WHATCHA DOING TODAY?

[Jeepers]

Momo  ------>

[kappydell]

Well!  this week we had oodles of doctor stuff to do.  Thank goodness my primary doc did the pap smear, so I can cancel the appointment with the snobby OB clerk.  Yay!  I took Dr. some lettuce - a huge head of romaine and one of "buttercrunch" bibb lettuce.  She was tickled - she said she was wondering what she would be eating tonight (she eats at the office when things get busy) and now she could have a nice big fresh salad!  She told me she used to garden, but has no time for it anymore what with running a sleep center plus her practice.  (She is into nutrition, so she really appreciates fresh veggies.) With the weather warming, it is time to eat up the lettuce before it bolts, and plant those braising greens for the 2nd cycle.  Tomatoes are blooming, along with the zucchini and snap beans.  Oh darn, we forgot to put a fence in for the climbing beans to climb today....hopefully they will forgive us.  The grass is starting to grow in the front yard.  YAY!!  We have rain predicted for tomorrow, intermittent showers.  The best kind - it will help it soak in.  I hope my strawberries will get here soon - the replacements for what the deer ate!  We put up a fence, and have Irish Spring Deer Deterrent Bars near the other yard nibbles.  

 

I have not heard the fox screaming for a couple days - I don't know if she moved when the lot across the road from where she hangs out was sold, or is no longer looking for a mate.  She's a pretty red fox, we've seen her twice.

 

I Identified another front yard tree today (one we would NOT let the mobile home delivery fellows cut down as it shades one of our parking pads.  It intrigued me as it has three different shapes of leaves - a 'regular' shape, a mitten shape, and a fleur-de-lis shape.  Its a mulberry.  Cool, another edible landscape tree!  Mary says she does not care if the birds poop purple when they ripen, and it will help distract them from our berries and such.  I'm am very pleased to have to many edible trees in our semi-forested lot!  I also spotted a yarrow patch on the way to Walmart today. I like having that around for my 'cold killing ' tea and I need fresh supply this year.  It loses potency a LOT after 1 year in storage.   Time to break out the dehydrator!  Besides, my sage, parsley, and mint plants need pruning.  

I have not found any catnip patches yet, have to keep looking.  I'm sure its around somewhere!

[Mt_Rider]

14 hours ago, kappydell said:

Mary says she does not care if the birds poop purple when they ripen,

 

  THAT brings back childhood memories on the farm.  Nice white sheets hanging on the line      ......   

 

My mom fell yesterday.  She's fine tho.          The rug slid on the kitchen linoleum and down she went.  Had a glass in one hand but partially slowed her fall with the other hand grabbing counter.  Told her to check for any large/dark bruises.  We do NOT need another bad bruise causing a blood clot to travel....like DH last July.  [she's already on a low dose of Coumadin tho...]   She says she has small bruise on finger where she grabbed the counter but that's all.    She's only fallen two other times in past 30 yrs.  Once on ice on our driveway and same on their driveway.  Unlike me....she's very careful of how she moves.  Good!  My dad and I.....    ....I think we regularly put our "guardian angels" into retirement....as in: we zip around, not particularly careful.   

 

HOWEVER, I'm currently being a LOT more careful.  My back keeps going into spasm.   Had very rough time feeding/cleaning cat litter box last nite.  Managed but barely and painfully.  Walked Koa on road about 20' when a car came by.  To avoid a half-bent position, I went down to knees to hold her body harness.  I hold her when cars pass by cuz sometimes she jumps at them and the leash has too much 'give'.  How she ever started THAT idiot habit, I don't know.  But [might have been a neighbor I know] the guy slowed and stopped by us.  Mebbe cuz I knelt down?  He said something but I couldn't see him clearly nor hear him......cuz his dog was hanging out the passenger window and Koa LUNGED for it.  I kept my hold, barely....PAINFULLY with back already in spasm.  So I hollered " please leave.  I can't hold her tonite, I'm injured. "  Well, that wasn't very clear....I meant "Please get your dog outta here cuz mine will jump until you do".    Whoever it was very slowly drove away.  I tried to get up cuz he kept stopping....like checking to see if I COULD get up.  I finally did using Koa's harness and we aborted the walk.  Got back to truck and sat until SlowOldNag finished her senior food.  I had to take Koa down and up by her walking with leash out driver's window.....cuz no way I could handle heavy tailgate for her to to get into the back.  Ack!  I'm fine if I don't strain it....laying in all the adjustable positions of hospital bed are fine.  All that hooey in barnyard ....was not.  Fine this morning.  DH home so I'm not feeding.     Hopefully this strain will go away soon.  It's not as bad as sometimes.   

