Hey, where's my sunshine today?

So far today there's been no sunshine for me to wallow in, even sleeping later than usual because of it.

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It's warm outside, even without the sun shining, low 80's and muggy. Justin and I had lunch at Mellow Mushroom, a place where we can dine al fresco. We shared a small, meaty pizza with even a slice leftover for me to take home. He's watching his diet right now, including going to the fitness center at their condo a couple times a week. Good for him! I wonder if I should take the bag of cast-offs to the Clothes Closet, in case he can fit back into the discards.....He says "no" to that idea, would want new things instead of dressing from the back of the closet. Of course he does!

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So far I haven't spotted any manatee in the basin but the dredger has finished its work for the day so perhaps now they'll venture in closer. I did mention to Justin about rotating my desk but am afraid it's a bigger job than I even imagine, what with running the wires and all that. I definitely need my wires!

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After lunch I went to Publix to get butter, which I forgot earlier in the week. One can never go to the store for only a single item, must always grab something else besides--it works that way for me, anyway. I've been in search of pretzel mustard and possibly found something which might work, if it's not tooooo spicy. There's a delicate balance between sweet and spicy, to suit my tastes. The pretzels are warm because they sit next to my desk on a counter. They are the chip-style, better served with a dipping sauce.

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One of the "funnest" things at Publix is the area with the "buy one, get one" free stuff. Today I got two cans of veggies, two cans of chili beans, and 5 cases of Diet Coke! There was a coupon for the Coke...what a score! Justin will have to tote that upstairs for me, but I have enough up here to last me through tomorrow. I could bring up a couple when my hands are free of other junque from my car. Once I get the enormous bag of Justin's clothes delivered, all I'll have left in there are some painting supplies and an Advent banner. I've been hauling that around since the beginning of December!!!!!

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When I was in Manty/'Trivers, I bought some flower seed balls at The Honey Pot, one of sunflowers and one of wild flowers. Today I planted them in my courtyard pots, and am praying that they'll do their thing. The seeds are actually a ball, about the size of a walnut, and must be left partially exposed above the soil. Of course, when I watered them as directed, the soil floated over the top of the seeds, so I had to re-expose each one. Seemed a bit pointless to me.

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While working out there, I swept up the mess of leaves from my poor lemon tree which has insisted on dropping its leaves 'til the branches are bare. I have one lemon hanging in there and I'm always thrilled when I come or go and see it still holding onto the branch. I liken it to when a mother goes into premature labor and drugs are administered to help the baby stay put just one more day, one more day.....hopefully it will remain attached long enough to produce seeds from which I can grow some more seedlings. Please, please, please!

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The winds from last week really blew a mess of leaves and such behind the planters so I tried to get behind them all with the broom. It looks a bit neater now, and I have one planter waiting to be adopted. I'm going to ask my neighbors with the full-width patios if they have a use for a large plastic planter.

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As long as I was outside, I washed my pretty ceramics which hang near my doors, even gave my little angel statue a nice bath using a bleach/water mix in a spray bottle. He looks much nicer without all the black filth and mildew, and smells quite lovely to boot! My upstairs neighbors are having their kitchen re-done and the drywall man was rinsing something with a hose so I felt at liberty to wash my courtyard to get rid of the potting soil, dead leaves, and other debris. My kitchen floor is quite marked up from my trudging forth and back with water, and through the water. I'll use my Swiffer later on when the floor is more dry.

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Here's a photo taken of my courtyard, on Super Bowl Sunday, where you can see some of the ceramics. Off the picture to the right is the one clean door. The flag was a gift from the Hilchey's for my birthday.

It's sort of okay that the sun wasn't out because I worked up quite a sweat out there---sweeping, toting, moving, and bustling about. Whew! Hadn't done that in quite some time. Another thing I took care of was cleaning my metal doors, trying to squeeze the cloth between the wrungs on the door to remove the built-up pollen and other soil. I did only one door and figure the other two can wait until my poor, tired back feels like cleaning again. The wet cloth worked okay, but am wondering if the vacuum cleaner brush might do the trick.....

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So far no one's called about dinner which means I'll be going down to join the Shelf Sitters, bringing my cheese curds and perhaps, the pretzel crackers with spinach dip from Publix. The mustard was for me!

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Wow, the sky is quite dark and now the heavens have opened with much needed rain. Maybe, just maybe, the rain will pound my windows, knocking down the nasty cobwebs and yuck around the frames. And wash my car to boot! I'd better shut down so the lightning doesn't harm my precious wires!