hahaha. I started one earlier, but it apparently didn't take hold! Quite okay, didn't have anything to say. You're the one with all the news, Jen!! Want a blow-by-blow on the moving.

I was out today to do a walk-around. Garry, bless his heart, took out the rest of the nasty weeds in the raised beds. I THOUGHT about taking out weeds and plants in the containers and a couple beds. Is that worth something? No. I need to go to Lowe's to get some fall veggies--oh NO. GDW has surgery Wednesday, and we have to go fishing Monday and/or Tuesday. Then, he'll be out of commission for a couple weeks. Hope he has good pain pills. Hope I get some more, too.

As of now, we have a tornado watch tonight. Blach.

And I made my first genuine big batch of chili--but guess what! The chili powder I have on hand has lost its potency. So we'll have some this evening, but then I'll freeze it and meanwhile get some new chili powder.

Speaking of, time for dinner. Later!

I just got in from planting 6 cabbage plants ( fall garden plants are hard to find here ). I also planted Elephant garlic, lettuce, radish, arugula, cilantro, carrots and I replanted a couple of onions that came up in a row. It is late for some of this stuff, but I am seldom on time with anything.

Madge and I were out in the garden, I was on my hands and knees, that is pretty much how I plant anything, I don't bend well. Anyway I saw a hawk or owl flying low heading for Madge ( she had her back end toward it ) as she picked peppers, I laid low, I did not want to give away my position, if it carried her off, someone had to call 911. Anyway it just swooped over her head and kept going. I doubt that it missed her over a foot, and she never knew that she was almost supper for something.

I have 3 containers of sweet potatoes growing for slips for next year, it is much too early to start slips, but I think I will make a couple of planter boxes to place in the kitchen window and try to grow sweet potatoes and some polka-dot plants all winter.

Bless your heart Jen, for starting the thread.

I was out, camping/biking... and was happy looking in my cold frame when I got home. Yes, there is some mesclum mix coming up. :) Now, I am just waiting on the beets.

I was late sowing both... but better late than never. :)

We didn't have any rain worth mentioning... and I am watering these two beds by hand. I pulled most of my soaker hoses up, and I am continuing digging out Bermuda grass where I have been watering, to get the clay moist enough to let me.

Moni

I have several beets up, some about 3 inches tall, but not a good stand of them. I am going to have a terrible time with hen bit, but I do every year.

I planted a 20' row of Elephant garlic, with 4 Bonnie hybrid cabbage plants spaced out in the row to serve as markers, and Parris island lettuce sown in the row. I am hoping the lettuce and cabbage will harvest first, the garlic hopefully will mature later next year. I also planted something under my tomato trellis, but dont remember what it was. I marked the other stuff, but forgot about the trellis. It was almost dark and I was tired, maybe Madge will remember what I planted.

Just like Moni, I shall be watering in the morning as all hopes of rain have failed.

There are some chances mid week that might materialize.

On yesterday's walk, I enjoyed the seed clusters of the horrendously invasive sweet autumn clematis (SAC), it's kinda striking, don't you think ?

Then I saw a lovely morning glory, but someone (me) failed to get it in focus, so I shan't post the heavenly blue.

Walk yesterday eve was cancelled, dog refused to get in car (I have no idea why). So we just went back into the house.

Danny I dare you to do a solo walk if that happens again. ;)

Moni

We had a pretty nice shower last night, that was one reason I wanted to get the seeds planted, and work till almost dark. I got some Barkant turnip seeds when I stopped by the Farmers Co-op, they had been out. I will try to plant some of them in a day or two.

We have 2 or 3 of the sweet autumn clematis, dont really have invasive problems with them because they are in poor spots and blister bugs attack them every year and they may be stripped before I notice the bugs. I have more trouble with morning glories and passion vines, but they are no match for a tractor or roundup. The morning glories and passion vines are in the wildlife garden, so I don't loose a lot of sleep over them.

Danny, the picture is nice, I enjoy all the pictures that are posted. Seeing the pictures is sort of like taking a trip and staying in my recliner, and it gives me a chance to peek into someone else's world.

Moni, I will, next Monday whether he likes it or not!

If I thought he'd understand, I would have. I threw him in the car this morning when he balked again, I wanted to go and I thought we wouldn't hit rain today (didn't).

Slowpoke, I ordered morning glory seeds this morning (non invasive ones, I admire the ones that have invaded, but I don't need to add more seed to the fire), thinking from how well they do on their own, maybe they'll grow in my soil (I've had 'Heavenly Blue' spontaneously appear for three years running..but think it failed this year) where most annuals fear to tread. Here's a photo from seed catalogue of the strain I ordered.