 

MtRider  .....getting on each day at a time   

[Mt_Rider]

DH just sent our Maui Ohana [Hawaiian for "family"] boxes of N95 masks with exhale valve.  JIC.  Twenty masks in all...and more can be sent if they are needed.  DD1 and GrS#2 are getting irritations from the vog [fog with volcanic nasty stuff in it].  

 

I also just sent a long email explaining what these masks DO and DO NOT work for.  They work if Kilauea DOES really blows it's stack and send tons of ASH into the air and significant amounts are blown towards Maui.  N95 masks DO NOT WORK FOR GASES.  For that you need the rubber all-face ones with the correct filters for whatever chemicals you are trying to avoid. 

 

I'm assuming that chemical gas concentrations wouldn't be in lethal amounts on Maui but still could be harsh on lungs, etc.  I've advised them to stay inside a bldg with A/C if there is chemical junk heading their way. 

 

More likely they could deal with ASH if the Kilauea's lava meets up with any water within the volcano.  That's when the big boom happens.  And ash will be sent far and wide.  Already there is a shortage of "dust masks" and even the N95 or N80 masks on Big Island.  The govt officials keep saying that they won't do any good.    Well they WON'T for the chemicals but they will be better than a bandana for the ASH particles.  And ash has sharp cutting edges ...not good inside the lungs.  Both are dangerous. 

 

I hope folks still in that neighborhood are watching their exit routes carefully.  Cuz ain't nuthin that can reopen a road that 4' of lava has claimed.  Nothing stops melted rock. 

 

article on VOG

https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/observatories/hvo/faq_vog.html

 

edited to add:  Yes, correct.  The chemical stuff [mostly SO2 - Sulfur Dioxide] will not go far in gaseous state.  Good news.  

 

But it encapsulates into a fine [less than 2.5 microns -0.0001 inch] Particulate Matter [PM].  And that might also contain ash with the encapsulation.  In that form it can sail a loooong way.  Bad news. 

 

But N95 masks work for the encapsulated version quite well.  GOOD NEWS. 

 

MtRider ....EVAC for these folks could go on for months....for some, it's a relocation.   

 

Edited May 16, 2018 by Mt_Rider

[Annarchy]

Wow, Mt_R, that’s a lot of prepping. IDK if I would stay. Probably not. Praying they don’t have a major eruption. 

 

Big hugs for Momo & snapshotmiki, for all you are dealing with your DHs. I’m grateful my DH has calmed down with his heart issues. Now, mine is deciding it wants to go too fast & hard at the oddest times. Such is life. 

 

TheCG, fans ARE better then melting. I have one at MIL’s house, when 75* is still too hot for my perpetual hot flashes, lol. 

 

Midnightmom, sorry you have issues with the electronics they put in, hopefully they will get it worked out without a lot of drama or surgery. 

 

Been working on minor glitches and updates to MrsSurvival.  Miki, yours is an issue they need to fix, otherwise I will do it, after they tell me they can’t.   Watered the front & back yards twice today.  Yelled at the city guys, who came down the alley spraying poison. I made them come back and tell me what they were spraying. My tomatoes, piquing chili’s and celery are next to the fence. Lol, I told them, they have to eat the tomatoes on the vines there. We had a good chat, and they said they wouldn’t spray my fence again. I told them that I had been extremely busy and hadn’t had time to mow it. I don’t use any poison in my yard, ever.  Dish soap to keep the bugs off the roses, and I pull the weeds. Awwwell, life is good. 

 

Washed a few loads of laundry, swept & vacuumed the house, ‘cause we had customers coming in, made carne asada burritos for dinner from a brisket we smoked a couple of months back. 

 

Worked on on a logo a person asked me to make. They seemed to like the idea, I hope. I have a lot to go to complete it, but artwork is relaxing for me. 

