The exercise:
Write two haiku about: the Wizard of Oz.
Sold over two hundred pounds of strawberries today. Still had a few left in the garden that we didn't get to picking until after dinner. Probably close to another fifty pounds in the cooler tonight, twenty of which we've already promised to a local restaurant that emailed this evening to ask if we had any available.
People are bonkers for strawberries.
I'm getting close to being done with them, but I expect another big pick for the market this weekend. Not sure what we'll get in a week's time, but hopefully it'll be enough to satisfy the orders we've already got.
Oh, so Max last night. He slept until around 3. Was a little more awake than usual for his snack, but I managed to get him back to sleep within half an hour. Didn't wake up again until his usual 6:30 internal alarm went off.
So full of energy this morning. Was nice to see him well rested for once.
Mine:
We're off to see the
blizzard, the wonderful... hold
on. That can't be right...
* * *
If he's so great and
powerful, why can't he make
the road less bumpy?
Monday May 30th, 2016
The exercise:
Write about: the memorial.
Got the strawberry harvest for local orders started this evening with Adam and Kat`s parents. Approximately 81 pounds in the cooler so far, which is not a bad start on the 190 or so pounds needed to fill all the requests we have received this week.
Yeesh.
In other news, Max fell asleep at the dinner table this evening, shortly after finishing his last bite. He`s still asleep now and I`m not at all sure what to do or expect. If he makes it all the way through to morning that would be a pretty incredible night`s sleep for him.
I`m just worried he`ll wake up at 4 and insist on getting on with the day...
Mine:
"So... this is it, huh?"
"Yeah! What do you think?"
"It's... quite something."
"You don't sound especially enthusiastic."
"You don't say."
"What's the matter? Don't you think this is a fitting tribute to your late brother?"
"Oh, it's a fine statue, certainly. Only..."
"Yes?"
"I'm just wondering where all the knives are."
"The what, sir?"
"The knives he used to stab everyone in the back."
"Oh... those knives."
Write about: the memorial.
Got the strawberry harvest for local orders started this evening with Adam and Kat`s parents. Approximately 81 pounds in the cooler so far, which is not a bad start on the 190 or so pounds needed to fill all the requests we have received this week.
Yeesh.
In other news, Max fell asleep at the dinner table this evening, shortly after finishing his last bite. He`s still asleep now and I`m not at all sure what to do or expect. If he makes it all the way through to morning that would be a pretty incredible night`s sleep for him.
I`m just worried he`ll wake up at 4 and insist on getting on with the day...
Mine:
"So... this is it, huh?"
"Yeah! What do you think?"
"It's... quite something."
"You don't sound especially enthusiastic."
"You don't say."
"What's the matter? Don't you think this is a fitting tribute to your late brother?"
"Oh, it's a fine statue, certainly. Only..."
"Yes?"
"I'm just wondering where all the knives are."
"The what, sir?"
"The knives he used to stab everyone in the back."
"Oh... those knives."
Sunday May 29th, 2016
The exercise:
I suppose we should get back to the House of Mercy, huh? You know, before May ends in... two days?
I'm going to try to get things back on track over the next few months. Aiming for mid-June, then within the first two weeks of July, then back to being in the first week for August onward. That's the plan, at any rate.
All right, let's get to it.
Mine:
Julie was feeling confused. Again. When, she wondered idly, was the last time she was truly certain of anything? Probably when she'd become convinced that she was fully, no going back, out of this world crazy. What was that, two weeks ago? Two months? During that brief time when she was convinced she'd been given a roommate who reminded her of someone she couldn't quite remember?
Now, though? She wasn't so sure.
Was she starting to get better? The signs, Julie felt, were conflicting.
It had begun shortly after they'd allowed her out of her restraints for a short period each day. That had felt like trust, as though they were telling her We know you're no longer crazy enough to do yourself harm within the confines of your room. She had been inordinately pleased.
