APRIL 2025
Wednesday 2025.4.30
Soup Again
Although the weather hasn't been rainy and cold this week, I craved soup again.
I call them Spontaneous Stews because there is no recipe. They're assembled from ingredients on hand, mostly from the freezer. For this one, I pressure cooked two chicken drumsticks in the Instant Pot so that the meat would easily separate from the bones. The rest was easy — the last of the frozen mixed vegetables (I bought more yesterday), chopped chicken, some chicken broth, and a little pasta. It was delicious and very satisfying.
And Speaking of Easy
For my Monday dinner I cooked some wild rice and three chicken drumsticks in my Instant Pot. I was out of vegetables, but wild rice has a low glycemic index (safe for diabetics) and it's high in fiber. For liquid I used chicken broth.
It was delicious and satisfying. I saved some of it for another meal. I plan to try making it again with some mixed vegetables. I can't eat white rice because it raises blood sugar. Wild rice is a healthy alternative, and it has more nutrients too.
Too Much Information?
Yesterday I saw the urologist for my one-year follow-up. Other than a bladder infection I've been struggling with, there wasn't much to report. He prescribed some antibiotics to clear up the infection. I was glad to be back home before noon because I had a noontime date to play mini golf. Speaking of which…
Mini Golf
This is an important week for miniature golf. A new course is being released tomorrow — Raptor Cliff's. Set on America's West Coast, it will feature modern dinosaurs. Along with lost balls to find and a fox hunt to solve, there are supposed to be features we can ride.
I'll play the course with my Kentucky friends tomorrow. We play the easy course, finding lost balls. When ten are found, the difficult course is unlocked. We go into that one to solve the fox hunt puzzles and get the free putter designed specifically from the course.
There are also the hallways beneath the caddy shack. The game designers hide some puzzles and hints there too.
And Speaking of Doctors…
This morning I went to the dentist for my cleaning and exam. There was nothing to report, other than "job well done." The hygienist showed me the gauze she was using. Not a single drop of blood from my gums. A perfect checkup.
I brush with my Sonicare twice each day — after lunch and before going to bed. After the first brushing, I floss. In the evening I water floss. I haven't missed a single day of this routine since my last checkup six months ago.
The Tomato Chronicles
The plants are now up to the third rung of the tomato cage — 31 inches (80cm). I'm encouraged by the growth. And there are several little tomatoes developing.
I check the soil for moisture twice each week, but so far the planter hasn't needed watering since I first renewed the soil with compost. My soil meter says "Wet". The wood chip mulch on top has been doing well keeping the moisture inside. I also check the leaves and stalks for aphids, but I see only one or two, if any at all.
I learned something new this week. One way to help prevent an infestation of insects is to add another type of plant, such as basil. The competing fragrances supposedly confuses insects. I didn't plant basil this year, but I might buy one or two plants the next time I visit the garden center.
Basil is another plant that is easily propagated by placing a stem in water and waiting for it to develop roots.
The tomato plant sucker I rooted and transplanted to soil is staying green and healthy. It's too early to observe any growth. That will start happening when the roots become well established — maybe another week or two.
And, Finally, a Project Done and Dusted
I replaced the artificial ficus tree that lost most of its leaves. It was a fairly easy project. While I waited for the UPS driver to deliver the tree, I removed the stones and most of the sand from the pot. I needed to move it to remove a cracked ceramic saucer I bought years ago. When the tree arrived, an artificial olive tree, I reversed the steps, burying the base in the sand and covering the top with stones again. It looks good enough.
The box says the tree is UV resistant. Hopefully, it will last longer than the ficus tree did.
Sunday 2025.4.27
Not Much
Other than the tomato plants, there wasn't much to blog about this past week.
I received my latest supply of 450 catheters. That was a relief. I blogged previously about the error made by the supplier, which put my account on hold.
Amazon Vine hasn't tempted me much lately. I still look for a few things I use often, such as disposable nitrile gloves and test strips for my blood glucose meter. However, I rarely see them offered now.
