Nothing Much-Grass Seed-Garden

It has been pretty quiet around here, just mundane chores around the outside mostly.  I have some Bermuda seed planted in the bad spots in the yard.  It has finally made an appearance after almost 2 weeks.  Thanks in part to the mixture of some rain and sunshine.  However it is not as abundant as I had hope for.  In the past all I did was broadcast it on the bad spots and watered it daily.  I did the same this time yet results are not as prolific as previous.  Evidently there is way too much dead matter above the soil for it to take root.  I should have scarified the ground more than I did.  Even though we have raked leaves multiple times, it appears to not be enough.  And I certainly didn't do it after spreading the seeds.  The instructions on the bag would have been a good place to start is seems.  So I will wait a few weeks for the new sprouts to take better hold and go back with more seed along with the increased scarifying of the ground where the seed has failed to get started.  I thought I knew what I was doing based on previous successful efforts.  

The garden is doing pretty great.  Tomato plants have gone into high gear with the rain/sun mix.  Although it probably could be better but the weather has turned off cooler and cloudier of late.  Onions are doing OK but my potatoes have exploded.  They were sprouting within 3 days of planting.  Last year it was more than 2 weeks.  No idea why the change.  I just plant 'em and give a little fertilizer and water and get out of the way.  I hope this is an indication the actual potatoes will develop into larger ones this time.  I used the gold variety again since the Russets last fall were a huge bust.

My Mother has a follow up doctor appointment today.  She insisted on going alone this time.  She apparently thinks 'K' or my Sister-in-law being there hampers things.  Unfortunately she remembers nothing from the previous visits.  She has not followed his previous instructions since she doesn't remember them and argues when she is told about them.  Hopefully he can get her to understand why he wants her to do the things he prescribed.  But she seems to be going in with a combative approach even though she remembers nothing but what we have told her.  We have taken measures to hopefully get the transcript of her appointment so things don't go to far off the rails.  Yes, he has someone record the visit.  Smart man since he deals mostly with elderly.

'K' surprised me with a road-trip request.  I was certainly not prepared.  I can't blame her.  We have been pretty much homebodies for the last 15 years and the stress of dealing with my Mother lately has added to the desire to get out of town.  However the place/time she chose is not conducive to avoiding hot weather.  I have offered a compromise for October.  Inviting some family would add to the fun and giving them more time to plan make it more appealing.  She thought that was a great idea.  I gotta try to keep from sandbagging us, but I'm a planner and 'K' is more a spur of the moment type.  I look at all the things that could be an issue, she looks at very few-just go and let things deal with themselves, I wish I could do that.  How we ever get along is a wonder.

Happy Trails

On The Roof Again

Sunday with the family was good.  Mom was a no show.  When 'K' spoke to her Saturday she said she had no recollection of saying she would come.  She was too tired to come.  

Trying to catch up on yard work is the constant theme this time of year.  Most of it is centered on raking and bagging a bajillion oak leaves.  I usually let them lay and hit them with the mower.  However, they are so thick and there is little to no grass after the brutal Summer and the 3 days of ice earlier this year.  I just had to get down a little further so I can plant some grass seed on the bare patches.  'K' loves to rake and bag leaves, it relaxes her she says.  Well OK don't let me stop you.  Yes I help but she really does a lot of it.  The big pile of firewood I got from all the broken limbs from the ice storm is finally making it's way to the back yard next to the other pile.  I have easily filled one of those 4' wood racks and could fill another 2.  This wood will need to cure before it's useable for fires or BBQ.  I had to climb up on the roof and remove the oak leaves and tassels from the roof valleys.  They get so full they can back up rain water under the shingles.  I don't want that again.  The tassels block the gutter covers and become useless.  It's not an easy thing to do for a wore out 70 year old to climb up on that roof.

Not much else going on...yet.

