Near Grange Road

A bit or rain has brought the green back into the hills for a time.

This morning didn't go at all as I had envisioned. My plan was to plant my succulents in a large structure we call 'the cylinder' in our garden. It is one of the few things beside the retaining wall that has survived the changes we have made back there, mainly because we can't figure out how to get rid of it. It 's a fairly permanent cement cylinder about four feet tall and 18 inches in diameter filled with dirt. with a variety of things planted in it over the years.

Before that though, John wanted to go to the store first thing this morning, so I thought I would clear out the fridge in readiness. It was one of those projects that took on a life of own. Taking out produce drawers revealed signs of liquids (milk?) spilled long ago and dried to the hardness of varnish. Putting the drawers back in dislodged an essential  bit and revealed disgusting mold on its underside. Then I couldn't figure out how to put the essential bit back on.

I started taking out jars of condiments we hadn't used in years with sell by dates of 2017. Probably purchased after the fire that year because the power was turned off while we were evacuated and I had to throw away everything in there when we finally got home. The contents of the jars had to be emptied...where? in the compost? in the garden waste bin? in the garbage? Technically, all are possible right now, but putting it in the garbage is not encouraged, and putting it in our own compost would slow down the decomposition and mess up the chemistry. I opted for the green waste, but then had to wash the jars and containers so they could go in the recycling. I did the best I could, but threw up my hands at an almost full jar of ghee. and threw the whole thing in the garbage.

 I removed the mold, puzzled out the replacement of the essential bit washed the jars, carted the sludge from the condiment jars to the green waste bin in a plastic bag , dumped the sludge, decided not to wash out the plastic bag and chucked it in the garbage too. I was exhausted and frustrated and nowhere near ready to put the groceries that John had brought home. We left everything where it was and took Spike for a walk.

I had to rest and read the newspaper  comb Spike and remove stickers and ticks from his ears, tail belly feet and chest after we came back from his walk and get back to the task at hand so I could put the groceries away. As I worked to swab out the inside of the fridge, it would beep insistently to 'remind' me that the  door was open. 

Instead of a pleasant morning in the garden planting succulents, I wound up doing battle with the fridge, wondering where on earth all this stuff came from, why there was a carton of Polaroid film in there, whether to put it back or throw it away and how to best satisfy the gods of recycling and waste disposal and their conflicting requirements.

I do, however have a sparkling fridge with just one jar of anchovies in oil and one jar of Palo Alto Firefighters hot sauce, Dijon mustard and some sesame chile oil that I couldn't bring myself to throw away....