I continue to play miniature golf with my Kentucky friends. On Tuesday I won one game and tied for first place on the other. I'll have more to say about mini golf on Wednesday.
Weather
It rained a little yesterday — not enough to make much of a difference. About a third of an inch fell from this latest storm. We are nearing the end of our rainy season. We probably won't see much rain again until November. Nonetheless, it felt like soup weather. So, I made a vegetable and bean stew. I also added some diced prosciutto. The base was chicken broth.
Weight
That idea of eating vegetables first didn't turn out to be a weight-loss miracle. It might help slow the absorption of some carbohydrates, but eating fewer carbohydrates works better for me. It was worth a try.
My weight increased toward the end of the week. I suspect water retention because I've been eating the same foods.
My other numbers continue to be reasonable — elevated, but not dangerously so. I increased the number of steps on my stair stepper to 250 three times per day. Today is a rest day.
Wednesday 2025.4.23
Damn Birds!
It's springtime. The birds are looking for places to build their nests. I have bird netting in my awnings because otherwise they'll build nests in them and make a mess of my windows and siding. The birds fly right up to the window, hoping the dark area means an opening to safely go inside. They are very determined! Of course, the glass stops them.
The bird netting has worked well for several years. However, one bird, flying up to the window, managed to fly between the glass and the netting, getting trapped inside the awning where it was caged in by the netting.
I used a step ladder to climb up where I unhooked the netting from one corner. That left plenty of room for the bird to escape. Something really touching was the mate, a male by its coloring, that waited around to be rejoined with his wife. They flew away together.
Becoming a Believer?
Lately I've had the 1967 Monkees tune, "I'm a Believer," playing in my head. I'm old enough to remember it.
In Sunday's blog post I mentioned reading a book, Glucose Revolution by Jessie Inchauspé. She wrote about the effect of eating a plate of food in a specific order — all the vegetables first, following by the protein, fats, and carbohydrates last. It's supposed to make it easier to lose weight.
I've been trying it. So far, it works. I'll have more to say when I reveal Sunday's numbers.
Another Problem Resolved (I Hope).
I bought my Nissan Rogue on February 10th. Here it is ten weeks later and I still haven't received my license plates. I got a text message and a phone call from the dealer. Something was done incorrectly there and they needed new signatures. I drove by the dealership and signed the papers. Hopefully I'll get my new plates soon. Meanwhile, they gave me another temporary plate, good until July 20th. They fibbed a little. The new registration says, "Date first sold: 4/21/25."
I am hoping that change in date won't affect registration and insurance in the future. For example, my current insurance began on February 10th for a car that "sold" on April 21st.
While I was as the dealership I asked them to show me how to use the windshield washer. My old car sprayed water onto the windshield. This car squirts water out of the wipers.
The Tomato Chronicles
The tomato plants continue to thrive. The amount of growth from week to week is very encouraging. The tallest plants are now almost up to the next rung of the tomato cage.
There are plenty of flowers and buds. I was waiting for the appearance of my first tomato. It's very small, only in its infancy, but it's there.
I am hoping to enjoy the first harvest, even if only one or two tomatoes, by the end of June.
I continue to gently tie the vines to the tomato cage, training them upward. Indeterminate tomato plants are vines that will grow indefinitely along the ground if left unsupported. Where the vines touch moist soil, new roots will develop. To grow upward along a cage they need to be supported. Two years ago the top of the plants were well above my head. I expect to see that again this year.
The Early Girl sucker I am experimenting with is beginning for grow roots. The clipping was placed in water on April 14th. One day, based on what I saw in a YouTube video, I placed the clipping outdoors in the shade. When I checked on it hours later, it had drooped. I moved it back indoors. I also removed the two largest leaves, thinking they might be too much of a burden for the plant.
I can now say, conclusively, the stem is forming roots. Although small, they truly are the beginnings of new roots, after seven days. I'm encouraged.
