What a Sweetie!

Worked all afternoon and part of the evening on the back porch. I'd say we're close to 2/3 done with cleaning it off.

I filled up one trash can that had a really big trash bag in it. I thought the gargantuan bags were gone, so it surprised me. The typical ones we use are already oversized at 39 gallons, but the gargantuan bags are probably at least 18" longer. I pulled it out the rest of the way out of the can and filled it as much as i could before tying it shut. Then I filled another trash can lined with a 39 gallon bag all the way to the top and sent it on its way.

I'm not sure how many boxes I got through today, but it was enough to make a good sized dent in the mess. At least half a dozen, I'm sure. One box in particular took me off guard. There was something sort of yellowish, orangish brown and crumbly on several things, and I had no idea what it was. I threw most of the stuff in the box away, because I realized I really didn't want to deal with it, until I got to the bottom of the box.

There at the base of the box lay a pretty bright red and black teddy bear. It was one my parents had gotten for Hopper when she was younger. It's hair was somewhat long, had jointed limbs, and he was the prettiest Christmas red, not the orange-red of most toys. And right over his heart was a big glob of the yellowish, orangish, brownish crumbly stuff. Along with part of a beautiful yellow and black bumble bee.

It was the beginnings of a hive and the crumbly stuff was honey!

It was so bizarre. It was obvious that it wasn't a really successful hive, since there was only part of the bumble bee still there. Well. That and the fact that I wasn't attacked the moment I picked up the box! Still, it was interesting seeing the individual little sections where they'd tried to get a hive going in the middle of the teddy bear's heart. It was a little sad, too.

I'd thought about taking pictures, but the camera was in the house, and I just didn't want to interrupt myself. I was making good progress. I did blow the little red one out with the air hose to get as much dust out of his fur as possible. He was then relegated to the laundry room, where he will stay in his grocery bag until I can get him run through the wash. I figure that he'll either survive the wash and live happily ever after with Hopper, or he'll go in the trash, if he falls apart. At least I will have tried. After all. He is such a honey.

What?

Oh come on! It wasn't that bad!

You know it's rude to roll your eyes at me like that, don't you?

Fine.

On that note, I think I'll go to bed before you hurt my feelings anymore.

That. And I need copious amounts of sleep.