I can still smell. No, I didn't say "stink." We've already established that. It's never been in question. I'm saying my nose works. Other than a couple times post-surgeries, it's always been pretty good. It comes from Mom. She was always the first in the family to smell something. Growing up, it was one of those things that just was. Ho hum, boring.
Mine came into its own during my first pregnancy, when suddenly the whole olfactory world twisted. Everything I previously loved was suddenly nauseating. Literally. Nine months of morning/afternoon/evening sickness. That was for each ten-month gestation, and became my own positive pregnancy test for the three kids, having never actually had a positive test. Barf? Pregnant again. Somehow it all never kept me from gaining weight, though. Dang!
The post surgery olfactory slump turned out to be a favor, since food also lost it's grip and I began a very slow weight loss. Stress seems to have the opposite effect, of course. I'd almost welcome it back, except we've just learned that loss of smell and taste is one of the symptoms of the virus, possibly the only one in otherwise asymptomatic people. While we just learned it, already one of the CBS national morning news anchors is self quarantining due to exposure to somebody who just lost those senses. Let's hope the news spreads more widely than the virus.
Another tidbit is getting traction. There is a thermometer company, Kinsa, with an accompanying app on people's smart phones. Those phones send the data to the company. They've been tracking fevers in relation to flu outbreaks for a while. Somebody noticed new patterns in the spikes, and figured out how to weed out the "normal" flu fever data and compare the results to covid 19 statistics. The non-typical fever spikes preceded by a few days the rise in covid 19 statistics.
They've mapped their data. Rachel Maddow showed it Tuesday night. Two things stood out for me, personally. Florida is showing the highest spike right now, and they haven't yet ordered any kind of stay-home orders. Spring break....
The other thing was contrasting Minnesota and Arizona data. Minnesota was in the lowest fevers category. Arizona showed a low (1st tier) level of fevers, again in a state with no actual stay home orders yet, though piecemeal things like schools out have been happening. However, the color showed up on our state's map covering a very wide swath from north to south borders. By "wide swath" I mean all but a very narrow band along the east and west borders.
Think we're going to continue hunkering down, as much as possible. AZ reported "only" 8 deaths in morning news, with 508 verified cases, but our curve is angling up. Exponentially. Compound interest.
Oh, the great grandson was 7 pounds, 8 ounces, and 19-point-something inches. I forget exactly, and Steve's sleeping. He got the text. He also got pictures which, amazingly for a newborn, capture his eyes open. He is adorable. Of course.
Talked to a friend from Minnesota a bit ago. She and her husband have both been sick. all the symptoms of covid 19 except their fevers weren't "high enough." They asked for a test, but were refused. Not enough tests around to"waste" them. With my new knowledge, I asked and verified they both had lost smell and taste for the duration. But we'll never know now what it was. She's had flu several times over the years, but never as bad as this. I filled her in on the progress being made for finding a test for antibodies to establish who had it without knowing, and may now be immune. He'd love to be able to return to work. So far their sons are showing no symptoms of anything, except boredom. Teenagers.
Pure plagiarism from the internet, reaction to the "seniors should sacrifice" idiocy, coupled with the alleged Christianity of those spouting it. It was in comments on Daily Kos Tuesday, but I can't relocate the exact article and commenter for attribution. Sorry. So something like this:
For God so loved the Market that he sent his only Son, for whosoever believeth in their banker should not perish but have everlasting wealth. John $3.16.
State prisoners are being sent to an egg farm to work, and will be housed there. A pizza joint offers toilet paper with pizza. The favorite local Mexican restaurant has a free taco salad when you buy one, and now will take credit cards despite years of refusing them. Congress is offering hope... for some. The President declares himself a war president but doesn't bother to use his "war powers" to ramp up production of ventilators or personal protective equipment, while refrigerator trucks collect and store bodies. Mississippi's idiot governor refuses to ask people to change their habits. Against all logic, 59% of people polled actually approve of Trump's handling of the pandemic.
And you're still reading this.
Go figure.
Thursday, March 26, 2020
Tuesday, March 24, 2020
Adventures In Caronavirus Land, Episode 10
It's hard to stay calm right now. No, not cabin fever. It's the naked avarice "trumping" humanity and science in the face of this pandemic.
Not Dying For Wall Street. It's trending right now, in all but the halls of Republican power. But people are still drinking the kool-aid. Patriotic seniors should die to save the economy? This from the mouths of those shameless enough to claim the the Affordable Care Act, aka Obamacare, included "Death Panels."
Have Republicans become the party of sociopaths? Then again, that's become a rhetorical question. I'm just reluctant enough to answer it out loud because I still hope the tiniest bit that there can be a "no" answer to it.
That tiniest bit is rapidly shrinking.
I'm not willing to die for Wall Street. I'm OK with staying home for a good while. (Putting off resigning myself to needing to cancel summer plans yet.) Sure, stress eating has risen it's chubby head. Those applesauce/banana pancakes were delicious! Steve helped eat them, but of the box of mix, 5 lonely cakes huddle in the refrigerator waiting to rejoin their fellows.
I'm not feeling stifled by staying in. I'm furious, but by the idiocy and avarice of others. Dare I hope, if the nincompoop-in-chief tells us to go back to work and shopping, that enough Governors will show they are smarter and have better values systems, enough to reject it? This only works if we all participate, but it's patchwork stupidity.
There are small comforts other than face stuffing. The great grand baby should be born by now, but we're waiting to hear. Mom was sent home for a bit, returning to the hospital today. Last word was an emergency caesarean, but her father, our family source, is kept miles away. If I can judge from my own emergency back in '76, the baby is delivered in about a minute and a half, and Mom is put back together in about an hour and a half. So we're optimistically waiting.
More people are reaching out via email and phone. The weather is nice, with systems blowing through carrying just enough clouds to provide a spot of color around suppertime. Some of the sprayed weeds are visibly dying. The pulled thistles, the ones I was too tired to throw away properly so just left in the carport, got carried away by something, presumably for dinner, so I never had to pick them up. The pricker tip in my finger from them worked its way out by itself. Harvey Weinstein has contracted covid 19 and I almost wasted a full second wondering if I was terrible for not really caring? Tuesday is mail ads day, a scoopful of flyers shoved through the slot, the one notable thing today being our local grocery story didn't waste money on what they might not still have to sell by the time we get there. And all our sniffles, sneezes, and coughs can be written off to allergies as the pollen blows in accompanied by the fragrance of orange blossoms. Nobody has a fever. Best, we still love each other.
