'Cloche'

Cloche, a thing to cover plants when they are young and tender.  Makes a lot of sense.  Each plant gets it's own little greenhouse.  Retains heat and moisture and staves off killing frosts.

I suppose if I had a fine aristocratic nose to look down at people from, I might have the fancy glass versions ($25 each)

Or, if I was even lazier than I am and a spendthrift to boot, I could buy them in plastic from Amazon ($1 each).

I'm neither of those things.  I'm a cheap old bast.... um.... frugal gentleman.  The wife has aquariums, and that means distilled water in multiple gallon jugs at a time.  The resulting empty plastic bottles need only the bottom cut off to make a very serviceable cloche at my favorite price ($0).

This is why I have well started zucchini, butternut, and basil plants in zone 6b in mid-April.

Re-use, re-purpose, re-cycle.

4-23-26

 W: 318.2            BS: 80

• Dishes
• Fix mower
• Mow/trim
• Order wagon tires
• Vacuum
• Plants out
• Critter care
• Meds
• Laundry
• Trash
• ?

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Fixed income bargain shopper that I am, I'm now using Walmart for the bulk of our groceries.  Why?  They sell the commodity a little less expensive.  Even with delivery and loss of 'gas points', it still comes out cheaper for the family. In addition, they screw up a lot less than Giant and so far have never scammed us on coupon details. Sure, I still watch the other stores like a hawk, snatching bargains as and when.

Walmart has this 'meal deal'.  A middlin small rotisserie chicken and two 'large' (undefined) sides (Potatoes and mac), all for $10.  It looked of possibilities, so I added three of same to our last grocery order.

The 'large' sides were bigger than expected.  The potatoes, astonishingly, were real, and had a splash of gravy.  The mac n cheese was lackluster but edible.  Needed hot sauce and garlic.  The chickens were actually tasty and moist, without too much salt which I had feared.

From the $30 in meals deals the family ate for several days, at least three meals combined. The kiddos sat down and demolished the sides before day two was over.  All the easily usable meat was off the chickens by day three, and that included sliced chicken, chicken salad, and chicken soup.  The three busted down and broken carcasses went into the pressure cooker and yielded eight quarts of really rich stock.

All in all, this deal works. Fair value and the minions were pleased to stuff their gobs.

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Falafel

 

My first attempt at this staple street food.  Mostly, I followed this recipe, except I substituted horseradish leaves for the parsley.  It's I had on hand.

Tender homemade naan, chick pea falafel, tahini sauce.  So yeah, this will happen again and the recipe will be refined to our tastes.

 As with most of the things Trumpster does, it's unclear what the goal is.  I believe he likes it that way, and the mystery has become one of his most powerful tools.

He proposed some kind of Yuge memorial for our nations 250th, looking all Frenchy in design and covered with sayings the proggies hateses, like 'Everyone is equal' and such.

The thing is, so far the whole deal has cost him about four breaths and a few heartbeats as he mentioned it.  By that very simple action he has tied hundreds of TDS inflicted morons in knots, leaving them too busy splattering spittle over the 'Arch' to get in his way on other things more real.

Maybe it's a real idea.  Maybe it's pure schlock.  With the Trumpster, there is just no way to know... and that is his magic in action.

Frankly, I think the TDS minions are just pissed that Trump needs an entire new wing on the white house to keep his huge balls in, and he's getting it.

4-21-26

 W: 320.2                BS: 221

Well FFS....

Weight just keeps climbing.  I didn't THINK I was eating badly.  Mostly staying under 2k a day in calories, unless I'm cheating myself.  I think I'll do just liquids for a few days and try to get a handle on what is happening.  Ironic since I will also double the Lasix for a few days.

Yes, the gain is real.  I can feel it, especially in breathing.  Put new batteries in the scale and zero'ed it every day.

The BS... I am pretty sure is BS.  I put on a new CGM and it went to over 200 and never came below it.  Never happened before.  The last sensor was trash out of the box.  Been averaging 50% junk as I open new $enSors.   Asked the doc to prescribe the newest model which is said to maybe even possibly actually work... most of the time.

