Hard Wednesday

 Wednesday, Kim came to clean. After 3 hours, she still had not finished the kitchen. So, she will work on it next week. She uses 3 paper towels at a time! Eeek! I had plenty of cleaning rags. But, next time, I will put them closer. 

I had turned on the dishwasher before she came. However, there were items on the counter that should have gone into the dishwasher.  Oh well. Happy day anyway!

There are lids for the pyrex that I did not want in the dishwasher or for her to wash. So, there are plenty of dishes for me to take care of tomorrow. The kitchen looks neater and brighter. 

Tommy's little breakfast table did not get cleaned. The floor did not get mopped. However, the window sill, walls, and wall behind the stove is sparkly clean. She cleaned the crisper where blood from chicken ran. I took all the vegetables out so I could store possibly leaky 3 package of chicken in a place where blood would not ruin everything. 

One day, Tommy put a package of frozen chicken on top of everything on the top shelf in the refrigerator. He said there was no room on the bottom shelf where I told him to place it. Thankfully, I found it an hour later. He did not think it was a big deal where he stored it in the refrigerator because it was frozen. ???

After she left, the guy from the study in which I am participating came and wore me out! But, it is all over. He thought I misunderstood the fact he wanted me to squeeze a grip. No, I just cannot squeeze much. 

So, from 11:30 until 4:30, I was up and on my feet or sitting which hurts my back, too. 

Wednesday, it has rained hard on and off. Now, it 50F outdoors. And, it feels chilly.  Tonight, we are having baked chicken and a salad.  Tommy wants bbq sauce on his chicken. Okay, I could not find a chicken breast for me, so I had salad only. I put too much Russian Dressing on it and kept choking...lol. But, it was delicious.

Thursday

Wednesday night,  I slept from 10:30 pm until after 8 am. I will explain tomorrow. Right now, I am off for an eye exam. I srongly expect I will need a new prescription.

No Nap Tuesday and Garden Thoughts

 Tuesday is a red-letter day. I still feel awful and did not sleep well, but not once have a felt the need for a nap. Of course, I have done nothing, either. 

In a few minutes I will start dinner. We are having more of the chicken quarters that I served last night along with Brussels sprouts, and potatoes baked with the Concord herb mix.  I think I will have a salad--Italian mix with tomatoes.  I had no more frozen Brussels sprouts. I had thrown in lots of baby carrots in the oil and herb mixture. So, It is chicken, potatoes, carrots and tomatoes. 

Since being tired is my only symptom, I went to Publix for 2 bogo grape tomatoes, one 3/$10 salad mix, $0.99 for 1 lb baby carrots and bought two bags, coffee for Tommy, and ice cream because it was there and bogo. I only got one ice cream and two tomatoes. Oh, we went to the bread store, too.  

When we arrived home, I was not totally exhausted like I usually am, not even tired at all. 

I had had to cancel dentist appointment and cleaning this week, missed getting mail last week, and other appointments. We are rescheduling lunch in the park with Tommy's cousin and my other appointments. 

Tommy's appointment is in April and 50 miles away. My doctor has not gotten confirmation of when he is getting Moderna, but still expects to get the shipment. ???

We are returning to the general decluttering and cleaning around here. There is nothing around here but fun and games. We have the box of clothes hangers still, waiting to donate to a person or group.  

Kim from Out My Window suggested the hiccups were related to shingles. According to nih.gov, yes, hiccups is related to shingles! As a matter of fact, every last symptom I have can be related to shingles! 

If I can handle the activity, I will be cutting my hair and Tommy's today. But, I may need a nap before noon. My phone was on all night and two calls woke me. I hate the sound of the phone when I am asleep or trying to go to sleep.

Wednesday will definitely be a nap day. 

How are your garden preps going? Mine are still in my head but I need to check the cabbage growing and get out my seeds.

Thinking of Gardening and New Dishwasher

I had to explain this to Tommy. His answer was 1...LOL. He has never been around glitter. 

