Yes, I know it’s been a tiny while. Here are the latest developments:

1-The seedlings died. Flat. Like pancakes. I tried to harden them off by putting them outside for a few hours. But then it was 39 degrees with a lot of wind. After Mother’s Day! What the F? Sad picture to make everyone else feel better about failure. I cried. Ma laughed, but felt sorry for my pain.

2-I found a rain barrel after many months of searching. It’s a big gray olive barrel. There’s a secret dumpster behind a Middle Eastern food importer near the house. Email me for address if you need one. After a quick two-week top-to-bottom search of every hardware and plumbing store (8) in my zipcode, I have all the parts (5) to finish installing the damn thing. Sometimes the city is infuriating this way.

3-I installed a new flexible drainspout to fill said barrel. This, supposed to be a quick 15-minute swap of tubes on the house, took TWO DAYS of cursing, dangling-off-the-roof, dropping-screws labor. Basically, when I removed the old drainspout to install the new one, it became clear that the old one had been attached with a single screw and a lot of rust. Not having a bucket of magic rust glue at hand, the re-install did not go well at all. Poor Husband. I think he got more of the barbed tongue of frustration than he deserves.

3a-Paul bought me new st. johns wort that is stronger and fresher. Much more happiness inside of 2 days. Fewer tears over stupid shit. I continue to be amazed (and embarrassed and upset) that my brain chemistry is wonky and broken, yet so easily fixed by 3 tiny capsules per day. However, I am lucky to have found something that works, and for that I will remind myself to be thankful.

4-I potted up the tomato, petunia, nasturtium and thyme starts that I bought at the Botanic Garden sale. Today, I’ll finish installing the drip system and rainbarrel, plant the mint, rosemary and alyssum. I’ve got a big bundle of petunias to plant too.

5-And it’s going to rain again, so I can test the barrel.