It's -8 right now and due to be -200 or so by morning. Well, it IS winter in Hawkeye, isn't it?
I've been fairly busy recently. Last week I volunteered at the Clinton Co. Historical Assoc., just for 2 hours on Weds. The project I'm working on is scanning old photographs and writing descriptions of them in a spreadsheet. It was more complicated than I'd hoped (I think what I really wanted to volunteer doing was stuffing envelopes, or something mindless like that) but I got into it, of course, and enjoyed myself. I'm going back this Weds.
After being at the Hist. Assoc. I was to meet my friend for lunch at the Thai restaurant. So there I went and sat and waited and waited. She, it turned out had gone to the Thai restaurant that's UPTOWN, while I of course was at the one DOWNTOWN. She waited, I waited, she worried, I worried, then all was well. We're having lunch again this Weds. TOGETHER.
Friday I had lunch with Barb, which was really nice. I like hearing about her family, especially since I knew her before her son was born, and his girlfriend is now pregnant. WHAT???? My little Andrew, going to be a father? Oh my.
On Saturday we had the Big Burn of this year's brush pile behind Ken's house. Everyone takes their brush, branches, etc. to the pile all summer, and in Feb. Joe comes from Georgia and the pile is lit. It took a while to get it really going but once it started, it was as impressive as always. A smaller pile this year than some years, but a nice day and good company. I went with the Holts but we didn't stay until the bitter end, we left before the hot dogs were cooked. The snow is deep but it's still powdery so at least I could walk up the hill to the fire. I had my doubts...
Saturday night I had dinner with the Holts, always a treat. Rush has started his new job in DC and they're working on the logistics of that. Right now Annie is still in NJ but she'll be in DC with Rush soon. It will be great having them there to visit, but it puts them farther away from Hawkeye.
My frozen pipes were finally fixed on Thursday. The pipe behind the washing machine split on Sunday/Monday and I finally got someone to fix it for me on Thursday. I had the Holts' house for water and shower and wash so it wasn't as disastrous as it might have been. I got good advice on how to keep it from happening again, so now I have the doors of the bathroom vanity open and the heat on in the bathroom. I'll check on it before going to bed, and if I wake during the night I'll make sure it's OK. Whew!
Joe measured the thickness of the ice while he was here, and this year it's 28" thick. A perfectly respectable number! We have had consistent subzero temps so it's not surprising that the ice would be a bit thicker than some years. It's hard to comprehend what it will take to melt all that ice. I haven't been out on the lake yet--my unsuccessful trip 2 years ago has made me a bit nervous. I did go out on it last year and managed not to fall through.
The dogs are doing well in this weather. They don't mind going out until it gets to -20 or so, then they have trouble keeping all 4 feet on the ground at once. Sometimes Tess stands in the driveway and barks at me, but I just tell her to hustle on inside. I'm not totally tired of the weather yet, probably because I'm home every day to keep the house warm. It was so awful when I was working and came home to a cold house, leaving a cold house in the morning to go to work. Now I keep a good fire going all day and it's lovely.
I'm not as productive as I hope to be but I think I'm just getting used to this new life. I do some cleaning, I cook a bit, I read, I watch too much TV and I get to be with my dogs. It's all grand, just grand.
Monday, February 23, 2015
Saturday, February 14, 2015
Danger Will Robinson
It was -8 this morning and everyone is hysterical about the dropping temps tomorrow and tomorrow night. Lots of publicity for wind chills of -40 to -50. Well, I don't have much faith in wind chill--all I know is that if it's windy and below zero it feels very cold. At least we're not supposed to get the blizzard that's expected south and east of here. It snowed all day but we only ended up with a few inches.
I had an exceptionally lazy day. Up around 5, warmed up the house, talked to my mother then went to the dump. Took a long way home just because I like to do that. Then I settled in for the day and really did practically nothing but watch TV and pet the dogs. The dogs took off the other day and were gone for 2 1/2 hours. I was worried but had tracked them down Old Hawkeye Rd past the Holts so at least wasn't worried about cars. They came home, finally, but poor Tess was really lame for the rest of the day and into the next day. She's good now but certainly does move more slowly than she used to. I think about life without her, which will be hard for Treasure and me but I guess his is how I work my way into dog euthanasia.
