Saturday was a huge P-Patch day. Our day started early because Mr. Kai woke up before 5am. We alternated trying to get him back to sleep, but eventually Amanda just slept in his room with him. After a bfast of pancakes, I went out to the garden to continue moving soil from our old plot to the new plot. I saw Klaus, whose plot we were taking over, and Scott the garden coordinator. Klaus was there to pick up some pots that he wanted to keep. I did not move as much dirt as expected because I spent time talking to Scott and Klaus about P-Patch stuff.

Amanda was going to meet up with Carrie for lunch (and take Lonan Kai with her), but she then had to meet up with her earlier so I returned home to watch the progeny. He was sleeping when I got home, but woke up shortly. I do not recall what he did but it probably involved me reading books and him throwing food around.

When Amanda returned we all went out to the P-Patch to continue work.

In the picture, Lonan Kai is having a snack of apples and flaxseed crackers on the dilapidated picnic table. Julie and Ian’s plot is on the far left, and Mandy and Bryan’s plot is right behind Lonan Kai’s head. Our plot is not visible, but it is to the left of Julie and Ian’s. Lonan Kai ended up eating a lot of dirt and later he and Amanda went home for a nap while I continued earth moving. She was unsuccessful, though, and returned in a couple of hours.
I was able to finish swapping the soil, and Amanda was able to transplant some of garlic, shallots, and spinach we wanted to keep. We went out to dinner at El Sombrero. Lonan Kai was very agreeable considering he only slept an hour or so during the whole day.

Sunday Amanda took Lonan Kai to Capitol Hill for the usual Trader Joe’s / Madison Market run while I finished up some chores at home before going to Safeway for yet more supplies (that could not be obtained at the former two places).

While Lonan Kai and Amanda napped after lunch, I went off to Lowes to consider possible gardening supplies and check out some prices, but I decided to not to get anything and returned to do more garden stuff. When Amanda and LK woke up we quickly decided what we wanted to plant for the spring and did so: peas, lettuce greens, spinach, onions, swiss chard, beets, and carrots. All are from seed. Still to be planted are tomatoes, cucumber, and zuchini and later still kale, leeks, shallots and garlicks.

I got a big splinter moving some stakes and boards around. I did not get it all out immediately, so there is still a big piece embedded in my thumb. I may try to get it out later today (Monday).

Andrew and Heather came in the afternoon after we finished planting. We walked down to Mt. Baker park, did a little swinging, and then ate dinner at Mioposto. Heather had just returned after months in New Zealand. We went back home to hang out. Andrew and Heather are much more animated than we are reading books to Lonan Kai. After Amanda put Lonan Kai to bed we had some cookies and dessert wine before bidding farewell to the visitors.

I had a nice run along Lake Washington today. Exercise is good. I have not lifted weights in a while, though, and my arms and upper body have alarmingly shrunk.
I spent some time swapping the soil in my old and new P-Patch plots, and that was quite a workout as well. There is still a lot of dirt to be moved. Another gardener remarked that the soil in my old plot was “very rich” and in my position she would move it to a new plot as well.
All the soil is getting aerated yet again and is getting even more broken up… an added benefit to the move.
It was sunny when I walked to Columbia City to pick up Lonan Kai. I appreciated the change in weather since I got totally soaked yesterday when I picked him up. He stayed dry in the covered-up jogging stroller, though.
Amanda is at Pam’s for a fun night out while I stay at home and continue the usual evening chores of cleaning up after dinner, laundry, and whatnot. Gary is out of the country again, so Pam invited us (and others presumably) over.
Piglet, Armando, and Lonan Kai are asleep. Scratch that: I just heard a plaintive cry waft up from downstairs from Armando.

After over a year, we have finally finished the Kitty Pi. I originally started it the winter before Lonan Kai was born and actually finished the pattern, but since I used smaller needles the pi turned out to be too small for the large piglet piglet. Amanda then took over and finished it a week or so ago; we probably ended up doing 50% of the knitting each.

Piglet does like the Kitty Pi, but she barely fits into it. She would not cooperate for a picture. There is only a bit of her tail in the following image.

In other news, we are in the process of switching P-Patch plots. Klaus, who go his plot the same time we did years ago, evidently does not have time to garden this year. The coordinator called us up and asked if we wanted to switch. I am unsure why she thought we would in particular, but Klaus’s now former plot is on the sunnier northern side of the P-Patch, so I was happy to switch. Our soon-to-be-former plot is on the south side next to a large house and the fence to the road, so it got considerably less light during the day, especially later in the year when the sun does not get high up in the sky.

I spent many hours/days last year pruning the out-of-control rose bushes next to our plot to allow more light, and I did just spend much time and energy preparing the plot for the spring season, but the new location is too good to pass up. I will be moving and swapping a lot of soil between the plots because I put in a lot of effort building up the soil the past few years. But I will not be evil and will leave the plot in good condition for the next gardener.

The new plot’s boards need to be repaired, but they are in slightly better shape than the old plot. After pulling weeds and turning the soil, it is already evident that I will have to pull many more weeds this year. I had been hyper-vigilent about weeding in our plot, and as a result last season I never did have to do much weeding.

It’s good that last year we never got around to planting more kale, shallots and garlicks over the winter, as then we would not be able to switch plots. As it is, we have to harvest some kale and leeks. Amanda did try to plant a few more garlicks and shallots, but the squirrels dug them up. I may try to transplant the ones that are left, but I am not too hopeful.

After being relatively OK for the week, the weather turned really wet and nasty on Saturday. So we did the obvious thing and went to the aquarium. As expected, a lot of other people with kids had the same idea, but fortunately we are members and did not have to wait in the very long line that snaked out into the rain.

We also got a snack at their cafe before looking about; members get a discount there too! Though still on the pricey side.
The aquarium was stuffed with people, but that was fine with us. We have been many times this year already. Lonan Kai loved looking at the jellyfish and the reef tank.

We were going to plant our spring stuff in the garden, but it was too wet. I had already prepared the bed earlier in the week. I also processed four trays of worm casings (“poo”) and worked it into the bed. Processing consisted of removing the bottom trays from our worm composter, breaking up the casings, removing all the visible worms (not a lot really, most had moved to the upper trays where the food was), and dumping the casings into a wheel barrow I borrowed from the P-Patch. And straining my back because multiple stacked trays are heavy and there isn’t really a good way to lift them.

The worm compost was very nice and as usual did not smell much at all. It was a lot wetter than an outdoors bin would be, though.

Seattle is starting mandatory food waste composting this week, but since we compost at home and in the P-Patch we are exempt (and also don’t have to pay more $$$ each month to the city for the service).

Sunday looked to be nasty, too, but the sun came out in the afternoon. It was a bit cold though in the shade. We went to the Japanese Garden. Most things still had not bloomed yet, and it was unfortunately too cold to feed the koi, but I always find the garden enjoyable.

I tried to get a few nice pictures of Lonan Kai but he refused to cooperate.

Here he is about to try to back down the steps into the pond (unseen behind him) while continously ignoring the camera.

After a nap for me and Lonan Kai we went to Annabel’s birthday party at Pam and Gary’s new place in Capitol Hill near 18th and Aloha. They had moved relatively recently from a condo right by Pike Place Market. It was a good time and as usual I did not take any pictures.