Just a post to quickly note that treadwear guarantees are bullshit.  How can my 60000 mile tires, which I got on my car around 30k and am now at 55k possibly only be worth $20 a piece back.  That is ONLY if I go through the dealership... and don't do their current deal, which is cheaper than full price w/ the treadwear money back.  I can order the tires myself for about $120 cheaper.

Plus, I had to drop the car off this morning so they could check it out etc.  What a scam.

My sister came in from out of state for just over a week.  Another sister was here for the Pumpkin Festival and the third sister was here for 2 nights while the first sister visited.  It was good to visit, but I feel very out of touch w/ work.  I know, it's good for me, but I struggle.

The Halloween parade was nice.  The weather has been amazing.  We enjoyed what we say of the Pumpkin Festival, but I felt rushed through there.  This past week also involved a walk around Peters Twp Lake, a trip to Simmons Farm for a hayride, playtime, and a few more pumpkins, and probably the most tiring thing -- Avery sleeping in my bed.  I love getting to cuddle with her, but I don't sleep as deeply for one reason or another, so I am tired.

I got a little done this weekend -- mostly outside clean up -- but at least I crossed a few things off of the to do list.

This weekend is the Hickory Apple Festival... it's also been raining like crazy, so I bowed out.  Instead, after dance we went to the local orchard and bought from their storefront.  Since we got home I have been working on apple sauce (regular, cinnamon, and strawberry) and an easy apple crumble.  I still have a bag of honeycrisps for eating and an extra bag of golden delicious -- which are particularly delish.

Hopefully next weekend will be nice - I really do not want the Houston Pumpkin Festival rained out -- especially the Halloween parade.  Have I mentioned I love this area and all the activities around here?

Another eff'n filling needs to be replaced.  Seriously.  I have to be out of the old metal ones.  I hate it, but I distrust the need given that every friggin time I go to the dentist I need something traumatizing done.  Insult to injury they gave me different toothpaste (a prescription one... why this is necessary is beyond me) and eff'n charged me $26 for it.  $26!  Honey, no.

This weekend our town has Pennsylvania Bavarian Oktoberfest going on, so we had to go down yesterday and have a little fun.  I adored riding fair rides and playing fair games when I was a kid, so I'll cough up the cash for Avery to get the same experience.  It was nice, but it's still pretty stinking hot right now, so I came home feeling like a salt lick.

Yesterday was also Avery's second day of the new year of dance (acro) and she said she enjoyed it, so that's a win.

Today I got my rear in gear and finally found some beets (which were more expensive than I'd like to admit) so I could make another batch of pickled eggs and beets - for canning!  I officially need more medium sized ball jars.  I also want to make a small batch of limeade and chicken gnocchi soup today, but for now I am sitting and relaxing for a minute.

I really need to do some cleaning and get the rest of the Halloween out too.  I suddenly feel guilty for sitting for a minute.

On other news, our Mama Marigold may very well be adopted and heading to her forever home very soon.  I am very excited for her.  I really kind of expected the kittens to go first and Mama to linger a little while simply because she wasn't a baby.

This sucks too.

This morning the foster babies went to get spayed and neutered.  Unfortunately, one of them, Clover (the only boy), will not be coming home.  He coded under anesthesia and couldn't be saved.

He went from deserving the nickname bitey-mcscratchy to being a cuddly guy.  He was so soft and sweet.  His little eyes set a little bit too close and the grunt noise he made when he got excited.

Since we had to leave early this morning I didn't spend the time I should have with them before loading them into the carriers.  That will be my biggest regret.  As we put the crates down where we were instructed I took notice that he was sitting in his in the back right of the cluster staring up at me.

It isn't fair that he doesn't get his forever home.

I am blessed that the rescue offered to give me his ashes when they are returned.  He can take a place with Satin, Vixen, and Danika.  Rest in peace little friend.

From his write up, which had just gone live on Petfinder earlier this week:

Meet Clover

Clover was born in May (2022). He has super soft short fur in a beautiful orange pattern with two white rings at the tip of his tail, which pairs perfectly with his light amber brown eyes. He joined Merlin's with 3 siblings and his Mama. Clover is getting along well with the young child, other cats, and dogs in his foster home. Clover is a confident, inquisitive, and playful guy who is more curious of a running vacuum than frightened.

Clover would love to share a forever family with his sister Sunflower, his favorite wrestling partner, but would do well with any other playmate(s). He is also quite the Mama's boy who readily cuddles up with her every chance he gets. When Clover gets excited, he makes cute little snort noises. His favorite toys are the ball whizzing around a plastic circular toy and a vertical scratching post, which he climbs like a pro. If you are trying to find a guy who is in touch with his feelings and likes to talk, Clover is the one for you.