I have the tail end of my cold now, a nagging cough and congestion. I went to Saranac Lake and bought good cough med. and more Sudafed so I keep everything under control. It's just lingering now. I finished the book I was reading last night. The author's name is Celeste Ng. How do you pronounce that? Ng. It was a good book but pretty depressing. Nicely written. Now I'll start the new Anne Tyler book IN PRINT. I've been using the 2 Kindles I have--one is an old one, borrowed from a friend, and the other is my new Fire. It will be strange to handle a book again. I bought a copy of the book thinking I would read it then send it to my mother, but she needed something to read so I ordered several books for her, including Anne Tyler. She (like me) has a house full of books but likes to read NEW books. I'm keeping a list of books to read, or at least read reviews of. Collection development was one of the favorite tasks of my job so I still have a keen eye on book publishing, I don't know how long I'll keep this up, but it's fun now.
No big plans or tomorrow or Monday. I'll see P&J tomorrow and probably not leave the house much on cold, cold Monday. I feel so very fortunate to be at home during this weather, keeping the house warm and the stove stoked. I have 2 commitments next week, 1 is volunteering at the county Historical Association and the other is lunch with Barb. YAY.
I called some friends the other day and found out that one of them was just diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease. That was pretty depressing news and I haven't really taken it all in yet. Our friend Barb N. is doing better, I hear, which is fantastic news. I know we need to expect problems and illnesses as we age, but it sure is a drag.
Dogs are just fine and such good companions. I had a long talk with Annie yesterday. She & Rush are in Calif. while he accepts his new position at the AAAS, having spent 2 weeks in Yosemite before going to San Jose. Their lives will change dramatically as they will gradually move to D.C.
Happy Valentine's Day. Mark sent me a new toy and some candy and my mother sent me a card addressed to ASF Frozen Northland, Snow Country USA. That address was on the inside, of course--although I sometimes get mail with strange addresses, I don't think that one would have made it to me. Maybe, though.
I had an exceptionally lazy day. Up around 5, warmed up the house, talked to my mother then went to the dump. Took a long way home just because I like to do that. Then I settled in for the day and really did practically nothing but watch TV and pet the dogs. The dogs took off the other day and were gone for 2 1/2 hours. I was worried but had tracked them down Old Hawkeye Rd past the Holts so at least wasn't worried about cars. They came home, finally, but poor Tess was really lame for the rest of the day and into the next day. She's good now but certainly does move more slowly than she used to. I think about life without her, which will be hard for Treasure and me but I guess his is how I work my way into dog euthanasia.
I have the tail end of my cold now, a nagging cough and congestion. I went to Saranac Lake and bought good cough med. and more Sudafed so I keep everything under control. It's just lingering now. I finished the book I was reading last night. The author's name is Celeste Ng. How do you pronounce that? Ng. It was a good book but pretty depressing. Nicely written. Now I'll start the new Anne Tyler book IN PRINT. I've been using the 2 Kindles I have--one is an old one, borrowed from a friend, and the other is my new Fire. It will be strange to handle a book again. I bought a copy of the book thinking I would read it then send it to my mother, but she needed something to read so I ordered several books for her, including Anne Tyler. She (like me) has a house full of books but likes to read NEW books. I'm keeping a list of books to read, or at least read reviews of. Collection development was one of the favorite tasks of my job so I still have a keen eye on book publishing, I don't know how long I'll keep this up, but it's fun now.
No big plans or tomorrow or Monday. I'll see P&J tomorrow and probably not leave the house much on cold, cold Monday. I feel so very fortunate to be at home during this weather, keeping the house warm and the stove stoked. I have 2 commitments next week, 1 is volunteering at the county Historical Association and the other is lunch with Barb. YAY.
