Coffee Break #100!

Oh, my!! Hugs and hugs

Oh, my! Bad news does happen like that. So sorry, Marilyn. I imagine maybe your little Nicki might have been trying to escape to be with you? Those little poodly minds know when their mistress is distressed. Remember how our Cliffie ate an entire basket of laundry when I was in surgery last summer?

Doing my best to send healing thoughts and prayers your way. Please keep us updated.

hope the puppy heals quickly

with all this warm weather i might actually finish raking the yard - spent some time out there in xmass and all day today. hopefully by the end of the weekend.

DH pruned brambles near the compost pit in the woods, so that they would not be prickly next spring.

Nicki went through surgery well......keeping her quiet is another matter! How do they expect a 6 month old poodle to not run, jump, or play? I'm supposed to keep her in a crate 24/7....not happening! I made the vet tech take the cone off her as well.....this was one terrified pup! Much better now that she's home.....here she is in her trendy hot pink bandage....she has a boot that goes over it every time she goes outside....must be on a leash....no stairs, so I carried her up to bed last night, now my back is killing me! She's on pain meds every 8 hours.....that included 3 o'clock this morning!

Gosh, maybe its a good thing she's not fully grown or you'd be sleeping on the floor! The lawyers for the vets must tell them to use those ridiculous cones, but a poodle is likely to stick to you like glue so you can monitor her yourself.

Nicki's not a chewer......I know she doesn't like having a splint on her leg, but I rubbed bitter apple on the bandage, & so far, she hasn't touched it.

good news

Nicki's appt is Wed. Will know how she's healing.....

You're a good dog-mom, Marilyn.

Thanks, Rosemary.....just as you are to the beautiful Cliffie!

Have started my seed & plant orders......try to do one new thing in the veggie garden each year.....this year I'm trying kambocha squash.....my sister bought some at the store the other day & we both liked it.....very dark orange flesh, dense, sweet.....blurb says it's good for small gardens.

I am afraid that we have not done veggies for some years. We just take care of the irises.

And that's plenty, Lucy....I've cut way back on the veggies....I usually pick out of my son's garden, but he had woodchuck problems this past year....I always plant a lot of cukes to make pickles.

No veggies here, either, cuz we're not home for me to take care of them. Comes down to, do we travel and visit family or do we stay home and garden. Visiting family wins hands down!! Hehehe. That's why I am rethinking my garden focuses(foci?).

Racoons harvested our corn many years ago, just when we wanted it. We also have tons of chipmunks to bother the garden. Can get fresh vegetables many places, so not great for us. Occasional ground hogs.

My garden is fenced, but the rabbit still knows how to get in! And mice come & go as they please....still, I love to go out the door & pick fresh beans, tomatoes, cukes......

Fresh is awesome!!!!

It is, & we don't have many farmer's markets around.....one comes on Thursdays, but only 2 farms usually participate....

How is Nicki's foot mending, Marilyn?

The seed catalogs arrived, but I don't think this is the time for a big food garden here.

Wish me luck. I have a job interview this week which is a possible promotion. More headaches too, so the manager whose district I'd be taking reminded me to be careful what I wish for. Since my base of operations is reasonably close to home currently, travel might be a deal breaker.

It is interesting how federal court is handling jury duty since I got an on-call notice a few weeks ago. I can only guess they have put a lot more people like me on call considering they already have over a thousand people appearing for jury duty screening.

I think 'on call' might be for about a month. I got my last call just before my 70th birthday, but was not seated. & then I didn't have to serve any more.

My mom got called more than Jeff or I even after we responded she was considered legally blind, didn't drive, plus a few more things that kept her off. We wondered why they didn't keep that info each time.

Yes, you wonder what they do with that info! Nicki's leg seems to be getting stronger....she tends to limp in the morning, then at night.....her xray is on the 4th of Feb. Will know more then......

The questionnaire was very clear that state emplpyees are not excused from federal jury service. I'm so happy it does not interfere with a first interview for a new job that is on a time limited basis. My on-call can last until the end of the month, so it will be about half a month when all is done.

Good luck to Marilyn and Nicki for a good vet visit in Feb! I wonder how long the limping is supposed to last?

Hopefully, not much longer.....good luck, Rosemary, with your new job opportunity!

Yes, Rosemary. Best wishes!

Thanks. Interview is over and yesterday the jury commissioner's office called to say I'm excused so it's back to routine. I have no idea where the job stands at this point.

Coast Guard offered an early out after 15 years, so DS is retiring this summer. His wife's family is from Foxboro, so they will probably settle up that way. He has had two interviews already from sending out two resumes. They are contenders, but will keep looking. Having top secret clearance seems to be a plus. Soooo....we'll be visiting you guys.

That's very nice news, Jan. But I hope you're hunkered down at home today, anyway.

One of my best friends lives in Foxboro.....

does anyone recommend software for garden design or something similar?

a friend is asking.

They should hire you. Patti

Nope, but the mechanical CAD types of software, even Blender, would work for someone who has those skills and knows the plant dimensions and needs.

I agree with Patti!!!!!!!!!!!

Will ask my son, the landscape architect.......Thought of you the other day, Bill....was at The Garden in Woodbury, CT......They had many stone owls that were awesome......not too much carving, just indentations for the beaks, glassy eyes....expensive!

thanks folks - not sure my wife would want me to take on this job - the person asking is a good customer of mine - she is young, single, attractive, and would require out of state travel :) staying with the software solution.

marilyn i've seen those owls and i might give one a try if the right stone shows its face - got some new carving tools for x-mass - a fall project maybe.

I bought a leaping rabbit through a catalog. He is cast iron with a bronze finish. I had planned to set in the center of a circle of snow crocus so I would be careful not to dig them up, but only a couple plants bloomed this year. Will replant in the fall.

The bronze rabbit sounds like just the guy to mark some crocus bulbs.

The only kind of rabbit I wish to see in the garden. ☺

Bill, I'm sure you would do a great job with the owl....definitely a project for when the garden is quiet......Lucy, the rabbit sounds like a nice addition to the garden....I worked outside for 4 hours yesterday....sore today!