Friday greetings

[Barb]

Hi everybody, I feel better today than i have in many weeks.  It was 1 mo. ago today I had surgery and I am feeling so well now it is hard to keep from doing physical things I know I am not supposed to do yet.  And the awful heat is gone, at least for awhile.  Supposed to rain today and over the weekend, I will enjoy every drop, since it is dry again.  Ron, I have been watching the rain/drought in your area.  How is it in Apache Junction?  I see the Colorado River and especially Lake Mead are in serious trouble, is this affecting your part of AZ?   
Willie, have a great time with your grandkids, sure wish I had a few, even 1 would do.  But all I get is grand dogs.   They are fine, but are not children.   Be sure to tell us about all the fun places you take them.

Liz I forgot to tell you that elephant ears produce new bulbs, which grow off the sides of the main bulb.  I started out with one big bulb several years ago, now I have over 100 all sizes, have given many away, you got the biggest one last year though.   I will still send you more next Spring, when they are all dry.  Either mulch yours well or dig them up, in case you get a cold winter.  They don't take temps below 40 very well.

You all have a good weekend,
Barb

[LizStreithorst]

Good morning Barb and my other friends.  We had another bout of dog trembling thorms in the wee hrs of the morning.  It dumped bit of rain.  I'm feeling much better today.  Yesterday was a killer back day but today the pain is back to tolerable level.  Thankfully, the rain has brought cooler weather.  I know that the bulbs multiply.  I'd still like one more.  If you have a list of folks wanting them put me on the bottom. 

I don't know if poor little Frankie Wayne will ever get his groom.  I called Judy yesterday and begged off due to back pain.  She called me this morning and said that Frankie weren't feeling well.  He's 11 years old.  They were told when they took him in that he was 6.  I know that Judy must worry about him.  The dog is all she has in the house since Jack died.

Since Judy isn''t coming, I'm going to do the supermarket thing.  I'll have a lot of dividing stuff into smaller portions, wrapping them in foil and sticking them in the freezer.  But first I'm making some chicken stock in the pressure cooker.  It will be ready in 45 minutes and I'll have several pints of stock and a bunch of chicken to stick in the freezer for later use.

I'll be working in the fish room the rest of the day.  I have a bunch of fish going to 3 different people to separate.  I've never sent the wrong fish to the wrong people before (touch wood)  but I always write on the tank what belongs to who and get the boxes made and labeled.  Sometimes I even make my double bags the day before I ship.  I take away as much risk of a mistake as I can.  UPS is good, but still, once the fish leave my hands nothing is in my control.  Once I get back in the groove of shipping I'll be more chill about it.

Barb, I'm so glad your feeling as well as you are.  Willie, is your house clean enough for kids yet?  Ron, with your plant business and social life you and Miss Lucy always have something going on.  Hope everyone has a happy healthy day.

[Ron Sower]

Hi Barb and everyone else...

You ask about Apache Junction...well, it is dry, of course, but this year the monsoon season has been wetter than any I've experienced so far with powerful thorms...they usually occur late in the afternoons or thru the night...they create flash flooding around here in many areas...for our first 3 years in Florence, we could see the storms up this way and as they moved toward Florence, they would split and go around us there lots of times!...a nice thing about the rains here is that it coaxes the cacti to bloom...they have what I think are some beautiful evolutionarily primitive flowers...

It appears the gu'ment is going to restrict the the water to Arizona by 21%, the largest cut of the 7 states that receive water from Lake Mead...I wonder how that will affect my water changes...certainly they will cost me more ... https://sports.yahoo.com/news/deeper-water-shortage-lake-mead-211143117.html

Are you folks seeing anything in the news about some of the bodies being found as the Lake Mead water level drops?...the first one was in a sealed drum...he/she must have pissed off a mafia boss!...

I think I've got all the components I need to start the air supply system for my fishroom...I could get started cutting the PVC pipe this morning before we start pulling orders...or tomorrow...a fellow is supposed to come by and pick up some Vienna guppies I've been raising...I think I'll post my Rainbows up for rehoming this weekend so I can move a couple of discus to that tank...not sure yet just what I'll do though...

We played cards here yesterday...we enjoyed it...however, it's hard for me to sit in the chair the whole 3-4 hours it takes to complete the 3 hands it takes to make the game, so I get up and walk around and sometimes feed the fish in the 2 - 75g in the game room...the discus are so polite and fastidious eaters and the rainbows in the other tank ravenously attack the food!

I've really enjoyed having the 3 large aquariums outside in the patio area...they are all bare bottom and contain many of the plants I sell...in one tank I have Vienna guppies from the strain that Cory, of Aquarium Coop fame, brought back from his Germany trip...another has a boatload of Giardinus metallicus, the Metallic Livebearer...and the 3rd one has a few red and red wag swordtails...I enjoy watching these three tanks while sitting out there or picking plants to bag...also I can watch them from the kitchen window!...

Since I started writing, you've posted, Liz!...I'm glad you're feeling better today...and yes, usually something is going on here most of the time...I can't tolerate just sitting...

And it's good to see that you're having your best day yet, Barb...I know it's grueling to get thru all this rehab...just stay close to walls and furniture and you should be alright!

So, Willie, how's your healing going from your fall?...and are you completely ready for the kids?... I hope you have a lot of fun with them...

Good day to all and happy aquariuming!

[wsantia1]

Good afternoon everyone. I've been out most of the morning doing grocery shopping and getting stuff that I don't normally keep in the house. My freezer is always full of meat but things like cereal and milk are not on the normal menu here.

While I was out I decided to get my car washed inside and outside. It was filthy, especially since I've been hauling Kobe back and forth to the park daily and he tracks a lot of dirt. It's a good thing that my car seats are made of a leather like material that is more durable than leather and doesn't take the beating that leather and fabric take. I am very happy with the results even though it was pricey.

I am pretty much back to normal since my fall and only have a couple of scabs on my left knee and a slightly swollen right pinky. I have no other aches or pains related to that incident. Thanks for asking everyone.

Now as far as my back is concerned that's another story. I started feeling a little pain in my lower back a couple of days ago. It could be from overworking between the fishroom and the cleanup of the house. This will not prevent me from getting the girls this week.

The house is more than acceptable for company these days but I can't wait for real cooler weather to arrive so I can auto clean my oven. It really needs it. The stove top is as clean as if it was new but the oven hasn't been cleaned since Thanksgiving. At least I am being honest.

My plan for the rest of the day will be to finish up any little things put aside so I can try to be in bed by 8:30 pm tonight and on the road to NYC by 0630 tomorrow morning. If I can do that I should be back home by 1:30 pm. I am pretty sure that Kobe will sleep the whole time. 

It's now time to finish up and I'll make sure I peek in before I check out for the day. Have a great rest of the day everyone.