I tried to verify the bloody way, but discovered I'm out of lancets.  New box will be delivered tomorrow.  Maybe I should just go back to the old fashioned real daily blood test.

Today was to be 'Make Falafel for the first time' day.  Yeah, so maybe that can be tomorrow.

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4-20-26

 W: 318.2            BS: NA

I captured this image of a forlorn yellow rose washed up on a beach.

Now you fill in the story.  What does this evoke?

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April 19th, Patriot's day.

Patriot's Day: April 19, 1775. When Americans took up arms against their king, and bled, at the crack of terrible dawn.

Patriot's day reminds us of why we are what we are. We are the people who say NO to tyrants. We are the people who demand freedom, even at the cost of the blood of those who would dominate us. We are the people who choose dangerous integrity and honor over peaceful slavery, for ourselves and all our fellow humans.

April 19th, 1775 was a not day of universal agreement. Those who chose freedom and humanity were well outnumbered by others who would submit until ignominious death overtook them. The majority would gladly trade their humanity for ten fewer lashes at the stake. They would even more gladly serve up their neighbors on a platter to a tyrant, hoping to be given a sliver of power over those who survived.

Just. Like. Today.

April 19th, the day unheard voices were replaced by powder smoke and canon fire, the only thing tyrants and their minions cannot choose to ignore.

4-17-26

 W: 316.2     315.2           BS: 117

Pain is the one thing in the universe nobody needs to compete for.  There is always plenty for everyone.

4-16-26

 W: 314.4            BS: 152

4-15-26

 W: 315.2                BS: 131

Cigars on the porch....

The huge and over-the-top fancy humidor Carolyn gifted me lives in our bedroom, where it is safe.  Now that Summer is approaching fast and I'm outside smoking cigars more often, it seemed I needed a 'Porch Box' to keep the ready sticks in.

Here we have a nice cigar box that looks good on the porch table.  To supply moisture and flavor for my mediocre cigars, I put in a ramakin of Bourbon.

So far, this is working perfectly.  In the morning I grab a few cigars from the humidor and drop them off outside to the ready box.

This feels.... luxurious.  

4-14-26

 W: 317.8                BS: 132

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The new trolling motor feels like a beast.  The shaft is 6" shorter, which fits the boat a LOT better.  It is rated for 55lbs thrust, which is over 25% more than our last one.  I can only hope this lasts 10 years like the Minnkota did.

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People are making a big deal of Eric Smallswell and his meteoric fall.  They fail to realize the creep was an ablative senator.  Always was.  He was there to be the slimy lightning rod, and he played his unwitting role perfectly.  Nancy 'Grey Goose' Pelosi played him like a kindergarten kazoo. 

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4-12-26 Sun

 W: 315 - 318.0 ?  Scale seems wonky        BS: 112

Meh.

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4-10-26

 W: 316.6  :-(                BS: 111

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4-9-26

 W: 316.8               BS: 77

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'Smallswell'.  Once heard, cannot be unheard.

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Many folks want to simply keep flipping that coin, never thinking for a moment that the sides change but the coin never does.

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What do DeCarlos Brown and Joseph Biden have in common? Both were judged incompetent to stand trial for their obvious crimes.

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4-7-26

 W: 314.6                BS: 109

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4-6-26

    W: 315.0                BS: 109

• Dishes
• Laundry 1
• Laundry 2
• Meds
• Targets
• Choot?
• Vacuum
• Trash
• Cardboard
• Clean kitchen 
• ?

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Some think the situation is lopsided only because they think there are two sides. There is not. There is only one, with two faces to it. The evil face, and the stupid face. Together, they give the offended crocodile smile of the parasite class.

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4-5-26 Sun

 W: 315.6            BS: NA

First time on the river this season.  Spring run, VERY heavy current and real high water.  Most of the rocks we normally have to avoid were frightfully hidden.  We went anyway... dumb.