I kinda forgot camera this morning in the car (luckily it was still there when I came back), so no fresh photos..but yesterday I did take another urban photo of some lovely sugar maples (shared with Moni talking about hiking plans and fall foliage). Gotta admit, those sugar maples are SWEET!

Great pictures!

Not much going on here--but Glorious hot peppers: Fatali and Sugar Rush Peach. Garry fixing the boat with supervision, I'll be back--into town!

Nancy, thanks for sharing the pictures. I really like Garry's supervisors, it is such a blessing to have fur babies around. We really miss our fur baby.

I checked out containers along the deck. They look good, the rain has settled the soil. There are things sprouting, but I think that it is something in the compost. I make my compost from hay scraps from around the hay ring, and it is likely to have anything in it, and I can never get the heat up high enough to kill all the seeds. I must have had 40 or 50 yards of compost this year ( the most I have ever had ), and none of it was quality compost. although the compost is not high quality, it is still improving my gardens, and keeping me busy pulling weeds.

Play by play of the great move: We still haven't. (Ok, now you can scroll past to the next post, the rest is my boring vent)

Our biggest holdup is the well. During the inspection it came back as positive for bacteria (but not for e. coli). So it has to be treated & retested before the lender will approve the sale. For whatever reason the seller dragged his backside on doing that. Thursday our realtor called & wanted to know if we wanted to close on our current house. We explained we can't close here until we move everything to the new house, and we can't move into a house without safe water. Ok, so plan B. The new place also has "access to public water", which was explained as the meter was installed but never turned on. So, we'll just get the public water turned on. But we need the pre-occupancy agreement and keys in order to get that done. So we sat around all Friday waiting for that, only for him to finally send it late Friday night. And then today we found out there isn't a meter for that house, so we'd be out big bucks to get it installed and we can't do that until after we close. So back to the starting point, we have to get the well tested and a clean report before we can move. Well was treated today after we lit a fire under our realtor's derriere, test can be taken tomorrow, and we'll have results in 1 to 3 days.

But Sat my dad, brother & sister in law came down to move my garden stuff. We load it all onto the trailer, then take off with a trailer of plants whipping around down the highway. I know I lost 2 tomatoes and a pepper, I saw them bounce down I40. But for the most part everything got over there with minor casualties. The rest of the move will be as soon as we get the water test back. Plus Thursday I have my brother's funeral to deal with while Cliff deals with the moving stuff. I just want this whole ordeal to be done & over.

Stinks! Stinks!! You have my prayers, curses, and well wishes (no pun intended). What a royal pain. I am so sorry you have your brother's funeral on top of everything else! Just hearing it almost made me go buy a pack of cigarettes!!

Larry, I think my containers are about the same size as yours--I built them just like I do the raised beds--modified lasagna. . . rotten wood in the bottom, then mulched leaves, then straw, dirt, peat moss, raised bed soil (or blah blah, don't quite remember!). The pain is going to be tearing out all the plants!!

And DARN. Garry's surgery is coming right up, on Wednesday and so it'll be my turn to take care of him--though he'll only be out of commission for a couple weeks. But it's supposed to turn cold then, which sucks. Hope it warms back up.

Look at this confounded mess!

I am SO tickled! I have one more round of pain killers, which should get me through until I'm whole. I'm so glad, as it's so easy to move around and get the right exercise!

And today was even more tickled. We stopped by the school just as John arranged to let kids out to visit. Oh my goodness! They are SO much fun! (BUT every time I visit, the kids think it's party time, and then they get into trouble--and so do I. I'm not kidding--I'm really not. Ouch. I get the evil eye from Suzanne! As in, "How could you be so stupid as to let them do that." Never fails. LOL One of these days, she's going to tell me never to come back!

Oh--here's the fabulous Sugar Russ Peach peppers!

Hi Everyone. I read posts but am not going to comment right now. Give me a couple of days.

Other than---I am SO sorry, Jen. How frustrating!

And...where is Amy?

One of my largest events is this week and that is keeping me busy day and well into the evening.

Take care, Friends. I'll be back to catch up later this week.

Nancy, nice pictures. I really like the looks of the sweet rush peppers, I have never heard of them, now I am thinking of buying some seed for next year. I expect they will be too hot for Madge and I, but grand daughter in on a pepper kick. She has been getting nearly all my peppers and making relish.

