Friday, March 15, 2024

Plotting against skeeters

I love this idea for targeting only mosquito larvae, and not killing other insects. The graphic that I found on bluesky says:

1. Get a bucket. [all good plans start like this]

2. Add straw and water to the bucket, at a ratio of about 4 water : 1 straw.

3. Let it ferment and get gross for 3 days. Mosquitoes like gross.

4. On day 4, add 1/4 of a Mosquito Dunk to the bucket.

5. Set your bucket in a sunny or part shade location. Make sure it doesn't dry out. [This will be more challenging in Albuquerque than in Virginia.]

6. Add a new chunk of Mosquito Dunk after 30 days.

More info here: How to Set up a Mosquito Larva Trap. That page says to put chicken wire on top of the bucket to keep animals out. It says that a mosquito dunk works for about 30 days and the whole bucket of sludge should be changed then. 

This will be an excellent spring experiment as we spend more time on the back patio. 

Thursday, February 29, 2024

Daffs

The daffodils started blooming about a week ago. Clearly I need to clean up the iris bed. The spring winds have been blasting for the last two days. I just noticed my upper palate itching which is my sign that I am still allergic to juniper pollen. I will see how it goes and apply Zyrtec as needed. 



Friday, February 16, 2024

More Sweetness

My spouse says I'm overreacting to my bout of covid. Yes, that does make me want to pummel him with small pillows. It was a miserable two weeks without any life threatening symptoms, just the crud. I was sure it lasted at least 3 weeks - it felt like longer. I'm trying to get out and walk every day for Lent and that doesn't feel good yet. But the sunlight is delicious. I know resting is important but surely short walks? And no one knows and that's part of the whole miserable package. My general outlook is that enjoying things is happening again, but not at the frequency I prefer.   

Faceboobs feels like it is less and less usable. I see some of my connections' posts and then it's just sludge, instagram-like pretty picture accounts I haven't asked for. I am happiest with bsky. And I miss things. That makes me feel old and pouty. Maybe I will like what's yet to come.  

I tore through Prophet yesterday. Good weird adventure, great title. For one of the authors, it's quite a turn from H is for Hawk. This bit shocked me: "Nevada test site. One bomb every three weeks for twelve years. They called Vegas Atomic City back then. You could watch the mushroom clouds from your casino hotel." Is that true? I did not know that. I thought Wes Anderson's Atomic City was more exaggerated/cartoony for effect and am disturbed to think otherwise.  

I'm reading The Ornament of the World for this Saturday's book group. It covers some complicated medieval history in Spain. It's pleasant and educational but I am not in love. I learned about the Abbasids moving from Damascus and building Bagdad as their new capital with concentric ring walls. Wells plays with this in City of Bones, the levels of that city also rise in elevation and are starkly separated by class.     

I am practicing my pronunciation of Ayo (👁 + O) Edibiri (ehDehburry) since it is different than my initial reading. I have trouble remembering names until I can spell them. But on the other hand I think we might be better off not ever writing names, just make it all sounds and nicknames. I love her performances including the recent SNL hosting, awkwardly with JLo as the musical guest. The Scam Goddess podcast in which AE riffed on JLo never singing on her own songs is a delight; the host and guest are having a great time. I'm planning to go see The Sweet East with AE when it's at the downtown arthouse at the end of the month.

I made a super kickass batch of green chile stew this week. I was trying to heal my husband's congestion by delivering chicken broth in a way he would actually eat. It exceeded my expectations and we feasted. I used the very basic recipe I copied off a package of "Chile Products of NM, Inc." green chile back in the mists of time. I simmered 4 chicken thighs with onion, carrot, parsley and peppercorns to make broth. Strained the broth, cooled the chicken, chopped. Cooked 2# medium green chile, 4 sm. cubed potatoes, garlic, a can of crushed tomatoes and a sliced carrot in 2.5 cups of broth for 30 minutes. I added the chopped chicken and cilantro and simmered another 10. I seasoned with salt, pepper and cumin. The crushed tomatoes made the whole deal redder than I wanted but I can't argue with the taste outcome. So much goodness.     


Thursday, February 1, 2024

Stretch

I would like to do a good stretching session. I'm in post-covid seclusion this week so it won't be in public. Maybe time for an Adriene yoga video or three. I look forward to starting strengthening exercise but it'll be later in the year. 

Yes, hoist by my own petard. The petard being my desire to sing, unmasked, indoors in the winter. There are about 14 cases of Covid (audience and chorus members) after our two performances. Only unmasked people got it. I won't be doing that again. I am thrown back to my feelings that indoor gatherings in the winter are still risky. I love to sing with others and am frustrated that it's not currently a good idea.

I now love paxlovid and credit it with a turnaround. I spent five days feeling worse and worse - sore throat, little to no voice by the end, fever/chill/body aches and weepy with very low morale. A couple of days on paxlovid had me much peppier and I am grateful. The metallic taste was not oppressive and went away within 36 hours after last dose. I have some fatigue, coughing and congestion left and hope to be shed of all of this next week.  

My pcp wouldn't prescribe paxlovid as I did not have recent blood work showing my kidney function. The Urgent Care doc asked whether I'd ever had kidney issues (no), said "That's ridiculous", and prescribed. Bless her.    

The light is noticeably longer now in the early evening. The ever loving month of January has finally shown itself out. February is never a beauty but I am glad to be here. Not a lot going on in the interior. Onward to feeling more whole and being creative. 

