When Avdi gets rare time “off” to sleep, work, and go out with friends, I get to be “snowed in” (see photos) and try to make the most of my imposed decadence.  I sleep in more, actually cook and eat my own food, read, write, have teatime, watch movies, get around to procrastinated chores (I actually vacuumed, and dusted the fans), and do a little self-examination.  Sort of like what “retired” people are supposed to do (?).

Today’s exercise was about building/maintaining cognitive capabilities and resilience.  Apparently I’m average to just above or below average on mental sharpness/memory skills.  Not a huge surprise, but not where I’d like to be.  The one big takeaway is that making the move from previous situations to STL is making all the difference in healthy mental, social, and physical essentials.  Also it’s never too late to learn adaptation skills.  Something we’ll all need in 2025.

With the kids away in MI, the usual routine doesn’t apply.  For one thing, we’re catching up on sleep!  The house only requires one clean-up, then I’m done.  The garden is mostly frozen.  It snowed in MI, so I know the kids are happy.

For a change of pace, per Jess’s request, I baked challah rolls to contribute to our TG dinner at her house.  Avdi made one of his famous British bread puddings with bourbon sauce.  It was a warm and friendly gathering of her family and us.  Even shy Pixie the cat joined us, and not for the food.  Eric’s smoked turkey was the best any of us had ever had.  Then everyone (not me) as usual retired to gaming all evening.  I just watched cluelessly.  At one point there were four people on four screens playing three different games at once.  Just a normal evening.

So today is erev Shabbat, but again, not the usual deal, with the kids gone.  I guess I’m on staycation.  I hardly know what to do with myself!  No cleaning up after everyone.  No waiting for kids to come home from school.  Whatever will I do!  I know what Avdi will do–sleep in and get work done!

Note my new Converse hi-tops!  I finally had an occasion to wear them.

Maybe dire winds of fascism bring my Inner Propagatrix out from dormancy.  Hmm.  At any rate, I spent yesterday prepping the rest of the sites and sowing the remainder of the partially-stratified native seeds in their respective places in the yard.  I used red cardinal flower, mist flower, widow’s cross sedum, and passion flower.  (Also prairie smoke, previously planted.)  And now we wait, perhaps years, perhaps as soon as spring, for signs of life and hope (to beat the crap out of my poor metaphor).

Once that was done, I dug up all the elephant ears, cut off the frost-floppy leaves, and placed the corms or tubers in the warm prop station to dry for a week or two, then store them in peat moss in a cool place over winter (similar to the sweet potatoes curing process).  I saved and potted one of the plants and brought it home to keep the bird of paradise company (in my mini-climatron).

Now all I have to do is wait until the veg garden (still going strong) freezes for good, then start prepping the soil for next year with organic material (leaf mulch, compost, etc.)  Similarly, I hope to prep and use additional beds in the yard for the larger veggies next year.  Other beds are slated for various kids’ flower gardens.  I already have all the seeds for all the above.

Yes, it’s my evil plan to take over the outdoor world of Avdi and persuade it into submitting to his and the kids’ [my] bidding [mandate]!  We’ll see how nature feels about that.

This metaphor has run its course, so here are some exhibits.

The days and nights are downright chilling, intensified by high winds, but if it can’t stop flowers from blooming and greens from thriving still, then it won’t stop me from walking over and gardening, dammit!

It was dark and gloomy as I spaded and hand-cultivated and raked a new bed along the whole edge of the woodsy area out back, and planted half the length of it with native flower seeds I had been temporarily stratifying.  I used swamp rose mallow, queen of the prairie, dense blazing star, and Missouri ironweed, all of which can grow 5 feet tall in varying degrees of sunny, wet conditions and eventually produce gorgeous displays of large pink and purple flowers en masse.

It’s one of those situations where you might have to be patient for a few years, but totally worth the wait for pollinator benefits and human enjoyment.  It gives me an “excuse” to keep going.  As long as I’m not freezing to death, I’ll continue planting more natives all around the yard, then let nature take its course all winter.

After wearing myself out, I did my usual cleaning up the house, heating up dinner, and then helping S pack for the kids’ trip to MI to visit their Mom for TG, while Avdi, who was feeling sick, alternated shuttling kids to things and trying to rest.

The huge leaf is sycamore.  The bright orange flowers are calendula.  They just keep getting better.

Erev Shabbat was almost back to typical, other than both “squirrels” staying in their room nesting the whole meal.  They’ve been under a lot of stress lately.  One day we’ll remember this period as “the good old days”, before the fascists took over.

It’s getting colder, and I’m trying to acclimate and adjust so I can continue to walk over to Avdi’s as long as possible.  The veggies and herbs that prefer cool weather are filling out and flourishing.  Nature just keeps going, and I try to do the same.

One day it’s t-shirt weather, the next you’re bundled up in layers and the wind chill is like 38º.  It’s MO.

Apple let me back in, so that’s something.  I guess I’m not a cyber-terrorist after all.

Here are some more flowery photos from before the long dark ice age.

I got a bonus outing with Avdi, since he was working from the Botanical Gardens yesterday.  It was a perfect fall day, barely requiring an outer layer.  I explored the Climatron (tropical rain forest) at a leisurely pace, the new Shoenberg arid house (cacti and succulents), got coffees for us in the Chinese garden, and then we had lunch in the café.  I felt like I was playing hooky.

Then we got home in time to meet or get the kids as usual.  Avdi and I made spaghetti and meatballs with my “secret” mama mia sauce, and then we all went to Micro Center, an amazing computer/etc. superstore, for a new printer and various tech components.  For me it was a nice reprieve from wrangling with Apple over a “routine” account change which they had to make complicated, as usual.  Now of course I’m locked out pending investigation!

Just a check-in before I resume my duties.  The garden is still hanging on, as are we.  As for the rest of it, the news continues to be predictably horrifying.

The kids’ Mom Stacey and dog T. have been visiting, so it’s a full house and schedule.  Erev preps and meal were basic and improv, because at last it was our turn (Stacey, K., Y., and me) to go see E. performing in their major role as Ernst Ludwig in their HS production of Cabaret.  They (and the whole performance) were outstanding.  They really brought the story, so much like our current events, home.  The acting and singing were superb, considering how young the cast was.  It was a tiny auditorium, and a simple set, but they made brilliant use of the small space.  I felt privileged and proud to be there to witness E fearlessly and masterfully debuting in such a public role (ironically as a Jew playing a nazi), down to the perfect accent.

My ongoing role at the Avdi’s keeps me too busy to have time to rant and rave (usually) so you get a break.

A small deer got into our yard (big event for me) and I “helped” it find the exit!

Prepping for a visit from the kids’ Mom.  She’ll borrow my little cubicle.

Still harvesting peppers and tomatoes.  The garden is full of cool weather greens (reds, etc…).

Here are some photos from the blur of the last couple of days.