"Getting rid of everything that doesn’t matter allows you to remember who you are. Simplicity doesn’t change who you are, it brings you back to who you are."

Monday, April 24, 2017

Rainy Days And Mondays


THIS Monday I am THRILLED!
I get to stay home today.
And everyday this week!

For at least a decade now, I have taken the last week of April as my "Stay-cation" week. 


Image result for staycation


A blissful week away from WORK to do a different kind of work.
Housework and yardwork.
Me-work.  

A week filled with projects.  
Projects that require more than a few hours to complete.  
Projects that require more motivation than I can summon over a brief weekend.

Yesterday, today and tomorrow have all been forecast to be rainy days.

As I type this, the trees are dancing in the breeze and a light, but persistent, rain is falling.

Mama and Papa Robin are busy buzzing my window with mouthfuls of worms and bugs to feed their rapidly developing progeny.  Four big-mouthed babies with long, long necks raised skyward.  Their eyes are still closed but not for long I suspect.


Image result for baby robins


I've tried multiple times to capture the perfect picture to show you OUR babies but it always comes out blurry and dim due to their position under the eve of the back porch.

The garden is in desperate need of this rain so I'm trilled to get it.  
I had planted everything over the past 2-3 weeks and once I had, it dried up.  
Of course it did!
No rain.
Dry as a bone.
And hot.  Did I mention that?  80-85 most days.

So the garden seeds have had a weak start with my spritzing tap-water on them.  

Germination was poor.  
Except weed germination.
Figures doesn't it?

I turned my back and overnight the weeds were choking out the newbie veggies.  One bed was SO filled with Bermuda grass starts that I went in and raked everything out but two little squash plants.  I then reseeded that bed.

While I was out there working I felt a bite and looked on my arm to see this teenie, tiny flying bug.  I could see it was latched on and drawing blood so I squished it and moved on.  After I showered, I noticed two welts on my arms from the little bastard.  The next day, my welts had gotten even bigger.  I've had these before but had never seen the creature that caused them.


Image result for no see ums


I google-ed around and am pretty sure that I've been the victim of no-see-um's all these years.

Little red dot for a bite?
Check.
1-2 inch swelling that can last up to 2 weeks?
Check.
Usually bitten in May and June?
Check. Check.

Freaken bastards.
There's always something that has to ruin the party isn't there?

Anyway, I'm very pleased to be having a few rainy days.

So what kind of work can I get done today?
Window tinting is on my agenda today.
Say what?

The past few years I've noticed that I don't tolerate direct sunlight well at all.  This is something new for me as I've always spent as much time outside as I could. It doesn't matter if it's hot or cold outside, the sun has become my Kryptonite.  

I suspect it's a old age, hormonal thing like my body can't sweat the way it used too or something like that.

When the Derm Dr gave me the smackdown on my skin a few months ago SM kind of freaked out about the possibility of my developing skin cancer.  Coupled with the fact that I melt whenever I was in the car, SM suggested that I get the windows of my car tinted.

Well, DUH.
I've lived in NC 20 years now.  Why didn't I think of that?

So I took my car in and had window film applied to them.  
The sides and back have a 50% gray shade with 99% UV protection.  
The windshield is clear (NC law) but has the 99% UV also.

I can tell the difference already.
Heaven.

Now that I've been "enlightened" to the benefits of this sort of window treatment, I decided to apply the film to the windows on the backside of our home.  They are all south-facing and the white mini-blinds do little to keep the house cool in summer.

I thought about hiring folks to come in and do this but that costs more than I'm willing to spend.  So I poked around Lowes and found this DIY product.

Gila Privacy Control Window Film.

They offer different types of color/mirror/frosted treatments.  I saw that the reviews for this product was pretty high and felt it suited my needs best.

I'll be spending these rainy days working this rather BIG project.
I'm very curious to see how it goes.  
If it makes a difference keeping the house cooler. 
I expect it will.  
Maybe we will see some cost savings with the electric bill this summer.
Wouldn't that be nice?


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