BBQ, butterflies, bugs

😷COVID isn't done. Thankfully, we are done with it. We've both tested negative. That said, we've still tired, easily fatigued, and pacing ourselves. I'm still coughing. I tried reducing my meds yesterday, but that didn't go well. I was up coughing at 2 a.m. 

It's 7 a.m., and I have garbage out.  That is a good start.  My garden is a mess, but looks good from a distance.  

Since we can't have a bidet, due to wiring and plumbing issues, I created my own solution! This continues to be a problem for me. I don't know if it is the meds or stress. Thankfully, I can do laundry without coughing.

My goal was to exchange the BBQ canister on Sunday.  I did it, wearing my N95 mask. They sorta gave me a side eye, but I was coughing. They have no idea! 

Notice the cherry tomato some↑ one stole?!

🎥 We watched STHL Blackout (2024) for our evening entertainment. A bit slow to start, but once we got into it I liked it. A good plot, with comedic bits. It says 'comedy' but it uses comedic relief to ease the tension. It's dubbed, as it is in Swedish. It's pretty good dubbing, though.

Here we are, in the country, with cherry tomatoes that need watering, usually twice a day. It is wonderful seeing actual fruit.

Dense Blazing Star – non-mental note!

My hops vine didn't do well this year. Neither did my fuchsia. I think I should have watered the Hops during a dry spell. Non-mental note for next year. 

The first photo↓ is yesterday, the next from another year. Maybe I should have given it more sun even thought the tag says sun/shade. 

The hummingbirds love them. Thankfully, we've other wildflowers and garden flowers that they love.

I sat out back and read my book. Then – got distracted by critters. The definite-marked tussock moth caterpillar finally showed me the full stages. I didn't know what was making these cocoons. Now I know!

The adult. (I think!)

The Eastern Comma isn't as prolific this year. I've only seen one chrysalis. We had 8 last year in the eaves, at least. 

I wrote this a couple of days ago. As I was sitting out back, an Eastern Question Mark flew up from below the deck and landed on the bench. It had to have been newly eclosed, since it sat there for a good 15 minutes. 

There was a pop-up rain! I had to pull back under the eaves for shelter. It cleared, and I went back to my book.

The process of cancer treatment – PART CVIII

We had to go into the city for JB's quarterly treatment. The other 3 treatments are done here in Perth, a happy effect of COVID protocols. 

It poured all morning, then the clouds moved away. Happily.

 We left the house at 12:45

, arriving at the kid's house in an hour. I'd bought a tap, which had the handle on the wrong side. JL took it home to undo the nut for me. They'd left it for us, and the deed was done! It added to the trip, but was worth it. Both of us got out of the car and stretched a bit. 

From there we motored on to the Ottawa General Hospital. Man, I've not forgotten city driving, I did fairly well. I learned to drive in downtown Toronto, where I lived. You have to be so assertive in the city.  (I did vent about a driver doing exactly 6 km and hour UNDER the speed limit.) People were frantically passing them. 

I dropped JB off at the hospital at 2:15, he grabbed his mask, and needle. I returned to the park where I waited. There are several people who do this, I've noticed. Why go in the hospital, when I can sit in the fresh air? 

The first thing I tried was a selfie, to let Caitlin know we'd arrived. You can see the puddles that remained. It was cold and windy, but lovely in the car in the sun. I began fooling around with the phone. I accidentally began sending an SOS. Whoopsie!

There were dog walkers to watch. That was fun.

I tried a panoramic image, which failed. I did manage a video of the doggies. You can see my thumb. It is a learning curve. Old dog new tricks! 🦮

         

dog walkers from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

I amused myself listening to the radio. Then decided to play with my phone some more. I managed to capture an eagle and a plane. The blue skies were wonderful. Archive photo for fun! I should have brought the zoom lens. I've often found birds here.

Time passed. By 3:30 p.m. I was getting worried. They've been faster (and slower) in the past, these appointments.

Eventually he returned. They didn't realize that he'd brought his needle for the injection, as has been the case, and after reports being taken by the intern, they found a nurse to jab him. The doctor said that he could continue to have his needles with our GP in Perth, and then do a Zoom interview once a year. He has, they estimated, another 5 years when the Lupron will continue to work. 

I set Gillian GPS for our stop, the restaurant, and then for home.

We stopped at Swan on the Rideau for an early dinner, 4:00. Only 6 men at the bar. We were tired and hungry. We couldn't sit in our usual sun room off the bar, as they were expecting poets at 6 p.m. We were anxious to eat and get home. 

