Superbowl Sunday And Other Stuff

I LOVE Superbowl Sunday.  It means I can shop at the DIY store without a crowd there, LOL!  It's like shopping for flowers AFTER Valentines Day or grocery shopping after Thanksgiving Day.

It is supposed to start snowing later today.  The weather-forecasters have (by self-admission) been all over the forecasts this week.  Snow, no snow, snow.  Heavy, light, etc.  Apparently, the conditions are so uncertain that they just can't tell exactly where this storm is moving.

Which is not a great surprise.  Washington DC is a turbulence zone.  That means Southern warms meet Northern colds where the Jet Stream crosses the uneven Appalachian Mountains, so almost anything can happen.  

I mean, we got a foot of snow on Veterans Day one year and they didn't even think it would RAIN.  Took 3 hours to get home!

So they are saying tonight we might get 1-3" of snow followed by rain here.  Or not, depending on some high pressure front moved north or south 20 miles.  Let's just say I usually just look ouit the window to see what is happening.

1" of snow will melt.  3" might be annoying.  I'm not recovered enough to shovel 3" and the snow-blower doesn't real deal with lesser amounts well.

But with the possibility of snow, I had to check the bird-feeders.  I could see the thistleseed ones were about empty, so I brought out enough to refill them.  On the way, I checked the sunflower seed feeder.  The 2 suet feeders were OK, but the main seed tray was nearly empty.  Damn!

Well, I love my birds and snow causes them hardships.  So I carefully set up the ladder and dragged the seed bucket out and up.  I was VERY VERY careful.  I have to order more thistle and sunflower, I'm out.  The thought of dumping a 50 pound bag into the metal trash can I store the sunflowers in is daunting.  Maybe I'll just cut the top off and scoop.  Same with the thistle seed.

You make adjustments to the usual routines when you have to...  But I like my birds.  The cardinals are my favorites in Winter, so very bright red.  But there are many others who depend on the suet and seeds.  The thistle feeders are visited by goldfinches and sometimes by purple finches.  The goldfinches are the Spring/Summer glory around here.  So I support a small flock of cardinals and finches for Summer/Winter viewing.  

I'm still stiff in the morning and after sitting at the computer, but maybe some less each day.  I have to remind myself not to put a foot up on the opposite knee.  It doesn't bother me at the time, but it hurts some after.  Habits are hard to break.  

Cleaning the litter boxes is awkward.  I can't lift them to the workbench where I normally do it (resting the ribs for another 2 weeks) and gettting on hands and knees is not the easiest thing yet.  But I CAN carefully and it is a requirement.

Walking around is not much of a problem the past days.  Not like I can walk FAST, but it is mostly straight-forward.  I can return the walker to Deb anytime.  I plan to do that along with a loaf of warm bread.  She and John loved it cold; warm will be better just before dinnertime.  

That's not actually mine, but darn close.  I need to remember to take a picture.

Ordered some new seeds.  Most of mine are fresh (refrigeration helps) but some are old.  Late for ordering and so some are out of stock, but I made adjustments and am trying 2 new-to-me heirloom tomatoes.  One is a cold-tolerant early producer and the other is a pear-shaped Japanese type that is supposedly very meaty with few seeds.  

Have to replace some lights in the plant stand.  Naturally, they are at the bottom which is awkward.  Oh well, what is life without a few challenges?

Ran out of fish food yesterday, so off to the pet store I go today.  I thought I had a large container half-full stashed away, but no.  But while there,  I could use a few more fish.  They only live a few years and I am down to mostly guppies and a couple catfish.  I want some tetras.  The guppies hide in the floating plants on the top.  The tetras swim around the middle.

Laz loves watching the Fish TV from the stepstool.  He doesn't go after them or I would remove the stepstool.

I am slowly catching up on things here.  Quite a To Do list after a month ignoring clutter and grime.  I wish I could just flood the house with soapy water and suck it up with the shop vac, but one thing at a time will have to do.

Hanging in there...