Your collective and individual kindness brought tears to my eyes. Thank you more than I can say. I’ve been hit by one tough thing after another for a very long time, but the latest has been REALLY hard. I hasten to add there’ve been happy things in between, but somehow the hard things have accrued, and I really feel like I don’t have the emotional resources to keep handling them too well. I keep thinking I’ll get a break long enough to heal, but it hasn’t worked out that way. I think I’d better get my butt into therapy (along with the rest of me.) I hear the supply of therapists here doesn’t meet demand and few accept new patients. Also, I don’t think my insurance accepts most of them (or vice-versa), but I’ll have to look into it.
I was raised to look at the bright side and find humor in dark times, as well as to keep slogging, and those tactics have served me well, but sometimes they’re not enough, and I guess this is one of those times. I was in therapy before for the PTSD, and it was very helpful. I really believe everyone could use some therapy at some point(s).
wordy, your description of drinking wine and listening to tree frogs painted such a soothing image. Shoe is so right: taking time to lounge is a great way to model mentally healthy stuff.
Taters, I’m glad you’ll be getting raised flower beds out of the deal. And I love Japanese lace leaf maples, especially the mounding type. I never saw any until I moved here. Now they always make me smile. I hope you’re able to find some that are more than sticks.
FCM, I feel for Roxie. It’s hard to go to sleep when you’re scared and too little to understand how the world works. Lucky her for having a gramma who’s so good at comforting her.
shoe, I hope you found some more stuff to while away the hours. I like the idea of posting photos of your critters. I’d love to see a cute Monkey photo.
I think there are a lot of us experiencing this. The isolation with Covid, virtually every human and social disconnect we could have imagined and then some we couldn’t of…fear we’ll never get back to any safe known. More things emptying the bucket than filling it.
I’ve been running on fumes so long I forget to check the bucket so it gets even emptier. 98% of the time I’m too worn out to try to catch the drops to fill it when they are there.
So, those whoa, get yourself over to Book of Faces and check out shoe at the beach. They make me feel better. Tell yourself “She’s my friend, she’s smiling at me and she is not imaginary”. Works for me.
Howdy Y’all! Nice afternoon of loungin’ at the cee-mint pond followed by an early sup. JDD and Partner have left and we’re inside in the cool. Life can be good sometimes. I did have a somewhat large text session with EYP, our Verger, and tomorrow’s ushers about tomorrow. The Verger is sick and asked me to fill in for her. Oh and our Deacon is at a retreat this weekend. I was scheduled to ush. Got all that squared away. I will be the B-Team Verger tomorrow. I can do this but I am most definitely second string. Fortunately, we are doin’ only one service each Sunday over Summer.
Have no idea what the ‘whoa’ meant there. Any of you figure it out, let me know.
Finally gave up and sealed up the house and turned on the AC. Have one south facing window that I have to get some heat-blocking window film on in my ballroom bay window so I can continue to lounge there summer afternoons. Skinny window, blocking the view of my grumpy neighbor’s tarp covered campers. Don’t think I’ll miss that much. I’ll leave the bottom foot of view open for the kitties. The top 5 feet they won’t miss.
I should eat lunch before it’s time for dinner. Lazy days of summer and all. Sloth prevails.
I have no experience with this, but have you considered on-line therapy? There are a number of sites, and some accept insurance - might be worth a little googling. Till then, have a {{{HUG}}}
FCD and I fixed the 2 light fixtures that were hanging down and I cleaned all the fixtures. One doesn’t seem to be working - I’ll mess with it more tomorrow. And I may or may not paint tomorrow. Didn’t get around to it today because lazy. Mostly.
Once Roxy left, I made a run to Food Lion. And I tidied the kitchen. And I pushed the vacuum around the basement. And I walked down to the mailbox - it was HOT out there! And I just finished cleaning up after supper. I shall resume knitting shortly.
boo I’m with you, it’s up close to 90, so had to install the AC’s, living room and bedroom.