There is no sense putting pots of anything on the porch. If I missed one day watering or was a few hours late, the extreme heat from the afternoon sun in front of the brick house was not good for the plants. Then, a few that were always watered well, died. I am thinking of getting someone to get the four boxes to the little area where the walk/ramp curves from the drive to porch. 

But, there is a problem I don't know how to solve. Something was getting on the porch and eating tomatoes, squash, and other things. I doubt it was a cat, maybe a rat though I have never seen or heard of a rat around here. Do I get a camera to set up and catch things, put out traps, sticky traps? 

Since I thought about gardening, I suppose I should get all the old plants from the pots the next warm day. Tommy will have to help me. 

That led me to wondering about seeds. I doubt I will have to worry about not enough seeds since I planted none last year! I hear it will be hard to get seeds this year. The one thing I will plant from seed and pamper are the seeds for Wave Petunias. I will plant several pots to ensure I will have more if the ones on the porch die in the sun. 

So, no matter what I do, I want to ensure I have tomatoes, squash, and zucchini that can grow without being eaten by an animal. Well, something with teeth. What advice do you have? 

Dishwasher was delivered about 9:30 am. At 11:00 am, the guys left it half stuck into the hole for it. NOW, we have to get a plumber. I paid for installation at time of purchase. I was counting on using the dishwasher this afternoon. Boo hoo! It seems this was put in the house in 1970s and fittings don't fit for water or drain. 

Okay, the plumber will be here in the morning. 

I did not mean to post this when I did, so right on top of last post. grrr

Buy $25 Get $5 Off, Winter Garden In

 Of course, I used this coupon. I took coupons with me and used them, too. All coupons were doubled. I found Campbell's Cream of Mushroom Soup for $.90/can. I had a coupon for $1 off 4 cans. I used two more Ronco coupons and bought more spaghetti and penne pasta. I think I paid about $.45 for 7 oz spaghetti. Endust had a coupon, and I was going to buy it anyway. 

Turkeys were $0.69/lb, but I have no room in the freezers. The turkey I bought on Thursday is now defrosting in the refrigerator. 

Tommy got the rest of the sweet potatoes inside. 

My gardening mentor for the research project came today and we planted and put row cover on the 10 or so plants. I have broccoli, kale, lettuce, cabbages. We fertilized, watered and  used Bt.That exhausted me and then I had to go spend my $5 coupon, so short post. 

No Sleep and Doctor Appointment

I slept two hours last night. Then, I was disturbed by a call I had to make and was returned. Tommy is going to have dinner earlier than he likes. Or, he can let it sit and reheat it...lol. It is 5:30 and he should have dinner by 6 pm.

Today, he had to go to his six-month checkup. I drove since he could not have anything. The car was so hot. We arrived ten minutes before his appointment and we sat for another 30 minutes. Then, i had to sit there for another 45 minutes. I ran the ac because it was very hot at 9 am! And, they refused to allow me to come inside to use the bathroom.

My garden is dying. Never grow food in front of solid brick house with brick porch that is about 3 ft. high and is brick, too, and where the sun sets on the front porch. Of course, the eggplant are thriving! gag.

When the mail arrived. there was a beautiful floral package. My friend from CA sent me three packages of foam rollers. Remember, the ones she sent earlier did not make it out of the house and the ones i bought fall apart! Now, I can have a bit of fluff, bend, or curl instead of stick straight hair. I love getting things in the mail.

I made a ten-minute shopping trip for two stock up items. Of course, both were chocolate. I will hide this.

Dinner tonight is pasta and canned spaghetti sauce, garlic bread, and cucumber/tomato salad.

I have Cherokee Purple tomatoes that Tommy says he will not eat. Yes, he will. He was freaked out by the yellow tomatoes and ate them.

Okay, too tired to type.

I Could Easily Make This a Habit

Today, as Tommy and I left the house, I was shocked at the size of the package outside the door on the porch. It took a struggle to get the huge package inside. Tommy helped me by yanking on the package and making me fall on my face as I was pushing it across the carpet with feet outside.

Right on the package I could see it was the Cuisinart ice cream maker. Cuisinart told me over the phone it would be here July 2. So, today was a great surprise...a nice surprise.