Not Dying For Wall Street. It's trending right now, in all but the halls of Republican power. But people are still drinking the kool-aid. Patriotic seniors should die to save the economy? This from the mouths of those shameless enough to claim the the Affordable Care Act, aka Obamacare, included "Death Panels."
Have Republicans become the party of sociopaths? Then again, that's become a rhetorical question. I'm just reluctant enough to answer it out loud because I still hope the tiniest bit that there can be a "no" answer to it.
That tiniest bit is rapidly shrinking.
I'm not willing to die for Wall Street. I'm OK with staying home for a good while. (Putting off resigning myself to needing to cancel summer plans yet.) Sure, stress eating has risen it's chubby head. Those applesauce/banana pancakes were delicious! Steve helped eat them, but of the box of mix, 5 lonely cakes huddle in the refrigerator waiting to rejoin their fellows.
I'm not feeling stifled by staying in. I'm furious, but by the idiocy and avarice of others. Dare I hope, if the nincompoop-in-chief tells us to go back to work and shopping, that enough Governors will show they are smarter and have better values systems, enough to reject it? This only works if we all participate, but it's patchwork stupidity.
There are small comforts other than face stuffing. The great grand baby should be born by now, but we're waiting to hear. Mom was sent home for a bit, returning to the hospital today. Last word was an emergency caesarean, but her father, our family source, is kept miles away. If I can judge from my own emergency back in '76, the baby is delivered in about a minute and a half, and Mom is put back together in about an hour and a half. So we're optimistically waiting.
More people are reaching out via email and phone. The weather is nice, with systems blowing through carrying just enough clouds to provide a spot of color around suppertime. Some of the sprayed weeds are visibly dying. The pulled thistles, the ones I was too tired to throw away properly so just left in the carport, got carried away by something, presumably for dinner, so I never had to pick them up. The pricker tip in my finger from them worked its way out by itself. Harvey Weinstein has contracted covid 19 and I almost wasted a full second wondering if I was terrible for not really caring? Tuesday is mail ads day, a scoopful of flyers shoved through the slot, the one notable thing today being our local grocery story didn't waste money on what they might not still have to sell by the time we get there. And all our sniffles, sneezes, and coughs can be written off to allergies as the pollen blows in accompanied by the fragrance of orange blossoms. Nobody has a fever. Best, we still love each other.
Monday, March 23, 2020
Adventures In ... I'm Sick Of This Title, Aren't You?
Raspberries galore!
No, not in the grocery stores, though I can't attest to that, having stayed away. These are the kinds I make in my mouth for bad behavior. I do it from the safety - for me and them - of my living room. I don't care to share microbes, from either direction.
You're welcome.
First, to Sen. Rand Paul. After finding out he was exposed to covid 19, he got tested. BUT while waiting for results, he mingled and mingled and mingled.... Now he's tested positive. I'm not even sure I should feel relieved that most of his mingling occurred among Republican Senators. We'll still need a quorum to pass necessary legislation. So P-p-p-p-f-f-f-f-f-t-t-t-t-t-t-t! Twice!
Second, to those thousands and thousands in this area who figured out the only way to aleviate their cabin fever was to go out on the hiking trails with 5,000 of their closest ... uh ... germ wagons over this weekend. TV footage shows there was absolutely no possibility of maintaining two feet of distance between hikers.
Wait. What? Six feet? P-p-p-p-f-f-f-f-t-t-t-t-t-t-t! I'd offer to do it 5,000 times, but haven't the energy any more.
I just vacuumed the living room, after all.
FYI the vacuum is currently parked in the living room where I can see it because I don't have to feel guilty about not vacuuming any more. Although, I can now look at it and feel guilty about not emptying the canister again, since it's half full. OK, OK, I told you the living room needed vacuuming, didn't I? Well, I vacuumed it, so there.
Turned on the TV this morning because that's what I do. Arizona stats are really climbing now, and our (Republican, don'cha know) Governor hasn't yet given the stay-home order, though he has written the feds begging for assistance in controlling the virus. Schools are closed and no groups more than 10. 10? What good is that? We need to quit this stupidity. Soon, I hope. Though I have to go pick up a prescription refill soon. Been postponing that in favor of... whatever. Any which whatever. On the plus side, I may not need to find the drive-up window after all, because I also am thinking about applesauce. Yep, once thwarted, twice obsessed. And while I'm there, see if TP has arrived, and eggs, and the summer sausage they carry, bananas, milk, and, hmmm, ice cream is getting low....
I won't bother looking for hand sanitizer. I ordered some about ten days ago through Amazon, and it's been shipped. Guaranteed to be here, uhh, let's see... mid May! Yee-haaaaaa!
* * * * *
Post-shopping observations:
My route to Walmart passes a school. Though closed, I found myself obeying the flashing speed limit sign, wondering as I did whether it was sillier that it was still flashing or that I was paying attention. Probably always better to be safe.
I always pass a couple banks and credit unions. While my CU in MN has let me know repeatedly they are only open for drive-through or electronic banking, the ones down here seem to be doing a booming walk-in business. Hey, but no germs on money, eh? What, really? Dang! I'll have to quit spending it.
Shopper levels are down a bit, if the ability to find a spot in the shade in Arizona is any indication. I did drive around the store first, to find that pharmacy drive-through. They located it on the north end, about as far in any direction away from the pharmacy as it's possible to get in that store. It had a line though. Adding that to my having a list of other things, I parked in the lot and went in for all of it.
While you still can't buy hand sanitizer in the store, there is a prominent display near the carts for hand and cart wipes. For my first time, I used them. For both. Well, technically, I used three. That's how many pulled out before disconnecting from the dispenses. Best not to waste. They'd just dry out waiting for the next customer. Right?
There were three people I saw with masks on. Gotta wonder if they're sick and trying not to spread it? Or still think it will protect them from the rest of us, just in case?
I did find what I thought I would on my list. Butter was in, slight surprise. TP not. No shock there. I asked a clerk when they might get that in. It comes around 2 PM daily. People start to line up by the shipping / delivery door around 1 PM. The ice cream in my cart, plus my personal inclinations, nixed that kind of wait. Lucky I don't need any yet. Butter, eggs, milk, applesauce and summer sausage were available. Eggs were the only ones with "limit 1" signs. Good thing they meant cartons and not eggs. I did get two hand of bananas since that rack was full and some were overripe. While many of the spaces for processed meats, i.e. lunch meats, hot dogs, etc., there was a large stack of summer sausages so I didn't feel guilty about getting two of them also. It's hard in normal times to find more than two or three in the store, and often none , so it was an unexpected bounty.