Ugh, the ongoing saga of the water heater continues. Turns out that the shut off valve to the heater doesn’t close all the way, it trickles through even when cranked all the way down. So in order to not have it continuing to spill water all over the floor, I have to turn off water to the entire house. Now if I want to wash a dish, water the dog, anything, I’ve got to turn the water back on, use the faucet or whatever, then shut the water back off, and release pressure. What a PITA. I have a pending appointment with a plumber, but they are supposed to call me to set it up. Thought that was going to happen today, but no dice.
VanGo, is your water shutoff valve inside or out? When I got flooded about 4 years ago, I had to go outside (it was storming, of course) at 10pm and use a pliers to close it (have since bought a device that can do it while standing up). House is on a slab, so no basement to go to. Hope the plumber can get there soon.
swampy, hope the service goes well with the subs in place.
nellie, wish there was more that I could do. Take care.
shoe, wish I had a beach close…nearest one is on the “Redneck Rivera” about 350 Miles away.
Not much else to report, nappage was accomplished and rode around the town for a little bit. Temp is in the mid-80’s so the AC is getting some work, but nothing like what summer will be like. Tomorrow’s dinner is Texas Roadhouse, I really like their steaks so that will be worth looking forward to.
Good Mornin’ Y’all! Up and caffeinatin’. YAWN ‘Tis 71 Amurrkin out and clear with a predicted high of 92 and maybe rain this afternoon/evenin’, or not. TWPTB are bein’ willy-nilly on this. The big plan of the day is deheathenization and, (for me), and to not burn the church house down or sneeze in the Chalice. OK, I’ll be wearin’ a mask so the Chalice is relatively safe, but I do get to play with fire light candles, so the fire threat exists. This shall be followed by a McN.O.L. and an afternoon/evenin’ of absolute sloth.
{{{Nellie}}} hope things get better soon. The idea of online counselin’ might be worth a shot.
{{{shoe}}} Monkey and beach therapy sound like good ideas.
Now I need more caffeine and to feed rumbly tummy. Then purtification for deheatenization must commence.
I’m debating whether to write a scathing letter or not. I ordered seeds for a specific kind of green bean and it took a while for them to arrive. I planted 15 - 5 came up. I planted 5 more - looks like 2 have sprouted from that batch. So, 20 seeds, 7 plants: that’s a 35% germination rate. I’m not a farmer by any stretch, but I’m thinking that’s not a very good rate. Dammit. I’m going to get these seedlings into the ground, then try to start a few more. We shall see.
Apart from that, I think the day will be spent painting. Or not - depends on how badly the lazies hit me.
Up, caffeinated, and sheveled. Off today. I shall clean. Then I’m going to a Celebration of Life for one of the folks from the local Irish community. At a bar(Gerry would haunt us if we didn’t). I dreamed about it last night. what was weird was Boo, nellie, and a bunch of other Mumpers were there, and BBBobbio was officiating(that was the weird part. Gerry was a good Belfast man, so I’m pretty sure he wasn’t First Church of Perch).
I planted the 7 green bean seedlings, fed them, and watered them. I also transplanted the marigolds that I’d planted a month or so ago - they were being shaded by a profusion of daylilies. Now they’ll have sun next to the sunflowers. Plus I weeded.
There’s a particular weed that has infested the bed - I don’t know what it is, but it stinks to high heaven. The leaves are heart-shaped, reddish around the edges, and they have a small white flower with a fairly large stigma. My google-fu has failed me. I need to find one that’s blooming and photograph it before I yank it out and kill it with fire!!! < pant pant > sorry - I hates them, I do!!
It’s definitely warming up out there, so I’m done with grubby yard work for today. I’m having a beverage break, then I’ll start to finish the ceiling paint. Not sure how long I’ll work down there - it depends on my energy and my attitude. Once I get started, I stay pretty motivated, but it’s that initial push that’s not always very strong. Still, as soon as it’s done, it’s done. Deep, huh??
Morning all. Woke to damp ground outside when I rescued the newspaper and more rain is expected, so no mowage today. 74F out and only supposed to get to 76 for a high, so at least the weather will cooperate on my electric bill. Might even get ambitious and do some house-irk. Or not.