It was a day or two after that, however, that the incident had occurred. Babs had given her the usual assortment of pills to take with lunch. Then she did her usual oral inspection to make sure they'd all gone down. Normally she would stay and make sure Julie ate a proper meal as well, but she'd been called away and didn't return for quite some time.
While she was gone Julie had begun to feel quite ill. Perhaps the fish had gone off. Maybe her medications were from an expired batch. Whatever it was, lunch (and her pills) were not going to stay down. Julie got out of bed to rush to the bathroom but there was not enough time. Not wanting to vomit all over the floor, she went to the window instead.
She'd had to clean up a little, but no evidence of what had happened remained by the time Babs returned. Embarrassed, Julie said nothing. By that night, when it was time to take her final pills of the day, her stomach was still in an uproar. This time she excused herself to use the bathroom mid-meal, ran the faucet at full blast to cover the noise, and emptied her stomach once more.
When Julie had exited the bathroom Babs had barely looked up from her notebook. They'd been working together long enough that little suspicion remained, which allowed Julie some leeway that she had never thought to take advantage of.
But by the next morning, having gone almost a full day without medicine, Julie had begun to notice things. And those things had not only brought her back to the question of her sanity, but to the practices of the staff of the House of Mercy as well.
I suppose we should get back to the House of Mercy, huh? You know, before May ends in... two days?
I'm going to try to get things back on track over the next few months. Aiming for mid-June, then within the first two weeks of July, then back to being in the first week for August onward. That's the plan, at any rate.
All right, let's get to it.
Mine:
Julie was feeling confused. Again. When, she wondered idly, was the last time she was truly certain of anything? Probably when she'd become convinced that she was fully, no going back, out of this world crazy. What was that, two weeks ago? Two months? During that brief time when she was convinced she'd been given a roommate who reminded her of someone she couldn't quite remember?
Now, though? She wasn't so sure.
Was she starting to get better? The signs, Julie felt, were conflicting.
It had begun shortly after they'd allowed her out of her restraints for a short period each day. That had felt like trust, as though they were telling her We know you're no longer crazy enough to do yourself harm within the confines of your room. She had been inordinately pleased.
It was a day or two after that, however, that the incident had occurred. Babs had given her the usual assortment of pills to take with lunch. Then she did her usual oral inspection to make sure they'd all gone down. Normally she would stay and make sure Julie ate a proper meal as well, but she'd been called away and didn't return for quite some time.
While she was gone Julie had begun to feel quite ill. Perhaps the fish had gone off. Maybe her medications were from an expired batch. Whatever it was, lunch (and her pills) were not going to stay down. Julie got out of bed to rush to the bathroom but there was not enough time. Not wanting to vomit all over the floor, she went to the window instead.
She'd had to clean up a little, but no evidence of what had happened remained by the time Babs returned. Embarrassed, Julie said nothing. By that night, when it was time to take her final pills of the day, her stomach was still in an uproar. This time she excused herself to use the bathroom mid-meal, ran the faucet at full blast to cover the noise, and emptied her stomach once more.
When Julie had exited the bathroom Babs had barely looked up from her notebook. They'd been working together long enough that little suspicion remained, which allowed Julie some leeway that she had never thought to take advantage of.
But by the next morning, having gone almost a full day without medicine, Julie had begun to notice things. And those things had not only brought her back to the question of her sanity, but to the practices of the staff of the House of Mercy as well.
Saturday May 28th, 2016
The exercise:
Write a four line poem about: ignorance.
Started this morning with 136 pints and 108 quarts (so about another 162 pints, ish) of strawberries. They were all gone by 11:00 am.
As a reminder, the market opens at 8:30 am.
Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat.
I was feeling pretty confident that we were going to sell out before the market closed at 1:00 pm. I had zero expectations of doing so that quickly.
