Awwww how cute is this?
Monday, April 30, 2012
Snowy bog 4/28/12
We had snow on Friday night, but it melted on Saturday. Sunday we DID NOT have snow, but it was 24 degrees. I brought my pansies in, did them a favor.
witch's broom in the bog
Not technically a witch's broom, but that's what they look like. The spruce trees in the bog suffer from damage by mistletoe, and the resulting growth pattern is called a witch's broom. It looks sort of like this.
The grande dame
Chances Are, looking very old. She's doing all right but is old. Older. She goes on walks with me and seems to enjoy it but she's just an old dog.
The brook was deep enough for swimming
The brook is Rattle Creek, and it's my property line. The campers called it Coca Cola Creek because the water is always brown, and it foams when it goes into the lake. It's runoff from the bog, although a true bog has no outlet, so maybe this isn't runoff from the bog.
58 OHR in late April
The grass is greening up nicely and there is just the barest hint of leaves on some trees.
Good ad for Blue Moon beer
She doesn't look very happy, but she was. She's certainly figured out how to behave at 58OHR
Sisters awake in the spring sun
See how cute they are? They spent a lot of time looking for squirrels, or something else to chase. They go really, really fast when they think they see something.
Friday, April 27, 2012
And now not only is it FRIDAY, but it's pay day as well. And my mood is good, much less dark than earlier in the week. I was sick for a couple of days, felt crappy with headache and upset stomach, but today I'm back in rare form. It was snowing this morning at home, but nothing like that going on here in the city.
It was a week that was. Only working 3 days means that I have a lot to catch up on, my desk is a mess, I don't know what to work on first, and I missed out on the chocolate that was sent as a thank-you to our staff from someone retiring from a member library. But it also means that I caught up on all daytime television, mostly Jon Stewart, with an occasional Judge Judy thrown in. Yes, that's right, I knit while Judy J. is on. Makes for excellent conversation fodder when I visit Pat & Jim. And always makes me feel good about myself.
We started the week with about 4" of snow, which turned to ice, then slush, then melted. The drive to work Monday was nasty, but I've put off removing my snow tires so I didn't have trouble. Just went slowly and skidded a bit. I went home on the Casey Road the other day--when theywere fixing the bridge on the Clayburg Road a while ago we had to use the Casey Road and it got to be a real drag, but it was nice to drive down it now, a familiar trek. The road is in pretty good shape, which helped. Nothing going on there, just a pretty ride through the woods.
I've been trying to walk every day, doing almost that. I walk to camp or walk the bog. Chances follows along gamely, though she's tired by the end of our walk. The other two dash off into the woods as if someone left a trail of dog biscuits, then show up way ahead of me. They're having a good time together but I think Tess would like it if Treasure were more playful. Treasure doesn't seem to know how to play with other dogs, and Chances & Tess used to play "Mean Fierce Fighting Dog" with each other all the time.
I took Treasure to the vet for her Lyme booster, and her snotty treatment to prevent kennel cough. This time we saw the regular vet, who hadn't met Treasure yet. He was impressed and thought she was cute, well behaved, and that her ears are NOT too long. She is well behaved at the vet, and for the most part at home as well. A good dog. With long ears.
I have to go grocery shopping on the way home, then I'll stop at P&J's for a quick visit. I think I'll pick up some white paint for my kitchen cupboards. They've been primed for months now--I was going to paint them some shade of gray, but I think I'll just go with white. I was originally going to paint them black, which would actually look nice, but would make the kitchen look smaller than it is. So I go with white. And maybe this weekend I'll paint. After I sweep, vacuum and tidy the living room. This week I cleaned the bedroom, including UNDER the bed on my belly. So much dog hair. I went to the dump on my way to work Weds., got rid of a bunch of magazines & catalogs. I have to take newspapers and clothes next; that's a bigger load.
I've been working on our e-book collection, which is a lot of work. I have to select and purchase, then create a record and a live link for each title. And it's frustrating because there's just not much of interest that we can afford that's available. I ordered something called The autism handbook, and the image that downloaded shows a book in Chinese. dear god let that be just the cover. Is Chinese autism different from American?