I called some friends the other day and found out that one of them was just diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease. That was pretty depressing news and I haven't really taken it all in yet. Our friend Barb N. is doing better, I hear, which is fantastic news. I know we need to expect problems and illnesses as we age, but it sure is a drag.
Dogs are just fine and such good companions. I had a long talk with Annie yesterday. She & Rush are in Calif. while he accepts his new position at the AAAS, having spent 2 weeks in Yosemite before going to San Jose. Their lives will change dramatically as they will gradually move to D.C.
Happy Valentine's Day. Mark sent me a new toy and some candy and my mother sent me a card addressed to ASF Frozen Northland, Snow Country USA. That address was on the inside, of course--although I sometimes get mail with strange addresses, I don't think that one would have made it to me. Maybe, though.
Wednesday, February 11, 2015
I have a cold and sound like death warmed over. I finally got some good drugs and can smell again and can almost hear at normal levels. It's not a bad cold, not one of those that makes you feel really, really awful. It's more of an inconvenience and how can I complain when I have a wood stove, 2 dogs and all the time in the world to convalesce with? Ah, life is good.
We celebrated Jim's 80th birthday in good style at Mainely Lobster with a great showing of family members. The food was great, everyone cheerful, and the roads were slick but passable.
Today we saw the sun for the first time in a while. It felt warm and very strange. I went to Plattsburgh to have lunch with my friend Julie and did a little grocery shopping for P&J while I was in town. Julie was having horrible headaches, had a CAT scan done and it came back abnormal so she saw a neurologist this week. I was pretty hysterical, having just lost 2 friends to brain cancer in the last few months. Anyway, she's fine and has no tumor nor is there anything really wrong with her. That was a huge relief. She's still at CEF so I counsel her on how to be still at CEF. The woman they hired after I left is now installed at my old desk and Julie finds this very depressing. I don't blame her, we were very dependent on each other for humor, sanity, and sage advice. Well life goes on.
I had a doctor's appointment in Plattsburgh on Monday, did some grocery shopping then. Yesterday I went to AuSable to mail some things. Yes, I'm still running the roads. I have no plans for the rest of the week, or the weekend--so many days with so little to do! Next week is the Westminster Kennel Club dog show, an annual favorite of mine. I record the whole thing and wallow in different dog breeds. I love it. It must be incredibly boring to the normal human but I love watching dogs being paraded around by odd looking people.
It was -3 this morning, now is 17 and not bad. Apparently it's supposed to be -15 (or more) soon. I've used up my Ken wood and am now burning the wood I bought last summer. It's not as good, of course, but is good wood nevertheless. It's not in the wood shed so I have to dig it out from under huge piles of snow. Ah, it's good for me! I haven't walked the dogs in weeks, haven't done much of anything myself since Duncan & David left last week. Joe comes soon, which will be a grand and welcome distraction.
The dogs are great. I shut Treasure's head in the rear window of the car today, which startled and scared both of us. She's so skittish anyway, it was very dramatic. They run off once in a while while I'm getting wood but they don't go far or stay away long. Someone was in the bog the other day so maybe they broke trail and I could walk the dogs in there. If it ever warmed up I would maybe do that. Or not.
Thursday, February 05, 2015
Sunny February day
I had a nice morning drive. I went to Saranac Lake to check out the ice palace, then came home the long way, over Whiteface. It was really pretty but the dogs got pretty bored.
My friends who were here at their camp left yesterday. I miss them already--it's nice to have them in the 'hood and I truly enjoy being with them. They launched a small rocket with a camera attached and showed me the videos of their 2 launches. It was soooooo nifty. At one point, as they were getting ready for lift-off Duncan said "Godspeed little rocket." I laughed hard at that one.
I haven't been doing much. I cleaned my house (sort of) and yesterday I cooked breakfast for my friends. We had a good visit and lots of fun, then they left. Aw.
Monday I stayed home because we had a good storm. We probably got a foot of snow, light fluffy stuff that wasn't hard to shovel. I got plowed out around 3 p.m. and had a nice chat with my plowman. He's sweet and very reliable. It's so liberating to have a foot of snow plowed from your driveway.