What became of that Big Beef twig I was trying to root? As expected, it finally shriveled and died.
Further Experimentation
What will become of that clipping I am successfully rooting? Here's my plan:
It will eventually go into a cup of soil to develop. When it becomes too large for the cup, it will go into a two-gallon pot I saved. Then what? The plant will eventually become large enough to transfer to a big planter, but I only have the one and it already has a tomato plant in it.
I don't want my driveway to become a farm of planters. I am not growing tomatoes for harvest; although, I do expect to enjoy some of them like I did two years ago. My current tomato plant is more of a hobby, a pastime, one more adventure to enjoy in my retirement and old age.
The next experiment will be to prune off the top of the largest stalk of the new plant and place it in water to root. The cycle will begin again.
The long-term plan, as I've mentioned before, is to have at least one plant indoors during winter, which I'll plant outdoors in the spring (assuming the plant already out there doesn't survive the winter). And that will become next year's tomato plant.
Sunday 2025.4.20
Happy Easter
Last night bunnies roamed throughout the land hiding decorated eggs. Did you find any? Me neither.
Another Temptation
I have several large planters in my yard with artificial trees in them. I tried to purchase outdoor UV-resistant trees. One tree, a faux ficus, has been losing leaves like maple trees do in October. Now it is little more than a bare stalk. There are some leaves, but not enough to give the thing the appearance of a tree.
Although I have been limiting my purchases on Amazon Vine, when I saw a large outdoor artificial olive tree available, I couldn't resist. Once again, the product description claims it is UV-resistant. It is supposed to arrive before the end of the month.
Another of my outdoor UV-resistant trees has turned blue. I'll replace that one eventually too.
Spares
Some people know my proclivity for wanting a spare of some things. I had a spare vacuum cleaner out in the shed (which I traded in when I bought my Kirby). I have a printer, still new in the box, out there. And there are others.
Lately, my water flosser hasn't been working as well as it used to. I use it every evening before going to bed, after brushing first. (During the day I use string floss.) I remembered having a spare, somewhere. It isn't the same unit; it's a small travel flosser. Nonetheless, it might suffice if the larger one dies. I dug around in my cabinets until I found it inside a box at the back of a top shelf in my bathroom cabinet.
Meanwhile, I cleaned the main flosser with some water and vinegar. Maybe the problem is only a buildup of mineral deposits. This area is known for lime scale in sinks and showers. So far, the flosser appears to be working well again. And meanwhile again, I'll keep watching for one on Vine.
Too Much Information?
With great relief, a problem was finally resolved on Thursday after several months. I blogged about it before. Without going into the excruciatingly boring details, my account with my catheter provider was put on hold because of an outstanding balance of $2,263 owing. "Chart notes" were missing. They were sent by the doctor's office two months ago, but someone at the provider failed to post them to my account. After three more phone calls, I got to the right person and she was able to get the issue cleared. I'm good to order catheters again, which I'll do this week.
Weight
Some good numbers this week (and some not so good). I exceeded my goal of 1.3 pounds lost for my weekly average. Blood glucose and blood pressure continue to be elevated most of the time, but not to a dangerout level.
I'm trying something new. I've been reading a book, Glucose Revolution by Jessie Inchauspé. The author claims the way we eat food can have a profound effect on weight loss. Two groups of people ate the same foods in the same amounts for several weeks. One group lost weight while the other did not. The difference? The order in which the foods were eaten.
She says eating all the vegetables on the plate first, then the protein, followed by the fats and finally the carbohydrates affects how the body processes glucose. A lower glucose spike following the meal results in less blood sugar available to be converted to fat and stored. The trick is dietary fiber. Putting the fiber into the digestive system first, followed by the other foods, slows carb absorption.
One chapter, Hack 1, begins with:
"I lost five pounds in nine days," Bernadette told me on a sunny Tuesday morning, "and all I did was change the order in which I eat my food."