It was a week that was. Only working 3 days means that I have a lot to catch up on, my desk is a mess, I don't know what to work on first, and I missed out on the chocolate that was sent as a thank-you to our staff from someone retiring from a member library. But it also means that I caught up on all daytime television, mostly Jon Stewart, with an occasional Judge Judy thrown in. Yes, that's right, I knit while Judy J. is on. Makes for excellent conversation fodder when I visit Pat & Jim. And always makes me feel good about myself.
We started the week with about 4" of snow, which turned to ice, then slush, then melted. The drive to work Monday was nasty, but I've put off removing my snow tires so I didn't have trouble. Just went slowly and skidded a bit. I went home on the Casey Road the other day--when theywere fixing the bridge on the Clayburg Road a while ago we had to use the Casey Road and it got to be a real drag, but it was nice to drive down it now, a familiar trek. The road is in pretty good shape, which helped. Nothing going on there, just a pretty ride through the woods.
I've been trying to walk every day, doing almost that. I walk to camp or walk the bog. Chances follows along gamely, though she's tired by the end of our walk. The other two dash off into the woods as if someone left a trail of dog biscuits, then show up way ahead of me. They're having a good time together but I think Tess would like it if Treasure were more playful. Treasure doesn't seem to know how to play with other dogs, and Chances & Tess used to play "Mean Fierce Fighting Dog" with each other all the time.
I took Treasure to the vet for her Lyme booster, and her snotty treatment to prevent kennel cough. This time we saw the regular vet, who hadn't met Treasure yet. He was impressed and thought she was cute, well behaved, and that her ears are NOT too long. She is well behaved at the vet, and for the most part at home as well. A good dog. With long ears.
I have to go grocery shopping on the way home, then I'll stop at P&J's for a quick visit. I think I'll pick up some white paint for my kitchen cupboards. They've been primed for months now--I was going to paint them some shade of gray, but I think I'll just go with white. I was originally going to paint them black, which would actually look nice, but would make the kitchen look smaller than it is. So I go with white. And maybe this weekend I'll paint. After I sweep, vacuum and tidy the living room. This week I cleaned the bedroom, including UNDER the bed on my belly. So much dog hair. I went to the dump on my way to work Weds., got rid of a bunch of magazines & catalogs. I have to take newspapers and clothes next; that's a bigger load.
I've been working on our e-book collection, which is a lot of work. I have to select and purchase, then create a record and a live link for each title. And it's frustrating because there's just not much of interest that we can afford that's available. I ordered something called The autism handbook, and the image that downloaded shows a book in Chinese. dear god let that be just the cover. Is Chinese autism different from American?
Union Falls dam, looking at Whiteface
Here's a familiar view, though the dam is fuller than usual. This is Whiteface, which still has plenty of snow, taken from the foot of Union Falls.
Driveway, 4/24/2012
The grass is greener, but you can't see the teeny tiny leaves on the poplars. Or the blackberry bushes. But they're there.
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Dark, angry mountain 4/24/2012
And this is what I feel like today. It's my (dead) brother's birthday today and for some reason that's bothering me more than it has in the past. I thought of him this morning on my way to the dump, about the trip to the dump we took with his truck full of my ratty old furniture, and how entertaining he found the whole thing. He was a peach, would do just about anything for anyone. And he was a good brother. I do miss him.
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
It's coming, it's coming. Green leaves.
This is what I get to see on the way to work in the morning. Actual leaves on actual trees. In town, cherry trees are blooming, and as you get close to Pbg the shad is in bloom.
Sunny but cold
Seems that's the way it's going to be for a while. Or maybe it will rain and be cold. I may have to clear off my wood stove and have a fire this weekend. It's amazing how quickly the stove adapts to its new role of "holder of items." I have planting supplies stacked up on it right now. I always start the planting season with the best of intentions, only to find myself deep into April without having planted a single seed. No, it's not too late. Can't put anything out until around Memorial Day, anyway. I'll grow cosmos, zinnias (why? I never have luck with them), cukes, morning glories and something else. No tomatoes this year, that's always a losing battle. If they even get close to ripening the dogs pick & eat them before I do. They don't like to pick cukes, though, so I have good luck with those.
Not much spring action in Hawkeye these days. It's so different from the rest of the region, there's really no sign that it's spring just yet. Well, the grass is getting a little green and my day lilies are up. I have a lot of daffodils up this year, but few with buds. That must be because of the messy weather we had so early, too warm, then cold again. Maybe I'll plant some more this fall, I haven't planted any in years and maybe mine are just worn out.
My friend Annie has hundreds of daffodils in the woods around her house. They were there when they bought the house, and they just keep expanding and blooming. Very, very pretty. I tried naturalizing many times, but I guess the soil isn't right, and there's not enough sun in my woods.
I've been trying to walk the dogs every day, which seems to have helped Chances a lot. She needs to build up her strength, and I need to get some exercise, so it's a good match. I was looking at pictures of Chances & Tess from earlier years, and it made me realize just how much Chances has aged this year. She really acts like an old dog now, and is fairly deaf. Lots of yelling "CHANCES!!! OVER HERE!!" at my house. Funny, though, she can hear the others chewing dog biscuits from several feet away. Old dogs are funny. but also depressing, I think.
I've been working like crazy to catalog the e-books we've purchased. A lot of work to create records for each title, then attach a barcode to the record. Has kept me busy for days, and I'm not quite finished with the project yet. Wish we could come up with a better way of doing this, but it costs $1.50 per record to buy them from a utility. Do I cost more than that? Sometimes, but I type really fast, and the cataloging is pretty automatic to me. I get the raw data from the vendor & just put it in the right format.
We had book group on Sunday, a very nice time. Big ham dinner with too much food. I gained another pound, which I have since lost. I seem to be--dare I say it--caring more about my weight right now, so have been eating less and better. It's not really hard to lose weight, you just have to stick to a plan. Not really very easy, but once you figure out the formula you can just go with it. Let's hope I've reached the point where I'm ready and interested in seriously losing weight. I'd like to lose 10 pounds by the time I meet up with my Midwestern friends, which is the end of June. I have no idea if that's realistic, but my doctor instructed me to lose 4 pounds by my next appointment with him in June, so I have to at least do that.
I'm planning a big perch fishing day at camp Memorial Day weekend. I love fishing for horny perch in the spring--when they spawn they bite anything that drops in front of them, and it's great fun to fish. I invited book group people, along with mates and children, so we'll see how this pans out. I don't think the docks will be in or there will be water in camp, but this is a hardy group. And great fun to be with.
Not much spring action in Hawkeye these days. It's so different from the rest of the region, there's really no sign that it's spring just yet. Well, the grass is getting a little green and my day lilies are up. I have a lot of daffodils up this year, but few with buds. That must be because of the messy weather we had so early, too warm, then cold again. Maybe I'll plant some more this fall, I haven't planted any in years and maybe mine are just worn out.
My friend Annie has hundreds of daffodils in the woods around her house. They were there when they bought the house, and they just keep expanding and blooming. Very, very pretty. I tried naturalizing many times, but I guess the soil isn't right, and there's not enough sun in my woods.
I've been trying to walk the dogs every day, which seems to have helped Chances a lot. She needs to build up her strength, and I need to get some exercise, so it's a good match. I was looking at pictures of Chances & Tess from earlier years, and it made me realize just how much Chances has aged this year. She really acts like an old dog now, and is fairly deaf. Lots of yelling "CHANCES!!! OVER HERE!!" at my house. Funny, though, she can hear the others chewing dog biscuits from several feet away. Old dogs are funny. but also depressing, I think.
I've been working like crazy to catalog the e-books we've purchased. A lot of work to create records for each title, then attach a barcode to the record. Has kept me busy for days, and I'm not quite finished with the project yet. Wish we could come up with a better way of doing this, but it costs $1.50 per record to buy them from a utility. Do I cost more than that? Sometimes, but I type really fast, and the cataloging is pretty automatic to me. I get the raw data from the vendor & just put it in the right format.
