Just wondering.

-- Anonymous, February 20, 2005

Answers

Hey Dee!

What's up with you? I've been on vacation for the last week, and have pretty much sat on my rump, read trash fiction, surfed the net and ate bon-bons. It's been wonderful. I needed to recharge my brain from the hassles at work. Thinking about making some changes on the work front, but can't seem to overcome inertia.

I did get out and do some garden clean up that I didn't get done last fall; still have more to do but we are alternating between 50* and rain, and 20* (WC11*) and wicked wind. Without my barn boots, I am wet half way to my knees just walking across the yard to fill the bird feeders for Pop. Still waiting for all the major storms and snow that the almanac predicted for Feb/Mar in this area; but not missing them by any stretch of the imagination.

I ordered some garden seeds (just started to type weeds there, snicker!) last night. Trying not to get in too big of a hurry this year. Yeah, right! I actually thought about tucking some pea and sweet pea seeds in the ground the other day, but the sign wasn't right. I'm really not sure what all I need to grow this year, other than beets to pickle - the guys have had to resort to store bought and are getting ugly about it. Lots of salad greens, I guess; and the usual green beans, wax beans, tomatoes and corn. And the darn sweet potatoes (I've got a plan, this year!)

I've been on a "wanting to get frugal" kick the past month or so, but I don't see much change - still buying (used or paperback) books and chocolate. Oh hey, speaking of chocolate - I read in the paper that the cocoa plantations were wiped out - better stock up on chocolate. I think I'll tuck a few brownie mixes away in the freezer since they are on sale this week.

Jes isn't working right now; can't seem to find a job that she likes that will pay decent and has insurance. She's bound and determined to stay out in NC tho - just found out that she was accepted in the RN program out there to start in the fall so that makes her even more determined. It is a shorter program than here in Illinois. ??? I suggested she get the medical insurance that is available through her school and put an ad in the paper to clean houses or something. She could move her computer stuff out of her spare bed room and rent it out too - that would pay her car payment and car insurance.

Well, that's about all that's new with me - where's everyone else?

-- Anonymous, February 20, 2005

I had a bunch of tests done by a new doctor. He wants me to go to a rumatologist for a follow up. He thinks I may have scleroderma (a connective tissue problem) but when I looked it up on the computer, nothing matched. He did say that my wheat titer was high, well, not high but higher then normal. I always knew wheat bothered me some. I just feel dry all the time, but only in the winter. I hope that all my problems are allergy related. I could live with that.

The new puppy is doing great. She is quickly getting the hang of the weewee pad. Still biting but we're getting keeping on it. The airport never called me back on her being bumped. I called supervisors or supervisors, and even they couldn't be bothered to call me back. "Pets First, after luggage and mail, because your pet is, after all, just cargo"

We got another 6 inches of snow this morning. Alread starting to melt though. (Had the puppy out in it. She just wanted to eat it.) When do you start planting inside so they will be ready to transplant? I either start it too late or too early. Never a happy inbetween.

Well, guess that's all from me right now.

-- Anonymous, February 21, 2005

We've been busy the last couple of weekends with the new house. Last weekend it also took us 4 hours to drive 50 miles over the pass...we got stuck in a huge snowstorm. Anyway, at the new house, we decided to gut the kitchen and incorporate it with the back hall, also gut the bath, re-do all the electrical, change out a few windows, put patio doors in the bedrooms, re-wire the entire house, and install a heat pump...! Fortunately, we found a contractor that we like who is managing this project for us. We will personally do the kitchen cabinets (Mills Pride flat packed from Home Depot). (Wish us luck!) So between working here, keeping this place going, and running to our other house 3 1/2 hours away, I haven't had too much time to chat. However, seems that often when I try to log on here, I can't get in anyway.

Mr. S. is ordering sunflower varieties, but I'm going to ix-nay the vegetable garden this year, I think. I just won't have time, and the perennials need my attention. I can't eat anything with a crunch anyway (boo hoo) because of my braces.

Forsythia and wild cherry trees are now blooming. It's nice because it's been in the 20s here at night(even in W. WA) and although the days are very pleasant, nights still seem very wintery.

Hang in there...we're all about...

-- Anonymous, February 22, 2005

Well Dee, I always start my transplants for frost tolerant veggies so they will be three to four weeks old at 2 weeks before the last frost date. I start my tender transplants so that they will be 3-4 weeks old on the frost date. The problem is, whoever is in charge of the actual last frost in this area hasn't read the almanac and doesn't know that the last frost is supposed to be on or about May 10th, so I somehow always end up starting them too early or too late as well.