Now, if packages would just arrive every day. I like this. I could get into the habit of opening boxes.

We finally got the package in and situated. I had to cool off from gardening. The bowls for freezing are shockingly heavy. The Cuisinart box like you would find on a store shelf was 26 pounds. Now, I know that I cannot lift 26 pounds or carry that much. I had to "walk" the inner box to me.

Oh, the packaged box only filled less than half of the corrugated shipping box! I could have ordered two and both would have fit in that box.

I am going to wash it in a few minutes. Since the inner bowl, the freezing bowl must be frozen from 16-24 hours, no ice cream for us until tomorrow. I have no idea what I will make first.

The bowls are huge and very heavy. One is much heavier than the base! Since they are so large, they will need almost a whole shelf in the freezer for them if I make two bowls at a time.

This Cuisinart ice cream maker is half-price now. For a stay-at-home treat and to save money for a person with several children, this would be a bargain.

I am looking forward to no gums and oils and other additions in my ice cream.

At 2:45 today, we went out to plant some of my vegetables. My goodness it was hot! I wore a short dress and sandals and should have been more covered up because of the sun. I had to water all four of the reservoirs the boxes, pull out produce from the other three boxes. Tommy helped with pulling up old food plants.

I planted two half-dead tomato plants--Better Boy. I left the two well-watered zucchini and another plant for another day, left them on top of the box. I carried out the snake and left it on a box. These are grow boxes full of soil mix. I had to come in because sweat was in my eyes, and I felt woozy. I got so sweaty. It was 91F.

Tommy worked with me the whole time, so it would have taken me 1.5 hours if I had been alone. I do the plant stuff and he turns on and off water and drags the hose to me. He sits on his walker and I drag a wicker chair about and sit to plant and work fertilizer into the soil and water.

I cannot wait for squash and zucchini and tomatoes to be ready to eat.

Sleeping with Darth Vader

The oxygen machine has a steady hum that is not annoying at all. However, it sort of wheezes in and puffs out forcefully. I think I remember that from Star Wars or was it Star Trek. At any rate. I slept with oxygen on Thursday night. Finally, I just passed out at 5 am from exhaustion. This is not fun.

I awoke at 9:30 and took a nap from noon to 3:30 with Darth Vader. I think the oxygen has helped me with the pain and exhaustion a tiny bit. My back still hurts, but somehow it is different.

The new Craftsman drill dumbfounded me today. I knew how to use the chuck, but could not. Tommy finally got it to work. Somehow the chuck was stuck and he managed to force it to work. After that, I had no trouble changing bits. The drill was $49 + $15 for bits.

Friday, I went outside and stood at the porch to drill holes in pots so I can plant. A door-to-door salesman came up and asked it he could help us. He saw both of us struggling to drill a hole in plastic...lol. Well, it was very hard plastic.

He helped with three large pots. No, he did it. When he asked if there was more, I told him I needed holes in the bottom of the garbage can. This puzzled him. When I told him I was going to plant potatoes in the garbage can, he said he had never heard of that. I explained it to him.

Since I have to pace myself, this is all I did Friday other than cooking pasta for spaghetti on Friday night. Saturday, I plan to plant til I drop. That will happen before I run out of plants!

I have the little iron table from the junk store in front of the house in the little area between driveway and walk and house. One of the chairs is there. So, one table and chair in the front and one table and chair in the back is the way things are now. Both tables need work. But, each functions as a table. No, they won't be used as is.

Friday night, I fell asleep easily with the Darth Vader machine. At any rate, I am thinking of putting the machine across the hall in another room.

Have you ever used one of the machines to make oxygen?

Garden Supplies

This project is part of a research project from Auburn University and administered by University of Alabama. The premise is that gardening improves every aspect of life--physical health, mental and emotional health. I had blood taken, donated toenails and saliva.

My oncologist gave the study my name. The two qualifications are to be over 60 and have had cancer and out of treatment now.

I was given the following supplies.