We had book group on Sunday, a very nice time. Big ham dinner with too much food. I gained another pound, which I have since lost. I seem to be--dare I say it--caring more about my weight right now, so have been eating less and better. It's not really hard to lose weight, you just have to stick to a plan. Not really very easy, but once you figure out the formula you can just go with it. Let's hope I've reached the point where I'm ready and interested in seriously losing weight. I'd like to lose 10 pounds by the time I meet up with my Midwestern friends, which is the end of June. I have no idea if that's realistic, but my doctor instructed me to lose 4 pounds by my next appointment with him in June, so I have to at least do that.
I'm planning a big perch fishing day at camp Memorial Day weekend. I love fishing for horny perch in the spring--when they spawn they bite anything that drops in front of them, and it's great fun to fish. I invited book group people, along with mates and children, so we'll see how this pans out. I don't think the docks will be in or there will be water in camp, but this is a hardy group. And great fun to be with.
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
Forsythia in the park
Huge bushes of bright yellow forsythia in RI. There's one type of forsythia that's rumored to survive in the North Country, but it would never equal the masses of bright yellow in other areas.
They didn't turn out very well
We dyed Easter eggs but they didn't look too great. Only the blue and pink dyes really took. We found out later that you not supposed to use HOT eggs, so maybe next year we'll get it right. I could swear we alwyas dyed hot eggs.
Mark tried a new technique involving Scotch tape
Mark's were the most interesting, he put tape on them so they had patterns.
Rhode Island
We had a good trip to RI. All dogs went and all behaved mostly well. There was a lot of peeing on the floor (but only on the rugs, of course), and we never really figured out who did it. Treasure got caught once, but we suspected Chances. Poor Chances. She's not doing very well but did have a nice visit with my mother.
It was Treasure's first real road trip and she did well. She rode in the front seat, which irritated Tess--the front seat is forbidden territory, but the back seat was a bit small for 3 dogs so I let Treasure sit there. She only chewed something once, when we left her in the car and went to the store. She chewed the emergency brake handle. So now my car is officially christened by dog. At least it wasn't a seat belt, which is what Tess used to chew.
Instead of lobster we had swordfish (my choice), and I cooked it. It wasn't great, I don't think it was very fresh, but it was OK. I took a lamb roast for Easter dinner, and we spent a lot of time researching how one cooks a boneless leg of lamb. We settled on a slow roast at 250 degrees, which was a mistake because it took way too long to cook. But was tasty. If you like lamb. Which I don't, really. But I know Mark & Liza do, so I try to take lamb there at Easter. Liza made delicious hollandaise--she can make it so easily, and it turns out really well. When I tried making it it poured like thick milk, but that didn't stop Fred and Bill from devouring it.
We walked in the park Saturday morning, where there was fantastic forsythia. It was too crowded, though, because they were setting up for an Easter egg hunt. Our trip to the beach was better, hardly anyone there.
Poor Liza was attacked by a tick on Friday night, so Sat. morning we went to the doctor who's a tick specialist, and she got a prescription for antibiotics. She's had Lyme disease at least twice, seriously, and gets antibiotics as a preventive measure. Her arm was swollen and it was unmistakably a tick bite. Nasty buggers.
My trip to the vet with the dogs was fine ($500 worth of fine). They're all ok but are having some itch thing that's driving them and me crazy. They are taking antihistamines for the itching, which is helping a little bit. The vet was sure it was fleas but I haven't seen a single flea, and with that many animals I certainly would. Who knows. Anyway, they all got their Lyme shots, distemper shots, and were tested for Lyme and heartworm. No heartworm but Tess has been exposed to Lyme. That's old news, they told me that a few years ago. No harm no foul. When Tess was on the examination table she jumped off twice and fell off once. Vet was not impressed (this is the new, sweet young thing vet who's experience in no way matches that of the REAL vet). Vet LOVED Treasure ("Now I LIKE this Lab"--what? doesn't like ALL Labs?), who behaved like a true champion and sat patiently while they did all to her. She even behaved well in the waiting room. Chances was pretty much in her own world and didn't really notice much of what was going on. She's getting quite deaf, and this itching thing has taken its toll on her.
