Monday evening a front started moving in from the west. It looked like the Mothership edging into view. Somewhere around 4 AM long deep rumbles of thunder started but I never did hear any rain. Tuesday morning it was wet and gently raining and continued to rain into late afternoon, the perfect rain that we needed to soak in.
Tuesday I had my semi-annual teeth cleaning and she was running behind, had to wait 45 minutes. She does a good job, no complaint there, but I wish my dentist had a different hygienist because she's a mis-informed, gets her 'news' from Fox, republican. I don't know if she a MAGAt cult member but she was going on today hitting all the republican talking point lies...no one wants to work just live off the government money (so why is unemployment at an all time low?) and then she complained about McDonalds raising wages to $12 an hour and now the price hamburgers is going to go up (to which I replied I would gladly pay an extra 10¢ for a hamburger so the worker could make a living wage) (as if $12 an hour is a living wage), there's no manufacturing in this country anymore, regulations are killing the energy industry, all this green energy initiative wasting money and what's the point since China and Iran aren't doing anything and she doesn't believe in global warming anyway and what about those poisonous electric car batteries that are expensive to replace and people charging their electric cars will cause blackouts in Wharton (right about now I was internally shaking my head at the ignorance). About the only one she missed was the 'crisis' at the border. She was all over the place jumping from one thing to another. About all I could do to refute her idiocy with her fingers in my mouth was to say 'not true' plus I didn't want to spend an extra hour in the chair while I countered her assertions with facts and achievements of Biden's administration. Wouldn't have mattered anyway.
I've started cutting back the mound of vines covering my raised beds from the garden I had over at the shop which after the flood was filled with weeds and seeds and after fighting it for a couple of years I finally just abandoned it and the virginia creeper, briar, native passion flower vine that does not bloom overwhelmed the area, probably some wild grape vine in there too. Kudzu got nothing on our shit. My goal is to cut away a garden cart full every day until I finally get the ground exposed, the pieces of raised bed removed and the dirt spread out so it can be mowed over. Monday I uncovered a small hackberry tree and excavated two tomato cages hauling two garden carts worth to the burn pile which is a good thing since it rained all day Tuesday. This was my progress after Monday (the front half looked like the back half before I started).
there are 4 tomato cages in there still to be uncovered
Wednesday after I got back from doing the grocery shop I spent an hour and another cart load and excavated two more tomato cages. Further progress.
two more cages left
And Thursday afternoon another half hour and another tomato cage. One more to go and then I'll dismantle the little plastic raised bed before I start on the other two raised beds of wild growth.
Our most recent cold front is just a memory and if I'm going to plant the bougainvillea and divide the bird of paradise and plant half of it in the ground I should do that soon, like now, before it gets too late. And pansies! Time to get the pansies in.
Another hour and Friday's progress (and I am soaked from head to crotch).
After lunch I did pull the bird of paradise out of it's pot, divided it up, dug a big hole for one half and got it in the ground, then put the other half back in the same pot. If/when we get a freeze I'll try to protect the one in the ground this winter but if it doesn't make it, I've got the one in the pot which will winter over in the garage.
And because I wasn't tired enough, Minnie wanted the longest of the long walk because she didn't get one yesterday.
In case there was any doubt about Cat settling in and making herself at home.
You should complain to the dental practice about that hygienist. There's no reason you should have to listen to a political lecture while getting your teeth cleaned. She needs to learn what's professional and what's not.
ReplyDeleteBravo on cleaning up the raised beds. That looks like a lot of work, but I guess it will be good to get your tomato cages back!
I've known she was a republican, has had Fox on the TV in her room, which I have asked her to change, and from a few comments over the years. This is the first time she gone off like this. I'm not going to complain unless it becomes the usual because I don't see how it would benefit me since she is the only hygienist in the office. Besides I imagine the dentist is a republican as well since most of this small red town is.
DeleteI think my dental stress levels would be sky high if I encountered that hygienist. I did years ago, pre pandemic, have an anti vaxxer blathering on while she cleaned my teeth, but I noticed she didn't last long. I'm betting the dentist heard and acted on it!
ReplyDeleteI live in a small red Texas town in an agricultural county. And this is the first time she has gone off like this other than a rare comment or two which I can usually counter. I figure something just set her off that day. Maybe the person before me and they were having a complain fest.
DeleteI'm with Steve. You should not have to listen to her lack of intelligence. Wow! What a lot of work.
ReplyDeleteIt has been just the once over the years but if it happens again I'll just ask if we could not talk about politics. The thing is, she's youngish, has a 12 year old son. that's what really gets me. Old people, OK, put too many of the younger folk are sucked in.
DeleteI definitely would be contacting the dentist. It would drive me crazy to have to listen to that drivel and I would politely ask her to lay off the political commentary and just clean my teeth. Then I would ask for a different hygienist for the next visit.
ReplyDeleteIt's just been the once over the years so I think I can sit through it without making a complaint. Now if it happens again I'll just ask her not to talk about politics. I live in a small red rural town.