That was a pretty quiet and relaxed last two hours though, with only my greeting cards and photography prints left on the one table (we took down the first table around 10, then the second table at 11). Gave me the chance to visit with a few vendors I hadn't seen since last fall, and to do a bit of shopping as well.
I'm curious to see how things go next weekend, when we'll be adding cherries to the mix.
Mine:
How blissfully ignorant,
To ask such a thing!
No ma'am, these strawberries were
Not picked last spring...*
*Honestly, what kind of produce storage system do people think we have? I know the strawberries are ready early this year, but come on...
Write a four line poem about: ignorance.
Started this morning with 136 pints and 108 quarts (so about another 162 pints, ish) of strawberries. They were all gone by 11:00 am.
As a reminder, the market opens at 8:30 am.
Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat.
I was feeling pretty confident that we were going to sell out before the market closed at 1:00 pm. I had zero expectations of doing so that quickly.
That was a pretty quiet and relaxed last two hours though, with only my greeting cards and photography prints left on the one table (we took down the first table around 10, then the second table at 11). Gave me the chance to visit with a few vendors I hadn't seen since last fall, and to do a bit of shopping as well.
I'm curious to see how things go next weekend, when we'll be adding cherries to the mix.
Mine:
How blissfully ignorant,
To ask such a thing!
No ma'am, these strawberries were
Not picked last spring...*
*Honestly, what kind of produce storage system do people think we have? I know the strawberries are ready early this year, but come on...
Friday May 27th, 2016
The exercise:
Write four lines of prose about something that is: infinite.
So many strawberries, you guys. Don't have an exact number, but we used up our remaining pints (around 137) and then switched to quarts (approximately 84 maybe?) because we've been unable to get more (quarts hold about 1.5 pints). Hopefully our order will come in before next Friday.
Anyway. I'll try to get an accurate count before they start selling tomorrow morning. I had help picking them from Adam, Becky, her friend Angela who arrived with her two boys for a visit yesterday, Kat's parents, and I think the kids might have done a bit of picking too at some point.
I got out there around 7:15 this morning, went until almost 1 (with a couple breaks), got back out after lunch around 1:30, and finished around 4. The truck is packed up, we just need to get the berries out of the cooler in the morning and we'll be on our way.
I'm going with Adam. Wanted to bring Max too but we're going to be busy and unable to give him the attention he needs. Need a slower market or an extra person for him to be there. Next week won't be slower, but we'll likely have more people to deal with strawberries and the first cherries.
But first... let's get through tomorrow morning. Here we come Penticton. I hope you're ready for some strawberries.
Mine:
Time stretches out beyond the horizon. Movements begin to loop, each motion repeating endlessly until it is impossible to tell when they begin and when they end. Every breath is a chore, as you wonder whether life is really worth living anymore.
"Sweetie, Mr. Garvey's math class is not that bad."
Write four lines of prose about something that is: infinite.
So many strawberries, you guys. Don't have an exact number, but we used up our remaining pints (around 137) and then switched to quarts (approximately 84 maybe?) because we've been unable to get more (quarts hold about 1.5 pints). Hopefully our order will come in before next Friday.
Anyway. I'll try to get an accurate count before they start selling tomorrow morning. I had help picking them from Adam, Becky, her friend Angela who arrived with her two boys for a visit yesterday, Kat's parents, and I think the kids might have done a bit of picking too at some point.
I got out there around 7:15 this morning, went until almost 1 (with a couple breaks), got back out after lunch around 1:30, and finished around 4. The truck is packed up, we just need to get the berries out of the cooler in the morning and we'll be on our way.
I'm going with Adam. Wanted to bring Max too but we're going to be busy and unable to give him the attention he needs. Need a slower market or an extra person for him to be there. Next week won't be slower, but we'll likely have more people to deal with strawberries and the first cherries.
But first... let's get through tomorrow morning. Here we come Penticton. I hope you're ready for some strawberries.
