Adventures with the Hoover, Part 2

I hauled out the carpet cleaner to do the bedroom yesterday morning. This time it was the dirty water tank that wasn't picking anything up, and I had to readjust it three times before it decided to work. It seemed to be housed properly, but apparently it wasn't. Obviously if any part is out of alignment by one freaking millimeter, it won't work. I'd like to point out that for someone with zero patience and tolerance, this is VERY frustrating. I might have screamed a number of HBO words at the stupid thing. Windows closed, neighbours away.

Also, the regular trigger did not work once again. I'm just glad the clean surge one does.

As for the actual cleaning, let's just say that I was not disappointed at the state of the water in the dirty water tank, once I was done. Blech.

The carpet looks a lot fresher now, though!

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I wasn't too keen to come to the office this AM, but perked up when I got in and realized that two of my coworkers whose offices are in close proximity to my cubicle are away today. Yay! (I truly--truly--hope my face does not show my real feelings while I'm at work. I hope my face just looks tired, not sour and surly and snarly. Ha.) 

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Garden pics from the weekend are below. I finally cut down the bleeding heart, which had finished blooming and gone to seed long, long ago. I moved the Norwegian pine over to fill the gap, and moved the tropical house plant whatever-it-is to the side by my step. (I'm trying to kill that off, but so far it's not dying.)

Derry enjoying the spot sheltered by the bleeding heart, before I cut it back.

The corner with the pine tree moved over and some of the ivy cut back too, to make more room for the chair.

 

 

 

Not much for colour this year; several of the annuals just haven't done well and I got rid of them while doing the trimming. The ivy you see (below, left) is from clippings of the one on the other side of the fence (kitty corner, really). So there are two different types of ivies growing, along all three sides of the fence.

This is the "parent" ivy and I'm impressed it's come back so well this summer, given that it got flattened last fall in a huge wind/rainstorm and that I cut it back quite a bit early in the spring.

Just a few other weekend snapshots.

 

The ivy in the middle (below) is planted over by the gate and now runs all along the fence, up under the fence topper, everwhere...it's wild. This is the one I "stole" from the entrance to our complex. Very invasive, which serves me right for taking clippings and rooting them several years ago.  :-)

Other than occasionally trimming something to keep it from encroaching into the middle of the "yard," I just let everything run wild. I'm not a gardener, am not going to fuss with anything. The "unkempt" look suits me, I guess. LOL.

As I write so often, I'd like a slightly larger and definitely more private (and quieter) back space, but this little 16x18 area brings me a little bit of much-needed peace and joy.