2026: MAY

 May 2

So life is not exciting enough  but I have to break small appliances left and right so I get the thrill  of amazon shopping added.

long story not shortened. Details  matter.

a couole of weeks ago a small cotton ball  managed to sneak its way down my bathtroom sink drain. No  amount of coaxing or cures worked. The sink drained but slowly. So the following Monday when I was vacuuming the apartment per usual. Light bulb moment- I will suck it out with a one second hover over the drain. Eureka I saw the cotton ball. Then behind me I saw a puddle  of about a cup of water. Guess the Eureka has a rating of sucking one cup per second. groan. Washed out all attachments and the hose and cleaned up the machine. Left it in the stairway for a week to dry out. Another week in the apartment to dry out. Yesterday I got brave and installed a new bag and stepped on the switch. Sparks shot out the back. so off it went- pulled plug and huslte it out to the deck . It did not burst into flames like I expected. This morning before sunrise I hoisted it up on deck railing and shoved it to the ground. (too  heavy for me to carry) It bounced 3 times. Hitting my food delivery chair, then near the bird bath then a rock  and landed in the parking lot in one piece. It fell a apart as I lifted it to rewind the cord. That was one tough vacuum! Wheeled my rollator and the vacuum to the trash area.

Rest in Peace Mighty Mite 

1998-2026

You served me well.

Bulbs out front

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May 6 

 It has come to this I am looking forward to  a new vacuum like the average person  awaits a new car . My new "Corvette-Mustang" arrives Monday. Hope it is not an Edsel.

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sunset globe photos

one with the window screen included LOL

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May 6

Dangerous winds today so mostly stuck inside scrambling for things to accomplish. Did the record player needle then why not get Summer clothes out. That's the cue for Mother Nature to roll in some cold sucky weather. Finally figured out how to wear a linen apron given to me ( and I love it) and took pix of the hair bands I love. It has been too cold to go hatless. Lighting is never right for this.

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Bought an inexpensive recordplayer a few years ago. Naturally the needle wore out quickly. Took me forever to  order replacements.Got them then it has taken me a few months to install. Had to be in the mood for tedious miniscule crap.and good natural light. so had to youtube to make sure I would not break it. that was no help. so just shoved on and snapped it. it works.

record player needle

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May 7

so the weather changed to blue skies and warm air. woo hoo! Got below and fed birds, checked mailbox and did some pot gardening.We  will see if the wildflower seeds "take". One hour flew by. Came inside and having some hot cocoa!

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May 8

food arrived earlier than 9am. okay and in the "instructions" this time I left it blank except for "no one ever reads this" .The driver though actually came in through this parking lot like they should and backed up to the chairs where the bags are to be okaced. Took me an HOUR to get bags up here. So many items were heavy. Whikle doing that I solved the mystery of the paint smell out there. Seems NatGris spray painted the pipes going to the meters below!

While still organizing groceries heard Chelsea and Rob below They were picking up my lottery slip. They saw that my vacuum was delivered already. It was due Monday. So Rob brought it to my door below. SThey wanted to bring it up here, but I thanked tham and really like doing it muself when I can. So my new "ride" is ready. Old attachments fit it as well. The box it came in was the most awkward thing getting upstairs LOL

Now making cookies. Have not made cookies in 5 years. wow do I miss my Kitchen Aid! but did it by hand- we will see how this gluten free chocolate chip cookie mix works. used applesauce and Smart Balance in place of  egg and butter. Making bars that I can freeze.

pix of failed cookies later.

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Cookie making disaster

They look good but smell terrible LOL

Mixed by hand- that sucks.

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2026: GLOBE PHOTOS

Apil 

I need to get out my clear globe

This is just views of the waste water treatment plant nearby

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2026: APRIL

 Fire causes extensive damage to Chatham house

CHATHAM – A fire caused extensive damage to a house in Sandwich around 7:45 PM Monday. The fire on Clifford Place reportedly started in the kitchen. Mutual aid from surrounding towns responded to assist at the scene. Everyone safely evacuated the house and no injuries were reported. Further details were not immediately available.

I do not like personal grammar/spelling nazis but newspapers should proof read.

where was the fire? Chatham or Sandwich?

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April 15

got below and salvaged some potting soil from emptied pots. I hope to get enough for 2 pots for wild seed left over from 2025. Filled green bird bath and am soaking other one in sudsy water for a couple of days. Green already attracted a few sippers. Then out front to bulb displays.

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April 22

years ago I got impatient with the drain in the bathroom sink and removed the plunger. Replaced it with a screened strainer that fits in the hole. Worked fine until a week ago . I had a cotton ball  on the screen with essential oil on it to make the bathroom smell nice. One night as I reached for my witch hazel for my variety of skin disorders LOL my hand or arm or whatver flipped that  strainer and I saw  in a flash the cotton ball head down the drain. I screamed and quick as I could tried to grab the ball with my finger tips. No such luck. Down it went to clog the drain. I tried everything to no avail.

Water would eventually go down. So on Monday when I was vacuuming the bathroom I decided to use that suction and see if it would suck up the  cotton ball. Eureka it  did. But in another flash I saw behind me a puddle under the vacuum. Guess it sucked up what was left of the water in the drain in a second!. So spent a good hour dismantling the vacuum and washing out the attachments and the hose.. In the meantime the thin spongy filter that covered the motor area disappeared. I may have grabbed it when I grabbed paper towels to clean up the puddle. shoot me now. I am leaving it alone for a week and will improvise a filter somehow. You are either laughing or cringing at this point. That's okay.

Once I try it I will be ready to switch it off if it burst into flames. Had a hair dryer do that years ago.

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April 25

Clean up loose stones out front by mailbox- incomplete but some dumped  in drain off ditch.

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Pink honeysuckle showing some life.

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Espalier hydrangea greening up and beginning of blossoms showing

hydrangeas by the lower door

shed lichen

yellow fllowers by the hose

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