‘Maters – After last year’s disaster in finding the exact tomato plants I wanted, I am starting my own. Seeds are on tall displays with the prettiest flowers at eye level. The tomato seeds are always on the bottom row. Very bottom. Almost in the basement. The word “tomato” is prominent but the variety is in a light-colored small font which requires that I crawl around the floor like a toddler looking for her pacifier. It took three stores to find one of the varieties and I still have two more to find. On-line ordering for these varieties, incur a shipping charge that is much more than the cost of the seeds. They come in an envelope! Whattup with that?
Something good…maybe – I had to get my glasses adjusted. Glasses are outrageous. The last frames I bought were $200 (that’s just the frames). They are frameless. That means it’s a nose piece and side bars. That’s nuts. (Ok the side bars are red but they are plastic!) I noticed that the glass place now carries frames for $49. Nice ones. It wasn’t crowded. Several glass warehouse stores have opened in the area and the prices may be going down. The pair I have was half price (which was still $250) with a coupon. With my weird eyes, it has all the bells and whistles – progressives, transitions, lighter weight lens.
So ready! – Some of you live in warmer climates. I don’t. This winter (so far) has been wonderful. One snow and no single digits. This weekend is promising to be a preview of spring. Woo hoo!
Gracie – If you saw my sad story on Friday (click here for details), you know that I had a very sick cat this past week. Gracie has not only rebounded but is working hard to be extra annoying to make up for it. Nothing is safe. I saw her trying to hide my cell phone yesterday.
Procrastination – I hate doing taxes. I’d rather clean up the litter box of a herd of elephants. This week I got another reprieve. One of the tax forms I received has an error. I’ll get a new one by the end of the month. Party on!
So how was your week?
I’m riding a little backwards tonight and I was almost afraid to read about Gracie! I’m so very glad to know she’s rebounded. There are times when we literally walk around holding our breath from fear. I have been watching the Weather Channel lately simply because I’m fascinated. I have seen your warmer than average climate and there have been days your “high” has been warmer than here in Southern California. All I can say is “enjoy!” As we’re all learning it could be an entirely different experience next winter…or later this spring for that matter!
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Or maybe in 2 weeks. It’s not unusual to have a warm February day here but we are having weeks of it. I love it but it affects so much more than me I almost feel guilty about it. Ah Gracie, a little sweetheart.
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I am thinking about having a couple of tomato plants this year. Not sure I will have any tomatoes though cause Teddy loves to chew on flowers. I usually have my taxes done at a tax doing place but I am going to try doing them myself this year. If it seems too complicated I will make an appointment and pay. Good to hear Gracie is busy being Gracie again.
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Tomato plants have a strong smell so maybe Teddy won’t like them. It’s worth a try. If your taxes are simple, the on-line systems are easy peasy.
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I guess I will find out if Teddy is particular about the smell. I am going to try the online tax thing if it gets me crazy I will just take them somewhere and have someone else do them.
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Good luck with your taxes and Teddy too!
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Glad to hear Gracie is better! I’ll take another 45 days of this weather until April kicks in.
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Me too. This whole week is looking pretty damn good! Stupid groundhog was wrong!
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Don’t mention taxes. I’m trying not to think about it. (That’s even worse than procrastinating, isn’t it?)
So glad Gracie is well. I have a soft spot for Russian blue cats.
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Taxes bleah! I have a soft spot for cats. The questions is, is it in my head or my heart?
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After trying them once (over 15 years ago), my wife has consented to trying progressive lenses again. I’ve been pleading with her because she uses the computer for her work, and I think not having them has been a hindrance. But I’m anticipating a really difficult adjustment period after she gets them.
Love that shot of Gracie. She’s watching you out of the corner of her eye. 🙂 – Marty
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I didn’t have any issues the first time I got them but I have a friend who also says she can’t wear them. I often wonder if the glasses were made correctly with the vision adjustments at the right height. Hope Gorgeous has better luck this time.
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I’m so glad Gracie is feeling better, but what was wrong with her? So sad for her (and you).Homegrown tomatoes sound so yummy. I miss them! I avoid farmer’s markets in Arizona because I’m afraid of bringing in scorpions (it’s happened).
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We will never know what she had. It was an infection somewhere. Scorpions! Yikes!
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Poor Gracie. So much all at once for her. At least she doesn’t have scorpions to deal with.
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Glad to hear that Gracie is feeling better and causing mischief. Hiding your cellphone? She’s a smart one!
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She’s very playful and often carries things that are much larger than her. Good to see her back to normal.
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I cracked up thinking of your crawling on the floor looking for tomato seeds. You are so much fun!
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With dirty knees.
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Thankfully, I have excellent vision insurance through my employer. You’re right, it’s so expensive. I recently upgraded my glasses to transitions. It’s so nice not having to switch back an forth between the glasses and sunglasses, especially while out running errands. I’m writing outside in shorts today…woot! Come on spring!
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It’s not shorts weather here yet (but the kids are wearing them!) but it’s bumping 70! Woot woot!
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Good luck with your ‘maters. Glad Gracie is better.
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We are very grateful that Gracie rebounded so well.
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Glasses must be in the air, since I too need a stronger pair. Of course my vanity is tweaked worrying I’ll start looking like Mr. Magoo, but what the hell. He was kinda cute in his own way, right?
