Tani's profileAplseeds Garden © 2007PhotosBlogListsMore  |  Tools Help |
Finally Finished,the Flu,and Relief In Sight
Thanks to Meg for the link to my royal title.LOL This was fun,and I tried it several times,each was different.Go try yours today. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Monday dawned bright and early and I had decided to get an early jump on it.By noon we had Pop's apartment completely cleaned out and awaiting inspection tuesday morning.Glad to have that chore done. This week I have been playing taxi,B and R (my SIL) have both had dentist appointments in townMonday,wed. and friday yet to come.The pickup we own has been needing brakes,so tuesday we took off to drop it at a friends house to get them fixed,so between Moms schedule and the dentist appointments it has been a game of musical car.LOL I have been having flu symptoms for the last 3 days.My stomach is still off and on and I am wearing out the carpet between the computer and bathroom.The weather has turned cold and rainy as well. Hubby is still having a slow go of it out there,and getting frustrated,not sure how long he will hang in before looking for a new company afterall.One bit of good news I got is that my unemployment has been approved,They ruled I did not get fired for gross misconduct.I hope to start recieving my benefits soon. On the job front,I have been contimplating a whole new carrer option,I have applied for one trucking company for a dispatch job,altough they don't currently have a opening.I am going to look at more companies in the upcoming weeks.I still wish to pursue photography,by advertising to shoot portraits and also try to sell prints,but I feel the need to find regular income in the meantime.With the unemployment coming through I feel I have the time to look for one that is right for me.Given I cannot return to nursing with my back,or trucking after my accident,it leads me to look in a different direction.With my knowledge of the truckingand computer skills,I hope to eventually find a company that will be willing to train me in dispatch. The garden is starting to recover from the frost damage,and the grass is growing.(egads is it ever long) My mower won't start,and is in need of a charge,so I have not mowed it yet,soon I will need a bushhog,LOL As soon as the rain stiops I will start setting my goals toward working several hours each day in the garden As Meg has pointed out,the wind in my hair,and sun on my back will energize me.Besides any frustration can be taken out on the millions of weeds taking over the place.I have been taking pictures of the flowers as they come out,and practicing more with my macro lens.I look back on last years flower pix and the ones I take today are completely different.Much more artistic looking.
I hope you are all having a good week so far. Some Kind Of Update.I know it has been a while since I wrote anything.To tell you the truth,nothing is different around here.I am still waiting to hear about unemployment.I did have my fact finding interview yesterday,so I hope to hear some good news soon.
I have been exhausted,stressed,and just plain lazy.Pop's apartment proved to take more out of me than I thought,and I have taken several days off to recouperate.I also have had to wait for help to move the bigger stuff.The non functioning car will bepicked up toda,and We will get the rest of the furnature moved.To tell the truth if it were up to me everything would go to the dump except the new recliner we had just helped him get,but a couple of the things he had were given to him by my MIL,and she wants to bring them and find a use for them.So they will move into our already crowded garage.(Full of other ppl's storage,LOL)
The garden continues to look sad and neglected,and the grass really needs mowed.I was going to get out yesterday to mow,but lacked the motivation,and since Hubby was home, (taking the extra time on his next load to be at home.) I did not get out there.I have decided that what I need to do once Pop's apartment is closed is to make myself get dressed every morning and at least spend a couple hours outside.The sunshine will do me good. I missed the grand opening to the garden centers for the first time ever as I could not spare a few dollars right now.One of the orders I had ordered back in January arrived,and I have gotten out to plant some of the plants.The 4 remaining siberian ris will get planted this weekend.They are going along te rose border,so it won't be hard to find a place to plant them.
Despite the late freeze that destroyed the tulips around the different gardens,I have had a few late blooming tulips put up some flowers.The green growth to many of the perrenials looks very sad,The bleeding hearts died to the ground,but I do notice some new leaves emerging.Creeping charlie has taken over everywhere.(Now why can't the frost kill that off,LOL) Now is the time to go around and spray the weeds while they are small and it will be easy to shield the good plants.MAybe that is where I should start,spray everything I can then attack each bed and clean them out one at a time.
