Watercress!

Word of the Day

Fabtastic - Describing anything that is both fabulous and fantastic.

Woodtick Count - 4

Some mornings it's really hard to get moving. However, I did put in an hour of yoga (disturbed by a call from Sis but, I let the answering machine pick up) and I dressed in jeans and long-sleeves, sprayed myself with mosquito repellent and sallied forth to fertilize some of my gardens. Unfortunately, I've run out of fertilizer but...I'm adding it to the list.

Sis' youngest son came to visit them this weekend. I drove over to their place (across the lake) and again, armed with mosquito repellent, hiked down to the spring to pick watercress with my nephew. Sis couldn't do it because she'd cut her toe. Her son did an EXCELLENT job of it. All I had to do was shove the cleanly cut watercress into bags. Poor guy cut himself with the scissors. Blood sacrifice. We ended up with four bags of watercress. The crop is abundant this year and the water level near the spring was pretty high. Perfect growing conditions for watercress. I was quite impressed with my nephew. He managed to collect the cleanest watercress that I've ever seen. When I got home with my share, I hardly had to wash it...of course, I did wash it. And, I enjoyed my first watercress salad of the season. Yum! Of course, I also added to my woodtick count. Just one...so...it was worth the hike, the heat, and the mosquitoes.

Tonight, I'll make another watercress salad to go with the oven-fried chicken thighs that I made (and enjoyed) last night. But, for right now, I'm thinking that I'll pour myself a glass of iced tea, take it out onto the deck, and enjoy the breeze. We're supposed to get storms tonight.

Random Quote of the Day

I'm not concerned about all hell breaking loose, but that a PART of hell will break loose... it'll be much harder to detect.

- George Carlin (1937 - 2008)

Time to Bring Out the Big Guns

Word of the Day

Grrok - A reluctant acceptance of the situation at hand.

Woodtick Count - 3

I drove to the city to join T-Square in a session of "Gentle Yoga" at my folks' senior living apartment complex in the city. It was different but with a lot of similarities to what I've become accustomed to in Arizona. It was gentle but...challenging. I'm not sure if Sis would be able to do portions of the exercise. However, I will continue to join T-Square twice a week, when I can. When I can't...I'll continue to use my recordings.

After yoga, I left my yoga mat at my folks' place, changed, and then sallied forth to purchase the items on my shopping list. I bought four inflatable children's beds to use in July when I "think" I'll be housing all four of my grandchildren. I'm starting to panic about that and...well...everything. Before that, I'm hosting my cousin, The Harpist, and her hubby, Lord Doug. I can do this. And then, I'm going to be dog-sitting and, driving my folks' to my Uncle's memorial service. ACK!!!! AND, I've got a doctor appointment on the very day that my cousin gets here AND I think I'll be taking Sis' dog to the vet.

The mosquitoes continue to be incredible. They attacked this morning as I rescued my big boat after it broke loose this morning. I had to buy new rope to tether the boat while I was in the city. Then, tonight, when I wanted to go fishing, I ended up having to use mosquito repellent....and....I only caught one fish, a bass that wasn't big enough. Oh well...I caught my first fish...even if it was too small. And, on the plus side, I still have enough mosquito repellent on so I can go sit out on the deck without getting eaten alive and I get to hear the little buggers killing themselves as they succumb to the lure of my bug-zapper.

Random Quote of the Day

Don't let the bastards grind you down.

- General Joseph W. Stilwell (1883 - 1946), Motto

My Earthbox Junior Arrived But....

Word of the Day

Aggravitch - An itch that that does not lessen with scratching but instead seems to spread to surrounding areas, causing immense annoyance and sometimes paranoia and self-mutilation.

Woodtick Count - 3

I plugged in a 75 minute exercise DVD and forced myself to Walk Away the Pounds...five miles, this morning. Then, after changing out of my sweaty workout clothes and into some work clothes, I went outside to spray weed and brush killer on my weeds and stubborn wild blackberry bramble. Then...I had to change into a third outfit because I got all sweaty again. The mosquitoes remain totally obnoxious and even though I don't react like I used to when I was a kid...the bites still itch for a bit, especially when the mosquito first bites. My blood must be very flavorful because they even bite me through my clothes and in direct sunshine. This behavior is NOT normal. Normally, I can spend all day outside until the sun starts going down or if I'm out in the shade of the woods. I really should have been mosquito free today. Mosquito repellent was an option but I refuse to dope myself up just to go out and spray for weeds or do a bit of gardening.

"Someone" knocked over one of my largest pots, messed with my hose and hose reel, and knocked over my mosquito trap last night. Bear? I don't think a raccoon would have been strong enough to do all that...but...a bear would have been that curious and that clumsy. A friend mentioned that I should put out cameras. Why bother? If it is a bear, what could I do about it. It's not like my Sig Sauer Mosquito would do anything more that make it mad.

Seasonal Toys came and picked up the big boat and plan to launch it for me. Meanwhile, I went down to the dock and installed the tie-downs which took a lot more effort that I remember. And then, I heard the phone ring so I had to run up to the house to see who was calling. I figured that it might be Seasonal Toys, telling me that there was something wrong with the boat. It wasn't. It was Sis. She wanted to ask me if I'd water all her plants for her while #1 BIL is in the hospital. Apparently, she's been busy and planted over $200 worth of plants which will need to be watered. *sigh* Yes, of course. After assuring her that I'd water her plants for her, I went back down to the dock and bailed out the rowboat. We got over an inch of rain yesterday. It looked like there was a lot more than that in the rowboat. I figure that bailing the boat is like doing lots of crunches while lifting weights but...my Fitbit doesn't recognize boat-bailing as an official exercise. Nor does it recognize climbing up and down stairs. Oh well...

Meanwhile, FedEx delivered my new Earthbox Junior. Unfortunately, even though I was supposed to receive potting mix with the package...I didn't. I was asked to send a picture of what was delivered to the supplier. I did. Now...let's see how long it takes them to send me my potting mix. All this for a sack of dirt?

Update:

They're sending me dirt. Plus, my big boat has been delivered to my dock...all tied up and my boat trailer secured in my driveway. I mixed of my homemade goat cheese (kefir leban) that has been draining for 48 hours in my kitchen, with chopped chives, minced fresh basil and sea salt. I formed it into a log, labeled it and froze it for future use. Then, I strained the kefir milk that I made with 2% milk. One quart in the fridge, and two more quart jars with grains and 2% milk on the counter...waiting to be strained tomorrow. And, I started a batch of Kefir sour cream which, hopefully, will be ready to use in 48 hours...about the time that the next batch of Kefir-Leban is ready to flavor. I need to buy more milk...tomorrow. Next? I've got a loaf of bread rising on the counter. I be baking some fresh bread and have a couple of slices of it with pickled herring for dinner tonight.

Random Quote of the Day

Keeping your body healthy is an expression of gratitude to the whole cosmos - the trees, the clouds, everything.

- Thich Nhat Hanh

Word of the Day

Remaindeer - Any leftover venison.


It's been raining ALL day and, after looking at the radar, it looks like it'll rain, drearily, throughout the night. My lawn is happy. My plants are happy. Me? It's hard to get moving on a day like this. Aussie's don't care that it's raining outside. If you own one, you need to be willing to toss a tennis ball around inside until they're worn out (ain't happening) or go for long walks in the rain....or both. I've done both several times today. Hey Sis, I thought you said that it was going to stop raining. It was still raining when I took the garbage out to the road....and...to make the task even more enjoyable, the mosquitoes tried to carry me off. I don't think I've seen this many mosquitoes since I was a kid, camping on the knoll with Ma and T-Square, you and Willie. Thankfully, I must have developed a sort of immunity to mosquito bites from those camp-outs...however, I still feel that annoying moment when they bite and no-one is immune to that incessant buzzing. I'm looking forward to possible sunny skies tomorrow.

