Misfits arrived yesterday, missing the eggs, but I had plenty, having shopped locally, forgetting I'd ordered them. Sometimes a poor memory works okay. Right, AC?
The butternut squash will be in soup today with cashews and sweet potatoes from earlier weeks. Soup in the freezer is my go to when I run out of ideas and motivation for cooking.
Exchanges of holiday greetings today, very nice to help with the slough of loneliness that sweeps over now and then.
Mike is free Tuesday, so we'll celebrate then with ham, roasted cheese potatoes and carrots. He's bringing cheese and bread sticks for before, drinks for during, and dessert for after. I have to find my collection of Easter eggs and things to put out.
One Indian friend texted early today, reported the death of her father in India very recently, peacefully, he was okay with it. And the family donated his skin, a new one to me. Evidently other organs weren't accepted, perhaps his age played a role, but skin is vital to people like, I suppose, burn patients, or maybe research. Brilliant idea.
So Jackie didn't get away yesterday, after all, her car not being back from the shop in time. Today's the new target. Having been a houseguest, she being in Gary's extended family, for way longer than her original plans, she's ready.
Gary is about to drive to Florida with her and the cats, help her move in, collect her furniture in store in Miami since she left Puerto Rico, drive it to the new place in Tampa, stop off to install a new floor for another relative somewhere in Florida, snd take in a specialty breed dog show somewhere there, too, maybe to bring home a new dog. Just a normal couple of weeks in his life.
It means that he has to be away right when the fence on our block is being replaced. I'm hoping for no complications there, since I'm charged with keeping him informed! This wasn't his original plan, after all the disputes with the fencers who wanted him to fell a beautiful butterfly bush. I might have to run interference there. We'll see.
I'm also charged with taking care of this. One orchid, two views. I kept the view of the shelves because I like sneak peeks into other people's kitchens so I thought you might, too. There's the calendar right where I see it daily. And my chef's apron hanging on the wall, and the trusty freezer. And the shelves, every single item on which is used.
Another neighbor is watering the rest of his collection, but he's entrusting this to me for the two weeks he's away.
It's not a very good set-up, just a gift item, artificially dyed, not expected to last. No drainage, no inner pot to lift out for watering. I'll see if I can get it out to water and drain, but it's jammed in. I might have to run a knife around. Anyway I'll do my best.
The other vital last minute task was to check with me, again, how to apply for the senior freeze program! I showed him, again, my packet of forms and he'll follow up.
It's the program where seniors can freeze real estate taxes to the year you get in the program, then claim a refund of subsequent years' increases.
Naturally the State Treasury is not in a mad rush to enroll new applicants and pay out money, and it can take years to get in. They've failed twice to send him the vital forms. They lose them, insist you missed the deadline etc.
But it amused me hugely to see this illustration of his quicksilver mind, in the middle of retrieving the car from the shop, shoving items on the patio back from the fence, arranging plant care, planning on a new dog, that he'd be taking care of the tax situation, too. He'd lost his phone again, took pictures of the vital info on another. Portrait of Gary.
This is the current state of the dried flowers, including roses from my December birthday bouquet. They've dried to look like silk flowers. I sent a pic along with pictures of current live flowers, to my sister, who sent the bouquet, with an Easter email.
Happy day everyone, this weekend of the confluence of Ramadan, Passover and Easter. Sikhs just celebrated, too, and Jain.
Inclusive weekend to us all.
That Gary is one busy guy! Good luck with the butterfly bush!
ReplyDeleteI've never heard of donating skin either. I'd have thought .... well, you know, I don't know what I think about it, actually. But I am a bit puzzled that they don't want younger skin, if they're going to graft it. But what do I know?
ReplyDeleteI always think those dyed orchids are rather sad, hopefully you can repot?
Your misfits box looks like a good idea. Sometimes it can make you really creative to have to improvise. Soup's my go-to as well.
I wonder if the skin donation was acceptable because he was a lifelong vegetarian, no smoking, no alcohol.
ReplyDeleteI explained to Gary about the orchid and how I plan to repot it. It's only a couple of weeks, so I hope it can't come to much harm.
Jackie just sighed as they're packing the car, that this was supposed to happen Thursday, ahead of holiday traffic..but they're operating on Gary time!
That Gary! What would all of you do without him? I can't wait to hear the report and see pictures if he gets a dog.
ReplyDeleteThose roses look beautiful! They dried very nicely! Flowers don't dry that well here. Too much humidity I expect.
My husband just drove away with Levon and August to take them to Aunt Lily's and then to drive himself to Apalachicola to meet his sister. In less than 24 hours I'm hosting Easter dinner and my house looks like a hurricane hit it because it sort of did. Hurricane Levon/August. Beds to make. Laundry to do. Final prepping to do. Cleaning to do. One never sees the dust until company is coming. Isn't that the way?
I think I need more coffee.
What? Oh yeah, right. 😜
ReplyDeleteBTW we recently had duck eggs and gave the rest of the carton away.
Mary I don't know what we'd do without Gary, but we'd do it faster. They're still ready to leave, Jackie in the driver's seat for two hours now, and he's repacking the trunk..
ReplyDeleteHappy Easter and good luck to your friend Gary.
ReplyDeleteGary is a busy one but he sure does sound like a good friend. I imagine he will come home to a healthier orchid than he left. I never thought about donating skin but when I think about it, it makes a lot of sense. Besides burn victims, there are many people that need skin grafts for various reasons. I hope you have a glorious Easter!
ReplyDeleteI wish we could freeze our real estate taxes. We have an exorbitant rate on the island. With so few people, our taxes are high to pay for the services.
ReplyDeleteHappy Easter, Boud.
Happy Easter, Marie. Yes, taxes are an issue with a small population, true.
ReplyDeleteMy county's real estate taxes are 2.39% of assessed value. So even a few hundred dollars rebate is welcome, since my annual tax bill is around $8,000.
ReplyDeleteI had an orchid for years. Ten or more. A tiny gift from a tiny granddaughter. She was four. She told me "an ice cube a week, gramma." So I gave it an ice cube a week. I had to repot it twice. You don't pot orchids into dirt; they use odd pieces of wood. My orchid bloomed annually for years and years. It was still alive when the granddaughter was fifteen. One year it didn't bloom and the next year it died.
ReplyDeleteYes, very little watering needed. I've grown them before, but this one's just a temporary guest. I gave away my osmunda fiber after I quit orchids.
ReplyDeleteGary seems to be the general helper for everybody in the neighbourhood - handy guy to have around. That's a beautiful orchid. I've never had any success in having them rebloom and really should come to the realization that it's not going to happen for me and I need to just 'file' the plant once it's done blooming. Instead I live in hope.
ReplyDelete