Name Three Things - 2022

[catapault]

Well this is irritating. Trying to put a couple of items on Freecycle, two different posts. And while the items are listed - one is actually listed the other is waiting moderator approval - the pictures for the first offer don't appear. Someone replied and I tried to send pictures and could not. Hopefully they will get gone, and soon!

Need to unload dishwasher.

And do some indoor and outdoor gardening.

 

[Winchester]

Stayed in the WeShed again last night. We're going to stay there tonight, too. It's nice and quiet and we can get up when we feel like it. I've been getting up around 6:30, which is so much better than listening to a screaming cat every morning, starting at 5:00.

The kitchen is gleaming. Yesterday, I tore it all apart and gave everything a good cleaning. Descaled (with vinegar) the coffee pot. Cleaned the microwave. Took the 5 in 1 NFG apart and gave that a really good cleaning. Yes, I clean it every time I use it, but it still needed to be cleaned. I cleaned out cabinets and re-organized some things. Washed kitchen windows. And then I went into the bathroom and did the same thing. (But I still didn't get to that blasted drawer in the hutch. I need to do that when Rick isn't around, so I don't have to answer questions.) I don't mind cleaning; in fact, I rather enjoy it.

I pre-ordered Alton Brown's Good Eats: The Final Years

• Take cheesecake to Rick's mom
• While Rick is mowing the yard this afternoon (Yes, it begins and the snow has melted. He's actually the last person in the neighborhood to mow), I'm going to transplant the tomato plants. They're getting tall and spindly. I pinched the second set of leaves to try to make them grow a bit bushier. And lowered the plant light. But they're getting too big for their seedling trays. And we're not even close to transplanting outside.
• Vacuum through the house

 

[catapault]

Winchester Have you ever tried direct sowing tomato plants? I did that way back when I was coordinator for the community garden in Connecticut.

About 4 to 6 weeks before planting out date - Prepare translucent plastic gallon size milk jugs. Cut off the bottom. Tape a thin green bamboo stake to the jug. Now you are good to go.

Prepare soil. Sow 3 or 4 tomato seeds. Set prepared mini-greenhouse over them, using stake to stabilize. Leave cap on jug until you see germination, then remove cap and leave off.

I was pleasantly surprised at how much sturdier the tomato seedlings were. And how much less work too.

When time to uncover - cloudy weather is best. First day cut off about 1/3 of top. Next day - remove another third. Third day - remove completely.

 

[Winchester]

C catapault We have not tried sowing tomato seeds directly into the ground. Last year, we sowed into trays and the tomato plants sprouted well and grew and fruited well. This year, well, I don't know what's going on. I'm thinking it's just not enough light. I'm going to show Rick how you did it. Thank you.

• Breakfast for the girls, emptied the dishwasher, and am sitting back here with my coffee. We stayed in the house last night and, well, we haven't missed the screaming in the morning. I do wish Mollipop would handle the WeShed better than she does.
• I have the first of three loads of laundry in the washer
• Clean the WeShed, turn the bed back into a couch, and bring the bed linens in to wash....make that four loads of laundry

 

[strider rose]

online stuff ( catching up )
letters later
more working on my new latch hook rug

 

[catapault]

Friday evening Himself had an itchy red rash on his back. Again had red and itchy skin later yesterday. Since he didn't have to take his shirt and undershirt off for the MRI he had on Friday he was not wearing hospital scrubs (which are laundered with who knows what) and they could not have used a gel as they do for ultrasound imaging.

This morning he took an antihistamine, which I hope will help.

The last package of laundry pods I bought was still the All free and clear. The store was out of the "plain" so I did buy the package which also had stain lifter ingredient. Wondering if that could be it.

Having thought of this as I was about to go to bed I stayed up to wash / extra rinse / dry / fold a week's worth of undershirts, clean from the bureau and dirty from the hamper, using a liquid All. Very late to bed so I'm quite tired this morning. But needs must etc.

Yesterday we rearranged the great room furniture to its summer configuration. Only takes a few minutes. Thinking about doing it takes much longer. You know the saying, "Once begun is half done." So true.

Today I want to use herbicide on the every increasing quantities of lesser celandine. Pretty but too invasive. Also non-native.

