|
The Fourth, Fun and Frustration
The Long Hot Summer, Is
No Beans, No Electrician - Are
They Together?
A Respite From My Reality
Watching Reality Shows
Climbing Into Bed Is for Kids
Bad Back, Movers, and a Desultory
Electrician
Garden Done, Back Protests, and Boxes
To Go
Two Steps Forward, One Step Back
ARCHIVES:
Apr 2006-May 2006
Feb
2006-Mar 2006
January 2006
Oct
2005-Dec 2005
Aug
2005-Sep 2005
Mar 2005-July 2005
Nov.2004-Mar.2005 |
|
July 5, 2006
The Fourth, Fun and Frustration
Don't ask! Of course
there was no poolside frolicking and no family get-together -- at my house!
I did get over to my daughter's new home and we had a great meal followed by
the fireworks.
The house is a beautiful
two-story home on a quiet cul-de-sac with lots of weekend jobs to get it up
to her final vision. First off, replace a broken water heater that gave her
an indoor pool! Fingers are crossed that other things will take a little
longer before needing replacement. But, all in all, it's beautiful and the
grounds are breathtaking -- almost no mowing to speak of, with lots of
azaleas, gardenia, and other woodsy plants grown to full height and
protective shading. If I hadn't reached retirement age and a strong desire
to reduce the size of my living quarters, dramatically, it would have been
my choice, as well. The advantage is that I get to visit and she gets to
clean!
Compared to her last two
kitchens, this new one is a house, in itself. Lots of counter space and
room for a dinette set and butcher block island! The neighborhood is well
cared for and there's a beautiful view from every window. And, there's a
lot of housekeeping to be done. This is probably the biggest home she's had
so it's an adventure, right now. We'll check back, in a few years.
My garden is growing to
its full height and building it to my waist high was the right idea. Even
with the back problem, the advantages far outweigh the pain (which, in fact,
was my own fault). So that settles the matter. All future gardens are to
be built waist high and/or layered above ground to at least 24 inches.
Anything higher and I'll put in a phony bottom. Layering above ground should
bring it up enough that it won't be a problem, and eight inches of soil is
more than enough for vegetables.
But, still, NO beans!
This is wrong, inherently wrong, and against the rules of nature.
First-graders can grow beans. I haven't even reached the first grade of my
second childhood! "Something tells me that was a bad batch in the bag," she
bemoaned, somewhat alliteratively. Humbled by benign beans. Defeat is unacceptable.
Though late in the gardening game, I will try to locate the last package of
bean seeds in the county and fill the gap in the garden. I'm off!
[top]
June
30, 2006
The Long Hot Summer, Is
Everything's been in a
whirl these past few days. A dear friend had to have surgery and so I was
away for a few days. Hoping to return to a pool busily filtering nasty
water turned out to be too good to be true, after all. Aaaarrrgggghhhhh!
Of course, the fellow is as
nice as he can be and a family man and, ". . . a wife leaving for Italy
(Italy? On my dime, perhaps?) and he did raise his two daughters the first
two years all by himself and the pool will definitely be ready for the July
4th holiday, don't you worry . . ." The workshop could take a little
longer, but, hey, at least we'll be dippin' our toes on the Fourth.
Uh, no, still haven't
gotten together with the movers. This seems to be another guy with family
problems ("I don't want to worry you; it's not your problem.") that keeps
interfering with his ability to keep an appointment. Like I said, this is a
company with a large ad in the phone book and a 20-year reputation, bonded,
certified, licensed, and lethargic!
The solar cooking has been
put aside whilst I get the house in order and that's a bigger problem
because there is NOTHING to put anything into because the mover hasn't
transferred my things! I can't even cool off in the pool! It really is a
long, hot summer.
June 27, 2006
No Beans, No Electrician - Are They
Together?
Having tried my first solar-cooked meal, I couldn't
wait to try out my new improved sturdier model. It was not to be. For
some reason, the gods have decided to play games with me and my neck of the
woods has had more liquid sunshine than true solar heat. Pounding
gulley-washers and straight-up earth-to-sky lightning bolts. I had forgotten
just how exposed one is in the country. Goshes.
So, now, I actually have two ovens. One is strictly
cardboard, all the way, and the new one is made using a 40-gallon Rubbermaid
container. But, both work great, doing as they should.
The garden has rallied and everything seems to be
coming up -- except, the beans! Now, who on earth can't grow beans? This
is what you give small children, along with radishes, to show how easy it is
to have a garden. NOT ONE SEED has sprouted. I wanted to blame the birds,
but there are no tell-tale tracks or holes showing removal. What is going
on?