 

Time me to get some rest, tomorrow has a ToDo list already. 

[Annarchy]

Oh, Kappydell, you are amazing, the amount of work you are doing. Wow!

[snapshotmiki]

Annarchy, don't worry about my sig photo.  The tiny goats will wait!  

 

Trying to stay home today, we will see.  Going to prune some roses and clean house.  Preacher coming to visit tomorrow morning and then a friend of DH's coming to visit for a few weeks Friday.  He's bringing his dog so we will see how that goes.  

 

Hope everyone has a good day!

[kappydell]

Another (relatively) quiet day.  Raining on and off, but the garden loved it.  Saw the sleep doc today, don't have to go  back for 6 months for sleep follow up.  OK, next project the doc has is to get me some PT for my back.  Not sure it will help - it did not before, but since my new insurance will not pay for chiropractor (which helped a lot) I guess I have to try omething.  Maybe I'll get a physical therapist who knows something, maybe a hack.  Only time will tell.  Took some lettuce to my internist when we went in yesterday.  She said it was delicious!  

After dinner did a little garden work with M.  Put up a section of fence for the pole beans to climb up.  We planted pole beans b/c they tolerate high heat & humidity better than bush beans, who 'sulk' and stop bearing when it gets hot.  Besides, picking off the pole beans is easier on  both our backs.  Did some weeding and thinning. 

 

Harvested quite a bit of broccoli today - it keeps trying to bolt, but we keep cutting it.  We'll see how long that will work.  Harvested a bunch of Cos lettuce tonight.  It is true that if you snap off the bunch but leave the roots it will come back again.  I was wondering if that would work.  Thinned the beets and kept the thinnings.  I figure if they can sell 'microgreens' at high prices I can steam and eat my thinnings as 'farmer microgreens'.  Got some of the purslane picked from the window box (they were selling it as a blooming plant!!  Imagine that!! ).  I've pulled (and eaten) lots of purslane as a weed, but somebody developed some with an orange flower instead of the old yellow one so it is suddenly a 'new' blooming plant.  (I had to stifle laughter when I saw that).  It still is tasty, so I 'prune' it regularly and nibble the prunings.  Along with the fresh parsley and radishes I picked, I have the makings of one delicious salad of cos lettuce, parsley, radishes, and purslane for tomorrow's dinner.

 

Then before it got too dark, we did a 'walkaround' and checked our other plantings.  Asparagus is up, grapes will need to be trellised soon, blueberry bushes have berries already, and the plum, peach and apple trees are branching nicely.  The Asian Pear is still sulking.  Rhubarb and raspberries are settling into their planting places nicely.  And - HOORAY!  our replacement strawberries arrived!  We can now replant what the deer ate before we fenced in the strawberry bed.    So our micro-farm is coming long nicely..  Oh yes, we have grass coming up, finally, in the front yard!  At LAST!!!  

 

Tomorrow I will need to harvest and dehydrate the first batch of 'heal-all (prunella vulgaris) for the herbal medicine cabinet.  I have a nice pot of mint that needs pruning back, so I'll do some mint too.  Just about any tea is nicer with a little mint added!    So our micro-farm is doing nicely.  Back to splitting wood when we get a break in the rain.  We still have a couple of cords to split before we return the gas-powered splitter to our neighbor.  We still have not figured out what to give him in thanks.  Maybe when the tomatoes kick in (there are lots of blooms and little ones on the plants) he will accept some as thanks.  We don't see a garden at his place, yet, though his wife saw ours and now wants one just like it for next year.   We met a new neighbor who just bought a mobile home on a lot not too far from us.  He stopped and introduced himself.  That seems to be the way folks do it down here in GA....just stop the truck in the middle of the road and chat! He complemented us on our making the garden, felling trees, and generally improving our property.  (Apparently this is not something many women do for themselves in this neck of the woods - the menfolk we've met seem very impressed by our labors.)   He is working hard on his, too - we drove over and saw how much work he had done so far.    It's looking very nice.  I guess we are getting as much as we can get done finished before the weather gets really warm.  Apparently 90 degrees is only a 'mite' warm (LOL) and it gets good and steamy around August.  It should be interesting....

