Flying Time

It’s said time flies when you are having fun, it seems to fly when you’re not having any, too. Fun, I mean.

The last week of August I learned I’ve a health issue called NAFL, which is not good. Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver is something I need to learn more about. The doctor told me to drink lemon water and take thistle milk. Hopefully, the latter is a pill. The white goo from weeds is sticky and tastes terrible if it gets on your fingers and you don’t wash well. The only time I’d want to drink the “milk” is if it came with honey and ingredients you’d find in the literary Redwall.

The first week of September was ridiculous. I was supposed to have a colonoscopy with other things, but couldn’t finish the prep gunk. The first half wasn’t bad. The second part I threw up twice and had a stomach ache and a back ache and it was terrible. I also did the prepping wrong. The doctor info only said not to eat a few things, from google I found out I should’ve eaten much less. I did have corn chips for lunch on Monday, Labor Day. I actually forgot they were made out of corn! The BBQ ribs I made for myself ended up leftovers for me sometime later. After lunch Labor Day, I was careful to limit many carbs of most kinds. I had eggs and saltine crackers while everyone else had the ribs and homemade tater salad and leafy green salad with a garden cucumber and chocolate strawberry jam roll that didn’t turn out very well, but tasted ok. So, because the gunk wasn’t finished and because I’d had a corn product and berries on Sunday, I was told to reschedule. Thankfully, they called the doctor before trying to stick me for the IV. I’ll do a reschedule later.

The Craftsman’s mom happens to not like the first seat cushion I purchased, she said it’s not soft. (I happen to like it, so I’ll use it) I’ll need to find something else, she’s got another backside sore. She finds time escaping her while she sits and cuts up papers and whatever else she does at her card table covered in stacks of whatever! Her doctor also had me schedule something else I need to research. It’s a test for parathyroid hormone levels or something. Her levels are high, which is the reason for this long process. Supposed to take several hours and has some kind of radioactive dye. There’s also a consultation for carpal tunnel surgery on the horizon. I learned that hand nerve problems can originate from using two wheeled walkers. 🙄 it’s a busy month and it just started! Then, an unexpected dental appointment came up. She’s got a loose back tooth and a bit of infection. The dentist told her it needed out, but to wait until it hurt! (Seriously, an infection is just put on hold?) I also learned, via google, that elevated parathyroid hormone levels can contribute to poor teeth. I tried to contact her dentist to tell him his elderly patient had elevated parathyroid things, but he’s not responded. She most likely told them nothing had changed since her visit in March.

I did eventually find a donut cushion. She needs two because she says this one is good, but she won’t move it 3 feet to the chair she spends most of her time in. It is in her recliner. I’m not fond of the donut. It’s not washable. The cover is, but not the cushion. Not getting an inflatable one, though. Those look made for a water rescue! Maybe for the shower 🚿 she finds difficult to let me help with?😂🤔😂

I actually miss having The Craftsman in the king size bed. We haven’t been intimate in years, but it was nice having him there. He has come down a couple of times to cuddle in the morning. Alas, I’m not very good at being a morning person, so, as nice as it is he “sneaks” away to visit his wife, it’s not conducive to intimacy! Unfortunately, nights aren’t good here either. Little Bear stays up til 2 when he’s not working. The house isn’t exactly private! Not that The Craftsman is here nights.

Oh! We might get a kitten! Well, a teenager cat. There’s a lady near here trying to get rid of some. She said she had males, but the guys want a female. Her females keep having kittens and they are all inside cats. Personally, that sounds like a recipe for inbreeding! Perhaps we should name the kitten, Mariana (who married her uncle, Philip IV of Spain in the 1600s). One of the Cleopatras married her brother. Inbreeding isn’t as odd as you’d think! (It’s largely nonexistent today, except in odd novels like Game of Thrones) But, we need to get the little and see what she’s like before affixing a handle to her.

Sticky

In one day it was evident I was all stuck up! 

The Craftsman left not more than an inch and a half (3.81 cm) of Mt Dew in a glass on the counter just a smidge from safety. I was putting away dishes and as I dropped my arm from the cupboard, my elbow just happened to hit it at just the right angle and it toppled. The Dew spread over the counter, down 4 drawers (and a little bit inside 3 of them), and onto the floor. It seemed impossible that much mess could have come from so little soda. But, it did. 

After it was cleaned, I got the counter ready for Little Bear to cut up a small watermelon. Towels under the cutting board and the like. The mess was minimal until an end piece (the bowl). I was happily spooning up tasty melon in the kitchen and tilted it. Spilling the juices inside all over my tidied floor. 

