Monday, March 18, 2024

Spring Notes- Monday, March 18th. St Patrick's Day. 44 degrees and cloudy.


 My daffodils look a bit like this- with leaves scattered around.  Mine don't have color yet.  These plants are tulips....I don't have any of those- they don't like my yard.  Tulips. Or...more likely the deer ate them leaves, flowers and bulbs.....and I gave up on tulips.

We are getting our corned beef up to simmer.........well, two people doing stuff makes it all twice as interesting.   Looks great so far.

I will keep an eye out for the simmer getting room "much".

I had to thread the sewing machine this morning to make a second tuck in the waistband of the pants I pulled from the closet.....to wear today.   Son is doing laundry so I have to wait until he is done to do my own.....

I worked on husband's alarm clock...got it to the new Spring Time...hopefully the tinkering won't mean the alarm goes off at some unspecified time.  Always fun around here.  I'm working on adjusting the "simmer" speed.  With gas it's easier with electric it calls for multiple adjustments.

When I sign off, I am going to peel carrots and wash potatoes....which will be added to the broth with wedges of cabbage when the meat has finished cooking.  I haven't had Corned Beef and Cabbage in YEARS.  I used  to make it when the kids were home....and a few times for the two of us...but after awhile my husband refused to eat less and less "home cooking".  Unless it was chicken soup or pasta.

It takes courage to grow up and be who you really are.  EE Cummings.

Sunday, March 17, 2024

Spring Notes- 47 degrees with 99% humidity. It rained. the sun arrives and then gone.



My picture file needs a clean out.  Today in the watery Spring  "Clouds/Sun/Clouds" thing going on-I am not really sure....the back garden bed daffodils are showing just a tiny bit of yellow.  Perhaps  a day or two more. One of the Christmas Amaryllis still has two red flowers. The second one no flowers but great looking leaves. The flowers do not last very long....after those last two flowers pass on, I will need to feed the plant to grow the bulb for next Winter.   Then take it out of the pot to rest.....

We are having Sunday Pizza...the usual....and tomorrow we'll do Corned Beef. No Open Wheel Racing. I have a book to read and sorted puzzle pieces- looking for the straight edges borders.  All white.  Sigh.

I've managed to get several sets of four and five pieces....none of them connect to anything else.

I finished the Sea Captain book... I don't know what to read next.....not really excited about anything in the book pile.  sigh. Perhaps it's time for the Accidental Beauty Queen re-read.  A delicious rom com from the bookcase.  There is good stuff in the bookcase.

I want to ask son to drive me across the bridge to the next Town- the bookstore and Reny's for candy (lemon drops) and perhaps if I am "LUCKY" garden clogs....you just never know with Reny's.  All of my garden shoes have lost the no slip bottoms...dangerous for old women.  Like Me.

I am tempted to eat dessert before dinner....... 

"are you being honest with yourself?"


Saturday, March 16, 2024

Spring Notes- Being optimistic. Saturday, March 16th. 48 degrees and sunshine.


 Starting to get ready for Spring.

Son found and we got rid of all the food in the fridge that had spots.....I have rice to eat today- he checked- no spots...I had the last of the roasted beets yesterday- so good-no spots.  And supposedly good for one's heart.  Commercials about beet chewables on every channel.  Why not real beets?

Long discussion on what day to make the Corned Beef.  We may still change our minds.

I have a Friend Date on the 19th. Getting picked up and returned home... We met long ago, at the Greenhouse I think....got along...then COVID entered the picture and well, nothing has actually been the same since.  Except for my Lunch Buddy Lunches.  I don't have coffee dates with another Library Co-Worker anymore...perhaps we should try and do that again.....we email.

After all these years, the Quilting Group, the Master Gardening Stuff......you would think I would have FRIENDS.......sigh.  You would think that.  I have more contact with all of you out there in Email/Spring Notes Land than I have with real in person people.

I am reading the first book in  the series I liked and enjoyed so much.  It Happened One Summer. Sea Captains. I am just a few pages into it...the two sisters from California Movie Star Land have just arrived in a fishing village and are living in an old bar building.  Mice in the walls and one sister set fire to something so far.  They have a LONG way to go.   Tessa Bailey.  I am trying to read all her books.

I had a difficult morning so far....but I seem to be over it.....the morning paper usually straightens out any emotion kinks.  And I persevere.  I work thru it.

The Privilege of a Lifetime is to become who you truly are.   Carl Jung.


Friday, March 15, 2024

Spring Notes- Friday March 15th. 40 degrees with 94% humidity. Grocery Day.


 Ideas for my planter boxes this year....the Hosta with yellow borders... I think some is growing in the bed under the weeping crab (out front where I haven't raked leaves as yet).  I can have it in the planter box and then add to the bed under the tree. 

Grocery shopping... I asked a man-- who looked like he knew his way around corned beef (looked like he cooked)-- about what to select for just two people.  And we got a flat cut..... which he said "you'll be eating for a few days"..... I went and got a few more potatoes.   We had already gotten a cabbage and carrots.  Needed to cover the "few days" with extra vegetables for me.

I also got to scrub the vegetable drawer on the left side of the fridge.......things had gone sideways...and squishy.  The sink drain needed work as well and I gagged a bit..... but it's tidy now.

I bought 6 eggs in case we needed to bake another cake.....or some cookies. The things husband liked are "too sugary" for C.  So I have to dig into the recipe box for new ideas.

The Gone Without a Trace series I am watching every afternoon-  getting old....last one was so boring. I never was a big fan of CSI-NY but it's still okay to watch...the Miami one with that carrot headed guy- nope.  By 8 pm I am toast so the fact that Criminal Intent is on then......bummer.   I may record them to watch from noon to 3pm..

Still NOT watching News.  I read what happened in the morning paper and that is "enough".

I got six new books at the Library.  Well, new to me.  I'm reading a two book series about Sea Captains. Manly Men. Tessa Bailey. She wrote some of the other books I have enjoyed this winter.  I also got another Jo Baker book for serious reading.

Oh, and we stopped at the Town Office to pay the semi annual Property Tax Bill.  Men were there buying tags for their boats....C had been there recently to get his car tag.  

Oh and C FINALLY found the spot on the dashboard screen to actually shut off the driver's seat heater. On the Jeep.... Husband had it on a very hot setting as he was always COLD.  So that box got checked off. I refused to have the heater on my seat.....REFUSED.....

No more grumbling.

Be yourself...not the idea of who you think you should be.  H D Thoreau.