It has been a beautiful day, take care friends.

::waving at Jenifer:: I just haven't had much to say. Feeling melancholy. Got a kick out of Garry's supervision and vegetables bouncing down the interstate. I'm so sorry you're having these problems Jen.

It seems like my life revolves around the CPAP machine. It has an automatic on/off setting which hasn't been working. It comes on in the daytime and shuts off on me at night.

We had the 4 and 8 year old here Sat, then 4 yo started running a fever. ::eyeroll:: Sun was supposed to be daughter's birthday party, but family of sick kid couldn't come, youngest had guard drill weekend and my other DIL's back went put. Daughter brought baby over. He was happy and busy.

Ron's supposed to plant garlic today. I'm considering throwing turnip seeds out in one of the beds. Ron's not feeling well, so we're not doing anything right now.

Hope Garry's surgery goes well.

Danny, daughter has 9 puppies, want another one? The pmma keeps trying to move them from the kennel in the den to under her bed.

No Amy, I fear this is the last puppy, ever! I don't think I want to go through it again. It's been rather difficult. I don't even think the cuteness is worth it. Maybe I should become a cat person (except I'm allergic to those things)?

I am sort of like Danny, I don' want another animal. I love them and would love having another if I knew there would be someone around to love and care for it like Madge and I would, but I don't see that happening, plus the cost of caring for one.

Amy I found a garlic clove on the back porch. It was almost purple from being exposed to the weather. I find it hard to throw away anything, so I took it out to the south garden to plant it. I don't bend well, so I get on my hands and knees to do that type of work. When I got down, I could see that the garlic I planted a week or two ago was coming up. I also found garlic coming up in an area near where I planted onions. I know I planted it, but, cant remember what kind it was. I plant this stuff in the garden, thinking I will remember for ever, what and where, but by the time I walk back to the house, I cant even remember where the garden is. I get all kinds of surprises. I try to remember to mark everything, but I seldom have any markers with me. I like to keep all my supplies in my side by side and drive it to where I plan on working, but I stored all my gardening junk, maybe a little too early.

I GOTTA get the garlic planted by Nov 1. I will get er done! I'm not sure I have quite enough. May have to do a rush order from somewhere.

I'm so glad you all are here. I'm inspired, a bit, to get going on chores. I took out SOME of the container stuff and chopped the Vitex way back. John, bless his heart, got busy and took out most of what needed to be taken out at the school. I don't know if he had help. We didn't have much time to visit, because there were kids mobbing us. If any of you are forced to travel through Wagoner at any point (hahaha), get a hold of me--I'll take you over to meet John and Suzanne! Lub them and the work they're doing!!!

I'm a bit nervous about Garry's surgery today (Wed)--I'll have to drive home in the afternoon, and then back to the hospital the next day to retrieve him. Too bad we have the critters to take care of--I could stay overnight if we didn't. I'm sure GDW will be fine, but I am not use to driving in Tulsa--at all!

I guess I should try to get some sleep. . .

Nancy, I hope Garry does well. Its too bad you don't have someone to take care of the critters.

I wish that Madge liked to use garlic. I tried about 12 different kinds one time, hoping to find one that she liked, but she just uses the minced garlic from the gro. store. I grow garlic for my daughter and grand daughter, and because garlic is sort of like Bermuda grass, you can't kill it. I just buy garlic from the grocery store and plant it. I have more onions and garlic hanging in my tractor shed that I need to freeze or give away.

It looks like warm weather is about to end here. Our average frost date is about the last of Oct. It looks like we may be getting more rain also.

It's raining here now. So Norman people chime in, are you safe? H/J, you okay? HU/Rick?

Prayers for Garry and Nancy, too.

Danny, we don't want puppies either. I expect my old beagle to pass soon. I. Think my husband will want to replace her, but I'm voting for a potty trained neutered dog, preferably female. It should be a beagle/mix. Beagle is our favorite. Sasquatch looked like a hound in pictures. Now she looks like a Rodesian Ridgeback. She bares no resemblance to her Basset hound mother...at all.

I ended up taking Ron to the doctor yesterday his oxygen was low and his blood pressure was really low. By the time he got there he was perfect.

He grabbed a book for me to read while I waited. A Stephanie Plum book I had already read and completely forgotten, so I read that all day. I'm thinking about starting the series over.

We've had at least 1/2 inch of rain. Nice soft soaking rain. Looking at radar, Larry and Danny should both get some of this.

