Well I'll be blowed!!

[tommo47]

The ballet connection was just too...too! [Ha, tutu, get it? ]

I totally get it, magic!!! .

Last week when I installed my new modem, I got down on the floor twice [because I was alone, and wanted it done NOW], crawling under the desk to plug/unplug cables. And I got back up!

I had to laugh when I read that, it reminded me of what I was doing yesterday. For the last few weeks I've been sleeping in the spare bedroom partly due to the advice given in respect of Covid-19, but mainly to give Chris the benefit of undisturbed sleep.

Whoever had installed the toilet had made a balls of it, the seat assembly was, dare I say, 'a pain in the arse', and was getting on my wick. So yesterday I was on the bathroom floor with a pair of wrenches refitting it properly.

I struggled a bit to get up off the floor, just as Chris appeared with a cup of tea for me, she was not best pleased .

 

[MoodyBlues]

I struggled a bit to get up off the floor, just as Chris appeared with a cup of tea for me, she was not best pleased .

Ha ha ha...no, I imagine she wasn't. But you GOT UP! That's the important thing.

So what was the deal with the toilet? I'm trying, and failing, to picture what could've gone wrong with it.

Yes, the Ballerina tulips--just too much of a sign. I glanced through the catalog, and they have many other beautiful bulbs. I learned soon after moving back here that peafowl dig up gladiola [my favorite] bulbs...just for fun! They don't eat them, they just dig them up then drop them randomly around the yard. I did, however, avoid that problem by planting bulbs in big planters--and my patio has several of those just crying for some new plants. I can do that. I'm sure of it.

I've only gone down the patio stairs twice in the past two years, both involving plumbers, and both with my helper at my side. I've become somewhat phobic about going out there, as I've said before, but for this, I think I can do it. No need to get on the ground once outside, since the planters are tall. My helper can do the heavy lifting, like adding new potting soil, then I can place the bulbs and cover them up. My bedroom windows look out on the patio...

 

[tommo47]

but for this, I think I can do it. No need to get on the ground once outside, since the planters are tall. My helper can do the heavy lifting, like adding new potting soil, then I can place the bulbs and cover them up. My bedroom windows look out on the patio..

Go for it girl!!!!

So what was the deal with the toilet? I'm trying, and failing, to picture what could've gone wrong with it.

Well, it's partly down to my attention to detail, I just don't like things not done properly and I'm sorry to say that a lot of so called skilled tradesman in the UK fail to do just that. The seat and cover assembly sat on two lugs with a slider to lock them in place. There are two lugs on each side to allow for different widths of toilet but it had been installed using one wide lug and one narrow lug so the assembly was not central and looked and felt wrong and untidy and was loose as well. It took me about 10 minutes to get it right.

 

[MoodyBlues]

Go for it girl!!!!

Thanks--I did! Look!

Ordered 25 of these beautiful Blue Bayou freesias, 50 of these Lord Lieutenant double anemones, and 50 of the Ballerina tulips that started it all!

For some reason, there's no picture on the site for the Blue Bayou; this is from the catalog:

As I was placing the order, this came up--and it kind of threw me off:

I went ahead and said yes, but they had a box for questions/comments, so I asked what would happen if I planted them upon arrival, here in this arid land which doesn't know what seasons are!

I've never seen that before, so what do you think? Should I stick them in the refrigerator for 10 weeks, or just go ahead and plant them? Ten weeks or twenty or thirty, it's going to be hot and dry...

By the way, the name 'Blue Bayou' has significance to me, too. At Disneyland, after going on Pirates of the Caribbean, we always ate at the Blue Bayou Restaurant. While you're eating, you watch as other people float by in passing boats at the start of their pirate adventure.

This whole thing is just too...well, too!

 

[tommo47]

All three are stunning in both colour and form, and now the added intriguing Blue Bayou connection makes it almost a no brainer, it is meant to be.