Once home, the freezer didn't quite have space for the ice cream. I made the ultimate sacrifice and finished up the old one to make room. Ahhhhhhhhh....
Hard times, my way.
Just heard, the our great-grandson is on the way to the hospital to get born.
No, not in the grocery stores, though I can't attest to that, having stayed away. These are the kinds I make in my mouth for bad behavior. I do it from the safety - for me and them - of my living room. I don't care to share microbes, from either direction.
You're welcome.
First, to Sen. Rand Paul. After finding out he was exposed to covid 19, he got tested. BUT while waiting for results, he mingled and mingled and mingled.... Now he's tested positive. I'm not even sure I should feel relieved that most of his mingling occurred among Republican Senators. We'll still need a quorum to pass necessary legislation. So P-p-p-p-f-f-f-f-f-t-t-t-t-t-t-t! Twice!
Second, to those thousands and thousands in this area who figured out the only way to aleviate their cabin fever was to go out on the hiking trails with 5,000 of their closest ... uh ... germ wagons over this weekend. TV footage shows there was absolutely no possibility of maintaining two feet of distance between hikers.
Wait. What? Six feet? P-p-p-p-f-f-f-f-t-t-t-t-t-t-t! I'd offer to do it 5,000 times, but haven't the energy any more.
I just vacuumed the living room, after all.
FYI the vacuum is currently parked in the living room where I can see it because I don't have to feel guilty about not vacuuming any more. Although, I can now look at it and feel guilty about not emptying the canister again, since it's half full. OK, OK, I told you the living room needed vacuuming, didn't I? Well, I vacuumed it, so there.
Turned on the TV this morning because that's what I do. Arizona stats are really climbing now, and our (Republican, don'cha know) Governor hasn't yet given the stay-home order, though he has written the feds begging for assistance in controlling the virus. Schools are closed and no groups more than 10. 10? What good is that? We need to quit this stupidity. Soon, I hope. Though I have to go pick up a prescription refill soon. Been postponing that in favor of... whatever. Any which whatever. On the plus side, I may not need to find the drive-up window after all, because I also am thinking about applesauce. Yep, once thwarted, twice obsessed. And while I'm there, see if TP has arrived, and eggs, and the summer sausage they carry, bananas, milk, and, hmmm, ice cream is getting low....
I won't bother looking for hand sanitizer. I ordered some about ten days ago through Amazon, and it's been shipped. Guaranteed to be here, uhh, let's see... mid May! Yee-haaaaaa!
* * * * *
Post-shopping observations:
My route to Walmart passes a school. Though closed, I found myself obeying the flashing speed limit sign, wondering as I did whether it was sillier that it was still flashing or that I was paying attention. Probably always better to be safe.
I always pass a couple banks and credit unions. While my CU in MN has let me know repeatedly they are only open for drive-through or electronic banking, the ones down here seem to be doing a booming walk-in business. Hey, but no germs on money, eh? What, really? Dang! I'll have to quit spending it.
Shopper levels are down a bit, if the ability to find a spot in the shade in Arizona is any indication. I did drive around the store first, to find that pharmacy drive-through. They located it on the north end, about as far in any direction away from the pharmacy as it's possible to get in that store. It had a line though. Adding that to my having a list of other things, I parked in the lot and went in for all of it.
While you still can't buy hand sanitizer in the store, there is a prominent display near the carts for hand and cart wipes. For my first time, I used them. For both. Well, technically, I used three. That's how many pulled out before disconnecting from the dispenses. Best not to waste. They'd just dry out waiting for the next customer. Right?
There were three people I saw with masks on. Gotta wonder if they're sick and trying not to spread it? Or still think it will protect them from the rest of us, just in case?
I did find what I thought I would on my list. Butter was in, slight surprise. TP not. No shock there. I asked a clerk when they might get that in. It comes around 2 PM daily. People start to line up by the shipping / delivery door around 1 PM. The ice cream in my cart, plus my personal inclinations, nixed that kind of wait. Lucky I don't need any yet. Butter, eggs, milk, applesauce and summer sausage were available. Eggs were the only ones with "limit 1" signs. Good thing they meant cartons and not eggs. I did get two hand of bananas since that rack was full and some were overripe. While many of the spaces for processed meats, i.e. lunch meats, hot dogs, etc., there was a large stack of summer sausages so I didn't feel guilty about getting two of them also. It's hard in normal times to find more than two or three in the store, and often none , so it was an unexpected bounty.
Once home, the freezer didn't quite have space for the ice cream. I made the ultimate sacrifice and finished up the old one to make room. Ahhhhhhhhh....
Hard times, my way.
Just heard, the our great-grandson is on the way to the hospital to get born.
Sunday, March 22, 2020
Adventures In Caronavirus Land, Episode ...?
Which one is this exactly? Or are we past the point where counting episodes matters. Some of you are still reading, though. Nothing better to do either?
Sunday. Day of rest. If that's your belief. For others, Saturday. Or Friday. When you're retired, it's hard to pick out one that distinguishes itself from others.
Mine started out restful. Woke up after 7 hours sleep, did the necessary, went back to sleep. @ hours later, Woke again. Got up. Got dressed. Watched some TV. Slept in my chair.
Steve had been online and shared a whine from some local person about them closing down the centers and ball courts/fields, but letting the golf courses stay open. Hey, lady, it's so much easier to keep your "social distance" on a golf course and clustered around the bocce balls, eh? They haven't closed the sidewalks to walking either. I've even seen - gasp! - couples trudging along together! Life just ain't fair.
(Hmmm, frustration!!! I was going to put something snarky about Trump and walking/riding around golf courses here. It sounded wonderful in my head while I was in the shower, but I've totally spaced all but the plan to do it. Dang!)
I'd had big plans for breakfast. I buy add-water-only pancake mix. Never have to worry about having the right number of eggs or amount of milk. I like to add fruit(s) to the mix first, then water to the right consistency. Today's plan was applesauce and cinnamon. No applesauce in the pantry, and not gonna go out for some. Found peaches, apparently canned a decade ago because once I used the can opener I discovered something almost black inside.
Forget the dang pancakes! Nuked a frozen breakfast sandwich instead, after removing that glop they call cheese.
After that third nap, though, I felt ambitious. I'd sprayed weeds again yesterday until my back complained that I was bending over too long in order to make sure that tiny stream hit something green. Whole patches of them were still out there, mocking me. Patches which were sprayed before the last rain were showing generous new growth between the dying bits. Time to go back to work. I finished the remains in both sprayers, then hunted through the house for the concentrate to mix another gallon.
