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  1. Flowers are not growing out of control, but my shrubs – geez louise! They need to be cut back but now it will be an undertaking because there are things growing all around them – so unless I do them entirely by hand one branch at a time (which would take forever just to do one!) – I’m going to have to make a mess with my electric trimmer and will be picking up and picking out branches from the garden beds all summer long. Looks like they grew at least a foot of new growth just within the last two weeks, after we had record rains and then it turned hot, sunny and steamy! Figures. I can’t work outside when its that hot and humid, I have trouble breathing with the least exertion due to my heart condition. I live with it, but it sure is restrictive here in the summer. The flowers, though – they are glorious!

  2. Brenda, after reading your comment about gas prices I realized how much more we are paying for gas than in your area. Yesterday when I was at the station and got the receipt I was really shocked, which led me to go grab it after reading your post today to do a comparison. I paid $3.799 per gallon. I got 11.927 gallons, which is about 3/4 tank in my sedan. (I had just over 1/4 tank when I asked them to fill it up.) Total fuel bill: $45.31. See why I was shocked?! I craned my neck over to see how much it was a gallon and sure enough — it must still be high from Memorial Day weekend or something. Yeesh! I live in the Willamette Valley in Oregon, about 45 minutes from the Pacific. There is one benefit here in Oregon — you cannot pump your own gasoline. I don’t know that I would still remember how to do it! 🙂

  3. my little Toyota has hail dents and a small dent in the right bumper where someone hit me in a parking lot apparently. but I find the small bumper dent helpful sometimes in finding my car!
    I hope the acupuncture is helpful. I’ve heard good things about it.
    I’m so glad Charlie is feeling better. and hopefully soon you will too. xo

  4. Sorry about the accident Brenda. That does seem pretty silly to file a claim against you for such a minor issue. Sometimes I think people do things like this just because they feel entitled.

    I think you will see a big difference in your heating and air conditioning bills with the insulation. I am surprised they do not have fire walls. I do not think it matters if they were built in the 60’s as rental properties have to be to code no matter what. They probably just have never been caught not having them.

    Glad little Charlie is doing better. I have a friend that did the acupuncture treatments and she has had really good success. She could not afford to do the full treatments needed because her insurance would not cover it. My friend did a little investigation and found an accredited college that trains acupuncturists and was able to go there to have treatments done with students for $25. They are supervised by trained acupuncturists so you are getting a student but with a very good teacher right there with them. So you might want to check into that. Most schools will take pets too. Just an idea to maybe help you out.

    Happy Friday.
    Kris

  5. No thinning out of plants here. Once again it was below freezing last night, but I hope that will be the end of that for the season! My little plants are scrappy, but spindly. 🙂

  6. Please be sure to review the claim against you. My neighbor lightly tapped a car in front of hers bumper and the owner of the car filed a claim for a bent frame! A very costly incident indeed. Neighbor fought it and it was such a mess until a privately hired adjuster ( by neighbor) examined the vehicles and said it was obviously not a new occurrence. Some people just wait to take advantage of others.

  7. I just filled an entire garbage can with weed-vines to answer your ‘fast growth’ question! 🙂 Then there’s the non-stop grass. Rain every few days and having mow every 3-4
    I did that one year….rolled into a car in front of me….my shoe was wet and slippery from snow, and slipped off of the brake.
    Luckily no damage…just sitting at a red light.
    I’ve heard lots of great things about acupuncture; I am sure it will probably help in some way! 🙂

    1. I plan to give it 3-4 sessions and see how I feel.

  8. Hi Brenda. I’m sorry about your car wreck situation. Part of the reason I keep driving my old car is that it doesn’t matter much if it gets a dent. Twice I’ve had people barely bump me from behind at stop signs, and when I saw there wasn’t any damage to speak of, I said, “I’m fine to go if you are.” They agreed of course! My car is a ’99 Camry, and it just keeps plugging along.

    I will be interested to hear about your acupuncture. I’ve been wondering if my husband could benefit from it for his lower back pain, which occurs rarely, but is quite painful when it does happen.

    1. Well, he worked on my body for an hour and a half doing all kinds of things, acupuncture, reflexology. I was sore for about an hour after. But then I had this complete sense of calm. Made an appointment for next week.

