VSR~Monday, April 1

[plantdoctor]

[tasty]

Good morning all.
Thanks for opening Charlene - cute meme.  Have a good day at work today.
Nothing is planned here as yet altho I have lots of options from cleaning the condo - it's amazing how much dust accumulated over the couple of months with no-one here.  I would also like to get back into the kitchen and get some baking done.  And I heard last night that yet another friend's husband passed away on Saturday.  While it wasn't entirely unexpected, it still took me by surprise.  Her family is here with her but whether they had come for Easter or because he had taken a turn for the worse, I don't know.
Have a marvellous Monday!

[plantdoctor]

Good morning everyone.  It is 34º and only going to low 40s later.  We have another chance of rain.  I hope we get it since the showers yesterday missed us.

Easter dinner went well and we all had a good time.  There were 15 of us since a few had other plans.  I sent some leftover food home with family.

Tasty...sorry to hear that you've lost another friend.  Glad the family is there for their Mom.  

Happy Monday to all.  Charlene

[wilderness]

Good morning. It was 30°here this morning with snow showers starting any time. High in the mid 50's. However the sun is trying to break through here. I have to work today and tomorrow as starting Wednesday we have another big snow storm moving in. We could get 18" or more of heavy wet snow again. This weather is crazy.

Birdy, before I forget, what is the name of that program you suggested a long time ago that will turn a webpage into a PDF so you can download it?  I went to use it yesterday and it has disappeared from my computer.  Thanks.  Are you to get this storm this week also?

Charlene, have a good day at work.  Monday after a holiday, will it be crazy?

Have a great day.

Bet

[mnwildflowers]

Good morning. Mostly cloudy now but shows sun later. 25 going to 45. We lost some volume in the snow yesterday with the sun and that should continue again this week with nice weather. 50s by the weekend and rain in the forecast for next week.

Yesterday was a nice day with the fam. There were 20 of us there but my brother has a big house. Highlight of the afternoon was everyone getting a turn to try ds’s new toy. He bought a flame thrower! Lol! Why you ask? Because he could. He also bought a 1943 Russian WW2 rifle that he brought to shoot since my brother has a gun range set up. That thing was heavy and loud. We didn’t get home until 5:30.

Not sure what I am doing today. I have some dishes from food we brought along to wash. Beyond that I suppose I better work on seeds and seedlings. Its like constant watering it seems. I need to thin and transplant a few things as well.

Tasty-Sorry to hear of yet another friends husband passing.

Charlene-Enjoy your day at work.

Bet-Hopefully the forecast is wrong. The only good thing about spring snow is it tends to melt quickly. We were lucky to have such a mild winter. While this snow sucks we had zero on the ground for a month prior so can not complain at all. This will melt fast and our ground is already thawed for the most part so it shouldn’t be too muddy either.

Well dd is up since she has practice this morning but no school yet today. I need more coffee then better get motivated. Have a great day.

[luvmyb_b]

 I think the rain has stopped here. It rained all night. I'm guessing this is going to be a rather glum looking day. Possibly all week long, actually. Severe storms are possible tomorrow night. Wednesday into Thursday snow seems to be a likelihood. This won't be the most pleasant weather week by the sound of the forecast. Next week's weather is supposed to be much nicer. Just have to plow through until then. 