So, for days I've been watching while a male Rose-breasted Grosbeak has bullied and chased the other, smaller birds (Indigo bunting and Goldfinch) away from my bird-feeders. This morning, I was watching as the Indigo bunting was bullying and chasing the Goldfinch away from the feeder. I have no idea where the Grosbeak was this morning. Watching the feeder while I drink my coffee in the morning is a source of constant amusement. It doesn't take much to keep me amused.

I had every intention of spending time working out and then rewarding myself with an hour of yoga. Again...hard to get moving. Plus, it seems like everyone was intent on throwing roadblocks in my way. Oh...who am I kidding. My fault and only my fault. Coulda, woulda, shoulda doesn't cut it. At least the garbage is out and I'm getting the laundry done. My allergies triggered a stye on my right eyelid and it's driving me crazy. This too shall pass.

I took Kylee out for a perimeter check and the peas in all my pots are practically leaping out of the ground. I noted that more of the potatoes are coming up too. It's thrilling to see things grow. However, as soon as it stops raining, I'll have to pull and spray weeds...and re-pre-treat my tomatoes for blight. The rain has washed the Dragoon Dust off and I'll need to reapply AND on the currant bushes and zucchini.

My hair is rivaling Little Orphan Annie's do. All this humidity is making it look like I permed my own hair...badly.

Random Quote of the Day

You don't have to cook fancy or complicated masterpieces - just good food from fresh ingredients.

- Julia Child (1912 - 2004)

My Dwarf Iris are Blooming

Word of the Day

Fizuck - Used to express displeasure; "Oh poop!"


Woodtick Count - 3


I really should stay away from the bathroom scale. HATE that it tells me that I've gained five pounds since I left Arizona. I'm working out more than normal with all the stuff that needed doing here. I'm not eating anything more than My Fitness Pal recommends. Water weight? It doesn't seem fair. I'm having no problems at all fitting into a size 10 and the size 12 clothes are lose on me. Color me miffed and feeling defeated. I am NOT looking forward to stepping onto the scale at the doctor's office in June. Yup...I really need to put that scale away and forget about it.

It's 85 degrees outside with REALLY high humidity. I'm seeing storm clouds build. I got my outdoor work done after my morning workout. I put poison in the bait boxes. The one on the upper deck didn't need any poison. Apparently, the mice didn't touch that one. However, all the rest of the bait boxes outside were empty. I only had just enough poison blocks to bait the outdoor boxes. I ordered more poison online. I actually like mice but when you live out in the woods, you need to keep them from destroying your house. Last year, one had gotten into the workings of my furnace. Major damage....to both the furnace and the mouse. Yuck! Plus, when they get inside my air returns, they can't get out so...they die and they stink. Ewwww!!!!! It's best to stop them before they come inside. Plus...after noting that a chipmunk got into my pots on the lower deck (eating sprouting peas) I wouldn't be weeping too much if a few of the pesky chipmunks bite the big one.

My purple potatoes are the first to break the surface of the ground in my kennel garden. Peas in containers? I may have to replant. With any luck, that nasty chipmunk didn't get ALL the seeds in each pot. However, after I watered everything, I noted that the peas are just starting to sprout and there IS some peas left in each of the pots. I sowed them HEAVILY. Maybe the chipmunk is doing me the favor of thinning them out somewhat. I decided to water despite the storm clouds. There's no real guarantee that we'll get any measurable rain and I want to make sure the plants in pots get enough water to survive. None of the Earthboxes needed water since they have their own reservoir, but the pots dry out in this sort of heat.

I treated the perimeter of the house with ant bait and bug block. It's something I do each spring and, unlike Sis or Ma, I never seem to have an ant problem...as long as my children and my grandchildren follow my rules when it comes to food anywhere but in the kitchen where I can clean up the crumbs etc. I actually ended up having to spread mosquito repellent on all exposed body parts today. That is so not normal. Maybe it's the humidity. I hate using mosquito repellent. It always gives me a headache and makes me feel a bit sick. I plugged in my mosquito trap on the lower deck. HTP will make me unplug it and put it away when he comes but, until then, I plan to see if I can kill as many egg-bearing mosquitoes as possible...at least those that suck the pleasure out of sitting out on the upper deck.

****

Update.

And the promised storm has arrived. We've got pea-size hail...not something that I would have liked to have but the roof seems to be holding up just fine. However, I'm sure that I'll be seeing a lot of shingle "dust" tomorrow morning. I was enjoying an Andrew Zimmer Bizarre Foods show on TV but....I lost the satellite feed. Maybe I'll actually do some reading tonight after dinner. I made some fresh guacamole with ramps and green tomato salsa. It'll taste wonderful on my oven-fried venison chimichanga. I blended a bottle of white wine with a bottle of Sis and my Mulligan Berry wine. It tastes wonderful on ice with a wedge of lemon. Yes, I brought avocados, lemons, and limes cross-country from Arizona. I hate to pay the price for what they charge for that sort of thing in Wisconsin.

Random Quote of the Day

Delusions of grandeur make me feel a lot better about myself.

- Jane Wagner


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New Asparagus Bed

My Dock and Rowboat Are IN!

Word of the Day

Enjoyful - To be in a state of enjoyment; to find something enjoying.

As I was searching for a pair of jeans that fit yesterday morning, I realized that I have drawers and drawers and a closet full of clothes that don't fit anymore. Yeah, I've lost weight but... Why do I save this stuff? Next time I go into town, I'll have to make a stop at St. Vincent's to drop of a bags and bags and bags of clothes that I hope others will enjoy. Next time there's a rainy day, I'll continue winnowing out the closets and cupboards.

Definitely got my aerobic exercise in yesterday getting my new asparagus bed completed. It's a bit more than 10 feet long and a full four feet wide. And, the soil has been loosened over a foot deep. My yard guy did the back-breaking work of removing sod and breaking up the soil and removing the truly HUGE boulders the other night and then, I was on. I put in two hours ditch digging, rock hauling, mixing mulch in with heavy soil, planting, back-filling with prepped soil, hauling the perfect rocks to define the border of the bed from the HUGE pile of rocks that were removed from the soil. I'm amazed that I still had soil for the bed. Then, I spent another hour to find homes in other garden beds' edging for the rest of the boulders and rocks without building a wall. And yes, I still had to get rid of the dirt that wasn't be needed. I reserved enough (I hope) soil mixed with compost to fill in the trenches holding my newly asparagus crowns as they come up. I'm told that I need to back-fill the trenches every two weeks until my bed is mounded. If done right, I shouldn't have to do more than weed that bed for the rest of my life and enjoy my own homegrown asparagus. I planted Jersey Knight asparagus. Twenty crowns.

Total, crazy, exhaustion was hitting me hard. But then, SURPRISE! Woohoo! My wonderful yard guy called to let me know that he found someone to help install my dock and boat for me. I was able to enjoy a nice glass of wine out on the dock with Kylee last night. It felt so good to just sit after all the work I'd put in. Still need the big boat launched but that'll just have to wait. I called to let the people who were supposed to put the dock in for me to let them know that I wouldn't need them after-all. They promised to come and get the big boat next week...Tuesday? I'm not in a rush for that. I'm looking forward to doing some fishing, but first, I need to go get my license and some bait.

And, as if I weren't already exhausted, Kylee and I walked to the road and back...one mile total...to check the mail. The mosquitoes are getting voracious. Normally, we can enjoy a walk to the road and back without having vampires stalk us. Thankfully, I seem to have developed a certain Immunity over the many years that I've suffered mosquito bites out here. However, it's pretty bad when you can slap at them and take out five with each slap.