Mine:
Time stretches out beyond the horizon. Movements begin to loop, each motion repeating endlessly until it is impossible to tell when they begin and when they end. Every breath is a chore, as you wonder whether life is really worth living anymore.
"Sweetie, Mr. Garvey's math class is not that bad."
Thursday May 26th, 2016
The exercise:
Write about: tactics.
Max, he who has been regularly waking up at 5 or 6 in the morning recently, decided to wake up 5 minutes before 8 this morning. Which, seeing as I haven't had much need for my own alarm recently, was also the time I woke up.
Slight problem, that. What with me supposed to be at work at 8.
Managed to get there by 8:15, eating an apple on the way for breakfast and skipping my usual shower. Got Max his breakfast before I left, but had to leave a giant pile of dirty dishes on the counter from last night (that I'd fully intended on washing when I got up this morning).
Not the best start to the day.
On the plus side I was able to find a dishwasher in Penticton this afternoon. Picking it up after the market on Saturday. Hopefully have it installed before the end of the weekend. That ought to make a big difference around here.
Met up with Sue and Jake after Miles had his final midwife appointment. Went for a tasty dinner at a Greek restaurant in Penticton and then had to say our farewells for now. Hoping to get out to Calgary to see them in the fall.
Max wants to go see them tomorrow. After I'm done picking strawberries. We told him we're going to be busy on the farm this summer. So he said after that.
Such a reasonable young man.
Mine:
I've been in four or five different appliance stores in the last few days, looking for a dishwasher. I've come across some interesting sale tactics in each store, but the one I saw this afternoon just left me dumbfounded.
I was strolling along a display of full-size dishwashers, looking for apartment-size models (we live in a small cabin, what can I say?) when a sticker caught my eye. I forget what the original and sale prices were. It was the note, all in bold letters, that got me.
TWO HOUR SALE ONLY!!
Seriously? How many days do you figure that's been there for? I suspect at least a week. Longer would not surprise me.
Who would honestly believe that though? Who would look at that and rush into a purchasing decision, lest the super duper limited time only sale offer expires? (Can you imagine? 'Yes, I'd like to buy this dishwasher at this great price!' 'Sorry, sir. That sale just ran out. You'll have to pay full price.' 'Nooooooo!')
Ridiculous. I could only shake my head. And then later be relieved that the store I was in did not, in the end, offer the best option for what I was looking for.
Shopping can be so weird sometimes, you guys.
Write about: tactics.
Max, he who has been regularly waking up at 5 or 6 in the morning recently, decided to wake up 5 minutes before 8 this morning. Which, seeing as I haven't had much need for my own alarm recently, was also the time I woke up.
Slight problem, that. What with me supposed to be at work at 8.
Managed to get there by 8:15, eating an apple on the way for breakfast and skipping my usual shower. Got Max his breakfast before I left, but had to leave a giant pile of dirty dishes on the counter from last night (that I'd fully intended on washing when I got up this morning).
Not the best start to the day.
On the plus side I was able to find a dishwasher in Penticton this afternoon. Picking it up after the market on Saturday. Hopefully have it installed before the end of the weekend. That ought to make a big difference around here.
Met up with Sue and Jake after Miles had his final midwife appointment. Went for a tasty dinner at a Greek restaurant in Penticton and then had to say our farewells for now. Hoping to get out to Calgary to see them in the fall.
Max wants to go see them tomorrow. After I'm done picking strawberries. We told him we're going to be busy on the farm this summer. So he said after that.
Such a reasonable young man.
Mine:
I've been in four or five different appliance stores in the last few days, looking for a dishwasher. I've come across some interesting sale tactics in each store, but the one I saw this afternoon just left me dumbfounded.
I was strolling along a display of full-size dishwashers, looking for apartment-size models (we live in a small cabin, what can I say?) when a sticker caught my eye. I forget what the original and sale prices were. It was the note, all in bold letters, that got me.
TWO HOUR SALE ONLY!!
Seriously? How many days do you figure that's been there for? I suspect at least a week. Longer would not surprise me.