My new seedlings are growing,but not big enough to fend for themselves yet.The germination rate was disappointing,but I got the plants I was needing,so that is alright.The real disappointment in that experience was that the poppies didn't do well.The few that germinated died off for some reason.I will have to just pick up some.Poppies in general have always been a problem for me for some reason,I can't count the times I tried to take some from my neighbor and tthey failed to take.I think maybe I would have better luck sprinkling them out in the garden and letting them grow on their own.I will head up to the little nursery display at the hardware store for poppies and delphiniums for Pop's garden,as I know he wanted to add these this year.
The garden has given me alot of opportunities to practice macro photography,The newest photos up above in a new album.
Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend. Still Overwhelmed.I am still feeling a bit overwhelmed and exhauseted from all the changes of late.I went to the Dr. Friday and discussed some things that may help me get through this time.
Pop's place is going slower than I would like,We worked over there one evening,and all afternoon and evening on Saturdeay.He had been living in worse conditions than I ever knew.Lets just say,It's alot of work.I didn't feel well off and on today,so We will have to try again tomorrow.We have the larger furniture left to move,and a few things left to pack.The garbage collection area is full of the stuff we threw away.We found 75 bottles in all around the apartment,a testiment to how hard he had been hitting it this last few months.Besides the undersink cabinet full of old Irish Rose bottles,we found liquer and beer bottles stuffed in the oddest places.He had even put a bottle down into the toes of his old wellingtons he used to use to garden with in Oregon.It has been sad to see the wasted potential of a man who was intellegent and at one time was in the field of helping others like himself.I found his framed councelors certificate amongst his stuff.I did not find his peace pipe,or his DVD player and VCR.I know he had them when he moved here almost 2 years ago.He must have pawned them for money to drink on. I knew he had pawned a ring his GF in Oregon had given him,I guess he never managed to prioratize getting it back.She will be devistated by the news.I found his collage writings and his journel.I also found a scrap book of the life he had while sober,it chronicles his life in the garden with his GF of 8 years. I believe he was the happiest during that time of his life. His GF will appreciate the book,After I discuss it with my younger brother I may send it to her.He has expressed interest in his writings and such,so I will be sending all of that to him along with his laptop.
I need to get this over,and move forward.I hope to get the rest finished the next couple of days.
I am nearing the completion of my photography coarse.I will mioss the challenges,but I have learned alot,and look forward to putting the knowledge to use to improve my art.I have added a 50mm macro lens to my camera bag,and I have found it is great in the house to take pix of the dogs.It takes in more light and the colors seem truer due to the light,while my 28-135mm used to hunt alot from poor light and the photos were always a bit dull and dark.I went out and looked for what is left of the spring flowers in my garden today to try out the macron abilities.Since it is 50mm ,I have to get pretty close to the flower,I find myself lying down in the yard to shoot the smaller flowers that grow low to the ground.This week is portraits,indoors and out,and I have started with Toby.Enjoy the album of todays shots. HomeI have returned home.On my arrival I noticed the cold snap has layed the tuliups down,the early red ones were blooming already,and others had buds.The colorful blooms I looked forward to may be gone.The temperatures are still cold.30's for daytime highs.It was warmer up in the Mountains,LOL I took hundreds of pictures on my travels,all of the good ones are on flickr.If you would like to see a slide show of the Sierra Nevadas Donner Pass you can visit this link,and click on view slide show. http://www.flickr.com/photos/aplseed/sets/72157600054376111/
This weekend I have the task of moving my things out of the truck,and Then will start the task of closing down Pop's apartment.First thing Monday I will head into town to the unemployment office.The first time in years I have had to go there.LOL I need to stop in to the camera shop for a lens pen,I have spots on the back lens of my 70-300mm lens.They recommend using this dry chemical solution.While there I will ask about wholesale equiptment for Ebay sales and feel out any opportunities there.
I still have 2 weeks of class,and with the job of putting Pops affairs in order I am bound to continue to be very busy.
Thanks to all for your kind comments.I hope everything is going well in your lives. A Time of Changes. _______________________Update 4/7/07___________________________________________ Pop lost his life long battle with emotional pain and alchohol on Tuesday evening.He passed away shortly after transferring to a hospice facility in Des Moines.His remains will be cremated and sent to Oregon to rest in the garden he gave so much of his love to during the few years he was healthy.These were his wishes.I have been busy trying to get back home to attend to his business.We will arive home sometime saturday afternoon.Thanks for all the well wishes.Your support during this time is greatly appreciated.