[Mt_Rider]

Well DD2 sent an email....Kilauea kinda blew this morning.  Not a huge eruption but it sure blew a lotta steam/ash/gases into the air.  Some reports expecting at least all of Big Island to receive some of that.   

 

Soooooooo.....since we were going into town so DH could help my dad set up his new printer [old one died].....I boxed up 10 N95 masks that we had here and mailed that box thru Post Office.  Shipping much cheaper for 3 day shipping.  Unfortunately, the "3 days" might run into Tuesday....don't think they count the weekend.  But that's still a WEEK before the box of masks coming from Amazon [slow boat] will arrive. 

 

Ya think I'm kinda nervous about my kids/Grkids being anywhere NEAR those two rumbling, spitting, shooting, fissure-ing volcanoes???    YES! 

 

MtRider  ...prayers appreciated for all who are affected by this..   

[Jeepers]

I think allergies are kicking my rear end. Eyes are watery, nose is stuffy, throat scratchy and head is achy.

 

I got my yard mowed today. Neighbor missed it. 

 

It was only in the mid 70's but I was burning up out there. I was exhausted when I got finished. I still don't get how I can get so hot and tired and out of breath sitting on a lawn mower. But I do.

 

Darn thing died on me after one strip (grass too tall) and I couldn't get it started. Right in the middle of the yard. I went and got the jumper box thing and got it going and had to drive it to the backyard, with the jumper box on it and the hood up, to park it. Then I noticed the blade handle was in the up position and it won't start with the blades engaged. That thing has too many safety features!

 

Then it died at the end of my driveway half in the street. Out of gas.

 

Nothing runs like a Deere. Except when it don't

 

[Jeepers]

I've been watching that volcano. So scary! 

[Midnightmom]

3 hours ago, Jeepers said:

It was only in the mid 70's but I was burning up out there. I was exhausted when I got finished. I still don't get how I can get so hot and tired and out of breath sitting on a lawn mower. But I do.

 

 

You don't have to be "doing" anything for the heat to sap it right out of you. Just wait until the humidity kicks in.....it will kick your butt.

 

[Mt_Rider]

RE:  Jeeper's neighbor missing his show....       Creep!   Sounds like you had one of THOSE days with lawn mowing tho...    {I just had one too...}

 

OK.....yesterday BEFORE we went to Post Office to mail more masks AND went to help my dad/his printer....DH cooked spaghetti.  Ate some for late lunch and more for supper last nite.  I'd had some stomach pain and G-I unease     but didn't connect the dots til this morning.  See, I react badly to {maybe some preservative?} prepared tomato sauces.  We make our own with canned tomatoes and it's fine.  But this was a prepared mix and neither of us thot of it.    Not brilliant.... 

 

Had a BAAAD nite.  More stomach/GI unease.  7-up/crackers before I could sleep.  Went on thru the nite somewhat ....plus acid reflux episode.  Also developed a lingering headache.  During the restless nite I elevated the head of my bed [love the hospital bed options!!!] to help acid reflux and headache.  I'd wake and go back to sleep.  Repeat. 

 

DH and Dog get up way before I do, especially after a bad nite.  As usual, they were making floor squeaks and groans, banging this and that....  I'd go back to sleep. Repeat.

 

Then....Dog was on porch and saw SOMETHING......BARRRRARRRARRRARRR....  DH is at door whisper-yelling to call her in... but he's not dressed yet to go BRING her off porch.  ....I went back to sleep.

 

THEN.....DH and Dog are loading stuff to go down and feed our animals.  Keys are in DH's pocket and the car alarm got set for 'ON'.   We NEVER EVER USE THOSE BLASTED THINGS!   But when DH lifted the rear hatch to let Dog in.......  BLAAAAAAT   BLAAAAAAT   BLAAAAAAT   BLAAAAAAAT

 

 

Realllllly?  

 

The only thing that humored me about this nite/morning....was the image of DH running around     trying desperately to get the car alarm off before it woke me.......AGAIN........too late, of course. 

 

 

BUT HERE IS NEWS SOOOOOO VERRRRRY GOOOOOOD......THAT THIS IS A HAPPY HAPPY DAY!   

 

Beyond allllll expectation.....Amazon delivered the box of 20 N95 masks yesterday afternoon to my Maui family. 