Yesterday was really nice. I went to bed feeling abundantly blessed after having been in touch with so many family members throughout the day and getting in some transplanting. All of that on top of starting the day off so peacefully at church. Needless to say, I slept well. I very much enjoyed our video chat with the kids. Mac showed us the things he made at spring camp recently. I think that is basically what the school provides when the kids are on spring break from classes. He made a butterfly that he can flap the wings as well as a pinwheel that he had a ball with as he ran through the house seemingly using it as a propeller. DSon said he has made more cute stuff in camp craft-wise than he has in class so far. DDIL says she is still feeling tired a lot and is so big (to her). It was fun to hear her say that the baby reacts when he hears Mac's voice as well as DSon's when they talk to him. I guess because she is a little older (at 39), the doctor wants her to have a second ultrasound before she gives birth just to be sure all is well. It was as of last Thursday when she went to her appointment. The kids don't mind that extra test because they are hoping this time "Dragon" will show his face. For the first one, he was being bashful and wouldn't look at the "camera". I think the child is going to be called Dragon for a good long while. Mac came up with the name originally. Now both grandmas are referring to the baby as that. I asked about if the kids had picked a name yet. They have one but are holding out on telling it until the baby is born. So, for at least the time being we have a Mac and a Dragon. I can live with that. I have an adorable blue dragon in my Amazon cart that I am buying the day we hear the baby is here. After all, he is being born in the year of the Blue Dragon in Korean culture. It is silly and insignificant, but I SO enjoyed seeing that DSon has let his hair grow out. LOL! He has great hair but usually keeps his head shaved. When I commented on liking his hair, DSon said that he decided to let it grow out. Both he and Mac went to the barber to get their hair cut. Loved both looks! I'm such a hair weirdo. Some people notice certain physical attributes on others. I do that with hair. Probably a byproduct of the 70s when hair was long on everyone. Anyway, it was a good day ending with a phone call with DU. I was very happy to hear that he called his DSon to come over and have lunch with him. I suspect they both needed that time together. DA had gone to one of the grandson's house, but DU didn't feel up to that. I like that they both got what they needed in their own ways. DA is a doting great-grandmother so she was not going to miss time with the littles. 

Gayle, I think transplanting will help your struggling Fairy Queen salvia babies. It seems like things take off once I transplant them. 

I LOVE that meme, Charlene! I'm glad your Easter dinner went well.  

Sorry, Tasty, about you having to deal with yet another loss. I have heard that deaths sometimes come in 3s. I hope this is it for you for a while. I hope you can do some baking. I inexplicably decided yesterday to make some cake mix cookies. I had accidentally opened the bag of mini semi sweet chips and had to find something to do with them. A yellow cake mix was in the pantry waiting to become pineapple upside down cake. This seemed like a better idea in the moment since I didn't have pineapple or maraschino cherries. 

Bet, I sure hope you don't another big storm. Winter needs to back off now. It probably won't, but it is a nice thought. 

Wow! You sure had an interesting day yesterday, Melissa. A flame thrower, eh? That had to be fun to try. I'll bet that WW2 rifle was pretty cool too. Sounds like having an uncle with a range set up was the perfect place to try that out.  

Okay. I need to get moving. I want to put in a grocery order this morning that will include a nice bag of potting mix that I won't have to haul around other than getting it out of the van. I'm pretty fortunate to have two grocery stores so nearby that carry different things that we need/use. I was just at the grocery store for a pickup order last week, but we get different stuff at this store. I also have a chore list a mile long to work on. If I get some of it knocked off, I plan to reward myself with doing more transplanting. The tables are getting full! Just the way I like them. 

Have a magnificent Monday!
 

[Marlene]

I forgot it was April Fool's day.  When I worked at school, we the staff hated that day.
Tasty, the older I get the more obits I see of people I know.  It's a fact of life.  Each day I give thanks to the Lord for my mobility and well being.
Easter dinner at a local restaurant was good.  Our party of three turned into a party of 9.  A nice group.
Melissa, sounds like you had a good day yesterday with family.  I cannot imagine anyone buying a flame thrower.  To each his/her own.
I plan on meeting a cousin of lunch today lives in Mpls and drives over a hundred miles to have her taxes done.  LOL!
A bank statement is waiting for me to reconcile. Best get to it.
Marlene

[davehhhj]

   hello

  every one

 nothing new

  blessing to  all

    dave

[grandmazn8]

Good morning. It's 66 and going to upper 80s. Wednesday will cool down to 75. I'll wait until then to bring my seedlings in since we have a few nights in the 40s. My tomatoes and peppers haven't really been growing so I might put them where they will get more sun today. I have them on the porch right now which isn't too sunny. I didn't want to shock them but they need to wake up and get growing. People are beginning to start planting here. No real plans today so will do a little housework and a little more weeding. I still have the 2 sides of the house and there are things sprouting in the first bed I weeded. Some may be zinnias so I need to wait a little longer before weeding or hoeing it.