_________________________________________________________________________________ Friday brought news that Pop's condition is ver bad,Hospice care has been called in for him and they don't expect it to yake long,His Liver has stopped functioning,his nutrician is bad,and he is in alot of pain.They are keeping him comfortable woith IV Morphine.I have talked with Y His younger Son,and he will speak with his Brother S who is in West Virginia.I was concerned only trat they get a chance to call and maybe say their goodbyes.Chucks Mother ,Kind soul she is has been stopping in daily to let him know he is not alone,Friday she waqs able to get him to eat a little,but over the course of the weekend he has declined to a point where he is not coherent much of the time,I have spoken to him on the phone and I believe he knew what was happening and was accepting of the fact that they would give him all the comfort cares they possibly could.Today he is being transferred to a Hospice house in the city.
There hare no funds to cover his expenses,so when I finally return home I need to find out what I can do for Pop.His desires are to be cremated and returned to Oregon to be spread in the garden of his old Girlfriend where he spent so many happy days before his last battle with alchoholism.We have been in touch with her,and that was something they had agreed apon,and in Oregon there are no laws prohibiting burrial of aremains where ever you wish.I will need to empty his apartment of his meager belongings and find a way to allow his sons to have anything they desire for sentimantal reasons.
I had been smack in the middle of the review to try and keep my job.I went into it knowing that they were giving me a rare chance,often after such a severa preventable accident they woluld fire you before the ink on the ticket dried.I knew there was very little I could do for Pop,if I even made it back in time,and weighed what was best for those of us left to carry on after he is gone.I tried to relax and I gave it my all.I was not prepared for the pretrip inspection,I thought I did fair,but did not expect him to want me to call out every thing I had looked at,there fore I do not believe I got credit for checking some things.In all reality,Hubby often takes care of the Mechanical needs that require me getting underthe truck,while in trade off I do the secretarial work.I drove the trainers course,and I believe I had done well,After taking at least 3 rt. turns and going through at least 6 intersections,I did take one tight corner by buttonhooking as I was taught,and barely rubbed the curb.When the review was over he made notation that I had in his opinion poor technique in making Rt. Hand turns and intersections.He drew a diagram of how he felt I should have set up for the turn,and it was not at all like I was taught or like Hubby does it either.Monday Morning after a meeting with all concerned they determined they could not give me further chances and let me go.I really wish they had done this after the original review,so I could have had a chance to start on the process.This Morning I awoke to what feels like the first day of the REST of my life.
This comes a time when we are not prepared for me to make a change in carreers,and I will have to try and make arrangements to cut some of our expenses.My back problems keep me from returning to nursing,I do not believe I could be on my feet for a whole shift,and with the recent accident I may have difficulty finding trucking opportunities.I am trying to look at it as if this is a push I may have needed to try and get something going on my own.I am hoping that unemployment may help pull me through as I attempt to start a home based business.This will allow me to spend some time in the garden each day,and divide some much needed daylilies,as I have always wanted to get into going to farmers markets with them.Of course this will have the best opportunity during bloom season when ppl can see the flowers,but in the next couple of months I will need to divide,pot up and grow the divisions into nice looking plants.My photography is also an are I would like to persue,I have thoughts of advertising for family and pet photos in a setting of ppls choice such as a garden or favorite park.I will need to research what a favorable price would be and make flyers and post ads in local papers.Let me know what you think,would a service like that appeal to you? I am interested in what you may think.Any advise on what sitting fees and product fees by any one that has done that kind of thing would be appreciated.Of course I had already thought to make some prints of my Covered Bridge series to possibly sell,and am considering making a notebook of scenic shots I can set at a farmers market table to offer for special order to anyone interested.Any other valid ideas for a profitable home based job would be considered closely as well.
I feel like I am slowly going crazy,it seems it has been one thing after another since the Holidays.I am not one to lie back and let the world go round and pass me by though,so I know something will come up that will work out.Your thoughts and best wishes have been so appreciated during this time.I thank you.
Tani |
|
|
