My best off day yet.

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A bit of tinkering after that last post, and yet I finally did get up and get going. I purchased a y-connector for the outside water faucet as I have only been able to find one and thought I might need two hoses at once, at some time. I planned on installing then test that first, but found that I needed to dig a little bit. The faucet sits right at ground level. Whoever did this... anyway. I was able to dig enough away, through dirt and some sort of mesh that surrounded the faucet area. I have no idea what it was for, only that it is still strong in a way. It is all around the area and required a bit of work to open up a large enough area for a sure fit for the y-connector.

After that, the system went together and seems to work well. After three or four adjustments to the handle, I was able to get the flow out of the sprinkler that I want. It does not quite get it all, completely. Yet more would end up soaking the house... the addition. I have been told that the house is sound but that I should not plant things close to the house so as not to water near the house. I can see that, but this year is an exception. Next year I should have enough on the ball to rent a tiller and plant a more reasonable garden in a more practical place. Or, I can hope it is more practical. I will be discussing the placement of a garden with my mother when she arrives. So, that is up and running. Now I merely need to go out my back door, set the timer for 15 minutes, perhaps move the sprinkler midway through, do that twice a day and be done with it. As it stands now, one plant is fruiting, six plants are flowering (all of the tomatoes and both of the hotter type peppers), and one is just looking green but a little beat up for some reason (that being the orange bell pepper plant).

I then thought to make supper, but realized all the butter was cold. So, I put some out in the covered platter for it, set up my bowl with charizo, beans, and rice (again, I know, but I did not feel like cooking), cut my bread, and studied the world and all through the skewed goggles of the interwebz. After a half hour, hunger got the better of me and to supper I went. It is a pleasant little meal. And, I am eating less and learning to proportion things a bit better. Life is coming along fine that way, I do believe.

After dinner, I decided to do some boxes and packing material. Four boxes of packing material was meticulously sorted, folded for a final check, and bagged. Then I went through the empty boxes, picked the best of several sizes to set aside should my mother want a few, then broke down the worst of the lot. That, and a bag of garbage from daily use and some of the plastic bubble wrap packing, are now in their proper receptacles waiting for their turn for the short bus ride home.

Not bad, not bad at all. A bit more might end up being done, though only neatening up the edges of a few areas, finishing off a few minor tasks, and perhaps some sorting of tools. I did get a number of tools together, put in their cases, and sorted to the area tools are generally collecting, awaiting a decision about their final repository. Or... semi-final... or something. Who knows how much things will change when my mother arrives and after I figure out what the heck I am doing, all on my own, in this comfy little fish bowl I have promised 4 or 5 years (if I paid nothing else) of my income to swim in.

Yes, some days, even off days, can see work done. It was not a problem. The late rise, while a bit of a surprise, did not throw me. Having to sort a few extra things to get to sorting other things did not allay me. And taking breaks, enjoying the day, spending time with Sam, and tinkering and trolling the interhighway was not a problem. It neither felt like work, like a chore, as if a hardship. I enjoyed it, mostly. I am looking forward to tomorrow. Who knows what will happen then.

I do need to go to the store. Milk! Oh I need, love, and enjoy whole milk. there are other things I need and want, and would like to get on that shopping list for the short term food storage program. If I probably have more of some of it already on hand than it might recommend. And, though my friend has an appointment at 16:00, I hope to go shooting with him before that. They will be testing the very thing we talked about today, or a possible cause of his continued infection... a lack of blood flow due to nerve death. I may simply go in with him, wait for the verdict, and go to dinner with him after to discuss it. I may be a forgetful friend, but when the opportunity exists, I go a little further. That is, of course, if he does not mind. Sometimes he does. Bah, I may intrude. The last thing I may wish to do tomorrow, at some point, is polish my shoes. That may, I say may, boy, see me in Church this week.

Beyond going to Church for the reason of giving communal, social, and public acknowledgment and praise to God, and getting to confession, I also have been being pestered by my conscience to talk to the priest about how I might serve as a non-advocate visitor to death row inmates. Why I feel called to this, I cannot say. It certainly is not to break them out, prove them innocent, or anything. I guess, because in some ways and more so in my eyes, they are the least of these. And what you do to these, you also do to me... As I have it, Christ said that. Yeah, okay. But I cannot do hospitals, so... But that changes nothing about the rest of it. Bread, especially this bread I am eating, is very good. But I cannot live on it alone. I really cannot. I am hungry, starving actually, for the Eucharist and to be humbled in His presence.

Later or good night, Bobby and Michelle. I hope you are still bickering. You might both be friends, but one of you kept the other out of the bars and boys nights, and the other of you is no longer available. Phooey. No fun, all growed up, and married with children. Still, good night... probably.