I've emptied two packets of my favorite bush beans and
nothing, nada, zip. I would hate to think that Wal-Mart recycled last
year's seeds. But, there's a strong possibility that that's the case.
The cucumbers and squash have compensated for the
extreme heat by creating almost bark like stems for protection. Every plant
is filled with the early female blossoms, and the veggies can't be far
behind. Most of the herbs didn't make it but I do have a great Sweet Basil
plant and some chives, so it's not a total loss. There really is a reason
for planting in a timely fashion, that's for sure. But, it's great to have
the garden in place and things will really start in earnest next Spring with
some cool weather peas, etc.
Surprise! The electricians seem to have forgotten me
and the pool just sits there waiting for hookup so the filtering can occur.
Found two (count them, two) frogs desperately trying to get out, gasping for
air. Stunned to be back on terra firma, they just sat for awhile before
hopping off in opposite directions. And, I've been assured that all will be
ready for the July 4th holiday. Great.
No, the movers still have not met with me to start the
process. What is going on? This isn't two guys with friends and vans,
these are certified, licensed, professional movers charging me the same
price as anyone else. No special deals. (Same with the electricians, by
the way) This is taking insouciance too far, in my opinion. If I had
treated my customers and clients this way, the business would have folded in
the first year.
What bothers me most about the electrician is that I
did upfront the money for supplies, a standard procedure for most
independents, which didn't really concern me. But I would, at least, like
to see the items purchased and a time certain for getting the job done. Is
that too much after fifteen days?
[top]
June 23, 2006
A Respite From My Reality Watching Reality
Shows
Looks like things are finally starting to pop around
here. Electrician said pool should be running soon and the shop will done
in no time. This is seriously eating into my fall clothing budget. Will
have to settle for Wal-Mart coveralls instead of
Balmain's couteriere fashions, but I
do have some new
silicone potholders, so it's not a
total loss.
Still trying to get some movers to get out to the old
place to bring the rest of my stuff. It's ridiculous. How do these people
stay in business? Obviously, they don't care because so many people need
them. Every day, there's a new excuse. But, primarily, it's because there's
not ENOUGH of my stuff to move, so they have to slip me in to -- what? A
day's work? Isn't a day's work, a day's work? So, the guys don't
have to spend a day lifting heavy furniture, just packing cabinet items and
books. They're going to wrap the bookshelves with shrinky film. Geez.
Let me change the subject.
Been watching the
So You Think You Can Dance series
and have fallen in love with Benji. That young man can do no wrong and, to
think, no one really wanted him in the beginning. That seems to be the case,
quite often, with these programs. The judges invariable don't want someone
who ends up winning! What does that say about the judges, about the
critics, about Americans? Do we really care less about quality and training
and more about looks?
I know these shows are all about entertaining us but
aren't they also supposed to be about finding the absolute best performer?
Ruben Studdard of American Idol fame comes to mind. To me, he's an okay
singer. There was literally nothing special about him -- except, maybe, his
girth. The man would just stand and sing in his sing-along-to-the-radio
voice and Simon, Randy, and Paula would fall all over themselves trying to
outdo each other in giving him accolades.
Good grief! He was in the public's choice of bottom
three more than three times! Yet, the judges kept telling us how dumb we
were and how great he was. I recall one session, especially, where they
were doing the songs and all three judges attacked Clay Aiken for not moving
around enough on stage during his performance. He was followed by Ruben,
who barely moved, at all, was sweating like crazy, voice raw and cracking,
and they went crazy with their praise and never once mentioned that he
should have moved around more on the stage to try to engage his audience.
It smelled of fix, then, and it still does.
Today, his records aren't doing the bang-up job
expected and he's just won a
lawsuit against his manager for
mishandling of funds.
Fantasia Barrino's records are
selling in the middle range, and
Clay Aiken has already returned to
North Carolina. There'll be tours, but nothing like it was in the
beginning.
Kelly Clarkson has moved into the stratosphere, to
stay. She's the full package. In my opinion, this proves that
you can't shove "stars" down the people's throats. Everyone will have
their piece of the pie
Runners-up have managed to carve their own place in the
music world, as well. Carrie Underwood has taken the Country world by storm
and you can hear her latest Don't Forget to Remember Me song
here. And
Diana DeGarmo, from the 2004 American Idol season
is now touring the country in
Broadway: The Musical after debuting on Broadway in Hairspray.
