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ctw1949
Certified organic poultry farmer in SE Mass

Summer 2021 Solstice
Hey readers! Been awhile since I got to this blog. One reason is that I spend a lot of time deleting robot posts from my blogs! By the time I'm done with deleting, I've worn out of patience!

Things in my building are now reaching a crisis! We have no AC or cross ventilation in our apartment buildings. The hall outside my apartment door is 15 degrees warmer than inside my apartment. Reason? NO AC and no open doors or windows to clear out the hot air. And the residents are suffering from the 90 degree & 90% humidity. No real relief if you go outside since it's so humid. Fans are arriving by delivery people every day! But few are smart enough to spend their money on WINDOW FANS! They buy tower fans or fans on stands. The only way to get fresh air (which we did have for two days) inside is to have one window fan drawing in air and the second fan pulling air out.

The elevator is being repaired or replaced and third floor residents are now STUCK upstairs! The owners of the property installed some stair chairs but they are little help for those who have walkers...or need to move groceries, etc up to the third floor. Plus, two of the stair chairs have already been broken. And there's a weight limit to the chairs and some folks are over the weight limit. They will be stuck upstairs for five-six weeks! And NO AC!!!

The company has asked everyone to sign a release form absolving them for any responsibility for any accidents on the stair chair. I won't sign it. I got a letter from the company's lawyer last week with the request to sign. What happens if someone is in distress on the chair and I help them out? If I sign the release, I am liable for a lawsuit rather than the company! And now I am afraid that the company might be able to evict me b/c I won't sign the release!

The new manager (very young and inexperienced) has resigned after 90 days. I didn't think she would be able to cut it...with all the repairs going on and all the problems with the residents not having AC or elevator. Now the manager who was here when I moved in 3 years ago (this week, by the way) is coming back. She and I don't have a cordial relationship, to be modest. She has few people skills and has been abusive to the residents (including me). This should be interesting!

I have done some gardening for my client, but with the high heat and humidity along with the limited days my left-hand man Sam can come with me, we are not working every week. That's OK, my client is self-employed and has suffered from a lack of work. I keep hoping the weather will cooperate, but no such luck. I'm grateful my client is patient...and I understand the money issue.

The past week or so my hip has been aching. So, I am limiting myself to walking the dog twice daily and resting. This is the only cure for this disability. Rest, stay off my feet (and hip) and allow the inflammation to go down. My right shoulder has been aching most of the time, I will see an orthopedic doctor in July. Maybe there are answers? I'm thinking the doctor will want to do an injection but I'm not game for that.

After two beautiful, cooler and less humid days we are heading back into the 90's. It did rain some last night and today is foggy with cloud cover. Temps will stay in the low 70's today but heating up tomorrow. Monday is expected to start another heat wave. And no AC in our building! A fiasco!

Stay well and keep on reading!
A joke for you
Hey readers...

I've been asked to supply a joke for today, so here goes...

A woman was driving across the desert. She was alone, watching the horizon...nothing in sight. But as she drove, she saw a speck in the distance. As she got closer, she realized it was a person. She stopped when she arrived where the person was. Nothing was in sight, not another car, not a house...nothing except this person. A Native American woman. The woman got into the car. They drove in silence for many miles.

On the seat between the driver and the passenger, there was a bottle of wine. The passenger asked what the bottle of wine was for.

The driver replied, "I got it for my husband".

The passenger replied, "GOOD TRADE".

That's the joke. I also think it's a good trade!

A reader sent me a copy of Pappy's jokes. I did have a good chuckle reading them. Thanks! I needed that!

My life has been so busy lately! With gardening here where I live, helping the residents with issues they can't figure out and cooking every Sunday. Plus, I've been helping a friend who's in hospital with what she needs. I have to buy what is requested, pack it up and ship it USPS. Time shopping where I normally wouldn't go with this pandemic...and I won't get vaccinated until I know what the long-term side effects of this untested vaccine does to people. Meanwhile, people are asked to show their vaccination card in some places...and for travel by air. Guess I won't be traveling by air! Not that I can afford to fly anywhere!

Some of the residents here get so much screwed up paper work...and they can't figure out what it means. I help them the best I can. For instance, my elderly neighbor got a bill from hospital for just under $800.00. Seems the hospital didn't update her insurance and charged her for blood work! I did make the call and get this straightened out. Then her toaster broke...and her fridge went down the crapper and her car broke down...all within one week. Poor woman! I did get her on the right path with all of this! She is exhausted but at least has a new toaster, fridge and her car is being repaired. Bill will be big, she needs a new battery and starter. Her car is a 2012...original battery and starter. She was going to put the charges for repair on her credit card but she has some savings. Suzie Ormond says if you have savings, use that to pay bills rather than have interest charged on a credit card. So, I have to watch her to be sure she doesn't pay all of the bill with her credit card. Oh, my!

