The Good, the Not Too Bad, and the Chilly

This morning I mowed the lawn while wearing an old winter coat (!) because it’s that cold, and the dampness doesn’t help. I’m crossing my fingers that all my vegetable plants survive.

Tomato and pepper plants hate cold;
some crops do well, at least,
such as carrots, lettuces,
cabbage, & broccoli...

I made sure to have plenty of sugar water out for our ruby throated hummingbirds. Perhaps they are in torpor due to the cold but it’s available either way.

Since they are so territorial I decided to purchase more feeders from Amazon; they’re just plastic yet very affordable. One broke several years ago after decades of service.

Unfortunately, two out of four arrived broken. Amazon customer service gave me a refund without even requesting the photo I took. A similar situation happened when I received a hand held extension cord caddy. The all important hand grip was missing. I accepted another refund and plan to shop locally.

It’s no big deal. Oh, and I solved a different niggling little nuisance regarding hummingbird feeders. It’s easy to lose track of when they were refilled, resulting in mildew. Ugh… This spring it occurred to me that filling each with a small amount forces me to change out the solution virtually every day.

Not only is cleaning less a chore, it also reduces wasted sugar. I call that a win/win. Now I only hope consistent high winds relent and temperatures rise a bit.

Are you experiencing unseasonable weather? If so, what type?

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Step by Step Gardening

Filling my grow bags (basically heavy cloth containers) is tedious but I found a bit of a shortcut mixing half perlite and half compost. At first I used a small scoop, which took far longer.

Step One

 

Once the container is topped off with perlite, the next step inspired me to start calling these bags my cauldrons. By the way, my plastic bin is a repurposed trash can.

 

Crazy “Deals” (?)

I stumbled upon a so-called bargain website months ago and have no recollection how. Considering my husband’s (greatly improving!) health and mobility issues, it’s no wonder I lost track. I did, however, keep an image for the purpose of blogging. Not only did the price make me cringe, as did the use of snake skin, but so did the structure.

I must admit to wearing a similar boot
but mine were of fabric and
had a straight heel...
Yikes!

Beginning in the mid 1980’s and only ending about a decade or so ago I often donned quite high heels, sometimes with very sharp toe points. Running through school halls, dancing well past midnight in steel toed stilettos, and then stubbornly refusing help carrying heavy items at work took their toll. As shared in 2023, I am very fortunate as simple footwear changes have relieved all pain and only my right foot developed a bunionette. Otherwise known as a tailor’s bunion, it’s named after the the tradesmens’ cross-legged posture causing the issue.

Isn’t it fascinating how medical conditions are named? Do you have issues with foot pain?

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My Little Helper

Starting seeds in our basement has been both relaxing and successful. We already had a warming mat to help them propagate as well as other equipment to aid seedlings. The one thing I do not have is a proper potting bench, and my video proves the point.

Do you think I should offer some of my extra little vegetable plants to friends and neighbors? Would you accept such an offer?

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Good Fortune

Months ago, following a delicious meal of Chinese style orange chicken, my fortune cookie slip was forgotten in my pocket and rediscovered after it went through the washer and dryer. By that time I’d been well on the way to vegetable garden preparation and rereading it made me grin. Lunch at a hibachi/sushi place provided a perfect follow-on. While I don’t really believe in fortune telling it is fun to have received this boost.

Have you heard the history of fortune cookies deriving from Japan? Are you a fan of any Asian cuisine? -

Busywork

My husband has been driving himself to medical appointments (!) while I work around the house. Outdoors, I’ve exhausted myself in the pleasurable endeavor of vegetable garden preparation. Recently I knocked down two annoyances.

The easy one was getting our portable electric car charger mounted on the garage wall; that’s bothered me for years. Replacing a toilet seat proved more taxing but I’m happy it’s done.

The seat should remain tightly in place,
and I like the chromed hinges...

 

 
How are you doing these days? Do you have any fun seasonal plans? -

Why I Have Been Absent from Blogging

On Saturday, April 12th my husband asked me to call for an ambulance. He felt weak, dizzy, and overall just terrible. Almost a week and a half later he’s doing much better. In fact, he should be home now. Yesterday I spent the entire day with him hoping to bring him back.

This morning he told me not to make the hour long round trip unless he gets cleared. So far, we’re still on hold. I’ll explain why later.

Like last year, a prescription medication caused an acute kidney injury. This time an extreme potassium buildup caused even more damage. He spent two days in intensive care. That was scary, especially due to his negative mindset.

Thank heaven, improved organ function has cleared his mind. He no longer talks like he’s about to die. ~shudder~ Meanwhile, until his kidneys fully heal he needs thrice weekly dialysis and can not take his oral diabetic medicine.

Thus I’ve been shown how to administer insulin using an injector pen, as well as install/replace the subcutaneous blood sugar monitor. Neither procedure is overcomplicated and we are grateful for these scientific advances. But please wish me luck.

The reason he’s still stuck in hospital is because there is a scheduling issue with our local DaVita Comprehensive Kidney Care center. My guy’s medical team won’t let him out in case the next round of dialysis due tomorrow must be done on an inpatient basis again.

Update! The typical Monday, Wednesday, Friday outpatient schedule can be altered to Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. Maybe some locations aren’t open on weekends. ~shrugs~ He’s staying overnight but I will bring him home in the morning. ~fingers crossed~ His spirits are high and he’s in good hands; I couldn’t ask for more.

Are you or a loved one prescribed numerous pharmaceutical drugs? Do you question some as necessary, perhaps even detrimental?

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The Floof of Doom

As mentioned before, our kitties each have multiple silly nicknames. Polly with all her extra toes and fluffy fur still earned some boss ones, or what I like to call Biker names. One of them follows the theme from my title: Floofing Thunder. I literally knew some bikers who went by Lightning and Thunder, some of the sweetest guys you can imagine.

The one used specifically for my title is especially appropriate for this post. I had my Suncatcher unit that simulates sunlight, gifted a few years ago by my husband. She got on the cat tree beside my desk and sat just far enough forward that the bright beam below lit her fur just so.

She believes in catch and release, even
for the most annoying bugs...

Is she adorable even looking somewhat villainous? Are you familiar with products that allegedly lessen depression from Seasonal Affective Disorder?

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