Lock-down Day 513

Early morning - for a Saturday. So I thought I'd try to get some time to play my game, before the day starts with all it's hustle and bustle. I managed about an hour, before I ran into trouble: first the PC crashed, then the internet wouldn't come back, now internet is slow ...

I also have another problem: my external hard drive insists on being formatted ... I guess all data is now lost ... I have a backup, but I haven't backed up in quite some time ... so ... I think I've lost all photos from 2019 ... sigh. Well, at least all the best photos are safe, they're somewhere here on this blog. No use crying over spilled milk ...

I did see a post that our HR Lady gave birth last night, so she's now on maternity leave.

Well, I've turned the geyser on, the laundry is in the machine ... I've put the mattress protector back on the bed - with mippies help, ha ha!

Crap! PC just crashed again ... blue screen, which is always reason to worry ...

I've improved mippies' scratching pole - just added more rope, so it's full to the bottom. Mippies scratch downwards, so the rope tends to come off, unwind very fast. Janey was so happy, I had barely put the pole back when she already threw herself at it in delight!

Well, all the chores are done. Now I can start my weekend treat - I'm planning a type of Bolognese. I've made some pasta dough, as well!

I went into the garden, instead. Sowed gooseberry, basil, maize and broad beans - I couldn't find cherry tomato seeds.

I cleaned 3/4 of another rose bed

Since it hasn't rained in months, I can only work in areas I've recently watered. So, the rose bed was the only option. You can see I've been watering - the grass is turning green and growing again ... I'll have to mow in a week or two ...

That's the rose bed I cleaned yesterday. The black row is where I put down potting soil, and mixed in some seedling food. The potting soil holds water for longer than the garden soil, giving seeds a chance to germinate.
Gooseberry at the ends, left and right, basil all along between, with some 6 maize and about 5 broad beans spaced among the basil

I tried the milk bottle thing. It doesn't work the same as the suggestion - because the handle is in one corner, not at the back. I took down the other bottles, and sowed Nasturtium in this one.

That was my Spekboom ribbon ... now it's my Legume ribbon. The bed is S-shaped.

Here a close-up. You can see the bean bush growing center left, and two pea bushes.
Looking good, aren't they?

I harvested mustard seeds - from that big plant next to the massive sunflower in the back garden. Quite a bit of effort for such a small amount, though ....

The biggest of my plum trees! It's outgrowing the bottle really fast - 
I guess it'll need to go into a pot very soon!

And that's my Golden Delicious Apple Tree! Still tiny, but looking strong! Still the only one ...

This is what's growing in my pansy pot - I've been referring to them as pansies ...
until they flowered. Yes, I should have known, the leaves are clearly NOT
pansy leaves ... but here's your proof!
If that's a Pansy, you can call me Fred!

Brussels Sprouts growing strong in this pot!
Next year, I'll grow them each in it's own pot.

Any clue what these might be? They're growing in the hanging pot ...
I've put so many different seeds in there, over the years - it could be anything!

Spinach and carrots doing very well - as are the Frangipani & other plants in the bottles!

Next generation Marigold coming a little thick - should be delightful!

Yeah ... that's what's left of that stunning Spekboom in the center bed ...
just for contrast: not everything is growing in my garden

And this is what that same Spekboom looked like less than 2 months ago!
Depressing, isn't it?

This is my standard evening: Mewthos standing at the window,
swishing his tail
I could swear some dog genes got mixed with him! Remember his puppy waddle,
when he was still tiny? Yeah - now he's playing 'guard cat'!

Standard evening part 2: Mini needs me to sit cross-legged, so she can snuggle right there!
Every single evening! While Mewthos swishes his tail at my back ...

And at the same time, Ziva demands attention in her cuddle cave!
You can't see Mini so nicely, because she's black - 
Mini in my lap, Ziva in her cuddle cave, Mewthos at the window
I call that normal - simply because it's what goes on almost every evening!

And here's a close-up of Ziva in her cuddle cave!

And last, but not least: Janey's wounds are healing very well!
They were huge! Now, just two tiny dots, no swelling ... all well!

I thought I can't be seeing this: There's Mini, standing on the counter, trying to open the cupboard to get herself another treat! I kid you not! That cat is the most human cat I've ever known!

Fortunately, right now, she's happily curled up on my pillow ... not demanding I BE her pillow!

Ah, here comes Ziva ... she'll want her cuddle cave ... so ... toodles!