Raincharm’s Weblog

It was back to the nursery today. Raspberries to augment our dwindling patch, compost for said raspberry planting, and some topsoil to sprinkle over the micro clover once it is spread.

What I learned is that 1 cf of topsoil is heavier than 1.5 cf of compost. This makes sense when you consider the composition of each.

I had wrangled 1 cf bags of compost without too much difficulty a few days ago. So I was surprised the same size bag of soil was at the edge of my ability. It was also wet and slippery, adding to the silly walks carrying each bag. I was very apprehensive looking at the larger compost bag, but thankfully my dignity was restored. Carl managed moving the raspberry plants as they were within his weight restrictions. The bags were all a bit dirty, and now so are my pants and sweatshirt.

All of said garden supplies are staged. I trust they will survive outside on their own until the rain subsidies long enough to tempt me outside again.

The garage is ready for the giveaway

What’s going well so far: I invited 2 neighbors who happened by and a friend who stopped in for a preview. Several items have left the garage already! A globe, dating to the 1950s – think USSR, some 1/4″ hardware cloth, an under-bed storage container, assorted hardware, a partially full 5-gallon bucket of pea gravel, a lamp, and a box of 42-gallon contractor bags. No toys, but these were all adults.

I found a BOGO deal that I wanted to take advantage of, and it would be a good walk too?

Have I mentioned how much trouble I have keeping track of the day of the week? After we started on our way to the deal I suddenly thought to check the dates for the deal, and of course it’s not for today.

The walk route was modified and it was still good, aka dry.

Other tasks for the day for me focused on getting the garage ready for the garage giveaway. Trying to make things visible in a relatively small space. I moved one set of basement shelves into the garage to help make it easier to show what we have. I may expand a few things into the carport on the day of, since the garage door will need to be open anyway.

Try to get to 95% tomorrow.

The high point of the day was going out to dinner at Ivars Salmon House. To celebrate Ivar’s 121st birthday, if he was still with us, they had a menu where you could order an entree at the regular price  and the second entree was $1.21.

Very tasty. We walked to dinner in the dry, and home in a light rain.

I’m glad it rained because I had raked and added compost to the parking strip, and was supposed to “water it in.” With our current forecast I shouldn’t need to add water until at least this weekend. That’s when I plan to spread micro-clover and a bit of topsoil. And then we’ll see what happens. I may also put up a wee fence to discourage dogs from using that area while it’s starting to grow.

The parking strip is less than 300 square feet, but it took all I had to do this chore, especially the raking because I was trying to rough up the area. I want to do the same to the rest of the front yard, but it really needs to be mowed first, and there are no dry days until the weekend. Hopefully my strength will have returned by then.

These are only valuable to those who value their companionship. 1. They are used. 2. Most don’t have their name tags. 3. BBs as an investment was never a long term reality. We have so many largely due to their price point oh so many years ago. Around $5 was usually manageable.

I sent these pictures to our kids to see whether they wanted any sent to them, for themselves or kids. You never know.

Ashlan’s son asked for two of the larger stuffies, and Ashlan asked for 20 or so Beanie Babies to use as party favors when E turns 4. Four?! How can he be almost 4?  An awesome idea, a box is being packed.

Some progress was also made today outside, although utilizing hired help. Our backyard rhody had died and been pruned back to a stump. Carl made an effort to dig out the stump but strained a muscle. And then surgery restrictions. Our worker finished the job in less than 1/2 hour, and cut the stump into pieces as well.

Then he moved to the  crow destroyed front yard parking strip.

The plan is to plant micro clover and grass and see what happens. When I stepped out to take this photo there was a crow in the middle of the cleared area.

And finally, the snowman report. After 3 days it was clear the rain diet was working.

About 10 minutes after this picture was taken, the head fell off. The torso followed an hour later.

Spring is in the offing.

