Sitting in front of the computer all day doing nothing. The morning was quite busy though, since I had to arrange a courier to pick up my parcel full of fragrance oils far away down there in Australia. So I struggeled a bit with the online services from different companies. But I have learned that all the companies that claim they are cheaper and better than regular services, they are definately not cheaper. So no discount freight at the discount freight companies, no. The cheapest and easiest to use is Australia Post. So I could have saved myself from frustration hours in front of the computer punching in all kinds of information, only to discover that I'm out of area where they deliver, in the wrong country, too expensive, etc, etc.
I was going to plant some tulips and hyacinths outside. Just because they were on sale at the grocery store, I bought some onions, or what you call them. But I had no energy for planting today. I'm pretty sure both tulips and hyacinths will die in this climate zone. But since it was bought locally, it might work. But that is no guarantee. I bought an apple tree with red leaves once. When I came home with it and read the label, the climate zone did not match where I am. I planted it anyway, it did just grow a little bit, and eventually died after a few years. And that tree was sold from a local garden shop.
I have changed my mind, actually. I will plant the tulips and hyacinths on my grandmother's grave instead. So I hope they survive. I have no idea if they will come up year after year. They have stopped writing such things on the packages. They did wrote that they could also come up next year. I'm not sure what that means. So we'll see. Generally I don't see the point of planting things that don't come up year after year. A waste of time, labour and money.
A few days ago I helped a friend of mine planting some flowers. Not seeds, but flowers in small pots. And it was the type that dies for never to show up again. That is the only thing they sell around here. They earn more, since you have to buy new onces each year. But I told my friend - what's the point of planting this crap? She totally agreed, but lives in a house after her dead grandparents, and just until they sort out what shall be done with the house, if it will be sold or what. So she sees no point in planting something durable if she is only staying there in max one year more anyway. So it was only for her pleasure this summer. A very good point. It is by the way total war between the heirs of that house. Fake testaments and you name it. Well, it is only the aunt of my friend that is totally crazy and unbelievably greedy. But one person is enough to start a war.
I have also been filling up even more shopping carts at a handful of online places. As if I don't have enough full shopping carts here and there. I think I must have like 100 carts full of stuff. I never can deside what and where to buy stuff. But I did buy something today. I bought KOH for making liquid soap, some pigments and something else to fill up my quota for customs free import. I really can't remember what I bought. I have to check. Okey. I bought KOH + black and red oxide, kaolin clay, citric acid and sodium bicarbonate (to make sodium citrate) and PH paper, from Laborladen.de in Germany. Really cheap, 500 grams in total of iron oxides (black and red) for 3,44 Euro/$4. They don't have a lot of supplies though. I think they have a lot more that what's on their webshop, because I read that they had 30.000 chemicals.
So now I need ultramarine pigment, some micas and some clays + different natural colorants. Some shops have something you really, really want, but lacks something you really need. Other have something you need, but not something you desperately want. I wish I could find a shop that has it all. Well, oh, I remember. There is a big one in England. Maybe Bonnymans? I must check. No, that is a chemical supply store. Hmm, what is the name of the store I'm thinking about..... They have some single, square soap molds with their logo on, in blue color. It starts on H, I'm sure. Ok, intensive googling again, as if I had not done anything else today.
G Baldwin & Co, that is the name of the store. Web: Baldwins.co.uk. It was not starting with H, that is Holland&Barrett, a health food store. But Baldwin's, they have a huuuuuge lot of stuff. Maybe not to wonder, since they have traded since 1844! Well, I guess I will fill up another cart before the day is over. I am making progress, since I today did actually both fill up a cart and paid it in the same day, instead of the usual fill up and forget-method.
Now it's time for the last cup of coffee and a cigarett outdoors. It is so nice here since it is daylight even at night. But slightly dark since it is dark clouds outside. But it usually is almost as in the middle of the day. Some places even sunshine at night. That is what I love the most about the arctic summers - the total lack of depressing darkness.
So far...