* City Pickers Patio Garden Kit--4 with self watering 2.5 gal reservoir, 20"x24"
* 25 ft. hose
* 6 cubic yards of dirt of some kind...lol.
* 12" cultivator
* trowel
* Miracle Gro garden gloves
* plant markers-14 white write on
* 2 gallon watering can
* jute twine--200 ft. lightweight
* Safer Brand Insect Killing Soap, 24 oz.
* Safer Brand Garden Fungicide, 24 oz.
* Safer Brand Garden Dust, BT, 8 oz.
* Miracle Gro Shake N Feed Fertilizer, 4.5 lbs.
* bag of mulch
* 8 metal rods to bend to fit boxes to support
* really long piece of white cloth to cover for cooler nights

and

A cute little plastic container with a bee inside, toy bee. If you find a bug you want to look at, put him in there and the top is a magnifying glass. I won't be handling bugs. It is labeled "Oriental Trading."

There was a 2 gallon bag with three gallon bags that held snack bags of seeds. The seeds are labeled Central, so i suppose that is for Central Alabama.

My seeds for Spring:
"Flash" collards
"New Red" lettuce
beets
"red Ace" beets
"Evergreen Hardy White" green onions
"Purple Top White Globe" turnip
"Bloomsdale" Spinach
"Sugar Ann" sugar snap peas
purple carrots
"Red Giant" mustard greens

Seeds for Summer:
"E-Z Pick" snap bush bean
"fordhook 242" lima bush bean
"spaghetti squash" winter squash
"fortex" pole bean
"tigress" zucchini
"yellow crookneck" summer squash
"general lee" cucumbers

Seeds for Fall:
"E-Z pick" snap bush bean
"fordhook 242" Lima bush bean
"Evergreen Hardy white" green onion
"Sugar Ann" sugar snap peas
"Purple Top White Globe" turnips
"Bright Lights" Swiss chard
"Red Giant" Mustard Greens
"Fortex" Pole Bean
"New Red Fire" lettuce
"Red Ace" beets
"Roxanne" radishes
"purple haze" carrots
"Sierra Blanca" bulb onion
"Bloomsdale" spinach
"Flash" collards

Also, I have 8 metal rods to put cloth over the beds. I also got the cover. They supplied bamboo for staking plants.

I was also able to choose plants. I got lettuce, kale, broccoli, and cabbage. So, six of each of those are planted. they look great.

Have you had any experience with any of these varieties?

I was going to tell you about the fire ant activity we have been watching. Maybe tomorrow.

Toilet Paper and Sanitizer: Found and My Garden

Today, I had to go out to get my McAfee protection for my laptop renewed. I keep getting a pop up warning me of time running out for my coverage. I refuse to open a popup.  It appears I could not call it in. I was told to go to a store. I now am good for two years with McAfee. While in Office Depot/Office Max in Homewood, I came upon alcohol sanitizer in the front of the store. A sign said only one purchase per person. I got one--$2. It is all I have and all I have found.

When I came out and told Tommy, he said he noticed people with large purchases, all carrying one small bottle of alcohol sanitizer. He wondered. This store in on Hwy 31 in Hoover.

In another store, I passed toilet paper being unboxed and asked about Northern. I could only have one 6 pack, exactly what I had a coupon to purchase. I got another hair color, not the right color, but it will do. I found lawn chairs, wicker ones that fold, just what I need for the yard. But, I am not buying those now. Plus, the Amdro Fire Ant Bait will have to wait. I am using Tommy's cc, so I did not want to push my luck.

He found gas at Jet Pep in Hoover across the street from the Galleria--$1.82/gal. I pumped it for Tommy. It hurts me to do so, but he cannot walk and must hold onto the luggage rack. I hate to see him struggle so.

I had to go to Joanne's Fabrics to get a seam ripper to deconstruct the jumpsuit to make pants. I thought I had died and gone to heaven when I saw the electric cart. Tommy will have to bring lunch and something to read, take a nap and listen to the radio while I spend a lot of time in there some day. I am soooo happy. I went right in and out today.

We had a grilled cheese sandwich just before we left, so we had no need for anything to eat.