Bet you think I had it in hand, eh? Well.... I'm gonna remember next time to put the water in the mixing tank before I add the chemical. Seems it foams up when the water splashes in, so there have to be several pauses before enough water can be added to make the proportions right. But I did finally figure out how to get the vacuum canister come off for emptying, and go back on while I was waiting. It's now in the living room, tucked behind me where I don't have to look at it and feel guilty about not using it.
But the yard did get fully covered this time. Seems that if I use the widest stream, covering patches rather than plants, it's really quick and I don't have to bend over to see just where each little plant is to be sure it's wet.
There was one puzzle, however. What does it say when a neighbor who hasn't acknowledged you for several years yells a "Hello" across the street? Is it a kind of "Hey, we're all still alive here" kind of a thing as we wait out this virus? Or is it some passive-aggressive way of letting you know it's well past time you took care of those weeds?
We have two spiny cactus in the yard. That's if you can count the roof over the patio as "yard." There's no trough there to move rain aside, just a flat plate across the end of the metal roof. It catches pine needles in the tiny gap where you thought it was flush. And a cactus seed as well, apparently. It's been there for years, possible since before we moved in but just didn't notice. It's been pulled out several times. A year or so later, there it is again, laughing at us. Spiny as heck. I'm not going to be the one pulling it out, no sirree. Uh-uh. Not even with gloves and tongs. Nope. Not me.
The second one popped up in the front yard, about two feet away from the driveway. It's so tiny, nobody believed me when I said it was there. They couldn't find it. When I went out to point it out, I couldn't either. Then next time, it was there again. I mentally marked its spot against other things in the yard, like the sunken garbage can, driveway lines, or another plant. When I looked for it again, I still couldn't find it. Finally some piece of fluffy white something lodged in the rocks a few inches away, and that became my marker for it, until it blew away again.
I'd asked Rich to please remove it for us last summer. It hadn't gotten done, but I hadn't seen it either to notice. Until I did again. Now it's got two fat little (spiny) pads on it, and three somethings coming out of them. Not sure if those are new growth or flowers. I have pictures now, proof of something or other. I think about putting a stake in the yard, though whether to warn people or just help me find it again I haven't decided. I want to see what it does, though. I'm still amazed at how something green can hide in reddish rocks. But I can nearly always find it now! And I'm pretty sure I didn't spray it. I think.
I took a wonderful shower after the spraying was finished. It seemed wise, not just because I was sweaty and a tad rank. OK, OK, I admit it: really rank! There, you happy? I've seen the ads on the TV about the chemical weed killer causing cancer and killing you too, green or not, but you can collect $$ before you croak. Or some such message. I've been using it for years, but figure if it's going to be cancer, it'll be 4 years of training managers in an unventilated dry cleaners back in the '80s that'll do it to me first. Or maybe the caronavirus will beat them both to it. Still, I'm smelling a lot better now, so it's safe for you to read this! (Sniff sniff) Just checking. Yep, safe.
Sunday. Day of rest. If that's your belief. For others, Saturday. Or Friday. When you're retired, it's hard to pick out one that distinguishes itself from others.
Mine started out restful. Woke up after 7 hours sleep, did the necessary, went back to sleep. @ hours later, Woke again. Got up. Got dressed. Watched some TV. Slept in my chair.
Steve had been online and shared a whine from some local person about them closing down the centers and ball courts/fields, but letting the golf courses stay open. Hey, lady, it's so much easier to keep your "social distance" on a golf course and clustered around the bocce balls, eh? They haven't closed the sidewalks to walking either. I've even seen - gasp! - couples trudging along together! Life just ain't fair.
(Hmmm, frustration!!! I was going to put something snarky about Trump and walking/riding around golf courses here. It sounded wonderful in my head while I was in the shower, but I've totally spaced all but the plan to do it. Dang!)
I'd had big plans for breakfast. I buy add-water-only pancake mix. Never have to worry about having the right number of eggs or amount of milk. I like to add fruit(s) to the mix first, then water to the right consistency. Today's plan was applesauce and cinnamon. No applesauce in the pantry, and not gonna go out for some. Found peaches, apparently canned a decade ago because once I used the can opener I discovered something almost black inside.
Forget the dang pancakes! Nuked a frozen breakfast sandwich instead, after removing that glop they call cheese.
After that third nap, though, I felt ambitious. I'd sprayed weeds again yesterday until my back complained that I was bending over too long in order to make sure that tiny stream hit something green. Whole patches of them were still out there, mocking me. Patches which were sprayed before the last rain were showing generous new growth between the dying bits. Time to go back to work. I finished the remains in both sprayers, then hunted through the house for the concentrate to mix another gallon.
Bet you think I had it in hand, eh? Well.... I'm gonna remember next time to put the water in the mixing tank before I add the chemical. Seems it foams up when the water splashes in, so there have to be several pauses before enough water can be added to make the proportions right. But I did finally figure out how to get the vacuum canister come off for emptying, and go back on while I was waiting. It's now in the living room, tucked behind me where I don't have to look at it and feel guilty about not using it.
But the yard did get fully covered this time. Seems that if I use the widest stream, covering patches rather than plants, it's really quick and I don't have to bend over to see just where each little plant is to be sure it's wet.
There was one puzzle, however. What does it say when a neighbor who hasn't acknowledged you for several years yells a "Hello" across the street? Is it a kind of "Hey, we're all still alive here" kind of a thing as we wait out this virus? Or is it some passive-aggressive way of letting you know it's well past time you took care of those weeds?
We have two spiny cactus in the yard. That's if you can count the roof over the patio as "yard." There's no trough there to move rain aside, just a flat plate across the end of the metal roof. It catches pine needles in the tiny gap where you thought it was flush. And a cactus seed as well, apparently. It's been there for years, possible since before we moved in but just didn't notice. It's been pulled out several times. A year or so later, there it is again, laughing at us. Spiny as heck. I'm not going to be the one pulling it out, no sirree. Uh-uh. Not even with gloves and tongs. Nope. Not me.
The second one popped up in the front yard, about two feet away from the driveway. It's so tiny, nobody believed me when I said it was there. They couldn't find it. When I went out to point it out, I couldn't either. Then next time, it was there again. I mentally marked its spot against other things in the yard, like the sunken garbage can, driveway lines, or another plant. When I looked for it again, I still couldn't find it. Finally some piece of fluffy white something lodged in the rocks a few inches away, and that became my marker for it, until it blew away again.