That sounds like those TV commercials in which people claim phenomenal weight loss. The disclaimer in small print at the bottom of the screen says, "Results not typical. Your results might be different." Yeah.
I'll give it a try. It's the same plate of food I eat anyway; so, it's not like I'm depriving my body of essential nutrients. Starvation diets don't work for me. How many pounds will I lose in nine days? Watch this space.
Wednesday 2025.4.16
Blood Glucose
Sometimes I wonder what my true blood glucose is. Sunday morning when I got out of bed it measured 147mg/dL. That was around 9:00. 147 indicates type 2 diabetes. It's elevated, but not dangerously so. I had my morning cup of coffee, with dairy creamer and a packet of stevia. Plus, I ate one almond — literally, only one. I wasn't hungry, but I saw the almonds and ate one.
At noon my blood glucose measured 91. Normal is 70 to 99. Needless to say, I didn't take a Januvia.
Blood Pressure
One of my medications, Losartan, is for blood pressure (BP). That is another med that will soon run out because my former doctor won't renew my prescriptions. I feel the same way about my BP as I do about my blood glucose. If I can keep the numbers down to safe, albeit elevated, levels, I won't need the meds. With that in mind, it took a while, but I modified my database again to track my BP numbers. You'll see the modifications in Sunday's blog post.
The changes should remind me to check my blood pressure at least once a day. The goal is still the same — to lose enough weight and exercise enough to eventually not need any meds.
LDL Cholesterol
As mentioned in an earlier blog post, my statin med is all used up and my former doctor won't renew my prescription. What foods help lower bad cholesterol? One food is fish. Thankfully, I really like fish. I cook it outdoors because I don't want the odor in the house. Even fresh fish can leave an odor.
Besides fish, soluble fiber helps reduce cholesterol. I always stir a heaping teaspoon of Benefiber into my coffee. It doesn't change the flavor or texture.
Which cholesterol, LDL or HDL, is bad? LDL is low-density lipoprotein. HDL as high-density lipoprotein. Low is bad. High is good.
Vine
I haven't said much about Amazon Vine lately. After having to pay more than $2,600 in taxes to the feds and the state, I decided to drastically cut back on my orders. The rule is not to order anything I don't absolutely need. Resist all unnecessary temptations.
I've been doing well. My last order was March 27th, nearly three weeks ago. On Monday, however, another temptation popped up — a pair of men's leather sandals with a retail value of $129.95.
I go barefoot most of the time. I don't wear shoes unless I go out, such as to the grocery stores. My doctor wanted me to go barefoot because with diabetes it's important for the feet to feel the floor. Loss of sensation in the feet is one of the dangers of diabetes and can result in eventual amputation. I also read an article online from a doctor that recommended going barefoot. Some people lose muscle control if their feet don't do enough work to grip the floor.
When I need to walk to the mailboxes or work in the yard, such as with my tomato plants, I put on sandals. They're easy. So, when I saw the sandals on Vine, I couldn't resist. I have a pair already. I got those when the previous pair was breaking up along the bottom.
However, a curious thing: When I ordered these new sandals the Vine website said the tax value was only $64.08, less than half the retail price. I expect to eventually see these same sandals on Amazon at $69.95 in the future. I've seen this before with Vine items.
The Tomato Chronicles
I know you've been waiting for this. So have I.
The tomato plants are now well above the second rung of the cage. It has been only a week. I see five main stems growing. I'm using some bamboo stakes to train two of them to grow up along the outside of the cage where they'll get plenty of sunlight and air flow. The other three are already growing up along the outside.
There are at least a dozen flowers in full bloom, with many more flower buds not yet open.
To prune or not to prune? I will eventually need to remove some of the inner leaves for better air circulation. However, I probably won't remove all the "suckers," the little branches that grow from the joint between the main stem and a branch of leaves.