Near capsized when we got between a high current and a stuck anchor.  Engine too small to even get us across the river.  Trolling motor battery crapped out.  Ugh.

That's why it's called 'shakedown'.  Now we have our list.

4-3-26 Fri

 W: 313.8                BS: 100

• Extra Lasix
• Taxi 1
• Taxi 2
• Fuel truck & boat
• Dishes
• Sort clothes
• Vacuum
• Set up targets, CHOOT!
• Set up Lil Hooker
• Meds
• ?

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Tomorrow looks good for taking Lil Hooker out.  A few hours on the river will be enjoyable.

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Hegseth says troops are adults, and have the right to defend themselves, AKA carry weapons on base.

116 Base commanders just said "HARRUMPH!  Not on MY watch" and should begin planning their rapidly approaching retirement.

Radical terrorists nationwide just said تباً، فشلت مرة أخرى.

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Depending on things and stuff, we have a fire pit evening coming up! Antici.....pation!

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Ohhh those Jooos are evil racists for having a death penalty (Enacted two years ago and never applied.  Zero bodies in the stack.   Every other middle eastern nation have had frequently used death penalties for all of time, but they use it in enlightened fashion.  Not those Jooos.  No, them snicky joos ain't executing people like those Iranians do (2000+ in the last two years.   Snicky Joos is upta sumpin by not killing people like the Iranians do.

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Holy Abusers Batman! This reminds me of the Ex sooo hard.

"I have a plan!  You live in my basement for free, and give me your entire paycheck.  It'll work out great.  EVERYTHING WILL BE FINE IF YOU JUST DO WHAT I TELL YOU!"

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"You won't vote for KaMAla because she be a African American woman!"

Yeah, I have three things to say about that.

1)  KaMAla isn't African.  Her family is Caribbean.  Nor is she American in any way I can see.

2) She's a woman?  How can YOU tell?  Are you a biologist?  What is a woman?

3)  I won't vote for her because she's mean, degrading, and dumb as a rock.  Not even a shiny rock.  A dull rock.

Next question?

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4-2-26 Mon

 W: 313.2                BS: 137

• Dept Ag
• Order groceries
• Pay bill
• Taxi 1
• Taxi 2
• Dishes
• Vacuum
• Firewood in
• Laundry
• Meds
• Shop electricity
• ?

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Dept of Ag was here this morning.  Nice young lady took test material from each bird we have.  Results should be back by this evening.  Either they come slaughter everything, or it's something milder than Avian Influenza and we just lose some to a cold.

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3-31-26 Tue

 W: 313.8                    BS: 140

• Dishes 1
• Dishes 2
• Rake out bed
• Set up trellis
• Plant something
• Plant more something
• Collect smalls?
• Laundry
• Vacuum
• ?

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The age old question.  Are lures like this designed to catch FISH, or to catch money from the fisherman?

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3-30-26 Mon

 W: 315.2                       BS: 132

• Laundry
• Trash
• Taxi
• Shot
• Plant some seeds
• Pay bill
• Trailer reg
• Grocery pickup
• Chickens
• Vacuum
• Stack wood
• Sort clothes/Put away
• ?

Ambitious to-do list, at least for me.  3:30 pm, step goal far exceeded, and I'm mostly wiped for the day.   Honestly?  I'm at the point where I'm no longer sad for what I *used* to do, and I'm simply grateful I can still do what I can.   A few years back I was convinced I'd be a ghost by now, so every day still kicking is a bonus.

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Memories abound this morning.  Long ago, there I wuz....

Running a small shop for someone.  The shop owner was making his weekly visit, and noticed a piece of tape I had placed on the back of the service counter.  Only we could see it. On it, I had written '$1.36'.

"What is that for?" he asked.

I replied "I went through the most recent P&L report.  That is how much money I need to bring in every single minute that door is unlocked and we are open for business.  That's break even, before we make any money".

'Huh..." was his answer.

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I'm told that saying "I'm sure you get exactly what you have earned" is threatening and mean.

Um.... why?

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Ever wonder how the shit pile got so large?  Well, here's a clue.

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