Yes, and I'm most appreciative of the much-needed rain, even if it arrives at the worst time. I wasn't in a good place this morning, in fact, I walked the dog early early (before daylight) to try to get him to lay down and leave me alone. Depressed and grumpy, I'd normally take a mental health day and go do something (preferably outside like going to Eureka Springs or touring a garden or something), but rain stopped THAT! I ended up going to lunch at Red Lobster (total bill $28..wow), but it did make me feel better and I no longer hate most of the world.

I dunno what has me disturbed, maybe it's the end of the world as we know it (seems). Restaurants closing because they can't get staff (of course are they paying them sufficiently...I *HATE* non-living wages with expectations of tips making the difference). I talked to post man (who has been coming about 5:30 instead of normal 2-3:30), he figured he was 3 hours behind...due to short-staff there too. Shipping and supply lines...I went to grocery store Monday and got 1/2 of what I wanted (other things out of stock), well that's one way to only spend $1 6 on a grocery trip...nothing to buy?
Anyway, enough whining about the state of the world....I guess.

Hi all. i hate using my cell phone to post, so may write more tonight when i het home. a long long day. we got here ( hospital) at 10, but surgery backed up—so we waited and eaited. they just took GDW in 20 min ago. at this rate, i will be driving home when it’s dark! Aaaggh! prayers for sweetie. and prayers for ron and amy and grumpy danny and madge and larry and rebecca and hj, tom and hu…. this st francis a mighty nice hospital! later, friends!

We are getting a nice rain, it started around noon. We don't really need the rain just yet, but have been so low since mid July that I wont send any of it back.

We went to town this morning, stopped and ate before we came home, two salads with drinks and tip was between $30 and 35 dollars, every thing is going up.

Amy, I hope Ron is doing well. I have trouble with blood pressure and oxygen level also, but the meds and CPAP seem to help a lot, even though I hate using the CPAP. I can see why you, or anyone else would want a dog. I love all animals. We live next to a busy highway and would have to keep an animal in the house, that is a responsibility that we don't want anymore.

Danny, Madge is telling me that she is finding that there are quite a few items missing at the grocery store. I seldom go shopping, but did notice a shortage of seeds this year, but I think that I have enough seeds for spring planting. We have tried to stock up on a few items, and we have a pretty good stock of food from the garden.

I went in the grocery store a couple days ago to get something. It didn't seem they were out of things in Wagoner.

Amy, what's going on with Ron???? Doggone it! Do NOT like hearing that. And how are YOU doing?

Today was a nightmare in some ways, though doc said the surgery went well, except for the sky high BP. I am absolutely exhausted and somewhat emotional. And am therefore having a nice 6-oz glass of Cabernet Sauvignon! I miss Garry already. So does Titan. I didn't get home until 8:30, because I got so lost in Broken Arrow. This was part of the nightmare. Okay, maybe two 6 oz glasses of Cab.

Danny, I'm in the same kind of mood. . . the end of the world/end of the world as we know it, definitely. But I cannot let myself get started on that tonight.

Garry was absolutely miserable. I was very ticked off when they took him in to surgery finally, at 2:40 and I had to sit out there and wait for the next 3-plus hours. He was out of surgery by 4, but I didn't get to see him until 6--and then had to almost throw a fit. The surgeon came out to talk with me about 4:30, told me it went well except his BP was sky high. I told him it was 178/102 just before they took him into surgery, and he told me it was higher than that when they got into the operating room and after. He said they got it to manageable during the surgery itself but were monitoring it closely. . . By the time I finally got up to see him at 6, it was (relatively speaking) great! 138/92. So when I got up to see him, he was miserable--first, he wanted that catheter OUT! Had difficulty speaking (because of the oxygen mask), and was loopier than he sounded. I told him I was going to have to get home for the animals, and he told me to call Bruce instead because GDW didn't want me to leave. (Our neighbor.) I said I could, but Bruce didn't have a key. GDW said he didn't lock the back door. (WHAT????? He NEVER does that.) So I told him I'd send Bruce a message--I did, but he didn't answer. So I told GDW I was going to have to leave. He was so upset--it made me very sad. We are never apart, and neither of us likes being apart.

And I was also very upset about not getting in to see him, earlier. The desk people suggested I just leave him a message, and I said, "NO!!" And all the while during my 3 hr wait, I was kind of freaking because of having to drive home in the dark, probably. And that's just what happened. And I DID get lost. Instead of the hour it should have taken me, it took me TWO hours. But at least I knew I was headed in the right direction.