 

That means delivery was TWELVE DAYS EARLIER THAN EXPECTED.....      My concern has been that if there is a lot of ash in the air, the planes will not fly into that corrosive stuff......and that's how many deliveries are made to the Islands.   Now they have masks and this mom is quite a bit less anxious.  They may still have disruption to their lives....Big Island already has that.  But breathing is now covered...so to speak....

 

Thanks for prayers!!!!!

MtRider    

[Annarchy]

7 hours ago, Midnightmom said:

 

You don't have to be "doing" anything for the heat to sap it right out of you. Just wait until the humidity kicks in.....it will kick your butt.

 

 

Indeed!  Around here, you walk out the door mid day and the heat will whisk your breath away. Monsoon season has to be the worst. No swamp cooler works. 

 

Mt_R, hope you get some well needed rest. Sheesh.

 

Today, I got up early, did my reading and went out to figure out what I needed to do. Replaced the chicken straw, filling the mulch bin, drained and refilled the hot tub, without turning on the motor. The motor heats the water, and this time of year, it’s nice to get into a ‘cool pool’. Collected a couple 1/2 pallets to stack our fire wood on. Picked the first of the tomatillos and fixed the chicken play pen. It’s just some wire fencing that I surround them with when they get their ‘out time’. I’d used it to block off a portion of the yard with it, and the dogs had wrecked it, disconnecting the sections. They didn’t like not being able to chase other loose dogs. One time, Gunny tried to jump over it, caught his back leg and fell on his butt. He didn’t do it again. 

 

Cleaned the ferret room, then went to WM for supplies we were running low on. Note to self, quit taking DH!  He always wrecks my budget. LOL

 

Coming home we had a vehicle following us all the way home. Someone DH worked with. He wanted DH to go to a retirement party. I’ll be watching Live PD to see if he’s on it. HA!  

[Jeepers]

The humidity kills me too.

 

For this past week I've eaten like a hog. Is that still Politically Correct to say. Don't want to be accused of swine-ism.

 

I'm so uncomfortable. Diet is blown. I really need to stop it. I took an Ambien one night last week while I was in bed snacking and reading on the Kindle. I woke up the next morning with corn nuts (ranch flavored) all over the bed and some nut residue in my jaw like a squirrel. Food storage prepping at its finest.

 

And I wonder why I'm still single....

[snapshotmiki]

7 minutes ago, Jeepers said:

. I woke up the next morning with corn nuts (ranch flavored) all over the bed and some nut residue in my jaw like a squirrel. Food storage prepping at its finest.

 

 

That made me laugh!  Too funny!

 

Started this morning cutting back the rest of the rose bushes, showered, ran to TSC and Co-op for goat products, our company showed up with his dog and everyone got along.  Pit bull but trained service dog.  Then I went and talked to some folks about helping out their mom when needed for a while.  Came home and made Millionaire's spaghetti pie and garlic bread.  Watched ne show on tv and now I'm tired!

 

 

[Jeepers]

I'm pathetic. I knew it was going to rain today. It is. So I pulled the Jeep out of the garage and into (onto) the driveway this morning so the rain could "wash" it. Now I'm praying it doesn't hail. I didn't figure that equation into my master plan. 

[kappydell]

Yep, that old hail gets into the 'power wash' rain cycle often around here....Since the weather prediction around here is ALWAYS for scattered showers it makes it hard to know when to batten things down and when to leave them alone!  Our front lawn is FINALLY GROWING!!!!  YIPPEE!!!!  We will have GRASS!!!!  

 Today did not do much, but what we did was time consuming.  A trash run to the local trash center (no pickup our here in the toolies, you haul it in yourself).  The nice thing is that they have a special (low and sunk into the ground) dumpster for disabled folks.  No killing ourselves trying to lift up bags to clear the dumpster sides! Naturally, there are plenty of folks using it that do not have to; it keeps the recycling center attendant hopping.  We appreciate it though with both of our awful back issues!

 

Got some more wood splitting done - the pile of splits keeps growing.  I asked M, how much we were going to yet & if we were going to leave some to dry further to be split in the winter when the weather was cooler for working outside.  "We're splitting all it it" was the answer.  "I'm not sure we can get the splitter at a future date".....Ohhhhh.  I'm tired in anticipation.....