As far as planting is concerned you could hedge your bets and split them into two sets, plant one set when they arrive and put the second set in the refrigerator.

It will be interesting to see what their response is to the question you asked .

I reckon with the way this is turning out you will end up with them all thriving.

.

 

[MoodyBlues]

You know, I usually thoroughly research a plant company before buying from them--but with this? I threw caution to the wind! I don't want to see reviews/ratings/comments about it. I'm just going to plant what I receive and see how it turns out. There were too many things making this a no-brainer. So I don't care, and don't want to know, if they have bad reviews. *shrug*

I hadn't thought about your idea, splitting them up, but I like it. That would be a nice little test. But I have a feeling that once they're here, they're going in the ground! [Well, planters.]

I've always prided myself on my green thumb but, honestly, since moving back here, it feels disingenuous to take any credit for growing things. I'm not exaggerating that throwing seeds on a flowerbed and tossing on some potting soil yields great plants. That avocado tree? Started it by sticking a pit in potting soil in a little container, keeping it watered, and off it went. Mother Nature gets credit, not me.

Enough about my garden, now what about yours? Do you have a local nursery you like to buy plants from, or online sites? I know your current yard already had a lot of [really pretty] plants, but they seem to be mostly trees/bushes. What about bedding plants? Are you putting in any favorites?

 

[tommo47]

Enough about my garden, now what about yours? Do you have a local nursery you like to buy plants from, or online sites? I know your current yard already had a lot of [really pretty] plants, but they seem to be mostly trees/bushes. What about bedding plants? Are you putting in any favorites?

Well @MoodyBlues, you will have to help me out here. I'm very much a 'poke and hope' amateur gardener, I know what I like and what I don't like, but when it comes to specific categories I have absolutely no idea. A tree is a very big bush to me. So what would fall into into the 'bedding plant' category?

There isn't a great amount of free space really. We have made use of a number of attractive plant pots, some quite large, with lavender and fuschia, bought from ALDI, and doing very well.

Update after the start of chemo cycle 5 yesterday :-

It all went very well, one of the team doctors came to pass on the results of the CT scan I had last week. It shows a reduction in the tumours picked out in the liver etc and classed it, cautiously, as
'good news' .

We are having a full telephone consultation early June after the team have had a full analysis/discussion of the results.

I've crept over the 8 stone mark at 8st 2lb, mostly due to the IV drip yesterday but my appetite is getting better so I will hopefully build on that over the next few weeks.



We took some more photos of the garden yesterday, I will upload them as soon as I can .

 

[Milo Willamson]

Stick them in the fridge for a while, before it rains down there just plant them and watch the weather, just keep in mind, the more moist those plants are, the better they will open up

 

[MoodyBlues]

before it rains down there

And when might that be?

Hmmm...according to all the weather history books...there won't be a drop of rain for months upon their arrival, or after 10 weeks in the fridge.

All watering....well, I should've said 99.5% of all watering, is done by humans.

 

[Milo Willamson]

And when might that be?

Hmmm...according to all the weather history books...there won't be a drop of rain for months upon their arrival, or after 10 weeks in the fridge.

All watering....well, I should've said 99.5% of all watering, is done by humans.

I am sorry that is my mother's Master Gardning programing side in me, just do little things of her talking it through with her.
Little things not like her though, she does know her stuff.

 

[MoodyBlues]

Your update makes me very, very happy, @tommo47.

I just...gosh, I don't know how to express it...I'm so glad for you. The weight gain/increased appetite are excellent, and the 'good news' is good indeed. You're on a roll!

'Bedding plants' loosely means non-big plants. In other words, flowers, like petunias and pansies, are bedding plants, camellias and roses are not. In my flowerbeds, I rely heavily on perennial flowering plants, but always put in a few flats of annuals for a nice splash of color in bare areas.

If you have some spots here and there that would benefit from some color, choosing some annuals would be a good choice. If you like them, great!, and if you don't, then don't buy them again next year. If you're sure about something, choosing perennials is always a good choice.