Tasty, sorry about another death. I guess that happens too often the older we get. I know someone whose brother died a few weeks ago and about a week later her sister's husband died. The brother was the ex husband of my exe's sister, so basically the father of 2 that I still consider to be my niece's. They had both memorial services over the weekend.

Bet, hope you can get the program you need. I don't even want cold now, much less snow. Most of my azaleas are in full bloom and a freeze would be bad. The ones in the back have grown so much in the past few years that I really need to cut them way back but after the copperhead running under the ones in the front last summer by the time I can get to it I'll be too afraid. I need to get a battery powered hedge trimmer.

Need to finish my coffee.

Charlene, enjoy your day at work and hope you get a lot of tips to buy your plants. It seems strange hearing you say that as you are the one always sharing plants and seedlings.

Melissa, a gun range and a Russian rifle? He really enjoys his guns.

[sonny2u2]

Good morning. It is raining and the temperature is 47°. That will be the story for the next few days.

Have clothes doing their thing in the washer and that load will soon go into the dryer so I can start another load. Today is do the sheets day.

Nothing much on the schedule for the day. Some reading and I need to clean the fridge. I have a bunch of stuff that needs to go into the trash.

Have a good day all

[marylc]

Good afternoon everyone, Tasty good to be back home. Charlene= we will be getting storms tonight. Bet=hope the sun shows up, Melissa=50* will be nice. Dave how are your vegetables growing? was at the gym and friend said there"s a spider on you" i looked and april fool!! so she was on her machine and i said oh your lace is untied, she looked=GOTCHA!! did the same to her husband!! came home decided to take the swing cover off and amazed at all the leaves and bird seed that blew at the back. so got the patio all nice and clean. went and paid the rent. the swing cover can stay on the living floor until i feel like folding it up! have a nice day, was 70* this early morning Mary in Kentucky, 12.14pm

[Gayle]

Good afternoon,

We had rain off & on all night.  Today is 60* & dreary but no rain yet. Maybe I can get some more moss raked up & grass seed sowed before it starts.

I filled bird feeders this morning & put some Bone Meal on my corner Iris bed. Now we wait & see if it makes any difference.

Other than that, I've been dealing with bills & budget all morning. Always fun.

My SIL called me & plans have been made for Sue (DB #1's GF) to take him & myself to the youngest DB's house for his birthday dinner Wed. evening.  That means DB # 1 will be up, moving & out of the house for the 1st time since his surgery.  Wait, that's not true.  He went to Dr. last week.   I will talk to youngest DB while I am there about cutting the roots off the stump.

Melissa, maybe your DS can come take the flame thrower to it.

Karen the Fairy Queen looks pretty bad but we'll see.  If it doesn't survive this will be my last attempt with this particular variety. 

Not much else going on.

TTYL

[marnee]

Good morning, its 50° with full sunshine this morning and warm temperatures highlight our first few days of April. Portland hit 66° yesterday, and 70° is within reach today. Tomorrow is expected to be the warmest day of the week with highs in the low to mid 70s.

With the warm weather over the weekend my lawn finally dried out and we were able to mow on Saturday.

Yesterday was a nice quiet day. We went to a lovely church service, planned on going out for dinner then decided to just have dinner at home.

My niece and her family returned home yesterday from their vacation in Portugal. They had a wonderful time there.

Tasty, I am also sorry to hear of your friend’s husband passing.

Karen, don’t you just love being able to video chat with the kids. I video chat with my sisters all the time.

Have a great day everyone.

[luvmyb_b]

A quick stop-by from me before I turn off the laptop. We're getting a thunderstorm. A clap of thunder followed by a boom of lightning had me unplugging the computer before I lost everything in a power surge or strike. My battery isn't good so I have to be fast in typing. 

Mary M., I don't know how people survived without the ability to video chat, but I know they did. Letters at first before phone calls. I'm so thankful to be able to see the kids when we visit. It makes missing them a little easier. 

