Preparations

Its been a busy time preparing the truck and packing up for the trip to visit my Dad. 

my Daddy

We put a screen in front of the rad to help protect it from flying rocks (stacey's idea). 

One of the tires fixed for a slow leak and the other tires checked over as well as removing as much of Robbie as possible then organizing the tools and the like out of the way. 

Secured the spare tire in an accessible place for me, purchased full-bodied CAA, and bug screen for the windows so we can keep them out of the cab (also Stacey's idea).

Laundry has been washed and dried and now awaits ironing and packing.

I am unsure how often I will be posting during the trip but I will continue to read my morning ritual blogs.

Because its important - Stinging Nettle Benefits.

Very intelligent, concise and full explanation of the many benefits and uses of Stinging Nettle Tea as well as information on a couple of ways to use it.

Hair (including thinning and Male Pattern Baldness), Skin, Thyroid, Weight Loss, Liver and plenty more.

Just in case anyone should be interested and also for me so I have easy access to the info in future.

Video length: 18 minutes

Butterfly gland flies again

Thyroid Gland (AKA Butterfly Gland)

The Doctor called for Brad's appointment today. When Brad was finished I jumped on the line to give him the heads up that I wanted to get off the pills in lieu of Stinging Nettle Tea. 

He actually agreed....!

My numbers are such that he agrees my thyroid appears to be working well. He is willing to test me again in 2 months to see how its going and he has sent a prescription for 25mg to the pharmacy so that I have it just in case I find that I need it as it can take 2 weeks to get an appt with him. 

Although he did say that if I started experiencing any symptoms that I am to call the office immediately and they will get me booked fast.

My new question is: Do I even need the Stinging Nettle Tea? Perhaps my thyroid has completely fixed itself. I will assume I need the Stinging Nettle Tea for the foreseeable future and cross that bridge once I've stabilized my numbers.

Garden and Thyroid progresss

I wasn't thinking yesterday when I said I'd get a pic of the floating platform. Obviously, I didn't take my iPhone with me to ensure I didn't lose it to Poseidon - God of the Sea. He can buy his own iPhone, they're not cheap! :D

I did get pics of the garden though.

Everything is getting big now that the sun has arrived

Brad is left of center for scale

Rogue Turnips

Waaay back when I planted turnips but they didn't take so I planted something else in their place. Apparently these 2 went rogue.

Garlic is beginning to die back in preparation for harvesting

Brussel Sprouts are growing absolutely fantastic!

Many many brussels on each stem

Thyroid update:

The last reduction the Dr gave me put me on a 50mg dosage of Synthroid medication in hopes to bring my TSH up into 'normal' range... this sure has been a looongg process. On Friday I went for bloodwork ( several days earlier than planned) because I got fed up with being tired all the time.

I am able to check the results of my lab work online, so I did.

My new TSH level is .13 a vast improvement from a year below .001 and my last bloodwork count of actually being right on .001. However, I need to reach .32 because the 'normal range' is 0.32 - 5.04. 

As I suspected its looking like my thyroid is actually working and the Synthroid is giving me too much (his words not mine which is why he keeps reducing my medication). Too much synthroid can make you feel tired all the time which is what is happening to me. 

I'm hoping the Dr will let me off of this stuff and I can just drink Stinging Nettle Tea which makes all the difference in the world! Ideally, he will allow me to do this while still monitoring my bloodwork to ensure everything is working properly.

 

Ever forgetful

I keep meaning to go down the garden to get a picture of how things are growing down there but I just don't get down there these days. Today I will make a concerted effort to go and take pictures for you guys. I was down there yesterday and wowsers stuff is really getting big but I didn't think to take my phone so couldn't capture it then.

Yesterday was 27C (80.6F) and while in Saskatchewan that wouldn't be that hot out here in the humidity 27C is HHOOOTTTT especially when your sitting in a vehicle waiting on a damn ferry -- twice. 