Oh, bedding plants go in planters, too. Hanging baskets overflowing with blooms are nice, though they tend to need daily watering [they dry out quickly, swinging in mid-air]. Pots of all sizes can be used for them, too, and annuals are a good choice for shallow planters, as their roots spread outward, near the surface, whereas perennials' roots grow downward into the soil. That's why perennials, once established, can do with less watering than annuals right next to them.

Post some pics when you get a chance!

 

[tommo47]

Your update makes me very, very happy, @tommo47.

I just...gosh, I don't know how to express it...I'm so glad for you. The weight gain/increased appetite are excellent, and the 'good news' is good indeed. You're on a roll!

Thank you @MoodyBlues, l was hoping that would be your reaction.


I've just had a break from this post to polish off a bowl of Chris's lamb dinner which consists of lamb, potato, carrot and swede semi blitzed so it feels more like 'real' food, with gravy and flooded with mint sauce, I absolutely love mint sauce. To be followed a bit later by homemade chocolate cake, cream and ice cream .

Thanks also for the info on plants and planting, I shall take all that on board.

I will try and get the pics posted tomorrow.

 

[MoodyBlues]

Eat up, my friend @tommo47, eat up! Have a big slice of cake and ice cream for me, will you?

By the way, I'm dieting. I finally had a serious talk with myself, after gaining back way more weight than I was supposed to. I can explain how/why it happened, but that doesn't excuse it, you know? So I set a goal and have lost 3 pounds so far. I'm not depriving myself, just no longer over-indulging...

 

[tommo47]

Yes, I cleaned out the bowl of chocolate cake, had your share too, it was really good. Hey, we're 'weight-sharing', you lose it, I gain it . If only it was that simple!!!!

Over indulging is not good, but you do have to treat yourself now and again .

 

[MoodyBlues]

Thanks for eating my share, too! I haven't had cake in a long time. I hope you thoroughly enjoyed every bite.

Hey, we're 'weight-sharing', you lose it, I gain it . If only it was that simple!!!!

We can only wish... *sigh*

 

[tommo47]

Hi @MoodyBlues, as promised :-

6 inches (peony)

Llangollen rose 3½ inches at the moment

The next roses are 3 to 3½ inches

5½ inches (peony)

The red rose in the corner by the rainspout is the transplant from Llangollen.
Just beginning to flower. Now 3-3½ inches
The next ones are 5 to 5½ inches. Chris reckons they are peony.

6½ inches (peony)

That wall is about 7 feet high and the two honeysuckles are about to peep over and have a look at our Landlord's garden!!!

 

[MoodyBlues]

Awesome pics, @tommo47! Thank you so much for sharing.

Wow...wow! Such beautiful blooms and thriving plants. Your green thumb has accomplished a lot.

It's hard to judge scale; some of the flowers look huge. Can you give me some idea of their size?

 

[tommo47]

! thought you would like them. I'm very pleased, and somewhat surprised that they have come back so strong.

I have added the measurements to the previous post.

 

[tommo47]

Update after the telephone consultation with one of the team doctors this afternoon.

The liver tumour has reduced from about 3 inches to just over 1 inch so has had it's arse well and truly kicked. There is a slight concern about a new spread that appeared on the CT scan in bone near the pelvis but the doctor said compared to the liver it is not that critical.

The 6th and final chemo cycle is due to be completed early July after which further CT Scans will be taken to monitor the liver situation, the results of which will determine what, if any, further treatment is required.

 

[MoodyBlues]

What great news, @tommo47!

At this rate, the damn thing should be well and truly GONE by the time you're through with chemo! An update afterward will be eagerly looked forward to.

How's your weight/appetite doing? Still good? Remember to eat extra servings of dessert for me!

