Tomorrow is my sister's birthday. How did we get to be so old???? She'll be 67, entering the time of year when she's 2 years ahead of me. This morning my friend asked me how old my brother would be if he were still alive. Wow I had to stop and count on my fingers. He was born in 1949 so wouldn't he just be pushing 70! He was 54 when he died. And we miss him every single day, as my mother and I agreed on the phone this morning. We had a long, long conversation, very nice and interesting.
We went to the gym most days this week, missed a couple but mostly we were there at 6:30 or 7. Tomorrow is a late day, we're meeting at 7:30. Tomorrow is also The Burn--all summer neighbors and friends take brush and wood scraps to the site and in February Joe flies up from his winter home in Georgia and lights the fire. Last year they burned a boat, this year I don't think there's anything as dramatic. I have plenty of brush to contribute but no way to get it up there.
Sunday my gym friend and I are meeting other friends in Plattsburgh to walk before having breakfast together. Monday I have a hair appointment and lunch in Plattsburgh then dinner with friends. So many of my socializations are food-centered! Better than alcohol that's for sure but not so easy for me to control how and what I eat. I'm trying to take control of my food intake, I only eat for 6-hour periods during the day (that made my doctor smile/almost laugh--his advice was "Get back on Weight Watchers," which is sound advice for sure). Mostly it just means I eat less. It's a slow process, losing weight at 65.
Friday, February 23, 2018
Tuesday, February 20, 2018
What the...?
I can't believe it's been so long since I posted anything. Oops. It's true I had a busy week last week but not THAT busy. Keene Valley two mornings, did more work on data entry for posting to the website. I was there again this morning but had too many problems to get much done. Rats.
I cooked dinner for friends one night, that was fine and the house was clean (enough). Lots of visits with the neighbors, lots of gym time followed by coffee at Stewarts.
The weather has been variable. It's been zero, it's been 50. Right now we're having heavy fog because it's 52 and the snow is far from gone. Supposed to be even warmer tomorrow. That would be good except all that's happening in my driveway is that more and more ice is being exposed. Man it's slippery.
I went to Potsdam on the weekend, visited my niece and celebrated her daughter's 4th birthday at a party. What a wonderful person the little darling is. She's very polite and considerate, listens to what adults say to her (more important than listening, she HEARS and takes it all in). She was thrilled to have lit candles on her cupcakes and cake, what joy I saw. It was a nice evening.
But wait, there's more: yesterday I went to Burlington and bought a new car. It's a Crosstrek (Subaru), which is just a fancified Impreza. I traded in my 2014 Impreza (on a bad deal)(but what the heck) and got a good deal on the new car. Am I thrilled? No, not thrilled but happy with the new car. It's familiar enough for me to be very comfortable driving it but different enough for me to be pleased with the purchase. It's an elevated Impreza so is nothing fancy. The dogs haven't been in it yet, I have some covering of upholstery to do before that happens much. I miss the snow tires my Impreza had but will wait until fall to buy those for this car.
Tomorrow is Wednesday. I'm meeting my friend at the gym at 7 but have no plans beyond that (and the coffee that follows). Will I get to the thrift store? Anybody's guess.
I cooked dinner for friends one night, that was fine and the house was clean (enough). Lots of visits with the neighbors, lots of gym time followed by coffee at Stewarts.
The weather has been variable. It's been zero, it's been 50. Right now we're having heavy fog because it's 52 and the snow is far from gone. Supposed to be even warmer tomorrow. That would be good except all that's happening in my driveway is that more and more ice is being exposed. Man it's slippery.
I went to Potsdam on the weekend, visited my niece and celebrated her daughter's 4th birthday at a party. What a wonderful person the little darling is. She's very polite and considerate, listens to what adults say to her (more important than listening, she HEARS and takes it all in). She was thrilled to have lit candles on her cupcakes and cake, what joy I saw. It was a nice evening.
But wait, there's more: yesterday I went to Burlington and bought a new car. It's a Crosstrek (Subaru), which is just a fancified Impreza. I traded in my 2014 Impreza (on a bad deal)(but what the heck) and got a good deal on the new car. Am I thrilled? No, not thrilled but happy with the new car. It's familiar enough for me to be very comfortable driving it but different enough for me to be pleased with the purchase. It's an elevated Impreza so is nothing fancy. The dogs haven't been in it yet, I have some covering of upholstery to do before that happens much. I miss the snow tires my Impreza had but will wait until fall to buy those for this car.
