Move-in Date

It looks like we will be moving April 6. There is a slight chance it could be sooner, but not by much. We were hoping it would be the end of March. Don't think that will happen. April 6 is 18 days away.  Thankfully the noisy people upstairs will be moving out the end of this month. Sure, I could complain, but most of the problem is construction, the walls, ceilings and floors are paper thin. The floors creak and every footstep is amplified. I guess we were lucky the bird woman was quiet, even though she hated everyone for no reason.

Not a lot going on today. It's sunny, but then it has been. I saw a Robin today. It's been so dry I don't know how they can find anything to eat. It usually starts raining in April.

I did some re-potting yesterday. The African Mask (alocasia) that belonged to my daughter isn't doing very well, nor is the prayer plant that was in her funeral arrangement. They might be a lost cause. Don't know. I gave away the NOID African Violet that came with the funeral arrangement from Walmart (where she worked), but I kept a leaf. The baby is growing well. I have no idea what color it will be.

For the most part I've stopped crying, but my heart is heavy. I have a profound sadness cast over me that no doubt will be there for quite some time yet. I hope the new place will help. I will have a patio, and can place flower pots on the gravel along the apartment, so I will be able to grow sun-loving flowers again. I haven't had Marigolds since 2014.

All these years I have kept one miniature named African Violet, Optimara Rose Quartz. I was shopping at Frank's Nursery and Crafts with my mom in the 90's when I bought it. She bought a blue one, which she kept for years. I inherited it after she passed and gave starts away to several people before we moved. They promised to share it back, but they all lost it. That made me really sad because I would have loved to have both of them. At least I still have my original plant. It's very dry in the apartment, so I've been keeping it in a ziplock bag. Yesterday I was looking in the cupboard and noticed a big pickle jar. I'm happy my violet has its own terrarium now.

Here is another plant I like. It belonged to my daughter. We were shopping together at Stein's Garden Center when she bought it. Sanseveria Mikado. It's a miniature.

My plants are full of memories. Plants with stories. Memories of people I love and miss. I still can imagine my daughter fussing over her plants, asking advise, sharing her discoveries and us going out to look for succulents, all laughter and giggles and girl stuff.

I wonder if anyone else does this...when I read a date or write a date I am suddenly transported in my mind in thoughts to that time. When I wrote about Marigolds and 2014 I suddenly thought of summer and my plants on the porch when we still lived in Indiana, and a panicky feeling because my daughter was still alive then. I'm still depressed. I know that. It takes time.

Sunny, With Teeth

My hubby told me that one, before he came to the US. It means the sun is shining but the wind is cold, so it's like the sun has teeth. That's how it's been for the last week, sunny, with teeth. We tried to walk at the Horicon Marsh. We were bundled up but not enough. Long johns might have made it doable. Horicon is northwest of Hartford.

 Just before we got to Horicon Marsh I spotted a pair of Sandhill Cranes

The marsh was frozen and the mid-morning light did not add any interest for pictures.

A beaver den next to the boardwalk

We left after a short walk and went to Harrington State Park Beach instead. With a light offshore breeze it was tolerable there, so we took a long walk. 

Intricate clouds

I couldn't stop taking pictures of this. 

Rock portraits

Waiting for spring

Nuthatch

 Chickadees

My hubby was feeding them sunflower seeds :)

It's March Already

And I'm not writing much. I've been impatient to move, a bit moody when alone all day, and really enjoying time with hubby on his days off. To top it off, my stupid left shoulder is acting wonky. I thought I was getting it loosened up, but I'm just managing to mess it up. It hurts and looses power in certain positions. It hurts a lot when I put on a coat. It clicks. And when I lie on it, it pops. I suppose I will need to mention it to my doctor.

In other news, the construction on our new apartment it now ahead of schedule. We might move by the end of this month, so I am stepping up the packing again.

The bird lady upstairs moved out the last day of the month. That meant the maintenance man and his wife had to shampoo and paint as soon as she turned in her key, so the new girl could move in the next day. They were up there painting until 1 am, trying to be quiet, so we could sleep.  The new girl moved in March first. It has been noisy most of the time. Well, the floors creak, and I think she spent the last two days unpacking, so there was a lot of clunking, stomping and creaking. Our new apartment will have extra thick, well insulated and sound-proof flooring, so, peace at last!

Hubby is off tomorrow! Just checked his schedule. Yay!