Friday, April 1st, 2022 06:42 am
I wanted to use my flame weeder Sunday, but only had a small window before the winds kicked in. I did get the drive done. Goal with flame weeder was specifically to make sure the whole width of the drive is used as opposed to letting the edges go to tough weeds. Use an herbicide, was the general advice, but flaming it seems slightly less of a negative impact. Everything dried out with the low humidity. Yesterday we had a significant rain so went out with the flame weeder and was able to flash the stiltgrass coming up in mulches and other places in the veggie garden.

Also over last weekend i built a lovely blackberry trellis. I don't know if the blackberries would have survived Sunday morning's 27°F frosts better on the ground or not. The frost hit the mulberry leaves and pawpaw flower buds on the one grafted pawpaw. (The seedling pawpaws are taking their good time to develop branches.) I wasn't expecting 27°F so i didn't cover the blueberries - the early flowers are definitely going to have been damaged.

--== ∞ ==--

I have moderate sleep apnea, apparently. I am going to have nasal surgery sometime this summer or fall so it's likely that will be an improvement. And i could loose weight, which - maybe this will be motivation? But the real issue with weight loss is stress eating or possibly ADHD self-medication with sugar and salt. We discussed getting a mouth brace, which the doctor thought would be about half the cost of a CPAP. My first thought was that would be a way to bridge now to surgery and give weight loss a chance. But, no, the mouth braces aren't appropriate for someone with TMD (jaw issues).

Steamed brassica buds, violet and redbud flowers, boiled egg


I took yesterday as a mental health day. Just had not been focusing on priorities at work. Family stuff was heavy. So slept in, had a spring tonic breakfast, took a long bath with music and strawberries and grapes and a gardening book i didn't pay that much attention to. Doctor's visit followed by visiting the the farm store where i picked up more t-posts and lettuces that aren't THAT much smaller than some of the sad romaine i've seen in the grocery. (With rabbits excluded, i think i can get those big enough for eating and recover the cost of the plants.) Home where, after the rain stopped, i did the flame weeding. Walked around looking at plants and trees. Watched a couple episodes of Loki, which -- ok, interesting premise -- and dinner and an episode of The Book of Boba Fett, which we are enjoying, bed.

--== ∞ ==--

I do think treating the sleep apnea might be something that helps me in ways i don't anticipate. The brain fog i've muttered to myself for years, which i had only recently decided was a cognitive distortion (looking back at when i had been stressed and thinking of that as a sharper more effective time) -- that could be lack of sleep. It's nice to think i could fix it.
Friday, April 1st, 2022 11:58 am (UTC)
Oh, I bet that fixing the sleep apnea will make a major set of good differences!

I had been holding four bareroot fruit trees while it periodically snowed, but I got them planted this week: a dark cherry, a gold cherry, and two peaches YAY.
Edited 2022-04-02 12:35 pm (UTC)
Friday, April 1st, 2022 12:42 pm (UTC)
Treating my sleep apnea made a major difference in my mood and mental sharpness. It took some tinkering to get my CPAP setup right, but it has been totally worth it.
Friday, April 1st, 2022 02:55 pm (UTC)
Good luck with the sleep apnea treatment, I hope it helps!
Saturday, April 2nd, 2022 12:29 am (UTC)
I've used a CPAP since 2012. It's an expensive device with consumables and a major life change. But it's not surgery with the attendant risks. Of course, with untreated apnea I am at a much higher rate of death.

I like having the device, but then I had absolutely no difficult adjusting to it - slept through the night without issues the second night I wore it. And have used it reliably ever since, even for the occasional nap.
Saturday, April 2nd, 2022 01:24 am (UTC)
I think you'd be amazed at what a difference GOOD sleep makes. I hope once it starts for you it literally opens up a whole new outlook on everything for you, I know it did for my husband when he started using his cpap - and not for nothing, since he lost 165 pounds we have a unit here he used for about 6 months...it would need a good sanitizing and hoses (I think there's another set here somewhere) but I doubt he'd be adverse to it going away if you're interested. We could meet at the farmer's market or something =)
Saturday, April 9th, 2022 01:18 am (UTC)
just remind me if it comes down to it, my brain is better at forgetting than anything else right now LOL
Monday, April 4th, 2022 05:24 pm (UTC)
It made a huge difference to Donald. The technology keeps getting better and better, with smaller, more reliable, quieter machines and smaller less obtrusive masks. The masks are spendy though. The big problem with the masks is that the elastic wears out. I'm planning to do some repairs myself...
One thing Donald did that really cut down on the time it took to clean the hoses is to get a UV machine. Pop the hoses in, press the button and you are done. In his case it meant that he cleans his equipment much more frequently.
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