This is a Dump Day trip. Here's where it starts: at Chase's in Redford. This is where I get my coffee and my gas. They know me there and tell me the morning before I get my free coffee that tomorrow I'll get my free cup: after you buy 6 cups you get one free. Plenty of people think I should stop buying my coffee there and put the $1.44 a day into a fund to have a well drilled. Yes, but who would ask me how I am first thing in the morning? And who would I ask what kind of day they're having? And where would I pick up the morning news? Those things alone are worth $1.44, aren't they?
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
dump
My dump. I have a wicked bad case of dump envy. My Wilmington friends have a way better time at their dump than I do. Mine's a Transfer Station, where you put your garbage in a compactor and it gets smushed. Recycle bins on left, compactor on right. No time for visiting. Pay $1.50 per sticker. Small bags need 1 sticker, large bags need 2. Thank you very much.
forsale
I love this sign. For some reason it makes me laugh. Yeah, island for sale all right, get your red-hot island he-ah.
And here it is: the island for sale. Rumored sale price: $1.5 million. There are some buildings on the island, which used to be wonderful but are now pretty run down, according to neighborhood sources. Electricity runs underwater. Where would you moor your boat on the mainland? Details that must be worked out. How would you get there when the ice is in-between going out and being thick enough to ride a snow sled on? Or would you ever go there in the winter? Who would ever insure it? Lots of luck finding someone to pay that kind of money for it.
sweethome
Typical North Country home--NOT. This house was originally built as just the right side of the building. It sold for $375,000. Many of my friends were interested in buying it when it was on the market, but ran from the price. It's across from the Silver Lake Mtn bluffs, so has a wonderful view. Some people did buy it, lived there for a while, but their son died of a drug overdose, so they sold it. The new people decided it wasn't quite big enough so they added the whole left side. Now I ask you, what is that all about?
mudpond
View of Silver Lake Mountain with Mud Pond in the foreground. There must be at least 50 Mud Ponds in the Adirondacks.
swastika
Looking down the hill from Lin's road to the turn (on the right) to Swastika. Swastika is a neighborhood more than anything else. Nothing there but a four corners (actually, a 3 corners) and some houses. No one knows why it's called Swastika--there's no natural or man-made formation in that shape. Ah, sweet mysteries of life.
barn
A red barn in front of the back bluffs of Silver Lake Mountain. There are a bunch of Dupreys living along this stretch of road--grandfather, father and sons. House, house, house. One of the best views in the neighborhood, for sure.
brrr
Looking up the lake, a totally different view than we get from our camp. That's the bluffs, that hump in the foreground. What we called "Rock's Point" to the left--a really nice rocky point that my Uncle Rock owned. We had great cookouts there, going over by boat, packing all the cooking gear and food into a couple of boats and crossing the lake. Coming home with flashlights guiding our way, making sure we had left a light on in one of the lakeside cabins so we'd know what to head toward. It has just about the best swimming on the lake, as there's a huge drop-off just off shore. Goes down way deep really fast. Love that kind of swimming.
trailsend2
Looking across at Linda's camp. It's nestled among the cedars right about in the middle of the shoreline, can't see the camp. Yes, those mountains are snow-covered. Still are.
I can't stop jiggling my feet but if I take more Ritalin sometimes it backfires and I practically bounce right out of my chair. ohmyohmyohmy what to do. Drink more coffee, yeah I'm sure that will help will help will help.
I have a lot of pictures to post, including one of an emu I took at Thanksgiving. Ah, you're all waiting with bated breath. Me too. Not to mention the picture of my dump. Stop, please stop, the suspense is killing me.
I have a lot of pictures to post, including one of an emu I took at Thanksgiving. Ah, you're all waiting with bated breath. Me too. Not to mention the picture of my dump. Stop, please stop, the suspense is killing me.
Friday, November 16, 2007
"There's nothing wrong with your heart"
is what my doctor said to me yesterday. Ever doubtful, I told him that I'd believe him when I turned 84. I had a cardio-catheterization on Monday, having consulted with my newest specialist, a cardiologist, last week. The cath. is more complicated than I expected--they make a hole in your femoral artery to stick the catheter in & from there it travels to your heart, where they shoot dye into the arteries surrounding your heart. I have no blockages and my heart (so they say) is fine. Anyway, they plug up the hole in your femoral artery with a collagen plug, and the trick is to keep that plug from popping out. This means you have to GRAB YOUR GROIN, as the nurses remind you during the minimum of 4 hours you have to stay lying down after the procedure. Any time you get up, cough, sneeze (try not to), think hard, sit down--whatever, you have to grab your groin. It's actually not hard to develop the habit, since it hurts where they poked a big hole. Anyway, I stayed home Tuesday, holding onto my groin so I wouldn't pop the cork and bleed to death, which was what they warned me about. Back to work on Weds., which wasn't such a great idea but the nurses and my friend Annie the doctor made me think it was the sissy thing to do to take 2 days off. Note to friends: take 2 days, it'll make you feel better.