I'd asked Rich to please remove it for us last summer. It hadn't gotten done, but I hadn't seen it either to notice. Until I did again. Now it's got two fat little (spiny) pads on it, and three somethings coming out of them. Not sure if those are new growth or flowers. I have pictures now, proof of something or other. I think about putting a stake in the yard, though whether to warn people or just help me find it again I haven't decided. I want to see what it does, though. I'm still amazed at how something green can hide in reddish rocks. But I can nearly always find it now! And I'm pretty sure I didn't spray it. I think.
I took a wonderful shower after the spraying was finished. It seemed wise, not just because I was sweaty and a tad rank. OK, OK, I admit it: really rank! There, you happy? I've seen the ads on the TV about the chemical weed killer causing cancer and killing you too, green or not, but you can collect $$ before you croak. Or some such message. I've been using it for years, but figure if it's going to be cancer, it'll be 4 years of training managers in an unventilated dry cleaners back in the '80s that'll do it to me first. Or maybe the caronavirus will beat them both to it. Still, I'm smelling a lot better now, so it's safe for you to read this! (Sniff sniff) Just checking. Yep, safe.
Saturday, March 21, 2020
Adventures In Caronavirus Land, Episode 7
Yay-y-y-y-y! Happy Spring! Time to put the X-mas lights back up, everybody!
What? Not doing it in your part of the world? Is Phoenix the only crazy place? More than normally crazy, that is? They're putting them up in neighborhoods - supposedly, according to TV - and in shopping and restaurant areas where there is no traffic. The claims are it's something for the bored to do, something for the rest of us when we're out and about but keeping our social distance of course - to feel cheery about.
I'm going for stupid, personally. Sounds like a good idea until you figure out who just won't keep their distance or can't if it really attracts attention.
Kinda like that now-viral video of the cute little white dog being walked down the street with the leash attached to a drone. Good idea until it's not, and then it's horrible. What happens when that big mean dog runs out to challenge the little dog? How can a drone deal with that? Crash? That all you got? A drone is gonna chase away the big dog? Or the car that doesn't see either drone nor dog? Or some twerp finds it funny to yank on the leash? Has the drone the power to turn the pooch around? Stop the twerp? Seriously, anything that powerful would also be illegal. Mourn your pooch from jail, where your new BFFs are happily sharing all their germs with you.
For the record, other than twice yesterday, there is yet no recurrence of fever. Protest was canceled, though I notified our leader that I was staying home regardless. I checked with my Walmart pharmacy when I got one of those robot messages about refilling a prescription, and was informed it was OK for me to show up for it because they now have drive-through. Who knew? And where? The pharmacy is in the front of the store and I've seen no indication on the front of the building of any spot to accommodate a drive thru. Guess I'll do a drive-around and see where it might be. Logistics would be interesting though. Somebody has to hike them across the store to wherever for each customer? Way to limit your exposure, staff! We want you to keep healthy!!!!
I've developed my own "hack," if you will, for avoiding Starbucks prices and still getting my own delicious (for me at least, never actually tried Starbucks) mocha to start my mornings. Mind you, it's not an every day thing any more, since I'm actually quasi-listening to my cardiologist and reducing caffeine. I buy instant coffee and Swiss Miss's sugar free cocoa mix in the can. They get dumped together - 7 ox. coffee crystals and two 10.6 oz. cans cocoa - into a repurposed large peanut butter jar. Along with a spoon that fits. (Spoon goes in first or never. Too packed. When returning it, I find it helps to push the spoon down while shaking the jar lightly so the packed powder moves. Not so hard you get a faceful, or counter full. Or floor full. I mean that last would be a pure crime!) I do my best to be sure they are blended evenly.
However, a couple spoonfuls later or a shake of the jar and I see the large coffee crystals rising to the top. That happens to any mix of solids as the little bits filter down through the cracks. If uncorrected, my mocha mix becomes unbalanced, both in flavor and caffeine. For months I've looked at it and thought I should dump it all into a flour sifter and break down the coffee. And looked at it. And thought.
Today, somewhere beyond bored, and sick of virus figures and presidential BS, I went ahead and did it.
Amazing what can catch your attention in these times, eh?
I've been on the phone a bit more than usual. Saw an article in National Geographic and passed on two words of information to my daughter: Kokopelli Trail. Not for her, but my son-in-law. This is a bike trail that goes from Colorado, along the Colorado River, into Moab, Utah. Or vice versa. He loves long distance bicycle trips and is also - among other things - a professional photographer. Additionally he likes camping and has a circle of like-minded friends. When things simmer down, he might appreciate this information.
It caught my attention because of series of crime fiction books by Rich Curtin set in Moab with a deputy as the main character. The descriptions of scenery have prodded both Steve and myself to schedule more time in the area than "just" Arches for our summer trip north. The trail itself doesn't appeal, of course, since our touring will be by car, but our immediate thought went to Ben. The picture in the article showed a portion of the trail on a high grassy area overlooking the canyon below. Not like the Grand, but not to sneeze at either. If he were to try it, it would likely be in a group and with camping gear, all the precautions necessary for a (142 miles, 12 hour record time) long tour where there are no towns in between. Maybe even dig up a sat phone.
In our conversation, she verified all is well in their household of 4 + dog + however many cats. Staying at and/or working from home is not new for them, so they're doing well that way. Lots of internet friendships help too. Minnesota not quite so much on the doing well part. While behind the NY curve, numbers are jumping and supplies shorting. At least Governor Walsh is on the ball. Blue state, don'cha know. None of that "see me take my family out to a crowded place for fun and food and you should too" crap.
Today's news infuriated me this morning. It wasn't the fact that China has not seen a new case for three days now, and they are responding by sharing their supplies with countries where the virus is taking a high toll. Bravo there! But this jerk had to put it in terms of them "glossing over" their responsibility for "letting" it spread in the first place. Hey, everybody gets a pass for being first on the learning curve. They did learn, and took what we are still terming draconian measures to curb the virus. What are we learning from their and our experiences? Not enough yet. What are we doing to "let" it spread? Too much. Will this same jerk blame Trump for the latter? Doubtful.
Yeah, I know, politics again. But I sent emails to both local and national CBS news to voice my opinion, aka outrage. Somebody had to.
Got some wonderful news today. My granddaughter is pregnant with #2, due November. This will make great-grandbaby #3 for us. Our second "great" is due any time, waiting to hear. Have to wonder, both for now and next fall, just how safe it is to be in the hospital for anything not an emergency. OK, emergencies too. But will there come a time (or maybe just when... ?) that we have to make that deliberation? Just like having to make the deliberation of one-respirator-two-patients-so who-dies like Italy has to now? Is there a way to choose?