Another Experiment
If you look at enough websites about growing tomato plants, you're bound to become thoroughly confused. Some sites say to remove the suckers. Supposedly they produce little fruit and rob the main stem of energy. Other sites say to leave them because they increase the total yield. One thing they all say: If you trim off a well-developed sucker, say six inches (15cm) with full leaves, and place it in water, it's supposed to develop roots.
As I've repeatedly said, my plan for next year is to root clippings during the winter and plant the best of them outside in the spring. With that in mind, I am conducting yet another experiment. I pruned one of the suckers and placed it in water to see what happens. Look for photographs soon, if all goes well.
Rooting the sucker isn't important now. It's just a test. The real attempt at cloning my plant will be in the fall when the season is coming to an end.
As for that twig I've been hoping to root, the leaves appear to be getting smaller. I expect it will shrivel and die soon. And that won't surprise or disappoint me. The leaves were too small to begin with. I suspect they weren't large enough to support root development. And it came from a plant that wasn't healthy anyway. It was one of the plants that did poorly last summer.
Sunday 2025.4.13
Why, Dammit?
Why do some things need to be so unnecessarily complicated? Yesterday morning was hell.
I watched a few YouTube videos of people playing Walkabout Mini Golf and I wondered about recording my own videos.
Recording is easy. There is a camera app in the Meta Quest 3 headset. There are various settings for aspect ratio, frame rate, etc. Transferring the video to my smart phone was also easy. However, how do I get the video from my phone to my computer?
There are how-to videos, but they are so complicated I was on the verge of tears. After downloading apps, removing them (because they didn't do what I wanted), and jumping through all sorts of hoops with my email address, passwords, etc., I finally saw that the process is as simple as licking a lollipop.
Windows already has the app — Phone Link — in the start menu. Connect the phone to the computer with a cable, use Phone Link to see the files in the phone, drag the video to a folder on the computer. Done.
I was actually thinking of making some videos of my golf games, especially holes-in-one, with the goal of adding them to my Kitchen Vlog YouTube channel. However, the editing process is more work than I want to do for a channel that earns no revenue.
So that's another potentially brilliant idea that was set aside, probably indefinitely.
Social Gatherings
Friday was another opportunity for a social gathering here in the trailer park. One neighbor has a comfortable side yard. He recently purchased some nice patio furniture and a fire pit. It was an evening get together. We toasted marshmallows and made s'mores. Being mindful of my blood glucose, I ate only one.
Another gathering is being planned for May. So far, it appears the central food will be grilled chicken wings. Wings are expensive for the amount of meat on the bones, but Costco sells a large bag of frozen wings that is a decent price. I hope the store still stocks them.
My plan is to debone the wings. It's a little tedious to do, but they're easy to eat. I have a flavor inserter I'll use to put a little marinade in the wings, using the space left by removing the bones.
Not to be negative, but I'm hoping I won't be assigned the task of providing the wings. Unfortunately, he can't be trusted to be fair. For one gathering I brought Real Texas Chili and he bought a baguette of bread. It wouldn't surprise me if I supplied the wings and he brought a simple salad.
It's one of those things: "Burn me once, shame on you; burn me twice, shame on me."
I'll keep cautiously optimistic, but if it happens again I'll bow out of the next few gatherings.
Tomato Chronicles
As for the tomato plants, look forward to Wednesday's Tomato Chronicles. I'll have a photo (or two) to share.
Weight
It wasn't a good week for my weight.
My average weight increased by nearly half a pound. Not catastrophic, but discouraging. I also didn't feel well this week. I felt slightly dizzy at times, which usually indicates I'm not drinking enough water. Maybe the increase in fluid intake made my weight go up.
Wednesday 2025.4.9
Another Project Done and Dusted
You might remember the shirt I started tailoring back in January. I set it aside while I did other things. This week I returned to it and finished it. It's hanging in my closet; it's a light ivory color. And now I start another one.