Thank God Day One of this is over. And tomorrow will be a piece of cake. Animals were so glad to see me--how spoiled they are. They expect us to be here! And we expect to be here, too.

We had the most amazing dinner yesterday (day before?) at 1843 on Broadway in Coweta! GDW ordered a nachos dish that our favorite server, Cassie, recommended. Stacked shredded pork on corn tortilla nachos, with cojita cheese, sliced canned jalapenos, and white queso sauce. Just heavenly!! I'm going to google and try to duplicate it! I had a reuben (they use pastrami instead of corned beef--it's quite good, but not even close to the nachos.) Then that divine heavenly triple chocolate dessert. . . I mean DIVINE! And even Garry agreed! Gotta try to duplicate that, too. So far, we've only eaten 1/3 of it.

Okay. . . . . I'm going to sign off now and finish my 2nd glass of wine. XOXO. And I will look forward to jumping out of bed and retrieving Garry Dean tomorrow.

Got the water test back yesterday, so we're good to move in. Cliff called the movers again to reschedule them for tomorrow instead of Sat. I'm heading to Wagoner later for the memorial, then tomorrow move, hopefully close the current house Monday and the new one later next week. I just want this all done!

Keeping everyone in my thoughts. Sounds like lots of health issues going around right now.

Ron sometimes has episodes where he doesn't feel "right". He has a defibrulator implanted in his chest for electrical problems in his heartheart. At one time they think he had a virus that affected his heart, dropping its effectiveness. He worked very hard through exercise to improve that to near normal. He takes meds for high blood pressure. He also has type II diabetes, and blood sugar could have been an issue that morning. I think his oxygen was low because his blood pressure was low. I have no idea why for that. By the time we got to the doctor his oxygen was 95 (Good) and blood pressure was a bit high which is his normal.

I hope Garry is doing good and you get home ok, Nancy. They have apps for your phone that can tell you how to get from point a to point b. They'll even talk to you so you don't have to look at it. The only trouble with that is they may do the most direct route (like going through neighborhoods to lake Thunderbird instead of highways) if you know better you can usually ask for a different route.

I'm glad H/J and HU are ok. And that Danny and Larry got rain.

The dogfood we were getting is not available any more. We have also noticed prices going up in restaurants. Ron has had trouble finding flour and bread flour. I don't think that comes from China, and we GROW wheat here, so WTH? Even the internet has been slow today.

Jen, I'm glad the move can proceed. The water thing worries me. What if it's a regular thing? Condolences to your family.

I don't know when the garlic will be planted.

Jen, I am glad things are moving forward on you move, moving is something that I have never liked, I think that is is because I always have so much junk I dont want to part with.

Amy, glad Ron is doing well.

Nancy, I hope Garry is doing well, I know that he will have to take it easy for a while.

I went out to the south garden to check on the things I planted on the 24 or 25 th. I have radishes and cilantro, and arugula sprouting, and tons of henbit. There could be a few other things sprouting, but it was too wet to get down close enough to tell what it was. I tried hard not to plant the seeds so close, but that is really hard for me to do.

We're looking to replace our weather station. The rain gauge has never worked. Don't know how accurate anything else is. It is an Acurite brand. Does anyone have one they recommend?

Jen. . . . I was thinking of you while Garry's stuff was going on the past two days. I'd been kind of dreading it all, mostly because I knew I was going to be traveling in BA and/or Tulsa. I figured I'd be lost for at least part of the trips--on the road and in the hospital. But all along, from my own hip surgery through the recuperation, then to Garry's. . . I kept telling myself, "Well, one step closer to having it all be over. . ." And even the past 2 days--G's surgery and me navigating the roads, "One step closer to having it all be over. . ." Now GDW's follow up in a month, and my own in another 3 weeks---just two more steps and then it'll all be over.

Last night when I finally got home and the pets were all so glad to see me, but Titan and Jerry wondering where their GDW was. . . got them all settled, my wine poured. . . I missed Garry so much--THAT was the part I hadn't counted on--I hadn't counted on the realization that I love him so very much.

And along with all that, I kept thinking of Jen and Cliff--how each day, you're that much closer to it all being over. Blessings to you.

