OLD WHEELBARROWS

My hubby had the idea of painting and making use of our old

wheelbarrows instead of throwing them away. First cover the

wheel and handles of the old wheelbarrow.

Spray on an even coat of paint including about 6 inches on the top

portion of the inside of the wheelbarrow. Spray about 2 to 3 layers

allowing about 20 mins in between coats.

You will need 2 cans of spray paint.

Using a large nail, hammer maybe about 20 holes at the base of

the wheelbarrow (can it be called a barrow?) to allow for water

flow. I chose muted colours but I have seen red, turquoise and

other brightly painted vintage wheelbarrows - very nice.

Put some soil in and plant some flowers! The wheelbarrow I was

working on is the one in the front here with the purple flowers.

The one on the right has zinnias and the left one has lantanas.

The yellow flowers on the ground are called cosmo.

Under the tree is another wheelbarrow painted a dark green.

The wheel on this one fell off, so it is sitting on a large stone.

The yellow flowers in that one are called melampodium.

LARKING ABOUT PHRASES

When you Hold The Fort it means you keep things running
When you're Back To Square One you're back at the beginning

To go at Full Blast is to go at full speed
To come Within An Ace is to get very close indeed

An Archille's Heel . . . perceived weakness in the strong
And there's Murphy's Law . . . if anything can, it will go wrong

If you get Just Deserts you get just what you deserved
If you get a Square Meal you get a good dinner served

When you're in Seventh Heaven you're in wonder and delight
While if you have A Bone To Pick you're about to start a fight

To go against the natural flow is to Go Against The Grain
When you're Cut To The Quick you suffer deep abiding pain

To have escaped punishment is to get off Scot Free
To any extent possible is To The Nth Degree

A Scallywag is what we call a disruptive young male
If you say you're On The Wagon then you're no longer drinking ale

A final blow or remark is what we term A Parting Shot
While to take quick action means Strike While The Iron Is Hot

To be fixed in ones opinion is to be Dyed In The Wool
While an unlikely story is quite Cock And Bull

By any means would mean By Hook Or By Crook
And to be out of favour is to be in the Black Book

To speak without notes would be to speak Off The Cuff
To be without clothes would be to be In The Buff

Something Up The Spout is gone and lost forever
Bright As A Button means someone smart and clever

A Red Herring is a false misleading clue
When you're Under The Weather, you're unwell and feeling blue

If you're on the verge of destitution then you're On The Breadline
While If you're very happy then you're On Cloud Nine

To wait with Bated Breath, anxiously excited in suspense
To Use Your Loaf would mean please show some common sense

To say you're clean and tidy would mean you're Spick And Span
A bright spark that does not endure would be a Flash In The Pan

If you look just like another, you're known as a Dead Ringer
And an outstanding thing is known as a Humdinger

If you're Eating Humble Pie you admit to being wrong
Hook, Line and Sinker . . . take in the whole gullible song

To have Hobson's Choice is to have no choice at all
If you are Bold As Brass you really have some gall

To Mind Your P's And Q's is to have a polite manner
While a Monkey Wrench is just an adjustable spanner

To take the most direct action is Taking Route One
When you're in shock and disbelief, you'd say, 'Son Of A Gun'

When you really don't care, you Don't Give A Jot
And Willy-Nilly means whether you like it or not

When you're Namby Pamby you behave just like a child
When All Hell Breaks Loose there is mayhem and its wild

The centre of attention means you're In The Limelight
Something Clean As A Whistle is shiny, spotless and bright

Mad As A Hatter shows unpredictable behaviour
When you're Left High And Dry you really need a saviour

When the Penny Finally Drops you finally understand
To take reluctant responsibility is to be Carrying The Can

To put the Kibosh on something is to stop it in its tracks
When you Run The Gauntlet you're at risk of an attack

Larking About is the silly manner in which you play around
At One Fell Swoop, a single movement, it all comes down, down, down

To take uncalculated risks would be to Chance Your Arm
Over The Top excessive behaviour could often lead to harm

To Sleep Tight would mean that one would have a good nights rest
When dressed in your Best Bib and Tucker, wearing your Sunday best

Robyn Toh
11th April 2010

Picture : Outside my friends Martin and Mary's home in Esbo, Finland. The two dogs are Bertie and Peggy. I miss Martin and Mary's brand of humour!
Picture : Taken by Mary

RONALD REAGAN

Some of my favorite quotes from "The Great Communicator" . . . . .

I never drink coffee at lunch. I find it keeps me awake for the afternoon

But there are advantages to being elected President. The day after I was elected, I had my high school grades classified Top Secret

I have left orders to be awakened at any time in case of national emergency, even if I am in a cabinet meeting

They say hard work never hurt anybody, but I figure why take the chance

Before I refuse to take your questions, I have an opening statement

Facts are stubborn things

How do you tell a communist? Well, it's someone who reads Marx and Lenin. And how do you tell an anti-Communist? It's someone who understands Marx and Lenin

I am not worried about the deficit. It is big enough to take care of itself

Veto anything that costs more than $2

I favor the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and it must be enforced at gunpoint if necessary

If the federal government had been around when the Creator was putting His hand to this state, Indiana wouldn't be here. It'd still be waiting for an environmental impact statement

If the Soviet Union let another political party come into existence, they would still be a one-party state, because everybody would join the other party

No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth!

Status quo, you know, is Latin for 'the mess we're in'

The government's view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it

The most terrifying words in the English language are: I'm from the government and I'm here to help

Thomas Jefferson once said, 'We should never judge a president by his age, only by his works.' And ever since he told me that, I stopped worrying


In 1981, when Reagan arrived at the hospital after being shot and met one of the doctors who was going to operate on him, he said "I hope you're a Republican." The doctor replied, "Today, Mr. President, we're all Republicans."


Picture : President Reagan at the Berlin Wall 27th June 1987 where he gave his speech that included the famous words "Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate. Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall.”
In Memoriam : Ronald Reagan 1911 - 2004