My CGM sensor needed replaced and I use a skin glue to help adhere it to my self. Except, after the one, two more failed and my arm was a painful bit of flesh. (even using solvent to help remove the sensors, you still end up pulling hard. Like a very strong bandaid.) So, I put it onto my other arm. I don’t like using my right arm, I sleep on that one. Pressing down on a sensor causes something you don’t read about in any CGM lit. It is called a pressure low. Because it is hard to use my left hand on the right side, I used a lot of glue. So much, my shirt stuck to my arm and the next morning my jammies needed tugged off! 

Then, this week, I had an ultrasound. That goo the techs use is very messy! (It was all over my abdomen and in back on both sides. No news yet on the results, if any.) 

The absolute stickiest experience was a yummy creation called a treacle tart. I made the golden syrup from scratch as per recipe and it is sooooo gooood!!! The tiny hint of lemon is delightful. I adore maple flavors, but wow! The crust recipe wasn’t as good as mine and that is saying something. My crusts range from awful to pretty good. Mixing the bread crumbs (handmade from a store bought loaf of bread) with the syrup and adding cream and an egg seemed crazy. But, it wasn’t! No wonder Jeremy and Jemima craved it in the movie version of Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang and Harry Potter fell asleep his first night at Hogwarts with the taste on his lips. 

I’ll need to use the rest of the syrup somewhere. I did purchase a new waffle maker. Just a simple one, didn’t want Belgian waffles. My old simple one was at least 15 years old and the black non-stick coating was starting to come off on the waffles! Alas, it definitely wasn’t spices. I purchased another new kitchen gadget to help with the loss of coatings. Apparently, the cooking spray cans are bad for non-stick items. So, I bought a thing called an oil mister. It seems a dubious purchase. It might have been more efficient to just use a brush and spread oil on whatever I need to. The waffle maker is supposed to arrive Saturday with a couple of other things. 

One of which is a second collapsable critter cage. Little Bear is constantly bringing me home moths in contrived containers, so I got him one that he can carry in his rig. At the moment, I don’t want any more caterpillars or eggs, I’ve got 10 poplar moths in two sturdy large containers and that is more than enough. I would have liked Polyphemus eggs, but he was only able to find male moths. And, as you remember from the rats in the movie Chicken Run, eggs are a girl thing. The eggs I collected were stuck to a critter container-I think I had 11, but when the caterpillars are tiny, they are hard to keep track of! 10 is more than enough! (looks like 9, one of my large boxes has only 4 in it today. piffle!) Butterflies might be interesting to raise, too. 

Meanwhile, am off to make cookies. Hopefully, they won’t be a sticky sort!  

To age, or not to age..What was the question?

The 1983 class reunion was eye opening. The karaoke bar meet and greet was too flipping loud! When The Craftsman and I left, we welcomed the silence outside. Cannot imagine attending a rock concert again! It was super hard to talk and hear anything. The next night was at a local casino and much quieter. We were in a meeting room. His class had a nice number of students, about 50, maybe. About a third showed up. Oddly, some within the town,or close by, opted to not even communicate with anyone. However, stories. 😂😂 one guy shared grade school show and tell memories. He’d brought in his carefully boxed, newly killed, dead dog! It had been hit by a car that morning and he didn’t have anything to show that day. Another remembered his older brother brought him! (Reckon, a little brother is an amusing thing to share.) They recalled The Craftsman bringing a car battery into a ball game and attaching an air horn to celebrate scores during basketball season. Another fond memory was when The Craftsman drove a car full of guys to the drive in. Between movies, it was the thing to leave and get snacks. The nearest town was about 10 miles away and, due to encouragement, several inspired short cuts were taken. One was through a golf course. They realized what it was when they passed a white flag. One of the instigators happened to be the local cop’s son. (But more were wary of his mom!) That incident showed up in the next day’s paper. No one shared it much outside the class til this day, due to being scared of consequences. Another was stealing one of those railroad contraptions that you see in movies. The kind that has the sea saw like part to move it. A group of guys manhandled it to the tracks in town (after cutting the chain securing it to a post) and pumped it quite a ways. They eventually abandoned it due to being worn out and not knowing the train schedule! One guy recalled not remembering his graduation, he was too drunk! He’d been driving a pea combine the night before and someone brought beer to the drivers. A lot of beer. The boys were hot and thirsty. The next day they were flying high on excitement and alcohol. They went somewhere for a “safe” party and as this friend drove home, he went off the road into a guardrail. (The safe party was alcohol free, but it didn’t matter if you were already blitzed) Thankfully, he wasn’t hurt. He decided to take a nap and some girls who were behind him took him home. He also was one who didn’t drink much, if anything, at the reunion. There were more folks being cautious than there were ones who were drinking a lot. My class of 83 reunion is this next month in Alaska. Not going to be able to attend. It definitely would be interesting. My class was a lot larger, more than 200. And they did do quite a bit of drinking. 🍻🍻 The 20th reunion was kegger bbq.

