The Mysterious Case of the Disappearing Rose Bush

Planting season for bare root roses is coming to an end, so I made a last minute run to the store to pick up a few. Having done some Internet research first, I was able to recognize the shade tolerant varieties that I needed for the front yard. I found just what I wanted and at $4 each, I chose two. I planted them that very afternoon, so they were all snug and cozy for their first night with their "toes" in real soil.

The next afternoon, I detoured en rout to my mail box, to pay a visit to my new baby bushes. Akkkk!!! The one in the middle was gone! There was only a hole where it used to be...I couldn't believe it! Who would sneak around at night to steal a $4 rose bush? It was gone, vanished, no where in sight....oops, there it was about six feet behind me, near the middle of the yard! The poor thing looked naked with its bare roots sticking straight up in the air (like a dead deer by the side of the road.) On closer inspection, it looked like scratching marks in the ground all around the hole, and "fluffy" dirt, like it was flung. Maybe it was an animal. Why??? What kind of animal goes around at night randomly attacking innocent rose bushes?

With no further clues as to the suspect, I turned my energies to re-planting the hopefully not-yet-dead bush and employing security measures. It was suggested that I should stake it to the ground and lock it down with a chain, but I really didn't think it had been trying to escape. In the end, I anchored it with two rocks, and put windmill sentries on duty. So far I've been successful, it survived last night unscathed. However, you can be sure I'll be checking in on my little buddy everyday until it grows some proper thorns.

BREAKFAST, THE BEST MEAL OF THE DAY

They say there is no such thing as a free lunch, well that may be, but today there was a free breakfast...at Denny's!
I needed to retrieve my car, so today I drove down to SD to swap cars with B. I had heard about the "free Grand Slam" promotion a few days ago, and thought how much fun it would be to take her out for a free breakfast. We had heard there were long lines at all the Denny's, but we were undaunted. When we arrived, we also found there were long lines of cars in the parking lot! Luck was on our side. We found a parking spot almost immediately, and quickly threaded through the dozens of people outside to put our name on the list. The host predicted only about a 45 minute wait...less if we waited for the counter. On our journey into the restaurant from the parking lot, B spotted a news crew arriving. "Great, just what I need...all my friends to see me on the 6 o'clock news." I told her not to worry, we'd duck inside to wait...the story was probably with all the people waiting around the outside of the building. Oops, here comes the crew through the front door. I warn her, and we move around the corner near the bathrooms, and turn our backs so not to be seen. Then we hear, "Oh no, don't move, we want to talk to you two!" Here comes the TV camera right in our faces, and the microphone to our lips!!! Yep really. (So glad I put my eye make up on today!) That cameraman and reporter had made a bee line through the crowd, just to interview us! B's gonna kill me for sure?
I thought the whole experience was exhilarating and the coincidence of being at the one Denny's during the one hour that the TV crew came, and then picking us out of the crowd of people to interview...was hysterical!
It turned out that we were able to sit almost immediately at the counter, and our meal came before we finished reading the funnies! It was great, hot and yummy...and maybe we made the 6 o'clock news! I hope they do it next year!