I mustered all my courage and asked Marylou if she would be my chaperone, drive me to Plattsburgh, wait for me, then drive me home. This seems like an incredible imposition to me but she was totally generous and gracious about it. We had a really nice visits during drive time. Plus she got extra credit for knowing that my mother would so much like to hear right away that everything was ok as soon as M. heard that my procedure was over. Sooooo nice of her to call Liza. And Lin agreed to stay at my house if I had a blockage and had to spend the night at the hospital. What good friends I have. They're really supportive and generous.
So now I'm at work, trying to feel relieved but having trouble keeping myself from crying whenever I think about all of this. I think a whole lot about my brother. If he'd had these tests, would he still be alive? Anyway, he's dead and it's always a shock for me to realize that and I miss him incredibly much. He was my brother and was important to me for 50 years. Also I cry, I think because I was really afraid during all of this heart stuff. I'd been having chest pains which started when I started taking a new med--one of the side effects is muscle spasms, so of course I assumed I would have a massive coronary at any moment, but the med. was so effective that I hated to give it up. Anyway, I've been afraid for a month or so. Now: no chest pains and I should feel relieved and happy. Not crying. I guess I just got tired of being the brave single girl who can handle all her own problems. I didn't tell many people about this--heard a lot from Ken this week about that, he was really upset at not knowing. Didn't want anyone to know, but had to tell some people in case something went wrong. Now I can put it all BEHIND ME. And move on.
Moving on through the snow. Not much at my house, only half an inch or so. But it's cold. Only in the 30's this weekend. I have bulbs to plant--they just came this week. The ground was frozen but then it rained so I think I can dig deep enough to plant them. I was off on Friday and had hoped to do it but night time temp was 11 so ground was hard. Had my stove cleaned, which didn't take long because nothing was very dirty. For a change. Yay me, burning good wood. Am looking forward to having a good fire tonight, haven't had one this week because am not supposed to pick up anything more than 10 lbs. Plus am lazy about carrying in wood from cold outdoors to house. But tonight will force myself to, so I can have cozy fire for weekend lounging.
Made poor kitty go outside today. Am trying to remind her that she's an outdoor cat. When I left she was on the deck, glowering at me. If looks could kill-- She's doing well but Tess would really like to play with her. All kitty wants to do is rub against Tess' head and chest, which Tess completely does not understand. Chances has written the whole cat thing off as an unsolvable mystery. Just a black blob anyway.
Had Sunday dinner at my house last week. Bill requested salmon cooked in my Schlemmertopf. Anybody know what that is? A clay cooker. Soak the top for half an hour, put salmon in bottom with some stuff & cook in oven for an hour. Bill swears it's the best salmon there is and requests it most times I offer to have dinner at my house (less and less often). Horrible brother of Bill came because he was visiting Ken from Penn. and Ken left note telling him where they were. Son Karl is very unpopular in our neighborhood so I was really not thrilled to have him in my house. Of course he had to comment on the water stains on my living room ceiling, caused by snow backing up from the ice dam I have each winter. He knew how to solve that problem--a solution that might work in suburbia, but not in the North Country, no not at all. Turd monkey.
Book group this weekend. Yay. We're reading One thousand white women Good book, bet everyone liked it. I haven't quite finished it. Have several books to read once I finish it. Ann Sebold's new book just came in--she wrote Lovely bones. Also have Richard Russo's latest. Plus Richard Ford's, but his is loooooong. And something else I started but got distracted from. There's nowhere near enough time to read these. I like to get up around 5:30 on weekends, sit in the living room drinking coffee, reading and enjoying the quiet. Dogs go outside, grooving on the darkness and coming light. Cat purrs next to me on the couch. Dogs come in. Dogs go out. Dogs are incredibly happy. All is right with the world. It gets light very slowly and the day really begins. It's such a nice experience.
Nothing much going on this weekend. Need to go to the dump. Need to clear off deck (still? haven't done that yet? for god's sake girl, what's up with you?). Plant bulbs. Write some people. Start getting organized for trip to RI next week. Be stunned that Thanksgiving is coming.