"A good friend is like a four leaf Clover; hard to find and lucky to have." --Irish Proverb

I did something new!  Technically two new things today, but the one was a target of opportunity.

You see, this morning I had plans to can pasta sauce.  I needed to go through the freezer to find any/all tomatoes I've tossed in there.  I decided to embrace it since it's crammed and I couldn't find diddly when I wanted it.

EVERYTHING came out and I cleaned the bottom/sides.  I reorganized as I put things back - meat to one side, fruit and veg to the other, popsicles and a few other odds and ends on the drawer on top (it is a bottom drawer fridge/freezer).  I also found, all combined I had about 3 loafs of bread in there.  I tend to not use the heels of bread in sandwiches and whatnot, so I toss them in the freezer and use them when making meatballs and/or meatloaf.  Apparently I haven't made enough meatloaf lately and it's been a long time since I made meatballs.  As to reclaim this space I removed all but a few slices and dried them out for bread crumbs whilst the pasta sauce cooked.  I've never made bread crumbs before.  I know that's pretty basic, but it's true.

I also made a double batch of my banana bread recipe.  Yep, you guessed it, lots of bananas in that freezer too.  But I wanted to make a batch anyhow as to offer a thank you to the neighbor who shared a delightful pulled pork they cooked earlier last week and a neighbor who gave us peaches from their tree.

I've never canned before.  My anxiety is high.  I have read so many (conflicting) instructions.  I went with the most conservative of all things with one exception - that is, I forgot to add the citric acid that was bought for this purpose.  As I type the 6 pints of sauce are sitting to cool.  I'm glad I didn't buy larger jars as even with the huge pot I bought they would not have fit (height wise).  I could probably get a 7th bottle in the pot.  I can see how slow going things would be given that you have to get all of that water to boil to sterilize and then allow the jars to sit in there for a long/slow cook.  If you wanted to do several rounds that would definitely slow you down.

I wanted to do some pickled eggs and beets too but the farmer's market didn't have beets this past week.  I also would like to do applesauce, but again - I keep seeing conflicting information, some indicating that you can't/shouldn't do apple sauce w/o a pressure canner.  All for the best as I am exhausted and my feet hurt.

Thanking all of my friends for their prayers and thanking God for answering them.  Church came home this evening.  While he was supposed to be sedate he was himself and very happy to see us, rubbing on us and wanting petting.  I have medicines to administer for a while, which includes some wee hours, but I will gladly do it.

This sucks.

It's true. I have long since admitted this - I love the cat.  Church is the best cat in the world

Tonight my eyes are beyond puffy and my boy is at the emergency clinic.  Long story short he has a urinary blockage.  This weekend I thought he was constipated. Late on Sunday night he threw up.  Monday (a holiday mind you) he was not himself.  He even looked off.  He didn't want water or food.  I cleaned both liter boxes at the same time as to be able to monitor better.  Over the coarse of that day we had one poo and not a single.. pee.  When he was sitting on my lap he started to grumble like he does when his nails are being trimmed.  That's how I really knew he wasn't happy.  I tried to get him to drink.  I tried to get him to eat and the best he did was part of a moist treat.

I had done my googling and after Avery had gone to bed and was starting to be convinced of what is our current diagnosis.  It had me going back and forth on getting Avery up in the middle of the night to take him to an urgent clinic.  I was up most of the night, checking on him at least 4 times.  He was pretty lethargic, but still moving around the house.  Right at 7, when they opened I called the vet and they scheduled us for 11am.

The 11am appointment had me leaving him behind there at the vet.  I was home by noon and had a call from them before 1pm suggesting we transfer him to an emergency vet where he could be monitored all night.  His blood pressure was low, potassium high, and kidney tests off the charts among other worrisome results.  Before he was transferred they drained his bladder with a needle.

After he got settled at the emergency clinic and got some pain meds I got to hold him and love on him a bit before leaving.

I am beating myself up and it is justified.  I should have gone to the ER straight away.  Yesterday.  Late last night.  First thing this morning.  I definitely shouldn't have waited the 4 hours for his appointment.

Regardless, no news is good news - so they told me.  Now we wait.  If you're reading this I ask for your prayers that his levels might get to a place where it is safe for them to sedate him to deal with the urinary blockage.

If Church comes home and I pray that we are so blessed, damn straight it is going to look like that movie Signs in here w/ water every which way to lure him to drink more.  The last time he had moist food he threw it up, but we'll be working him over to more moist and putting water on all other food.

We love you Kiki.  Get well and come home sweet boy.

I try.  I swear I do.  But my patience wears thin at times.  Some days I just want to say "I'm not the idiot here."  But that is frowned upon in polite society.

