July 28th, 2010
I know I’m not updating very often, but in our life, that is just a sign of routine. I like routine. I like a break in routine, too, once in awhile, but mostly I like to know what to expect. That probably makes me boring and one-dimensional, but I don’t think I’m unique. And now I’m babbling.
I am really enjoying the article writing, and cranking out 2 per day. Then I have to keep up with the rewrites and re-submits that come in, and get the submissions in before they expire. We’re managing to sock a little away (not in a literal sock) to help pay off the debt we have. Hopefully, this will be our last year in debt to life-sucking credit card companies. That would be a change worth talking about.
I rode Sullivan this morning for the first time in over a week. Due to the heat, and the fact that cooler days are usually rainy/stormy, my opportunities are sparse this summer. He is fat. I’ve cut his grain by about 75% and he’s still fat. We had a nice ride this morning, though. In spite of his fatness, he is surprisingly agreeable and almost seems to throw himself into the job at hand. And I feel like I’m in a new saddle every time I mount up. More and more room in that Aussie. In fact, I am now able to consistently (and gracefully) mount from the ground. I haven’t used the step but once all summer. And I discovered this morning that I don’t have to find a hill or a rock, either. If I can get my toe in the stirrup, I can haul my butt into the saddle. Pretty darn cool. It’s weird to set off on a ride and not have the thought in the back of my mind that if I fall off or have to dismount for some reason, I’ll be walking home!
The weight is coming off steadily. A little more slowly than a couple months ago, but steadily.
The garden looks great, but isn’t producing much. The grape tomatoes are just coming in, but all the bigger ones appear to have blossom-rot. And everyone I’ve talked to in this area is reporting the same plight. I’ve added some epsom salts and eggshells to them, we’ll see if it helps. Have gotten one jalapeno, but haven’t eaten it yet. Lots of good carrots and few peas. Enough for a meal, anyway. I’ll keep nursing them along and see what happens.
On the other hand, the hummingbird crop is booming. I bought a second feeder and am cleaning and refilling them once a week, and the little buggers just keep coming. It’s very entertaining to sit out and watch them. I have at least 2 pairs that are regulars to the Baird Hummingbird Pub.
Tags: birds, garden, Life
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July 16th, 2010
I was working on my articles this morning when I was interrupted by beeping. Infernal beeping. Two parental chipping sparrows outside the living room window carrying on to the point that their chipping calls were about to drive me nuts. So I went out to investigate, and here comes Moe with a mouthful of baby bird and a baby bird-eatin’ grin on his face. He dropped it at my feet, like maybe I looked hungry, and I picked it up. He’s really such a dumb cat. Never give up dinner.
I picked the bird up and it was breathing and unmarked; in fact, it flew out of my hand for a distance of about 3 feet and landed upside down on the sidewalk. At this point, mom and dad are dive bombing me. I was really hoping they didn’t let loose with the real ammo. I picked the bird up again, because, Moe, in all his extreme cat likeness, hadn’t even noticed it was laying three feet away from him, and set it in the branches of the tree it fell out of. Then I grabbed the camera for a quick shoot.
Not bad photography, considering I had sparrows in my hair.
Tags: birds
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July 10th, 2010
…not. We spent our day yesterday at the bank and a used car lot, just trying to find out what we could afford in terms of vehicular transport. The answer is, pretty much anything, right up to 2009 models, if we don’t mind signing our lives away for the next 5 years. We’ve become very spoiled at not having a great deal of debt, and in an attempt to keep it that way, we’ve decided to start saving now and re-investigate the matter somewhere down the road. I feel a song coming on!
In the meantime, we’re borrowing my folk’s Intrepid.
Things are going well with Demand Studios and eHow. I seem to have hit a nice groove, spending a couple of hours a day at it and turning out about 10 articles a week. This is the money that will make up the faux car payment.
After our morning spent with bankers and used car salesmen (throw in a lawyer and you’ve got a nice slime stew) we met Mom and Dad at China King and pigged out on some awesome fried food. Yummy. I think that’s my favorite restaurant. Well, it would be a draw between that and Tlaquepaque.
The bathroom is mostly completed, but the LL now has the workers doing weird stuff, like moving the dryer vent (we don’t own a dryer) and tearing down old chimneys. There’s a pile of rubble in the back yard that looks like the result of a small bomb, so they’ll be back bright and early Monday morning to do who-knows-what. They did, at my request, fix the outdoor water spigot that’s been falling off the house since we moved in, and I greatly appreciate that! It was nice to sleep in till eight this morning without hearing any strangers walking around outside the window, and I may just do it again tomorrow.
