blech

That is how I feel right now 

    I am. ready to toss out something I don't think I have ever tossed out before.  EVER!!!!

    I had a little half bottle of white sangria wine.

    I have had red sangria.  In Barcelona.  Spain.  On vacation.

    I had it with tapas at a restaurant and it was good.  

    Of course, it had stuff in it...fruit, oysters, dead bats.... but it tasted fine.

    I wanted a little wine tonight with supper.  I figured a half bottle was good, because that is a glass tonight and one tomorrow.

    But holy cow!  I could not even drink 1 glass!.

    I TOSSED OUT WINE!!!!!

    You read that right.  I could not stand it ... too sweet, too syrupy, too what ever.

    We had brats tonight.  I thought a little wine would be good.  I knew it was going to rain, so I started early...just not early enough.

    As soon as I put the brats on the grill outside, it started lightly raining.

    As soon as I took the brats off it stopped.

    Meanwhile, I was wet.  And dry. And thirsty.

    I thought my day could not get any worse, but I turned on the Cubs.  They are playing the worst team in baseball, a team that does not score runs, does not hit, and is on pace  to lose 110 games this year.  Cubs have their best pitcher going. 

    Cubs are losing 5--0.  And in a rain delay.

    Two waves of storms have approached us, but disappeared by the time they reached our house.  I hope it rains, because the gardens need it.

    Meanwhile, I think I will look for another  bottle of a different wine for tomorrow.  

Peace and Love

grrrr

 I tried for years to grow strawberries

    I never succeeded.  I would get 1 or 2 berries, then nothing.  I would put in "everbearing " planets and they might as well have been called neverbearing.

    I finally ripped out the plants a few years ago.

    This year the girls bought me a strawberry plant.  It is in a container on the front porch.

    So far, I have had 3 berries off it!  Unfortunately, I have competition.

    Julia said dog Beth ate a strawberry!. When I was out with her today, she got up to grab another one!  Takes them right off the plant!!

    Guess I have to put the plant up higher.

    When we had Corki, she would go into the strawberry field and eat them.  Between her, the rabbits, birds and whatever, I never got any.

    I am wondering if Beth had anything to do with the missing tomato and pepper plants.  

    I had 2 of each in the raised garden, but yesterday I had none.  3 of the plants were completely gone an the 4th was chewed on pretty heavily.

    I am guessing a rabbit.  I don't think a deer, but it could have been.

    Of course, it's harder now to buy tomato and pepper plants, but I managed to get some and re plant them tonight.  I have my fingers crossed.

    We had storms predicted for all day today.  But we got nada.  Not a drop of rain, and none in the forecast until tomorrow afternoon.

    I even went out early today to mow the field before the 3 days of rain started.  Well, early as in 11:30.  I was up at 9 but I wait until Jackie is ready for the day before I go out side.

    At least the Cubs did not lose today.

    Hopefully they will start winning soon.

Peace and Love 

eh

This was a strange day 

    I keep saying it:  I have no desire to do things.

    No, I did not take a nap.  I just basically fritted the day away.

    At my age that is not something one should do.  I should take advantage of the day, carpe diem!!  But I don't.

    I eventually mowed the yard, thinking the next 3 days may bring rain.  I may mow the lot tomorrow morning if it is not raining.

    I did get a little frustrated.  I turn on my phone and listen to music through the Blu Tooth ear protectors, but for some reason they would not play.  Kept saying Blue Tooth was not connected.  Tried and tried and tried before I gave up.  (Notice, I do not know how to spell Blue Tooth, so I spelled it both ways, hoping people will think it is a typo.)

    I also gave Beth her flea and tick treatment.  

    Julia and I took her crate to the basement, which seemed to confuse the dog.  When we got it down there she went in it and looked at us.

     I don't think I will trip on her at night.  That was the main reason we crated her.  When she leaves the crate, she goes by the front door to sleep.  At some point she scratches on Julia's door and jumps up on her bed when Julia opens the door.

    We'll see how this works.

    I also finally put out the patio umbrella.  It is a 2 person job because I can never find the stand when I am holding the umbrella.  Julia guided it in today.  I did forget the golden ring, which means I will have to take the umbrella out of the base and put the ring in the table.  Oops.l

    I also watched part of the Cubs game.  Just too darn frustrating at this point.  They have good players, but they are not producing.  l hope they get it together before the all star break.

    Julia and Emily spent a little time at Johanna's house.   There is still a lot of stuff that needs to  be dealt with.  If you are interested in woodworking tools, let me know and I'll put you in touch with Emily.

    Johanna was good at making things.  We have a lovely table in the great room that she made for Jackie to display her Dickens Village on at Christmas.  That will be a memory we will always cherish.

Peace and Love

Happy June

 Lots of thoughts on this dreary June day

    Yesterday was a mix of emotions.  It was also  a day I may have overdone caffeine. 

    I had a tea for breakfast, Dr. Pepper at lunch, and 2 Pepsis at supper.  I thought I would have trouble sleeping, but actually fell asleep quite easily.

    I was tired today, so at 1 I decided to take a short nap.  I woke up 3 hours later!

    Luckily it rained most of the day and I could not have done anything outside anyway.  And the crew spent the day at Johanna's, cleaning, selling things, and tossing stuff out.  But there is still a lot of electronics to deal with.  Not sure how they are going to handle it.

