All hell has broken loose here in the North Country, but I'm just fine. We had a huge and extended storm yesterday and last night and ended up with at least 33 inches of snow. I still have electricity and phone (let's not forget television) but no running water. A girl can't have everything, after all. My plow man came and shoveled around my car so I now have mobility and the ability to get water from the neighbors. I've talked to my mother twice, my friends about 4 times and have been emailing everyone I can think of. It's wonderful, truly wonderful to realize how many people are interested in my welfare. I feel lucky.
I went to RI last week, arrived there Thursday afternoon to spend time with Liza and Mark and to celebrate Liza's birthday. We missed the birthday by a day--I came home on Monday, her birthday to avoid traveling in the storm. That was a wise, wise move on my part and I am relieved. We celebrated her birthday Sunday and she was fine with that.
While I was there it was cold and snowy. They got about 6", which is their equivalent of our 33" I think. Mark and I didn't get to the beach because it was too cold and windy for me. Mostly we just spent time in the living room visiting. That's what I went there to do, happy coincidence. My mother is fine, just fine. She's very healthy and is in good mental shape as well. She's old, and she feels old and she minds feeling old.
It was cold at home while I was away, below zero so the outlet pipe for my sump pump and gray water froze. This led to much flooding when the sump pump emptied the water in the cellar on to the floor of the laundry room, into the back of the house, blah blah blah. Nice to see water flow uphill, right? Meanwhile the pump runs just fine but won't come up to pressure. I had a plumber come yesterday (poor man, bad roads, very bad roads). He fixed the sump pump problem and diagnosed my water as an old broken pressure tank. Hopefully that will be replaced tomorrow (not today, roads are closed). Once again I am relying on the water of neighbors.
I feel happy and fortunate this afternoon (quite different from my moods of the morning) and know that all will work out.
Meanwhile my old dog Tess is not doing well. I took her to the vet, she's been diagnosed with laryngeal paralysis, which for now is merely an inconvenience causing her to cough and gag a lot. Eventually her larynx will close unless she has surgery, which will not happen. The surgery is expensive and complicated and I don't see the point of putting a 14-year-old dog through that. She and I have had an excellent life together. It will be sad, very sad when the end comes but when we get dogs we know this will come. Oh yes, easy to say. Harder to face.
The other dog, Miss Treasure is just fine but boy oh boy did she have a problem finding a place to potty this morning before I shoveled. She said yes, she could pee in deep snow but it would be impossible to poop in that. Oh the poor dear was so fussed! Finally the plow man came and made a huge, huge poop path for her, what a relief. She and Tess went for a long walk. I finished shoveling out the car and moved it. I was afraid I'd have to go to Plattsburgh today to do some banking but for some reason my Social Sec. money came early this month (how did they know?) so I can be homebound. Except I'll go to P&J's for water this afternoon. I've checked in with them and they're fine but had no television so were frustrated by that.
I went to the gym with Carol yesterday, that was a treat. Skipped today but we're planning on being there tomorrow. I was supposed to have lunch with Julie today but since neither of us could get to Plattsburgh that didn't happen. Tomorrow I hope to spend the day watching the plumber install a new pressure tank. HOPE to. Friday I'm having lunch with Barb and will do grocery shopping in Plattsburgh. Book group is Sunday at my house and I think I'll cook corned beef and cabbage, an easy dinner. We're reading The Flood Girls, which Marylou said was depressing but Lin and I are enjoying it's dark humor. Yes it's a sad story but it's nicely told.
Life is exciting in it's own small way. I'm home, I'm happy and all is well.
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