The Craftsman has a birthday this week. I’m planning on making an ice cream cake. Couldn’t find a pan nearby and was headed to a spot kinda close, only 20 miles, maybe. Thankfully, a lady who has many colors of iris was in her yard and I stopped to ask if she’d share some when she thinned hers out. In our conversation, I’d mentioned where I was headed and why. She said she might be able to help me. She went inside while I parked (you often find people talking in rigs in the middle of the road!) and came back with a pan and a tape measure. It was a bit larger than I needed, but that’s not a bad thing. It will hold more ice cream! Speaking of, I need to scribble the recipe down. We still don’t have a printer and it’s not efficient to keep going to the library to print stuff off.

The library! Oh my! I’d found a series by two favorite authors. M. Lackey and R. Edghill. I’m not going to give a synopsis, but wow! The first two made me wonder if the authors were off their game, but the last two were perfect. A few bits that weren’t tied off elegantly, but brilliant, over all. The series takes place in about 8 months, it would have been better as a book. Making it 4 wasn’t efficient. You cannot read one by itself, it won’t make any sense whatsoever. It’s about an orphanage of elemental magic users. But..but…but.. It’s called Shadow Grail. There are 4 books and are classified as YA. Once I read them the first time and understood where it was going, I absolutely had to read it again. So, I did. 📚😍📚 I’m incredibly impressed with what they created. Very modern setting and yet, ancient stories were tied in beautifully. If I hadn’t returned them, I’d probably read them one more time! Had to inter library loan them from 3 libraries. One library let me read the last book before it had even been added to the catalog! I’ve a couple other books on order, too. 😍

Not really liking this summer, so far

Mittens was having trouble swallowing Fathers Day weekend and finally the Tuesday of that next week I took her to a vet. It was a place recommended and I’m not sure I liked it. Mittens hated carriers and any kind of transportation. When I dropped her off for the vet to look her over, she was an incredibly unhappy kitty. The vet called me and said Mittens had tumors and her kidneys were shutting down. She nicely suggested putting her down. I was furious. The Friday before Father’s Day, Mittens was absolutely normal. She lapped up chicken broth and tuna juice and wandered off to nap. Mittens had a tendency to ingest plastic, no reason, she would chew, swallow, and cough it up. Anything from ribbons on packages 🎀, to bags holding taters, shrink wrapped beverages, and basically anything with soft plastic. I was positive she had a stoppage. I told them about the plastic, but it wasn’t investigated. But, I’m not a vet and they did an ultrasound (plastic might not show up on one of those) and several blood tests. Anyway, I brought her home. I opened the carrier outside in the yard and she stalked out, very ticked off, and wandered in both the front and back yard before wanting back inside. She was very glad to be home and licked up more tuna juice and some chicken baby food. But, you could tell it wasn’t easy. She hid in crazy places, but that was perfectly normal, too. Her favorite hiding place has always been among the cords behind the tv and electronics. Silly cat! Eventually, she moved under a bed and only came out to use her litter box. By the next weekend, the reunion one, she was definitely ailing. She’d meow and wind around our legs at the fridge, look inside, but didn’t want anything. She was so thin and kept trying to swallow. In our area there are few vets near us, I’d spent almost 400$ on the one visit and couldn’t get into any other places. Angered me, because I am not sure I agreed with the first diagnosis. Basically watching Mittens waste away was heartbreaking. She finally crossed the rainbow bridge early Sunday morning. She’d gone upstairs to a favorite area and fell asleep. We’ve been hearing her collar bell often and keep expecting her to show up when we open the fridge. We are not getting another cat yet. July 10 was National Kitten Day, but not yet.

