Author Topic: Captain's Log - 2024  (Read 9362 times)

lighter

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Re: Captain's Log - 2024
« Reply #60 on: May 29, 2024, 04:08:40 PM »
It's breezy sunny here, Amber.  Almost cool, but not.  I have fruit trees and shrubs to plant.  Apples, peaches, blueberries and if course figs🪺

sKePTiKal

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Re: Captain's Log - 2024
« Reply #61 on: May 30, 2024, 09:24:48 AM »
I haven't much luck with figs - not even in NC. I had planned to get some blueberries, but things are so slow this spring I'm too busy trying to get the herbs & basics in the ground. The medicinal garden (started last year) is doing extremely well! Horehound, hyssop, lemon balm, spearmint & peppermint, a huge gorgeous valerian, lots of echineacea, lambs ear, boneset, comfrey... and some of the more important "herbs" are considered native weeds - but we have great environment for them: coltsfoot, mugwort, mullein, teasel, etc.

I'm trying to revive my raspberries. I may have pruned them too hard last time or need to add more dirt in that bed.
Success is never final, failure is never fatal.

sKePTiKal

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Re: Captain's Log - 2024
« Reply #62 on: June 06, 2024, 08:53:41 AM »
And I STILL need to plant!!!!!!!!!!!  <frowny face!>

My day(s) get hijacked by other people's needs for me to do things or spend time with them. That's on me, I know. And it rained the past 2 days. Now I've got orders rolling in for studio; except for custom cabinets that are delayed, 'coz his little boy - a toddler - broke his leg. Totally understand the baby comes first. It's not like we're at the point we're waiting around for them, to complete the room. Lots to do before then.

Hol & I have worked out a better dogsitting arrangement, now that she has a fence. Better for dogs, me, and B.

And she's met someone who's lit her up like a Christmas tree. They spent last Sat together, talking till the wee hours. We met him briefly and he is confident enough in himself to chat amiably. (Big change from S.) Works in the medical tech field; assistive technology. Recently bought a property near here, that he is going to attempt renovating. Knows dogs well, his dad trained sled dogs. She describes him as a person with sense of humor like hers, and an intentional, disciplined mentality - exercises & practices moderation; thinks before he speaks... that kind of thing. He's her age; reasonably attractive to her. She is intentionally taking it slow with him and he's respecting that. She understands the double-edged sword of "hope".

So, one foot in front of the other and moving on around here.
Success is never final, failure is never fatal.

Hopalong

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Re: Captain's Log - 2024
« Reply #63 on: June 07, 2024, 08:54:00 AM »
Wow to you both, plus dogs.
Sounding overall very new-life-in-spring on the mountain, which I'll bet is just gorgeous at the mo'...trees blooming....do you have redbuds?

Happy to hear of Hol's excitement too. Cautious and slow sound good and she sounds like she's being in the present, step by step.

Fingers crossed!

hugs
Hops
"That'll do, pig, that'll do."

sKePTiKal

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Re: Captain's Log - 2024
« Reply #64 on: June 07, 2024, 09:47:36 AM »
Redbuds have bloomed a month ago Hops. There is about a mile section of highway lined with redbuds that's glorious each spring. Last year a storm "pruned" many of them, but the blooms were still impressive.

Hol's new guy has spent the last 2 nights here with her. I've hardly heard a peep from her the whole time! <big smiles!> He's on his way south for a week's vaca with his family. Apparently, his ability to talk is meeting her needs and lessening her reliance on me. Fingers crossed, he's meeting her needs in other ways too. There was a problem with the new main gate in the fence, just installed. He did help her temporarily rig it. Contractor will be out tomorrow to permanently correct the situation.

Got plants in the soft garden dirt, B tilled. Temps will be cool enough for me to get some seeds in too. Deliveries for the studio are arriving and B is handling the plumbing for same.

Got an employee at the shop transgressing boundaries of decision hierarchy. Bless her heart - she's trying to help - but way out of her sandbox. Bro & I talked and are on the same page. His intuition is about like mine on what her motivation is. But he also gave me a very nice compliment - said my reply was clear, firm and informed her of where the boudary is... when he showed it to my nephew, his comment was: it must be nice to have a smart sister!  <big smiles again> That's not something I've ever heard much of from my family. Feels warm & fuzzy!
Success is never final, failure is never fatal.

sKePTiKal

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Re: Captain's Log - 2024
« Reply #65 on: June 23, 2024, 09:30:25 AM »
Not a lot of progress. Heat & no-see-ums renders me pretty useless. As a result, I made a half-hearted attempt to cover the garden with weed fabric and STILL need to weed (and finish planting). The other herbs are doing well.