I did a blanket stitch at the top and bottom of our cranberry colored wool blanket. It was fraying and we are still getting good use out of it. I used a spool of thin wool yarn that had been savaged by Zing. I had to remove all the shredded bits until I got down to the usable length. I cussed her fondly and wish I could feel her settle onto my sternum and purr. The blanket stitching was effective and satisfying. I am ready for the next fiber project. 

Yesterday I noticed that my favorite buttoned shirt was gapping between buttons. Just call me Busty Gaps. I sewed in a snap to fix that. First I sewed the bottom part of the snap upside down. I got to remove my carefully placed stitches and start over. I think that's a big part of sewing/crafting work - doing it over and over. Either you will fix the thing you're working on, or you will learn how to do the next iteration better. 

Friends are visiting from KS in March. I am sure we will have a good time. I've let L know that she may be staying with her grandma for that time since it's also the start of her spring break. 

Feeling oppressed by more travel that needs to be planned - April housing needed in Texas. I'll ask my friend in San Antonio and our other non-hotel option is staying with MIL. June graduation in Chicago. I've got to get lodging for grandmas and us and a rental car and, and. Maybe I'll feel energy for that next week too. 

Really enjoying a regency novel Petty Treason by Robins. Feels like Georgette Heyer whipped with some Harlots.       


Friday, January 12, 2024

Tetchy

Wow, I really got into the holiday glow there, didn't I? January has arrived and is stomping around with big heavy boots to disrupt that mood.

Urgh
I had my first colonoscopy earlier this week. I know everyone hates the prep and I also had a terrible time. The anticipation was the worst. I had anxiety and dread as I got close to poisoning-myself-day. Once the process was underway it was only unpleasant. Being on the gurney finally was a relief. Nothing was removed, the comment was that there were some pockets and I should eat more fiber. This is concerning because I eat so much raw fruit. I'll try to remember to ask my doctor about that. Ten years time to forget about this before the next one. 

I took two days off work for it and if I had to do it again I would take three. The next day back at work was long and trying. After that I have felt okay. 

Laaa
Yesterday I finally did a fundraising thing for the chorus that I was dreading for a month. I didn't get the donation I asked for, but I got some more information and purchased the gift certificate for the auction gift basket. In my opinion this is a very old fashioned way to try to fundraise. Not sure if I'm willing to get on the board to try to help steer the ship.     

Our concerts are a week away. Lots of the singers will be masked because it unfortunately continues to be a risky behavior to be singing inside in winter. Sigh. I am leaning toward singing without a mask because what else do I have to spend my risk on? I'll decide on the day. 

I like this group of folks. I enjoy learning the music. I don't much care for the fundraising. The evaluation period continues. 

Turmoil
Our oldest daughter is in Ecuador for study abroad until late March. Her timing was not good as the new president's government is being challenged by the drug cartels. We've gotten a tersely reassuring message from the study abroad group. We've gotten texts from her saying that the unrest is in another part of the country and that her host family is unperturbed. Nod read the State Department's Travel Advisory and told her to be ready to leave in a hurry if necessary. I selfishly hope she can stay for these nine and a half weeks. And hope that Ecuador can keep moving in the most peaceful and democratic direction.   



 

Friday, December 22, 2023

Gentle darkness

I could certainly use some slow time. Getting up for the last work day was hard this morning. I'm grateful that I have more than a week off. 

K and L got craft supplies and we celebrated the solstice by playing with colors and paper and candles. Very sweet. When I went to bed I could hear my kids laughing at Taskmaster. 

My radiation treatments are over and I can tell the tenderness is receding. Nod is over Covid but it kicked his ass and will be a gradual process. Glad to be here - it could be worse! 

MIL is arriving after xmas, just in time to help celebrate my mom's birthday. Mom has offered to put her up which is very nice. I made a reservation at mom's favorite downtown restaurant for all of us. It's a work day for Nod so who knows if he'll join. L leaves 12/29, K on the 30th and E on the 31st. Then I get a couple days of holiday to myself.    

Get twinkling and have a sweet end to the year.



Wednesday, December 13, 2023

jazz, shhhh

Apparently my old person progress has reached the vintage jazz stage. Here's what's been flipping my switch lately.

An Oscar Peterson Christmas:


Thought about Eubie Blake because one of our major streets is Eubank. (His name is a nickname for Hubert, of course, not Eubank.) I enjoyed watching him play the rag he composed as a youngster. And that led me to Willie 'The Lion' Smith who I had never heard of. Performance in mid 60s Paris:

Love the stillness of his body while his hands do their thing.

Just saw Earl Hines recommended by John Darnielle (Mountain Goats) and this album is making my morning Fine and Dandy:


Nod's over his bout of Covid, with just a little cough and tiredness remaining. He went back to work on Monday and I have never seen someone so happy to get out of the house. I'm done with my radiation treatments and taking the rest of December off from my boring part time job (pursuing my own healthcare). I feel good and am grateful. 

Youngest is home after finals and we went to the mountains to cut a tree. I made Nod climb a steep slope and felt guilty about it later. But I wanted him to approve the tree I found. It was about perfect: not too tall, thin trunk that was easy to cut, on a slope with lots of other young trees so I felt like it wouldn't be missed. It's in the back yard waiting for us to figure out where it goes inside. In the picture window in the front room or back in the library where only we can see it? Furniture moving is involved, possibly a marital wrangle too. 

Adding a couple of Ethiopian jazz links: