This week I’m beginning to get ready for the return to Orlando. I have mixed feelings, as I’ve loved spending the summer with Dani in Evanston, but it will be nice to see Linda again, and I’m sure we’ll all have a good time in London and on our upcoming cruise.
I’ve installed aqua globes in a (probably hopeless) attempt to keep the flowers alive until Dani returns in a month. The idea is that the globes leak water when the soil dries. Indeed, since I’ve been keeping the soil wet, the globes aren’t leaking at all. My fear is that by the time the soil gets dry enough for the globes to leak, the flowers will be dead. Plus, altogether they hold about as much water as I’ve been giving the flowers every day! Since this is an “As Seen On TV” product, I assume it doesn’t work, but I got these on woot.com at four for $2.99. By the way, as you can see, the “flowers” I planted at the start of the summer are turning into heads of romaine, but no sign of petals yet.
In the background you can see why they were surveying the street. I think it’s part of the water pipe re-lining effort, but they might just be looking for Jimmy Hoffa.
I already packed up heavy things like books and shipped them back, and have been working on depleting the kitchen of food. Now I’m on to tidying up. Yesterday I dusted and (after repairing the wretched Dirt Devil canister) vacuumed. In the process, I discovered that the AC’s air handler didn’t have a filter in it. No wonder things get so dusty. It’s a weird setup, with the air handler in the laundry room, and the return air coming into the bottom of the unit, where the filter should be. That’s why the bedroom doors slam when the AC is on — there’s no return venting! Anyway, this morning I walked down to Ace Hardware and bought a couple air filters, and the air already smells cleaner.
Before lunch I walked back up to Al’s Deli and bought a couple of sandwich and soup combos to share with Dani, who is staying late to class to talk with her professor before her tutor comes.
For dinner I’m fixing breaded tilapia and sauteed zucchini and yellow squash. I previously mentioned the Galeos miso salad dressing that we love. Our least favorite is the sesame, but I’ve discovered that by adding ketchup, lemon juice and pickle relish I can turn it into a delicious low calorie thousand island.