Tomorrow is Wednesday. I'm meeting my friend at the gym at 7 but have no plans beyond that (and the coffee that follows). Will I get to the thrift store? Anybody's guess.
Saturday, February 10, 2018
More Snow?
There's usually a time in winter where it snows every day, just an inch or two (or three). Apparently that time is now. We got 3 inches last night, nice fluffy stuff, and it's snowing again. How much will we get? Who knows, 6 inches? 7 inches? 4 inches? My mother always asks me how much snow we have on the ground. It's impossible to tell but there's at least a foot and probably closer to a foot & a half or something. Does it matter?
I've been busy, not extra-busy but keeping busy. This morning I went to the gym then to coffee, then to the thrift store for a couple of hours, then had lunch at the diner in Upper Jay with friends. Then I came home, lay down and dozed. Whew that was a lot. My horoscope said something about being charming. I was charming.
So now it's night time and I was watching the Olympics, men's single luge but the locals weren't doing too well. I like watching the downhill skiing, not much else. I know everyone loves the figure skating but that just doesn't do much for me. Well call me a bitch.
Tomorrow I have to clean clean clean and cook. I'm having friends come for dinner (I resist the urge to say "I'm having friends for dinner" because, well really, just because). The dinner is no big deal but the cleaning is daunting. Always. I never clean the whole house, just the places people will see (and even those only get a cursory treatment). Vacuuming is almost my least-favorite thing. Topped by cleaning the bathroom.
The dogs are doing well. They were alone in the house for a long time today but did nothing wrong. They nag and nag at me when I come home, first for food then for ATTENTION. They are very dear and are both good dogs. Although somebody threw up on the bed the other night (it wasn't me) and of course Bear has a tendency to eat whatever he finds appealing.
Not too much going on this week, a doctor's appointment and lunch with a friend. Of course there will be gymming and coffee at Stewart's, plus the Archives (I got a raise!) but I guess I'll have to skip the thrift store on Weds. because that's the doctor time.
I've been busy, not extra-busy but keeping busy. This morning I went to the gym then to coffee, then to the thrift store for a couple of hours, then had lunch at the diner in Upper Jay with friends. Then I came home, lay down and dozed. Whew that was a lot. My horoscope said something about being charming. I was charming.
So now it's night time and I was watching the Olympics, men's single luge but the locals weren't doing too well. I like watching the downhill skiing, not much else. I know everyone loves the figure skating but that just doesn't do much for me. Well call me a bitch.
Tomorrow I have to clean clean clean and cook. I'm having friends come for dinner (I resist the urge to say "I'm having friends for dinner" because, well really, just because). The dinner is no big deal but the cleaning is daunting. Always. I never clean the whole house, just the places people will see (and even those only get a cursory treatment). Vacuuming is almost my least-favorite thing. Topped by cleaning the bathroom.
The dogs are doing well. They were alone in the house for a long time today but did nothing wrong. They nag and nag at me when I come home, first for food then for ATTENTION. They are very dear and are both good dogs. Although somebody threw up on the bed the other night (it wasn't me) and of course Bear has a tendency to eat whatever he finds appealing.
Not too much going on this week, a doctor's appointment and lunch with a friend. Of course there will be gymming and coffee at Stewart's, plus the Archives (I got a raise!) but I guess I'll have to skip the thrift store on Weds. because that's the doctor time.
Wednesday, February 07, 2018
Snow, lots of it
The predictors couldn't decide how much snow we would get today and into tonight. I think they finally settled on 8-14 inches. I love these spreads--like, do we get to choose something between 8 and 14? I choose 8 1/2. No, wait, that's about what we have right now and it's still snowing.
It's a powdery snow, not bad for moving around but I'll do no moving of it until tomorrow morning. or maybe afternoon. but not tonight. My plow man just came so I can get out. They've been plowing OHR off and on for much of the day. I don't need to go anywhere until tomorrow morning, it's a Keene Valley day tomorrow. Today was supposed to be a thrift store day but that didn't work out (to my embarrassment, because I haven't been there for 2 weeks). I went to Plattsburgh early to have blood drawn but there was a 1-hour wait because of a computer problem so I went for groceries (NOT to Hannaford...). That was fine but I ran into Mr. Smith and he wanted to have coffee. We had an extra-nice visit but that put me way behind. I finished shopping and went back to the blood place. No problem there but it took a little too long, long enough for Bear to eat: 2 chunks of cheese, 1 bag of frozen broccoli and some deli turkey. Thankfully he didn't find the chicken and grapes (more likely he ran out of time). He stared at me all the way home--why? Because I interrupted him? Because he knew he was a BAD dog (not)? Anyway so far no ill effects of his marauding. I have a cover I can put back in the car to cover what's in the back, I just don't like to have the bar there but it's either that or never take Bear grocery shopping again.