The kid did find a rubber boa the Friday before Mittens died, we’d let the grumpy western terrestrial go in the backyard. It was too difficult to feed him. And he wasn’t cuddly! Little Bear named the boa Clove, because it liked to wind around our arms like a clove hitch knot. It was an older snake and literally an absolute doll. Rubber Boas are native to the northern parts of western North America and even parts of Canada! They are small, full grown possibly just under 3 feet max. This one was about 2 feet. They aren’t striking in color, they are a shiny brown and crinkle up as they twine. Similar to rubber. Anyway, we kept Clove for more than a week. Unfortunately, in 2016 a measure was passed in Oregon, making it illegal to keep or even touch one of these dear reptiles. It seems they aren’t many around. The very nice fish and game office guy I spoke to said the people counting the creatures probably looked when they were hibernating. He also is a rubber boa fan. They are super shy snakes and we found her a nice log 🪵 in the woods to hang out under. Hopefully, she’ll find a male and make friendly babies!

Meanwhile, he also brought home more Sphinx moths. The incredibly pretty One-eyed Sphinx, we let go fairly quickly. We couldn’t determine it’s sex and it’s another who doesn’t eat after emerging. After the hummingbird moth emerged, it went crazy wanting out of the cage. When it finally was released, it sat on my hand, moving its wings back and forth super fast. Then, it flew into the air, quickly circled the yard like a jet taking off, and was gone! The poplar sphinx was a female and laid 15 eggs before we released her. So, we are waiting for at least one more to still emerge and will hopefully raise 15 more. I’ll take care of these better. I learned a great deal last year!

The bed for The Craftsman’s mom has been set up. The room needs more work, but she is not impressed with the new piece of furniture. She’s got a sitting sore (obviously, she didn’t tell her doctor this last week. Because the doctor didn’t ask. Thankfully, the doctor visit got a health nurse evaluation to come by and that nurse asked.) and it’s mostly healed, but it could turn bad if not watched. She needs to use that new bed. Unfortunately, she stays up past 1 am in her lift chair, where she falls asleep. Then, she moves to a harder chair where she stays most of the day. Her legs are swelling again, she can’t hear well (we moved her main calling number to mine instead of hers, when the home health nurse called Saturday, she’d no idea why or who was coming 🙄), and it’s too hot for compression socks. So, it may turn out I’ll be here at night and most of the day. The Craftsman needs a few hours of sleep and there’s a chance he might change jobs this fall. She also wants to not use her walker anymore. Aging is horrible for any creature!

Almost Father’s Day

First, I got ahead of myself. The class reunion and motorcycle days mentioned earlier are next weekend. (I honestly think I’d like to see if I can find one of those for The Craftsman. Not that he needs one, but they were a dirt bike made in this town and his parents would never have thought about getting him one!) I’m pretty tired, my doctor appointment this week was fairly dull. He numbed my nostrils and that’s just nasty! 🤢🤮🤢 I ignored my weight gain and got some DQ for lunch. My mini blizzard would not have been able to be flipped upside down, but it did get the taste of the numbing crud out of my throat. Phew!

So, the snake I mentioned in my last post is an adorable creature. It is a western terrestrial garter. Which seems like a very odd name, they live in the US, as far east from Oregon as Oklahoma! There are several subspecies, too. I prefer the Latin name, Thamnophis elegans. They are the only garter snake that has venom, constricts, and likes water. They are versatile and are supposed to be a good starter snake. Not as pleasant a a rubber boa, though. Anyway, for people, a bite is mild and it is a very bad constrictor for anything. (Imagine a fancy, loose bow that comes apart quickly. Good thing they can bite!) Anyway, his name is from the black and white, Bogart movie, We’re No Angels, and is the most important and completely invisible character in the movie. Adolphe, the tiny deadly snake that “looks like a little bracelet.” (Excellent Christmas movie!) I rather think any snake we acquire will be named Adolphe, just like every cricket we adopt as a house cricket is named Twain. (For the sound they make) This year, we don’t have a cricket yet. However, we probably will after we release Adolphe. Adolphe will be much happier outside. And easier to feed!

And I discovered something very startling. I’d found a couple of maple seedlings and decided to put them in pots. (Because pots are easier to transport and transplant a seedling in) I was using a small shovel and suddenly I felt and heard a crack. Stopping, I just stared at the planting pot. Last year it held a dahlia I’d overwintered. I was pretty sure it had died because nothing was peeping above the soil. Well, I found a website about those flowering tubers and it turns out, “It’s alive!” I carefully pried it out of the soil (I needed to see how badly it was damaged) and after it dries a bit and is cut into sections, I’ll put it in dirt again and see what happens. I’m more of a hit or miss gardener, fancy things that need care are often left to those with greener thumbs.

Meanwhile, Happy Father’s Day to all the guys reading this who are nurturing, caring, and slightly bewildered when confronted with the young of any species.

