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| Stretching my hamstrings. Don't tell Quicksilver that I am using her chair. |
I did the Special High Intensity Training on Monday. I dug 100 feet of potato row on Tuesday and Wednesday. I woke up fine on Thursday...and then I sneezed at about 10:30 AM.
My back hurt. Not kidney-stone level of pain but it was a constant toll when I moved.
The show must go on
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| 17 quarts of applesauce. Nearly all of the apples were Liberty. The white residue on the lids is from hard-water deposits. |
Mrs ERJ suggested that I make more applesauce. That would be in excess of our target of 52 quarts for the year. "There is no telling what next year's crop will be like and Quicksilver eats it at her house". So, some of these are likely to be given to family members with QS being first on the list.
Ibuprofen and Vitamin C and hamstring stretches and a long nap were how I dealt with the back pain.
The biomechanics of digging
In normal digging, the digger can adjust the weight of the clod on the end of the shovel to match his fitness and the level of his fatigue. When the soil is hard and heavy, he can shave it off of the cut-face in 2" thick "chips". With clay weighing about 150 pounds per cubic-foot, that "book" weighs about 10 pounds and it is very manageable.
That changes when digging potatoes. Digging the dirt that holds the potatoes in 2" thick books guarantees that you will cut most of the potatoes and they will be very vulnerable to rotting in storage.
So, the stupid 67 year-old lifts great shovelfuls of dirt and drops them from a height to shatter the clod and expose the golden nuggets held within. The weight on the blade of the shovel might be offset 2' from the the idiot's spine and must be reacted with his core-strength.
I timed how long it took me to dig 100 feet on Wednesday. From walking out the door until I returned, it took 1:46. That included collecting tools and returning them to the barn afterward.
I can dig much more quickly when Mrs ERJ is helping but it is much more aerobic. The time I spend bending over and picking up potatoes and tossing them behind me is time I can catch my breath.
Yes, I have a potato digger. No, I did not use it. I am one of those quaint people who uses muscle power because it is less complicated, sometimes, to grab a shovel and go. A further complication involves lining up a working tractor with enough gumption to pull the potato digger through the ground.
Saturday's adventure
I get to help somebody move on Saturday. They are moving out of a second story apartment into a house in suburbia. Both locations are congested with the apartment complex being much worse than the house.
I hope my back issue is just a tiny blip.
I wasn't expecting this
Woman says reason she will never have a child is because it might be a boy.
This is a five-second clip buried in a larger video. So only watch the five seconds or so.
I think she is being honest. She knows how to navigate girl-world but is not sure she can "control" a boy. She might dress it up as "I refuse to contribute to the Patriarchy, blah, blah, blah..." but it is more likely driven by fear and uncertainty.
May I make a suggestion for "The white residue on the lids is from hard-water deposits."
ReplyDeleteAdd a little vinegar to the water bath. This keeps the white residue from accumulating on the jars and lid.
Also, use a little vinegar on a small piece of paper to wipe the the jar rim before adding the lid and ring. This works especially well when canning anything containing meat. The vinegar cuts any fat and helps the lid to seal. I never have any lost/fail seals when using vinegar.
Don't put yourself into a more serious situation. Moving is a young-person's game. Tie the ropes, secure the blankets and the load, drive the vehicles, take the notes, mark the boxes... don't carry the couch down from the 2nd floor.
ReplyDeleteI lost half my tater harvest to digging this year. Too lazy and tired to do it!
I think I need to re-think my tater-planting next year, and center it around using the bottom-plow that hooks up to the back of my tractor.
SNIP from Facebook
ReplyDeleteGravely Model L tractor with attachments for sale - $300 OBO
Titles are generated by AI from Meta
Gravely model L tractor with rotary mower, sickle bar, snow blade, cultivator, rotary plow and cog wheels. Has not been run in several years but the motor is not sized. $300 or best offer.
Joe RUN do not ponder and get it.
When hand digging potatoes use a digging fork. Shove it straight down next to the potatoes and push the handle back which lifts the spuds out of the ground with very little lifting effort. Works with a buried vegetables ---ken
ReplyDeleteBit of a rant here… I get so angry when people ask us older folks to help them move. I have extended family members that have done this to their father and mother, both of who are in no shape to help (multiple health issues including being very unfit). Plus, the younger ones are constantly moving. Yes, maybe some of us are fit and strong but we work at this to keep ourselves healthy and able to do our own shit for as long as we can. In an urgent situation, or emergency I’ll be there to help but other than that when someone thinks the “grass looks greener” somewhere else plan the moving budget to allow paid help At our age one little ouchie can either sideline us for a long time, or turn into a debilitating chronic problem. Then, who would dig your potatoes? Neighbor who recently moved rented a U-Haul truck and through the U-haul app was able to hire (from a list) independent packers/movers.
ReplyDeleteI hear where you are coming from.
DeleteOne of my neighbors from the old neighborhood was asked by his daughter to help her move after graduating. He and his wife drove separate vehicles from mid-Michigan to southern Minnesota and slept on the floor of her apartment.
On the way to her first job, his daughter selected a restaurant for lunch. The prices were +$100 per plate and it was a super-fancy place. My neighbor felt very out of place in his grubby jeans and tee shirt.
When the bill arrived, his daughter presented it to him with the expectation that he was going to pay. She had done her part. She had picked the restaurant.
The rest of the story is that my neighbor had been a custodian and never made more than $15 an hour.
His daughter had just graduated from Mayo Medical school and had passed her boards.
OK, maybe she wasn't rolling in dough, yet. But she had enough money to pay tuition and was going to be paid at her next assignment.
So, I totally "get" how some kids are totally blind to the fact that they are now adults and need to step-up.
ERJ - Standard comment to take care of yourself. At our age, there are no warrantied parts.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I would opt out of helping move, unless you can direct, or take lighter objects. My knee surgeon said, you’ve used this body/knee for many years; it’s getting worn out. My husband says we’re past our warranty, or expiration date.
ReplyDeleteI now do potatoes on a small scale, because of the digging required for rows. I plant in large planter pots, and flip them over to harvest.
Southern Nh