The woman who sat us ignored us for 5 minutes. I could see her chatting to the new staff as the shift was changing. She happily served the men at the bar, but she didn't even come over for our drink order. JB checked his watch, and said to give her 5 minutes. She came in the nick of time. I would have been happy to toodle on to Smiths Falls for fast food.

We ordered hamburgers, a safe bet. JB said no cheese for him. I asserted no dairy. She returned, and had forgotten our order. She was reminded and, she said, no cheese. Our water and wine arrived, placed on the table a new server. Our order came, delivered by said server. His hamburger had brie on the hamburger. She took it back. He ate his salad, I dug in. It came back shortly.

Service was less than stellar. We won't go back. It's not as if they didn't expect people. There were reservations at 5 of the tables, for large groups. There were 4 servers behind the bar area.

This is the bridge which took us towards home. By now it was 4:51. I was having stomach cramps. Not good. They lasted 24 hours.

The marina:

I'd had a glass of wine with dinner. JB was able to drive us home from here, a good halfway point. Long, straight roads, where speedy people can pass. Driving through North Gower, you could see sprouts growing in the fields.

Our world is changing for the better. JB noticed a board at the hospital explaining pronoun protocols. I checked the hospital website, and staff wear badges that state theirs. You need not guess, and you can have your pronouns respected. It's a good read: A few words make a big difference: A guide to personal pronouns. 

I had some great conversations with our gr. 8 and 10 granddaughters on the weekend. People are more likely to be accepted for who they are. Some students are identifying as they/them, with the self-esteem to correct staff.  'Gay' is no longer a slur at their school, as it was when my kids were in school, when I was a teacher. That takes self-advocacy, and I am really impressed with their generation. Yes, there are pockets of anti-LGBTQ+ sentiment, but there have been improvements.

Happy doggie in Smiths Falls:

We arrived home at 6:45, and rested. I was watching the temperature, and it kept falling. By 5˚ C. I brought in my baskets. They are doing really well, all things considered. I popped them out in the morning warmth.

We were so happy to be home. The next meeting will be online. The next injection in 3 months in Perth.

Thursday morning I was awake at 6:15, for no reason at all. JB slept in until 8:30, but went back for a nap at 10:30. It really is draining, these marathons. 

I was glad I'd brought the planters in! 

What a day of rain!

Firstly, to answer a question  re: 🐻 BEAR WATCH... (<= I keep track of sightings just for fun.)

I don't worry too much about the bears in the forest, CanadianGardenJoy, as they are good bears and know to fear humans. It is very rare to have a bear attack in Canada. Soon they will settle in for winter and I can put out the bird feeders. I've come across a couple of coyotes and a large fisher over three separate incidents. They run away quite quickly!  They tend to skirt the land, on the edge of the forest overlooking the wetland.

If you haven't seen it, the bear scratching her back📹 on the tree was a hoot! Then, there was Junior Bear last spring, 2021. I found an old shot from 2018 where the bear was just off camera!   I'd forgotten about that one.

I am noisy with Cinnamon doing walkies, I talk to him the whole time. That said, we're very vigilant down in the forest and he warns me if something is there. OK, he doesn't warn me so much as watch, and pays attention to things he doesn't understand, and I know I am safe. Funny story: once walking Daisy, she paused, looked off into the forest, and ran like heck up a tree. It was just a doe, probably running from a coyote. She was the canary in the coal mine.

That was a storm. Tons of rain all day, then more in the evening. The thunder and lightning makes you think about how small we are in the big world.

My goldfish pond was overflowing. The eaves drains into the water barrel, which drains into the pond. I wish we'd had it in July, when we needed it!

rainy day from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

 My hanging basket has been host to lots of critters, hummingbirds were the first, and now caterpillars. I think they are some sort of tussock moths.

I must have tossed a cherry tomato over the lower back deck. It sprouted! 

 

This is a big old dead pine tree makes me sad. They just aren't growing that big anymore. It's lost its branches. This tree is on lot #3, at the far end of our paradise.

The tree is dotted by woodpecker holes! 

I was thinking about cutting the lawn, but I realized that the wood frogs are all over it. I'll wait until I have to mulch the leaves!

We still have our Rose Mallow Hibiscus in bloom.

Up at the house, more rodent holes, the second dug out by the coyote or raccoons.

Then there is this, just to make you laugh! Poor Heath Hiscox, paid big bucks to be overseas covering this solemn occasion. Her camera operator did their best, but the selfish, silly man tried to make his point! 

There we are, Happy Tuesday. It's meatloaf day!  

Nothing like putting something in the oven to warm the house on these chilly days.