What did you do in the garden today?

[Liz Birdlover]

This morning DH said the Freeze Dryer was a good idea. I asked him to check to see what kind of plug/outlet it needed. (The LARGER ones need a dedicated larger outlet and plug.) We checked all the plugs in the pantry and the one I wanted to use is the only one on that circuit and it's fine for use.
I asked if he wanted to go along and he said sure.
We go to next little town over, which has a TSC I prefer, as the customer service is better and it's less traffic and 15 minutes closer than the one on the edges of the big city, which has a high turnover employee and traffic thing going on.
We get to the town TSC and they have 4 in stock, but they look like they'd be tricky to get into the back of my SUV, which is large, but has this dumb lip at the top. So to get things that are a little taller into the truck you have to tilt them in a bit, slide them in and then stand them up. Make sense? The unit has a compressor in it that really shouldn't be laid down, or I'd take the darn thing in the truck no problem. The dryer itself weighs 115 pounds.
I told DH I have free same day delivery while the manager was standing there, and said why kill ourselves getting it home when Same Day was already paid for. The manager said the small town had the same day delivery but it might be today, tomorrow, or even Monday - which is really fine by me, but they don't schedule with you, they just show up and your either there, or they dump and run. I'm not sitting around for 3 days, and the manager said he wouldn't either.
So I asked if I could order what I wanted from the North City store from his computer, and have their Same Day guy run it to me, and he said SURE. So I did. I hit PLACE ORDER at 11am and we drove home.

So I'm working out in the workshop about 1pm and I hear a vehicle roll into the gravel driveway. I don't recognize it as a delivery guy, as the TSC delivery guy has always had one of those large, tall, white, windowless Euro style, stand up in the back type vans. He's brought me all kinds of HUGE things in it - to include a 5 foot high 12 foot long farm gate. What rolled into my driveway was a Mazda SUV ( I think it was a mazda- maybe Mitsubishi) ANYWAY MUCH MUCH smaller than my Giant SUV. I was confused. But who knows how the back opens.

Nope, this thing was a glorified hatchback, more like a mini-minivan thing.
There was my BRAND NEW dryer UNBOXED, and laying on its side, no padding, no nothing - ON IT"S SIDE.
It wasn't this guy's fault, he's just the driver. But what the holy heck. He was also wearing flip flops and could NOT unload it himself. Darn good thing I was home I can't even....How was he going to get it out without dragging it across the metal threshold of his car without scratching or dropping it, and move it to deliver in FLIP FLOPS?!?!?

I was very good and tempered my anger and annoyance. He said he even asked TSC why it was not in a box. The SECOND he left I called Harvest Right to see if the 30 minutes on its side was ok (they said it's not optimal, but should be ok.) Then I called TSC and very nicely unloaded. The manager knows me there and I told her I'm not mad at her but what the holy heck?!
1. I just paid FULL PRICE for the FLOOR MODEL, which she was shocked to learn - as they have some still in boxes.
I don't know how this one has been treated or abused by who and it sits 5 feet from their baby chicken bins. And I don't know how nicely it was loaded. And I said, what if it was a gift?! What if there was important paperwork and pieces in the box that I don't have?? It's different when you go in and all they have left is the floor model and you hem and haw, and the manager decides to discount it to get the floor model out of the way, but this was NOT that.

2.I paid for delivery so it WOULDN"T lay sideways, as recommended - they blew that. I would have happily waited for a tall truck - like normal - had they called and said there wasn't one available today.

She and HR said they would honor all warranty and such. She even offered to send a boxed one out today and replace the display one. But I said we had already wrangled it into the house and up on the table it goes on, and at 115 pounds, that ain't happenin' again today.

She said she was really sorry, with the underlying tone of 'she's going to kill her staff', and she wouldn't like it if she shelled out that kind of money and got a floor model without prior permission, and when I come in for feed next week she's going to give me back a chunk of change, but ARGH! She didn't sound happy about having to open another box to put OUT a floor model now either.

So like it's supposed to, Lilith is sitting upright letting fluids settle. I'll do a test run on Monday and then get up and running, but good glory.


Anyone sick of doing other people's jobs?!

Yikes, was just looking back over to see if I missed any posts, especially any baby goat or baby bunny pics, & then noticed I had posted laughing icon on this one...well, this proves I really should wear my glasses when using this darn phone. Anyway...the appropriate icon is now selected. Sorry!

