(no subject)

[urocyon]

It's been a tiring day. This morning, I went out and picked up a couple of wheelie plastic bins with lids--larger (55L) versions of the under-bed storage boxes. They've now been turned into compost bins through judicious application of a hot screwdriver for poking ventilation and drainage holes. Gas stoves can be handy in a multitude of ways. ;) (As can ready public transport, particularly when lugging unwieldy plastic boxes.)

Naturally, I was swiftly compelled to start into the mucky job of moving the existing compost heap into one of the bins--using makeshift tools for the most part, no less. I'd suspected that, where it was sitting, it might be contributing to slugs and snails eating my seedlings, but wasn't prepared for the veritable slug nursery I uncovered. The icky little (actually, not so little, for the most part) beasties wound up taking a swim in a container of hot, soapy, salty water. That's most of them gone, I hope. That patch of bed will require some serious airing and turning over before I'd want to plant anything there, I believe.

Now all's clear to plant out the bean and cucumber plants I picked up on my run out to B&Q yesterday, I think; they've been hardening off a bit, and the slug menace is reduced. I was thinking of trying to protect them some until they get bigger with cut-off clear plastic cups, both from the cats and--with any luck--from snails. These are gigantic snails compared to the ones I'm accustomed to seeing, by the way. The first time I saw a shell while visiting last summer, I thought it must be some sort of apple or mystery snail shell from someone's aquarium. :)

Ah yes, I don't think vatine has mentioned it: we now have tickets booked to go to Virginia the end of June/beginning of July. Yay! I don't know how thrilled he is about the obligatory future-in-laws visit, but I'm rather looking forward to it. Even if my mother did warn me that the house may be an unholy mess, unless her fibromyalgia stops acting up remarkably very soon. I understand (and sympathise), but still... *shudder* I don't want to aggravate her stress further (or stay in a mess, less altruistically), so it may be better if we actually stay elsewhere. If we suggest it in advance, and are unbending, she shouldn't feel so bad about not putting us up. The occasional inconvenience of quite a strong hospitality tradition. *sigh*

Comments

[astrogeek.livejournal.com]

I am absolutely 100% in favour of not staying with family/in-laws when visiting. I love both may family and the duglet's, but I find that staying with them is just too exhausting.