The two challenges are buttons and thread. When I order a set of 100% cotton sheets on Amazon, they don't come with spools of matching thread and buttons. This next shirt will be dark gray. I have some coned embroidery thread, 100% polyester, that looks about the same. I've never tailored a shirt using embroidery thread. It appears to be as strong as polyester sewing thread. It should be okay. What's the worst that could happen?
Additionally, the fabric is not cotton; it's "bamboo viscose." It has some of the same characteristics as rayon. It's very soft and supple. It drapes well. It's also very prone to wrinkling. The weave is better than "sateen" sheets in that the edges don't fray as easily.
The Tomato Chronicles
The tomato plants are indeed growing. The height is now 20 inches. The leaves are green and some flowers are blooming. Considering how close I came to losing these plants, these latest developments are very encouraging.
You might remember that little twig of last year's Big Beef tomato plant that I've been trying to root. No roots have formed yet; however, a flower on the twig bloomed. I decided to improve the experiment, doing the same as I did for the plants. I mixed a little potting soil with some compost in a plastic cup that I drilled with a few small holes. Then, using the two-cup method (which you can easily find on the internet), I placed the twig in the wet soil. I won't see whether or not it is growing roots, but if the twig starts to grow, adding new leaves, that will be a good indicator of roots. Meanwhile, I'm keeping it beneath a grow light. As for the flower, I pruned that off because I want to plant to concentrate on roots and leaves.
That twig is not important. There is so little of it, it's a wonder it is staying alive. However, it's an important experiment because I plan to root clippings this winter for planting next spring.
Sunday 2025.4.6
Oops
This past Tuesday was an observance I forgot to observe. I have these things recorded on the calendar I print every year. April 1, 1994 was the date I purchased my home. I've lived here for 31 years. It was a fixer when I first looked at it, and it was repossessed by the bank when the former owner passed away. I had a real estate agent working for me to get the best deal. The agent talked the bank down to $24,000.
The Downside of Amazon Vine
As I've explained before, the items on Vine are not 100% free. The value counts as taxable income. I did my taxes this week. I owe about $2,000 to the IRS. According to tax law, we're supposed to pay at least 90% of our tax liability by March 31st. My withholding covered about 70%. I might be slapped with a penalty.
I satisfied my Vine quotas for the current evaluation period, which goes from 11/4/24 to 5/3/25. When the next period begins on May 4th, I'll complete this calendar year by only ordering products that cost less than $10.
The quotas are 80 items and 90% of items reviewed. There are thousands of items costing less than $10. The rules say I can discard them.
I don't regret most of the expensive items I received. I really like my e-scooter and although I didn't need a fourth portable air conditioner, I'm happy I have it. I love having my own clothes dryer. I prefer items that are easily disposable, such as napkins, paper towels, rubber gloves, and lancets and test strips for my glucose meter.
Really nice, and therefore expensive, items are a temptation. But unless there is a genuine need, I'll do my best to talk myself out of ordering them.
Done and Dusted
I paid my taxes, to both the IRS and the state. The forms have been submitted. Next year will be different.
Mom's Chicken
Recently I thought about my mother's chicken, which she occasionally cooked in spaghetti sauce. The meat was literally so tender it fell from the bones. Yesterday I got to wondering: Did my mother use her pressure cooker? I needed to make more Marinara. I put six drumsticks in the pot with the sauce and cooked it for 20 minutes in the Instant Pot. The chicken came out just like Mom's.
Weight
My numbers are good again this week. I might be on a plateau because the daily numbers aren't changing much. However, the overall average for the week is better than my goal.
I tweaked the database program a little to make the dates easier to read. And I adjusted the conditional formatting a little for the glucose numbers because I have a chart that says mg/dL numbers above 125 indicate type 2 diabetes. Numbers between 100 and 125 are prediabetes. 70 to 99 is normal. And that leads to something new.