The Craftsman said t dinner he wanted to watch Hello, Dolly. The music I hear is Errol Flynn’s Robin Hood! Trying to imagine Walter Matthau as a swashbuckling hero with a bow and arrows. Or Barbara Streisand as Maid Marian.

Last Day

My last couple of hours in Duluth, Minnesota and while in the cities. I’ll sum up.

This weekend my cousin zipped us around to a few places and we went to a speedy place for souvenirs made in this area. Oddly, also wanted postcards and eventually found them in a packed souvenir store that catered to tourists. Between you and me, wish I’d gone to one of those first. The two items I’d purchased in the fancy store were at the stuffed one, same prices. But, there was a snow globe with the aerial bridge I picked up, carried around, and eventually put back. 😍I did find a few things at the farmers market. Earrings that were close to right, but I loved them. They don’t scream anything touristy about the area, but the wood they are made from is from a local yard. They are about the size of a 50 cent piece and thick, with a bright forget-me-not like design. Speaking of flowers, I need to grab some white forget-me-not seeds from my aunt’s yard. They are so pretty! I also found some light purple ones blooming. Those don’t have seeds, they must be a later blooming flower. So, just got pictures and, what I hope are, seeds of the white one.

I was also hoping to go for a walk, but it’s pretty warm. Well, not hot, but the humidity is about 51%. It gets much higher. A lot more than eastern Oregon. I didn’t want to get gicky before the shuttle to Minneapolis. That was about 57 USD, a plane was around 200. 😯 Thus, shuttle it is. I’m wearing my new kicks (sneakers). Unfortunately, there’s a warm spot on my heel and my aunt doesn’t remember having any bandages. Which isn’t true, as far as I know. When I arrived, she put a bandage on an injury on her shin. She said it was there for weeks, I didn’t want to argue with her. She’s really often confused, but I have gotten some stories that are fairly accurate. She’s told the same ones more than once, almost identical to each other. I’ve scribbled them down. Fun fun fun!

I’m glad I’m leaving, though. It’s wearing on her to have someone different here. Sunday, we went to the lake cabin. I was able to disperse mum’s ashes finally. (I’m so glad my cousin found them, my Aunt didn’t remember getting them!) I found some water soluble paper and folded them into locking origami envelopes. The little pocket left was perfect to put the ashes. The absolute best part was when they were tossed into the lake, the envelopes came apart fairly fast, dissolved, and left the ashes to sink into the lake. (The tiny piece of paper I tested melted in about 10 seconds.) Unfortunately, they also unfolded in the wind, but it was ok. Someone does make water dissolving stickers for canning jars, those would be great for a better sealing envelope. Alas, I couldn’t find them in the moments I had for shopping. Part of her loose ashes went all over the land that the family hung out on. There was an ancient swing set I remembered, probably from the 50s, a little pet cemetery, the garden area, and more. Several envelopes were tossed from the dock, I wrote a note from my uncle on one of them. The rest, with the lion’s share of loose ashes, went into the best fishing spots in the lake. The very best one was a tad far, my cousin wanted to get back to shore and get the cabin buttoned up for the weekend. But, mum’s in her favorite place and I’m glad it’s done.

Now, maybe I’ll be able to see the other relatives. My Duluth aunt has little use for that sister, but I’ve always exchanged Christmas notes. They often go on vacation, so will see. ….And I’ve arrived in the cities and they are on vacation.

However, I’m tired. As I left a substantial gratuity on top of the already built in one, I also left my phone. Thankfully, the nice driver brought it to me, but it was a hectic hour or more! The hotel (you get what you pay for!) is cleaner smelling than it looks. Thankfully, it’s near a place I visited in Duluth and it was very tasty. They sell what are called by two names. Smash burger or butter burger. So, consoled myself with a children’s cheese burger and fries. (Very yummy fries.) That was after learning my aunt and uncle were elsewhere. 🙄

It will be good to get back to normal things. Like a dr appointment Thursday and a class reunion for The Craftsman this weekend as well as a town motorcycle meet-up and a friend from college (who graduated from this school a year after this class) may spend the night. Plus, Strider dropped me a hint that Little Bear may have adopted a rubber boa. 💜💜 I promise to be surprised if he did. 😂