A couple of tips - check your supposed last frost date - around here it is April 24 - May 15. Now, look for the full moon closest to that time (Apr 24; May 23.) There will usually be frosts around the time of the full moon, so wait until the moon is waning before you plant outside, or be prepared to cover.

FWIW - I will plant my frost tolerant plants (broccoli, cabbage, etc) inside on March 10, 13-14, 18-19; with a plan to put them outside April 14-15-16. I will probably poke peas and sweet peas into the ground on those same days; the early ones will undoubtedly rot, but hope springs eternal. I expect frost around the new moon on the 24th of April, so will have covers ready - 10 days will give the plants time to get set in well. Frost tender plants (tomatoes, peppers, etc) will be started inside on Mar 18-19 (just a few) and April 14-15- 16; with a plan to plant them outside May 11-12-13. With the raised beds that I have now; I don't have to worry too much about it being too wet to put plants in. I will plant beans, etc outside April 14,15,16; May 11,12,13. Chard, spinach, lettuce, etc... will be planted outside Mar 18,19; April 14-15-16, May 11-12-13.

I will put out a few beets, radishes; and maybe a few onion sets on Feb 28, Mar 1-2; then more beets, onions, potatoes, carrots, radishes on Mar 28-29, Apr 5-6-9-10-11. Sweet potatoes will be planted out too early on May 7-8; and a second batch on May 26-27-30-31.

-- Anonymous, February 22, 2005

OMG, Dee! I don't know why I didn't think of it sooner! Of course you very likely are allergic to wheat! Scleroderma is one of the most common results of a lifetime of eating wheat when your body rejects it. Please please, take yourself off gluten immediately, before you get full blown scleroderma or whatever else!

We are almost entirely gluten free at my house, cuz since Bren cant eat any gluten it's just easier than keeping everything separate. Totally eliminating gluten from your diet is not easy;it is everywhere, but it is possible, and thousands of people do it. Try it for two weeks, and see how you feel. You must read every label, do not eat out unless you are 100% positive the food is safe from gluten (very difficult, gets better with practice, asking lots of questions, and joining a gluten free community where you can learn lots). Gluten is hidden under names like "modified food starch." Wheat is in charcoal briquets.

Now that I think about your symptoms,especially your odd ones like the night terrors, the sensitivity to odor, etc, are typical of gluten-induced autism. We have met dozens of people,kids and adults who have been almost cured of autism or autistic type symptoms by eliminating gluten from their diet.Get a copy of DANGEROUS GRAINS; you will be amazed.

I am excited that we may have found your problem,and that in time you can be well again!

-- Anonymous, February 22, 2005

Ali has taken a part-tim child care job down the street. She's always planned on adopting a boatload of kids but it seems a four year old little fella and a nine-month old screamer have caused her to not be so sure about that plan anymore! She does alot around our house now, and works one or two days at Betsy, and is busy with her GED studying, but I do worry a tad sometimes about her becoming increasingly paralyzed as to her future plans. Changes her mind about what she wants to do every week, but I guess I did that too. Trouble is she usually only talks about these things, rather than does them.

Lotus is very happy, loves her job at Whole Foods Bakery, is swooningly content with her Matthew in their cute little cottage with their two cute little kittens. Trouble is, she misses her music terribly, hasnt played out much since firing her band, but is likewise stuck in a rut. Turns out she has for the past several months been courted by an all=woman band called Mustang Sally, a country band out of Nashville. They are after her constantly, even though she has told them innumerable times she doesnt care much for country, isnt used to being a part of an ensemble, absolutely will not live in the south, etc etc. Their fiddle player lives with a guy we know well; he is part of the unschooling community and our girls iniitially met him at camp in Oregon. He hates Nashville pretty much for all the obvious reasons, but says they have found a community of cool folks so they can stand it for a while. Anyway, Lo has finally, after setting down her criteria (I will not hide my tatoos or piercings, I will not wear pink :), I will not act like or dress like a whore, etc) relented and agreed, if Whole foods will give her a leave of absence with no penalty, to give them three months until they can either find someone else permanent, or they might decide to hire three guitarists to rotate, which is always a possibility. Apparently its very diffucult, even in Nashville, to find an attractive young (have to be under 25........weird).......female lead guitarist (who is willing to play country music). Their current guitarist is good, but she is an addict, and they are having difficulty keeping her functional.