I went to see the neighbors today, it's Jim's 83rd birthday. We had a nice visit and they are just fine. We'll celebrate his birthday on Friday over lunch in Plattsburgh.
Now I'm home, in for the night. It's very pretty outside and has warmed up to 17 (from 2 this morning, no wonder I was cold). The birds need to be fed but will have to wait. The dogs wanted to see the plow man but I wouldn't let them get plowed.
Tomorrow is a scanning day in Keene Valley. We've scanned 514 images so far and it's time for me to figure out how to get them to the network in Canton so they can be posted on the NY State website. I'll contact the people at the network for instructions and hope all images are in the right format and with the right amount of description. Perhaps I could have done that BEFORE there were 514 images to deal with but noooooo, that's not my style.
It's a powdery snow, not bad for moving around but I'll do no moving of it until tomorrow morning. or maybe afternoon. but not tonight. My plow man just came so I can get out. They've been plowing OHR off and on for much of the day. I don't need to go anywhere until tomorrow morning, it's a Keene Valley day tomorrow. Today was supposed to be a thrift store day but that didn't work out (to my embarrassment, because I haven't been there for 2 weeks). I went to Plattsburgh early to have blood drawn but there was a 1-hour wait because of a computer problem so I went for groceries (NOT to Hannaford...). That was fine but I ran into Mr. Smith and he wanted to have coffee. We had an extra-nice visit but that put me way behind. I finished shopping and went back to the blood place. No problem there but it took a little too long, long enough for Bear to eat: 2 chunks of cheese, 1 bag of frozen broccoli and some deli turkey. Thankfully he didn't find the chicken and grapes (more likely he ran out of time). He stared at me all the way home--why? Because I interrupted him? Because he knew he was a BAD dog (not)? Anyway so far no ill effects of his marauding. I have a cover I can put back in the car to cover what's in the back, I just don't like to have the bar there but it's either that or never take Bear grocery shopping again.
I went to see the neighbors today, it's Jim's 83rd birthday. We had a nice visit and they are just fine. We'll celebrate his birthday on Friday over lunch in Plattsburgh.
Now I'm home, in for the night. It's very pretty outside and has warmed up to 17 (from 2 this morning, no wonder I was cold). The birds need to be fed but will have to wait. The dogs wanted to see the plow man but I wouldn't let them get plowed.
Tomorrow is a scanning day in Keene Valley. We've scanned 514 images so far and it's time for me to figure out how to get them to the network in Canton so they can be posted on the NY State website. I'll contact the people at the network for instructions and hope all images are in the right format and with the right amount of description. Perhaps I could have done that BEFORE there were 514 images to deal with but noooooo, that's not my style.
Monday, February 05, 2018
Of COURSE it's cold: it's February
It was nice early this morning, temps in the 20's, almost 30 but now it's 11 and not nice. It was a beautiful day if you looked out the window, not so nice to be out in it. There's a very cold and "brisk" wind. Even Dump Bob commented on it. So did the man at Stewart's. And the woman who sold me coffee this morning. I guess we're all in agreement, then: it's cold and it's winter.
I've just been doing my usual things, working in Keene Valley (we've scanned more than 500 images), it's time for me to figure out how to dump the scanned images on a drive and ship them out to be posted. I've skipped the thrift store 3 times, that's not good. One day I just didn't feel like going and then it felt like a holiday not to go, another time I had to take the car to be fixed from being fixed and on Saturday I had coffee with a friend instead. Wednesday I will return and decorate the Holiday Loft for Easter.
I've been to the gym almost every day with my friend though we did skip a couple of days last week because of her schedule (heaven forbid I go without Carol!). This morning I was up before 5, which is way too early to meet her at 6:15. My poor car was bumped hard by a deer who ran alongside of me just outside of Black Brook in the dark this morning. Luckily I wasn't going fast, the roads are pretty slick these days. Neither deer nor car was injured. I think.
I had lunch with a good friend (do I have any friends who AREN'T good ones? I don't think so) in Plattsburgh today, she retired last week so we could spend as much time together as we could stand. She's only 55 but has 5 grandchildren. Yikes.