Tuesday I went to Plattsburgh for groceries and to pick up some pictures to send to my mother. No pictures worth posting here, just pictures of dogs and the car. I got to have coffee with my friend Julie. I miss her a lot--we worked together for 28 years and share a similar view of the world and that workplace.
Yesterday after breakfast I went to Wilmington to see Marylou. She's been out of work for a while due to sciatica but is back working part time now. It was good to see her and we had a nice visit. I see that I spend a lot of my time finding people to visit with. But I am not lonely, I still enjoy being alone. My dogs are constant companions, and good ones, too. Life continues to treat me well.
Saturday, January 31, 2015
Cold enough
It was -11 this morning, is now up to 6 (probably the high for the day). I'm looking for a friend on Facebook, my former sister-in-law, but am having no luck. I'm also watching Martha Stewart, who always makes me laugh. She's adding honey to whatever it is she's cooking--"Greek honey is the best but I'm using MY honey." Oh Martha honey, what a joke you are. I did get the best ever pumpkin pie recipe from her, though--the secret ingredient is 1/8 tsp of chili powder. That makes it.
I ended up in Platts. yesterday, running errands. It was snowy and the roads were a bit slick but it was an easy trip. Too many stops--pharmacy didn't have my happy pills so I had to go to another one at the opposite end of town. Then back to town to pick up things like prints to send to my mother, money, and I can't remember what else. It was all fine. Now it's the weekend and the only difference that makes for me is that a) it's a Dump Day, b) daytime TV is totally different, c) I talk to my mother in the morning. I feel incredibly lucky to have my life right now. I spend a lot of time pointing that out to the dogs. People ask how the dogs react to having me home and I think the only thing they notice is that they have no privacy and no time in the house when I'm not here. Aw shucks. Tess tried to do one of her "I'm such a bad dog" tricks RIGHT in front of me this morning and all I did was laugh.
My friends are here, at their camp below my house. They come every January. I truly enjoy being with them. They remind me of my brother and his lifetime friends in Rockford (when they all got along)--these 3 have been friends since childhood and love being together. We're planning to go out for breakfast tomorrow, yay. I love going out for breakfast.
No big plans for the next week. Have to return to Platts. to get more prints and hit the pharmacy for a new inhaler. Next weekend Jim turns 80 and we'll take him out to dinner in Plattsburgh. Next Sunday I may head to Potsdam to see my great niece (and her daughter, ha ha ha).
What do I do all day every day? Not much. I try to do one constructive domestic task each day and have met with some success at doing that. I read books. I have a long list of projects but most of them will need warmer weather. Or maybe that's just an excuse. Anyway I'm outrageously happy.
I ended up in Platts. yesterday, running errands. It was snowy and the roads were a bit slick but it was an easy trip. Too many stops--pharmacy didn't have my happy pills so I had to go to another one at the opposite end of town. Then back to town to pick up things like prints to send to my mother, money, and I can't remember what else. It was all fine. Now it's the weekend and the only difference that makes for me is that a) it's a Dump Day, b) daytime TV is totally different, c) I talk to my mother in the morning. I feel incredibly lucky to have my life right now. I spend a lot of time pointing that out to the dogs. People ask how the dogs react to having me home and I think the only thing they notice is that they have no privacy and no time in the house when I'm not here. Aw shucks. Tess tried to do one of her "I'm such a bad dog" tricks RIGHT in front of me this morning and all I did was laugh.
My friends are here, at their camp below my house. They come every January. I truly enjoy being with them. They remind me of my brother and his lifetime friends in Rockford (when they all got along)--these 3 have been friends since childhood and love being together. We're planning to go out for breakfast tomorrow, yay. I love going out for breakfast.
No big plans for the next week. Have to return to Platts. to get more prints and hit the pharmacy for a new inhaler. Next weekend Jim turns 80 and we'll take him out to dinner in Plattsburgh. Next Sunday I may head to Potsdam to see my great niece (and her daughter, ha ha ha).