Cooking on Sundays will come to a close on Memorial Day. I won't be captive in the hot kitchen during the summers! I want to be free of this chore when it gets hot for my kitchen doesn't have AC...and I have better things to do in the warmer months.

My garden grows nicely. I hope to get outside today (barring any unforeseen requests for help) and weed, cultivate and thin some of the new seedlings. Kale needs thinning, the swiss chard can be picked and lettuce cut. No rain forecasted for the next week, so watering will be necessary. The peas are doing nicely, hope they bloom soon! Can't wait for sugar snap peas!

Monday, I take my car for the tire change from winter to summer, an oil & filter change and inspection sticker. Last week, I pressure washed my summer tires & rims...just to clean them up. I checked the two older tires and they will pass inspection. This fall, I need to buy two new tires to replace the older ones. But I hope to get my AC fixed in my car so I can easily take BB out for park walks in the impending heat.

BB has turned 14 now and is doing well for his age. His teeth are almost all gone now...since the dog attack two years ago in the park. He got a clip job on Monday night and needs a bath today...if my plan for the day goes well. But I never know what's going to jump out of the box every day.

We are still in the drought up here in the north east. No rain in sight for now...and I will have to water the gardens. Oh, well...at least the spigot is on so I don't have to fill jugs in the apartment and haul them out. Just have to haul them from the spigot.

That's all for today. I hope to figure out how to keep the spam from my blog. Anyone out there with help on how to do that?

Enjoy every day! I do! Thanks for reading!



March 2021
Hey readers, I know, been a long time since I wrote in this blog. I've been busy with life! So far, there's no COVID-19 in our building, but sometimes I wonder about if we have been notified someone is sick with it. Things are changing since we now have a new manager.

Our manager of two years has moved onto a better paying job (with the same company). Can't blame her, but she was such a great person and did a wonderful job managing this building. With 114 apartments and people moving out, in and swapping apartments, it's been something to watch the bustle of folks.

The nasty neighbor who accused me of giving her bedbugs (three weeks after I moved in)...had moved to the first floor with her son. He's keeping an eye on his mom since she now has Alzheimer's disease compounded with schizophrenia. What a challenge she presents to him. They moved from a one bedroom to a two bedroom so the son has his own room and isn't camping out in the living room. I'm glad I don't have to see her face in the hall anymore. The gal who moved into the next door apartment lived downstairs with her sister...who died from bone cancer. The new neighbor is friendly...and I do know her to be a nice person. This will be a nice change for me.

I've been dealing with a new primary doctor system at my health center. This has been a troublesome transition for me since these new practitioners don't know anything about me except what's in the notes. These new people insist on vaccines for elderly ailments...and I don't do vaccines. This includes the new vaccine for COVID-19. Since this vaccine was rushed without long-term effects, I'm not having it. I will be content to wear masks, social distancing and hand washing often.

Meanwhile, I have had a reoccurring skin issue over several years. On my chest, there are sores that break out, then heal. They are getting larger every time. But when I see the doctor in person, they have healed over...and the doctor says there's nothing there. Kind of like when she dismissed the cyst on my back that got infected and had to be lanced. WTF? I like to be heard by my practitioners. I have been referred to a dermatology specialist but the appointment isn't until April 20. I'm sure the sores will be healed by then and I will once again be dismissed!

Since everyone is (or should be!!!) wearing masks, the "normal" flu season just isn't! There's not been a big flu outbreak like there normally is during winter months. Must be due to masks and social distancing. What a concept!!! Rather than get the flu shot, just wear a mask and stay away from humans! I can do that very easily.

I am still cooking for neighbors/friends in the building on Sundays. This has been a fun thing and keeps us connected during this time of concern. I still do take-out...folks come with containers and take out what they want and leave. This is safer and easier for me since I don't have to wash dishes, just the pots & pans from cooking.

On a bright note, I have reconnected with a family I knew in the late 1960's! When I was young, I lived in CT and met a family with 4 young boys. The parents both worked, father worked days, mother worked second shift. There was a lapse between when the mom left for work and the dad got home from his job. These kids were between the ages of 6 months - 6 years old...and no one would be in the home to watch the boys. I moved in with them for many months to help out. It was a tumultuous time in my life, I was 17, in a city without family or friends. I cared deeply for these kids but lost contact with them pretty much after the 1980's.