Larry and Danny--how much rain did you end up with? I woke up at 6 am--was raining hard. Tried to go back to sleep, but got up at 7:30. Still raining hard. Wondered if it would be tough traveling back to the hospital. . . but when I finally got on the road at 8:45, it wasn't raining as hard as it sounded like it was, so was totally doable. Only got a little bit lost. Amy--this is crazy--but I don't learn well orally. And I have a kind of problem with audibles and vocal maps. I should train myself to get over that. But you know what dawned on me this morning was that for 30 years I drove--just me-- all over Minneapolis, Minnesota, and back and forth to and from Wyoming; a couple really long road trips, one to northeast New York. Wasn't a bit daunting. And so when that set in, I was good to go. . . and told GDW I'd be tickled with doing all the driving for the next 2-3 weeks. I should have been taking turns with him all along. . .

Nancy, I am glad things are going well for you and Garry.

I think we got around an inch of rain. I dont have a rain gauge, so that is just a guess.

Madge does most of our driving if we are not going to a new place. Our car has a gps on it but we are not smart enough to use it. I had forgotten how to turn it on, so got to fooling with it and got it to come, so I just left it on. The gps is really handy at night when the street signs are hard to see, and if you are on a trip, but we dont like to take trips anymore, or even go out at night.

Hi everyone. I read each post....and wow, y'all all have a lot going on!

I do too. But, am looking forward to a fairly calm weekend.

Tom is in his home town for the annual homecoming and a HS reunion.

Ethan and I might see a movie tomorrow. We like the movie experience with popcorn and all. Our last movie was February 2020.

Rick came out tonight and we pulled all the green tomatoes, peppers that we want, beans and a other things.

That wind is nuts!

I was out in it all day yesterday until about 8 pm. My community event went very well despite the wind.

But, my ears hurt and throat too. This wind makes everyone think they have covid when it's really just allergies.

The fall garden looks pretty good. The raised bed in the greenhouse looks the best. It's really pretty and the plants fill in more each day.

About dogs and getting older. Someday when I'm old (er), I might consider fostering elderly dogs. Dogs that were dumped at the shelter because they're old and don't have much time left.

About the cost of everything ...It is tough right now. We need to reconsider our budget for sure. I keep putting off dealing with it, but this might be the weekend.

I feel like we were doing pretty well until this year.

It is SO strange that businesses are struggling with being short staffed. Why? Maybe I need to get a third job. I do try to be especially patient and kind to the ones who show up to work.

I'm thinking ahead to Garden 2022...

One of my reports for work tracks the unemployment rate for Oklahoma, and we're actually doing better than the majority of the country (finally something POSITIVE we're making the news on!) Our rate is back down to where it was pre-zombie apocalypse. So a lot of the news about staffing shortages are other states, or because in Oklahoma everyone's back to work.

Memorial went ok. It's over, and that's all that can be said. Now for the distraction of moving and unpacking a d getting everything set up how we want it before thanksgiving. Then my focus is on the garden & getting that ready.

Garden 2022 now that is something to dream about

Jen, I'm glad the memorial went okay. And I'm sorry.

Let me know if we can help with your move.

For some reason, it seems like there's still shortages unless (almost) all places of business are lying. Everywhere I go, there's help wanted signs. I have the news on now and a blurb just went up about a $2000 sign on bonus for Oklahoma jobs. I didn't hear the details. And the stores/restaurants we've been in, seem to be needing employees. One person appears to be trying to do several jobs. Maybe I'm imagining it or maybe the workers really are incompetent rather than there's not enough of them.

Kim, yes....Garden 2022 :D

I went to the grocery store again today and I got what I wanted, there are lots of white space in the store though. I was pleased to be able to buy cheap store-brand milk again. Things rotate in and out of stock, or we overbuy or something...dunno. Maybe it's lack of labor stocking the shelves? (I haven't asked at the grocery store).

Seems a bit odd to be running the heater, but I am :)

It's rained a lot...I don't have any way to report it. Maybe my aunt will report on her gauge tomorrow.

Oh the dog....

Jasper: Want to go out! Now! (this is conveyed in barks and whines..mostly the latter)

I open the door. He looks at the rain.

Jasper: Can't go out...it's wet out there.

He goes back in. I close the door. Wait 5 minutes (if I'm lucky).

Jasper: Want to go out bad! Now!

Rinse and repeat endlessly, until I finally go stand in the rain and hold his hand (not literally) so he'll go outside and do whichever it is.

I'm still (in vain) trying to catch the mouse in the kitchen, unleashed glue traps this morning in his path. I'm hopeful.

Tomorrow morning, I get fibre internet installation (9-11 supposedly).

Monday (which is looking dry...for now...after looking wet earlier in the week), Moni and I may be hiking.