What do I do all day every day? Not much. I try to do one constructive domestic task each day and have met with some success at doing that. I read books. I have a long list of projects but most of them will need warmer weather. Or maybe that's just an excuse. Anyway I'm outrageously happy.
Thursday, January 29, 2015
Winter pics
Friday, January 23, 2015
Warmer Friday
It's warmed up to 25 today but there's no sun and a cold wind so it feels pretty crappy. I just walked to the mailbox, which I'm hoping to make a daily habit. The dogs are getting used to the walk and always check out the bog on the way to the mailbox, so I walk most of the way without them, talking to myself. "Am I doing this for my health? Where ARE you? Actually, I AM doing it for my health" It's all good.
I need to develop organizational skills for my errands and chores. Yesterday I went to Saranac Lake to the bank, to the post office and I tried to send a UPS package with no luck. When I got home I figured out that I needed a bunch of groceries, so this morning I went to Plattsburgh. I thought the whole point of retiring was to NOT go to Platts.? So far I go twice a week--poor planning.
It's very quiet in the 'hood right now. There is somebody down the road, probably Dennis at Silver Lake Camp. The plow man plows just about every day--we get an inch or so of fluffy stuff just about daily. When he gets bored with plowing he sands the road.
It was an uneventful week for me, and I got a few things done at home. Tuesday I had lunch with my friend Barb, always a pleasure. I was hoping to meet Julie this morning but she had a meeting. Instead we mad plans for lunch next week. Monday I'm meeting my friend in Keene Valley for a walk and maybe lunch, depending on the weather.
Dogs are fine, I am fine, life is still good.
I need to develop organizational skills for my errands and chores. Yesterday I went to Saranac Lake to the bank, to the post office and I tried to send a UPS package with no luck. When I got home I figured out that I needed a bunch of groceries, so this morning I went to Plattsburgh. I thought the whole point of retiring was to NOT go to Platts.? So far I go twice a week--poor planning.
It's very quiet in the 'hood right now. There is somebody down the road, probably Dennis at Silver Lake Camp. The plow man plows just about every day--we get an inch or so of fluffy stuff just about daily. When he gets bored with plowing he sands the road.
It was an uneventful week for me, and I got a few things done at home. Tuesday I had lunch with my friend Barb, always a pleasure. I was hoping to meet Julie this morning but she had a meeting. Instead we mad plans for lunch next week. Monday I'm meeting my friend in Keene Valley for a walk and maybe lunch, depending on the weather.
Dogs are fine, I am fine, life is still good.
Monday, January 19, 2015
Christmas is over
I took the Christmas tree down this morning--I'd kept it up for book group, which was scheduled for yesterday. I really enjoy having a tree, even if I'm the only one who ever sees it. I'm happy to have the dinner table back to being a table, and pleased to put away the Christmas stuff. Let's get on with winter...
It's very pretty here right now, we had some heavy snow last night and more today, so the trees are coated with white. Nice. Temp is 30 and due to drop to single digits tonight. Ah, it was nice while it lasted, and I don't mind single digits. It's the -20 that I mind most.
Tonight I'm taking dinner to Pat & Jim--I have a chicken to roast so will cook it here and take it to them. I bought it for book group, but we cancelled last night so what to do with a 5-lb chicken? Share it, of course. I had a nice time yesterday at P&J's, good visits with Bill and the Atkinsons. Everyone is fine, feeling pretty good for January. Things are moving ahead--we started the ice-out pool. Duncan & David come at the end of the month, Joe comes in Feb. for The Burn, and in March I hope to get to RI (if not in Feb.) then I go to Georgia. Time goes by soooo fast.
I'm enjoying being at home, not sick of anything yet. This morning I drove to Redford for milk, gas and coffee. Tomorrow I go to Plattsburgh to have car work done and maybe have lunch with a friend. Friday I went to Platts. and had lunch with a friend from work. I did go inside and visit a bit with a couple of people but that's not really something I like doing--I've always said, once you're gone you're gone.
The house is warm, too warm but I'm keeping a good fire going. I still have a lot of wood--more than 8 cords. I'm burning old wood from Ken's, which is fantastic and dry. Now I'm mixing it with this year's wood, which is not as dry but still burns well.