I discovered that two of the boys and one of the girls (who was born long after I left) now live in MA! The brothers have a construction company and have been working in my area of MA for about 20 years!

Sunday, I went to see one of the boys...the youngest who was just 6 months old when I met the family. The son is now grown up and is a successful businessman! He buys, improves and flips houses. We had such a nice visit and it was great to reconnect with these kids...now all grown.

The March weather is bringing some very mild days over the next week. I will be working in Linda's and my gardens, setting up frames for trellises to grow snap peas, cukes and beans on. We have found some free bamboo for frames at a nearby public garden. This week, we will collect what bamboo we need to frame, collect the hardware from the hardware store and set up the frames...

My FEDCO seed order arrived, so we will get ready to plant snap peas, lettuce, kale, Swiss chard and endive on March 17...the traditional day for planting these cold tolerant seeds. The kale and Swiss chard from last season is still alive and we will pick greens from these plants, then take them out as the new seeds emerge and produce. Such fun!

I've deleted the spam comments for my last blog. The ones that still remain are from readers I have often seen comments from.

Thanks for reading! Stay SAFE! Stay HEALTHY!


Winter on the South Coast
Hi readers,

It's been wickedly cold with high winds, taking the wind chill factors down to the single numbers. It's been tough walking BB the dog because of all the salt on the walkways here at our apartment complex. BB is so close to the ground, all the salt blows into his eyes! Even with face, leg and belly washes, his eyes water something awful after he walks up the ramp & to the car. Often, I carry him up to the car!

I ordered a pair of boots made by FILLIOBOOTS and they arrived after 3 weeks. The money was removed from my bank account immediately...but the boots took three weeks to arrive and are nothing like the ads or pictures. I have sent three emails to the addresses, two came back undeliverable. I have sent another to the company at their "official" website and shall see if there's any response. They want pictures of the boots! And I have to pay shipping, possibly to Asia? When these boots were advertised "made in USA"! Oh, well, I have been taken!

The snowfall from last week has turned into cement with all the cold weather. We expect more snow Monday into Tuesday and possible deep snow fall. I still haven't gotten my snow tires out of my cousin's garage and will probably wait till after this new snowfall comes and better weather. It's been just too cold to deal with this tire issue!

Every day is a new day with increasing fear about this virus. I'm spending days in my apartment and not going out except to walk BB the dog...and we go to another park these days where there isn't any salted walkways. Better for him and he likes this park. It's sheltered somewhat by mature trees and he can be off-leash if there aren't any other dogs in the park. We went yesterday just before sunset. The wind had abated for the first time in three days and the temps were in the high teens, better than almost zero wind chill factors.

We had a death in our building last week. I have come to know her daughter, we often saw each other in the parking lot and at Clasky Common Park. I saw her just after her mom died and she was very sad. This daughter did everything for her mom, they were close and I know she is having a hard time. There's a funeral this week...and her burial is on my birthday.

That's all for today. I will head out now to face the cold with BB the dog.

Thanks for reading!
Snow here now!
As predicted, we had a snowfall yesterday afternoon. It started right at 3 PM and came down heavy for several hours. We expect snow showers today. It will get very cold on Friday as a Polar Vortex slides down from the far north. I haven't had my snow tires put on the Volvo yet, so I won't be going anywhere for a few days. I'm so happy I got the car undercoated last summer! With all the salt applied to the streets, cars will rust out fast.

I have been doing some deed research for my friend, yesterday I had an appointment at the Registry of Deeds to find some deeds. I was somewhat successful...but now need to go to Probate court to see some wills. A complicated situation, but I did find one deed that is promising. Only the lawyers can say...or a judge.

In the afternoon, I picked up my mom's Lincoln Rocking chair from repair. My mom found the rocker years back...refinished the wood and she re-caned it. But years in the loft over the garage and storage had made the canening brittle. I located a man who refinished the wood (using Danish oil) and re-caned the chair, seat & back. It was a bit more than I had hoped but worth the cost. Now, I have my mom's Lincoln Rocker in my living room and it's beautiful!

Before the snow started to fall, I took BB the dog to the park for his daily stroll. We met up with Mookie, a Corgi we have seen often at the park. The boys had a fine time, pissing contest of course, a lot of sniffing and being silly. BB doesn't like a lot of dogs, but he does like Mookie!

I fell asleep early in the evening, so I am up at 3 am this morning, checking my mail and writing in this blog...I wait till daylight and will go out and clean off the car, walk BB and start my day. Altho' my day has already started!

Thanks for reading!