****

Update

I got myself a license (annual) and some bait (leeches, nightcrawlers, and waxies). I hauled all my gear down to the dock. I rigged up the two new rods that I got for myself last year and...not a nibble. Then, I got tangled in a tree so, I decided to take to the boat to get myself untangled since I didn't want to lose my new bobber and my new tear-drop or break my line. Besides, nothing was biting off the dock anyway. So, into the boat I went to rescue my gear and to try my luck elsewhere. Nada, zippo, zilch. Not a single bite. However, I did get in some rowing exercise and I made sure that the anchors were all set where it would be easy to utilize them next time I go out. Excuses for being skunked? The sun may have been too bright? The water too cold? I picked the wrong spot for the wrong time of year? Who knows? I'm going to try again just before dinner when the sun isn't too bright and the traffic on the lake isn't so crazy (and why don't people realize that their crazy antics on a lake aren't admired or appreciated?) and hope I don't get more mosquito bites than productive fish bites.

I'm glad for the local economy that there are a LOT of people availing themselves of the local bars, the bait and tackle shop, and the lakes. I just wish they were more courteous and think of the other people, and animals out there. It's distressing to hear the loons cry out in terror when the boats and jet-skis get too near their nesting areas.

I've officially been at The Lake for two weeks. Besides being totally exhausted and feeling really sore, I feel accomplished. I managed to get a whole lot done. However, as my Grandmother D would warn, "I'll try not to break my arm whilst patting myself on the back."

Random Quote of the Day

Dreams come true. Without that possibility, nature would not incite us to have them.

- John Updike (1932 - )

Evidence of Logging

Word of the Day

Ambivulate - To pace around in an indecisive manner.

When Kylee and I walked to the road yesterday, I took several pictures documenting the logging that was done on our land last fall. I'm actually surprised that they haven't returned this spring to continue. I "think" that they're only about 1/3 done. I know that they prefer to wait until the ground is dry and the leaves are off the trees. That's...now? It would be nice to have them out of here before company starts arriving. The sound that chainsaws make isn't one of my favorites.

I decided to take it easy today. Well, I did complete an hour workout and I am doing some outdoor stuff. I dragged the sprinkler out to my kennel garden and got that all set up. I was a bit upset because the decorative sprinkler that I purchased last summer broke. Thankfully, I had another which seems to work just fine. I also installed my decorative shepherd's hook (the one that looks like a huge dragonfly). I'm still on the lookout for something to hang from it but for right now...I've decided to let it be.

The new towels that I ordered online came yesterday while I was in town. I've started washing and drying them. What was I thinking? Did I really need twelve bath towels, twelve hand towels, and twelve washcloths? Actually, I was thinking that the sets that they advertised didn't include two of each. Oh well...looks like I won't be needing to buy towels for a while. In the meantime, washing the new towels is a must. I'm amazed at all the fluff. I may have to wash them all a few times before HTP and company get here. I may leave add some of the towels to my inventory of towels in the basement, reserving them for guest use. I never seem to have enough guest towels down there when company arrives, and it looks like I'm going to have an influx of company over the 4th of July.

My yard guy called last night to tell me that he plans to stop by today to dig my new asparagus bed. It looks like he'll need to mow the lawn too.

Random Quote of the Day

Everybody has their taste in noises as well as in other matters; and sounds are quite innoxious, or most distressing, by their sort rather than their quantity.

- Jane Austen (1775 - 1817), Persuasion, 1818

Two of My Garden Frogs

Word of the Day

Dallywaddle - To take an excessively long time, especially involving motion on foot; to dilly-dally in going somewhere; to drag one's feet.

Woodtick Count - 3

I just "fixed" one of my garden frogs. When I bought him and his two siblings, he had a large glass, hollow marble for his body, about the size of a hard ball or my fist. Anyway, this frog's body crashed and broke into a gazillion glass pieces. However, the rest of him was still standing and looked good. So, today, Kylee and I went out looking for the perfect rock that I could use to replace his body. I think I like him even better now than his siblings. He's better than new...with a little water-proof Eboxy glue.

After an hour of yoga this morning, I spent an exhausting two and a half hours pruning my poor raspberry beds. The winter was NOT kind to them. Most of the canes were dead to the ground but, encouraging, they were sending up new growth from the roots. I felt depressed to see the carnage but...it is what it is. Hopefully, I'll still see enough raspberries to enjoy this summer. On top of pruning, I had to ruthlessly rip out raspberries that were volunteering all over my front flower garden. Plus, nature sent a LOT of wild raspberry bushes that had to be removed in order to save my winter onions and my rhubarb.

I really wish that my yard guy would show up to dig my asparagus bed but...it looks like I may have to work on the myself....maybe tomorrow. One major project at a time. I didn't even take time to eat more than my cup of coffee and Belvita biscuit. I AM going to have pizza tonight for dinner. Hey! It's Big Bang Theory night and I still need to eat. I bought the pizza at one of the grocery stores in the city the other day. Take and Bake.

Kylee and I walked to the main road to check the mailbox. There was a green slip that let me know that there was a package waiting for me at the post office in town. *sigh* It's a major deal these days to drive to the town because of a sewer project between where I live and the north end of town. It now takes me more than twice as long to get into town AND I'm burning gas each way....not a good thing when I'm paying $3.59.9 per gallon. And, to my grandchildren and future great-grandchildren, I don't drive and electric car AND I'm sure that if you're reading this some fifty years in the future or more, you'll snort at the fact that we ONLY payed $3.59.9 in 2014.

So, I drove in the totally out of the way and inconvenient detour to town to pick up...the new phone that HTP ordered for me to replace the phone that has stopped working in our kitchen. *sigh* I KNOW that we should just throw all land-line phones away and go to cell phones but, ain't happening. HTP and I haven't succumbed to the new wave of cell phone dependence. However, now I have to set up a brand new phone with answering machine. I HATE this sort of thing and to make it worse, I'm dealing with batteries that need charging before I can do ANYTHING with this stupid thing. I liked the old phone. Too bad it doesn't work anymore.

Sis called to let me know that she may or may not be able to go to our Uncle's memorial service in June. Plus, I'd need to host my cousin, The Harpist and Sir Doug beforehand. I, again, told her that she doesn't need to worry about the small stuff. I can do whatever she needs me to do this summer. She also let me know that I'd be in charge of Ma's and T-Square's 90th birthday celebration this summer. Again, I can do this. She's stressing and it's totally understandable. It looks like I'm really going to be leaning on my yoga exercises this summer. Oh...and I'm pleased that next month, Gentle Yoga will be offered once again where my folks live. I plan to attend...and I may drag Sis out with me.

Last night, I handed a check over to our roofer, knowing that he isn't licensed because they don't license roofers out here. Things are done with a handshake out here. HTP is NOT used to this sort of thing. The roofer told me that they'll be able to get to us during the first or second week of June....depending on the weather. He'll call me. I hope he does better than the people who promised to put in my dock and launch my boat....still waiting. When I called them today, I was told that they've been working like crazy to get everyone else's docks in. I'm on the list. I was planning on vacuuming the roof crappola from the upper and lower decks but...why bother? I don't even want to think of the mess that will happen when they attempt to strip the old shingles and stuff from my roof.

I decided to treat myself to pizza tonight since I've burned LOTS more calories than I've taken in today....didn't take time for lunch. Coffee and a Belvita biscuit (1/4 serving) for breakfast. Busy day working outdoors. I wish my dock was in. I've seen several boats glide by with fishermen. I'm jealous. However, I'm getting lots done because I can't go fishing with no dock and no boat. Hey, no license either at this point. Why bother? It'll get done. I'm told that they've been working from 6 AM to 9 PM each night, getting everyone else's docks in....sorry. Can't help it. I WANT TO GO FISHING...or at least sit out on the dock.

Random Quote of the Day

If you neglect to recharge a battery, it dies. And if you run full speed ahead without stopping for water, you lose momentum to finish the race.