 

[tommo47]

Thank you @MoodyBlues, yes we are both greatly relaxed after the consultation, although the cautionary aspect was that it will never go away completely and will almost certainly return 'at some time in the future' but we can live with that. The doctor confirmed that the dizzy spells I experience, sometimes quite serious, are to be expected during the middle of the cycle and if necessary I can request a day visit to Oncology for a boost IV

I am still still struggling a little to get and keep over the 8 stone mark, despite a good appetite and a lot more water intake. I had another piece of chocolate cake, ice cream and cream last night, I couldn't help feeling a little guilty about eating your share .

I don't think I have come to terms with how weak I actually am, and that although I love pottering about in the garden it turns into 'I'll just give that bush a good trim', reach for the hedge trimmer and realise it's too heavy.

When I go back in the house, I it hits me when I struggle to get upstairs, safely, without the assistance of Chris.

What is the latest with your gorgeous and oh so meaningful tulip order. Did you get a satisfactory reply to your question?

Please keep me updated.

 

[MoodyBlues]

Listen, @tommo47, coming to terms with a weakened state is very hard. VERY hard. Conceding that you're too weak to do a normal, routine task is tough. Read my thread if you need a reminder. Believe me, being reduced to needing strangers to wipe my ass was the biggest concession I'd ever made that I just couldn't do it myself.

That's the shitty news. Here's the good news: look forward. That's what I did. Daily. Every hour...minute. I kept telling myself 'this is reality now, but I'll get better...this is temporary...' My doctors actually told me later that had I given in, given up, I wouldn't have pulled through.

So while it's depressing and distressing now, the one thing you must not do is give in/up. Your mental state has a lot to do with how this situation plays out. It's fine to lie down when you're not up to [whatever], but don't let feelings of giving up enter your head. So you're resting--great! Watch some TV shows you especially like, read a book, draw a new flowerbed and what you'd put in it, post on AF.

Conceding that you're in a weakened state is one thing. Crumpling into a hopeless heap is quite another. You can't control the physical changes you're experiencing, but you can control your reaction to them.

 

[tommo47]

Thank you @MoodyBlues, oh my dear, I'm nowhere near crumpling into a hopeless heap. I'm coming to terms with the fact that I have to take things easy and retain energy for the essentials of life.

I also have my 50 year old teenage dream which is getting nearer by the day. Watsonian, the sidecar people are now operating and have promised to get the necessary parts to my local dealer as soon as possible and he's ready to put it all together when the kit arrives.

It's my birthday next month so I'm hoping for the birthday present of a life time .

I have no negative feelings at all, just a measure of reality.

Thank you so much for your continued support and encouragement.

 

[MoodyBlues]

Just to clarify: I didn't mean to imply that you are crumpling into a hopeless heap, just warning that your mind can easily take you there if you're not careful.

Focus on when this is all over, you're rebuilding your body, regaining your strength, resuming normal tasks. Plan ahead--as you are with your teenage dream and upcoming birthday! [When is it?]

On to gardening... I got a very helpful reply from the bulb company; she explained why it really is necessary to do the pre-chilling for at least ten weeks prior to planting. Honestly, from what she said, I don't think some of the plants will fare well here. You know, in SoCal, there's no such thing as pulling up bulbs and storing them over the winter. They're just in the ground, period, once they're planted. I don't think bulbs meant for colder climes will do well here after the first season. But, whatever! I'm not going to worry about it. Either they'll last or they won't. *shrug*

 

[tommo47]

Just to clarify: I didn't mean to imply that you are crumpling into a hopeless heap, just warning that your mind can easily take you there if you're not careful.

Focus on when this is all over, you're rebuilding your body, regaining your strength, resuming normal tasks. Plan ahead--as you are with your teenage dream and upcoming birthday! [When is it?]

You're absolutely right and it's 13th July. I have never considered 13 to be an unlucky number , and have always considered it to be lucky for me, I was my father's birthday present on 13th July 1947 .

Now, now. Positive thinking all the way, there's too much going on with the the ballet and Blue Bayou 'coincidences', those tulips WILL flourish.