I too have taken advantage of a few free deliveries with the Tractor Supply rewards. The people that deliver are on a free Lance app called Roadie, sort of like Grub Hub, Doordash, those types of gigs. They use their own vehicles. Here's the thing...when they get a possible gig, all they see is the weight of the load & how much it pays & the address where it goes...that's it. They get no details as to what exactly the load is. It might be anything from a 50 lb bag of feed, to a small lawn mower tire, to a pair of gloves. Plus, they are not given any information like how it is, or is not, packaged. Nor do they know if they'll need assistance or anything like a hand truck to unload or carry it. I know this because I've done a few Roadie app gigs myself.

Now, I'd never wear flip flops, no matter where I was, I hate the damn things. So yeah, that is totally inappropriate attire for driving anyway, they tend to slip when using gas & brake pedals. Bad, bad shoes!

But in defense, once a person has to click to accept a gig, then they have to drive to that store & actually see what they're supposed to deliver, if they Do decide to change their mind & Not proceed with the gig, they won't get more gigs! There are a few major problems with how these apps work. Why they don't give people more information is beyond me, because it would not be hard to add that to weight, dimensions & location the package is to be delivered.

I understand your frustration completely, but I also can relate to the driver. If a driver does try to get more info, not only is it practically impossible to get that info over the phone, but there are many other drivers ready to click on & get that gig. Then once you've clicked & gotten it...you have to drive like a lunatic to get to that store as the clock is ticking, plus you're sort of stuck with it, or harshly penalized going forward, for rejecting it.

I get ticked off at the designers of the app...it's been suggested numerous times by many, please add what exactly this product is, instructions for how it needs to be transported, especially if it is upright, & let folks know if it's best as a 2 person delivery, if anyone is there to receive it, if such receivers can assist with unloading, or special equipment is recommended. Seems like no one does the logical thing anymore! So someone designed a cool app, hurray...now please make it more efficient!

 

[Liz Birdlover]

I found out that mosquito dunks/bits for gnats and mosquitoes are safe to use around vegetables. I had my doubts, but this lady did a good job researching this topic.

I'm trying to attract more dragonflies, they eat the mosquitoes & those darn midges or no see'ums that attacked me ferociously yesterday those darn blood suckers! In my hair, even under a hat & inside a hoodie.

 

[TJAnonymous]

I found out that mosquito dunks/bits for gnats and mosquitoes are safe to use around vegetables. I had my doubts, but this lady did a good job researching this topic.

Yes, I use this to kill fungus gnats...

 

[Smokerbill]

Rainy & cold today. Well, not as cold as last night, but too cold for seedlings & my achy arthritis to be outside & cold enough I had to turn the heat back on. Fickle weather! I'm still going to at least plant that 1 Blueberry plant I just bought. Then boil some cajun peanuts & pickle some eggs.

I guess I need to get another grow light for indoor use, as I never needed the one from my old house & good grief I have no idea what happened to it by now. Since moving here, I've been lucky with sunshine, but I really think this year we are breaking a record for cloudy days.

Anyone have a particular grow light they've really liked?

I've had good luck with the pair of 1 square foot LED grow lights I bought last year. They're plugged into a timer set to ON at 7am, OFF at 8pm.

 

[NewBoots]

Did I miss any post with baby bunny pictures? If not, we need baby photos if mom will allow it.

I'll try, but I'm embarrased to admit I haven't figured out how to move my phone pictures into my new computer yet. Guess this'll get me off the dime.

I checked the bunnies first thing this morning and all seven were alive, warm, and full of milk! My silly fumbling actually saved that one, I was so happy!

My lilacs are in full bloom, somebody told me they need to be trimmed after blooming, I haven’t trimmed them for the last 30 years, but…the white one is so tall I can no longer reach the flowers

I so love lilacs, that scent just meant spring is here. Sadly, my sense of smell has changed with age and I can't smell them or the spicy scent of old fashioned carnations either. Price of getting older I guess.

 

[Molpet]

I so love lilacs, that scent just meant spring is here. Sadly, my sense of smell has changed with age and I can't smell them or the spicy scent of old fashioned carnations either.

Since I got covid in 2020, everything smells like petroleum product most of the time. I miss the smell of lilac and honeysuckle.