It finally rained last night. I think it broke the heatwave for us, too. I’m looking forward to a walk with Mom this morning. Walks have been hard to come by this week.
Tags: Life
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July 6th, 2010
Tags: cars
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July 6th, 2010
Still happening. We’re thinking they MIGHT be finished today. We have had use of the tub/shower and toilet at night, but not during the day.
Another heat wave has swept down upon us. I hear people complaining (weather people are the worst) and all I say is, it ain’t snowing. I’ll take this any day. Not that I have a choice one way or the other!
Not really any news happening. We’re planning to grill some perch packets for supper tonight; that’s kind of exciting. I guess.
Oh, right, the car. I think it’s dead. I heard from the mechanic yesterday, and he told me to prepare for the worst, though he had not finished his diagnostics at that point. The worst, I thought that was kind of funny. That’s what you say if a loved one is dying. It’s a car. We’ll either buy another one or we won’t. I’m surprisingly (to myself) un-stressed-out about the whole thing.
Interesting.
Tags: cars, Life, renos
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July 1st, 2010
Since Wednesday, two guys have been here tearing up and rebuilding the bathroom. So I’ve been running back and forth from the cabin to use the facility, and we’ve been getting up very early, because they drive in at 7:15. I was really hoping they’d finish up today, but really, it doesn’t look close! Oh well. Hopefully tomorrow. They’re really nice guys, very neat and clean and as considerate as a construction zone allows.
In other news, the car’s dead. We’re shuffling Steve back and forth to work either via Mom and Dad’s car or truck. We think it’s an ignition problem, but who knows? Waiting to hear when Jake can possibly get it back up here.
Steve has been not feeling too well either. He has stomach issues that rear their ugly head about once a year, and they chose now.
Things get better now, right?
In good news, though, both of my grandfathers appear to be okay. That is very good news, for everyone involved!
Tags: car, construction, health
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June 29th, 2010
A neighbor informed me that this is called a Bugle. She’s trying to grow one in her yard, and apparently, it’s not cooperating. So, mystery solved.
Tags: flowers
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June 28th, 2010
Dawn. Dish soap, not the time of day. It smells all sweet and pretty in the bottle, but the next time I go to use my dishrag, it reeks like it’s soured. I have gone through more dish rags since buying this soap, and all I can smell when I walk into the kitchen is yucky.
I have known people who use it, and always noticed their dishrags were sour. I always thought they just had sour dishrags, but nope, it’s the soap.
Back to Palmolive.
Tags: dishsoap, product review
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June 23rd, 2010
My geraniums, while still largely leafless, are blooming.
And this is the gorgeous lily I got at Lowe’s a few weeks ago. I can’t remember what it’s called.
In the garden, we have peas, complete with pods:
…and carrots:
…and peppers:
…and Roma and Grape tomatoes:
Over here, we have the hanging tomatoes. On one end is the Grape, which appears to be thriving:
…and the two remaining Romas, which seem to be doing better:
…and the Beefsteak, which is doing the best with marble-sized fruit already having made an appearance:
(I apologize for the poor quality of that last one. It’s windy out this morning, and I couldn’t get it still enough for a really good shot.)
And finally, if anyone knows what this flowering shrub is, could you let me know? It’s perennial, and the hummingbirds love it. That’s all I know about it!
Tags: gardening, Pictures
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June 21st, 2010
…would be a Monday. Steve made this very astute observation this morning.
Today was pretty full, beginning with a masterful lawn-cutting performed by Dad, and very much appreciated. If it had had to wait until next weekend, we’d have needed a bush hog! While he was mowing, I did a little trimming, a little weeding, and took a very small walk with Mom. Then we all sat on the porch for a moment with a sugar-free popsicle. It was nice.
My afternoon consisted of article research and writing, a little sketching, and forgetting to eat lunch. Pretty impressive since I had pizza yesterday. So between a breakfast of ham and eggs (no, they weren’t green) and a supper of leftover meatloaf and the first zucchini from mom’s garden, I had only some trail mix and a ton of lemon water. Which reminds me, must buy more lemons tomorrow. The zucchini was excellent. I sauteed it in butter and garlic with carrots and fresh basil. I could have eaten it all myself, but I played nice and shared with Steve.
It’s been oppressively hot today (but, hey, it ain’t snowing!) and now I do believe we have a thunderstorm rolling in. Which means here in a minute, I’ll have lost my connection. So, adios…
Tags: gardens, yardwork
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