About a week in

I’ve been at my aunt’s almost a week, it’s been interesting. (For lack of a more complete phrase.) My cousin’s car has been difficult for me. It’s a stick (manual, for most people, stick for me) and not like most I’ve driven. It’s easy to not get into gear. Which makes it nervousing to drive. But, I did once and got a new pair of shoes. They are comfortable, but I think a bit too large. They have an insert, hard to adjust to. I think I walk wrong! But, I have been able to walk. So, for almost 200 USD, I guess they are ok. The store was very helpful. Place is run by a person with diabetes, because she was frustrated there weren’t any shoes for her feet. She gave me sizes for other brands that would fit, unfortunately those she didn’t have in inventory at the moment. 🙄 I can sometimes feel my feet sliding in these tenny runners, yet the first days, they were tight. The inserts can be removed for other ones, too. I walked further on Wednesday than I’ve walked in ages. It was lovely and blasted cold when I faced the wind! Lake Superior has a brisk breeze at certain times. My aunt’s house was my grandmother’s. It used to have a stellar view of the lake and aerial lift bridge. Unfortunately, this view she’s paying high taxes for is being blocked by trees that used to be trimmed down by city and citizens. And houses are, in consequence, getting taller. My grandma’s house now has a second story that’s pretty impressive.

Pretend this is a sailboat race photo! ⛵️⛵️⛵️⛵️⛵️ can’t figure out how to add pictures via iPad.

I walked to a pair of connecting ponds in this city, known as The Twin Ponds. I didn’t learn to skate there, but I did skate on it as a little girl and my mum hung out there growing up. I’m going to put some of my mum’s ashes near or in it. The rest will go to the lake she stayed at extensively throughout her life. My favorite uncle and his ailing wife visited yesterday. It was nice to see her, I wasn’t sure I’d get to. My uncle is a character, he’s always been so. He was just over 3 pounds when he was born, his twin had died in utero. He was brought home to die, and obviously didn’t. I often wonder if his twin had passed on part of his personality to my uncle and that’s why he is so different from the rest of his family. It also might be because he was the only boy among 3 girls! He was supposed to help ‘toss’ mum in the lake, but he might not be available. They are putting new carpet in and moving furniture. (The new carpet is because his wife took off her shoes and walked all over the old one.) He did suggest a good place for some ashes might be where he got to help mum empty the “honey bucket” when the outhouse needed cleaning. (Unfortunately, my aunt can’t find where they might be at the moment. She’s definitely not remembering well today.)

I forgot the link to the fancy place we ate at on Sunday. Here it is. Or, I hope it is! On her real birthday, my cousin asked where she wanted to go. She suggested a place we went to when I arrived. My cousin said we should go elsewhere and suggested strongly another place. My aunt agreed, but it wasn’t a place I’d go again. Smoked bbq spots have too much sugar and I wanted to save for my dessert at the ice cream store. It was a very plain sandwich with a salad prettily prepared with not very fresh rocket greens and sunflower seeds and craisins. The latter I needed to remove because I don’t eat them. I like craisins, but there was ice cream! My aunt had leftover dip of some kind and said those blue chips would be good with it. So, that was on the agenda. The ice cream store was fun. It is all hand made and one kind was rhubarb! I had chocolate chip mint. Unfortunately, when my cousin got chips, it was in a gas station and they only had normal corn ones. It would have made too many stops to find a real store. 😟

My aunt has a hibiscus and what a great plant! It’s huge and has been flowering since my arrival. The blooms don’t last long, but even in death they are fascinating. Like tiny flower mummies with the tall stamens as crowns. I can’t find the one I saw this morning, my aunt is pretty good at picking off dead leaves and probably already plucked it. There are others I can photograph! It’s funny, she’s got tulips that are just finished blooming. Seasons are later here. In Oregon, my white poppies are the last poppies to bloom and the iris are done. Looking forward to going back. There are many places I see that I’d love to go to, but my aunt keeps putting me off. And I’m not sure about going alone! Small town girl here!

Mid West and Mostly Melting

I’m in Minnesota this week. Humidity isn’t something I’m familiar with! This close to Lake Superior is really sticky if it’s hot. Today is cool and breezy.

This is one of those lessons I learned caring for mum. Doing something when you can and not putting it off. Minnesota was something that I needed to do. My youngest aunt isn’t connecting well. Her youngest child, she’s been an adult forever, is taking on much of the responsibility. I was super sad to hear this. Her brother is nearby and a lawyer. You’d think he’d be responsible, but she did everything for my uncle’s funeral last fall, she visited him and took vacation to be with both parents, she has been managing her mom’s finances, appointments, and well, everything. Aunt D doesn’t think she needs help, but even my being here for three days has shown me she should not drive or be in charge of much. Makes me cry inside to see my favorite aunt forgetting.

