Grargh

There's a lot of stuff going on around here, so I haven't really been in the mood for chatting. Recently read The Omnivore's Dilemna and will probably do a post on that soon.

Le Sigh

My seeds are not growing. I have a few sprouts, but overall, nada. I'm assuming this is due to improper setup for starting seeds. Had a growlight, I thought, but nope -- my housemate bought it for another purpose. So after 24 hrs. of that, they got nothing until the sun came out. They're also not really being kept warm enough probably -- which makes me incredibly sad. I keep meaning to get heating pads or something, but I'm not sure where to get them (and haven't started looking... Procrastination, I'm looking at you for this one!).

On a (literally) lighter note, IT'S SUNNY! It's been beautiful, sunny and warm for about a week now, and it should be keeping the warmth for a while. Pretty pretty please March: be friendlier than February, stay warm, and stay sunny, just for me. Thanks!

So baby kitten got out the other day -- apparently it was my fault this time. So, I told him that if he wants to be an outdoor cat, he'll need a collar (he's afraid of his harness!), and more shots. As I know he doesn't want any of that, I figured it was a sure bet, and the end of the discussion. Lo and behold, he had demands for me too! He wants a scratching post, and a new "home". Since he already has a comfy box with a doorhole and blanket, I'm not sure what he means by a new home, but a scratching post I can get. You win THIS round little cat!

Still haven't contacted the MBTA about that land I want to stealborrow to grow food on... am considering the merits of asking vs. guerrilla gardening. Thoughts? My Lawful Neutral BF was horrified by the thought -- but is quite ok with me doing it. He's just convinced that something terrible will happen. My Chaotic Good housemate #1 says to just not do it alone, i.e., convince other people to guerrilla garden as well. Chaotic Good housemate #2 will more than likely say DO IT with an added comment of BRING DOWN THE TYRANNY or some such nonsense (anyone who knows CG#2 will not be surprised by that).

So... I'll more than likely just keep waiting and see what happens when it gets EVEN WARMER!

Independence Days Challenge

1. Plant something: not since last week. Need more dirt!
2. Harvest something: I wish.
3. Preserve something: When did I make that tomato sauce...
4. Waste Not: Considering making applesauce from the apples that we always buy and NO 0NE eats. Also, ate the last English Muffin with just a smidge of yellow mold.
5. Want Not: scavenged two Christmas tins (giganto cookie and popcorn ones).
6. Build Community Food Systems: Guerrilla Gardening Group? Ponder ponder ponder...
7. Eat the Food: There's often food on the stove, so I keep nomming. Better than letting it go to waste, eh?

Independance Days yet again!

Since I'm bad at this game, I think I'm going to try to aim for "do these items once a week" instead of trying to get stuff every day. You might have noticed that we've been stagnating due to the fact that I haven't done SQUAT for I.D.!

On a different note, one housemate and I had a LONG discussion yesterday about the kitchen. Specifically, what needs to be done to the kitchen and how. No, this was not the "we need to paint -- and while we're at it, put up the rack for pots and pans!" This was the "things needed to be washed -- so I piled them in both sinks up to the cabinets!" vs. "you did WHAT?!"

Sigh.

The fact that the majority of the mess was from my banana bread on Monday didn't make it an easier discussion.

I've gotten another variety of tomato planted, but that's it thus far. And they need sun like whoa. Spring, come soon?

Edit to Monday's I.D. Challenge

Want Not: The grand total for my recycling bin scavenger hunt is thus:

-- 1 3'x3' window
-- 1 yoga mat (who throws those out?!)
-- 1 4L wine bottle
-- 4 cardboard wine holders (fold in half -- can fit easily 20 seedlings per holder)
-- 3 cardboard dozen egg cartons, 1 cardboard half dozen, 1 cardboard 18 egg carton
-- 1 plastic 2 dozen egg carton, 6 plastic dozen egg cartons, 4 plastic half dozen egg cartons
-- 1 6 divot plastic tray
-- 2 4 divot muffin/cupcake trays
-- 1 chocolate tray with 20 divots
-- 44 misc. plastic cups (yogurt, pudding, jello, applesauce, to-go containers)

Yay for planting containers!

Boys

Why are they such a pain? My housemate chooses to wear a gas mask instead of his bike helmet ("it won't fit over the mask!") -- carrying the helmet in his backpack -- highly useful, I feel.

My BF is currently having issues getting to work in the morning. What can I do to help someone who's hard to wake? He already has the alarmclock from hell (you can adjust the pitch, the volume, and it comes with a mattress-vibrator attatchment!), and will sleep through it. He's often not tired until the wee hours of the morning, and even if he's tired, often can't sleep until near-morning anyways! Hopefully he'll accept my help; it's too important for him to get to work!

And to round it all off, Erik the Red felt the need to chomp my ankle in the hallway -- just because.

Today's Progress

First off, lemme say that it's difficult to be productive when there's a fuzzy kitten at your feet needing lovin's. :-P

Independence Days Update:

1. Plant something: got started on seeds. I planted the cayenne pepper, and the heirloom tomato mix. I'll probably get more done tomorrow after scavenging everyone's recycle bins tonight. :-D

On a nice note, as I'm a cheapskate, I just used dirt from the front yard -- and it's full of worms! Even with being careful, there were so many that I accidentally brought two inside with my dirt! So I apologized, and brought said wormies back outside. ... while singing Doctor Worm of course!

2. Harvest something: nothing yet!

3. Preserve something: putting banana bread in the freezer for later.

4. Waste Not: had 10 bananas that were solid black -- made two batches of banana bread (most in the form of muffins... where are all of my loaf pans?!) Also, turned down the hot water heater -- since the new one was put in, our heating bill has skyrocketed! This should "cool things down" a bit :-D.

5. Want Not: will go scavenging recycle bins for more things with which to plant in. (Egg cartons, plastic tubs, etc.)

6. Build Community Food Systems: nothing yet!

7. Eat the Food: BANANA BREAD NOM NOM

And I have already done three loads of laundry, and will continue to deplete my laundry pile throughout the evening. I've got delicates, sweaters (possibly TWO loads), towels/sheets, and probably another load of stuff that I can't remember.

This is probably my first day off of work that I've completed so damn much -- and still woke up at 1 pm!

Independance Days!

The lovely Sharon Astyk has started up her Independance Days Challenge for the 3rd year! [Yes, I know she has two websites -- but she's using this one for I.D.] For those unfamiliar with it (as was I up to minutes ago), it's really simple. Everyone has things that they want to do to be where they want/need to be. If it's "get outta dodge and onto a farm" or just "grow all my own food!" there are baby steps that you can take to get there. The whole point of the challenge is to do ONE thing a day in that direction. There are seven categories to work with, and to try to attain eac.

1. Plant something
2. Harvest something
3. Preserve something
4. Waste Not
5. Want Not
6. Build Community Food Systems
7. Eat the Food

My plans for today include:

-- Plant Something: start some of my seeds
-- Harvest Somthing: nope
-- Preserve Something: nope
-- Waste Not: make banana bread with all those dead bananas
-- Want Not: not fully understanding this one... need to poke at it more
-- Build Community Food Systems: start thinking about how to approach neighbors for chickens, and get that unused land for planting
-- Eat the Food: hopefully banana bread!

I also have every intention of knocking back that enormous laundry pile I have.

Here's to productivity!