- Oprah Winfrey (1954 - ), O Magazine, April 2003

Word of the Day

Cranial flatulation - Condition of the brain to cease functioning mid-sentence, frequently occurring during important meetings where one must impress others, leaving the user of said brain with a blank stare.

Woodtick Count - 3

My gardens are planted....all of them, including the Earthboxes. I planted Bright Lights Swiss Chard in one of my Junior Earthboxes, and Buttercrunch lettuce in the other. I like the Junior Earthboxes for lettuce and such, so much so that I ordered another one online today that will be arriving in June....just in time to plant a second batch of lettuce. All told, I've planted twelve varieties of tomatoes. Four Jet Star, four Whopper, and one each of the following, Cherry, Yellow Plum, Mortgage Lifter, Beefy Boy, Marglobe, Lemon Boy, Beefsteak, Amish Paste, Carnival, and Boxcar Willie. The soonest that I'll see any tomatoes will be 65 days...according to the labels. With the weather as it has been, I don't expect to see any tomatoes until mid-August. I'll keep you posted. In the meantime, I fertilized and pre-treated all the tomatoes for blight.

As I had my duster out (my contraption that spreads garden dust on my plants), I pruned all the old, dead growth (non-growth) on my established currant bushes that were hit hard last summer with some sort of disease. They seem to be recovering, a bit, I'm hoping that if I continue to treat them with the fungicide/insect repellent, they'll recover fully. We'll see. However, just in case, I planted new bushes last fall and they seem to be doing just fine. They're small but I noted that they're already blossoming.

Aside from tomatoes, I planted eleven pots with Little Marvel peas...on the lower deck, and on the upper deck, I planted Sugar Snap peas with Kentucky Wonder bush beans, two zucchini plants, two summer squash plants, and I tucked some set onions into the side of the largest of my tomato pots. I went ahead and added tomato rings to all the tomatoes AND the pots with the peas on the lower deck. Planting peas in pots is an experiment for me. I've already had good luck planting them in my Earthboxes with the only drawback being that the base of the plants would get "fried" from the heat up on my deck during the summer. I'm hoping that my bush beans will help shade the Sugar Snap peas that I planted in my Earthboxes.

Frustration! I've lost my trowel...my only garden trowel...my favorite garden trowel. I have no idea where it went. It's disappeared and I've looked everywhere...well...everywhere but where it is. *sigh* I went ahead and ordered a new one online. Surely, that will make mine appear once again. I normally keep it outside by the front door where I can grab it as needed. Did someone else grab it while I was in town yesterday? Weird. Cue the Twilight Zone music.

I've been enjoying my bird-watching from the deck and from my recliner as I sit with my laptop. There's one bird that I haven't been able to identify. It looks kind of like a miniature Oriole....about the size of a Goldfinch. The closest that I can figure from my bird book is that it might be an American Redstart. However, the images online don't quite match what I'm seeing. However, I've decided to stick with Redstart.

Kylee decided to barf. I have no idea what she got into. There's plenty of outdoor things that she could have eaten to upset her stomach. I'm sure she'll be OK. Poor baby.

Sis called to ask me if I'd drive her and her hubby to the hospital on Tuesday. Sis' hubby has to go in for an angioplasty and isn't supposed to drive himself after the procedure is completed. Since Sis doesn't drive, I'm elected....unless the friends that they've got coming this weekend (Memorial Day Weekend) are willing to offer. Either way, it looks like I'll be driving to a hospital (an hour and a half away...not the closest to The Lake but, the one required by their health insurance) next week and in June when Sis' hubby goes in for valve replacement surgery. Sis sounds beside herself with worry and I don't blame her. Plans for this summer are going to be somewhat "up in the air" due to Sis' hubby's medical situation. My roof project is a nit in comparison.

Random Quote of the Day

Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing.

- Theodore Roosevelt (1858 - 1919), Speech in New York, September 7, 1903

It's a Start

Word of the Day

Bandpulliphobia - The fear of pulling off a band-aid; Especially when counting down from three.

Woodtick Count - 3

There was over an inch of rain in the rain gauge when I got up this morning. I enjoyed a the display of Mother Nature's fireworks that lite the sky in the early hours of the morning before dawn.

After starting a load of laundry, I took time for an hour of yoga. Knowing that I had to bring the garbage to the road, I collected and loaded it into the car. Killing two birds with one stone, I checked the mailbox on the road at the end of the driveway and then took the LONG detour into town to check and pick up the mail at the post office. I was expecting a package so I had to talk to the post master. He was confused that his delivery gal hadn't left a ticket in my mailbox. I'll let him worry about fixing that. I got my package. I needed to replenish my supply of Maltitol for sugarfree jams and jellies.

After driving into town, I continued on and drove into the city to buy bedding plants and pick up supplies, gardening and other. I purchased and planted another kind of potato (Molly) and some set onions. My kennel gardens are all planted. I still need to drag a hose out to the garden and install a sprinkler. I plan to do a better job of watering this year...and fertilizing. Amazingly enough, I ended up with lots of potatoes last year. Hopefully, I'll do even better this year.

I purchased eighteen tomato plants....actually, I bought four more than I need. I'll see if Sis wants them or I'll keep them for #1 Son and #1 DIL....or...I'll just plant them. I do have enough pots. I planted eight tomato plants and six hot pepper plants in pots on the lower deck. Tomorrow, I'll prune the older currant bushes and then dust them and the planted tomato plants with Dragoon dust. I still need to plant all the Earthboxes on the upper deck but I did plant three Asian eggplant, a couple pots of parsley and three pots of basil. I'm not sure if two of the pots will survive. They only had one basil plant at the nursery but...you can buy live basil plants in the produce section of the grocery store. I can already see that they look...sad. Then, to top everything off, I purchased and filled my three planting boxes on the upper deck with some really nice looking geraniums.

The laundry will get done...hopefully. My kitchen table is filled with bedding plants, onions sets, and seeds that still need planting. My goal is to get it all cleaned and cleared before tomorrow night.

Random Quote of the Day

Well, spring sprang. We've had our state of grace and our little gift of sanctioned madness, courtesy of Mother Nature. Thanks, Gaia. Much obliged. I guess it's time to get back to that daily routine of living we like to call normal

- David Assael, Northern Exposure, Spring Break, 1991

Fire in the Fireplace Day

Word of the Day

Aeroma - The odor emanating from an exercise room after an aerobics workout.

Woodtick Count - 3

I started the morning with a five mile Walk Away the Pounds routine....a 90 minute aerobic workout. I WILL be taking a bath tonight. Since I haven't had the chance to strip and remake the bed since I've been here and I actually requested that #1 Son and #1 DIL DID NOT PLEASE wash the sheets on the bed before I got here (the last time they did this, I found damp and mildew smelling sheets in the dryer plus no sheets on my bed...and despite being thoroughly tired from unpacking etc. I had to wash and dry the sheets AND make my bed before crawling into it), I stripped the bed and put everything in the washer.

While I waited for the sheets etc. to wash, I decided to prep the pots on the lower deck. The sun was shining and my morning workout gave me a boost of energy. Besides, I knew that rain was in the forecast for the afternoon hours. It's been raining since noon, but that's besides the point. I got all off the pots on my lower deck prepared for planting or...whatever. It feels so good to have them ready to use that I may even consider planting other stuff in the pots that I'd planned to drag into the garage for storage. I read an article about planting peas in pots and using tomato cages to hold them. Interesting.