    Marie and Heather, Johanna's mother and her wife, came to dinner.  We had a nice visit, but next time we see them I hope it is under much happier circumstances.

    Anyway, I am really tired tonight too.  Hopefully my afternoon nap will not affect my falling asleep.

    That's it.

Peace and Love

mixed emotions

 Today was Johanna's celebration of life

    Events like this are bittersweet, 

    We gather to mourn the loss of a loved one.  And we gather to give strength to those left behind.  And we gather to remember, and even laugh, with one another as a community.

    I am willing to bet that almost every one there has an "if only I had" moment or two.. Or three.  Or 10.  If only I had called her.  If only I had dropped in to visit.  If only I had sent a text or a card or a message.

    I know I have had those moments. 

    I was not close to Johanna.  But I truly liked her.  

    If only....here I go again....she could have seen the people who came to mourn her, celebrate her, and grieve her today.  She would have been happy.

    Suicide is such a difficult topic.  Do you discuss it?  Do you hide it?   How do you overcome the anger and the hurt you feel from it?  The last is important, because everyone there felt one of those emotions, some even both.

    With the bitter comes the sweet

    Our nieces came to the memorial.  Laurie was found by husband Ron and Cindy was joined by Samantha. My sister in law, my best friend,  friends of me and my family, dozens of VCCT people, and of course Johanna's mother and her wife, Camryn's mom and her step dad, and Camryn's friends and even people she worked with in the Sycamore schools. 

    We talked.  We laughed. We cried.

    Afterwards a group of us went to Buffalo Wild Wings for dinner, because that was Johanna's favorite restaurant.

    When we were done eating,  no one seemed overly eager to leave.  

    Even dog Beth was good.  She had never been left alone for so long, or had supper delayed so late as she did today.  And there was no mess to clean.  

    If you know someone who needs help, check on them. Urge them to take care of themselves and get help.  No problem it too big that it can't be solved.  

    And that's another if only.

Peace and Love

    

Sorry for the noise

 I dug out my burdock tonight

    I started with one shovel.  Then another.  And another.

    I found someone with a backhoe.

    Finally, I took 36 sticks of TNT and lit it, causing a cosmic boom and flinging the burdock 50 feet in the air, raining down green, slimey juice on the 478 bystanders that paid $5 to watch.

    You are right...I am exaggerating.  I only used 35 sticks.

    Holy crap!  That was one hard plant to dig out!

    I just hope the root I got was all of the root, otherwise the sucker will come back.  I think that is what happened last year.

    The good dentist said as soon as my insurance tells him what is covered, we can schedule my extraction.  Tooth extraction, to be clear.

    I told him I wanted gas, and plenty of it.

    He said no problem.

    But, and there are always big butts, there are  2 issues.I  have to deal with.  I can't eat or drink anything for 6 hours prior to the procedure.   6 hours!!!  I don't know if I can do that and not pass out from hunger.

    The second thing is I can't do any lifting for 1 day.

    I lift Jackie out of bed, onto the toilet, off the toilet, onto the shower, bench, off the bench....you can see the problem.

    Julia and Emily can do part of that, but Julia and Emily both work and there is no guarantee they will be free when the lifting needs to be done.

    So we will have to hire a caretaker to take care of her while I take care of me.

    We can't do that until a surgery date is scheduled.

    I will have to eat soft food for a while and avoid hot beverages until my mouth is back to normal.

    I went up to Rockford tonight to meet Emily at Johanna's place.  We loaded dog crates into both vans and brought them to Emily's.

    Johanna stored crates for the rescues and if there are not at least 20 crates then call me Mr. Math.  Those things are not exactly light either.  At least some of them are not.

    They are looking for someone with a pickup or trailer that can help Camryn take her bed and dresser back to Sycamore.  If that fits your job description, please let me know.

    That's it for me today, in more ways than one.

Peace and Love

brrr....doc

    Silly nme.  I thought, plant natives.  Don't worry  about them.  The garden will prosper.

    Wrong, wild onion breath!

    I do need to weed.  And dig.  And do it often.

    I have been pulling thistles and grass recently.

    Today I Googled this little gem.

The leaves are huge!  at least 18 inches or more!

As you can see, the leaves are huge!  The plant is huge!!

        I seem to think I dug it up last year, but now I am not sure.

        Anyway, it looks a little like rhubarb but it isn't.  It is a non native invasive plant named Burdock.

        It can be used in a couple of ways, like in a tea or as a medicinal plant....but I am not going to do that.

        I will dig it out tomorrow and hope it does not come back.

    While I was working on the natives, I took a few minutes to lay on my back and look at the clouds.

    Big mistake.

    When I got up, I felt sick to my stomach and had a massive headache.

    This has happened to me a couple of times before, and I don't understand why.  I lay in bed on my back, and don't feel that  way when I get up.

    Maybe I need a pillow outside..  Or, maybe I shouldn't lay on my back.

    Today I took a big gamble and put away our winter hats, gloves, and scarves.  I don't think we will be needing them anymore.

    I actually thought of just leaving them, since we are only 4 months until fall, but I figured the summer hat collection is more useful.

    Tomorrow I go to the doc who is going to yank my tooth.  It is a consult visit, but I am still nervous.  I also have to go pick up my hearing aid, which wasn't broken after all.  I have the feeling I am going to learn lots of new things.

    Peace and Love