Friday

"I'm already exhausted, and the day hasn't even started yet!" I said to the cat just before leaving for work. 

Along about 8:00, I discovered just how exhausted I'd been when I realized I left everything at home -- and by everything, I mean my driver's license, debit card, money, pocket knife, lip balm, and everything else I usually keep in my pockets, including the little stack of quarters I like to jingle just like my daddy did. 

I briefly thought about going into Walmart and doing my weekly shopping anyway and seeing if I could figure out how to pay by scanning the QR code, but quickly decided against that.  I didn't want to be in the checkout line with a buggy full of stuff, a line of grumpy customers behind me, and no back up way to pay as I tried to figure out new technology.  

I'm a Boom -A-Ludd, remember.  

I said to myself, "I'll just run by the house and pick up my stuff, then go to the store," even though I knew this was a dangerous proposition.  The danger lies in the fact that once I get home, I won't want to leave the house again-- which is exactly what happened.  

"Eh," I said, "There's nothing I need that can't wait until tomorrow."  

So, here I sit, watching Shark Week instead of doing my shopping.  By the way, I had an idea while I was standing there at work about what to do with my jalapeño peppers, so I snuck out a quick text to Cody, "Can you pickle jalapeño peppers?"  

He replied in the affirmative, so I think I'm going to pick up a few to supplement the ones I've grown and will try that.   

On a similar note, I thing I'm going to start fermenting my tabasco peppers this weekend in preparation for making sauce, and my cayenne are starting to ripen.  

The plan with them all along has been to string and dry them, so I guess I'd better dig out a needle and some thread.

As I was walking around my back yard checking on my growing things, I discovered that something had decided to help itself to one of my sunflowers. 

I'd planned on giving it a few more days so the rest of the seeds could develop, but after seeing the carnage, I figured I'd better cut my losses and thus I cut the flower.  I'll let it dry overnight and harvest the rest of the seeds tomorrow.  Now I'm thinking I'd better put the cheesecloth back onto the flowers in the front yard so something doesn't get them as well. 

I'll try to get that done tomorrow after work.

Speaking of work, you know that one line that has been getting off at 1:00 all week long?  Well, today they had to stay until 3:00, oh, and they did get their numbers*, but I'm sure that's just a coincidence, right?  

And finally, for today's meme debunkeration, hurricanes tend to generally follow the same track across the U.S., depending on what point along the Gulf Coast they make landfall.  It has more to do with pressure systems and weather patterns and has absolutely nothing to do with the eclipse.   

Seriously, go check out the tracks from hurricanes during years there wasn't an eclipse, and you'll see what I mean. 

Sorry all you conspiracy theorists, but you're really really reaching with this one. 

* "get their numbers" is plant vernacular for meeting their production quota.