Nancy, I am sorry, but I missed the part of the post where you were having all your troubles. I have been trying to replace the floor under the commode in our master bath. I can only work for a few minutes at a time. When I rest I come in and read on the computer, I guess I looked over some of the post. I take pain pills to be able to get up and down in the tight quarters in the bathroom, that may also help me miss some post. I am trying to cut out, and piece together parts in the floor so the job will be easier to do again, just in case. I have used treated wood in places I felt it might be needed.

I hate not being able to take care of things like they should be. It seem so hard to find anyone to work. My helper called yesterday and said he would help, but he does not know how to do anything like that, and it is harder to stand over someone and show them every move. I still have to sit and rest often, and when I stop he has to stop. I have a ton of work that needs to be done, but I never know when helper will have time to come over.

Danny, Sasquatch won't go out by herself, she thinks one of the other dogs should go with her, or a human. I do feel your pain, with 3 dogs SOMEONE wants out constantly. I have to watch the old beagle close or she'll go on the floor. The male can spot a squirrel on the line out back from the front door.

I drove Ron to the doctor the other day, and he didn't even stomp on the floor looking for the brakes. I haven't driven in months otherwise and wasn't sure my right knee would tolerate it. My only issue is once I get to destination I need a wheelchair because I can't walk far. I think I could pull it out of the car, but I'd never get it back in.

I'm hoping Gary is home OK.

We're babysitting the 4 year old today. That's a trip. No brother to be a buffer and to translate for us, but also no brother to fight with.

Ron made beef pot pie last night that was really good. Time for cold wearer food!

have a good weekend.

Oh, good gosh... I had a bike ride last weekend. I have a hike this weekend, and another with Danny on Monday.

In between I have been swimming, riding, walking and plotting. LOL, the latter looking for a spot to set up a tent, near the hiking area where I plan to meet Danny.

To top it all, the folks that were going to install my receiver hitch (could not coordinate with others no matter what) told me yesterday... no can do... this paper work (installation papers) say, this isn't for the car you have here.

YIKES!

Back home I went, called, complained... and gave my purchase and item number... no mam, no problem, you have the correct hitch.

Well, then why doesn't the installation manual list my car?

Anyhow, I have it installed now... and can finally go about ordering a bike rack.... all while texting with Danny about the hike, and with Renita and Uschi about the hike... and the things I need to bring to Uschi where I will overnight on Saturday.

Not sure, if anyone recalls me cloning a couple fig trees... and now, was told I need a permit etc... and I honestly don't want to mess with that over just two fig trees... thus I am taking them to Tulsa with me, and gifting them to my girlfriend Uschi.

There, some gardening content.... LOL

Actually have been digging out more Bermuda grass, almost daily... and I can't find an end in sight.

Kim, I am not looking for 2022 yet... I have tiny lettuce and beet plants in my cold frames, and I pulled all the soaker hoses up and they are now stored in the shed.

Hazel I am so glad you were not affected by the Tornado.

Nancy, I hope you will get Garry home without getting lost.

Jen, I hope your move goes without any other obstacles... and think about the spring fling idea... :)

Moni

Fit to be tied--I think I just lost my long post. Garry's fine and at home, Amy.

Ok, now I am the one that lost what they had been typing. This had NEVER happened to me..but the browser suddenly refreshed to a blank page. Oh my...well I need to eat my own medicine and start typing in a word processor and then copy/pasting again.

Weather...weather is cold, wet, and very windy. I am loving being retired with nothing to do but huddle in my soft warm fleecy bathrobe...it’s a good day for it. I’ll have to get out and walk Jasper about 4 though. While I was typing the first time, I had to stop and think..did I walk him this morning with everything going on? And the answer was yes. I’ll wear (which for me is a ‘gasp’) long pants, and a light coat with a hood. It’s like it’s winter or something! I think we can’t visit the dog park this weekend, it’ll be a muddy mess. So it’s probably a greenway paved trail walk time.

Today started with house-cleaning (and I hate cleaning) and taking out trash. Then the AT&T installation of fiber-optic internet (and darn if I can’t tell that it’s any faster, despite being 4x faster down and 30x faster up). Then trying to interface with Moni, every time one is busy or the other is busy when one tried to call. We finally got it done and settled. I had to move furniture around too for the install (getting all the wires, cables, stands, chairs) out of the way. Then of course I had to move them back to protect wires and cables from dogs (hopefully).

And darn, if despite the down speed being 4x and the up speed being 30x faster (according to a speed test), I can’t tell any difference yet. I need to download some big things and see if I can see faster.