FCM, I plant nothing so I don’t know if 35% is a good germination rate or not, but it sure doesn’t sound good. Hope the ones you got deliver well.
doggio, I hope Gerry’s sendoff was all that could be wished for a son of Ireland.
swampy, just don’t set yourself on fire…
OK, need to catch up on my Sunday You tubers (some of the sites I watch update weekly on Sunday) and make my self presentable for heading to Texas Roadhouse in a couple of hours. All y’all have a good Sunday.
Alas, they haven’t had peanuts since plague days. but OMG, yeast rolls!!! We’ll be heading our in a couple of hours for a late lunch/early supper.
I just finished the east half of the basement, except for one small bit of trim that needs to be replaced and painted. Tomorrow, I’ll do the west half, since it’s a Roxy-free day. And if I can get FCD to fix the couple of bits of trim, I can touch that up and it’ll be all done!!!
Meanwhile, I’m going to resume the knit position and stream some Netflix.
nellie I’m sorry things have been so hard. I’ve been thinking about therapy myself. I might try Talkspace (I mean the one that the Olympic swimmer talks about on tv).
Those who use (or have or can?), get yourself over to the Book…
I feel like inserting an “Alien” joke here. There’s only one way to be sure…
strong text Happy Harriet Day!
Anyone with any suggestions for air conditioning a garage? My dad is over 80 and is building a model train layout in the garage. It’s not air conditioned now and since it’s summer/surface of the sun season, we need to keep it cool out there. The trains make him happy, but the heat’ll kill him.
Today’s plan in include lying on my back for most of the day. I’ve got some neat mirrored glasses, so I can watch tv without lifting my head. They work surprisingly well. I might also do a little online shopping. I need some clothes…
Mom, I get ads periodiclly for a phone ap that supposedly identifies plants from a picture. You might try that. When you said “red around the edges” my mind said “poison ivy?, oak? sumac?” but when I tried to look it up, got nowhere. Sorry.
Sunny Electric train layouts really need a fairly constant temperature, as do 80+ year old people. Dad’s garage needs to be insulated, especially the big door.
The second big bugaboo for layouts is dust.
The third worst thing for layouts is cats.
The fourth worst thing for layouts is bad advice from other train people.
Please forgive me for picturing you laying flat out in your recliner, naked, with an Inspector Gadget device on your face.
You guys are making me wish they had a Texas Roadhouse out here in the wild west.
Heh. There might be one in Eugene, OR, only ~100 miles away from our place in the valley. Or ~200 mi. from our present location.
This is leading what’s left of my mind in an unhappy direction, so Ima gonna close now.
The garage is insulated. It’s one of the reasons they bought that house. There aren’t any windows. I’m trying to figure out how to vent an a/c unit. The real fix is tying it to the HVAC, but that might have to wait.
It rained earlier. This makes the birds happy. At least, I choose to believe their singing for joy. Today is plant-watering day. I plan to spend some time on the balcony. Plants are serene and seldom trouble me with their issues. Birds are joyous. That’ll be today’s therapy.
I did a little searching into online therapy, but apparently insurance doesn’t cover the ones I saw. If I only had to go for one session, that’d be OK. Does that ever happen?
“I’m upset because the mail carrier doesn’t smile when I say hello.”
“Maybe he doesn’t have any teeth.”
“Oh! That must be it. I’m all better now.”
“That’ll be $150, and I don’t take American Express.”
Big, grateful hugs for all the kind wishes. You are the kindest folks.
[raises glass to Gerry, puts a comforting arm around doggio’s shoulder]
FCM, I’m no expert, but maybe the seeds were exposed to too much heat in transit? My first thought, especially given how long they took to arrive.
Bumba, I know nothing about model trains, but I love watching them.
It’s one of the reasons they bought that house. There aren’t any windows. I’m trying to figure out how to vent an a/c unit. The real fix is tying it to the HVAC, but that might have to wait.
I don’t want to set the world on fire.