I saved the indoor work until after lunch. I finished making the Kefir goat cheese. It worked out lots better than the regular Kefir-Leban cheese. I added some ramp greens and basil along with sea salt...to both cheeses. Then...I started another batch of the Kefir-Leban cheese (made with 1% milk). I'm going to let it drain for 48 hours like I did with the Kefir-Leban I made with goat milk. Next time I go shopping...probably on Wednesday....I plan to buy some sun-dried tomatoes and some fresh basil. I think a flavor combination of sun-dried tomatoes, basil and ramp greens would be good in the cheese. I'll need to add milk to my shopping list too. I'm having fun with my cheese-making. I'll need to buy some crackers too.

The bed is all made with clean sheets. Tomorrow is my real laundry day so I'll finish up laundry again tomorrow. I hope it stops raining before I need to take the garbage out to the road. I promised HTP that I'd take some pictures of the logging operation. I'd rather take the pictures on a sunny day. I WILL have to make it into town to pick up my mail. Tomorrow.

I haven't heard back from the roofer since I left a message on his answering machine last night. It's really raining quite hard outside right now...with thunder and the wind is really tossing my wind-chimes around, making a thwacking noise as they hit the side of the house. I feel sorry for the poor birds sitting on my feeders. But, I'm glad I got all my outdoor chores done early and can now enjoy my fireplace fire. I'm thinking of comfort food tonight for dinner. Salisbury steak, mashed potatoes and gravy, and green beans and I've got peeled potatoes in the steamer as I write this.

....And, at 4:30 PM, the roofer finally returned my call. He's going to stop over on Wednesday night with all the papers and I'll hand him a check for half. Done and did...except the mess. Hope he can get started on this as soon as possible. I'm not looking forward to the noise and the mess.

Random Quote of the Day

Mid pleasures and palaces though we may roam,
Be it ever so humble, there's no place like home.

- John Howard Payne (1791 - 1852)

Kylee Wants to Play With My Toys

Word of the Day

Abusement - Abusive entertainment. A contraction of abuse and entertainment.

Woodtick Count - 3

I've been busy getting my Earthboxes set up and ready for planting. Of course, I still need to add the Garden Lime and the fertilizer to each box AND I need to buy plants. I ordered the fertilizer and Garden Lime online and it should arrive on Monday. Of course, at this point, I'm eager to get a move on and buy plants. However, sometimes it's best to just step back at this point, wait, and think. I still need to prep the containers on my lower deck. Do I really want or need to plant as many tomatoes as I did last summer?

My yard guy tilled the beds in my kennel garden. I planted the beds with four different types of potato. Purple Viking, Purple Majesty, Yukon Gold and Red La Soda. I still have room for ten more potatoes. I can pick some more potato "seeds" next week when I hit the nursery. I'll need to pick up onion sets too. In the meantime, I've got a start. Tomorrow will be spent prepping the last of the containers that I plan to use. I may only plant eight tomato plants on the lower deck this year. Eighteen tomato plants....half the amount of tomato plants that I planted last year. I already have twelve pepper plants that I can plant as soon as the fertilizer and Garden Lime get here. Aside from that, I need zucchini plants and some sugar snap pea seeds and some bush bean seeds. Plus, I need to get my Junior Earthboxes back from Sis' and get those prepped and planted with lettuce and kale.

I still need to prepare a new garden bed for asparagus. I purchased 20 crowns that need to be in the ground...yesterday. Ack! Thankfully, the yard guy is a hard worker because I'm not sure if I could dig a four by ten foot bed on my own. I do need to pick up some potting mix to use to back fill the trenches AND more to mound over the top of the potatoes when they come up. And, of course, as I was measuring out the bed, I sliced my thumb on the tape measure. Figures. OUCH!

The dock still needs to go in and the boat needs to be launched. I'm waiting for Seasonal Toys to come out...and yes, I called them. I'd really like to go out fishing but, with everything else that needs doing, I probably wouldn't have the time. It would be nice to be tempted. *sigh*

On top of that? Speaking of top? Yes, HTP and I have decided to sign the contract...again....with the roofing contractor, for the original shingles that we'd chosen previously. They cost more but HTP wants them because they have one of the highest impact ratings. I'll call the guy tonight.

The yard guy is busily blowing leaves out of my flower beds right now. Leaves, leaves, lots of leaves. He fertilized the lawn and put out the special granules that are supposed to kill the woodticks last night. Since I had a tiny woodtick crawling on my arm this afternoon, I must surmise that it doesn't work instantly...or even overnight. Maybe we need the predicted rain to activate it all.

I really need to cut myself some slack. I've only been here one week. Everything will get done...eventually. Still, I wish I could just twitch my nose like in that old sitcom Bewitched and have it all done so I could go out fishing.


Random Quote of the Day

Success is relative. It is what we can make of the mess we have made of things.

- T. S. Eliot (1888 - 1965)

Daffodils are Blooming

Word of the Day

Beveragitation - The disturbing feeling of loss and bewilderment one experiences when looking into an empty cup or mug that they were sure contained at least another mouthful.

Cold! I finally set the thermostat at 68 degrees. This morning, I woke up to 58 degrees. It's kind of hard to get up and moving when it's that cold in the house. My workout clothes aren't designed for cold weather. I ended up wearing my sweatshirt over my workout top for the first mile of my four mile workout this morning.

It's another fire in the fireplace type day. However, before starting a new fire, I had to clear out the ashes from I don't know how many previous fires. I "think" I cleaned out all the ashes last fall but, I could be wrong. Regardless, it needed doing...badly. Plus, since I had a fire yesterday, I still had some live coals. I ended up having to scoop all the ashes into a metal bucket. The bucket is sitting on my front steps. I can't get rid of them until the ashes are well and truly dead.

Birds! Wow! My hummingbirds are back. My orioles are back. I even saw a pileated woodpecker today. Big bird. I'm going to have to re-fill the seed feeders tomorrow morning. I've had a lot of avian visitors.

A neighbor stopped by to ask if he could glean the stumps and toppings from our logging operation. I told him to go ahead. My yard guy has been helping himself to the toppings etc., but I'm pretty sure that there's plenty for everyone.

I know that #1 Son and #1 DIL vacuumed and cleaned before I got here to The Lake. I really appreciate all their efforts. Unfortunately, ladybug (Asian beetles)are a constant problem in the Spring. I vacuumed and vacuumed...thoroughly, and still they come. Oh well, at least I was able to get rid of the log debris that I brought in while carrying in the fireplace logs and the stray ashes, and the dog hair. The later three aren't nearly and bad as the lady bugs. I'll probably have to vacuum out my bathtub again before bathing tonight.

I hiked out to check on the nut trees that I planted last summer. It's hard to tell if they're alive or not. Things really haven't budded out yet. I'll have to check again in a few weeks when things warm up. However, I did note that they were all still there as opposed to eaten by critters.

Random Quote of the Day

Today was good. Today was fun. Tomorrow is another one.

- Dr. Seuss

Spring Wildflowers

Word of the Day

Alcohological - Things that seem logical only after consuming large amounts of alcohol.

I'm waiting. I called the roofing contractor three times. Nothing can be done until he returns my calls. HTP and I are going to ask him to give us a detailed estimate of three types of shingles. We may still end up paying an arm and a leg for the most expensive shingles but, we want to think about it for a while. In the meantime, to be on the safe side, we went ahead and stopped payment on the check that I wrote precipitously yesterday afternoon. I didn't sleep well at all last night due to worry about our roofing difficulties. I'll sleep a lot better when HTP and I can finally make a decision.

I boiled up some hummingbird/oriole nectar this morning and put out my three remaining hummingbird/oriole feeders. I discovered that I have LOTS of sugar. Plenty for making nectar AND jam this summer. Sadly, I haven't seen any hummingbirds or orioles since my first sighting the other day. Meanwhile, my seed feeders continue to attract lots of birds and a couple of stubborn squirrels.

Our yard guy stopped by last night to pick up a check for future work. He started on that work this morning by removing leaves from my borders. There are still a lot more leaves that need to be raked and blown but he didn't get it all done today. He also has other jobs for other people.