Back to work yesterday, where I only spent a few hours at my desk. I went to Sarnaac Lake to work with the new director there. My friend Betsy was the director but she died, and now this man who used to work with her is the director. It's a really tricky thing but the staff likes him and is happy with the board's choice. He was a personal friend of Betsy's so he's suffering the same loss we all are (or greater), which does help when he eases into the position. I think he'll do well. I met with him for 2 hours, then drove back to Plattsburgh.
Tomorrow I go to Potsdam to an archival conference, a one-day thing. There's only one session that's really relevant to me, but my director really wants me to attend, so off I go. I'm hoping to see Jenica for a short visit while I'm in town. I haven't seen her office, just pictures.
I have to buy more e-books soon. It's really hard to develop a collection because not everything is available in e-format, and what is can cost $80 per title, which I can't justify spending. So I buy things I may have heard of, or things by authors I've never heard of (and who maybe can't get published in print, so are only available in e-format. or maybe I'm just cynical). Frustrating.
I have to write a review for Library journal, of a book on brunch cocktails. It's almost exclusively recipes for drinks one might or might not be interested in drinking. I suppose I'll give it a good review, it's not a bad book and there are new recipes to try.
It was Treasure's first real road trip and she did well. She rode in the front seat, which irritated Tess--the front seat is forbidden territory, but the back seat was a bit small for 3 dogs so I let Treasure sit there. She only chewed something once, when we left her in the car and went to the store. She chewed the emergency brake handle. So now my car is officially christened by dog. At least it wasn't a seat belt, which is what Tess used to chew.
Instead of lobster we had swordfish (my choice), and I cooked it. It wasn't great, I don't think it was very fresh, but it was OK. I took a lamb roast for Easter dinner, and we spent a lot of time researching how one cooks a boneless leg of lamb. We settled on a slow roast at 250 degrees, which was a mistake because it took way too long to cook. But was tasty. If you like lamb. Which I don't, really. But I know Mark & Liza do, so I try to take lamb there at Easter. Liza made delicious hollandaise--she can make it so easily, and it turns out really well. When I tried making it it poured like thick milk, but that didn't stop Fred and Bill from devouring it.
We walked in the park Saturday morning, where there was fantastic forsythia. It was too crowded, though, because they were setting up for an Easter egg hunt. Our trip to the beach was better, hardly anyone there.
Poor Liza was attacked by a tick on Friday night, so Sat. morning we went to the doctor who's a tick specialist, and she got a prescription for antibiotics. She's had Lyme disease at least twice, seriously, and gets antibiotics as a preventive measure. Her arm was swollen and it was unmistakably a tick bite. Nasty buggers.
My trip to the vet with the dogs was fine ($500 worth of fine). They're all ok but are having some itch thing that's driving them and me crazy. They are taking antihistamines for the itching, which is helping a little bit. The vet was sure it was fleas but I haven't seen a single flea, and with that many animals I certainly would. Who knows. Anyway, they all got their Lyme shots, distemper shots, and were tested for Lyme and heartworm. No heartworm but Tess has been exposed to Lyme. That's old news, they told me that a few years ago. No harm no foul. When Tess was on the examination table she jumped off twice and fell off once. Vet was not impressed (this is the new, sweet young thing vet who's experience in no way matches that of the REAL vet). Vet LOVED Treasure ("Now I LIKE this Lab"--what? doesn't like ALL Labs?), who behaved like a true champion and sat patiently while they did all to her. She even behaved well in the waiting room. Chances was pretty much in her own world and didn't really notice much of what was going on. She's getting quite deaf, and this itching thing has taken its toll on her.
Back to work yesterday, where I only spent a few hours at my desk. I went to Sarnaac Lake to work with the new director there. My friend Betsy was the director but she died, and now this man who used to work with her is the director. It's a really tricky thing but the staff likes him and is happy with the board's choice. He was a personal friend of Betsy's so he's suffering the same loss we all are (or greater), which does help when he eases into the position. I think he'll do well. I met with him for 2 hours, then drove back to Plattsburgh.
Tomorrow I go to Potsdam to an archival conference, a one-day thing. There's only one session that's really relevant to me, but my director really wants me to attend, so off I go. I'm hoping to see Jenica for a short visit while I'm in town. I haven't seen her office, just pictures.
