things, abreviated (without squirrel pox)

[thanate]

I've meant to start several posts in the last few days and haven't managed any of them, but here are some bullet points:

*finished the last-pass-for-now on the novel. Still need to finish tweaking the synopsis & query, and then send it to people, but at least I have a final word count to put in the letter. (58k)

*next door has an actual for sale sign up. They also appear to have set up an automatic sprinkler system to water the sod they put on top of the "reshaped to fix the water problems" back yard.

*It is not supposed to be 80+ degrees out in Baltimore in early March. The people on the radio keep saying things like "another lovely day" but they are confused. This would be beautiful weather in July. In March, it's ridiculously hot, and we need some more rain to get the plants going.

*Yesterday, I brought out my archaeology skills and a bunch of tape measures & mapped the back yard. On Sunday night, grauwulf sorted out that my computer appears to be convinced that it's running two different system versions, thus prompting me to download the wrong scanner driver, hence why the scanner didn't work. Now it does, and I have e-deposited a check (the future is upon us!), and thus theoretically could also scan and share the plan I've made for a 2.5 circuit labyrinth in the back yard, but I have not done so yet.

*This morning, in search of mulch to lay out pathways with, I discovered that my county provides free composting bins to residents. So I went and got one of those. It's just a sheet of perforated heavy-duty black plastic with more plastic bits to bolt it together, but hey, the worms will be able to get in with no problems. So there's one of those under the back porch now.

*Ancient oil tank removal is theoretically going to be handled by professionals-- we have a quote, but as far as I know they haven't called back to schedule the actual pick-up. Pond is on hold until then.

*Due to the random influences of internet links and flipping through amazon reviews, I went out and got myself one of those inflatable exercise balls to use instead of a chair in the loft. So far, I am terribly entertained. Some day (probably mid-november) I will gain superpowers including the ability to sit cross-legged on it.

*The Chesapeake Watershed book I mentioned earlier turns out to be "required" reading #1 for the Master Naturalist, as our first speaker is in fact the author. So far it's full of fascinating bits, but the author has a distressing tendency to lapse into present tense narration periodically, for which I kind of want to hit him. I prefer my non-fiction more full of information, and trying a little less desperately to be "accessible." Ugh.

Comments

[funnylori.livejournal.com]

Folks can sit cross legged on the ball? Are they balancing on it, or are they supporting themselves with arms on a desk? I'm amazed and inspired to get mine back out.

I'm excited by garden labyrinths. I'd love to catch mantids while playing in a maze.

Last week we had snow, the hottest day of the year yet, and more snow. In that order. I give up, I'll just keep my favorite sweater handy at all times.

[thanate.livejournal.com]

So far I've managed about 5 seconds, or with propping my knees against the legs of the sewing table I'm using as a desk. But I can't imagine nobody's done that before... :)

Yeah-- our first spring rains here were a huge blizzard in New England. I'm hoping we won't be completely swamped by mosquitoes two months earlier than usual. But with luck the pond will bring us more dragonflies and maybe some amphibians, which may help. (I've also got a bog garden on the backyard plan, which should give the poor salamanders somewhere to hang out now that they've been evicted from next door.)

[aamcnamara.livejournal.com]

Congratulations on done-with-last-pass-for-now!

[thanate.livejournal.com]

Thanks! (took far longer than it should have, but so it goes...)