Water thoughts

I got caught up in watching videos of DIY watering systems. Made from plastic bottles. I also stumbled across a video with some really great suggestions on weed control. It was nearly ten when I was sleepy enough ...

All the while, mippies came for their various forms of attention. Mewthos twirled his heart out, Mini washed my arm while snuggling, Ziva threw herself at my hands for a good long time and Janey sat patiently next to my head, waiting her turn.

My biggest watering issue, though, is having to water each pot. I don't have enough water on the veranda to do that. And I don't want to have to carry water to the veranda all the time ... none of those suggestions solved that problem.

I've had a number of ideas myself, but none that really work for me.

Anyway. I went to get groceries. The weather is definitely winterish. Not quite winter, yet, but temperatures are not rising above the low 20s this week. We had nearly 30 on Friday, remember? Yeah ... more rain expected on Sunday, so I got another pack of stewing meat. This time I thought I'd try their 'mixed stew', as it's substantially cheaper than the whole pieces of stewing beef. I've no clue what 'mixed' means. I guess I'll find out, eh? I also got another packet of diced butternut. That's the only produce I'll buy pre-processed - because trying to cut that thing is just too much trouble! ha ha ha!

Here's something to laugh about ...

Unless you're in South Africa, of course. I'm too busy crying ... I'll get to the laughing part, when I'm done ...

If we're lucky, load shedding will drop another Stage after the evening rush. Down to Stage 2. Which means that I can leave my audiobook on PC tonight - first time this week! IF we drop to Stage 2, that is. Otherwise, out go the lights at 02:00 until 04:30 again. Same as last night.

And if we're very lucky, load shedding will be lifted sometime tomorrow - and we have no load shedding over the weekend! Fun, eh?

My head is in my garden again. Trying to solve the watering issue. It's now getting dark so early, I really don't have much time outside. And after all this rain, I would rather use that time to weed, than watering.

Okay, it's confirmed, Stage 2 from ten tonight. So I can leave my audiobook on PC on through the night.

Back to my garden. I think tonight I'll just water. No weeding - no time. Especially with the unpacking I also need to do, even though it isn't much.

Tomorrow, I'll need to mow. Saturday, laundry and cleaning the kitchen. After that, I think I'll try to put a quick-fix together - for now. I'm thinking of going back to the plastic bag, but held in place by bricks again. The cardboard boxes are too limiting, they take too few bottles. Those refuse bags aren't cheap, after all.

When I have that in place, then I can start working on something pretty. First get the functional, then beauty.

I'm thinking of a combination of turning plastic bottles into self-watering pots and cement saucers. Rectangular saucers, holding several bottles.

And, by the way, I've also come up with a solution to the plastic bottle stuck in the cement - in case I can't get it out: a self-watering pot. I'll just use the top, turn it upside down and fit it into the hole, with a string through the lid. Yes, the bottom bottle is redundant - but it's stuck now. Ha Ha!

Back at home, I did water everything. After packing away the groceries. And I still had time to weed - albeit very little time. Facing the mowing tomorrow inspired me to continue removing obstacles to mowing.

Well, tomorrow will be the 'fire test', where I'll see - or rather, feel - just how much effect all this work has. I hope a lot, because I don't have quite as much time now - it gets too dark to see, soon after six, now!

Well, that's today done and dusted.