Got some errands taken care of but didn't leave enough time before lunch for groceries and sure didn't feel like doing that after lunch. Hit the dump, liquor store, gas station, bank and drug store, oh, yeah, got eggs at the Farmhouse too. Most of those errands weren't for me (like, do I buy chewing tobacco and cheap whiskey for MYSELF? I think not). I can't believe I used to go to Plattsburgh often, now it seems far far away. I'll go again on Friday though to celebrate Jim B.'s 83rd birthday at the lobster restaurant.
We had some snow last night, probably 4 inches and I guess we're getting more in a couple of days. SO much that they can't even predict how much it will be. And a cold night tonight. Yes, that is winter isn't it. My summer friends all tell me this is God's country, which of course it is for most of the year. January and February not so much.
I'm feeding the birds but have a limited selection of visitors this year. Many many blue jays, some chickadees and some juncos. Where are the woodpeckers? I put out suet but only the blue jays are enjoying it. And hogging it. There are a lot of grouse around in the woods, and turkeys along the road but that's about it for birds.
Life continues to entertain and please me. I'm lucky.
I've just been doing my usual things, working in Keene Valley (we've scanned more than 500 images), it's time for me to figure out how to dump the scanned images on a drive and ship them out to be posted. I've skipped the thrift store 3 times, that's not good. One day I just didn't feel like going and then it felt like a holiday not to go, another time I had to take the car to be fixed from being fixed and on Saturday I had coffee with a friend instead. Wednesday I will return and decorate the Holiday Loft for Easter.
I've been to the gym almost every day with my friend though we did skip a couple of days last week because of her schedule (heaven forbid I go without Carol!). This morning I was up before 5, which is way too early to meet her at 6:15. My poor car was bumped hard by a deer who ran alongside of me just outside of Black Brook in the dark this morning. Luckily I wasn't going fast, the roads are pretty slick these days. Neither deer nor car was injured. I think.
I had lunch with a good friend (do I have any friends who AREN'T good ones? I don't think so) in Plattsburgh today, she retired last week so we could spend as much time together as we could stand. She's only 55 but has 5 grandchildren. Yikes.
Got some errands taken care of but didn't leave enough time before lunch for groceries and sure didn't feel like doing that after lunch. Hit the dump, liquor store, gas station, bank and drug store, oh, yeah, got eggs at the Farmhouse too. Most of those errands weren't for me (like, do I buy chewing tobacco and cheap whiskey for MYSELF? I think not). I can't believe I used to go to Plattsburgh often, now it seems far far away. I'll go again on Friday though to celebrate Jim B.'s 83rd birthday at the lobster restaurant.
We had some snow last night, probably 4 inches and I guess we're getting more in a couple of days. SO much that they can't even predict how much it will be. And a cold night tonight. Yes, that is winter isn't it. My summer friends all tell me this is God's country, which of course it is for most of the year. January and February not so much.
I'm feeding the birds but have a limited selection of visitors this year. Many many blue jays, some chickadees and some juncos. Where are the woodpeckers? I put out suet but only the blue jays are enjoying it. And hogging it. There are a lot of grouse around in the woods, and turkeys along the road but that's about it for birds.
Life continues to entertain and please me. I'm lucky.
Friday, February 02, 2018
Oh dear, too long
What happened? Well I am busy but shouldn't be too busy to write a few words now and then. Anyway I'm back. It's a cold, miserably cold day. Temp is 1 but there's a huge wind so we're having wind chills (if you believe in them) in the teens below zero. And due to drop to sub-zero temps tonight. My house is warm, my fire is hot and I'm just fine.
I went to the laundromat this morning, washed bedding that was covered with dog hair. It will be hairless for about 2 hours until tonight. Treasure is shedding, Bear holding on to his hair. I've been cutting Bear's nails but have to do it one at a time and quickly. I don't know the story of his past, I don't know if someone tortured him by cutting his nails, but he sure acts like a big big baby when I cut a nail. And they need to be cut. He gets a treat for every nail I cut--to this Treasure says she has to have ALL of her nails cut to earn a treat so what's up with this?