I have to buy more e-books soon. It's really hard to develop a collection because not everything is available in e-format, and what is can cost $80 per title, which I can't justify spending. So I buy things I may have heard of, or things by authors I've never heard of (and who maybe can't get published in print, so are only available in e-format. or maybe I'm just cynical). Frustrating.
I have to write a review for Library journal, of a book on brunch cocktails. It's almost exclusively recipes for drinks one might or might not be interested in drinking. I suppose I'll give it a good review, it's not a bad book and there are new recipes to try.
Easter toys. We added to the collection this year
We have wind-up toys for all major holidays. Our collections are getting a little out of control.
Liza taking a picture of the Easter toys
She arranged them neatly first. That's part of the highboy that she had on Antiques Roadshow a couple of years ago. It wasn't worth the $100,000 we were hoping for, but it was worth a lot. It's been in our family for more than 100 years. Was made in the 1700's by a furniture maker in Connecticut who, unfortunately never became famous.
You could reach out & touch Block Island
We went to the beach on Easter. It was a nice day, not too cold or windy, and the beach only had a few people. There were 2 women walking along with us who had a huge male yellow Lab who was obsessed with a tennis ball. He kept going in the water after it, which my dogs do not understand at all. At one point Treasure did pick up the ball & they had a hard time getting it away from her. She's not very good at "Give," or "Drop it."
Treasure as the Easter Bunny
She was a good girl and let me put a pretty bow on her. Did she like it? No, but at least she didn't bite at it the way Tess does at Christmas.
Two girls at the beach
Tess and Treasure spent a lot of time sniffing the sand. Horses had been by and there were 2 other Labs there. Too many things to keep track of.
Wednesday, April 04, 2012
Easter and more
Easter is coming, and I'm leaving. It occurs to me that I haven't had a day off or trip since Christmas. Well, leaving out 3 day weekends anyway. This is a long stretch, nothing off until Memorial Day. I'm really looking forward to a change of scenery, am leaving for RI on Friday and will return on Monday. What will we do while I'm there? Buy pansies, look at other plants, drive around, eat lobsters, eat lamb, visit a lot, walk the dogs in the park and on the beach, introduce Treasure to my RI people and eat lots of candy. If I can make it last until I get there. I've been eating a LOT of candy lately--there's always a candy-centered holiday, isn't there? Hopefully after Easter there will be no excuse to sell candy on sale, so I'll avoid the temptations I'm unable to deal with right now. Jelly beans, chocolate, more chocolate. We used to do presents for Easter but (thankfully) we've stopped that. Now we dye eggs and put together Easter baskets and eat a HUGE lox/bagels breakfast on Easter. Then we eat a HUGE lamb dinner. It's a nice day. And the weather usually cooperates, as it's supposed to this year.
Weather in Hawkeye is good, sunny and cool. The 2" of snow we had melted quickly so the ground is once again bare. Crocuses have just about gone by and early daffodils will be blooming soon. A couple of weeks early. I'll get an Easter lily for Pat and deliver it tomorrow, will get one for my mother in Conn. (where they're much more expensive, but also much nicer).
Tonight I have to take the dogs to the vet, which will be tiring, time-consuming and expensive. They all need their yearly shots and exam, and they all are scratching ALL THE TIME, but I see no signs of fleas so I don't know what's up with that. I thought maybe it was allergies, but all three? And what would they be allergic to that all of a sudden showed up? Thought maybe it was just from the dry air of the wood stove, but I'm not keeping a fire going all of the time now, and there's no improvement. It's nice to have it be warm enough so that a fire in the evening warms the house just fine. Natl Grid eat your heart out, I'll pay the last of my winter bills this week. It certainly was a banner year for my electric usage. Huge sums of money changed hands. I need to get the heater in the back of the house fixed, that would maybe make a difference. Oh, I need to do so many things. Must get the chimney cleaned. Want new glasses. Would like to get the tub fixed. DID get the washing machine fixed.