Cabinets & countertops in studio have gone super slow - and mistakes were still made. But B thinks he can work around it so we have a functional sink up there. The damn designer (me) thought 1-1/2" butcher block would be cool... without realizing just how HEAVY it is. But the end is in sight, in the main room, then we'll start on the bathroom; mainly removing the shower & a facade wall that the plumbing is run in. More drywall; YUCK.

Hol's social needs are her priority, right now. Taking about a week to visit with friends & new guy is back. The ladies are also out this weekend. He & she are headed to the big city for an overnight excursion. So getting quality B time! S seems to be fading from the picture - and she's not committing too quickly to new guy. There's another rafting & campout trip planned in a couple weeks - so she may have lunch on the way there with yet another interesting (but very busy) guy.

Looks like our mini-drought is over, but it's still HOT. There's at least a CHANCE of rain once a week. B is going to head back to assemble another load to move. Then, will be back in about 6 weeks. Depending on what drame ensues there.
« Last Edit: June 23, 2024, 09:32:21 AM by sKePTiKal »
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lighter

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Re: Captain's Log - 2024
« Reply #66 on: June 23, 2024, 12:32:28 PM »
Hi, Amber:
Your post has me thinking about stuff, moving, keeping and scattering it to the wind.  Part of me plans to get rid of everything....soon .... everything not in use, including the generations of family stuff I've safe guarded mindlessly for years.  I honestly saw no choice in the matter.  Now I sense choice.  I'm moved to choose differently.  To release.  Let go.  Be free of.

How many loads does B have to move?  I lean hard towards hiring someone to make a final move with and for him.... be t sure B does things one way.  His way.  His stuff.  I get it, but as I age....I yearn to let go.
Of everything.

My figs are so healthy.  The blueberry bushes are fine.  The pear and apple trees have been assaulted by deer and beetles...I think.  Not a leaf left and they were full of fruit earlier in the Spring.  All gone now.

Running the hose 400' then 150' of soaker hose threw off the well pump it is assumed.  Replaced the pressure switch with no improvement.  Turning off the hose restored pressure, however.

Happy planting, Amber




Hopalong

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Re: Captain's Log - 2024
« Reply #67 on: June 24, 2024, 11:07:03 AM »
Quote
...stuff I've safeguarded mindlessly for years.  I honestly saw no choice in the matter.  Now I sense choice.  I'm moved to choose differently.  To release.  Let go.  Be free of.

A GIANT Woo Hoo to this, Lighter! Wow wow wow.

And Amber, I'm feelin' you about the heat and noseeums. Little buggers. I guess we're sowing what we've reaped and there are so many people suffering intensely from the heat. So you have a nearby swimmin' hole? I hope so. I was in the mountains yesterday and it felt so good to look at their gorgeous, gorgeous profiles.

I recommend a good Imperial IPA.

Happy to hear about Hol taking the reins of her life again. Glad she's not rushing.

hugs
Hops
"That'll do, pig, that'll do."

sKePTiKal

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Re: Captain's Log - 2024
« Reply #68 on: June 25, 2024, 09:31:53 AM »
Hol has a swimming pond and keeps a stock tank clean & full this time o' year. My pond is full of goose shit & snapping turtles - DO NOT ENTER!

Yesterday & this morning are pleasantly cool. But I'm on dog duty: Knuckles with us & me traversing back & forth to manage the other two at the Hut. It's more complicated today, since the contractor texted me at 5 to say they were starting the pole barn this morning. I was up in time to make coffee before the first truck arrived. Then I spent an hour managing the gate while the 3-4 other trucks came in, in between letting Beeb & Kiri out.

B & I have been working on the studio counter tops. I've got two more finish coats of oil to seal the sink counter, then he starts assembling. Run over the mtn tomorrow for an eye appt., and back on Friday to pick up rental for him to go back & organize another load. Again, I think I'm going to enjoy having a little freedom back. He & I work well together but there are a couple things causing me frustration & overwhelm. Some of it is Hol-related. Some of it is B not wearing his hearing aids. And according to Hol, I don't speak loudly enough and B says he can't understand my midwest accent sometimes... and he has no explanation for why he won't wear the hearing aids, except to medical appts.

Well, my day started early but I have to start it all over since I skipped a few things in my routine... to accommodate for Hol's absence.
Success is never final, failure is never fatal.

lighter

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Re: Captain's Log - 2024
« Reply #69 on: June 25, 2024, 11:56:27 AM »
Amber:  I think the background noise is if hearing aid use can be overwhelming.  That's likely a part of B's reluctance to wear them consistently.

I'm tickled Hol is having fun with her new relationship.  As long as it lasts, may she find the joy in it.

Lighter

Hopalong

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Re: Captain's Log - 2024
« Reply #70 on: June 25, 2024, 03:46:24 PM »
I have a couple friends who won't wear their hearing aids and it's a pain. One mumbles sotto voce at her feet, the other looms close to your face while you shout what you just said.