Today, Stacey is setting up her 8 man floating platform something or other (I'll get pics of that too) so we can relax on the water and spend the day at the beach before the trip packing kicks into high gear. For anyone who missed the post, I am driving out East to spend some time with my Dad.

Oh, and the Pickleball playtime has changed from afternoons (winter schedule which allows for the day to warm up) to mornings (summer schedule to play before the day heats up). 

So goals for today == Main garden pic, Floating platform pic and Pickleball.

Its only supposed to go to 22C (71.6F) today but the coming weekend will be 32C (89.6F). I shall be grateful for the market canopy this weekend to keep the sun off me that's for sure.

Market, Doppelganger and Small Gardens update

The weekend went very well at the market, there were a lot more people milling about for sure. The vibe was noticeably different with more tourists than locals meaning there were less groups laughing and interacting together. While I did not hit the goal I had set for myself, I did have my best sales weekend to date. The music, although quiet, and the company of the other vendors always makes it worthwhile spending a few hours and it goes by so fast.

I have a new reader! My Daddy read the blog yesterday, I was shocked to find out. I started this blog so our families could follow along with our travels when we went RVing full-time but only Brad's brother and his Mum have, to my knowledge, been reading it over the years. So its great that my Dad now knows how to find it and can keep an eye on all the crazy things I do - LOL ?!?

Today I shall be going to town to get some necessary items for my trip out to Dad's while Brad is having his massage therapy appt. Unsure what to expect at the ferry line, so we will be leaving earlier than usual as there are clearly a lot of tourist on the island this weekend and while most have likely gone, there will still be many stragglers clogging up the ferry system for us locals.

Denis Diderot 1713-1784

Brad was watching a show and imagine his surprise when his doppelganger came on screen. Interesting biography for this guy, he was a bit rogue too. 

Diderot was an original “scientific theorist” of the Enlightenment, who connected the newest scientific trends to radical philosophical ideas such as materialism. He was especially interested in the life sciences and their impact on our traditional ideas of what a person – or humanity itself – are.

Brad made a few, okay 20, lasagna the other day

Blackberries will soon be ripe for the picking :D

The side garden is doing well. 

I've pruned the lavender a few times already and the onions I planted in the 'no grow' area are actually growing too.

My extra garden 

A few green peppers, grapefruit, ginger and several Lemongrass is beginning to grow now that the heat has finally arrived.

The garlic is beginning to brown in preparation for harvest.

Expecting a busy market weekend

So last week venders were warned to 'be ready' because they expect this weekend to be super busy at the market now that the province has been opened up. There should be a lot of tourists excited to do some exploring and hopefully plenty of money spending... :D

It will be interesting to see what happens this weekend as I prepare to go out to see my Dad for a few weeks. He has been having health issues and so my brother and I are going to spend some time with him.

Brad will be staying home to tend the garden, robbie and possibly the market although I think we may just leave the market until I return but this has yet to be determined. Today will help us make that decision.

We don't do surprise showers

Dear Weatherman,

6:30am

Also 6:30am

Not a drop anywhere

11:30am

12pm

The torrential downpour ended about 12:30pm so I went to Pickleball, as did many others for 1pm playtime. By 1:10pm the rain started again. Played 2 games and the rain was so bad we had to call it. 

Unfortunately, changing the forecast every 15 minutes - while it may help technically make your statistics of right and wrong weather predictions look better for you - it does not help those who rely on your predictions to plan their lives.... Especially the elderly (80 somethings) who end up playing games in the pouring rain, putting their health at risk- and during a Pandemic, no less.

2pm - 4pm

Attempted to do some gardening around 4:30pm only to be dumped on with another torrential downpour. Had to run for the house.

Hoping they call an impromptu game today now that the province has opened up. And praying the weather holds.....

Blackberries and Thelma & Louise

 

Blackberries are beginning to flower

Preparing to feed the masses, well us anyway...

