Thursday, April 18, 2024

Before our next round of cicadas comes

I went outside to work part of the day today.  

First, I sprayed down the patio table and I assessed the state of affairs all around on the patio itself. We have half the pillows out for the seats. There are no plants. Everything needs to be weedwhacked.

The weather was perfect, and while the leaves are not yet out on the trees, and the umbrella isn't set up yet (I want the weedwhacking to happen first), it was overcast and the sun was not a nuisance. Very relaxing to sit out and answer email and helpdesk tickets, and do a couple calls. 

Toffee had a blast chasing carpenter bees. 

Like Phineas before her, this is a greatly enjoyable game. He caught one once, it stung him and he spit it out with no damage but an increased wariness of them. She is a lot more athletic than Phineas was, so she leaps! jumps! spins! chases! Has not caught one yet.

All around the neighborhood there was hammering. Hammering, power tools, and lawn equipment. People are getting things done, or at least the crews they've hired are getting things done. It would be very nice if things were quieter but I understand the need and timeliness to get the job finished. 

My neighbor across the street installed a huge beehive pizza oven in his yard last summer. They used it but once. I saw the fault in their design - a small hole at the top to let smoke out, but no venting along the base to let air in to fuel the fire. The one time they used it, smoke was POURING out of the front of it. None of them could maintain the fire. I don't think pizza was cooked. I didn't see it used again.

I came home from my time away and it was gone. I felt badly, because that would have been a super sweet thing, if only. But they took the whole thing down. 

Our dogsitting solution is set. A friend from our Guster fan group recently relocated to the area, she works from home, she was suggested to me by someone who lives closer who couldn't. And she was all in. She and her husband came down and spent an hour today, chatting with me and more importantly, getting to know miss Toffee. 

I think Toffee loves them. But then again I think she just loves everyone. 

I feel much better knowing she'll be here at the house. I was projecting my own human fears onto Toffee like, if we kenneled her, she'd be back in a cage somewhere and what, feel like she's back at the Humane Alliance? Sad. Abandoned. Where is my family? Why am I here? But at least now, this is her house. We just won't be in it for like 5 days. But she'll have a good babysitter. And her toys. And her bed. Beds. All the things. 

Whew. 

I had a nice time sitting outside working. At 4:30 we were supposed to have a big meeting and I went back outside, only to find the meeting postponed to next week. Oh well. Another hour of outdoor patio work, and back in to make dinner. 

Doug went to the market and forgot milk, so I hope I survive tomorrow. Ha. We have just a little bit so, I'll have some coffee. And maybe I'll run out to get more. 

And at some point soon, the cicadas will come back. Everyone freaked out in 2021, and then this year a lot of people are freaking out because two broods will emerge, but maybe not in this part of Maryland and DC. Maybe further south. This article seems to indicate we aren't going to be horribly swarmed. And to be honest, I didn't think 2021 was that bad. 

Well, I'm sure we'll get some, and they'll probably bother me if I'm sitting out on the patio. So I'll enjoy it as much as I can. Until I can't, because of cicadas or heat. 

No picture today, tried to get a good shot of Toffee chasing bees but ... not an easy task! 

Digits below.





exercise: 12/12 hours of 250 steps,  30 min walk, 7100+ steps by bedtime

blood glucose:

8am: 183
5pm: 184
10pm: 166

food:

coffee/water 
10:30am: apple w/peanut butter
11am: metformin
12:30pm: Left over pot roast (carrots, onions, potatoes), Potato roll w/butter
6pm: chicken fajitas w/peppers and onions, low carb fajita wrap, refried beans, sour cream, shredded cheese, low carb wrap. white wine. 
8pm: ice cream sandwich

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