Inside The Perimeter

Yesterday I finished watching a series of YouTube videos called “No Milk Today”, which was about a British man named Max Cotton (who happens to be my age, or perhaps a year older) who embarked on a yearlong journey to eat only items produced from his own farm. Along the way he grew vegetables, got milk from his cow, made cheese from the milk, baked bread from his wheat, picked grapes to make wine, and slaughtered some animals to produce meat. With the exception of the last bit, I very much wish that I could do the same. If this surprises anyone, you’ve not been paying attention…

I made my first Kaiser doctor appointment yesterday, a twenty minute consultation with my new GP which will cost me $200 toward my high deductible, which I have to satisfy in addition to paying $800/month for the luxury of being in their system. Our Healthcare System is broken…

Wordle: four, my starter was LAUGH
Connections: perfect, Purple > Green > Yellow > Blue

I’ve finally become a farmer/gardener with too much zucchini! Yes, my lone spaghetti squash has been compromised, and now turned into compost, but I harvested five zucchini on Saturday. I don’t know how many more zucchini will be produced, my garden tends to get slaughtered by squash vine borers and powdery mildew, so this may be it for me. With the zucchini I have in the refrigerator I have made a zucchini meatloaf (poorly, since I added far too much zucchini), and intend to make some zucchini bread today.

The rest of WLF is doing surprisingly well given how much I have ignored it, and the brutal heat and lack of rain. I have my first sunflower (one, or two which haven’t succumbed), and harvested my first onion yesterday!

Happy belated birthday greetings, ITP-Reader Jenka.

Wordle: two, my starter was. RAPID
Connections: perfect, Yellow > Blue > Green > Purple

Good, hot, hard ride last night. The ride had one much-needed intermission while a guy changed a his flat tire in Ansley Park. While we stood around we guessed the price of a house for sale. My guess of 2.3 million dollars was only 2.2 million dollars too low! Pity the Florida house will sell for a small fraction of that, though I will be happy with whatever we get.

Well, I guess I am an Amazon Prime member for another year. I forgot to leave myself a note to check when it renewed and make a financial decision on whether or not it was worth it. Yesterday my credit card was charged…

But, at the same time I have placed two orders from Amazon, mostly cycling related items, that I identified as needs recently. For instance, yesterday I tried to put a smaller seat bag on my bike, the one I used to use all of the time, and sadly the Velcro strip which goes around the seat post broke and I don’t believe that I have to skill to fix it. Also sad is that the company from which I purchased it eight years ago appears to have gone out of business.

Hey, it’s the weekend! Other than doing a bit of drinking this afternoon I have nothing on my calendar. Woot! Perhaps I will return to cleaning and decluttering.

Wordle: three, my starter was COVER
Connections: perfect, Blue > Yellow > Green > Purple

I spent the better part of yesterday puttering around WLF, and it was fantastic!

After coming inside for a shower and lunch I started the process of putting away stuff that I had scattered about; much more of this activity will occur today.

This morning I am at the Waschsalon, and this afternoon I will give the M6 a bath. The M6 is still dirty from sitting under a live oak in Savannah for a week. I intended to take it to a car wash in Florida, but that never happened.

Back on the bike tonight.

Wordle: three, my starter was GRAIN
Connections: two mistakes, Yellow > Green > X > X > Purple > Blue

I didn’t do a whole lot after arriving home yesterday. I napped, I put away some of the crap that was strewn about the house, I watched a lot of tv, and then I went to bed early.

There is much to accomplish in the five weeks leading up to the trip to Iowa for RAGBRAI. This morning will find me in Wee Little Farm attempting to tame the beast. I have dead plants to pull, small plants to transplant, and zucchini and potatoes to harvest. I noticed yesterday that I have a nice spaghetti squash forming, I hope the asshole critters won’t try to eat it before I can.

It’s a waiting game to see if the Florida house roof repair satisfies the insurance company so that the bank will approve the load for the buyer. I can’t tell you how much I am hoping that this purchase goes to completion so that I can stop being responsible for the management of that house. And oh, the money that I receive from the sale will help refill the coffers that I’ve drained since 2021.

Wordle: four, my starter was LEAST
Connections: COMPLETE FAIL, X > X > X > X

You have to be a special kind of crazy to be a roofer in Florida. I had an uncle who was a roofer in Florida, and I’ll never understand how he managed.

After seven days of fairly intense exercise, I am going into my third day of sloth hood. To be fair, Sunday and today are mostly due to driving for over seven hours, and yesterday was just too damn hot for me to go outside.

I hit the road at 3:15am, and am posting about three hours later from a Waffle House in Lake City, Florida. Yes, I will be napping later…

Wordle: five, my starter was SPANK
Connections: perfect, Yellow > Blue > Green > Purple

Hello from a brutally hot Florida. This mini trip to pick up my mother and my possessions from the house. This may be (one of) my last trip(s) here. We are hoping to clear up a few niggles in order to get the house to closing.

BRAG was hard but fun. I flatted again on the last day, providing a nice symmetry for the week. On Saturday I drove Stan home, in part because he needed a ride, and in part so I could check out the ITP Estate and WLF. Both of the items were fine, though WLF needs more attention if I want to reap anything. My other rhubarb plant bit the dust while I was away; this may end my attempts at growing rhubarb.

I have broken out into an inexplicable rash (series of bumps) on my forearms. I don’t think it’s poison ivy, it may be sun related, or perhaps it’s chiggers from the sandy/grassy field in which we sat after crossing the finish line?

Next up on the schedule is RAGBRAI, but before that I need to conduct a couple of medical visits.

Wordle: four, my starter was STAGE
Connections: one mistake, Blue > Yellow > X > Green > Purple

It was a tough day yesterday. As I mentioned I opted for the shorter route of 82 miles, but most of the Chattahooligans went the distance to one hundred. It rained like hell, not for long, at about dinner time. Milledgeville is the only overnight town thus far where it hasn’t rained.

Today “only” 57 miles of rolling hills to Statesboro.

Wordle: three, my starter was SMOKE
Connections: perfect, Purple > Yellow > Green > Blue

It was a warm day in Milledgeville, with only a little bike riding and a lot of beer drinking. Today we head to Swainsboro.

Oh, the Florida house has a contract. I will not celebrate prematurely.

Wordle: four, my starter was TRUCK
Connections: perfect, Green > Blue > Yellow > Purple

Day three of BRAG is done; 66 miles with rolling hills has been our longest and hardest day thus far. For the first time on a road bike I rode without gloves. Why? Because I accidentally packed one of the gloves I intended to wear into my luggage which I loaded onto the truck.

We are in Milledgeville, and today is a rest day. After splitting from the group last night due to shuttle limitations, I never engaged everyone about their intentions for today.

Wordle: three, my starter was PLAIN
Connections: one mistake, X > Yellow > Green > Blue > Purple