  9. Our garden, with all of the rain we have had in May (9 inches) is causing our lettuce to grow like crazy! We give it away to neighbors, but even that is not helping much. Hoping all this rain gives a good crop of tomatoes this year, but with too much rain and not enough sunny days it could create problems for the tomatoes.

    Sorry about the ‘rolling into’ the back of the car. At least the driver is not claiming whiplash!

    1. She’d better not. It was a convertible and she had the top down.

  10. Perhaps there was some attic insulation when the apartments were first built but there wasn’t as many inches required back then and insulation also ages – it gets old and shrinks and is therefore even less effective. Hooray that the owners saw fit to add more insulation or just to add it period, whichever is the case!
    I am too late with this warning, Brenda, but it may help some readers in the future – you should have taken a PHOTO of that tiny dent in the Lexus. Most times when something bad happens, we tend to think everybody involved is as trust-worthy as we are but sometimes that is not the case. I hope the driver didn’t tell your insurance company that you hit her car some other place you couldn’t see that may have already had a larger damaged area and is using your company to get this part of her car fixed instead of the half-inch indention. Maybe call your insurance company just to check what damage they were filed on. A wreck makes your premium go up, although our insurance goes up every time even with no wrecks.

    1. I don’t carry a phone so I couldn’t have taken photos. I thought possibly that would be their motive. The woman didn’t want to do anything, but immediately called her husband. When I talked to the insurance company later, I told them about the half inch round indention. I’ve never filed a claim or had a claim against me, so I don’t know if it will go up or not. I just rolled into the back of her car with my brakes on, so barely even hit it.

  11. I wouldn’t have bothered either. 1/2 inch? I’ve got two nicks on my three year old Jeep, have no idea how they got there, but I’m not fixing it. Doesn’t even bother me.

    Glad your boy is doing better.

    And.. as a builders wife, I cannot believe those apartments passed inspection with no insulation in the attic before tenants were allowed in. Around here that wouldn’t fly. You will definitely see an improvement in your heating and cooling expenses.

    1. These apartments were built in the sixties. I don’t know if inspections were less strict then or what the deal is.

  12. People are funny about their cars and I’m with you, I wouldn’t have bothered with filing a claim. But as they say “to each his own”. I hope the acupuncturist helps you and so glad Charlie is felling good. Your plants in your galvanized tubs are so lush and green, you have a green thumb! It is nice to have great neighbors; I’ve got some that are just as giving and we share all the time.
    Thanks goodness tomorrow is Friday and the weekend will be upon those of that are still working. Have a great evening Brenda.
    Carol and Molly

    1. This couple is probably moving soon to be near their son. They’ve lived here about a year longer than I have.

  13. Gas was actually $3.19/gal here over Memorial Day weekend. It’s now “down” to $2.99/gal. Chicago and the surrounding suburbs always have extremely high gas prices. Nothing new for us. Brian drives 28 miles each way to work, but what can you do. No other choice.

    Just FYI on the acupuncture in case you didn’t know, it will probably take several treatments for you to notice any difference/pain relief.

    1. I’d heard that. I actually just got back from my first session. I have another next week.

    1. Well, the first time you pay $100 for a consultation for pets. Each treatment is about $65. I believe the pet acupuncturist is also a vet with lots of trained physical therapists.

  14. Brenda, do you have all the books you recommend in one place on your site?
    I’d like to look at all of them as I haven’t kept up with all the suggestions.
    Have a wonderful day and I love reading your blog!!

    1. There are several ways to see all the book reviews. First, if you scroll down toward the bottom, you’ll see categories and one is book reviews. There are three book reviews there, and just above, there is a link to see all of them.

      Second, you could go down to the very bottom and where it says Categories, scroll down to book reviews. Hope this helps.

  15. Please double check with someone in management to make sure there is firewall in the attic, I’m concerned that there is just a common opening all the way across for all 4 apartments. Don’t want to scare you – I’m no expert – but fire scares the heck out of me.

    1. The firewall comment is a smart one. And why not pick up some smoke detectors if you don’t already have them? They are so inexpensive now.
      Do you plant with seedlings or from seed packets?

      1. I have fire detector that they provide. In terms of seeds, I don’t use many because I don’t have much luck with them. Could be they’re easier to sprout in the ground?

      2. I just called the manager. No firewall that she knew of. She said they didn’t do that in the sixties she didn’t think.

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