My point is, the people make the final judgment, once all
the hoopla of a TV show is over. It's a great platform for aspiring
stars and they should understand that, from the beginning. Those that
treat it as a perfectly normal event in the course of their lives are
foolish, indeed. Ask anyone who's been working their whole lives for
recognition how easy it really is -- and, 22 years old isn't someone's whole
life. Taylor's on the edge of a very young group, all things
considered, and has really paid his dues.
[top]
June
20, 2006
Climbing Into Bed is for Kids
My new bedstead arrived earlier in the day and that's
when I discovered the true meaning of "climbing into bed." I had totally
forgotten just how high the top mattress was (it came to just above my
bosom) and just getting aboard to sleep on it became more important than
figuring out a way to actually sleep on it! Phew! I wish I was a kid,
again!
Everything had to be coordinated because of the back
pain and then it was just lay in one position waiting for Morpheus to
embrace me.
The morning reversal just gave me a fit of giggles
trying NOT to fall as I slid off the bed into my slippers. Definitely a day
for small projects. So, it off to the garden for watering and
providing some protection from the sun during the day. Some seeds sprouted
but died by midday because of the heat. Poor things. Next year will be
much better.
Noooo, the electrician still hasn't finished the job of
hooking up my kilns and setting up a poolside on-off switch. The kiln
hookup in the workshop requires a separate switch box and THAT requires a
trench dug clear across the yard to lay the line down! The up side is that
I discovered the land is a very nice sandy loam topsoil with excellent
drainage. So, I'll probably mix the extra soil in with the garden topsoil
to make it richer. So much to do; so little can be done because of the
back. This will pass.
June 13,
2006
Bad Back, Movers, and a Desultory
Electrician
The back is getting better but only because I've
refused to lift anything heavy and also take two Aleve to get me through the
night. A good half-hour soak in a hot tub gets me relaxed and it seems
to be doing the trick. Every day, I can raise a little higher and face the
day.
Actually hired a moving company to get the heavier
pieces and was excited to get started, finally. Because most of my furniture
went to other homes where it wouldn't look so big and I was left with just
shelving and contents to worry about, it seemed an easy enough idea. So, I
called the professionals for help.
Scheduled a week in advance, the movers were to meet me
at 2PM but didn't show up until almost 4:30PM. Once they saw what was
required, at that time of night, they spent at least a half hour on the
phone trying to talk to the manager about rescheduling. Bear in mind, this
is a calling the home office activity, not a packing or moving activity.
For barely an hour and a quarter, they slowly loaded
items on the truck, would stop and stand around discussing how they had been
working since 6:30AM and how tired they felt. At 6PM, the driver said he
was going to take what I had on the truck back to the storage facility,
definitely return first thing in the morning no later than 7:30AM to finish,
and take my stuff to my new home. There was little I could do but agree, as
the truck had already been locked and they were heading out. And, frankly, I
could understand their being tired.
The next morning, I waited in vain and finally got a
voice mail from the manager that they would come over to my place only to
follow me to my new home to unload the truck because they were scheduled for
another job that day -- but, would come back the following Friday. I wanted
my stuff, so I agreed. The truck arrived at 9:30AM and we went to the new
place about 16 miles down the road, where it was unloaded.
The driver then presented me with a bill for what had
been done, including a base travel fee, which I expected. He then told me
he would have to charge me a second travel fee, because it was a different
day! What?!? They arrive late, load next to nothing, and spend a half hour
trying to call the home office, and now they want to charge me because it's
a different day?!? I called the home office. Had they come when they should
have, there would not have to be a second day of travel!
Now, they wouldn't be able to come back until Friday.
Add to that my other problem: overhearing the driver and helper constantly
talk about how "rich" I was based on my computer equipment and other
personal items, and how much my other stuff was worth. This made me very
uneasy and started me wondering if I wasn't being cased for a later visit.
Combined with the travel fee charging and comments, I decided to find
another company to handle the rest of the move. The manager didn't like it
but I let him know they weren't welcome back. I'm still uneasy.
Oh, the electrician? Well, that's a fellow cut from
another type of cloth, entirely. If he were any more laid back about
finishing a job, the earth would reverse on its axis and I would have yellow
roots! He has the best of intentions, I know, but showing up and
getting to work isn't one of them. He has a bag of excuses that would make a
professional writer green with envy for some great sitcom dialogue.
It's good; it's sincere; and, it's well-practiced.
But, I've been promised all will be done no later than
Tuesday. Yup.
[top]
June 8,
2006
Garden Done, Back Protests, and Boxes To Go
With several trips to Lowe's, I've been able to garner
together everything needed to start the raised-bed garden. What was going
to be just two cement blocks high has become a special treat to myself at a
full three blocks high with a 2" cap -- a perfect height and everything is
within easy reach.
