Challenges can be hard, and today I am struggling to write this post. There are a lot of items to write about and, because it was a very busy and productive day, I feel I am running out of steam. The fact that I am dealing with either a cold or some allergies is not helping matters. But such is life, so … full speed ahead!
HEALTH & FITNESS
This morning i missed my alarm completely. OK, not quite accurate. I heard and snoozed the first instance of the alarm at 4:30; even brought the phone next to my bed, as I usually do, and the next thing I remember is that two hours had passed. Yikes!Nevertheless, I managed a 1.25 mile jog in 21 minutes, and my blood pressure is still in check at 115/81. Nutrition was much better today. Great day for better health.
GOALS, DREAMS, HABITS, RITUALS
I had prepared my to-do list for today several days in advance, so the day was very well structured. Except for the late start to some activities, everything important on the list was checked off. Great day for productivity.FINANCES
I am WAY behind on entering data in "EveryDollar" and tomorrow is the last day I will be able to use for catching up. So that will be my highest priority for the afternoon schedule. Mornings are reserved for outdoor tasks until around 11 AM — despite being almost October, the heat and humidity are still quite intense. Although today's high was only 88, it felt like 188. Perhaps that is a bit of an exaggeration, but it felt hot; the humidity has not let up for days. Those that live in Columbia, SC, have earned an exemption pass from hell. We have been there, done that, and got the t-shirt, which is always soaking wet from this darn humid environment. I realize that had nothing to do with finances, but it was the best sport to put the commentary.TIPS & TRICKS
I built my first self-watering bucket planter from an empty kitty litter container. Background story: I have had an amazing jalapeño pepper plant for the last three or so years, and it keeps giving us peppers. In the winter time I bring it inside and it flowers and makes peppers. In the spring/summer/fall I keep it outside in the front porch and it is as happy as it can be. This spring I finally moved it to a larger pot and it got even happier. But then Florence came into town, so we brought "Monster" (that's what the jalapeño pepper plant is called) and our youngest cat took a liking to it. After Florence passed I moved Monster back outside and discovered that one of its branches was broken. I clipped the branch and placed it in water. Within a day or two it had sprouted two peppers. Today, Baby Monster found a new home outside, next to "mamma" for now. |
| Monster and Baby Monster pepper plants |
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| Bucket planter with 1 Gal jug and PVC feeder pipe (14" L x 3/4" diameter) |
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| Finished product (with cap and evaporation barrier) |
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| Finished product (with cap and evaporation barrier) (close-up) |
This container cost me $0; fortunately, I had all the materials already at hand. I re-used a one gallon container that once held vinegar (I washed it and aired it out very well), The PVC pipe was in my garage from a different project. The wiking materials was a piece of fabric I found in my closet. The bucket was from litter for our cats. I followed pretty much the same steps from the video (below). In reality, the jug is too big for this litter bucket. But it will do the trick for now. When Baby Monster settles in I will move it to a better pot and a more proportionate self-watering system.
Two things to note:
- I used a Zip Lock bag to prevent evaporation of the exposed wiking material. This would not be an issue if the water jug was fully covered (as it would be in a larger bucket).
- Because I used available 3/4" PVC pipe, I was able to use the cap from a small soda bottle to cover the pipe opening, thus preventing mosquitoes from growing a family in the water jug.
I cannot wait to see how Baby Monster does in its new home.
Here is the video I used as inspiration for this project.
PODCASTS / VIDEOS
I made a version of this dish for dinner tonight. It was awesome.STREAKS - For the record
Current list of streaks:
- Writing: day 28
- Blood Pressure Readings: day 15
- Logging to SparkPeople: day 18
- Daily Exercise Routine: not counting for now
- Cardio: Yes, 1.25 miles in 21 minutes
- Yoga: No
- Strength Training: No
- Stretching: Yes
- Meditation: Yes
- Meditation: day 15
- Number of tabs open: day 11
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