a hold of Dane, whom Mom met at Lapakahi State Park, who is married to the granddaughter of the Hawaiian family that lived 2 houses away from Grandma & Grandpa in Halawa Camp; Jay is their daughter. It would be cool to talk with her again! (This is how things work in rural Hawaiʻi Island.)

There's another cat! It appears to be associated with Mom Cat & Wiley; I heard it calling from the end of the ramp so I went to put food out, thinking it was one of the other cats. Its a gray tabby; I think it's a male. It would not come up the ramp but I was able to watch it in the mirror that I set up last night. Later I saw Wiley come and eat but did not see Mom Cat or the tabby. I think I might have seen the tabby on Friday when I was doing laundry. I saw something his color disappearing in to the grass at the far edge of Jessie's yard where I frequently see Mom Cat & Wiley.