Someone local reported seeing a hummingbird! Seems early. Usually expect them when the wild columbine is in flower, and it is not yet in bloom. I will wait a bit before putting their feeder out.

 

[Tobermory]

I've been working with a neighbor on an emergency preparedness manual for the community. Well, he's been doing all of the work and bouncing the drafts off of me for editing and suggestions. I've been reviewing several portions the manual today. We're in both an earthquake and wildfire zone (and actually had to evacuate year before last because of a wildfire), so we need to be prepared. It's a real "how to" manual. I have some supplies but really need more.

We went grocery shopping this morning. No one (except us) was wearing a mask. That's fine. We'll just keep wearing them. Our second booster is coming up this week.

And only on a cat forum would I share something like this: I gotta shave Iris's butt this afternoon. She's long haired, and with her arthritis, she has trouble holding herself up when she squats to poop (peeing doesn't seem to be an issue--different muscles involved, I guess). So she gets so far and then ends up sitting in the litter, squishing the poop all over her back end and into that long hair. Clean up isn't fun for either of us, but it's important to keep her clean to reduce the risk of UTIs.

 

[micknsnicks2mom]

i went with a friend to her church this morning, for Sunday service. i did the treadmill, and now in community's computer room. will go over to the craft room soon, to spend time on a jigsaw puzzle.

things are still in the process of getting settled in to my (/our) new home, but continue to move forward bit by bit. yesterday, i got the tv's wall mounted -- with help from a couple very kind people. this week will be putting together and setting in place some storage shelving units, and two storage cube units (Better Homes and Gardens brand -- really sturdy and nice looking things). my goal is to make the best use of the space in my apartment. later this week, i'm told that my loveseat and dresser should arrive. that will be almost the last of the furniture/bigger things.

all 3 kitties are becoming more and more comfortable in our new home. there's great sunny spots for DeeDee, and sometimes Punky and Dude, to bask in in the mid-morning through early afternoon -- on days that are sunny here.

 

[Winchester]

Tobermory While Banshee wasn't particularly long-haired, she did have a lot of fur around her butt. We decided to just bathe her butt for her. We bought a bunch of washcloths that were only used for her. A more soothing soap. I would hold her, belly up, and Rick would wash her butt, using her soap and washcloths and warm water. Dry her with a clean cloth. And that girl would purr the entire time. It must have felt good for her. She'd almost fall asleep. Rick and I did it together; I never tried it on my own.
(And only cat pawrents would understand.) As far as masks go, we stopped wearing them for a couple of days. But didn't feel comfortable; the masks came back out.

micknsnicks2mom I'm so glad you and the furkids are getting situated and comfortable!

Our weekend was uneventful. Yesterday was simply gorgeous outside. All the windows were open and the cats had windows to choose from. We kept the bedroom windows open through the night last night, too.

• Grocery shopping today. There is no more creamer, the milk is gone. No milk in the freezer either. Time to shop! I make our breads and buns. I can't do milk. And Dear Richard loves milk.
• We're moving the seedlings outside to the WeDeck during the day now and then bringing them back in around 5:00 or so. That will stop on Wednesday, though, because we are not to get out of the 40s that day. Peppers doing well, tomatoes....not so much.
• Making a Lowes list. I got sidetracked last night with the fractured tibia, so things didn't get done. The WeDeck needs cleaned and repainted, we have cement lions that need a good cleaning, followed by new paint. The door to the WeShed needs a new coat of paint. The birds have made a mess out of the siding and windows out there. A good power-washing will help. I need cleanser. The Lowes list grows longer.

 

[artiemom]

Winchester What, fractured tibia???

 

[catapault]

His back is less red and itchy this morning. Reading the label on my detergent jug it appears that the previous pods also had stain lifters. BUT the company must have changed something in the formulation because previously the pods were just about clear and the new ones are definitely yellow. They weren't broke so why "fix" them?

When I wash underwear it always has an extra rinse.

Himself will have a phone "visit" with the family health center sometime this morning.

I now need to decide how to do laundry going forward - for example what do I use for the Monday morning bed sheets and towels.

Shall I make my own detergent gel from grated and melted Fels Naptha soap dissolved in hot water with borax and washing soda added? I have the ingredients on hand, as part of my preps for covid-19.

