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Confession. I received a Menard’s Gift Card from my Mom at Christmas. $20. They have a 15% off sale this week so I bought Burpee-brand seed (just basic stuff) and we had $90 in rebate checks there, so I got the seeds and 72 of the peat pellets we both like so much for...FREE! Total was about $40 in free merch. Yay! :)

So, as far as I’m concerned, I’m ahead of the game. I would’ve bought bags-o-potting mix but they didn’t have that out, yet.

We did buy two roof rakes to pull the snow off of parts of our metal roof that turn into an avalanche if we get 6” or more of snow at a crack. (One for us, one for our cabin, as we have someone renting it for the winter. Beau will be heading up next big snowfall to hunt Bobcats.)

I am saving TP rolls to cut in half, fill with soil and use for seed starting; 72 will fit in a standard flat, for reference. ;)

I am also saving egg shells now, for my ‘calcium stash’ come spring for tomato and pepper planting (zukes and cukes benefit, too!) and since my big compost bin is full to bursting and not breaking down a lot right now, I’m putting ‘compostables’ directly on the raised beds to break down until spring tilling.

So, in essence, I’m STILL ‘gardening,’ up here on The Frozen Tundra. :)

Just reminding myself these days, as we go into yet another string of 30-40 degree days in an overall MILD Wisconsin Winter, that Winter 2014 SUCKED from beginning to end. -20 at 8am in the morning. And, Yes. My old farmhouse WAS down to 56 degrees overnight! (It was just me & my dogs living there, then. I had space heaters in the bedroom and bathroom and the dogs slept in my bedroom.)

I didn't have to go anywhere that day; Wisconsin was officially, 'CLOSED!'

So I see

I got mad at Menard's and didn't go there for over a year. I bought a wood splitter there and didn't send in the rebate form soon enough. Big rebate missed. They had just shortened the time limit for rebates. Of course I shouda/coulda sent it in pronto and that's my fault. Sent in and never got back one rebate. Either that or the little piece of mail got tossed accidentally. I hate the rebate game.

I call them the walmart of home improvement and have the same love/hate relationship. In both cases I try to stay away from their store brands. I stayed away from Menard's for 2021 too because they were mandating masks. They're also 45 miles away from home so it's not someplace to go often. Now I work 40 miles in that direction so they're only 5 miles away from work. Could fit quite a few hand tools and hardware in that bag.

I'm sore today. My new job is maintenance at a plastic bag manufacturer. Who knew that plastic bag machines are 2 and 3 stories tall with inbuilt metal stairs? Climbed all over one yesterday that's being decommissioned and replaced, readying it for removal. Let's just say I had to use a 36" long pipe wrench as part of it.

They give out quarterly production bonuses on profitable quarters and evidently the last quarter of 2022 was one. I got $92.35 pro rated. Haven't even been there a month so I'm surprised I got anything. Might get those seed trays earlier than I though I would.

That seed rack should be delivered to Lowes by Wed which is a day I work and that Lowes is near work.

I've got a large tin can full of egg shells, 5 varieties of maters, 4 pepper.(and for some strange reason, 5 watermelon)

Gonna be in the 50s Mon, Tues, Wed but I work Tues, Wed. That's pretty much going to be the story from now on. Outdoor activities will be on nice weather days I have off. 80 days per year maybe? High tunnel will definitely have to be automated and whether he knows it or not, my son is going to be a gardener this year.;~)

Will have to put him on things he likes. Green beans, peas, taters, carrots, sweet potatoes, sweet corn. Could do a three sisters type setup with sweet corn, green beans and watermelon because he likes watermelon too(who doesn't?). Might get him on some paste/sauce tomatoes and making/canning sauce since that's the only way he likes tomatoes. He loves him some hot sauce too so....