Aunt D has two extremely elderly poodles. One is at least twenty. The other has a skin condition and needs bathed twice a day, she uses the kitchen sink because the other one has a leak and my cousin is hoping to get that and the unfinished bath completed at the same time. She’s yet to schedule that, she’s got many other things going on, too. Plus, there’s a lake cabin. Yesterday we went out and my girl cousin mowed and did weed whacking and I helped rake up debris from two seasons. Last year, while my uncle was so ill, they didn’t do much at all. My lawyer cousin, he’s been trying to get a pair of jet skis ready for the water. He’s doing it himself because he forgot to schedule maintenance before the last minute. There’s also a water leak in the cabin, it seems to have been fixed, but the tools are all over and it’s a mess. I’m hoping to stay the night one day this week. It was a place I remember from when I was little. Besides, mums ashes are in the pantry and don’t need to be there!

The lake made me sad. It has so many people on it now, the waterfowl has deserted the area. There are gulls, but no loons or assorted ducks. The landowners have destroyed habitat to make room for boats and jet skis and pontoons and the like. Or perhaps it’s the motorized things that have ruined the environment? Wish I could buy one of the 25 or 30 foot lots and revert it back to natural.

Last night was a birthday celebration for my aunt. It was definitely not someplace I’d go on my own. The dinner was set into 6 courses and was really good, but so blooming expensive! My responsible cousin paid for most of it. You do that in advance! I’ll try to link the location. My two favorite parts were the grilled melon with Brie bits and prosciutto and then the shaved asparagus salad. The melon had a sweet syrupy part I didn’t like and the mustard was too strong in the salad, but definitely very good. It was fascinating to note the textures and flavors melding with each bite. The salad had bacon at the bottom of the dish and mixing it up was heavenly! I’ll look for the menu and share that next post.

So far, the travel was the worst part. Because my sensors aren’t X-ray friendly, they had to check everything with hands and eyes. Including myself! I was really glad I’d not put my jacket on Little Bear’s hunting gear! Thankfully, no explosive residue or gunpowder was found on me and I was good to go.

More anon!

Frustration

Have been attempting to shrink images already added in and every single direction says and shows it is easy as pie. Except, I do not make very good pie. Which might be the problem. Anyway, adding images has always been a favorite thing to do and now there is so little space I feel like I’m cheating my followers! Granted, there aren’t any more Alaskan pics. (unless someone sends me some via text!) But, there are other things around.

Like spring!!! OK, late spring. But, it is pretty exciting to watch out there. The lilacs were here and then gone, it got super hot and they literally faded!!! (as in F 80) I finally figured out how to get sweet peas to grow. I soaked them in water for more than 24 hours and then popped them into the soil. I have a lot of nasturtiums up and moved some hosta to the MiLs to grow up there-it wasn’t doing so well where it was. I, alas, found a pupa case of one of the poplar sphinx moths. It was full of ants, but I was able to help bathe a hummingbird with the shower feature on the hose nozzle. We have a nest of robins outside the window (Actually, had two different dear ones fooled when I told them we had new neighbors. A family of quadruplets in a DIY high rise. Made me giggle out loud!) and the babies are almost to the size of fledgling. They should take their initial leap/soar/flight this next weekend. This world is so full of so many wonderful things!

In a week, I’ll be heading to MN for 10 days. Minus two of travel. My uncle died last fall and my aunt is wandery. I want to see her before she forgets who I am. She’s the youngest aunt and was my main mom when I was in my first years. The link goes to a post with an image of the two of us. I do hope things get watered while I’m away! One of the most important things a plant needs in this dry hot area is water! Well, not all of them. I had planted a coneflower near my forget-me-nots and the latter likes water and the former doesn’t! Yup, killed it by drowning. And how on earth did I get from plants to MN to plants again???

Have had a slew of testing done and for the most part, I’m completely healthy. They are going to watch my kidneys and since my feet oddly swelled fast in two days and then went back to ‘normal’, I also have an appointment with the GP for that after my return. I do weigh as much as a female spotted hyena (do freckles count as spots????), but can almost get on a few of last year’s summer clothes.

Someone posted (I do read posts, even if I’m not in here!) that there are too many days for everything. I laughed. I LOVE days set aside for certain things. I sure helps me plan meals easier. National shrimp day was a shrimp dinner. Today is Douglas Adams Day and I made stuffed burgers replicating Algolian Zylatburgers. Am sure mine were more palatable and I don’t have any Vulcan Dodo Spit. Star Wars Day was Bobo Fettucine. On Earth Day I made chocolate cake and inside the slices stuffed gummy worms. June 2 is National Donut Day and National Rotisserie Chicken Day. (Unfortunately, that is the day I leave!) The 15th is Sneak a Kiss Day and I’ll make sure to hide chocolate kisses in several places. Unless it is too hot! So, lots of good reasons to celebrate and remember different days. Especially if you are the family cook! I think I’ll have something with tuna on Marina Day. Oh, the 16th is Sea Turtle Day!!! I’ve not made bacon turtles in AGES! We’ll see if I am up to that sort of cooking extravaganza after I return.