Oops, didn't mean to veer off onto the deep end on that bit of joy. It deserves to be treasured all on its own.
If only it can.
Her news perked me up enough to step out and take more pictures as things change in the yard, and kill off another section of weeds. Yes, the wind is blowing, but I sprayed anyway. It's a section of the yard where drift will only fall on... more weeds. Temperatures have risen enough that the house is opened up for that same wind to drive the fragrance of orange blossoms throughout the house. Win-win.
Say, did anyone watch Rachel Maddow sign off in tears last night? One of her fellow MSNBC employees succumbed to the virus.
What? Not doing it in your part of the world? Is Phoenix the only crazy place? More than normally crazy, that is? They're putting them up in neighborhoods - supposedly, according to TV - and in shopping and restaurant areas where there is no traffic. The claims are it's something for the bored to do, something for the rest of us when we're out and about but keeping our social distance of course - to feel cheery about.
I'm going for stupid, personally. Sounds like a good idea until you figure out who just won't keep their distance or can't if it really attracts attention.
Kinda like that now-viral video of the cute little white dog being walked down the street with the leash attached to a drone. Good idea until it's not, and then it's horrible. What happens when that big mean dog runs out to challenge the little dog? How can a drone deal with that? Crash? That all you got? A drone is gonna chase away the big dog? Or the car that doesn't see either drone nor dog? Or some twerp finds it funny to yank on the leash? Has the drone the power to turn the pooch around? Stop the twerp? Seriously, anything that powerful would also be illegal. Mourn your pooch from jail, where your new BFFs are happily sharing all their germs with you.
For the record, other than twice yesterday, there is yet no recurrence of fever. Protest was canceled, though I notified our leader that I was staying home regardless. I checked with my Walmart pharmacy when I got one of those robot messages about refilling a prescription, and was informed it was OK for me to show up for it because they now have drive-through. Who knew? And where? The pharmacy is in the front of the store and I've seen no indication on the front of the building of any spot to accommodate a drive thru. Guess I'll do a drive-around and see where it might be. Logistics would be interesting though. Somebody has to hike them across the store to wherever for each customer? Way to limit your exposure, staff! We want you to keep healthy!!!!
I've developed my own "hack," if you will, for avoiding Starbucks prices and still getting my own delicious (for me at least, never actually tried Starbucks) mocha to start my mornings. Mind you, it's not an every day thing any more, since I'm actually quasi-listening to my cardiologist and reducing caffeine. I buy instant coffee and Swiss Miss's sugar free cocoa mix in the can. They get dumped together - 7 ox. coffee crystals and two 10.6 oz. cans cocoa - into a repurposed large peanut butter jar. Along with a spoon that fits. (Spoon goes in first or never. Too packed. When returning it, I find it helps to push the spoon down while shaking the jar lightly so the packed powder moves. Not so hard you get a faceful, or counter full. Or floor full. I mean that last would be a pure crime!) I do my best to be sure they are blended evenly.
However, a couple spoonfuls later or a shake of the jar and I see the large coffee crystals rising to the top. That happens to any mix of solids as the little bits filter down through the cracks. If uncorrected, my mocha mix becomes unbalanced, both in flavor and caffeine. For months I've looked at it and thought I should dump it all into a flour sifter and break down the coffee. And looked at it. And thought.
Today, somewhere beyond bored, and sick of virus figures and presidential BS, I went ahead and did it.
Amazing what can catch your attention in these times, eh?
I've been on the phone a bit more than usual. Saw an article in National Geographic and passed on two words of information to my daughter: Kokopelli Trail. Not for her, but my son-in-law. This is a bike trail that goes from Colorado, along the Colorado River, into Moab, Utah. Or vice versa. He loves long distance bicycle trips and is also - among other things - a professional photographer. Additionally he likes camping and has a circle of like-minded friends. When things simmer down, he might appreciate this information.
It caught my attention because of series of crime fiction books by Rich Curtin set in Moab with a deputy as the main character. The descriptions of scenery have prodded both Steve and myself to schedule more time in the area than "just" Arches for our summer trip north. The trail itself doesn't appeal, of course, since our touring will be by car, but our immediate thought went to Ben. The picture in the article showed a portion of the trail on a high grassy area overlooking the canyon below. Not like the Grand, but not to sneeze at either. If he were to try it, it would likely be in a group and with camping gear, all the precautions necessary for a (142 miles, 12 hour record time) long tour where there are no towns in between. Maybe even dig up a sat phone.
In our conversation, she verified all is well in their household of 4 + dog + however many cats. Staying at and/or working from home is not new for them, so they're doing well that way. Lots of internet friendships help too. Minnesota not quite so much on the doing well part. While behind the NY curve, numbers are jumping and supplies shorting. At least Governor Walsh is on the ball. Blue state, don'cha know. None of that "see me take my family out to a crowded place for fun and food and you should too" crap.
Today's news infuriated me this morning. It wasn't the fact that China has not seen a new case for three days now, and they are responding by sharing their supplies with countries where the virus is taking a high toll. Bravo there! But this jerk had to put it in terms of them "glossing over" their responsibility for "letting" it spread in the first place. Hey, everybody gets a pass for being first on the learning curve. They did learn, and took what we are still terming draconian measures to curb the virus. What are we learning from their and our experiences? Not enough yet. What are we doing to "let" it spread? Too much. Will this same jerk blame Trump for the latter? Doubtful.
Yeah, I know, politics again. But I sent emails to both local and national CBS news to voice my opinion, aka outrage. Somebody had to.
Got some wonderful news today. My granddaughter is pregnant with #2, due November. This will make great-grandbaby #3 for us. Our second "great" is due any time, waiting to hear. Have to wonder, both for now and next fall, just how safe it is to be in the hospital for anything not an emergency. OK, emergencies too. But will there come a time (or maybe just when... ?) that we have to make that deliberation? Just like having to make the deliberation of one-respirator-two-patients-so who-dies like Italy has to now? Is there a way to choose?
Oops, didn't mean to veer off onto the deep end on that bit of joy. It deserves to be treasured all on its own.
If only it can.
Her news perked me up enough to step out and take more pictures as things change in the yard, and kill off another section of weeds. Yes, the wind is blowing, but I sprayed anyway. It's a section of the yard where drift will only fall on... more weeds. Temperatures have risen enough that the house is opened up for that same wind to drive the fragrance of orange blossoms throughout the house. Win-win.
