Journal Entries
Clutter, clutter everywhere...
Posted Jun 22, 2014
Fact - I have two houses worth of stuff in one house. My summer project is to get rid of a lot of it. I have to be ruthless. The DAV truck will be in my neighborhood tomorrow, so this weekend was scheduled for boxing and bagging as much as possible to set outside for them in the morning.
I made a fair start yesterday then got distracted by old photos, some mine, many the ones in frames that decorated the walls and tables in my mother's house. She had one old 5X7 frame that was in awful condition. It had a photo of my nephew in it, one I didn't have a copy of, so I took the frame apart to remove the photo. Well, Mom had squirreled several other photos behind it. There was one of my sister at about 11 or 12 that was always one of my favorites. Her high school graduation photo was in there. There was one of BC#1 in his Army uniform.
The real prize was a photo of me at age 5 with my little Cherokee grandmother. My folks didn't own a camera when I was small. Photos of me as a child are few and far between. To my knowledge, that was the only photo of the two of us together ever taken. She is seated outside her house in a straight chair, holding the doll I got for Christmas. I am standing beside her holding another present, a stuffed white cat made out of rabbit fur. The history of me and that cat is a whole other story entirely.
All of the photos Mom had relegated to filler status are now in decent frames where I can enjoy them. The house is still a mess, but I have today to continue the boxing and bagging. Time will tell what today's distraction turns out to be. 
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Latest reply: Jun 22, 2014
Painful Admission
Posted Jun 16, 2014
For each of the last four years I have downscaled my vegetable patch. As much as I have always enjoyed growing my own fruits and vegetables, I am forced to admit that my gardening creates a lot more work and stress than it is worth. The bermuda grass and bindweed have won. I'm tired of fighting them, especially the bermuda.
So here's the plan. I need a new potting shed. My handyman is willing to build me one to my specifications which should work better than buying one ready made and then trying to modify it. Instead of pouring a slab the dimensions of the new shed, I will spring for one large enough to also hold a container garden. I will set the grow boxes and some permanent trellises directly on the concrete where the stupid weeds can't get to them. Take that, demonic grass!
Little DooDah has a wonderful farmer's market. It wins awards all the time. It is much easier (and cheaper) to buy fresh fruit and veg there than to grow my own. So step two is going to be to only grow favorite varieties that I can't get from our local growers. Things like certain heirloom tomatoes, wax beans, white patty pan squash, etc. varieties the larger growers don't mess with. I am absolutely finished with planting things readily available there.
Okay, I do realize that the price of a large concrete slab is going to make for some very pricey vegetables, but I can't go cold turkey and give it up completely. I get the shakes just thinking about it.
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Latest reply: Jun 16, 2014
Almost too much fun
Posted Jun 11, 2014
Today is another wasted vacation day. I am waiting impatiently for my handyman to show up and replace my hot water heater. I used up a half day yesterday shopping for the new one. I hope it all gets done today. I just looked at the floor under the old one, which is leaking. I have a sinking feeling that the floor is going to have to come up. Why do things always turn into a hassle? It all started out on Monday with one short length of pipe needing replaced. Pah!
Discuss this Journal entry [4]
Latest reply: Jun 11, 2014
Almost to much fun
Posted Jun 11, 2014
Today is another wasted vacation day. I am waiting impatiently for my handyman to show up and replace my hot water heater. I used up a half day yesterday shopping for the new one. I hope it all gets done today. I just looked at the floor under the old one, which is leaking. I have a sinking feeling that the floor is going to have to come up. Why do things always turn into a hassle? It all started out on Monday with one short length of pipe needing replaced. Pah!
Discuss this Journal entry [6]
Latest reply: Jun 11, 2014
Awesome gift
Posted Jun 8, 2014
My birthday was last month. Syn ordered me a gift from National Geographic that was backordered. It finally shipped, and he brought it over yesterday evening. It is a necklace with a pendant made with glass from a first century BCE Roman dig in Israel. 
The chain and setting are sterling silver, which he knows I love. The color of the glass is very close to peridot. It came with instructions not to ever get it wet. Water will ruin the patina somehow. It is gorgeous. I love it. He did good. So the question is whether I refer to it as my new necklace or my old necklace. 
Discuss this Journal entry [5]
Latest reply: Jun 8, 2014
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