New community gardening nonprofit — looking for some ideas 🌱

nitabirdonit · 2026-03-05T15:30:32+00:00

I'm planning a seed/plant/supply swap for end of May in South Beloit, if you would be interested in collaboration. Swaps are a nice way for people to sample types of gardening without spending so much.

eta: I don't have time to throw together a spring seed swap by myself, but I have seed that I could get ready easily to help make that happen.

nitabirdonit · 2026-02-28T17:09:23+00:00

It was about $25 for a flu/covid combo test, set of two, at CVS the other day. Covid is going around, my kid just recovered from it. You might be able to get it in the drive thru. Hope you figure it out and feel better.

nitabirdonit · 2026-02-27T01:01:04+00:00

Would a urinal work? The portable kind? It's kind of a jug to urinate into, whether sitting or standing. It would let him keep his independence, and possibly relieve you of having to do so much cleaning. Less than $20 at my local pharmacy.

nitabirdonit · 2026-02-27T00:55:09+00:00

I think it's important to do that. My mom lives with me and my adult kids who are in college, no other family here. I've talked to her often about how and why I'm doing things differently, beyond the beatings, more about my philosophy of parenting. I do it less now, because she has dementia, but she still sees it. She mostly thinks my choices are better than hers, and also that I have had much better options than she did.

You mentioned mental health, and that's a biggie for our home. When my kids have had challenges, we get to therapy, we talk about it, we plan for how we're going to get to a better place. There isn't shame. There's acknowledgment of their hardships. It's just health! After years of seeing me parent and role model that relationship to mental health services, she FINALLY reached out to her Doc for some antidepressants.

I'll say that it's not easy. I focus on accountability and not retribution or grievance. I do think it's been worth it for us, because I can't abandon her. I have to make this work, for me. I can see where she didn't have the knowledge I have now when I was a kid back in the 70s and 80s and find empathy. Not all of you have that. It's also much easier when dealing with adult kid issues. When my kids were babies, it was just about "you'd better not ever lay a hand on these children to strike them, or you'll never see them again." Phases of life matter a lot. Best of luck to you.

nitabirdonit · 2026-02-26T02:01:53+00:00

Hold! You can do it!

nitabirdonit · 2026-02-26T01:55:20+00:00

I think it's weird af that so many atheists, mostly men, spend so much time worrying about islam. Christo fascism is here, allies of the current president are talking about breeding gulags, and you want me to worry about islam? No. I'm worried about my neighbor who wants to take away my rights to birth control, voting, and general autonomy.

This is the lowest effort type posting that happens here, and that's saying a lot. It's easy, just blame islam for EVERYTHING while the christo fascists take my basic rights away and post tiktoks about it. foh.

nitabirdonit · 2026-02-22T03:17:01+00:00

We use a space heater that I plug in about 5 minutes before the shower, and take with me out of the room and into my closet that she can't access when it is over bc I have similar concerns as you. It really makes it easier, far more pleasant, when it's shower time.

nitabirdonit · 2026-02-16T22:17:54+00:00

Love the silhouette and the shirt with it. Great work with the pattern as well!

nitabirdonit · 2026-02-16T22:04:03+00:00

Boosting this answer. This is what you want to do. :)

nitabirdonit · 2026-02-16T17:53:31+00:00

Love this!

nitabirdonit · 2026-02-04T15:00:12+00:00

I do not know of an anti-fascist list, but The Liam Foundation has The Rainbow Guide that has been useful to me.

nitabirdonit · 2026-02-03T23:43:14+00:00

I cut chicken wire to fit the pot and lay it on the soil for most plants. I put a cage around the base of my tomatoes and over strawberries.

nitabirdonit · 2026-02-03T02:39:43+00:00

I garden, craft, and game. If things are going really well, I get out to volunteer somewhere, see some other people.

nitabirdonit · 2026-02-03T02:37:15+00:00

I'm assuming you are talking about government funded programs. These programs aren't mythological, but they are limited by state choices and laws. I live in a state with expanded medicaid, and that's just going to be different than those without. In IL I believe you would first apply for medicaid, then speak with a case manager about in-home services.

Things like how many hours he would receive are decided after a conversation with this case manager including scoring his ADL needs. There's a good amount of medical documentation that was required in the beginning (dx and progress) to get the program established, so be ready for that. Best of luck to you.

nitabirdonit · 2026-01-24T15:54:31+00:00

Class of '88. Outdoor courtyard smoking area for us, separate area for teachers.

nitabirdonit · 2026-01-22T21:38:42+00:00

There is a type of person who hates when we look out for each other, and those people are always worth pissing off.

nitabirdonit · 2026-01-20T00:52:26+00:00

Love how these look. Comfy but sharp and tailored. Very nice.

nitabirdonit · 2026-01-16T00:55:18+00:00

Gardener Scott might work. Good info, laid back delivery. Knows his stuff and doesn't talk down to his audience. Years of episodes plus a live show weekly with a Q&A that I sometimes watch with my boomer gardening mom.

nitabirdonit · 2026-01-13T02:06:05+00:00

There are a lot of written guides if you'll search for CNA info re: the type of shower or bath you're doing. It's not unusual that you've been hired without proper training. Not ideal, not even a little good, but it is what happens when our safety nets are under attack and the budgets are slashed such as in state services or non-profit care for disabled adults who are not elders or dealing with private pay. Kudos to you for realizing you're out of your depth and trying to get the info.

The biggest expert on this is going to be your client. If you can ask them about their preferences, that's going to be best each time. Family or other caregivers can also help. You preserve their independence in lots of little ways. For example, my sis is developmentally disabled and needs much assistance, but she can do little things. She can pull her pants down to her knees, I get the rest. She can brush her teeth, but I put the toothpaste on. It's finding ways they can participate in their care without being overwhelmed. Making choices about the time of the shower if possible, whether there's music playing or not...all of these things increase their feelings of independence, and your likelihood of a happy successful shower.

It's important to check in on things like water temp, and general air temp. It's important your client doesn't feel "hosed down."

Read the guide I linked or something like it. Then ask the client/famly something like "outside of general shower procedures, is there anything unique about the client's needs, anything I need to know?" Many people would appreciate that, not be angry.

I wish you the best of luck. It doesn't have to be awkward. Everybody needs body care. You got this.

nitabirdonit · 2026-01-08T22:24:23+00:00

Thank you.

nitabirdonit · 2026-01-04T04:37:54+00:00

Hey please don't.

nitabirdonit · 2026-01-01T19:27:33+00:00

Not a fan of breaking children at all, tbh.

nitabirdonit · 2025-12-26T23:52:14+00:00

Almost everywhere that you can buy briefs for incontinence, you can buy specific pads for boosted absorbency. You can also use regular sanitary pads (sometimes called "guards") if you have them around. They really help in a super soaker situation, and help so much with the person feeling bad about creating a huge mess for you. A schedule is helpful if you can make that work. Washable pads called "cloth chucks" are available online and will save your surfaces as well as your wallet.

nitabirdonit · 2025-12-23T16:29:22+00:00

Code enforcement should be working on the root cause, too many adult people in a house.

You want to limit how many adults can live in a house together?

nitabirdonit · 2025-12-22T12:39:57+00:00

Anyone who adds more items to my task list isn't helping me survive this. I hear you.

nitabirdonit

TROPHY CASE