First freeze/hard frost (32) is forecast for Thursday for us.

I do want (tomorrow..when sunny and warmer) to get out and forage in the yard, the rain and cooler temps have caused some spring greens to come up. I can collect some plantains, dandelions, violets, and dock and have some wilted greens to supplement the lack of green vegetables I don’t usually eat.

It sounds like things are coming together for several of you. Nancy, there’s one good thing, you can keep track of hubby easily for a while..he won’t be going anywhere.

Amy, I can relate to you wanting a way to handle a wheelchair. Some years ago I bought a 3/4 ton pickup with a hydraulic lift gate on the back of it, I am hoping it will be OK for the time I may need a wheelchair. I will want a cover to slip over the wheelchair to keep it dry if I get caught in a rain. You and Ron may want to check into something like that. The truck is really handy for hauling heavy items. I have hauled a riding mower with it, but it did not fit on the lift gate well.

I went out the shop and got all the garlic I have left, I want to store it inside or freeze it. The onions are about gone, other than the ones I have planted.

Moni, I think this is the best time of the year to camp. I did most of my camping in later years in a pop-up camper, but when I was younger I used a tent.

I went down to the wildlife garden to take a sun flower head, I had already picked all the seeds I wanted off of it, and thought the critter might want it. While there there I noticed that the wind had blown a lot of the okra down. ( it needs to come out anyway ). I also noticed that the neighbor had cut a lot of turnip greens ( I have much more than I need anyway ). He had told me that he was selling them for $3.00 for a walmart bag full.

Madge is home and has me some spinach seed, I may as well go plant some under the other tomato trellis. I like to plant things under the trellises because I can use them to help climb back to my feet when I am down on a stool or my hands and knees.

Moni I am not rushing it. I just want a real garden. I have a few things in pots. My cilantro is going crazy right now. I harvested my sweets and had pretty nice harvest considering.

Kim, I am trying to grow some carrots and lettuce in pots now. As always I got everything in late. I planted some spinach a while ago, it may come up for next year.

When I checked the south garden today, I could see at least 50 or 60 sweet potato plants coming up where I harvested sweet potatoes. I just have to learn a better way to grow potatoes. It seems as though I can't dig or plow deep enough to get them all.

I have some sweet potatoes ( which I had marked as Red Wine Velvet ) growing in a pot in the house, they are very pretty plants. The were slow to produce slips this past spring, so I thought I would get a head start on my slips this year. I plan on building two window boxes to place on the inside of the kitchen window to grow plants in this winter. I also plan on firing up my gro-lights in a month or two to start an early spring garden.

My neighbor called a while ago to check on us. I had mentioned above about him cutting a bunch of the turnip greens today. He told me that he sold 5 bushel of turnip greens for $20.00. a bushel, and has a lot of customers wanting turnips. We still have about 30 or 40 pumpkins to sell, he has been selling those for $1.00 a pound. I dont see how he can get those prices for produce. The wildlife garden has been pretty productive this year, even though everything is late, but pretty produce.

Larry , I'm getting a few more sweet potatoes showing up after digging them earlier.. I suspect I'll get a few more when I till that area out later.

Rick

Rick, I have always picked up a few more potatoes after digging, but not like this year. As I think about this, my guess is that (1) I was able to get this soil ready earlier than the other garden, so was able to plant large plant just after the first of may. (2) we had a rainy year up till the middle of July, so the plants grew good roots deep into the soil. I watered by hand till the first half of Sept., and the roots filled out to produce a fair crop. By digging time the ground was hard, even watering the soil it was too hard to dig by hand, and even using two of my tractors, I still could not get a plow in deep enough to do a good job of rolling out the potatoes. The longer potatoes that I had listed as Oklahoma Reds had a lot more damage than the potatoes I had marked as Vanguard, and Red Wine Velvet, which were shorted, rounder potatoes.

Movers loaded & unloaded all the furniture & some of the boxes, then Cliff & I went back to load up what they didn't get. About halfway through he suggested I go ask the neighbor's kid if he wanted to earn some money. Then on the drive over I sent Bruce a message asking if he knew any kids wanting to earn some money, so he brought over his son in law & grandsons to help us unload. I told him he was my new favorite person. I have one more (please only one more!) trip, closings, and we're officially moved in.

I am happy for you Jen. Moving is a job that I never liked.

Jen The hard part will be over soon and you can reward yourself by planning and having fun.

Kim, is right. Treat it as a task, finish it, and reward yourself lavishly for the enormous task done. :)

Happy Halloween.