My friend usually works at a garden center and they were just intaking a bunch of plants but are closing up the storefront. She was able to get a couple of 6 packs of petunias for me on their last day open that I will pick up Monday. We will social distance in her back yard and I will etransfer her the money. I will give Mom half so we all have some pretty flowers to look at in our back yards. The greenhouse is hoping to do delivery only until a full lockdown.
Our patio furniture was delivered last night. We bought it back in January and were afraid of the storefront closing which it likely will next week so asked for delivery asap. The owners came themselves. They had to lay off 6 people yesterday. It is a family-owned business that has been in the valley for 30 years. They said "Thank you for your business". If we had to do it over again we probably wouldn't have spent the cash on it and the patio - but who could have foretold the future and we had the money, didn't charge it. Plus we are secure financially no matter what, even if we have to work a couple of extra years when all of this is done. I can't see hubby retiring anyway as he is type A. Of the two of us this situation is much tougher on him. He is used to freedom, running to the store when he wants to buy something. Last night he told me he wanted to buy a 2nd extension cord caddy. I had to remind him "not until this is done". I am already a make do and mend person, he is not so much. In the mean time I am happy that we spent the money with that family. No matter what they will reopen when this is over, even if it is just the family staffing until things get better.
Mom accidentally dropped and broke her glass hummingbird feeder. She has a second as a backup when the weather is freezing so she can switch them out. She hasn't been outside in 10 days so I reminded her than until this is over hopefully she can live with her backup, and if not I have a backup one as well. We are keeping her safe at home until things are better. I am not entering her space, only delivering things. I will sit in the back yard with her though when we have it cleaned up. I want her to have a little oasis back there too.
I had a thought - all of those with guaranteed incomes right now, primarily those who have retired and have pensions and retirement funds from the government are ultimately the ones who will save all of us. As the economy grinds to a halt they can still spend, even it is to donate to charities who are in sore need of assistance. Just another reason everyone needs to social distance now. Our health minister is asking people not to even have others over for supper. I don't want anyone in our inside pace now except hubby and I.
Anyway, I likely will blog more as our business slows. Today we are cleaning up our old patio furniture to place by the patio doors and getting out the cushions. We are so lucky the weather here is nice enough to do that. Spring is officially here and no virus is stopping that.
Growing, what fun! I've done well with tomatoes, beetroot, chard and kale grown from seed.
ReplyDeleteWe're being told not to have friends or family in our homes now, it's Mothering Sunday in the UK tomorrow so it's going to be very strange for those fortunate enough still to have mothers, even our pubs and restaurants are on lock down.
Those with private retirement funds will be struggling, the interest rate is the lowest in history and the stock market is on its knees. What a bloody nightmare!
Enjoy you new patio furniture and share photos, we need a distraction! xxx
I will share photos, need a sunnier day to take them. It looks bare out there without flowers though. We did get everything cleaned up, about a month ahead of our usual timeframe but we want to maximize the time out there this year. My Mom gets Canada Pension Plan, Old age Pension (Canada-age 65 plus), and a small social security pension from the US for the years she worked there before we moved from Canada. She is now in a spend less mode so I am encouraging her to donate to the food bank and animal rescue I volunteer at, they are in sore need.
DeleteOh I wish spring was here...it's close but still far enough away that I'm anxious to have it show up. We're supposed to reach +11C on Monday. That will be lovely!
ReplyDeleteI'm one of those fortunate retirees with a guaranteed income. I'm fortunate too that though my son has been sent home he is still being paid - I don't know how long that will go on but for now I'm grateful. My daughter is on disability so she will be alright too. I do worry about those who are not so fortunate so will be donating to our local food bank, and recently sent a donation to another charity. It isn't much but I guess every bit helps.
Take care, stay well, and enjoy the patio!
Yes, every penny counts for those organizations now so no matter how much you have to give, give if you can. They sure do appreciate it. Our wildlife rescue is trying to brainstorm on ways it can raise funds until this is over as usually they do ticket sales, and have admissions to the visitor centre to keep things going
DeleteI have been so uber vigilant since the last week of February. Hubby not as much, but I did my best to hound him about washing his hands and using hand sanitizer that I bought for him to keep in his van. That was weeks ago, Friday he comes home to tell me that a lady that works in the church office went to a funeral the previous week in Louisiana and just found out that two of her relatives that she was with there tested positive. There was a staff meeting that hubby attended this past week and she was there. He assured me he hadn't sat anywhere near her, but of course she, (not knowing about her relatives at that time), could have possibly passed it on to anyone else in that room if she had the virus. My chest started hurting after he told me and I felt that my fortress of safety and solitude had been invaded. Not sure if she is planning on getting tested, but she was sent home immediately. So now we just wait and see. :-/
ReplyDeleteYikes, here you can't get tested unless you end up in the hospital. They just ask if you have the symptoms to stay in place and self quarantine and have phone lines to assist.
DeleteIt is hard to take care of our Moms. I am still going to see Mom but am careful to maintain distance.
ReplyDeleteI need to get some veggie seed as well as some plants and get them ready to plant. I feel like this might go on a little longer than we expect and I would love to have some produce available
I feel sad I can't hug Mom right now, feels so damn weird dropping her groceries off out front.
DeleteLast Saturday, I got four boxes of things planted, thanks to a research grant from Auburn who furnished me with everything I needed from dirt to plants to hose. At my house, someone stole everything from my yard--chairs, benches, hose, two lawnmowers, planters, bags of dirt...all.
ReplyDeleteSo glad those types of programs exist - I don't think they do here at all
DeleteGreat that you can enjoy your backyard while this is going on. I love starting from seeds. SG doesn't have the patience. So, one time we planted 108 marigolds in a garden plot only to find they were all gone the next morning. The woodchucks loved them. I suppose it would have been worse to wait for the seeds to sprout and THEN find them gone.
ReplyDeleteWoodchucks.....all I can see is the gopher from Caddyshack dancing right now :)
DeleteI am not the best gardener, and an even worse farmer. I can't get fruit or veggie seeds to grow worth a darn. I will enjoy witnessing the fruits of your labor as yours grow!
ReplyDeleteI'll be happy if anything happens but it is better than nothing and if I can find the odd plant here and there I will buy them. The grocery store near us usually has starter plants in the spring, I am hoping they will still have that this year, who knows.
DeleteToday actually felt like spring here in Saskatchewan, but being March I am not too sure this nice weather will stick around.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your yard and patio.
God bless.
Thanks Jackie, after several days of sun it has now turned to rain. Alberta is still getting a ton of snow so I can take solace in the fact that there is no snow here except on the mountains.
DeleteI started six seed pots yesterday (3 tomatoes and 3 courgettes) and will go back out in a little while to start some more. My big failing is planting too much at the same time. I mean, who really needs 100 courgettes right? Well that and thinking I can plant out before the last frost and get away with it!
ReplyDeleteIt usually is done frosting here by now but not yet so I am keeping everything indoors including the few flowers I managed to get until it warms up. The end of the kitchen table will be my greenhouse since it is right next to the patio doors.
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