writing
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zucchini report #575, and news
New and noted ~My dear husband did some fixing of the plastic garbage can that the squirrels chewed, and did it in a most manly way that involved power tools and bleeding. He drilled holes, added lots of reinforcing metal and duct tape, and managed to slice open two fingers on the sharp metal edges. No stitches (I thought he needed them, but no, he preferred my home doctoring). I wonder if the smell of blood will keep the squirrels away? So far so good, three days later. ~Said squirrels are getting aggressive. Peanut addicts! They are resorting to threats and intimidation for their nuts. One nipped Patrick’s bare toe…
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stuff and nonsense
We’re getting ready to go on vaca for a week at Lake Tahoe, where we’ll stay at the cabin (“Daveland”) for just a wee spot of cash (pay the utilities for the week — sweet!). Vacations of any stripe always mean lots of planning, but this year I’ve planned a little more so than usual. Partly because this is a vacation for 3 instead of a vacation for 7 like last year. Why would planning for 3 involve more planning? Because I’m really planning for two separate weeks — one for those who stay at home (groceries, chores, emergency cash, etc.) and a different week for a single child w/o companions…
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the future’s so bright
Yep. Spent the weekend off the computer, mostly. Didn’t go away. Just rested, ate, slept, had a date with Mr. Husband, and puttered. Now I’m looking at the garden (bountiful!), my week (stuff to do!), and my future (exciting!) and thinking about what to do first. First thing — thank you for the many comments and to people who wrote to me about the June Food Stamp Challenge. I’m working on a couple of plans to further this project. I’ve been asked to write a long article about it this week, which is on my to-do, and am fiddling with a query on a longer project. I’ll let you know…
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Answers!
Wow, great questions coming in from readers near and far. Thank you for reading and for all your interest. This post will just answer questions — I have today’s stuff to write for the JFSC but don’t want to leave you hanging on unfinished business. And, by the way, thanks, Katy Wolk-Stanley, for blogging about me on your NonConsumer Advocate blog. You rock the house! So — 1) Will I write about more sustainable, green, urban homesteading, frugal topics, etc, henceforth? Yes. Funny, this blog started out as a how-to for writers; if you look back in the archive, you’ll see that at least for the first year or so (2004), I ended…
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February dreaming
These blossoms have not yet bloomed, but we’re getting to that point. These are mock-pear, but it’s something in February when the cherry and plum trees bloom. Petals falling like snowflakes on the sidewalk. So pretty. It’s been sunny, with pretend-threats of rain, but no such rain for a week or so. The big storms (such as they are in California) were wonderful, loud and very wet. More, please! However, the sliding glass door leaks, and I had to stuff the cracks with plastic bags to keep the rain out. Now, a week or so later, guess what I find? Little green sprouts in the carpet, and shiny, sluggy-snail tracks…