I've got a fire going in the fireplace today. It's cool enough to need it. I also spent some time cooking up future meals. The other day, I purchased some boneless country-style ribs. I'd decided to make a Moroccan recipe that I like. While I was cooking the meat with onions, lemons, olives and raisins, I tried out my thrift store purchased Rival steamer, making some brown rice. Unfortunately, it only kind of worked. It kept on shutting down. The brown rice finally ended up cooking but it took a LONG time and it looks over-cooked. I'm going to try cleaning the lime deposit off the heating unit but...just in case, I decided to purchase a brand new vegetable/rice cooker. We'll see if I can fix the other cooker by de-liming it. As for the Moroccan Pork, it turned out just fine and I'm eager to try some for dinner tonight. I portioned out single servings of brown rice, Moroccan pork and sauce, retaining one portion for dinner tonight and freezing the rest. I also portioned out two serving portions of Moroccan pork (ran out of cooked rice) and froze those. I'm going to eat well this summer. I've got some pork fajita burritos frozen from the other day and I plan to make some venison fajita burritos to enjoy and freeze tomorrow.

Kefir madness continues. I'm making some goat kefir milk which I plan to make into kefir goat cheese with ramps and herbs.

Random Quote of the Day

Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans.

- John Lennon

Bad Shingles

Word of the Day

Abolical - Something loathsome or unusually cruel perhaps associated with dire misfortune.


Normally, I adopt a live and let live attitude when it comes to the wildlife here at The Lake...unless the wildlife becomes a nuisance. The bird that decided to build a nest over my front door on the narrow space provided by the transom window became a REALLY messy nuisance. I had to drag out the 12-foot ladder to clean up the mess. Mud all over the window, building material all over the place. Bird dropping. Ewww! Sorry bird, you'll have to choose another spot.

Meanwhile, the estimate for our roofing project this year is way over what we were expecting....worst case scenario. Major ouch. It needs doing but....wow! HTP isn't happy. I'm not happy. But, we don't have a choice. We need new shingles. These shingles come with a lifetime warranty so, knock on wood, we'll never have to do this again. I wish our insurance had covered at least part of the cost.

And....full stop on the roof project. We need to do more research. I need to have the contractor give me a full price breakdown for the shingles that we picked out and on three other kinds of shingles that may save us some money. HTP is going to have to make the decision. It's not like we have a choice when it comes to who to pick as a roofer out here in the back of beyond.

Random Quote of the Day

"Life is like Stepping onto a boat which is about to sail out to sea and sink"

— Suzuki Roshi, Zen master

Last Summer....Right now it's too COLD for sandals.

Word of the Day

Acceptacle - A garbage receptacle that accepts all types of garbage - metal, plastic, glass, and organic.


It's been a long, full, day. I plugged in the Leslie Sansone DVD which uses a balance ball and....apparently, exercise, using a balance ball, doesn't agree with me. After a half hour, I thought I was going to barf. Maybe I should have taken a dramamine before starting. However, I did burn almost 300 calories. Was it worth it? Well...I avoided a LOT of calories due to the fact that I was too sick to munch on anything. I was barely able to keep down a cup of tea.

I took Kylee to the vet today. Sis came with me. Kylee had to have the whole boat of vaccinations today. She accepted all her shots with good humor. The vet is always amazed that Kylee still loves her. What can I say, Kylee loves EVERYONE...even the vet.

Sis and I stopped to see Ma and Pa. I'd noted that Ma needed a hair cut. I discussed this with Sis. We ambushed Ma and....we cut Ma's hair today. I figured that if we butchered her hair-cut....she would be forced to have a professional cut her hair. However, she seemed to be thrilled by our meager attempts.

Having not driven through the big city since last fall, I got a little disoriented when Sis and I were looking for the Co-op store in the big city. I turned right when I should have turned left. Sis doesn't drive so she didn't point out my error. Thankfully, the Co-op Store was still open when I turned around and finally ended up parking in the right direction. Why, you ask? Sis and I wanted to buy some goat milk. Kefir Madness rears its crazy head once again. Sis has once again started up her kkefir grains after I tweaked her bug. Plus, she discovered that she's allergic to milk sugars (lactose) and ....kefir milk. Plus, she's intrigued with the kefir sour cream and the kefir cheese that I've been making . Me? I'm eager to make some kefir goat cheese....and you can't make goat cheese without goat milk.

Next? Sis and I stopped and shopped at the grocery store. I must say that I was a bit upset that the grocery store didn't have any cilantro...other that the expensive organic stuff. However, I racked up some Gordy's gas points. Looks like I'll still be shopping at MarketPlace AND Gordy's this summer. I'm not happy with Gordy's fresh produce. The help at Market Place seem to be...unhappy. Selection for non-perishables is better at Gordy's is better. They have sushi but...it didn't look... fresh tonight so, though I craved...it wasn't worth the price. I may end up going to Market Place next time I'm in the city. Who doesn't have cilantro these days?

I heated up one of the salt-crusted baked potatoes that I cooked up last night for dinner tonight. I topped it with some Hormel Chipotle Chicken Chili and a dollop off my Kefir sour cream. Wonderful!

Random Quote of the Day

Money is better than poverty, if only for financial reasons.

- Woody Allen (1935 - )

Word of the Day

Destinesia - Going upstairs or downstairs and being unable to remember why.

After an hour of Walk Away the Pounds this morning,

I started a load of laundry, hauled boxes of empty jars to the basement, unpacked three out of three boxes of office and kitchen stuff, etc., started the freezer in the basement up and inventoried the fridge and freezer, hung the windchimes, installed the rain gauges, and filled and hung the bird feeders and...I'm looking at my first two goldfinches of the season. I saw a hummingbird too but I've run out of gas. Filling and hanging the hummingbird feeders will have to wait until tomorrow. I can't do everything in one day. And...there's a rose-breasted grosbeak. I'm so glad I hung the feeders.

I've got plenty of food so I don't think I'll be needing to go into town to grocery shop for a bit. However, I do need batteries. LOTS of AA batteries. Seems like everything electronic that we own here needed to have new batteries this spring.

It's been really gloomy today. I woke to heavy rain. However, there hasn't been any rain since and the weather remains quite warm. I still plan to build a fire in the fireplace for tonight. It's supposed to be quite chilly for the rest of the week.

I'm eager to start my outdoor work but things will have to dry off first. In the meantime, Kylee is eager to play...outside.

Random Quote of the Day

It's not a 9-5 job. It's an every moment you're awake job because you actually enjoy the work that you're doing.

- Jeffrey Kalmikoff, Designing for Community with Zero-Advertising Brands, SXSW 2006

Word of the Day

Abolical - Something loathsome or unusually cruel perhaps associated with dire misfortune.

Happy Mother's Day Everyone!

There's nothing like a warm shower in the morning. However, I'd prefer not to be fully dressed and loading the car during one. Thunder and lightning and rain, oh my! Oh well...the sweater that I bought in Ireland last summer helped keep my upper half dry along with the hat I purchased at the zoo yesterday. However, can you say Bad Hair Day? I think I'll be having one for the rest of the summer.

The car is all loaded but for my laptop and the cooler that DD Daughter will be bringing me this morning when we meet for breakfast. I'll put the laptop in when I mozy over to the Village Inn to snag a table in a few and the cooler in after breakfast in the hopes that the rain will let up a bit by then.

Once again, I'm sad to say goodbye to my grandchildren, Ms. En and Mr. T and my daughter, DD Daughter. I'm glad that I'll be seeing them all later this summer.

