Plant detective alert and other vital issues

 This morning I was doing a bit of housekeeping on this plant, removing spent foliage

 And noticed this little sprig at the base of the plant. 

 

As you see, quite different leaf form, probably a hitch hiker.  But I'm wondering what it might be.  Anyone who can identify it, please do! 

 This plant has been in my collection since it came from next door's collection in late summer last year.  So I don't know what the origin might be.  Could be seeded from another of my own plants, except I don't recognize the foliage at all.  Or it could be an opportunistic weed plant which has lain dormant for who knows how long.  Or a baby tree, planted by squirrels when the plant was outdoors last summer.  My money's on a tree. I'm thinking of digging it up and giving it its own pot, to see what happens.

And, since I'm in contemplative mood, this is my latest book from the library, an actual paper book, with rounded corners, old fashioned diary style.  I don't know much about it, except that the writer drew on her own novels to find interesting paths to think about and maybe act on.  It came out a couple of years ago, but seems relevant right now.

And remember I was wondering about buying a tablet, then suddenly got a new phone? This is why. See the tape.

One of the governing buttons, the sound control rocker switch, fell off  the old phone somewhere, never noticed it was gone until I realized I couldn't change the sound levels at all.  All the internal screens end up directing you to the external button.  And I realized I'd better get a new phone in case the other, the on/off switch, went the same way.

So I did, and I use the old phone like the tablet I nearly bought, same functionality for my purposes, saved me quite a bit. I access websites and audiobooks, take pix, everything except phone and text. And the pix I take on here appear on my new phone anyway, all synced.

Then yesterday, I noticed a little metal thing on the kitchen counter, where I'd been using the old phone to take pix for blogz.  Thought at first it was a bit of tinfoil, nearly swept it into the garbage, then took another look.  And realized it was the other button, the much more important on/off one, which had fallen off.  I set it back in place, and to make sure it didn't get permanently lost, taped it.  It works just fine with this diy fix.  Too bad I didn't find the rocker (sound) switch before it vanished into the ether.

And I scrutinize the new phone, same design, frequently, to make sure its buttons don't go MIA.

And, on the subject of Other Clever Things I Did, I managed to get gas for my car this morning. Only the second tank since I bought it last March.  But the tricky bit is that I couldn't for the life of me get the gas cap open. The switch was awkward to reach, down left of my foot, impossible to see what direction to push or yank or slide or what. And I was wondering whether to get gas after the library and realized that the dopey gas cap control was putting me off.  So I decided I'd just do it.  And to my astonishment, managed for the first time to get it open without the aid of the impatient garage mechanic reaching past me and banging it open with a grunt of annoyance.  So now I can do that.

There was a slight hitch when I found I couldn't open the window because I'd turned the engine off.  I thought I could get the driver side window open without the engine on, but noooo. So I had to pay through an open door, gah.  Anyway, it's done for another four or so months! I have the econo setting for fuel on. Not exactly vital at this time.  

This Fit is well named, considering the fits it's given me in our short relationship to date.