Bah humbug I say, very emphatically!

 

[Tobermory]

While Banshee wasn't particularly long-haired, she did have a lot of fur around her butt. We decided to just bathe her butt for her. We bought a bunch of washcloths that were only used for her. A more soothing soap. I would hold her, belly up, and Rick would wash her butt, using her soap and washcloths and warm water. Dry her with a clean cloth. And that girl would purr the entire time. It must have felt good for her. She'd almost fall asleep. Rick and I did it together; I never tried it on my own.
(And only cat pawrents would understand.) As far as masks go, we stopped wearing them for a couple of days. But didn't feel comfortable; the masks came back out.

I shudder to imagine trying that with Iris. She's very sweet...until you try messing with her. Feisty calico! Unfortunately, I didn't get around to the butt shaving yesterday and my laxness came back to bite me. At 6 a.m. I was sitting serenely on the sofa with my first cup of coffee of the day when I heard Iris go into the litter box room. I quickly brought up the webcam in time to see her drop and wiggle. Aaaargh! I tore into the bathroom just as she left the box, sat down on the iPrimio mat, and scooted. Serves me right. My coffee was cold by the time I returned to the sofa. So that's one thing I did today. Yay.

I also finished the final edits to the minutes of the committee on which I serve as well as the edits on one of the emergency preparedness documents. I was supposed to get a haircut, but they called and said my stylist had to stay home with her sick mother. Yikes! I hope it's not COVID for both their sakes.

 

[Winchester]

C catapault How is Himself doing with the rash? What did the health center have to say?
artiemom Aw geez, I'm sorry. I meant to say "last year" with the tibia. Instead I wrote "last week". Sometimes I'm a total idiot. That's what I get for not proofing my posts. My apologies.

• My turn to get up with the girls. Gave them breakfast, cleaned out the dishwasher, and am sitting back here with my coffee. And it's not very good coffee. I ran out of my favorite Fire Dept. Coffee and just bought Cameron's coffee at the grocery store. Oh, it's OK, I guess, and I can deal. I really love Fire Dept Coffee, though, esp their bourbon-infused stuff. Decadent.
• Eye appt today. They told me it will take two hours and my eyes will be dilated. It's just the first appt and I'm not handling even this well. I hate doctors. Rick is taking me since my eyes will be dilated. I told him I was a big girl and could go by myself, but he wants to know what's going on. So I'll go through the tests and such and then call him to walk into the office when the doctor talks to me. Masks are required and he must wait in the car until I call him. We are going out to breakfast afterward and then to do a bit of shopping.
• Alton's Good Eats 4: The Final Years will be here sometime today. I'm excited. I love AB and I am really enjoying re-watching Good Eats on Discovery+. Our son says he'd get D+ just for Alton; he's a big fan as well.
• Just general cleaning this afternoon, primarily in the WeShed. Vacuum, a swiffer, all that good stuff. Check the plants and water. I'll be glad to get the seedlings out into the garden in a couple more weeks. The table out there is nothing but vegetables seedlings!

 

[gilmargl]

I'm trying to get back to normal as I'm missing my virtual friends on TCS!
My youngest sister died suddenly just before Easter and, although it was a shock, I can't say I'm suffering badly from grief. I've just had to get on with other things. I'll not be attending the funeral - travelling costs, hotel bills, the risk of COVID have put a brake on that idea. Her 2 young daughters, both with student debts, need the money so that's where it's going.

Three rather small things I've accomplished since I've been absent from this thread:

1. Nearly all the daffodils have been dead-headed
2. Completed and sent off my tax forms for 2021
3. Repotted a mini rose plant which I'd kept indoors but it can now go outside

And now:

1. I have to feed the ferals every day this week. Their patch of land is now becoming overgrown with stinging nettles. I'll have to seriously think about cutting them down - it's not nice when something - in particular my car keys - slide off the roof of one of the cat-houses and land knee-deep in nettles.
2. Had a phone call from the hospital (first one in at least a month) asking me to bring some fresh clothes for you-know-who. The man on the phone sounded very young, Indian and obviously not in a very high position in the pecking order. Stupid me started to tear-up, blubbered about my sister, but pulled myself together and said I'd drop them by when I was next in the area. I will be at the hospital next weekend for a hospice course on "Grief and grieving".
3. Today I will meet the dement patient at the old-people's home for the first time. I hope we'll be able just to talk - but I have printed out a short story should I need to read to her. Next time I will have a better idea about what she may find interesting but today I'll be fishing for topics.