We went out to the backyard yesterday to check my garden. Everything is standing up nicely, no wilting. The watering is all into a tube on the side of the box. A reservoir holds it and it soaks into the soil. Tommy managed to fight his way past the backdoor steps to go in and out. I help him with the walker.

I have cabbages and broccoli and other things planted, forgot what. The woman took the little plant markers that come with the plants.  I need to get out there and get the carrot seeds into the ground.

So, we have no socialization with anyone else. One dinner we attend is now a carryout dinner. Another lunch is up in the air, Maybe it will be canceled, maybe not. Hopefully, a carryout.

Tonight, I prepared a lot of sweet potatoes to go in the oven. Tommy voluntarily took all the bags and went through them. Now, he has put all the ones I need to attend to in one bag. He has always done that for me. At one time, he would carry 40 lb boxes to the yard. He did this after dark tonight and in the living room.

Tonight, we will have baked chicken from the freezer, baked sweet potatoes, and slaw. I am getting hungry thinking about the feast.  The slaw mix was bogo at Publix. We have two pieces of apple pie, so that might be eaten, not sure. So far, we are eating well despite the situation in the US.

How about you? Do you need a few things at your house? Eating well?

Free Ice Cream Cone

On March 19, 2000, Dairy Queen will give away a free ice cream cone. I will chance the drive-up window. Oh poo! Canceled!

We did not go to church today. Tommy is very unhappy; I am relieved.  It was my idea. I wonder how many of the older people did not show up. All but three or four are over 60. We have heard nothing.

Yesterday, a Master Gardener came and helped me put together four boxes, fill with dirt, and plant my plants. All this was provided for free by an Auburn research grant. Tomorrow, I will give you details.

Last year, I could barely put my left foot on the floor to walk. It was so tender that the doctor ordered an MRI to see if I had broken a bone in my foot. I had not. My pain was caused by age-related arthritis. I have had touches of this in other places, like my thumb of my right hand.

The PhD nurse practitioner suggested a pill for the pain. Then, she came back in and told me she was giving it to me in a gel form. It seems to be working. Not sure. Th pain is not debilitating anymore. So, that is something.

I do not intend to go into a store or other place where there are others.  How about you?

Friday and Garden Plans

Friday night dinner was leftovers--chicken, steamed broccoli, sweet potato, and strawberries. After a busy afternoon and then a nap about 4:30 till 7 pm, it was good to have dinner done already.

Today, I had to go to a meet and greet for the research project where I get all plants, seeds, earth boxes, dirt, just everything I need to raise plants. . .all for free. Everybody gets the same products, plants, and tools.

This research projects is to measure all the benefits of raising a garden--eating more vegetables, happier, lab tests better, etc. Remember a few weeks ago i donated toenails, poop, blood, and saliva to the research project?

I do not have the information out, but one thing I have to do is keep a journal of things I do, think, and questions for my mentor. All mentors are Master Gardeners. We need to take lots of pictures and send then in.

Tommy has a tiny patio where I think I will put the earth boxes. We will see. Somehow, i have to get a seat to sit on out there. If Tommy comes out, he will have no place to sit except his walker.

I don't like to use commercial pesticides. They are supplying all sorts of plant products from a brand called Safer. Have you ever used these? Know anything about them?

A MG told me assuredly that they were organic. I assured him arsenic was organic. He assured me they would never give me arsenic. He missed the whole point.

I will have all products I need and someone to do the heavy work. So, gardening will be possible once again.

The meeting was at 1 pm, so we ate lunch before we left. They had refreshments. We both took water and various little snacks. So, we spent nothing for food out today.

A stop by Piggly Wiggly and I have bananas and chicken bouillon. I think that makes about $15 spent this week.

I meant to say that my oncologist gave the research group my name so they could contact me.

Free Books and Other Happenings

Friday, when I went to the meeting for physical tests and took samples of my body (nails, poop, and saliva), I had planned a trip to a former friend/professor's home. She has dementia and is not living in her home. I just wanted to see the house where I spent so many holidays and activities. She was generous in her hospitality. It sold. But, I have no idea who bought it. It is sad when a brilliant mind is lost in this manner.