As of today British Columbia is in Phase 2 of their reopening plan. This means:

            Outdoor gathering of up to 50 people

            Indoor gathering of up to 50 people who must be seated

            Province-wide travel

            Indoor and Outdoor dining up to 6 people - no bubble restrictions

            Small in-person meetings allowed

            Indoor and Outdoor high-intensity exercise

            Outdoor spectators of up to 50 people, no indoor spectators

BUT..... July 1st.... Predicted Phase 3

           Allows for Canada-wide travel

Watch, Forage & Thyroid

Not a lot happening here this week. 

Stacey and her husband are away for a few days so we are keeping an eye on their boat.

On the right.

Look closely at this pic and you will see a guy walking his goats along the beach.... I have no explanation for this, it just is.

We've been busy picking daisies and dandelions to feed Betty* for use throughout the winter in teas as well as tinctures. Yes, I'm becoming quite the herbalist I know. Who is this woman?... No one knows. ;)

Dinner for Betty*

I put up a post on FaceBook asking where to find stinging nettles and a few people have responded with 'come and get em', so that's great and we shall be doing that in the coming days. (replacement for thyroid medication which is effective for Hypo AND Hyper - BUT, I am not a doctor, do your own research! )

However, I did do a test..... and, not expecting any noticeable difference....

I will tell you that I had 1 cup of stinging nettle tea on June 4,5,6,7 and I was full of energy - kicked butt on the Pickleball courts and didn't have a nap at all. However, because I have my next bloodwork at the end of the month, I decided to stop drinking the tea so my Doctor can get a true idea of where I am at before I go rogue on him -- and I will go rogue, if he doesn't cooperate. 

It wasn't until the 11th (4 days later) that I started to feel like I was dragging again. Back to napping by the 11th and 12th.... so tempted to just drink the damn tea but I'm going to attempt to do this under doctor supervision and I can't get a call with him until the 24th, so.... struggling through. (too much medication can cause fatigue which is what I'm feeling which dissipates with every reduction in medication - for a short while, anyway).

The weatherman said it was going to be torrential rain on Saturday and sporadic rain on Sunday so I cancelled out of the Saturday market only to wake to a bright blue sky which lasted until bedtime. This morning.... full cloud and tons of rain... 

The thing with the Sunday market is there is music, so more people come out just for that and the picnic tables with umbrellas allow for mingling so there is a much more vibrant energy about the place which makes sitting there for 4 hours far more pleasant - like going to a free concert and making a few bucks at the same time.

* Betty is our Freeze Dryer for any new readers.

The garden is coming along nicely

I went down to check on the garden yesterday, everything is growing great. Now that the plants are a good size we have removed all of the covers we had on to protect them from slugs/quail/racoons/deer...

L-R: Peppers, Onions, Spinach....

L-R: Tomatoes, Zucchini, Cucumbers, Rosemary...

A new batch of corn, including popcorn has been planted at the far end of the garden where a blackberry bush used to be.

Peas and carrots are finally coming along

Garlic won't be much longer before harvesting

Remember the corn challenge? Left is the landlord's and center is ours.

L-R: Beans, Sage, Oregano, Peppers...

So far everything is growing as expected and we're very happy with the woven ground cover. The once a week watering has now been upgraded from 1- 55 Gal bucket to 2-55 Gal buckets in order to accommodate the larger plants but the once a week is still working great.

 

Garden deck is growing great

I happened to be on the upper deck and looked down for some reason, I don't recall. I have to say, I was some impressed with myself for all the fantastic looking greenery growing down there.

L-R: Horseradish, Tomatoe, Chair, Tomatoe, Horseradish, 6 Strawberries, 3 romaine (in front) Lemon Balm, Broccoli Microgreens

L-R: Lemon Balm, Broccoli Microgreens, Lemon Balm, Radishes (in front), 3 Potatoe

I had to get a picture of it because I have a black thumb generally and historically so..... Wow, seems the Rabbit Poop may have done some good!

We are having some seriously hot weather finally. I think it was 25C yesterday, and on the water -- that's hot.  Today = Shorts! The glow will definitely attract some satellite coverage until they figure out it's just my sexy legs....

On another note: It will soon be Xmas! :D  HaHaHaHa