I'll take my usual time off around Memorial Day, so will get chores at home done then. As if. I have lots of sorting of things to do, mostly clothes in the 3 bureaus that are upstairs in rooms I don't use. I need to get the back bedroom user-friendly, in case Anna wants to stay there. She's due to come in late June and will stay for a while, but we may be staying at camp. I need to tidy up that room anyway, though it's in pretty good shape. Better shape than MY bedroom is, that's certain.
A woman who works with me surprised me at home on Sat. She had said she might stop by, but I wasn't really expecting her. She wanted me to meet her new beau, and they were in the neighborhood. We had a nice visit, walked down to camp in 50-degree sunny weather. They were impressed by camp, which just proves that they're nice people who appreciate the right things. All 3 dogs walked with us, and it was a nice time.
Sunday I went to P&J's for the weekly gathering, had a good visit.
Friday night I had dinner with my friend in Saranac Lake--she invited her husband (she felt guilty leaving him home alone). We ate at a nice place in Sar. Lake, and it was good to get out.
Last night I stopped to see P&J, will stop again tomorrow. They're both fine, not up to much these days, mostly just planning on summer visitors.
Me too, though I sure am enjoying the solitude of OHR all to myself. Or mostly to myself, anyway. Not much bog traffic, either, which will soon change. I need to get to the top of the bluffs before the leaves come out. Cannot remember the last time I was up there.
Happy Easter, all.
Weather in Hawkeye is good, sunny and cool. The 2" of snow we had melted quickly so the ground is once again bare. Crocuses have just about gone by and early daffodils will be blooming soon. A couple of weeks early. I'll get an Easter lily for Pat and deliver it tomorrow, will get one for my mother in Conn. (where they're much more expensive, but also much nicer).
Tonight I have to take the dogs to the vet, which will be tiring, time-consuming and expensive. They all need their yearly shots and exam, and they all are scratching ALL THE TIME, but I see no signs of fleas so I don't know what's up with that. I thought maybe it was allergies, but all three? And what would they be allergic to that all of a sudden showed up? Thought maybe it was just from the dry air of the wood stove, but I'm not keeping a fire going all of the time now, and there's no improvement. It's nice to have it be warm enough so that a fire in the evening warms the house just fine. Natl Grid eat your heart out, I'll pay the last of my winter bills this week. It certainly was a banner year for my electric usage. Huge sums of money changed hands. I need to get the heater in the back of the house fixed, that would maybe make a difference. Oh, I need to do so many things. Must get the chimney cleaned. Want new glasses. Would like to get the tub fixed. DID get the washing machine fixed.
I'll take my usual time off around Memorial Day, so will get chores at home done then. As if. I have lots of sorting of things to do, mostly clothes in the 3 bureaus that are upstairs in rooms I don't use. I need to get the back bedroom user-friendly, in case Anna wants to stay there. She's due to come in late June and will stay for a while, but we may be staying at camp. I need to tidy up that room anyway, though it's in pretty good shape. Better shape than MY bedroom is, that's certain.
A woman who works with me surprised me at home on Sat. She had said she might stop by, but I wasn't really expecting her. She wanted me to meet her new beau, and they were in the neighborhood. We had a nice visit, walked down to camp in 50-degree sunny weather. They were impressed by camp, which just proves that they're nice people who appreciate the right things. All 3 dogs walked with us, and it was a nice time.
Sunday I went to P&J's for the weekly gathering, had a good visit.
Friday night I had dinner with my friend in Saranac Lake--she invited her husband (she felt guilty leaving him home alone). We ate at a nice place in Sar. Lake, and it was good to get out.
Last night I stopped to see P&J, will stop again tomorrow. They're both fine, not up to much these days, mostly just planning on summer visitors.
Me too, though I sure am enjoying the solitude of OHR all to myself. Or mostly to myself, anyway. Not much bog traffic, either, which will soon change. I need to get to the top of the bluffs before the leaves come out. Cannot remember the last time I was up there.
Happy Easter, all.
Snow for the April fool
OK, so it was the 2nd of April, but it was still snow, and I'm still a fool.
Chances in the bog
Don't know how well this will play, but this is how the Old Girl walks these days. She walked all the way to the end of the boardwalk & back, and on Saturday she walked down to camp and back. Not bad, not bad.
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