Half an hour to go, then 4 stops before heading home. Listening to a book I'm enjoying about young Korean-American women in NYC. Not great literature but vaguely interesting. Really not great reader but I can stand it anyway.
is what my doctor said to me yesterday. Ever doubtful, I told him that I'd believe him when I turned 84. I had a cardio-catheterization on Monday, having consulted with my newest specialist, a cardiologist, last week. The cath. is more complicated than I expected--they make a hole in your femoral artery to stick the catheter in & from there it travels to your heart, where they shoot dye into the arteries surrounding your heart. I have no blockages and my heart (so they say) is fine. Anyway, they plug up the hole in your femoral artery with a collagen plug, and the trick is to keep that plug from popping out. This means you have to GRAB YOUR GROIN, as the nurses remind you during the minimum of 4 hours you have to stay lying down after the procedure. Any time you get up, cough, sneeze (try not to), think hard, sit down--whatever, you have to grab your groin. It's actually not hard to develop the habit, since it hurts where they poked a big hole. Anyway, I stayed home Tuesday, holding onto my groin so I wouldn't pop the cork and bleed to death, which was what they warned me about. Back to work on Weds., which wasn't such a great idea but the nurses and my friend Annie the doctor made me think it was the sissy thing to do to take 2 days off. Note to friends: take 2 days, it'll make you feel better.
I mustered all my courage and asked Marylou if she would be my chaperone, drive me to Plattsburgh, wait for me, then drive me home. This seems like an incredible imposition to me but she was totally generous and gracious about it. We had a really nice visits during drive time. Plus she got extra credit for knowing that my mother would so much like to hear right away that everything was ok as soon as M. heard that my procedure was over. Sooooo nice of her to call Liza. And Lin agreed to stay at my house if I had a blockage and had to spend the night at the hospital. What good friends I have. They're really supportive and generous.
So now I'm at work, trying to feel relieved but having trouble keeping myself from crying whenever I think about all of this. I think a whole lot about my brother. If he'd had these tests, would he still be alive? Anyway, he's dead and it's always a shock for me to realize that and I miss him incredibly much. He was my brother and was important to me for 50 years. Also I cry, I think because I was really afraid during all of this heart stuff. I'd been having chest pains which started when I started taking a new med--one of the side effects is muscle spasms, so of course I assumed I would have a massive coronary at any moment, but the med. was so effective that I hated to give it up. Anyway, I've been afraid for a month or so. Now: no chest pains and I should feel relieved and happy. Not crying. I guess I just got tired of being the brave single girl who can handle all her own problems. I didn't tell many people about this--heard a lot from Ken this week about that, he was really upset at not knowing. Didn't want anyone to know, but had to tell some people in case something went wrong. Now I can put it all BEHIND ME. And move on.
Moving on through the snow. Not much at my house, only half an inch or so. But it's cold. Only in the 30's this weekend. I have bulbs to plant--they just came this week. The ground was frozen but then it rained so I think I can dig deep enough to plant them. I was off on Friday and had hoped to do it but night time temp was 11 so ground was hard. Had my stove cleaned, which didn't take long because nothing was very dirty. For a change. Yay me, burning good wood. Am looking forward to having a good fire tonight, haven't had one this week because am not supposed to pick up anything more than 10 lbs. Plus am lazy about carrying in wood from cold outdoors to house. But tonight will force myself to, so I can have cozy fire for weekend lounging.
Made poor kitty go outside today. Am trying to remind her that she's an outdoor cat. When I left she was on the deck, glowering at me. If looks could kill-- She's doing well but Tess would really like to play with her. All kitty wants to do is rub against Tess' head and chest, which Tess completely does not understand. Chances has written the whole cat thing off as an unsolvable mystery. Just a black blob anyway.
Had Sunday dinner at my house last week. Bill requested salmon cooked in my Schlemmertopf. Anybody know what that is? A clay cooker. Soak the top for half an hour, put salmon in bottom with some stuff & cook in oven for an hour. Bill swears it's the best salmon there is and requests it most times I offer to have dinner at my house (less and less often). Horrible brother of Bill came because he was visiting Ken from Penn. and Ken left note telling him where they were. Son Karl is very unpopular in our neighborhood so I was really not thrilled to have him in my house. Of course he had to comment on the water stains on my living room ceiling, caused by snow backing up from the ice dam I have each winter. He knew how to solve that problem--a solution that might work in suburbia, but not in the North Country, no not at all. Turd monkey.
