Chemo Plant #1

A young academic friend of mine buys herself a plant whenever she gets a paper or a grant proposal rejected. This is such a smart way of taking the worst sting out of the rejection that Gita, my daughter, has adapted it for her own purposes: she buys herself a new board game under those circumstances.

Inspired by this system, I have a new scheme of my own: I am going to buy myself a new plant for every round of chemotherapy that I get through. So I have already ordered the first one: a Changshou kumquat tree. It is a relatively hardy, self-fertile citrus that should grow well in a container. 

Those who have been to my house may already be asking themselves the obvious question: Where, amongst all the plants I already bring in for the winter, will I find room for yet another citrus tree?

Room for more?

It's a fair question. But I find I don't really care about being prudent about my plants just now. I want to be surrounded by growing things, preferably ones that fruit. By the time the kumquat comes there won't be too much left of the cold season, so it will soon be able to go outside. If I need to buy some grow lights next fall to support all my plants, so be it.

I have long tended to draw back from purchasing non-essential things (like extra plants) that are likely to lead to the purchase of additional things (like grow lights) and then yet more things (like timers for the lights) until pretty soon you have a Very Expensive Hobby.

But you know what? I don't think I care anymore.

Instead, I'm looking forward to getting my kumquat.