Happy Trails

Sold the Car and Easter

I got Mom's car sold to Carmax finally.  So that is off my shoulders.  Have you ever sold a car to them?  I was a little disappointed in the final result.  I used their online estimator that uses the VIN to tell then what the car is for the most part.  There were a few of the bells and whistles they did not have so I added those that I knew of.  I wasn't sure about some others.  The reason for that is they are all electronic and the operating system was much harder for me to operate than it should have been.  I didn't drive the car to try and find out all of those things.  So I got a number from their website and they actually make an offer right then that is good for a week or two.  I decided against accepting the offer in order for them to add any of the bells or whistles I wasn't aware.  Naïve? maybe so.  As it turns out it would have made no difference.  Their in person estimator and the buyers have final say despite the online offer.  A scam?  Maybe not.  I am sure there are plenty of folks that do what they can to bump the price offered by fudging a bit on things.  I wasn't trying to do that at all.  I just didn't know much about the car.  There were a couple minor things they dinged us for anyway.  Like a couple small dings in the door and a wheel that needed repair and some door panels that needed paint.  I thought it looked almost prefect but then I didn't look as close with a trained eye to pick out every little flaw.  I accepted their offer anyway, it was only 1500 less than the original estimate.  The biggest thing is Mom raised no objection to the lower price.

I had to remove and install a faucet in the bathroom last week.  We have a couple of Pfister brand faucets.  With the very hard water we have I have to either replace or clean the aerators regularly.  I didn't.  When I finally got around to removing them, no can do.  It broke since they all seem to use plastic ones now.  It had cemented itself to the faucet.  Pfister had previously sent me the replacement aerators.  Since I could not remove the broken ones, they honored their lifetime warranty and sent me two new faucets.  Good on them.  However I still have to deal with the plastic 'recessed' aerators.  I'll have to be more diligent.

We are gearing up to have the family over Easter to eat and let the kids hunt eggs.  We always invite Mom and she always declines.  She accepted!  So we have been hard at work trying to get the yard more presentable since the kiddoes will be out running around in it.  Coming up with what to eat has been a challenge all week.  I think we have finally decided on King Ranch Chicken.  I wanted to cook a brisket but the non-beef eater was an issue.  She isn't from Texas is my explanation for that.

Happy Trails

Our 'Off Week' LOL

It was a fairly busy week this past week.  Just catching up with things that had been left undone since we were so involved with my Mother's garage sale.  I grilled a couple ribeyes for 'K' and I to celebrate.  Three steaks and we got 3 meals out of them.  I believe they were better than my favorite steak house we usually go to to celebrate.  Even though they were expensive I think we got our money's worth.

April 1 Mom's house was move in day for the renters.  No going back like she threatened once or twice.  Actually this past week has been pretty good for her.  It seems she is getting better adjusted and is wanting to get more involved.  She has not been following the doctors orders on her new meds though.  She read the insert and thinks she knows better than her doctor about what she needs.  He wanted to wean her off valium onto this new med before having her memory test.  Now that is delayed.  She has always been a somewhat difficult patient.  

Thanks to those that have offered prayers and encouraging comments on our dealings with my Mother.  It is much appreciated.  

I have the title to my Mother's car in hand and have made an appointment with Carmax for Monday. I will be glad to get that thing out of the driveway.  I will need to clean it up a bit first.  I don't think it has ever been vacuumed out so I will get that done and stop at the car wash on the way to Carmax.  

I was trying to cut the back yard and the lawnmower just quit.  No sputter, no cough just dead.  Yet it would crank.  I managed to find a neighbor on FB that does mobile repair.  Perfect since I have no way to transport a lawn tractor.  He showed up the same day I called him.  Couldn't quick fix it like he thought so hauled it home to work on it in his shop.  Turns out the carburetor needed to be replaced.  Now it runs better than it did when I first got it.  Got the yard cut just after he dropped it off.

This is getting long so I will save the rest for a possible midweek post.

Happy Trails