DeleteNow that is a happy cat. Talk about a life changed for the better. People like the hygienist - why do they believe these things? It's amazing and sad to me.
ReplyDeleteRight? and she's youngish, has a 12 year old son. But this is a small red religious town in a rural county in Texas and I imagine all she listens to is the liars at Fox and gets it reinforced by everyone she knows. But even in this small red rural religious community I overheard the director at SHARE expressing dismay at the declining membership at her church, a reflection I suppose, hope, of the national trend.
DeleteI'm with Steve, complete lack of professionalism on the part of the hygienist, no one should have to listen to a diatribe like that. You didn't ask for it. I would mention it to the dentist, 'cause it's quite likely you were not the only victim.
ReplyDeleteI imagine I would be the only one not participating in this small red religious town in a rural Texas county. So, no, I won't complain to the dentist as it has been just this one time over the years though if it happens again I'll just tell I'd rather not talk about divisive subjects.
DeleteI so admire the way you put your shoulder into physical labor, your strength and determination to power through. I don't know that my body still has the capability to do what you do. As for the hygienist, I have become convinced that the Fox/Trump/MAGA/Q crowd lives in an utterly separate reality, the void between them and objective fact and verifiable truth an ever widening abyss. I wonder if we will ever be able to bridge to divide. All I hope for these days is that there are enough of us to keep the power hungry cynics and their delusional constituents from running the show. Next week we will know what the immediate future holds.
ReplyDeleteI actually enjoy physical labor. Weird, I know, but I like using my body, I like to dig. I do like having accomplished what seems to be a daunting task. Like when I cleared the fence between the shop and my neighbor before we moved the house there for my sister. This project is a walk in the park compared to that.
DeleteI'm appalled at what had become of the population in this country. It's a long term effort, goal even, of republicans to defund education but I'm at a loss to understand how so many people have embraced absolutely unbelievable and bizarre conspiracies and it's the people running for office that espouse them. Like J D Vance telling people that his democrat opponent wants to flood America with illegal aliens and then use taxpayer dollars to fund gender reassignment surgeries for them. Who would believe something like that? Apparently a lot. So yeah, I don't see us bridging that divide until we have a whole new population of educated people and these wackos have have all died off.
You are right about trying to be logical with your hygienist, she is no longer able to comprehend reasonalble thoughts. My sister was the same about Trump. Made me want to just smack her on the side of her head! Nothing I said, even with proof could change her mind. She insisited that Covid was not real and this is how she died. I didn't want her to prove me right, but she did. This area we live in is rife with rabid Republicans. They still have Trump/Pence signs from 2016 displayed in their yards, on their vehicles and places of business. The vine clean up is much more satisfying than talking to "people"
ReplyDeleteEven when they are dying of covid they refuse to believe it. I'm not seeing any Trump signs anymore in this small red religious republican town in a rural county though it did take well over a year for them to all finally disappear. Now what I'm seeing is generic 'vote republican' yard signs.
DeleteThe maga tooth scraper ought to have been fired.
ReplyDeleteSmall red town, small mind but no I don't think she should be fired because something set her off one time. We'll see how the next appointment goes.
DeleteSorry about that recent tornado weather and I hope your area was spared. Those clouds are a bit intimidating. I also got my teeth cleaned a few weeks ago and seem to be mouth healthy for now.
ReplyDeleteThose winds brought a lot of small limbs and branches down but we did get some much needed rain.
DeleteI just listened to a book about the assignation of JFK and was stunned at the level of political hatred we've forgotten from that time,
ReplyDeleteWhat was the name of the book? I may be wrong, but I trusted and believed in Kennedy. (John F., that is). Seems that was the fore-runner of a downward slide.
DeleteI was in 8th grade I think when Kennedy was assassinated. Not politically or socially aware at that point in my life.
DeleteThat area is going to look SOOOO good when you get it dne. I'm like you, I enjoy pulling weeds.. I can remember sitting on my little stool pulling the weeds between my legs and then moving the stool, bending down and beginning again. Never regretted having my hands in the soil... Something about it rests my inner soul.
ReplyDeleteDirt contains happy making microbes.
DeleteYou are a determined gardener and you can take your frustrations out on hacking those overgrown spots. You must feel a wonderful sense of accomplishment when you look over your work. Well done!
ReplyDeleteI would have to ask the hygienist to please not talk politics.
That's what I intend to do if she does it again.
DeleteAnd yes, it does give me a great deal of pleasure to look when the work is done and see the result and know that I did it.
Here I sit still recovering from COVID (no stamina and you know I hardly have any anyway) and this post is just exhausting. Ha! But it's got to be VERY satisfying to get rid of all those vines.
ReplyDeleteThose creepers would do me in, how you cope is a mystery. It reminds me of the rain forest. And I agree about that dental person, no place to spout that rubbish, should be more professional.
ReplyDeleteThe sky at the beach was like that all weekend. So very beautiful.
ReplyDeleteAnd as usual- you are working your ass off. I'm glad that Cat knows how to keep you resting for awhile at least.