The kid is home and wants the desktop area. I’d post a song for you, but youtube isn’t always as helpful as it might be!! Thus, will just pretend and lip-sync (do dolphins lip-sync?) “So long, and thanks for all the fish!” (from Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy movie)

April Snows help May Grow

Little Bear coined that phrase. It fits for the last two years! (Perhaps it should be the April snow may help May grow!) Outside, the yard has exploded in color-the snow wasn’t nice to the crocus. After it melted, the spent blossoms were flat on the bright grass like purple scraps littering the floor of a spring quilt. There are lots of violets in well, violet, and white. A few bright buttons of gold dandelions, vibrant trumpets of the big belled daffodils, jaunty scented bells of hyacinth in blue/purple and pink, and so many tender shoots of perennials showing up! As much as I adore and love winter, spring is so fascinating! (Even when it is lazy and slow to get going!)

One of the most unusual things found this month was a moth Little Bear discovered at work. (I know, another moth!) This is a tiny sphinx, it also doesn’t eat, but it has the oddest ‘season’. It is a winter moth! It usually shows up between Dec and April. The eggs hatch and somehow find something to eat. The moth captured was a male, but before we’d sexed it, I’d found some evening primrose for it to lay eggs on. And it was pretty difficult, even though these are a plant in my yard. (caterpillar eggs are hard to pry off of netting, it was done the last batches, but definitely not easy!) Anyway, these little guys are camo moths. The main name is Pacific Green Sphinx Moth. (Think they were named in the 1800’s, seriously boring!) They really look like they are wearing green military camo. Alas, the kid took photos, but they are still on his camera. So, will link one of the websites for them.

Yesterday, April 12, was Drop Everything And Read Day. So, I did. (Are you surprised?) And today I found a kindle version of Treasure Island with original artwork! I so do love words. Many of the bloggers I’ve met via WP are craftsman when it comes to words. Some have even written books I’ve purchased. Me? I just enjoy the words and collect them..actually, hoard them!

Absolutely have needed books lately. This week was even more odd. The Craftsman’s former boss from TX (really, Canada, but they moved to the OR coast and then TX. Lifestyle and politics are a better fit down there!) and his wife were driving through and decided they’d land at our place on Sunday. Easter Sunday. Thankfully, that fell through. The boss came alone on Tuesday. And he needed something on his truck fixed. So, The Craftsman fixed it. The next day, the former boss didn’t get very far before something else seriously broke (He is a mechanic and his son is a mechanic, the rig had been his son’s, but dad was using it and it turns out these problems hadn’t showed up when the son was using the rig!). So, he was towed back. 131 miles. He stayed the night again and the vehicle had two issues that were fixed. Now, it is night and he is hopefully, and finally, on his way. He’s supposed to visit another friend in Canada who is a mechanic, so that is handy if he needs it!

I also had a CT of my sinuses and might need to have my tear ducts flushed out this next Monday. (The latter sounds uncomfortable, so hoping it is not really necessary.) One reason I was thankful the people didn’t arrive was because on the Friday before Palm Sunday, my oven element sparked and ended up with a hole in it! No one around had an element (One young person in a store had no idea what the thing was when The Craftsman showed it to him with the part number.), so it was ordered online. And arrived in time for me to bake and bake and bake! Brownies and amusing little rabbit faces (Little Bear said they had blank stares, Ms. Monster said they looked stoned, and they tasted very good in spite of their looks!). The Easter morning muffins weren’t done in time, (I slept in for 20 min), and the cream cheese lemon ring was not near as pretty as the directions showed, Little Bear hadn’t told me he was tired of Snickers candies (he ate them anyway), and the movie set I’d purchased The Craftsman had part of the jewel case broken. BUT, the movies were fine and if you have not yet seen Ghostbusters, Afterlife, I highly recommend it. The best part was staying up later and reading about the Easter Eggs hidden inside. Perfect end to Easter Sunday.

Speaking of afterlife. Am off to find out whatever might be making itself known in the fridge. It is close to empty because I’ve been cleaning it, but there is something not right. Spring is a time of growth, but not in my refrigerator!!