I've been taking Januvia to lower my blood glucose. I am seeing numbers mostly below 126. That's elevated, but well within the safe zone. I attribute that to exercise, diet, and a lower weight. The goal is to eventually get off all my meds. With that goal in mind, on days when my glucose is below 126 I don't take a Januvia. Yeah, I know we shouldn't adjust our meds without talking to our doctor about it. However, my doctor dropped me. So, for now, I'm on my own. "Physician, heal thyself," (Luke 4:23).
The goal, of course, is to get my glucose below 100, in which case the field color in my database will be a light blue.
Meanwhile, I went to the Costco pharmacy to pick up my latest refill of my Januvia prescription. 90 tablets cost me $90. The label says three more refills of 30 tablets each are still available. I've been easing myself off the medication. Maybe when the next refill is available I'll decline it. That will depend on how successfully I get my blood glucose under control.
More Politics?
The news has been mostly about the drastic losses in the stock market. The DOW was down by nearly 4% on Thursday, a drop of 1,679 points. That's the largest single-day loss since the days of the Covid pandemic. Friday was worse. The DOW lost 2,231 points, a 5.5% loss. This headline caught my attention: "DOW sheds more than 3,000 points in historic 2-day rout." By the end of the day it was nearly 4,000 points.
I'm glad I bought my new car when I did. And when I went to Costco I bought another bag of whole coffee beans. I already have one. I like Columbian Supremo. It comes from South America; so, it's subject to tariffs. As one commentator said, coffee can't be grown in the USA. We don't have the right climate. Therefore, it's inevitable. Coffee will be more expensive in coming weeks.
Wednesday 2025.4.2
How Much Longer?
The future of this web site doesn't look good. I have a sponsor, sort of. He uses Adobe Creative Cloud and as a member of his "creative team" I have free access to the program suite. I don't know how much longer he'll be around. I don't have the details. I do know that he talks about his future as if he expects it to be short.
There are ways and means for me to keep going. They're not as easy, but I managed before. I can probably do it again.
The Tomato Chronicles
At the beginning of last month my tomato plants looked like they were going to die. The leaves were turning yellow. The stems were weak. I thought I was going to fail again this year. Last year was awful too.
Two years ago I had huge plants, towering above my head. There was an abundance of tomatoes to harvest. It was an excellent summer. Last year I enjoyed only a few tomatoes.
This year I did more research and I tried a few things. I started adding tomato fertilizer, which helped a little. Then I learned about adding compost to weak soil.
Here's the thing. Every time I watered the plants, a lot of water would drip out the bottom of the planter, washing nutrients out with it. The soil was eventually depleted. The liquid fertilizer helped, but it wasn't enough. The soil needed a boost.
I dug out most of the soil without disturbing the plant roots. Then I worked in most of a nine-pound bag of organic compost as I returned the soil to the planter. I also added a saucer below the planter to catch the runoff so that it would be returned back into the soil.
The results, so far, have been spectacular. The leaves are green again and I am seeing signs of growth. There are even some flower buds on the plants, which I hope will eventually become my first tomatoes by the end of May.
Some of the oldest leaves are still a little yellow around the edges. I don't expect those to fully recover. Most of the growth, however, is a healthy green. As the roots expand into the enhanced soil the plants should grow taller. In another week or two I expect the tallest branch to be up to the second rung of the tomato cage.
Not an April Fools Joke
The creators of Walkabout Mini Golf added another feature called "Grip to Puppet." Point the golf club up to the sky and squeeze the grip-to-putt button. The golf club turns into a sock puppet. Keep squeezing it and press the trigger button to open and close the puppet's mouth. It's totally useless, but it sure made me laugh. And this solves another puzzle. Down in the break room beneath the caddy shack there is a white board on the wall. I saw a sock drawn on it, but I didn't know what it meant. Now I know.
Some Politics
An interesting question was raised on the news Monday evening. Regarding Trump's belief he can run for a third time, he was asked: If a president could serve a third term, could Obama run again and would you be willing to run against him? Trump said he would welcome it.