I had a car-centered week. Took my car to the Platts. Sube dealer on Monday for oil change, tire rotation and to have the broken rear wiper fixed. All went well until I drove the car on Tuesday when the lug nuts on one wheel were loose. Man what a horrible noise and what a terrifying thing! I was very very upset. Stopped at Fred Drake's in AuSable and he was a real peach and helped me right out. Yes, he said, that front wheel is very very loose, shaking his head. Today I took him some brownies because he wouldn't let me pay him on Tuesday. He said to call any time for anything and he'd help. HOW WONDERFUL!!! Weds. I went back to the dealer (after telling them I would never never go back--they wooed me with promises of checking all wheels). They really couldn't find a reason for the loose lug nuts except for dealer error so they fixed my rear wiper for free (worth nearly $400 and interpreted by me as an admission of guilt). OK, I did all right but it sure was a lucky thing that wheel didn't fall off. I had ambivalent feelings about that dealer anyway, I usually go to the Burlington dealer (where I bought the car). So I guess I'll keep doing that.
Aside from that I've had a quiet time. Thrift store, Archives, gym. All good. No gym today or tomorrow, my friend has conflicts. Heaven forbid I go by myself, that wouldn't be fair to her! Tomorrow I'm going to Keene for coffee with my friend who still works at the library system. We see each other pretty much every week but don't talk about her work much, I think maybe she knows I'm not really that interested in what's happening where I no longer work.
We had an actual patron at the Archives this week. Not my favorite part of the job but the woman who works with me is a gem and she helped. It was a request for an image we had already scanned so I found it and printed out a good (surprisingly good) copy for the patron, who left with a smile on her face. Margaret (my "assistant") found additional information for her and boy did we look good!
It snows often, typical for winter but only a couple of inches at a time. It's just miserable cold today mostly due to the wind. Temp is 0 and dropping, will be well below zero tonight. I feel lucky to have a warm living room with a good stove and plenty of firewood. I have the best ever kindling, a friend's cousin is a woodworker and gives us kiln-dried pieces of kindling that lights like magic.
Will I watch the Super Bowl? Probably. I don't care what people say, I LIKE Tom Brady. I do not like the violence of football but enjoy watching it anyway.
I went to the laundromat this morning, washed bedding that was covered with dog hair. It will be hairless for about 2 hours until tonight. Treasure is shedding, Bear holding on to his hair. I've been cutting Bear's nails but have to do it one at a time and quickly. I don't know the story of his past, I don't know if someone tortured him by cutting his nails, but he sure acts like a big big baby when I cut a nail. And they need to be cut. He gets a treat for every nail I cut--to this Treasure says she has to have ALL of her nails cut to earn a treat so what's up with this?
I had a car-centered week. Took my car to the Platts. Sube dealer on Monday for oil change, tire rotation and to have the broken rear wiper fixed. All went well until I drove the car on Tuesday when the lug nuts on one wheel were loose. Man what a horrible noise and what a terrifying thing! I was very very upset. Stopped at Fred Drake's in AuSable and he was a real peach and helped me right out. Yes, he said, that front wheel is very very loose, shaking his head. Today I took him some brownies because he wouldn't let me pay him on Tuesday. He said to call any time for anything and he'd help. HOW WONDERFUL!!! Weds. I went back to the dealer (after telling them I would never never go back--they wooed me with promises of checking all wheels). They really couldn't find a reason for the loose lug nuts except for dealer error so they fixed my rear wiper for free (worth nearly $400 and interpreted by me as an admission of guilt). OK, I did all right but it sure was a lucky thing that wheel didn't fall off. I had ambivalent feelings about that dealer anyway, I usually go to the Burlington dealer (where I bought the car). So I guess I'll keep doing that.
Aside from that I've had a quiet time. Thrift store, Archives, gym. All good. No gym today or tomorrow, my friend has conflicts. Heaven forbid I go by myself, that wouldn't be fair to her! Tomorrow I'm going to Keene for coffee with my friend who still works at the library system. We see each other pretty much every week but don't talk about her work much, I think maybe she knows I'm not really that interested in what's happening where I no longer work.
We had an actual patron at the Archives this week. Not my favorite part of the job but the woman who works with me is a gem and she helped. It was a request for an image we had already scanned so I found it and printed out a good (surprisingly good) copy for the patron, who left with a smile on her face. Margaret (my "assistant") found additional information for her and boy did we look good!
It snows often, typical for winter but only a couple of inches at a time. It's just miserable cold today mostly due to the wind. Temp is 0 and dropping, will be well below zero tonight. I feel lucky to have a warm living room with a good stove and plenty of firewood. I have the best ever kindling, a friend's cousin is a woodworker and gives us kiln-dried pieces of kindling that lights like magic.
Will I watch the Super Bowl? Probably. I don't care what people say, I LIKE Tom Brady. I do not like the violence of football but enjoy watching it anyway.
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