Who is Orange Sink?

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Rice Lake, WI, United States
My home town is Rice Lake, a small town in northern Wisconsin. I own Red House Wool Studio~ an in-home wool and rug hooking business. I enjoy collecting and decorating with antiques and primitives. Orange Sink Blog is a journal of my interests and ramblings about life. Cathy Greschner

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Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Patience and Panic





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Now please listen to me you impatient impatiens plant!  You cannot go outside yet!  You crane and strain toward the light coming from the patio door in my studio.  I'm telling you  now, it would be a mistake to step outside! It's northern WI and the temps are still hovering around 40 degrees in the daytime and 28 at night.  A few snowflakes were visible today when I took my Mom to an appointment and shopping.
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I've kept the impatiens, a geranium and begonia plant from last summer's garden alive all winter to have some green in my studio.  As you can see they are thriving and growing like crazy!  I've cut them back a few times and still they flourish with only a watering with Miracle Gro a time or two.  

I'm getting impatient and over flowing my own pot right along with the geraniums to spend more time outdoors with more spring like temps!  Patience patience patience!

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Yesterday was quite an afternoon around here.  I had planned to update my blog and upload some photos and as luck would have it our old computer monitor went black never to regain consciousness.  Not so lucky as Mr. LG Refrigerator!  After an emergency journey to the computer shop which is an hour away, the old monitor was officially declared dead.  Sad to say I am rather happy  to see it go.  About 5 years ago we purchased it used for 25.00 thinking it would last for a year or so.  We got lucky. 

Here he is waiting for Dave to carry him to the car.  While I followed behind with all the cords etc. dangling Dave exclaimed " this sucker is really heavy!"  Well, the new thin screen we are now using on loan until our new one comes was much easier to carry in!
The new one is a flat screen but not huge. 



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The whole episode lasted not more than 3 or 4 hours from the old monitor dying to the hooking up of the loaner.  I almost hate to admit this...... but I sort of went into a panic attack.  I felt very lost, disconnected, lonely, uninformed, anxious, sad, mad at myself, upset, crazy, to name a few emotions that surfaced while the computer world and I were separated.  My goodness, I was trying to dye wool and the wool didn't even turn out the way it should have!  I just plain ol' freaked out at not having my puter there at my finger tips.  Honestly..... I am ashamed.  I didn't realize how dependent I've become and how much not having access to the internet would affect me!  
Now I ask is this normal?  Should I seek counsel?  Then who am I asking...... if you are reading this then rest assured you are probably in the same predicament.  I could have lived longer without the refrigerator!!  But unhook me for a few hours from the world wide web and you may as well call the white coats to come and get me!

Cathy G



16 comments:

  1. In my job, the computer is the lifeline...my connection to adults! I have to say, I am addicted to all the computer things I do! I just recently bought myself a laptop. When I went through the checkout and realized how much it was all going to cost, I teared up and thought I'd start sobbing in the checkout line! But now, my laptop is one of my favorite things...it connects me to so many much!
    And I like to think I'm so simple...LOL
    Courtney

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  2. Cathy ~
    You sure do have a green thumb!!!
    I love your monitor story. You have a wonderful way with words. Hubby should hook (no pun intended) you up with the newspaper.
    Pug hugs :)
    Lauren

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  3. I'm right there with ya Cathy. We are spoiled and addicted to technology. But just think, you can't make new friends reading a newspaper!

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  4. you do have a green thumb! I am as addicted as you I hate to admit it.
    cathy

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  5. Hi Cathy, It amazes me how I lived so many years and never had a computer - now I can't live without it. I never use the phone anymore, never look up a word in the dictionary, don't go to the library as I once did to look up things - please don't take my computer away from me!

    Love your flowers - wish I had overwintered some things but guess I am to lazy and just wait for spring.

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  6. I too am so addicted.I feel quite sure my husband would never let me be without a computer, for you see it keeps me away from his TV remote.
    Your plants you wintered over are wonderful, hope you get to get them out before long.

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  7. Wow! Your indoor plants look gorgeous. I have geraniums outdoors but they are so full of dust at the moment and don't like the extreme heat at all. I didn't even know they could flourish indoors. I definitely need to use that Miracle Grow I bought. Our home computer died when we returned last summer and I just now got a new one to replace it. Finally I can use my printer/scanner again. Woohoo! Happy day to you, Tammy

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  8. Those flowers are gorgeous!!! I would have thought you just bought them from a greenhouse this year! I've never had that much luck over wintering any plants... even the ones that are supposed to be indoors... lol! You must have a great amount of daylight in your studio?

    My computer (blog hopping) has become a morning ritual with me. I think it wakes my brain up and seeing what others are doing is a huge inspiration for for what I might try during the days ahead... it's also my lifeline to supplies for rug hooking and the needle arts because I don't have a brick and mortar shop near me! And yes, I must check the tracking numbers every hour of the day too! Is it here yet? lol! :-)

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  9. Your light must be excellent to grow such nice plants indoors. They would certainly add a bit of summer cheer in the cold gray months. We're ALL impatient to get outside!
    Nothing can put me into a tailspin faster than a puter that doesn't work. Yes, I DEPEND on it. Yes, I'm ADDICTED to it. It's where I see what everyone is doing!!! Yes, it's a morning ritual, and evening too!
    I'm glad you are back with us Cathy!!!

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  10. The flowers are really beautiful ---- however ----- I about fell off my chair when I spied that beautiful pillow with the single flower on it.
    WOW! Gorgeous!

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  11. Wonderful post! Wish I could grow plants "outdoors" like yours are inside! I also spend way to much time on the computer! Love seeing your work!

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  12. How funny that I read your post right after writing my latest one. Seems we were both in the lurch with things not working - but I agree that your interruption was greater than mine. My sewing machine I can live without - not so my technology. Especially in my new locale. It is my lifeline.

    BTW, I love how you talked your plants down from jumping through the glass. You are a good gardener in so many ways.

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  13. Cathy, I love your ways with words and how you animate even dead refrigerators and plants. What a great imagination you have. Probably even your red shoes talk. Lol...

    Having plants that bloom inside in winter is necessary to my sanity...

    I too winter over several geranium and even coleus. I rinse the soil off the roots and bath the plants in soapy water and then rinse in lukewarm water and repot in a good 3-in-1 soil that I purchase at our nursery so I don't bring tiny bugs in to migrate on my other plants.
    Sorry about the demise of your monitor. I'm so glad that you found another one.
    Reading your blog always make me feel so good. JB

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  14. There's that pillow in the background again! I LOVE it and think I'll hook it next.
    And your plants are HUGE!!! I tried a new over-wintering thing with my geraniums this year (last fall) I pulled them up, shook off the dirt and let them dry out a little. Then I placed them in a brown paper bag!! I soaked them in warm water once a month and put them back in the bag in the basement. I had 10 survive out of 13, but they're just puny little shoots~nothing like your lovely huge blooming ones! I don't have enough room in the house to keep everything I'd like to so I mostly have to save seeds.
    Great job!!
    xo, Sheri

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  15. I always try to learn something new each day. Something my Mom would always tell me to do. And if I didn't have this computer, I would really miss out on learning a lot.
    Why just this morning I learned that you can house a plant like that over the winter! LOL, see just from reading your Blog, I learned something. WHO knew?? NOT me!! Something I just might have to try. Oooh, I feel so sheltered lol

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  16. Cathy: Boy, do I know that feeling about the computer: love/hate/dependency/resentment for sucking up my time. What to do? :0)

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