There is a store catty-corner from her house. I loved to go there and buy individual ice creams. They allowed customers to open a box and take out one frozen item or more, just what the customer wanted. For a long time, the store was closed. Then, I found it open on Friday. I did not stop for ice cream. I stopped because there were four 10ft shelves with free books. FREE BOOKS! Of course, I had Tommy stop while I shopped. I got three books. As it turned out, two were so musty I could not sit and read them. I even worried about getting it on my clothes.

While I do not believe in destroying books and the deal was to return the books, I threw two in the trash. Guilt consumes me. The free books were a good idea, an excellent idea. Inside storage would be better. But, I am not in charge. Basically, I got one free book.

Free items on Friday:
Banana Boat Ultra Sport Sunscreen Lotion, 8 fluid ounces, 50 SPF
3 package of peanut butter crackers
1 package Nekot cookies and peanut butter
1 package wheat cracker with cheese filling
2 tangerines
4 bottles of water
hat with 2 inch brim...not wide enough for sun protection.
"Sanctuary" collection of short stories by Honors students at various universities
"The Greening of America" Charles A. Reich
"Arkansas Three Novellas" David Levitt

"Sanctuary" is not musty, so I can read it and keep it.
"Greening..." is very musty. It was published in 1970. I would have found it interesting to see how the world of 1970, fifty years ago. viewed the world in terms of pollution, the environment and what the solutions could be.
"Arkansas: Three Novellas" would have been interesting. Too bad it was so musty.

This "Free Book" setup was an excellent idea, but since it is outdoors against the building, everything either became wet or just in the damp air. I found it interesting that the historic novels, mostly romance, were under the category of History. I wondered who made that determination to classify.

Today, I have too many dishes to wash. I want to make a peach cobbler if I can find a large enough pan to put it in. I cannot get my one larger Correlle casserole scoured clean. I will try one more time before I ask Tommy to help. He has more finger and hand strength than I.

He made a face last week when I mentioned cream cheese with chives. Then, he asked today if he could have some. Of course. Then, he ate some in a sandwich. I would never have made a sandwich with it, but he liked it.

Today, I awoke at 9 am after going to bed at 1:30. There was so little light outside that I thought it was 6 am.! I stayed in bed for another hour and it still was gloomy outside. It has remained so. The only window that is uncovered is the fan light in the front door. It is too high for me to see outside. He won't allow me to open curtains!

He has pinch-pleated drapes and curtain rods, not the drapery rod where the hooks go into holes where they can be opened and closed. Since the drapes are just butted against each other rather than lapped a bit, they are gaps all over the place where anyone can see in. ugh I try to keep them closed. I may resort to paper clips or packing tape.

Did I say? He said to throw away his cpap. I will do that today.

Progress: I have been determined to get things "gone" a little at a time. He has a little two-seater table with chairs in the kitchen, besides the dining set in the dining room section of the kitchen/dining room. The tiny table has little leaves about six inches long. The table is probably 2' x 4' with leaves open. This is where he goes to give himself an insulin injection. It is a mess and dirty. Slowly, I have removed one thing at a time. I noticed things started clearing out. He is removing things, too. I am proud of him. lol.

It is dinnertime and I was determined not to cook. There are leftover green peas, two baked potatoes in the the refrigerator. I dug around in the freezer and found two frozen chicken thighs. They are in the oven heating. I also put out a bag of ham that is cooked and sliced. it does not appear to be have freezer burn. The last time I gave him a bag of ham to freeze was in December 2018. We are eating so much that I cooked and gave him.

Corona Virus and Planting a Garden

I am not prepping for the Corona Virus. While I am not totally going all out, I am not ignoring the virus either.

We were watching the latest news about the spread of the Corona Virus. I started thinking what we could do to be safe. Since we are older, we might not fare well. He had no idea what to do. I did.

My main defense would to avoid people! But, we all need things--food, medical car, gas for the car. As long as we are not required to be present, we would not go anywhere. I know the argument that the stores would be bare of food. Just maybe people would not go so often. Who can say?