Say, did anyone watch Rachel Maddow sign off in tears last night? One of her fellow MSNBC employees succumbed to the virus.
Friday, March 20, 2020
Adventures In Caronavirus Land, Episode 6
The country is starting to believe now. Well, some of them. A few states are taking action, closing non-essential things down. That means different things to different folks, of course. But for some, nothing penetrates that "I am most important in the world and I can do whatever I choose because it's my life" attitude they put on every morning.
I'm not sure if they still believe all the Fox propaganda about it being a hoax, a Democratic plot to destroy Trump and/or the economy, or all the nonsense about whatever spills out of his mouth bypassing everything but his ego. Until just a couple days ago, Fox hadn't gotten the message, but we need to remember it's a foreign owned company. They lie. They spew hate and fear. This is who people trust?
People are starting to behave as though they live in a community, ironically by keep their distance from others in it. It's how we show we care, these days. A morning news clip showed a parade of people in Minnesota driving by a young girl's house with "Happy Birthday" signs because she couldn't hold a party. People are supporting food shelves, shopping for older neighbors, posting videos to entertain others from home. Local and state governments are starting to "encourage" helpful behaviors, a few even closing down with "stay home" orders.
This hurts. Of course. Jobs are lost. Companies shut down, many facing bankruptcy. It doesn't help to stay home except for groceries and medicines if there's no money to buy them with. There's talk of halting evictions, tax payments, utility shut-offs, but it's piecemeal.
Governors are pleading with Trump to help with the need for protective clothing for medical workers, more test kits, ventilators, whatever. He responds with "Find those things yourselves." Information from the top is often inaccurate and usually contradictory. Steve and I found ourselves listening to the head of FEMA and wondering if we could believe a thing he said, then realized it didn't matter because he hadn't really said anything, just a jumble of phrases put together to sound reassuring. Trump calls on old war powers to get things done and we wonder if... no how, he'll misuse them. Will there be inappropriate curfews? Elections cancelled? Press information shut down?
The good news of the day before that he parades before us is proven a lie by the next if not sooner. "We have millions of tests." Lie. "It'll miraculously disappear in a few days." Lie. "There'll be a cure/treatment/whatever right around the corner." Lie. The latest touted possibility of a treatment for malaria working is still just a hypothesis. Yes, the drug does exist, is generally safe. We just have no idea if it works, or if so, on whom, when to be administered in order to work, and what dosage? Months or more will have to pass before we get those answers. Even if tried now, will we know if "cures" are real or just coincidences, an artifact of a selection process unconsciously leaning towards the least ill?
"I accept no responsibility." That one, unfortunately, is true. Hey, even a stopped clock is right twice a day.
The numbers are spiking, obviously due to increased testing, and with that still inadequate, still a long ways from final tallies. Deaths are spiking, with only a few talking heads reminding us that the numbers of deaths run 3 weeks behind reports of cases. Warnings about young people contracting severe cases and even dying are surfacing, contrary to everything that's been told before, but we wonder who's listening? Expectations are that young people sail right through it, just worry about grandparents.
Selfishness is not the only thing playing a role in the spread. Stupidity, plain old garden variety stupidity, still rules. People hoard masks when they only, at best, protect others from your infectious cough and sneeze. They wear those masks for days, then pull them down while they talk to other people to aid conversation. Hospitals, running out, are instructing staff to reuse masks, gloves and gowns to the point where they might as well not exist, bringing our hospitals back a couple hundred years in sanitation. I've often wondered why non-medical, healthy people don't just wear bandanas over their faces like the old cowboys on the trail. They wash easily with detergent and can be reused, for whatever good you think they're doing.
Military medical supplies are not being utilized, new supplies not being made, anywhere near the rate needed. Two military medical ships have been deployed, but one will take a week or more to reach the west coast for use. Those with 3-d printers are being asked to put them into use for ventilators, factories to switch to face masks. Seamstresses are making cloth masks on sewing machines. It's slow.
It's slow.
And Trump is so convinced of his own perfection that he's not pushing hard enough, except perhaps to brace up the big corporations so they can support the stock market... so his cronies can pay megabucks to win him a second term? It's the Republicans supporting the big corporation, hoping we don't notice they've been putting their profits into stock buybacks instead of workers pockets and safety. It's the Democrats who are fighting to ease the burdens to ordinary folks, financially and medically. And now we get the news that (mostly?) Republican Senators have been dumping stocks while talking positive things about the virus, then once their finances are protected, letting their concerns go public. If they can put Martha Stewart in jail for that.... Let's make sure, after the big stuff in done, to investigate those charges as thoroughly as Hillary's emails were, and as often, and as publicly.
Steve tells me he thinks these posts are getting too political. For him. But what's going on IS political. And due to the failures of this administration on all fronts, something as tiny as a virus is jamming those failures down all our throats, figuratively and literally. Because we stayed home - not now when it is mandated, but in 2016 when we didn't bother to get out and vote. We have to do better, all of us, and that's political too.
On the home front, Steve has been coughing lately. His doctor says due to a lack of fever, it's likely just seasonal allergies. Or something. And due to lack of fever, there will of course be no test to confirm. Just sitting home to wait. I, however, woke up this morning with a sore throat and a fever, just under 100. My usual is 97.6.
Just sitting home to wait also. And blogging.
I'm not sure if they still believe all the Fox propaganda about it being a hoax, a Democratic plot to destroy Trump and/or the economy, or all the nonsense about whatever spills out of his mouth bypassing everything but his ego. Until just a couple days ago, Fox hadn't gotten the message, but we need to remember it's a foreign owned company. They lie. They spew hate and fear. This is who people trust?
People are starting to behave as though they live in a community, ironically by keep their distance from others in it. It's how we show we care, these days. A morning news clip showed a parade of people in Minnesota driving by a young girl's house with "Happy Birthday" signs because she couldn't hold a party. People are supporting food shelves, shopping for older neighbors, posting videos to entertain others from home. Local and state governments are starting to "encourage" helpful behaviors, a few even closing down with "stay home" orders.
This hurts. Of course. Jobs are lost. Companies shut down, many facing bankruptcy. It doesn't help to stay home except for groceries and medicines if there's no money to buy them with. There's talk of halting evictions, tax payments, utility shut-offs, but it's piecemeal.
