Today, Thursday, we had none of the storms predicted with words like "tornado," "straight line winds." "high winds." However, I have not heard what happened to MS, TN, and the rest of AL.
J came to help me today and got the counters finished. She was cleaning the stove and took out the electric eyes and drip pans. She called me and with a look of disgust showed me the area under one eye. I raised the top of the stove and she was about to gag by the look on her face. Then, I explained: All the white stuff was baking soda poured onto bean or pasta water that had boiled over and burned underneath. She was relieved to hear what the gunk was. I had her scrape it and vacuum up the loose stuff. Cleaning it right under the stove top will wait for another day. My stove has not been so clean in a long time. She was not aware the stove top lifted, so she learned something new about stoves!
Today, all the junk on the window sill was removed--odd vases, the petrified wood. All was dusty and sitting in dust. I want to clean the wood window parts myself so that the paint is not damaged or the paint scrubbed off with the wrong cleaner. LOC is what I like for this job and cleaning walls, but I have none.
She has seen me put toothpicks in sweet potatoes to get slips. She almost threw away my potatoes set to chit on a paper plate. Today, she was fascinated by the carrot tops in a saucer. I explained I would not get carrots, just a few tops to put in soup, dehydrate, or put in a salad. I think she was underwhelmed by the mention of eating carrot tops.
J is not into gardening and just did not want to grow anything in a bucket. She hates tomatoes. I asked her what was her favorite vegetable to eat. Cucumbers. She was sincerely happy when I told her I would help her grow cucumbers! So, today, I supervised and instructed her how to use grow pellets to germinate cucumber seeds. She proudly took home a sandwich bag with four pellets that have eight seeds set to germinate and strict instructions about what to do with them. Tonight, I will use another 4 pellets for 8 seeds in case the five cats or the ac at her house disrupts the germination process.
When we went to get cigarettes for her, I mused that I needed pallets. She said we should go behind stores, so we did. She stuffed the one huge one we found into my trunk and she tied it down with the plastic string I keep in the trunk. I drove home about 20mph and avoided the main streets and only had to cross the highway, really busy. She brought it to the back yard and put it approximately in the place it will be for my bucket garden. The pallet was beside the dumpster, so I hope it was abandoned to the trash. I need one more or maybe two more.
Thursday was windy, so clothes on the line dried in record time! I only have one line, but the rest of the wash can be put on the line tomorrow.
The next thing for me to do is locate my drill and for us to drill holes in five-gallon buckets and wash them with Clorox. Of course, the seeds need to be transplanted into larger pots as soon as they get two true leaves. Well, that is what I do.
It is debatable as to whether the aloe is surviving or slowly dying. I cannot tell.
She commented as we left the house and several times before, "I learn so much from you." I will keep her in cucumbers if that is what it takes for her to keep cleaning and lifting things that are not really heavy. And, I cannot pay her!
Did your area have bad weather today, The day here was very pleasant, sort of windy for an hour with no rain!
Your turn
Do you teach anyone simple things about plant propagation? Well, she is sort of a captive audience. How was the weather at your place--stormy or quiet? Do you have a place you can find pallets?
I killed quiet a few aloe plants. Apparently I am watering them too much.
ReplyDeleteT'Pol,
DeleteI am resisting the urge to water. It's difficult!
Would you mention who J is again and how it came about that she comes to help? Is she family or a friend? I may try some container planting this year.
ReplyDeleteI seemed to have missed that detail as well.
DeleteSam and Lorraine,
DeleteShe and her bf are staying with my very nice friend who helps me with garbage. She and bf are both meth addicts no longer practicing their addiction. I cannot stand him. He is taking advantage of my friend. She is sort of trapped. I am trying to get her to take action to get away from a very abusive relationship. I trust her.
Oh, and she offered to help me if I needed it. So, I am taking advantage of her offer and taking her to food bsnk, ss office, courthouse, etc. I also take her to free lunches. Two more meth addicts are now taking advantage of my friend and I cannot stand them. I turn down offers from the three men to help, but not my friend and her.
DeleteHi Linda I enjoy reading about your adventures. I am in Vermont, we are having snow today and tomorrow. I use pallets for a compost bin. We also use them to stack our firewood on to keep it off the ground. I am happy that you have some help with chores. You are doing a good thing to help this woman.
ReplyDeleteBarbara.
DeleteThanks, I am receiving grief from some on another forum. But, I am beginning to trust her more. If she had not been with me, I could not have gotten the one pallet into the car. She told me she needed an older woman to tell her things since her mother died when she was in her teens.
I hate to rub it in, but the skies are the most brilliant blue today with fluffy white clouds scooting across the sky. At 4:30 pm, I hung out a line of clothes, feeling positive the breeze will dry them before dark. Thanks for the comment.