I was walking the dog pre dawn a couple winters ago near pipelines. I smelled something and thought it was a leak. But the dog did too...Left quickly anyway and came back after sunrise....to find a racoon in one of my traps. Still didn't smell like a raccoon to me.

 

[Liz Birdlover]

I got sidetracked again. DH ate my boiled cajun peanuts as I did not come back into the house. I'm dealing with a hen that I think is egg bound. Doing my best. Got her bound up poop to come out at least. I'm setting up a new clean pan, usually used for mixing mortar, but it's brand new for the purpose of soaking a hen's bottom in warm water & Epsom salts. I hope she makes it. Poor girl.


Well, she has her vent soaking in the warm Epsom salt water & she is relaxing. Hoping for the best. It feels like a big egg!

DH is baking an apple pie. I will be in this outbuilding for awhile with sweet Henny. He better save me some of that pie!

 

[NewBoots]

Since I got covid in 2020, everything smells like petroleum product most of the time. I miss the smell of lilac and honeysuckle.

That's interesting, I started smelling what seems like car exhaust everywhere sometime about 6 years ago. I finally put it down to age related reasons. It still happens but I think less often.

I hope she makes it. Poor girl.

I hope so too, it's got to be miserable.

 

[Liz Birdlover]

That's interesting, I started smelling what seems like car exhaust everywhere sometime about 6 years ago. I finally put it down to age related reasons. It still happens but I think less often.


I hope so too, it's got to be miserable.

I know, poor girl. I hope she can lay this egg.

On the topic of exhaust fumes...I live quite a distance from any city but when the wind blows from the west I can actually smell the exhaust fumes from Washington DC & Baltimore, a few hours west of us. It is nasty. I know the smell, as I attended a school in Philadelphia & later had to visit client offices there once a week for work. It's a city smell. I do Not miss it one little bit.

 

[WthrLady]

Yikes, was just looking back over to see if I missed any posts, especially any baby goat or baby bunny pics, & then noticed I had posted laughing icon on this one...well, this proves I really should wear my glasses when using this darn phone. Anyway...the appropriate icon is now selected. Sorry!

I too have taken advantage of a few free deliveries with the Tractor Supply rewards. The people that deliver are on a free Lance app called Roadie, sort of like Grub Hub, Doordash, those types of gigs. They use their own vehicles. Here's the thing...when they get a possible gig, all they see is the weight of the load & how much it pays & the address where it goes...that's it. They get no details as to what exactly the load is. It might be anything from a 50 lb bag of feed, to a small lawn mower tire, to a pair of gloves. Plus, they are not given any information like how it is, or is not, packaged. Nor do they know if they'll need assistance or anything like a hand truck to unload or carry it. I know this because I've done a few Roadie app gigs myself.

Now, I'd never wear flip flops, no matter where I was, I hate the damn things. So yeah, that is totally inappropriate attire for driving anyway, they tend to slip when using gas & brake pedals. Bad, bad shoes!

But in defense, once a person has to click to accept a gig, then they actually see what they're supposed to deliver, if they Do decide to change their mind & Not proceed with the gig, they won't get more gigs! There are a few major problems with how these apps work. Why they don't give people more information is beyond me, because it would not be hard to add that to weight, dimensions & location the package is to be delivered.

I understand your frustration completely, but I also can relate to the driver. If a driver does try to get more info, not only is it practically impossible to get that info over the phone, but there are many other drivers ready to click on & get that gig. Then once you've clicked & gotten it...you're sort of stuck with it or harshly penalized for rejecting it. I get ticked off at the designers of the app...it's been suggested numerous times by many, please add what exactly this product is, instructions for how it needs to be transported, especially if it is upright & let folks know if it's best as a 2 person delivery, or special equipment is recommended. Seems like no one does the logical thing anymore. So someone designed a cool app, hurray...now make it more efficient!

Then they need to fix that because stuff from TSC that's heavy, isn't little. I've never had a delivery guy out bringing stuff that was large and heavy NOT bring a large truck/van.
THey need to be able to put on the app LARGE /XL/XXL or super heavy.
There was no way this guy was going to unload this himself, NOR could he have loaded it himself.

BTW. I've been fighting with the machine all day.
I'm saying it's user error ATM.