Governors are pleading with Trump to help with the need for protective clothing for medical workers, more test kits, ventilators, whatever. He responds with "Find those things yourselves." Information from the top is often inaccurate and usually contradictory. Steve and I found ourselves listening to the head of FEMA and wondering if we could believe a thing he said, then realized it didn't matter because he hadn't really said anything, just a jumble of phrases put together to sound reassuring. Trump calls on old war powers to get things done and we wonder if... no how, he'll misuse them. Will there be inappropriate curfews? Elections cancelled? Press information shut down?
The good news of the day before that he parades before us is proven a lie by the next if not sooner. "We have millions of tests." Lie. "It'll miraculously disappear in a few days." Lie. "There'll be a cure/treatment/whatever right around the corner." Lie. The latest touted possibility of a treatment for malaria working is still just a hypothesis. Yes, the drug does exist, is generally safe. We just have no idea if it works, or if so, on whom, when to be administered in order to work, and what dosage? Months or more will have to pass before we get those answers. Even if tried now, will we know if "cures" are real or just coincidences, an artifact of a selection process unconsciously leaning towards the least ill?
"I accept no responsibility." That one, unfortunately, is true. Hey, even a stopped clock is right twice a day.
The numbers are spiking, obviously due to increased testing, and with that still inadequate, still a long ways from final tallies. Deaths are spiking, with only a few talking heads reminding us that the numbers of deaths run 3 weeks behind reports of cases. Warnings about young people contracting severe cases and even dying are surfacing, contrary to everything that's been told before, but we wonder who's listening? Expectations are that young people sail right through it, just worry about grandparents.
Selfishness is not the only thing playing a role in the spread. Stupidity, plain old garden variety stupidity, still rules. People hoard masks when they only, at best, protect others from your infectious cough and sneeze. They wear those masks for days, then pull them down while they talk to other people to aid conversation. Hospitals, running out, are instructing staff to reuse masks, gloves and gowns to the point where they might as well not exist, bringing our hospitals back a couple hundred years in sanitation. I've often wondered why non-medical, healthy people don't just wear bandanas over their faces like the old cowboys on the trail. They wash easily with detergent and can be reused, for whatever good you think they're doing.
Military medical supplies are not being utilized, new supplies not being made, anywhere near the rate needed. Two military medical ships have been deployed, but one will take a week or more to reach the west coast for use. Those with 3-d printers are being asked to put them into use for ventilators, factories to switch to face masks. Seamstresses are making cloth masks on sewing machines. It's slow.
It's slow.
And Trump is so convinced of his own perfection that he's not pushing hard enough, except perhaps to brace up the big corporations so they can support the stock market... so his cronies can pay megabucks to win him a second term? It's the Republicans supporting the big corporation, hoping we don't notice they've been putting their profits into stock buybacks instead of workers pockets and safety. It's the Democrats who are fighting to ease the burdens to ordinary folks, financially and medically. And now we get the news that (mostly?) Republican Senators have been dumping stocks while talking positive things about the virus, then once their finances are protected, letting their concerns go public. If they can put Martha Stewart in jail for that.... Let's make sure, after the big stuff in done, to investigate those charges as thoroughly as Hillary's emails were, and as often, and as publicly.
Steve tells me he thinks these posts are getting too political. For him. But what's going on IS political. And due to the failures of this administration on all fronts, something as tiny as a virus is jamming those failures down all our throats, figuratively and literally. Because we stayed home - not now when it is mandated, but in 2016 when we didn't bother to get out and vote. We have to do better, all of us, and that's political too.
On the home front, Steve has been coughing lately. His doctor says due to a lack of fever, it's likely just seasonal allergies. Or something. And due to lack of fever, there will of course be no test to confirm. Just sitting home to wait. I, however, woke up this morning with a sore throat and a fever, just under 100. My usual is 97.6.
Just sitting home to wait also. And blogging.
Tuesday, March 17, 2020
Plucking Thistles
One great way to hunker in place is not letting the yard thistles do the same. Apparently they grow very very well down here. Taking out the pine tree a couple years back and disturbing the soil to level it back out, plus spreading the rocks around which expose more soil to sun and seeds, all have initiated cycles of weed crops. The spreading spurges we were used to. Their tiny flowers are attractive, tending to dissuade one from killing them until it's too late to prevent them reseeding their plot and four-fold more. So, oops, none of that please. We even know to wear good gloves to discourage the irate ants who lose their shade canopies when you pluck out the spurges and who manage a painful pinch.
Those same gloves work well on the thistles. Up to a point. After twenty minutes, I guarantee one will work its way to your skin. I also guarantee you'll never find it to remove it. But the issues come together, since it seems that the thistles and spurges may have a symbiotic arrangement of some sort. Or maybe it's just coincidence that the thistles seem to always grow out of a spurge plant. Who knows? I'm not bothering to research it. Not that stir crazy yet. Just because saguaros only grow in the shade of a tree doesn't mean it works with these two.
With recent rains, 2 1/2 inches in 4 days, the soil is loose and the thistles come up reasonably well. You have to be careful to dig the stones out from around them with your gloved fingers so you can grab their base all the way at the bottom, or they simply break.
Did that. Several times.
Fortunately, thistles finally succumb to the charms of Round Up. Unfortunately, they still need to be removed, and in their dead/rotting state, that's pretty impossible. All in all, 20 minutes of that kind of yard work is my limit. Two day's of it (aka 40 minutes) fairly well cleans the thistles (only) out of the yard, making space for the newest babies to follow. But hey, there will be more to do before hunkering ends.
Rain is expected again tomorrow.
Those same gloves work well on the thistles. Up to a point. After twenty minutes, I guarantee one will work its way to your skin. I also guarantee you'll never find it to remove it. But the issues come together, since it seems that the thistles and spurges may have a symbiotic arrangement of some sort. Or maybe it's just coincidence that the thistles seem to always grow out of a spurge plant. Who knows? I'm not bothering to research it. Not that stir crazy yet. Just because saguaros only grow in the shade of a tree doesn't mean it works with these two.
With recent rains, 2 1/2 inches in 4 days, the soil is loose and the thistles come up reasonably well. You have to be careful to dig the stones out from around them with your gloved fingers so you can grab their base all the way at the bottom, or they simply break.
Did that. Several times.
Fortunately, thistles finally succumb to the charms of Round Up. Unfortunately, they still need to be removed, and in their dead/rotting state, that's pretty impossible. All in all, 20 minutes of that kind of yard work is my limit. Two day's of it (aka 40 minutes) fairly well cleans the thistles (only) out of the yard, making space for the newest babies to follow. But hey, there will be more to do before hunkering ends.
Rain is expected again tomorrow.
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