Who would honestly believe that though? Who would look at that and rush into a purchasing decision, lest the super duper limited time only sale offer expires? (Can you imagine? 'Yes, I'd like to buy this dishwasher at this great price!' 'Sorry, sir. That sale just ran out. You'll have to pay full price.' 'Nooooooo!')
Ridiculous. I could only shake my head. And then later be relieved that the store I was in did not, in the end, offer the best option for what I was looking for.
Shopping can be so weird sometimes, you guys.
Wednesday May 25th, 2016
The exercise:
Write about: the boat.
Work was busy this morning. Definitely still a lot of tourists in town after the long weekend, as the pastries flew off the shelf while the loaves moved at a more stately pace. I imagine it'll be more of the same tomorrow.
Sue biked down from where her and Jake are staying this week in order to keep Max entertained while I was working. No easy task, but it sounds like she was up to the challenge. By the time I returned for lunch Jake had arrived with the car and the fun was fully in progress.
After lunch I dropped Max off with his aunt and uncle at a park and went dishwasher shopping. Going to have a look in Penticton tomorrow afternoon to see what else is available.
Also got Max a bat and ball so he can practice his blast ball skills at home. I think that's the happiest I've ever seen a gift make him.
Mine:
It washed ashore, gaping holes in its hull and all, six days ago. The response from the castaways had been unanimously positive. Even Nancy had seemed excited and hopeful, and she had spent most of the previous month explaining to each survivor, in grim detail, precisely how they were going to die.
We can do this, we said. We can make this boat seaworthy again. We can sail it home.
But then Timothy disappeared the next day. There was some confusion about what he'd been doing last. Some thought he was in the jungle, foraging for wood to be used to plug the holes. Others thought he'd been working from inside the boat. Regardless, he was gone.
Then Morris vanished that night, while everyone was sleeping. It was suggested that he may have gone sleep walking again, but this time ended up in the ocean.
The next morning, Tasha was gone. No one could think of why. No one had any idea of how.
Owen followed suit. Then Linda. Sarah and Nancy went together, just this morning.
Now it's just me. Well, me and the boat. But not for long. One of us has to go, I'm quite certain of that.
So today I'm setting that thing on fire.
Write about: the boat.
Work was busy this morning. Definitely still a lot of tourists in town after the long weekend, as the pastries flew off the shelf while the loaves moved at a more stately pace. I imagine it'll be more of the same tomorrow.
Sue biked down from where her and Jake are staying this week in order to keep Max entertained while I was working. No easy task, but it sounds like she was up to the challenge. By the time I returned for lunch Jake had arrived with the car and the fun was fully in progress.
After lunch I dropped Max off with his aunt and uncle at a park and went dishwasher shopping. Going to have a look in Penticton tomorrow afternoon to see what else is available.
Also got Max a bat and ball so he can practice his blast ball skills at home. I think that's the happiest I've ever seen a gift make him.
Mine:
It washed ashore, gaping holes in its hull and all, six days ago. The response from the castaways had been unanimously positive. Even Nancy had seemed excited and hopeful, and she had spent most of the previous month explaining to each survivor, in grim detail, precisely how they were going to die.
We can do this, we said. We can make this boat seaworthy again. We can sail it home.
But then Timothy disappeared the next day. There was some confusion about what he'd been doing last. Some thought he was in the jungle, foraging for wood to be used to plug the holes. Others thought he'd been working from inside the boat. Regardless, he was gone.
Then Morris vanished that night, while everyone was sleeping. It was suggested that he may have gone sleep walking again, but this time ended up in the ocean.
The next morning, Tasha was gone. No one could think of why. No one had any idea of how.
Owen followed suit. Then Linda. Sarah and Nancy went together, just this morning.
Now it's just me. Well, me and the boat. But not for long. One of us has to go, I'm quite certain of that.
So today I'm setting that thing on fire.
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