Was able to make it 5' x 12', with an aggregate stone
base and, then, three tiers of the following layers: 3" topsoil, 2" turkey
manure, hand-scattered blood meal, bone meal, and very light scattering of
epsom salts, finishing with 3" of topsoil.
Then, it was off to the local Worm gardener for six
cups of worms, each holding between 40 and 60 of the little wigglers. One
was definitely a bonus cup, with lots and lots of baby worms still white
with newness having a great time exploring their little universe!
Thanks to me, those lucky little wigglers would never
see the inside of a carp's mouth -- only wonderful layers of dirt and manure
to live out their lives! The trick to keeping them inside the garden is to
seriously dampen the garden patch before making a hole for the worms or else
it will look like a road map with worms heading off in every direction!
With several flats of vegetables started inside a few
weeks ago, they were ready for transplanting. My biggest fear was the heat
and heat we got, nonstop, for days, followed by torrential rains. For those
that were lost, I've decided to wait until next year for that crop. What
remains will make some nice harvests: tomatoes, both large and grape-sized,
cucumbers, zucchini, yellow squash, chard, radishes, green and yellow beans,
chives, basil, carrots, onions, and leaf lettuce. Not bad for a late
start. But, it will be touch and go, for awhile. It's hard for little
plants to fight a mid-day June sun.
One of the problems with doing a lot of physical work,
after years of being idle, is that you really are out of shape, regardless
of intentions. Sure enough, I was down to my second to last forty-pound bag
of topsoil when I zigged instead of zagging and -- my back went out. Grrr.
I don't mean it snapped out of position, as I've seen others, it just
seriously hurt and I stopped what I was doing. This was going to take hot
baths and no heavy lifting for awhile.
Is there
a Chiropractor in the world who doesn't know about this summer ailment! I
think not. It's called early summer stupid and I'm guilty. Will
just have to stop lifting things, for awhile, and give it a rest.
Tried out my Solar oven and it worked great! Had rice,
peas, and a chicken stew, all done within four hours! The rice was Jasmine
and too pasty for my tastes, so I tried the long-grain the next day and it
worked fine. Knowing that everything worked as it should, I was able to
refocus on getting laundry done and household goods put away.
The exterminator came and took care of the perimeter
(inside and out) of the house and into all the cabinets and drawers, just to
get off on the right foot with the creepy-crawlies. The layout of the
kitchen is very different from my old one so it's been taking some time to
decide exactly where I want things to go. There's still quite a bit left in
the cabinets and will plan their placement, later.
I've also decided to call some professional movers to
help with the balance of the work, so that everything can be done in one
day. I don't think I like slow moving, at all.
[top]
June 5,
2006
Two Steps Forward, One
Step Back
Have been getting all the information I can on Solar
cooking and can't wait to try it out. Will obviously have to settle for
Farmer's Market vegetables in the beginning. It's very late to start a
garden bed and I haven't even moved, yet. But, that will be the first thing
I do in the yard.
Moving in small steps and trying to remember all my
notes! The first thing I did was make a separate bag for all my contact
numbers and current projects, so that I would have them on hand. The second
thing I did was misplace it! Aaarrrggghhhhh! I know it will pop up, soon,
but where, oh, where, is it now!? The car's loaded and I've found some
local young men who have offered to help -- for a fee, of course.
One is a great worker; the other, should have stayed
home. The first never stops carrying in items and lifting the heaviest
items. The second fellow finds any excuse to not be around for heavy
lifting and, more than once, he was found trying out the backboard of the
basketball stand when he should have been helping carry in boxes! I don't
know what the pay split agreement was, but I hope fellow number one kept the
lion's share from this lazy-bones.
Fellow number worked by himself on the first day and
never stopped. Showed up on time and did a great job. For the really large
stuff, I suggested he get his friend to help him because I just couldn't see
him trying to do it, alone. My back just wasn't up to it.
Well, everything should have gone to plan but, to make
matters worse, we had to wait for his help until almost noon and then he
announces that he has to be gone by three for another appointment! What a
waste.
Anyway, everything else is staying pretty much, as
planned, and with things going at a normal pace, all should be done in
another week. I've got the basics at the house and can focus on building
the garden and, with a little luck, I can get some vegetables planted before
the second week of June (my latest garden, ever!).
[top]
|
Copyright.-2006 MCRP – Consulting. All rights reserved. |
|
|
Other Writer's Blogs
Anne Weyman
Lori Widmer
Purlimil's
Kristen King
|