Book group this weekend. Yay. We're reading One thousand white women Good book, bet everyone liked it. I haven't quite finished it. Have several books to read once I finish it. Ann Sebold's new book just came in--she wrote Lovely bones. Also have Richard Russo's latest. Plus Richard Ford's, but his is loooooong. And something else I started but got distracted from. There's nowhere near enough time to read these. I like to get up around 5:30 on weekends, sit in the living room drinking coffee, reading and enjoying the quiet. Dogs go outside, grooving on the darkness and coming light. Cat purrs next to me on the couch. Dogs come in. Dogs go out. Dogs are incredibly happy. All is right with the world. It gets light very slowly and the day really begins. It's such a nice experience.
Nothing much going on this weekend. Need to go to the dump. Need to clear off deck (still? haven't done that yet? for god's sake girl, what's up with you?). Plant bulbs. Write some people. Start getting organized for trip to RI next week. Be stunned that Thanksgiving is coming.
Half an hour to go, then 4 stops before heading home. Listening to a book I'm enjoying about young Korean-American women in NYC. Not great literature but vaguely interesting. Really not great reader but I can stand it anyway.
Monday, November 05, 2007
frosty
Saturday morning. Heavy frost on car windows. I didn't go anywhere so I didn't have to scrape them. I didn't do much on Saturday, although it was a perfect day to do outdoor chores. I was out for a bit, splitting kindling and bringing in firewood. I kept the fire going all day; the house was 56 when I got up. It warmed up a lot because of the sunshine so there wasn't much of a fire, just a log or two now and then.
I called my last year's plow man and he'll plow again this year. I told him the boulders had been moved and he was pleased. He's a really, really nice man and a great person to have for a neighbor (neighbor in the sense that he lives less than 10 miles away).
Sat. night I was clever and proud to set my bedroom clocks back before going to sleep. I knew I'd remember to set the clocks in the living room when I got up. Or not. I got up really early and was wallowing in the hours I had before Sunday dinner--looked at the clock by the TV and BAM! it was already ten to 8. Man those hours went fast! Watch said the same thing. Can you believe that, at my age I forgot that we set our clocks back? I forgot about it for around 5 minutes, then it dawned on me that it was really 10 before 7. YAHOO! Had to set clock on max/min indoor/outdoor thermomether; telephone; clock by TV; watch. Do not set microwave or stove--power goes out too often to mess with those. In fact, we lost power for 6 hours the other day (which means I had just set the time on all electric clocks last week. oh how I suffer, don't I).
I called my last year's plow man and he'll plow again this year. I told him the boulders had been moved and he was pleased. He's a really, really nice man and a great person to have for a neighbor (neighbor in the sense that he lives less than 10 miles away).
Sat. night I was clever and proud to set my bedroom clocks back before going to sleep. I knew I'd remember to set the clocks in the living room when I got up. Or not. I got up really early and was wallowing in the hours I had before Sunday dinner--looked at the clock by the TV and BAM! it was already ten to 8. Man those hours went fast! Watch said the same thing. Can you believe that, at my age I forgot that we set our clocks back? I forgot about it for around 5 minutes, then it dawned on me that it was really 10 before 7. YAHOO! Had to set clock on max/min indoor/outdoor thermomether; telephone; clock by TV; watch. Do not set microwave or stove--power goes out too often to mess with those. In fact, we lost power for 6 hours the other day (which means I had just set the time on all electric clocks last week. oh how I suffer, don't I).
weekend sunrise
Not really exceptionally pretty, but the leaves are gone so sunrises are more visible now.
dead geranium
Geraniums do not survive a heavy frost. Light frosts, maybe, but not one that freezes the juice in the stems. This is what happened while I was trying to decide whether to bring these in to winter over or not. You know, “Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans," said John Lennon. I was pretty much relieved of making this decision, although these geraniums were all different colors. Now I just have the red one from 2006 that Fred gave me that was so pretty this year. He gave me his huge pink ivy geranium that spent the summer on his dock. It's covered with blossoms now and is really pretty. I brought it to work, where I plan to have it spend the winter (and where it will look really ratty soon) because I don't have enough room at home. When it finishes blooming I'll cut it way back and everyone will comment on the fact that I killed it.
hopeful
For some reason the alyssum refuses to stop blooming, and is even thriving. I never used to get alyssum--was scornful of it because it's really just a ground cover. Now I use it all the time, tuck it in my pots. It smells wonderful as you walk past it, and looks really pretty (apparently) when it's all that's in the pot. I can't believe this is doing so well--it's been down to 22 a couple of nights. I have to empty the pots, though, or they'll break. There's moisture enough in the terra cotta so it will crack if it's left out over the winter. Now there's a lesson I learned the hard way. But not just once--oh no, I needed to be convinced it could happen to any pot, any winter.
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