Generalness

This spring being the first that I've lived in my apartment, I wanted to do something to brighten my balcony. Flowers seemed to be in order. I happen to have some very fuzzy but warm memories of my earliest childhood[1], where my mom kept windowboxes full of marigolds outside our apartments/townhouses/wherever we happened to be living. So, natch, I elected marigolds. I actually ended up getting what I think must be the same exact variety I remember, too. Burgundy and orange fluffy ones.

It was only about a week after I bought them that something occured to me. Being a Virginia Tech alumna, I happened to get some mailing or other about some fund-raising drive or other, y'all know what I mean. Looking at it briefly before tossing it, I reflected on the well-known, distinctive (and as far as I know, unique[2]) Virginia Tech colors. Namely, burgundy and orange. Which, of course, prompted me to call my mom and ask her, half-jokingly, did she know that I would be going to Tech when I was 3 years old and is that why she bought those marigolds?

Of course she didn't know; she just likes that kind of marigold. Still rather spooky, because they were the exact same shade of color and everything. Unfortunately, and rather depressingly[3], I managed to kill those marigolds about a month after I got them, due to overwatering and overfertilizing. So I managed to snag some replacements, not exactly the same kind, as these are more rangy and less fluffy, but close enough. So far, I haven't killed these yet.

One of the things that was part of the aforementioned warm fuzzy memories was my mom saving the seeds from her marigolds and replanting them from year to year. So I've been doing the same. My first set of marigolds actually produced a good amount of seeds before they died, and my second set is catching up quickly. It's amazing how many seeds one marigold head produces, and I only save the healthy seeds.

This saving of seeds led to a humorous incident when hoya99 was visiting recently. I came home from work one day and he announced that he'd found my marigold seeds and that at first he didn't know what they were but he figured it out eventually because his uncle does the same thing. I remember asking him: "So what did you think they were, pot or something?". Since then, I've been amused by various mental scenarios of the cops coming to my place for some reason, finding my little baggie of seeds stashed on my shelf, and trying to confiscate it.

---

I had a coupon for a brand of juice that I don't normally drink. I usually get the store brand 100% cranberry juice and the store brand 100% apple juice and combine them half-and-half, making my own cranapple blend. Occasionally I'll get the store brand 100% grape juice as a change. But I decided to try this particular brand, as the price with the coupon was comparable. Surprisingly, they had pomegranate juice among their selections. Now, I love pomegranates, but I've never had the juice. So I'm trying it. So far, I like it, but I must note that it tastes best when well-chilled. Warm pomegranate juice just doesn't taste like much of anything.

---

Have been having some long days at work recently. Notably, yesterday I worked for 8 1/2 hours and today I worked almost 9. If it wasn't for that short break I took in the afternoon, it would have been 9. I'm sure it's not as bad as some people, but consider, I'm on my feet 95% of the time. On concrete. I try to take care of my feet, but ouch. Speaking of which, if anyone out there has extra anti-pain vibes to spare, please send them in the direction of my left hip. Not sure exactly what I did there, but it's feeling stiff and owy. Not bad pain, just stiff.

---

This weekend, I get to house-sit for my parents as they're going to the Winters' family reunion. I could have gone but elected not to, since I'm trying to save my money. hoya99 and I are planning a trip to Japan come March or April of next year[4], and, alas, such things cost. The reunion is being held in Norfolk/VA Beach this year and I rather pointedly ignored my dad pointing out that the family would be going to Captain George's while they were there. Captain George's is a all-you-can-eat seafood buffet that is absolutely to *die* for. *sigh* I'm also not sure how I'm going to feel being in that house alone. Being in the rural countryside at night in that house gets creepy sometimes and being by myself is creepier. Plus I just miss my parents. We get on each others' nerves sometimes, but I miss them just the same. OTOH, I'm planning on sitting down in the living room[5] and watching a marathon of the first season of Kenshin[6] without having to listen to my dad gripe about how cartoons[7] are for kids.

( meme )

[1] Approximately, when I was 3 to when I was 5.
[2] At least, as far as college football is concerned.
[3] Two years ago, when I was jobless, I spent a lot of time managing my parents' vegetable garden and gained a reputation for a green thumb because that garden produced like it was going out of style. Marigolds, OTOH, are very low maintenance. Which I learned by experience, sadly.
[4] Wheee![8]
[5] Only room in the house with a DVD player.
[6] Birthday present from hoya99, yay!
[7] Including anime.
[8] That was your gratuitous footnote for today. Thank you and don't forget to tip your wait-person.