These are the creatures we are currently sorting through. Lots and lots of beanie babies, puppets, other stuffies, and a few with key chains. There are some that will be retained. A few are going to the trash bin – in need of repair or just too used to pass on. Perhaps tomorrow there will be more specifics, but we should be reduced from 5 bins to 1.

Other ceramic creatures from along our walk. Zoom in to see the various facial expressions, I always enjoy running into this yard.

We did walk, before the rain and creature sorting. And after I finished plowing through Medicare information. I’m just trying to better understand the coverage and how it works. I generally track to make sure we are paying bills for services received, and not questioning the amount charged. But there are small discrepancies in how the 3 involved entities report the costs and who pays. (1. Medical Service Provider,  2. Medigap Company, 3. Medicare) Let’s just say they all start with the same number and appear to show the amount that we need to pay in agreement, but the way it’s presented in between can be wildly different. For now I am adopting a trust but track philosophy, rather than figure out how they are doing their math to the last penny.

Enough for one day. And the actress from Hamnet, Jessie Buckley, won the Oscar. She was the only individual I was rooting for because I thought she did such a good job.

It snowed yesterday. Our only snow this winter. Carl has a history of always building snowmen.

One year when he was late some neighbors were concerned he was sick.

I had to help because he still has lifting restrictions and it’s a very wet snow. I  placed the torso.

The front yard is pretty clear of snow, all into Scoli, as we call him. Note some daffodils in the background. Not usually seen together.

This morning was not quite as cold but also included hail and snow, with no accumulation. And then the sun came out, so we took a walk.

Ran across this gem. So colorful, but I’m not sure it’s seaworthy.

We were supposed to meet friends for dinner tonight, but they live in the North Bend micro-climate. They were snowed in this morning after 5 inches fell on top of the 12 inches they already had. Waiting for clearer roads.

You could build our snowman a few times from the snow on the railing.

And of course it is PI day, so Carl and I pivoted. One of the days when pizza deals abound. 2nd small pizza for $3.14. And leftovers.

Less than 2 weeks until Opening Day (baseball season) and we finally get snow! I don’t recall any snow in town this winter at all.

Just a few days apart

Okay, so it’s less than an inch, but it’s our inch.

I actually briefly got that feeling I had as a child when the first snow would fall. It was always a thrill. Sledding and skiing would follow. I always liked being the first set of footsteps in the snow walking to school. As an older child I loved pushing cars to get them unstuck from drifts or ice. Really, it was a thing I did.

Today the snow is going to transition to a wintry mix, and then rain. The real question is will we get out in it at all. The sidewalks are bare, not cold enough to hold the snow so I can leave footprints.

Got out today before the rain started in earnest. It was not quite lunchtime when we were on The Ave. (University Way) passing the newest location of Raising Cane’s. It’s been open a month or so but a line was forming. A short line at this point but nevertheless  …

Our walk errand was a Post Office drop-off  and then we headed into campus and north through fraternity/sorority row. A fair number of students passed us, headed to class we presumed. Almost all were plugged into their phones.

Our front walk flowers are meh this year. A bunch of daffodils with a few more bunches on the way. My tulips are almost non-existent and you only see the back half of the plot because the front half is just dismal.

Maybe if the sun comes out again things will look brighter. On the other hand, I did see some good movies today. TCM is playing Oscar winners from the past. Today’s viewing included Some Like it Hot, and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.

So in an effort to move myself forward I made a list today. A list of things I need to get done.

I started into what my father calls Family Arithmetic. Paying bills, balancing accounts, stuff like that. I was caught up until the mail came with a few more bills.

Oddly enough, Family Arithmetic was not on my to-do list. So nothing has been crossed off, but stasis has ended.

I am trying to figure out what my new normal is. I think what I need is deadlines.  These may need to be self created and self imposed.

Tomorrow I will make a  to do list. Today’s accomplishments were somewhat limited; a short walk – including repopulating a book to a little free library, and making dinner.  I did complete some crossword puzzles, but they don’t really count.