I don't blame you on a seed type wearing you down, Gayle. I am about there with Lilliput zinnias. Every other zinnia type I sowed was near 100% germination. The Lilliputs were maybe 25%. I hope the Fairy Queens surprise you - pleasantly. 

I spent a ton of time on the phone today. First with DSis#4 and then DM. DSis called to thank me for the puzzles I sent. She doesn't have grands to share the puzzle with it, so she is going to use puzzle glue to adhere the pieces together and then put a magnet on the backs so she can put them on her fridge. She loved them. I was so afraid to hurt her if she was truly missing not having grand kids yet, but I also didn't want to not include her if the other sisters got puzzles. It all worked out well. DM was okay. She seemed spacey to me and she said she felt like that. I'm going to call her again in about an hour to remind her about her meds and make sure she is still "okay". 

My pickup order today started off shaky and ended up awesome. I got a message that they were out of potting mix when it came time to verify my substitutions. I was unhappy and confused how they could be out of potting mix in April. It's the beginning of growing season for Pete's sake! Since I had forgotten to order shampoo, I decided to go inside before I picked up the rest of the stuff we needed. Sometimes they do have things that shoppers miss. They didn't have the potting mix on the shelves in the store where they usually do, but I wondered if they wouldn't have it outside. I went out to the garden center and found piles of the very stuff they weren't supposed to have. With all the rain we have gotten the bags were drenched and super heavy. I struggled to get one in the front part of my cart before I heard a young man, an employee, ask if he could help me. Could he ever! I had only ordered one bag originally, but the sign said it was 2/$14. One bag would be $10.49 so I figured I could always use two bags somehow. The kid asked if he could put the bag on the bottom of the cart. I told him it would be too hard for me to get it in the car from there. It would be best higher up. He then offered to put the bags in the car for me. I was shocked! He said it was slow in the garden center and he was pretty cold. Moving around would give him something to do and keep warm. What a nice young man! He apologized for the shopper not checking further into my order, which he didn't need to do. I asked him his name so I could mention him if I got a survey about my shopping experience. Instead of waiting to see if I got an email with the survey, I called and talked with a manager. I wondered if they have an employee recognition program and if they did could this young man get recognized. He represented the store impeccably and I wanted management to know that. The manager knew who I was talking about and said she would definitely see that he got recognized. What started out with me being grumpy and dissatisfied ended with me being very pleased.

Okay, I better turn off the computer now. Hope the day has been good to everyone! I'm sure glad I put out the garbage and recycling earlier.  G'night.     

[Gayle]

The day stayed dreary & a little chilly with no sun.  But no rain either.

I raked up some more dead moss & sowed grass seed in its place.  Moved a couple of potted Peonies to the new bed by the d'way & that's about all I got done outside today.

I've been looking at a weather station online @ WM.  In fact I've had it saved in my cart to order later.  Today I brought it up to check the price, incl shipping & tax.  I was thinking about ordering it but decided not to & ret'd it to the save spot.

Just checking my e-mail & there is one from WM thanking me for my order. It incl  order #,tracking info & a receipt for $36 to be deducted from my bank acct.  I did not place the order or give them permission to charge my bank acct. Plus ,according to the e-mail this item is not coming from WM itself like I thought, but through a 3rd party.  That was never mentioned in the product info.

Talked with WM chat & they are contacting the seller  to cancel the order & credit back the charge to my bank account.  I got an apology & a reference # from the

chat session in case I have to contact them again & then an e-mail from them  that they are contacting the seller & marking it urgent. He is to cancel the order & contact me to update me.  If something happens & it gets sent anyway WM will refund my money themselves.  This comes under the "what now" category in life.   Hopefully, all will work out. 

Funny thing is the item is still sitting up there in my cart.  I will totally remove it when all this is straightened out.  If I could find one in a store, I wouldn't have to order it.

Karen, I'm glad you got your potting soil.  All this rain is one of the reasons I haven't gotten any mulch or other stuff I need.  The bags weigh a ton when they are wet.  I've been getting potting soil from Family Dollar where it stays inside. Everything else usually comes from outside at either WM or Lowe's.   I have never video chatted. Don't know how.