****

And I'm finally here at The Lake. Stormy weather chased me all the way from Nebraska and through Iowa. The rain didn't stop until I was twenty-two miles into Minnesota. And then, of course, Minnesota narrowed I-35 down to one lane each way which caused a massive traffic delay. However, nothing like Dallas. Frustrating, but....I sucked it up, took a few deep breaths and remained patient. The traffic construction delay...and by the way, no one was working on a Sunday, not to mention on a Mother's Day, added a full hour to my travel time. However, I arrived in the big city (20 minutes from The Lake)at around 4:40 PM. I rushed through some basic grocery shopping, just picking up the basics, and then picked up a flowering plant for my Mom. I could have picked up some flowers for her but...she's always preferred the living plants. After stowing the groceries in my car, I drove to my folks' senior living apartment in the big city. There's no way that I was going to stop in the big city...especially on Mother's Day, and not stop in to see them. They were in the midst of dinner but I know that they were happy to see me. I couldn't stay long because...hey, fully loaded car, coolers sucking my car battery, Kylee waiting in the car...but, I'm glad I stopped. I will be stopping in again later this week.

I arrived back here at The Lake at around 6 PM and promptly unloaded Kylee. "Dogging my footsteps" is such a descriptive and appropriate phrase. That's OK. She was so happy to be out of her kennel and FREE....FREE at last. No leashes necessary. I unloaded the car with Kylee at my heels. The groceries are all put away and my suitcases unpacked. The boxes will have to wait. #1 Son made sure my Internet was all hooked up. Yeah, I can blog and check email! And, I called DirecTV and I've got TV.

As for dinner....I have the ingredients but I don't have the energy to make anything. I've poured myself a glass of red wine, put my feet up and I'm calling it good. Tomorrow is another day.

Random Thought of the Day

Worry a little bit every day and in a lifetime you will lose a couple of years. If something is wrong, fix it if you can. But train yourself not to worry. Worry never fixes anything.

- Mary Hemingway

DD Daughter, Ms. En, and Mr, T - Sketching at the Zoo

Mr. STP and Mr. T at the Zoo

Ms. En, DD Daughter, and Mr. T 

Word of the Day

Caffeinatic - Someone who is a fanatic regarding their caffeine consumption.

DD Daughter's friend, Mr. STP, has a membership to the zoo so he got us all inside without having to pay lots and lots of money today. I like going to the zoo. I love going to the zoo with the grandkids. Ms. En and Mr. T brought their sketch books and drew pictures of the bats, the tapir, and the macaws. Mr. STP, DD Daughter and I took pictures. The zoo was really hectic today. Everyone and their mother decided to go to the zoo....including us.

Afterwards, instead of having lunch at the zoo, we stopped at McDonalds. I've decided to skip writing in my food diary today.  A visit to McDonalds is Reason 1.  Since we were close by, we stopped at Charming Charlies. I'm addicted to that place. It's a girl thing.  Ms. En was like kid in a candy store, only with jewelry and purses and stuff. So much to look at but you can't have it all because...where would you put it? There was a purse that I'd seen a few months ago and hadn't seen since so, of course, I had to get it. *sigh* And DD Daughter fell in love with a hat. And there was this cute kitty purse that Ms. En fell in love with. Mr. T felt a bit left out so we stopped to shop at Old Navy to get new outfits for the Ms. En and Mr. T. and Mr. T got a man purse (an Angry Bird lunch box). Fun was had by all and we even stopped for gelato.  Reason 2 for not writing in my food diary.

We met up again with Mr. STP at a place called Brother Sebastian's Steakhouse for dinner.  Reason 3 for not writing in my food diary.  Awesome food!  Great atmosphere. A bit spendy but I figured, I don't get to take my kids out for dinner all that often so.... Imagine my surprise when the waitress brought the bill and all it said on it was Paid and Happy Mother's Day!. Mr. STP seems to be a bit sneaky. I'm going to have to keep an eye on that guy. What a wonderful surprise! Thank you very much  Mr. STP.

I plan to meet up with everyone again tomorrow morning before I continue on to The Lake.  There's a Village Inn right next to the hotel.  I may skip my food diary tomorrow too.  Tomorrow should be my last day on the road. I'm hoping to see my own Mom to wish her a Happy Mother's Day in person tomorrow...late afternoon or evening.

Random Thought of the Day

You know that children are growing up when they start asking questions that have answers.

- John J. Plomp

Mr. T

Ms. En

Word of the Day

Abdicake - To give up the last piece of cake to someone else.


Got to the hotel I'll be staying at for the next couple nights at around 3:30 PM. I called DD Daughter to let her know that I'd arrived. The hotel room is REALLY nice. Perfect...except....there's this train. I don't care. I love the room AND the friendliness of the desk clerks. Bonus...they love Kylee. There's fresh cookies AND popcorn. Yum.

Since I wouldn't be seeing DD Daughter and the kidlets until closer to 5:30 PM. I decided to get in some exercise. Sadly, my Walk Away DVD's don't seem to want to play on my laptop. However, I did get in an hour of yoga and I walked Kylee around the block and a half.

DD Daughter brought me some See's chocolates for Mother's Day. I'm going to hang onto them and enjoy them all summer. Thank you DD Daughter.

We went to Outback for dinner tonight. I was great to catch up with everyone. Tomorrow, we plan to go to the zoo. Maybe I'll finally get some exercise....much needed. I may even slip in another hour of yoga tomorrow morning before breakfast.

But...for right now, I'm just too tired to do much of anything.

Random Thought of the Day

Just a word of advice. Whenever you're furious with your parents or you think they're terrible, just remember, you vomited on them and they kept you.

- John Green, Vlogbrothers, The Five Worst Places to Vomit, 09-04-12

Double Double - Little Jon in the Morning

Tammy, Sarge and Little Jon

Word of the Day

A crappella - Poorly, and without instrumental accompaniment.

Loaded everything in back in the car and after last minute pictures and goodbyes, sadly headed back on the road again. It's hard to say goodbye but I'm on my way to say hello to two more grandchildren this weekend who I haven't seen since last fall. I'm looking forward to my visit with DD Daughter, Ms. En, and Mr. T.

The drive today was NOT fun. The rain created flooding on the roads and there was almost zero visibility on and off from outside Houston until I got to Dallas. IN Dallas, the traffic was slow to no go with multiple accidents and flooded lanes. Thankfully, things cleared up for the most part, traffic and weather-wise after getting through the Dallas maze and the surrounding area. Word to the wise, don’t drive through Dallas after a rain storm. They just aren’t set up for it. My six hour drive turned into an eight hour drive.

I finally pulled into my hotel in Edmond, Oklahoma at 4 PM...totally exhausted and ready to put my feet up. Of course, putting my feet up had to be proceeded by a debate about the pet policy at the hotel after I was informed that there could be no pets in my room. What?! Then, after I told them that I reserved a pet room, I was informed that they only have four rooms that they allow guests with pets to stay in. I made my reservations ages ago and I specified that I'd need a pet friendly room! What the flaming....?! Yes, I finally got a room which they reluctantly gave me because it wasn't one of their pet rooms.... Needless to say, I will not be giving this hotel a good review and I WILL NOT stay here again. I also plan to lodge a complaint about the attitude of the desk clerk and all the NO PETS ALLOWED signs in this supposedly pet friendly establishment. I will NOT be staying here again. At least I got a room on the ground floor and it's only one night.

I contacted DD Daughter to have her call the hotel where Kylee and I will be staying for the next two nights....just in case. Yes, they are ready with a room for Kylee and me. Thank you DD Daughter for making the call and relieving my mind. I'll sleep better tonight, knowing that Kylee and I will feel welcomed tomorrow when we get to Nebraska.

Random Quote of the Day

When a thing is done, it's done. Don't look back. Look forward to your next objective.

