If you try sometime

I saw her today at a reception
A glass of wine in her hand
I knew she would meet her connection
At her feet was her footloose man
No, you can't always get what you want
You can't always get what you want
You can't always get what you want
And if you try sometime you find
You get what you need
-- The Rolling Stones

I had planned to start my newly ordered seeds today.  But, they haven't arrived.  I started off  the day thinking, you can't always get what you want, but by this afternoon, my tune had changed.

Because we couldn't do what I wanted, the hubby and I opted for what I needed:  landscaping fabric. 

Recently, I read about several methods for keeping weeds out of the garden (I purused Mother Earth News in the grocery store while I was supposed to be purchasing cheese or something that I don't even remember, nor do I care about -- the grocery item was just an excuse to go somewhere where there was a garden, albeit in a magazine, and pretend winter was gone) but there seems to be no easy solution.  I thought I might turn the chunks upside down and smother the weeds while retaining the top soil, but I read somewhere else, that doesn't work.  It seems the more you disturb the weeds, pulling one peice up and exposing the roots to sunlight, the faster you propagate more weeds.  So basically, I was left with the following process:  cut the sod, dig it up, knock as much of the soil off it as possible, and chuck it over on some area of the lawn where the grass is dead.  It has been a little arduous, and I'm not even close to a completed bed. 

Eventually, I will finish. 

The hubby and I headed out to purchase the landscaping fabric, which is very much needed in order to finish the weed eradication project, and while we were shopping we noticed some really gorgeouse wine crates; filled with bottles of wine.  We drink wine from time to time, but not enough to buy an entire crate of a brand we've never heard of.  But I kept thinking about how pretty it would be if I created a centerpeice for our picnic table out of it.  So, I asked the manager of the store if they ever sold just the crates.  She said they did not because they went back to the vendors.  I was a little disappointed.  Then, she said that if there happened to be one that was mostly empty, we could have it -- for free.  I was very happy.  Then, we went to investigate.  All the crates were full.  I was a little disappointed.  But to my surprise, she emptied one and gave us the box.  I was very happy, not just to receive the gorgeous crate for free, but to meet someone who would take the time to do something really nice for a complete stranger.  It was as if the Rolling Stones song was being rewritten with a little kitsch thrown in:  there is something wonderful about wine, someone else trying, and sometimes, getting what you want and need on the same day!