Apologies for my absence!

 

[artiemom]

gilmargl My sincere condolences to you, about your sister.. ((hugs)). ...

Winchester I thought, that is what you meant: last year....
As you can tell, I do not proof read my posts.. my typos and the word corrects are atrocious!

Have to finish my book for the book club meeting this afternoon.
Regular morning stuff.
I need to make a phone call/visit to see if I can rearrange an appointment for tomorrow morning.. A friends, ex-husband passed; they were on very good terms at the end. She is taking it very hard.. The wake is tonight and funeral tomorrow morning. I have a conflicting appointment, in here.. I have been trying to get in touch with the person, to re-schedule it, but to no avail. I will walk down to the office to see if They can contact her.. and reschedule.
ugh... no response to my email, or Voice mail... dm
The wake/viewing is tonight.

gotta go and begin the day..

 

[catapault]

gilmargl My condolences for the loss of your sister. What an upset and change to your life.

Winchester Himself is doing better - rash almost gone, only slightly itchy. At yesterday's tele medicine call the doctor felt that the rash (which is even better today than yesterday, which was better than the day before etc) is indeed due to the contrast chemical that was injected for the CAT scan. But wants to see Himself, so there is an appointment at the family health center late today. I am of two minds about tagging along. Yes, I want to hear what's said. No, he doesn't appreciate me offering my take on what's been happening. Oh the joys of many decades of married life.

Himself dislikes medicine, doctors, big pharma. He feels that he should have been advised that the reaction could / might happen. This is the same man who says the inserts that come with any medication warning of possible side effects are big pharma CYA on the part of lawyers. Whom he also is not fond of.

Yesterday I did multiple loads of laundry, having come to the conclusion that the detergent pods were not the cause of the rash. All folded and put away. Flannel sheets off the bed, summer sheets on. Comforter still on the bed.

Having not found a comforter cover that I like (after the old one wore out) I've been using a flat sheet as a cover, just draped over the bed. This actually works quite well as it is easy to wash when cat hair from our night time companions accumulates. All winter I have been using a solid tan / light brown sheet.

Somewhere in the house there are a couple of zippered plastic cases with lovely printed sheets and matching pillow cases that will be a nice change as bedcover for the summer season. If I can find them. Yesterday I looked in two blanket chests, a couple of closets - nope, not found. I'll ask St Anthony where they might be. Not my pantheon but a friend swears by him. Can't hurt.

 

[Winchester]

gilmargl I am so sorry about your sister.
C catapault I understand Himself feeling the way he does. My FIL was like that, too. I'm glad he's doing better.

Did not sleep well last night. As you all know from my Cataract post, I had an eye appt yesterday. My biggest fear is going "under" and not coming back. I kept thinking about it and, well, not a lot of sleep. So I'm tired this morning.
I did call the garage to see where Clarence was in the overall scheme of things. There is a part on backorder and it's taking longer than they thought it would.

• Got up this morning and gave the girls their ABB (After Breakfast Breakfast). Drinking my coffee now.
• We're running down to Target to pick up a script for Dear Richard. We no sooner got home from our errands yesterday than he got a text from CVS. So Target it is at some point. I also need moisturizer and facial cleanser. I think we're going up to get the Kindle from Rick's mom this afternoon. (She called last night to say that she was finished with her books. Oh, and she's really hungry for a piece of lemon meringue pie. Pie is something they don't get in the home. Cakes and cookies, yes. Pie? Not a chance. We had talked about that the last time we visited, too. Never any pie. So I also need lemons for pie. Which is fine as I've been hungry for lemon meringue pie myself. It works.)
• Sort through laundry for tomorrow.