Dance class spins up next week.  Payment due Sept 1.  Check the site by the 25th for your balance.  Nope.  Gotta get the bank processing that check or it won't get there in time. Received 3 emails each indicating an amount.  Tried to call and no one answers.  Sent a check for those 3 invoices since I am paying "by semester".

Get an email today "the amount you sent doesn't match up with anything" and this is what you owe.  First, it would have taken you 10 seconds to realize that's the total for 3 months minus the $10 balance I had on the account.  Ok, so a semester is apparently (in what friggin world) 5 months even though ya'll end the first week of June and have several weeks w/o lessons in between.  At BEST you're giving 9 months of lessons, but let's be honest it's more like 8 1/2 months since there is a week that is for photos, and a week off for holidays.  Regardless a semester being some screwed up number like 5 months MIGHT be info you want to convey.  Hell, you might even want to bill for those 5 months.  If I log in today I still do not see a balance, only the credit for what I did send.  Get your sh*t together, don't waste my time, I don't like guessing games.

I have picked a few more peppers and continue to get some cherry tomatoes, although not as many.  The roma plant and green onions I snagged from the $1 table at our hardware store are doing quite well - there are 2 tomatoes growing at this point.  Lettuce has petered out.  Next year I need to plant smaller batches each week for a while.

On a whim I took a cut from the bottom of a cabbage and got it to start growing.  Similarly I got an onion that had started growing in my onion bin to start rooting.  Gotta get some practice in where I can before it is desperate times to have some type of produce.

I even bought a few things to do some water bath canning. I type the rest of this paragraph with the caveat that I need to do more research.  I see some folks saying you can do the following without needing to pressure can... but.. I'm paranoid.  I'm hoping the guy across the street offers us peaches from their tree again.  I am also watching for a decent price on tomatoes to do some meatless sauce.  I had bought beets from the farmers market a few weeks ago and made an amazingly delightful batch of pickled eggs and beets.  I'd like to do some of those as well.

I did get a bit of purging of Avery's old toys and smaller clothes done in preparation for her birthday gifts.  I also did a bit of cleaning and reorganizing in my bathroom (under the sinks and in that closet).  It felt good. I need to do more of that.  As I have bought a little extra of food I need to do some organizing in the basement too.

I also still need to get the limoncello bottled.  I filtered it again as it had a bit of yellow at the top.

The other time consuming thing has been the foster family of cats.  They're quite the sweethearts and their personalities are shining.  We have a cuddler, a scaredy cat, a sweetie-petite, and a bitey-mcscratchy.  They are scheduled (at long last) for vetting (spay/neuter) midSept, so the time is quickly growing short before they'll be available for adoption and moving on to their forever homes.

Other stuff... a bought of dizziness kicked in yesterday.  The only time I've had severe dizziness was due to anxiety (like back when my world fell apart).  I'm stressed, but not that bad, so I dunno what's up.  I almost toppled in the shower last night too.  This morning I can add twitchy eyelid to my list of symptoms.  I guess the watermelon margarita I made last night did not in fact cure what ails me.

Peppers!  I have tried to grow peppers a few times through the years with pretty abysmal results.  This year on a whim I bought plants at Simmon's farm -- a 3 pack of bell peppers and a 3 pack of cubanelles.  I had a woman with a very thick accent stop me and offer some advice on picking my pepper plants, which caused me to swap them out for other plants.  Well, the woman was right.

Granted, only 1 of the 3 bell peppers is actually bell peppers, the other 2 are also cubanelles, but the plants are going crazy.  I pulled 4 good sized cubanelles last night to stuff and they turned out amazing.  There are prb another 7 cubanelle peppers and 5-6 bell peppers out there getting to size.  One of the cubanelles also toppled over weeks ago (before it was growing fruit), breaking the top, which set it back -- I'm hoping it will give me fruit in a few weeks.

I continue to harvest lettuce.  I should have started more of it a few weeks ago to take us into the fall, but I'm a slacker.  The basil plant I thought was done resurged and is giving me more fresh basil.  Most of the tomato plants are killing it (except the roma).  Even the dwindled $1 discount roma and scallions are starting to grow nicely and may provide a nice later crop.  The potato tops are large, dark green, and strong.  The mint is flowering, I need to pull the leaves and dry them (I know, I know, I'm late on that).  The carrots never seemed to root down, but they have lovely tops.  Same with the turnips, but I am finally seeing a few little bumps at the top of the soil that make me think I might have something there.  (35 days from germination to fruit?  yeah more like 70.)

Long story short, not bad for a bunch of buckets in the back yard.  Next year I may need to clear a spot in the flower bed above to do some zucchini or other large viney plant.

Also - we have a volunteer sunflower that took up shop with the lettuce.  She is in bloom and looking beautiful.