- George C. Marshall (1880 - 1959)

Tammy Gets a Trim

Little Jon Gets a Mohawk

Dinner at Pappadueax

Word of the Day

Adoricious - The quality of being able to be adored. Used in place of 'adorable' which often tends to imply cuteness as opposed to the ability to be adored. Useful when subject or a quality of the subject is endearing, but not necessarily cute.


We had another full day today, starting at Walmart to buy the necessary and then moving on to the mall to buy the other stuff. Also, we were able to get some really cute hair cuts for the kidlets and I needed my bangs trimmed. Then, for a mere $3, Tammy got her nails painted and for $5, I got my nails un-painted. I needed to have the shellac on my nails that I had done for when HTP and I went out for our anniversary...undone...removed. I love the look of well trimmed and polished nails but for some reason nail polish and shellac tends to really wreck my nails. It's best not to keep that sort of thing on my nails any longer than need be.

After the mall, we all went to visit an awesome shop which I discovered in Arizona, called Charming Charlies. Tammy was more than intrigued with all the glitz and glam. She's such a girlie girl. Love it. Afterwards, we sallied forth to Target to purchase nightwear. Target has really cute kid clothes.

For dinner, we met D Buddy at Pappadueaux...a seafood restaurant. Yup...I had raw oysters. Love 'em.

We topped off my gas tank on the way home, removed the grandkid's carseats/booster seats, rearranged my multitude of boxes, dressed the kidlets in their new p.j's, walked Kylee...and, of course, everyone had to hug everyone and KYLEE goodnight.

*sigh*

Tomorrow Kylee and I will have to say goodbye to Tammy, Little Jon, Sarge and D Buddy, loading up the car and hit the road once again, continuing on toward The Lake. Next stop....Edmond, OK.

Random Quote of the Day

She was conscious that the things she did were the things she had always wanted to do.

- Zelda Fitzgerald, 1922

Little Jon, Tammy, and Sarge 

Word of the Day

Abdicake - To give up the last piece of cake to someone else.


I had a shorter drive today but a bit more stressful. Thank goodness for my TomTom unit or I would have been totally lost. I did get lost just outside Houston. I got in the wrong lane when I was getting off the Sam Houston Tollway. *sigh* Again...thank you TomTom for getting me back on track. My "detour" added a half hour to my drive so I didn't get to Sarge's new house in Texas until 4 PM. After hauling in my luggage and unpacking the coolers, we watched TV with Tammy and Little Jon. So cute to watch them singing and dancing with their favorite shows. Tammy showed me her toys and her new room. D Buddy and Sarge's new home is a lot bigger than their old home. Nice. Then, we took Kylee outside in the backyard to play.

It felt good to walk to the Blue park with Sarge and the grandkids. I really needed to stretch my legs. After that, we walked to a Mexican restaurant that is close to the new house. How nice to be within walking for so much! The food was wonderful! and I finally got my Cinco de Mayo margarita...Seis de Mayo. Yummy!

D Buddy, Kylee, me and the kids had LOTS of fun playing fetch with Kylee's Kong Frisbee and her footed blue ball before bed time.

We plan to go out to do some shopping and bopping around town tomorrow.

Random Quote of the Day

My theory of evolution is that Darwin was adopted.

- Steven Wright (1955 - )

Jasum and BBF1, Happy to Be on Solid Ground Again

Word of the Day

Abbonee - The agony or severe pain caused by attempting to stand or walk when a person's knees have seized up, primarily after a prolonged period of inactivity. Most commonly suffered by travelers using trains, cars, and planes as methods of transportation.

All my bags are packed, I'm ready to go. After feeding Kylee, I loaded her and her kennel into the car. She was so happy! Over the years, when it comes to my relationship with Kylee, I've learned to put her into the car before I pack and load the coolers and my suitcase. We're going to have a long drive today so I'm happy to keep her happy and sane during this process.

Can you figure out the photo that I posted? I took that picture of my two friends AFTER their great skydiving adventure. Relief and joy to be back on the ground once again. I'm experiencing a similar relief that I've got everything done and I'm ready to start my journey back to The Lake.

And...as HTP headed off to work this morning, he reminded me that I REALLY need to check my Packing List one more time. If he hadn't mentioned my cell phone.... I sure hope I don't forget anything important as I finally head out.

***

And after over 10 hours on the road and two time zone changes, Kylee and I arrived safe and sound at our destination for the night. Fort Stockton, Texas. It was REALLY windy today so we witnessed some truly awesome dust devils. Thankfully, they stayed off to the side of the road. We got caught in rush hour traffic in Tucson AND El Paso plus we had to go through a border checkpoint (looking for illegals). Kylee is a good traveler but is a bit hyper now that we're in the room....to be expected despite a couple of stops.

Random Thought of the Day

We learn something every day, and lots of times it's that what we learned the day before was wrong.

- Bill Vaughan

The Oleander Trees are Full of Blossoms - Spring 2014

Word of the Day

Abacus - The process of baking an item for a person or group.

My intention is to take a full day for relaxation....as much as possible. I've packed everything that can be packed. My list of To Do items is completed. My packing list has everything checked off but the things that I need use today. I can't pack the coolers until tomorrow morning.

It's supposed to get up in the 100's today. Time to hit the road again.

Random Quote of the Day

There are a terrible lot of lies going around the world, and the worst of it is half of them are true.

- Sir Winston Churchill (1874 - 1965)

Fun at the Zoo in Arizona - Me and Jasum

Word of the Day

Tangentalize - To go off on a tangent or bunny trail in a conversation.

My time in Arizona is coming to a close. I've been keeping busy doing the normal things that I do while I'm in Arizona. My friend, BFF1 and I purchased a membership to the zoo which we've been enjoying, sharing with friends and family. We discovered the joys of Groupon when it comes to adventuring. She and my neighbor, Jasum, jumped out of a perfectly good plane while I stayed safe on terra firma, cheering them on and taking pictures. I think I'll skip that particular adventure but there are a few similar adventures that I may try next fall. Over the winter, I kept up with Walk Away the Pounds AND Yoga. I managed to lose only 15 pounds but I lost two dress sizes so I'm putting this in the win column. Meanwhile, I packed my Walk Away the Pounds DVD's and plan to continue the program on my own this summer.

I also let myself get sucked into Kefir Madness once again. It all came about when I had a craving for buttermilk. Kefir milk is so much better for you and tastes a lot like buttermilk so I ordered some grains online and I'm back at it. Making Kefir-Leban, Kefir cheese and drinking LOTS of Kefir milk which I like to drink with a sprinkle of seasoning salt. I'm bringing some of the Kefir milk AND my grains to The Lake this summer. I can't wait to try making Kefir-Leban with goat milk. The resultant "cheese" is similar to Alouette cheese when you add garlic, salt and herbs. Yummy with crackers. I also discovered that I can make my own sour cream that tastes a lot better than store bought. Pretty cool.

I had a wonderful time here in Arizona but it's time to return to The Lake. I'm all packed and everything I want to bring to The Lake is going to fit in the car. I spent over two hours this morning, packing and re-packing to make sure everything would fit. I even managed to get ALL the canning jars into the car! HTP is thrilled to get them out of the garage. It was a close thing. Those last two boxes (out of six), were a challenge. However, I AM the Tetris Champ when it comes to loading stuff into the car. Of course, after all was done and Kylee's kennel and my overnight bag were brought back inside the house, I was dripping more sweat than if I'd done a Five Mile Walk Away the Pounds Express WITH weights. And...now that I've had a chance to dry off, change clothes, and re-hydrate, I wonder if I can fit in that large pressure cooker that has been taking up space here. Ummmmm..... We'll see. Nevermind, it would have fit but I discovered that it was a Presto. I'm a Mirro gal.

Random Quote of the Day

There are only two kinds of people who are really fascinating: people who know absolutely everything, and people who know absolutely nothing.

- Oscar Wilde (1854 - 1900)