 

[artiemom]

Today was weird...
*Up early

*did early morning stuff

*brushed Geoffrey, gave him laxatone... he is throwing up, left and right.. IMVet next week. He keep saying that G is just a vomiter.. but, 8 times a month seems to be too much, to me....Yesterday, it was 3 times within an hour--one fur ball, 2 spit ups....
He is shedding so much, has dandruff, has tearing eyes. Is on Rabbit prescription food.. gets brushed daily.. sheds a ton, and I mean a ton.. laxation a few times a week... Has PICA---plastic anything.... I feel that I am losing it, because of the vomiting..

* out to an 11:00 am funeral, grave site, and collation at a great Italian function hall.... Ate too much.. drank too much---OMG, OPEN BAR... sat at a table with really nice people.. They are my friends son-in-law's family... Made friends... exchange telephone numbers!! We will see what transpires...They kept getting drinks for me.. My friend was the designated driver... WE both went because of another friend. It was her Ex who passed. They became very close throughout his illness. They made up... so we went in support of her...

*now here, relaxing...

Geoffrey did miss me. He came right up to the door as I was opening it. He was curious, and afraid... once he saw me, and I talked to him, he was all over me, talking... sweet boy...

Last night when I returned from the wake/viewing, he did the same thing..

This morning, while I was showering; it was chilly in here. I left the bathroom door open about 4 inches, so he could get in..
As I was getting out of the shower, he was at the door, ready to start crying... I had to open the door several more inches for him... He is too attached to me....

The end of the day... ate too much...
Cranberry loaf for an quick late brunch there; then a huge salad, chicken-ziti-broccoli, eggplant parmigiana, sausages-onions-potatoes. Dessert was an assortment of Italian mini-pastries. I had a chocolate cannoli, and a chocolate dipped tiramisu slice.... so delicious...

I am rambling... sorry

 

[Winchester]

artiemom I really hope the vet can find out what's going on with Geoffrey. Eight times in one month does seem to be a lot. Sounds like you met some very nice people.

• Breakfast for the girls, emptied the dishwasher, and am sitting back here with my coffee.
• The first of three loads of laundry is in the washer
• I think this might be a baking day: chocolate cookies with white chips and garlic Parm rolls. The garlic Parm rolls is a two-day process; make the dough today and shape and bake tomorrow. I'll make the lemon meringue pie when we return the Kindle to Rick's mother, so it's fresh.

I'm going to start doing Rick's mom's laundry. Too many things are being "lost" and she has some really nice things. My SIL is going in to do an inventory of what she has left, which isn't much (and yes, her name is on everything with a Sharpie). She'll order new clothing and underwear and such. I'm taking a clothes hamper in for her closet. And when we pick up the Kindle, we'll get her laundry. When we take the Kindle back, we'll take her clean clothes in, too. We're going to see what detergent she would prefer I use for her clothing. My sister and I did our mom's laundry when she was in a nursing home, simply because Mom preferred it that way. I'm doing Evelyn's laundry because, hopefully, her clothing will stop being "lost". It's getting expensive to keep replacing things all the time. And the nursing home doesn't care.

 

[Winchester]

Busy day yesterday. I baked the garlic-Parm rolls, cleaned the house, and did one load of laundry (kitty stuff).

We picked up the Kindle and dropped cookies off at the front desk. We did not go back to her room; there's some kind of contagious skin "thing" going on. Rick's mom doesn't have it, but she told us not to come back into the facility. The front desk told us we could go back "if you really want to". We decided nope, not going there. I have the Kindle, got it home, and cleaned it up as best I could.

Today is our 51st wedding anniversary. 51 years together.....seems almost unreal. We're not doing anything. I think Rick is going to a public sale. He's been looking for a rototiller, but hasn't found one he likes.

• Breakfast for the girls, emptied the dishwasher, and am sitting back here with my coffee. The girls went back to bed with Dear Richard. But Rick is getting up soon to hit that sale.
• I want to vacuum the WeShed.
• If it warms up decently, I'm going to wash the Tucson and give the inside a good cleaning. It needs it. (When my mom was alive, part of my Christmas present was a good detailing for Clarence. The garage would pick him up from the parking lot at work, clean him, and then bring him back to work. They got a lot of business that way, too; people would see Clarence looking brand spanking new and ask me where I had him detailed. Then they started making appts, too. My friend still has his car detailed there every year. If I ever get Clarence back, he's going to need a good cleaning.)