How Does Your Garden Grow?

Growing inside the greenhouse a Pokeberry

The Boat Anchor, I mean Samwise is able to handle the lawn after A., the young man that came to help Himself with the yard, mowed the tall grass after No Mow May. 

After Samwise mowed the back, some Grackles came for a snack

Sweet Briar

One of the exciting things to happen this week, the birds found the Smart Feeder

White Breasted Nuthatch

American Goldfinch

Chipping Sparrow

Purple Finch

How does your garden grow?

Happy, Little, Time Waster

 

Lego Pancake Factory

The Friday Five Good Things

 

Five good things that happened this week.

1. Himself and I took an afternoon off and watched Jaws

2. We attended Master Beef's QiGong and Reiki circle for a nice evening out.

3. A goldfinch found the Smart Feeder

4. Perfect weather, Teague and I had lunch outside at Outpost Farms

5. Online retail therapy and everything arrived on time.

How was your week?

TBT Reprints from CJ's Whine and Cheeze

 n 2003, Ma had a stroke. Dad was her full time caregiver until he he had a car accident that totaled the car. So in 2006, I became their chauffeur among other jobs.

At the time, to deal with the stress of running two households and working, I kept a blog entitled CJ's Whine and Cheeze. Egged on by some friends who enjoyed the first read through, you'll see your part when it comes by.

Wednesday, December 20, 2006

The Second Wednesday

Today was shoe fitting day. Ma already had her coat on when I arrived. The route was the same as last week. We had to drop Dad off at the senior center, and again, he was out the door before I had brought the car to a complete stop.

There was plenty of parking at the medical center lot too. I even got a handicap parking spot. That should have been a clue.

I would never think skipping was possible with a walker, but that's what Ma did across the crosswalk and into the building. We didn't even have to wait for an elevator. The doors opened up just as I was to push the up button.

I held the elevator door open for Ma and she skipped across the lobby to the doctor's office. I reached around her and pushed the door handle. Imagine my surprise when the door wouldn't budge. It was locked tighter than Scrooge's purse! Ma kept trying the door and I finally got her to sit in a chair in the lobby while I went to the doctor's office next to the podiatrist. That office was locked too. The third office I tried was open.

The receptionist was on the phone, and I tried to be still and polite all the while screaming in my head Get off the damn phone and help me!

I told her my tale of woe and she kindly called the podiatrist's office.

Relief! Someone's in the office. The door must have been locked by mistake!

"Yes, I'll let her know," said the receptionist. She scribbled something on a note pad, tore the sheet and handed it to me. Neatly printed on the paper was the doctor's name and office number. "Their office is closed on Wednesdays. No one would have made an appointment for Wednesday. That was the answering service."

I thanked the receptionist and went to get Ma in the lobby. She was not happy, and she sputtered like a teakettle all the way to the car. It was not going to be pretty when we picked Dad up. I heard the "He's Stupid" song, along with variations on the theme. I told her the blame really wasn't on Dad, but on the doctor. Afterall, Ma was in the office last week. He could have taken her foot measurements, let her pick the shoes from the catalog, and put the paperwork aside until her primary care doctor sent the signature needed for the insurance. It would have been no skin off the podiatrist's nose. It's not like he had to pay for Ma's shoes out of his own pocket. On the other hand, he couldn't bill the insurance company for another office visit if he had taken care of business last week. I hope the needles fall off his Christmas tree.

Now, I'm not sure what happened. I wasn't sure if Dad had forgotten to make the actual appointment. He swore up and down he had called the doctor's office, and they gave him the appointment for Wednesday at 10 am. Maybe they meant the appointment was for the second Wednesday of the week. I'll have to check my PDA

Doodling for Stress Reduction

 

On Mondays via Zoom, I participate in a class where we spend  a half an hour doodling our stress away.

The suggested doodle was to make flower with circle and the letter U. Enter the Wayback Machine to the late 1960s and doodling Flower Power on notebook covers. 

T Stands for Sundae Lunch

 

Thursday last, at my weekly visit with Teague, we decided to go out for lunch. Since it wasn't raining and it was perfect weather (for me, with temps close to 90), we decided to go to George's Surf and Turf. We've been there before. 

Normally, I would have ordered fried clams, but at 90 degrees and humidity, it wasn't the best weather for fried food. This weather called for ice cream. I only eat ice cream when temps. are over 70. However, ice cream weather posed a problem for me. If I ordered a burger and fries (2nd choice), I'd be too full to have ice cream. What to do? What to do? I pulled a page out of Erika from Bio-Art Gal's book and just ordered a Hot Fudge Sundae with cookie dough ice cream. The server asked if I wanted whipped cream and a cherry. Yes, please, and also if I wanted colored or chocolate sprinkles. I tsked. I would like jimmies, please. In New England, especially in the Boston area, we don't call chocolate sprinkles, chocolate sprinkles. They are called jimmies. 

While Teague was waiting for her burger, I found us a table and began eating my sundae as it was melting fast. The sundae was soooo good, and as I suspected no room for a proper lunch. I didn't quite finish the sundae.

Relaxing back at Teague's sunroom, I had some iced tea. Teague did ask me mid-afternoon if I was hungry. She would take me to Dairy Queen which isn't too far from her house. to get a burger or something. I was still full from sundae.

I just noticed the date for today, June 10.  Today marks 52 years since Teague and I graduated high school.

Drop by hosts, Bleubeard and Elizabeth's blog to find out what the rest of the T Stands For gang is up to. If you want to play, include in your Tuesday post a beverage or container for a beverage. Don't forget to link your blog to Bleubeard and Elizabeth's page.

Monet and Me

 

signed up for a FREE Zentangle class by Stefanie van Leeuwen, the same Zentangle instructor for the Shell Symphony class  

Stephanie taught the Zentangle Dragon Class during the Inktober 2024 challenge and now she's offering it for free. The classes are not live, but students have access to videos. Even better, you don't have to wait until October to play.

Stephanie is a very organized and patient teacher. She has prepared a .pdf file with the dragon string and the materials needed for the class. My only criticism is she's very soft spoken so sometimes it was a bit difficult for me to hear her. Also, she uses the pencil transfer method to transfer the string. It's a lot easier if you use Saral paper. Saral paper can be used over and over and lasts a long time.

If you want to play, too, you can sign up at the Free Inktober Dragon Challenge