My Birthday Balloon is starting to lose it’s umph (after three weeks):
The Bean Plants are still trying, but they seem to be losing the battle.
Snow. Yes, we did get some more yesterday morning, but then the sun came out and it started to warm up again.
We did not get our propane. They had rescheduled for Thursday morning, but it was snowing, so Andy phoned to cancel. The woman he reached said they had already canceled it, but later he got a phone call from the driver saying he was on his way. He hung up before Andy could talk to him, so Andy drove up to the Forest Service gate with the key, waited for a half hour, then came home. Not being able to talk to the driver is a nuisance, to say the least.
We don’t need a refill yet, so we’ll cancel the delivery for now. They were offering a sale which would have saved us a few hundred dollars, but the sale ended Friday. It would have been nice if the fellow who delivered the past couple of times — and knew how to get to the house — had been able to come up when it was first scheduled. But that was not meant to be.
Getting our photovoltaic system working again. Andy mentioned this in the Christmas letter and we still can’t use the sun for power. I’ll spare you the details, but the piece we need to replace has been discontinued and, even more important, the fellow who has been doing the work hasn’t been answering our emails. He still has a serious case of long Covid so we don’t know what is going on.
That’s more than enough for one post! How are things going with you?
January 11, 2026
…and your beams are starting to lose their umph too!
Yes!
I sure hope you get that propane soon, that’s too many delays.
🙂
Your snow is really very pretty. Your birthday balloon still looks good, which can only mean that you can keep on celebrating. lol. I can’t believe you all still do not have the propane. Hopefully very soon! Y’all stay warm…
🙂
Maybe you could take a cutting from one of those bean plants and try grow it in water better than dirt?
No, but I may wait until spring and plant some more.
Good grief you have had more than enough propane delivery problems! it seems they never end. I wonder if you Google the bean plant, maybe you could find out why it is failing. It doesn’t look brown, so you are likely giving it enough water. That balloon has lasted a LONG time!
I’m surprised the bean plants, and the balloon, lasted so long. 🙂
How frustrating, having to count on deliveries/parts that, through no fault of your own, don’t materialize. One of my favorite quotes by Gilda Radner, “It’s always something!”
Don’t let the dragons win!
🙂
Do the beans need a bigger pot? Just like kids, they outgrow their clothes.
They will have to do with what they have. 🙂
I love these pictures.
🙂
the Beans KNOW its not growing season, that’s my thought. but they sure looked good while they grew… when they give up, plant a few more. I almost planted the eye from a potato last week, but tossed it in the garage and thought don’t I have enough to do? they make your window look beautiful. try a sweet tater or a white tater ..
so frustrating dealing with the propane, I can’t believe they don’t have a way to communicate with the driver. maybe they just don’t like driving up there.
Yes, the lack of communication is amazing. 🙂
So for the issue you had with the tank. Sad to see your balloon losing its air. So sorry that the piece you need has been discontinued. Take care.
Thank you 🙂
Sounds like you are going through a rough patch! Sorry.
Thank you. It’s a nuisance, but has nothing to do with our health, so we are fine. 🙂
Nothing lasts forever. My celery plant is on it’s last leg too
Your celery lasted a long time! I was surprised by the beans. I planted them because they sprouted so fast and I was curious. .