Plans Change

We were supposed to be meeting Mary and family in Raleigh this week. Ryan would take his anesthesiology board exam, we would celebrate Mary’s birthday, we would visit Trish. Three birds; 1 stone.

Until our dear leader started his war. Ryan was tapped, as they say, February 24th to fly out with other Navy medical personal to set up a field hospital god knows where. Back in a month, or 7, or whenever. To add excitement, before he left, they called us: Mary is due mid-October. That explains the extra level of emotion.

I have spent much of the last month on video calls with Mary and pouring over the war news. If there will be no boots on the ground, why, and where, are we setting up field hospitals? Plus I’ve wasted my time emailing my senators. I am so far behind on what I am supposed to be doing.

Bottom line, I opted to stay home this week, sending Grant on a solo trip to see his sister. Just his getting on the plane was worrisome, because our TSA agents are not being paid because our inept Congress has not passed a budget. The infamous ICE agents going to be sent to help at the airports. Note: he made it, and they are having a big time.

After I dropped him off, I drove to Kissimmee for breakfast with Kathy and Lee. They’d called the day before and invited us to join them and their Canadian friends for an airboat ride at Kissimmee Swamp Tours. Captain Steve drove us around for a couple of hours on Lake Toho, pointing out large and small gators. We were more interested in the birds, including snail kites just sitting on snags not more than 50’ from the boat. My eBird list had 23 species.

Afterwards, we lunched at Rancho Chico in St. Cloud. I saved half my meal for later in my batching week.

Monday, I stayed on task and got our tax papers ready to send to Dennis to sort. I also weeded/edged the northeast garden bed, trying to get a handle on the creeping Charlie. I also knitted like crazy on Baby Basham’s blanket. 

Tuesday, more paperwork. I emptied the basket where I put receipts plus “things to be done later”, then took it to the garage for donation. After much struggle, I got all the Quicken accounts up to date which was a pain because Fidelity had some sort of hiccup. No matter, done. I’d gone to tai chi at a huge neighborhood church, but didn’t find the group. I’ll text the leader to find out where they are practicing now that the weather isn’t so cold. Not a lost trip, because I mailed the tax info to Dennis. 

In the afternoon, Denny came, and I got the whole excise time to myself. We started on Romanian Dead Lifts (RDL for those of us in the know) by my just leaning against the wall and trying to stand back up. Eventually I should be holding weights.

Nancy and I picked up the small pentas we’d ordered through Bloom and Grow. I’m not enthusiastic but I wanted to support Vickie. Who knows, perhaps some pollinators will come to their blooms.

Wednesday was yard day. I managed to get 5 red pentas planted out by the roses, which are absolutely beautiful this year. I’ve resigned myself to that area not being natives. By the time I weeded, a couple of hours had passed. I was done in. Inside, I knitted and practiced my watercolor, concentrating on a 30-day sketchbook project. Simplistic drawings but I need more water control, so perfect.

Thursday, EarlyBird Toastmasters, then planting the purple pentas between the bananas along the south fence. One banana is definitely alive, another has put up a shoot. I’m still hoping the others have survived. Along the canal, more and more are putting up new leaves. I’m glad I didn’t rush to cut them down. Two hours of weeding edges of garden beds, and I was done. 

I bought a hose to run from the rain barrel to my carnivorous plant bog. My idea is that I can have a slow drip to keep the bog wet while I’m away. Didn’t work. Next plan is to get a nozzle so I can turn the hose on more and control the flow at the bog end. TBD

I’ve managed to avoid cooking this week because there were leftovers enough (my French Onion Pasta, his vegetarian chili and rice). I did bake the last box of cornbread mix, using the sour cream from my Sunday lunch and adding frozen corn as a vegetable. I also mixed up dressing for the bag of coleslaw I found in the fridge. Grant is coming home just in time. I would find it hard to cook for myself.