slow motion

Hello, world. I think you should be aware that today is Tuesday. What you do with that information is up to you. We have some early sunshine over here on the panhandle. In fact, the entire week is supposed to be nice, with sun in the forecast for almost a whole week.

Yesterday was busier than most weekdays. Mom and I went out to have some tests run on her. This was a new one for her – a fancy motion x-ray. According to her, it was awful. She has a second CT scan on Thursday, so at least there’s something on our agenda for the later in the week. We wondered why she would need another one, as she had one done last spring. I initially suggested they wanted a new one for comparison. However, eventually I realized it’s far simpler than that.

The last scan was on her back. The pain clinic believed this was a pinched nerve in her spine and sent referred her to a neurologist. The neurologist thinks there is NOTHING neurological about her problem. He took one look at her first scan, moved her around a bit, and declared “nope, hip arthritis”. The new scan is on her pelvis.

After lunch, we checked out the new grocery store. Last Friday, Aldi opened a store across the street from Walmart. Mom had a $5 coupon, and we figured the “oooh, new store” early looky-loo crowds would be gone. I bought us some meats, and some gimmicky fruit.

I love me a small container of overpriced fruit.

Walking around shopping leaves Mom hurting, so we skipped going out to buy containers for the carnibabies.

I attempted to do some terrarium maintenance yesterday. Vault 5 had a problem with a fuzzy, gray mold that was intent on taking over the moss. I opened it up and tried to removed as much as possible with a q-tip. However, I eventually opted to remove the moisture by leaving it open for the day. I was attempting to stretch a springtail-stopping stocking over the top when it all went to shit. The stocking snapped off the lip on one side, then flipped the container off the windowsill and onto the floor.

When I was about 15, my father had a Corvette. It was gorgeous – that classic Corvette Coke-bottle shape, candy apple red paint, and T-top windows. We were on our way out to get ice cream and he picked up the roof windows to put them on the car in case of rain.

Stay with me here, because I have a point to this I swear.

As he was turning around, window in each hand, he clipped one window into the handle of a workbench vice. He just put the windows down and walked away. He later said everything happened in show motion, where he saw it happening but couldn’t stop it.

That’s how it happened with Vault 5.

It went from the sill to a cat crate, to the floor. I know it could have been much worse. It wasn’t a long drop. The container landed in such a way that nothing came out. Additionally, Vault 5 is the only large plastic container I’ve used. I could have spent the afternoon sweeping springtails off my bedroom floor.

Instead, all the substrate was mixed up. Much of the springtail colony is currently in the drainage area, split up and stuck a couple of large water droplets. While I’m pretty sure they can make their way to the surface level, I’ve dug a few small openings in two of its corners. I also dropped in a small spoonful of springtails from the Apothecarium.

Vault 5 looks so empty now. I removed a stick. I may go out and find another one, or a larger rock to fill in some of the space.

Depending on what container(s) I buy for Seymour and the sundews, I may need to buy another batch of springtails. If I do order more, I’ll take the chance to pull everything out of Vault 5, wash it, and start from scratch.

Mom’s doing laundry today. Load #1 is on the line, and #2 is in the wash. I plan to go buy some containers, and possibly stop in at a local greenhouse to ask some questions.