Fun, eh? EH?
"That'll do, pig, that'll do."

sKePTiKal

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Re: Captain's Log - 2024
« Reply #71 on: June 26, 2024, 07:34:20 AM »
Yup! It's amazingly frustrating Hops.

Lighter: he swears he can hear a gnat fart with the aids in. And he does get a lot of feedback which doesn't help either.

When called for, I can speak VERY loudly but that doesn't feel calm to me. So I guess I might have to try "resetting" that association.

Had a short chat with Hol, when she got home with C, the new man. She looks happily exhausted from her friends "vacation". My impression of him is that he does seem more manly than S. More independent, more active, more open and easy to be around & talk to. There is some noticeable "caring" that shows in his eyes. He's going to hang out here to use her guest room for completing some remote work for a few days. We'll see how this goes. She was over the moon, when he insisted on mixing up & baking her some bread for the ladies get-together. LOL. It's almost always the "little things" that mean the most.

It's definitely giving B & I more time together and that is a tangible relief. A tidal flow of comfort is always moving between us and it improves our communication, when he's focused on hearing me.
Success is never final, failure is never fatal.

Hopalong

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Re: Captain's Log - 2024
« Reply #72 on: June 27, 2024, 07:39:30 AM »
What a beautiful description:
Quote
A tidal flow of comfort is always moving between us

A lovely connection. Wow. That explains your deep patience with his endless move, his pain, everything.

Brava, brava!

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Hops
"That'll do, pig, that'll do."

sKePTiKal

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Re: Captain's Log - 2024
« Reply #73 on: July 05, 2024, 09:33:31 AM »
So, B's plans to head back for another load were delayed a week - due to an unannounced appt scheduled with the surgeon. It was a nothing appt. The usual checkup questions, the same confusion over paperwork (and insurance personnel being on vacation)... nada, nothing but ongoing frustration... and of course a fee to the insurance company.

I think I need to start looking for different docs. And possibly a different KIND of doc. I'm going to think on that and dig around.

And last eye appt, the doc is back on the cataract surgery kick. Last time, I was told I didn't have them. So WTH? Might be time for a different opinion on this, too, before committing to surgery. I NEED my eyes more than almost any other sense.

Studio progress is slow. B took over the sink installation and he is over-engineering things. Hol gets in a rush and that drives Mr. OCD very crazy... and she doesn't always do a thorough job. They've both pushed me out of doing lots of things for myself... which is beginning to be a problem for me. Once I have my solitude back, in some measure, I'll unpack that puzzle and look for a different tack.

The garden is a disaster again this year. As I mentioned on Tupp's thread, I simply can't work in the heat & buggy season. I merely harvested some feverfew for tea (for B) and had 4-5 huge welts. Long sleeves/pants don't help. I can't wear bug spray - unless it's a short time and I shower soon after. I need to rethink the garden too.

B's stumbling along pretty good. There was another occurance of this recurring "meningitis" crap - and the last was 6-9 months ago, so the repetition is spacing out. It's not a true meningitis - just the symptoms are very similar. No doc has figured out the actual cause and then treated it... which apparently isn't something the medical profession does anymore. He did fall, and that might've had something to do with this occurance. I put him back on his antibiotic tinctures for a couple days and it did resolve. For now.

Hol's new guy is definitely keeping her entertained and he is definitely the opposite of S. He talks so much I wonder how much of it is really true. But, he is likeable... and has normal behavior patterns socially. He has a lot on his plate with a house he's going to rehab... so they do spend some time together; days at a time. But then, they're on their own again. And of course, he works as a programmer for software that helps non-verbal autistic kids communicate. And she is still letting S come out for a couple days. Last time, they didn't do a thing together and he didn't really talk. And her anger-button was pushed again. I can't get her to see that this behavior is always going to push her button - it's part of her natural personality. She doesn't do that kind of inconsiderate people gracefully.

But I'm not spending a lot of time on it. I figure, she'll soon come to the fact she is never going to get what she wants from S and will stop trying or having time for him.

Her projects are starting to get squared away. And she's already collecting logs to cut wood. My racks are full, and there's another pile out by the barn and more to come down yet. C'mon cool weather!!  ;)
Success is never final, failure is never fatal.

Hopalong

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Re: Captain's Log - 2024
« Reply #74 on: July 05, 2024, 05:17:56 PM »
My attitude to the garden this year was to blow a kiss to it, wish it well, and let it go fallow. Even filling planters with flowers was beyond me this spring. And the nice change is, I feel no shame about it. Let go, change plans, simplify from here to the pearly gates.

I'm sorry about B's struggles, and yours. Was sad/glad to hear you pondering older-age needs when it comes to steepness and stairs, though. Realism is good and relieves a lot of angst.

Happy Hol's happier, too. Even Knuckles must be.

hugs
Hops
"That'll do, pig, that'll do."