Glad Gracie is on the mend. Nothing like seeing an animal, especially your own, in inexplicable distress. Meow meow to her from here, in New Yawk Cita.
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Gracie sends soft purrs. She says beware of eye stuff. You never know when someone will steal one.
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LOL
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I’m not a grower of anything so you would not find me rooting around to find the right seeds. I’ll pick up my tomatoes from the grocery store, thanks. Yes, taxes, ugghhh. We had a lot of changes last year and I am NOT looking forward to getting them done this year. It already takes me at least 1-1/2 hours at H & R block and I’ve been going there for years so most of the info gets carried over from year to year. I need new glasses too and that is one exam I don’t mind any part of. Glad Gracie is better. Have a great weekend!
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For an eye exam you can keep your clothes on…at least at my doctor! 🙂
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I’ve never started vegetables from seeds… I guess I’m too impatient (it’s hard enough planting the plants then having to wait for them to grow and produce). I read an article recently in Consumer Reports (“The Joy of Specs” in the February issue, if you are interested) about the high cost of glasses and how to save money on them. I plan to save the article for the next time I need new glasses.
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I did see it and if I need to change lenses, I would try their suggestions. I’d love to buy on-line but worry about having everything at the right dimension. That’s a great alternative for kids but usually you can get kids glasses cheaply at brick and mortar stores too. Last year I didn’t do plants and I couldn’t get the tomato varieties I wanted. I had to settle and I wasn’t satisfied with some of them.
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No snow, a bit of rain, but otherwise it’s been quite warm over here.
Highlight of the week has to be the visit to my Mum. Best ever despite the long journey and it makes everything absolutely wonderful.
Got an eye appointment next week with a specialist so not looking forward to it AT ALL.
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I hate getting my eye dilated. There is new equipment that is better and there’s no need for dilation but not all eye docs have it. Good luck.
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I had a reaction to the drops on my diabetes screening for the first time ever. Getting it checked out at the optician’s, they think I have macular degeneration, and I have finally got an appointment to see a specialist. I’m squeamish about eyeballs to start with!
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They have better treatments for MD than they used to. Good luck and we here at our house are all squeamish about eyeballs.
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Thanks Kate.
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I am getting new glasses this week ~ with progressive, transition, feather-weight lenses.
I am thinking about getting started on our taxes . . . but will wait until I know that you have the right form so that I don’t rabbit out in front of you.
And no snow to report here either! 😀
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You have to post about your glasses! Maybe I’ll learn something.
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Great image…clean a litter box of a herd of elephants??? Too funny.
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Actually that’s a load of doodoo.
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My cat likes to swat my phone off my desk. Usually when she’s hungry.
I can’t decide if that’s better or worse than the flower vase.
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Depends if the phone can break. In that case it’s worse. Morgan swats papers off my desk often with bite marks. I mostly pay on-line but for a few doctors, I pay by check. I often wonder what they think when they see bite marks.
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I think most mail gets mauled in transit. Mine arrived sopping wet yesterday.
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With teeth marks?
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Who can tell what the marks are by the time a dirty envelope arrives?
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Maybe no one but me. They do look like a perfectly spaced set of cat uppers.
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I hear ya about the lower shelf. It seems to me that it’s one of those Murphy’s laws thing – for me, anyway, with my 5’10” height and aging knees, no matter what I need at the store, or the library, it’s on the bottom shelf. Every time.
Never even considered what I might encounter in terms of dirt and whatnot!
Gracie tried to hide the cell phone? That made me giggle – and wonder: Is this her way of making sure she gets all of the attention?
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She gets more than her fair share of attention. Best not to think about what may be on the floor.
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Had our taxes done yesterday, seriously considering getting social security numbers for the dogs today.
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Let me know if you are successful. I have four cats. 🙂
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“like a toddler looking for her pacifier”… dying! I don’t think CH has even begun to think about his garden, but I know he wouldn’t start with seeds for tomatoes… too much work he would think. It helps to be in the middle of nowhere MissouREE when it comes to purchasing new glasses. This weekend is gorgeous, I am happy you are having wonderful weather, too! Go Gracie! So happy she is fully recovered! CH does the taxes and he is very close to being done. I will say that our week was very interesting in more ways than one and life got a whole lot better around here… that’s my story and I am sticking to it!
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I’m a germaphobe. I am convinced people walk in poop and then on store floors so I am always appalled when I have to crawl around on them! A husband who does taxes! That’s a keeper. Here’s to good week coming up!
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I am glad to hear that your “life got a whole lot better around here” . . . I’m guessing it has something to do with our recent phone call and positive changes in the neighborhood. So . . . YAY!
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Yes… but it still has a long way to go.
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I’ll keep my fingers crossed that more positive change is around the bend!
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Those tomatoes look so good Kate. Shame you mentioned the T word tho … now I feel guilty I haven’t started to get my stuff together!
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It’s time! I started inventory and am thinking of a grow lamp.
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I’m looking out my t_x documents as we speak!
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I did some work on it yesterday but will now wait for the updated docs.
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good luck with the tomatoes… I can see them with my minds eye with mozzarella and basil and balsamico :o)
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and a little sweet onion! Love that! Big juicy slices where the juice runs down your arm. Yum. Mixed with pasta and basil. For part of the summer it’s my main food group.
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