At least we are not trying to do it with a sledge hammer and a maul.  Don't think I could handle that.

 

Doc wants me to take some PT to try to get me to stand up straighter - I haven't for several years.  The chiropractor helped, but insurance won't pay for it any more.  Heck, my new insurance has refused to pay on a couple of things....a tetanus booster, for example.  I hate my new insurance company, they have no list of things they cover or not.  Makes it hard to plan out a reasonable health plan.  Oh well.....

 

 

[Jeepers]

Jeep got a good washing this evening. Saved me $5.00 at the car wash. 

 

I was just thinking about my posture and gait the other day. I thought that I might have my son video me from behind sometime when I'm not expecting it to see how I'm really walking. Sometimes I stop and remind myself to stand up straight. When I was doing PT the first thing he said to me was that my shoulders were almost touching my ears. I wasn't even aware of it.

[Annarchy]

Cleaned house Saturday, took it easy Sunday, and got back at it today.

 

Used the weed eater to whack down the alley, edge the garden and clear the grass growing between the bricks around the fire pit.  Used the blower to clean everything off, instead of sweeping.  Then, moved the water bottles up for the water delivery tomorrow.  We keep about 20 five gallon bottles on hand, and we always use the oldest first.  Watered the lawn and gardens, filled the bird and chicken water, and found that silly penny I was off in my checkbook.    Calculator user error. 

 

Now, to get to work on a drawing that needs to be finished.

[Jeepers]

I ran some errands today. I still need to go to Wal-Mart. I forgot to take my list along and didn't trust myself to remember what all is on it. I was hot and tired anyway. I pulled into McDonalds for a sweet tea. Then I saw something prettier on the menu board. I got a small blue raspberry slushie made with Minute Maid juice. That little thing was so good and refreshing. The small size was plenty. A nice change from the caffeinated and soda pop

 

[Momo]

We've made it about a week with great vital signs for DH. Yeah!  He had some blood readings still out of norm but I'll take any improvements.  He has fortunately been able to do a lot of mowing (on the riding mower) which is great.

 

I had to do a Wal Mart run yesterday.  I went early to avoid the masses and to improve my chances of getting a decent scooter. I hate to go, but when the list of needs gets long you gotta grin and bear it.

 

DH is hungry all the time now..which is good.  He is munching out on everything and wants sugary snacks too.  It's alot better than when I have to nudge him to eat.

 

We've had about a week of rainy days.  It's great for the garden.  The tomatoes have really jumped up. Too bad we weren't able to plant a big garden this year.

 

So Jeepers is a closet squirrel..who knew?

[TheCG]

On 5/18/2018 at 9:44 PM, Jeepers said:

I'm so uncomfortable. Diet is blown. I really need to stop it. I took an Ambien one night last week while I was in bed snacking and reading on the Kindle. I woke up the next morning with corn nuts (ranch flavored) all over the bed and some nut residue in my jaw like a squirrel. Food storage prepping at its finest.

 

[snapshotmiki]

I took a computer break from Sunday morning until tonight, now. DH's friend is here and has a huge solid black pit bull boy--fixed, who is the most sweet pup I have ever met! He is great with our dogs and goats, very submissive. He is a certified service dog who is getting to be just a regular dog for right now. I went to a very sweet wedding Saturday afternoon, Church twice on Sunday, mostly cooking in between. Made over 100 chocolate chip cookies Sunday and made jambalaya today. Gong to rest soon!

[TheCG]

Today...I'm staying home.  Finishing painting the drawers for the camper, then setting it up.

 

Also on the list for today:

Laundry

Cooking another 5 pounds of taco meat

Baking low carb chocolate muffins and scotcheroos (those'll be an experiment)

Making low carb snickerdoodle waffles

If I have time, making low carb pancakes.

Running to Dollar General because the kids just told me there's only 1 egg left.  So that'll probably happen BEFORE all the baking.

 

Oh, and on the keto front: I decided I'm not messing with tracking while we're gone.  I'm going to wing it and see how it goes.  If I can't do that without going hog wild, I'll have the food scale with me because I'll need it to do my smoothies anyway.

Edited May 22, 2018 by TheCG