The one thing I would do is to order groceries from Walmart of Publix or Amazon. Rather than come in contact with other customers, I would have to be as the mercy of people for fruit and vegetables. Would the teen picking my groceries even care what my bananas looked like? sigh

I know a doctor who would let me sit in the car and rush in the back door. Of course, I could still catch something, so I would have to be really ill to go to any doctor. I do have four silly little masks, hand sanitizer, and Lysol to spray.

Using a card in the gas pump would provide a way to avoid more people. I asked Tommy if he would stop going to church. He said, "Yes!"

While I don't obsess over this, I do try to at least mentally prepare for changes.

There was probably a year's worth of food that went into the dump. Here, I have continued my buying of sales and loss leaders. I think Tommy is sometimes puzzled by what I buy, but he is not puzzled when he gets meals he likes and did not have to fix.

I suppose avoiding people is the best tact.

Today, I had an appointment to meet with the researchers who are sponsoring gardens for seniors. Their aim is to determine if growing a garden helps health of seniors. First, I was in a room where I was weighed and measured. I held this instrument to determine my BMI. And, I stood to determine how well, I can balance standing different ways.

The second room was harder. I had to rise from sitting without using my hands to get up. Then, I had to see how many times I could do it in one minute and several other tests.

Lastly, I went into another room to have blood drawn. I told the guy where the blood was...lol. There is a place where no veins are visible. However, plunging a needle there at almost a 90 degree angle will hit blood. The guy poked around forever, and he decided to try. Eureka! He was pleased I could help him and thanked me.

They kept promising me "snacks" when we were through. I got a hat with the program logo, sunscreen, a pack of peanut butter crackers, and a tangerine. I asked for a tangerine for Tommy. They gave me PB crackers for him, too. They offered me two waters, which I took. When we got to the car, he said the PhD over the program offered him crackers. He took them and ate them while he waited for me. We spent about an hour and a half at the program.

I will be given raised beds and everything needed for a garden. Since everything of mine was stolen, it will be a good thing to start over without such a big expense. I am excited. Planting a garden through this program has nothing to do with getting food in case of the Corona virus reaching here. This program has been in the works for me since last year.

How are you prepared for the Corona virus? What can you do?

A Garden and a Cat

It is late in the year, but a 'garden' is in the plans. My allergies have been so horrid that I could barely go outdoors without suffering. Surely, some of you have been experiencing the same thing. In the backyard are some really big pots, the size to plant tomatoes.

I now have a little greenhouse to plant seeds in for herbs and such, the little greenhouse is a bit longer than a 9x13 inch cake pan. The car will house the greenhouse. One year, when I germinated the seeds in late February, the car was perfect for germinating seeds. The second year, I put the greenhouse in the car in May and everything germinated and died. It was sad. So, this year I must be careful not to allow the germinated seeds to fry.

Back to the "garden." The huge pots will sit on cap blocks Tommy bought for me to elevate him as he comes into the house. I will need more. The plan was to elevate a board on the cap block. My friend insisted putting each pot on a pedestal of cap blocks would be better, and I would not have to buy boards. Well, now I have to buy more cap blocks! I suppose it will all work out.

My neighbor is moving. I kiddingly asked him for his cat. He gave her to me. My yard is her hunting ground. She stares for hours, looking for chipmunks. The chipmunks destroyed all my Hosta. I am now growing Hosta on a table. Where is the fun in that?

Just as I am getting better, the privet hedges are blooming!!! The ENT will have lots to work with.

As for the past, I saw my first daffodil on New Year's Day, the same day I saw my first mosquito...in the house. Last week, the first mosquito outdoors landed on me. Today, I killed a hornet in the house! That was scary, so I will have my friend look for where it got into the house. I am quite sure I have a hornet nest in the yard

I found a new old dinner to attend. This church had a dinner and invited the community. They now have it for their members, and I was invited. Great for me.

Somewhere is a list of what I intend to plant. I will post that tomorrow. What are you planting this year?