She would make a years wage in three months; they have heavy bookings and even travel the world. She would find out what it is like to live the life of a touring musician without the responsibility of being the band leader. She will, however, have to be based out of freakin Nashville for the time she's in the band. She and Matt had been planning a trip to Tuscany this summer, not that they can afford such a trip but that would not have stopped them. So as Bren and I told her, have to postpone your trip to Italy, but you're going to the deep south. Well, hell, you wanted to go to a foreign country! :(

-- Anonymous, March 08, 2005

Dang EM, don't be shy; tell us what you really think about us hillybilly shitkickers down south. My family spent a generation or so in Knox Co, TN; and I've still got kin down there. If Lotus has that much contempt for us and our music, she should please do us a favor and stay up north. Contempt is a lot easier to tolerate from a distance.

Okay, snit fit over.

What I'm up to: getting ready for 6 weeks off work. Gotta have a hysterectomy; lotsa problems over the past 7 months or so, bad family history, can't do hormone replacement re: bad family history, etc... so under the knife I go tomorrow. I tried to talk the doc into doing a little tummy tuck while he was in there; didn't think it would take too much extra effort to scoop out oh, twenty pounds or so of adipose tissue while he was already in there fishing around, but he doesn't appear to be planning to cooperate with me on this one. Don't know what I'll do without my yearly visit to Dr. H's office - I've been going to him ever since I was pregnant with Jes. Guess I'll just have to wait for him to deliver my grandbabies (if either one of us live that long!) Pop has been walking around chuckling in an evil manner - Hubs told him that he was going to be responsible for making sure I got up and moved post discharge. He said "Remember how pushy you were after my stroke?" I think I might be in trouble.

I'm planning to go out and visit Jessie while I'm off work; and maybe do some serious dejunking around here. I'll be back to work in late April, so will have the spring garden in before I fall back into the rush. With the raised beds, I don't have to do much soil turning; and Hubs can do that part for me this spring until the doc takes me off the lifting restrictions.

Hubs had a job interview today at a dialysis center; he's wanting to get away from doing the bike thing as a full time job and do it just as a part time business from home, plus ride as a hobby. He says after working on bikes all week, the last thing he feels like doing is being around bikes all weekend. The medical field seems to be one of the few that is stable in this area. The job starts early in the mornings and he would be home by mid afternoon - so he could still fix supper on the nights I have to work. Sounds good to me! He's been showing more interest in the garden and putting food up in the past couple of years too, so we will probably have a busy summer ahead of us.

Well, I've got a billion or so things to do yet tonight, so I'd better get to them. Take care,

-- Anonymous, March 08, 2005

I agree, Polly; contempt IS a lot easier to tolerate from a distance.

I will pray for your quick recovery.

-- Anonymous, March 09, 2005

Me too. I sent you email so hope you got it. Best wishes and enjoy your recovery. One way to relax!

-- Anonymous, March 09, 2005

Hey there, Polly. How's it going????? Hope the operation went well and that you'll be "talking" to us all soon. Miss ya.....!!!!!

-- Anonymous, March 11, 2005

Got your e-mail, Sheepish; Thanks!

Well, everything came out all right - nyuk, nyuk, nyuk! Looks like they should have replaced my sense of humor while they were in there, no? I place the credit for my speedy recovery on making sure the signs were right (moon waning, in the feet) and in all of the prayers that were offered up for me. Even the old fellows in at the diner where Pop has coffee said a prayer for me - I cried when he told me that. Darn hormones - I'm tearing up again, just thinking about it! Anyway, I had absolutely no problems; got out of surgery at 1600 Wednesday, and was up, walking around in my room, wanting to take a shower, 10 hours later. They booted me out the door at about 0930 Friday morning - said they needed my bed for "someone who is really sick". No argument here! I've not done much since I got home, except boss Hubs and Pop around - they think I'm going to play this one to the limit. They may be right!! Still having some difficulty focusing long enough to read or type; but that will improve once I am totally off the pain meds, I'm sure.

I've decided to do one decluttering thing a day - something that includes no lifting or straining, of course. I think today's will be straightening the big cabinet that sits by the kitchen doors. It is a jumbled mess - empty water jugs stored for the next run, rugs for the kitchen and porch, seeds, misc tools, hats and gloves, and stuff. Just plain stuff. Come to think of it - that might be a job for the whole weekend! Altho I do want to get things ready - or rather, have the guys get things ready - to start some seeds on the 13th and 14th. Hmmm - maybe I should clean the trash can cabinet instead?! I'm really wondering if I'll be bored silly and ready to go back to work long before my sick leave is up; or if I will find so many things that I want to do that I won't want to go back! Well, I'm losing focus, so I'd better close this and get it posted while I still remember how - take care, all,

-- Anonymous, March 12, 2005