So what do I do in retirement? A little of this and a little of that. Too much TV, still, but mostly I just have it on instead of NPR, which is what many of my friends listen to. Noise, just noise. I'm taking Joe's advice to heart--little things become bigger things in the context of the day, and that works really well for me. I write letters, clean a bit, do chores, talk to the dogs, and read at night. I get the paper every day but it doesn't entertain me for long.
Am I still glad I chose to retire? Yes, more than ever.
It's very pretty here right now, we had some heavy snow last night and more today, so the trees are coated with white. Nice. Temp is 30 and due to drop to single digits tonight. Ah, it was nice while it lasted, and I don't mind single digits. It's the -20 that I mind most.
Tonight I'm taking dinner to Pat & Jim--I have a chicken to roast so will cook it here and take it to them. I bought it for book group, but we cancelled last night so what to do with a 5-lb chicken? Share it, of course. I had a nice time yesterday at P&J's, good visits with Bill and the Atkinsons. Everyone is fine, feeling pretty good for January. Things are moving ahead--we started the ice-out pool. Duncan & David come at the end of the month, Joe comes in Feb. for The Burn, and in March I hope to get to RI (if not in Feb.) then I go to Georgia. Time goes by soooo fast.
I'm enjoying being at home, not sick of anything yet. This morning I drove to Redford for milk, gas and coffee. Tomorrow I go to Plattsburgh to have car work done and maybe have lunch with a friend. Friday I went to Platts. and had lunch with a friend from work. I did go inside and visit a bit with a couple of people but that's not really something I like doing--I've always said, once you're gone you're gone.
The house is warm, too warm but I'm keeping a good fire going. I still have a lot of wood--more than 8 cords. I'm burning old wood from Ken's, which is fantastic and dry. Now I'm mixing it with this year's wood, which is not as dry but still burns well.
So what do I do in retirement? A little of this and a little of that. Too much TV, still, but mostly I just have it on instead of NPR, which is what many of my friends listen to. Noise, just noise. I'm taking Joe's advice to heart--little things become bigger things in the context of the day, and that works really well for me. I write letters, clean a bit, do chores, talk to the dogs, and read at night. I get the paper every day but it doesn't entertain me for long.
Am I still glad I chose to retire? Yes, more than ever.
Thursday, January 15, 2015
Week 2
Wow it's been almost a month since I left work. I miss nothing about it, really. I'm having lunch with a work friend tomorrow and I'm sure she'll fill me in on what's up. Apparently they've found a librarian to replace me. This should be good.
It's been cold, was -13 yesterday morning but is now 21. It was sunny this morning but is now a bit cloudy. I should walk down to Holts to water Annie's African violets but will I?
I haven't been doing much but seem to have ways of filling my days. I went to Saranac Lake on Monday, which was good. Had to pick up my glasses and run a few errands. I picked up my goldfish, who is now safely installed in the living room. So far he hasn't frozen and seems to be just fine.
The dogs keep me entertained and busy--they stare at me when they want to go out (every 20 minutes) and eat (every half hour). They are good companions and don't seem to notice that I don't go to work every day.
I'm adjusting to my new status and am doing well. I should be more productive but I do get something done each day. Yesterday I took a big bag to the dump and I have another one loading up to go on Saturday. I'm slowly, very slowly cleaning the living room in prep. for book group onn Sunday. I've been reading a bit, nothing really of note but enough to make me feel as if I'm using my brain. I still watch too much TV.
I'll run errands tomorrow and will feel productive, trying not to spend much money. I am worried about money, haven't got a check yet. Social Sec will kick in in February, I think the pension won't come until then, either. Makes me nervous.
I made dog reservations at the kennel for my Georgia trip in March. That was a good thing to get done. I'm supposed to go to the dentist in Pbg on Monday but I think I'll cancel and reschedule. Next Weds. I go to Burlington to the car dealer to have the oil changed and tires rotated. That should be a nice trip.
Things are good. I'm happy, very happy to be at home. I just had my driveway plowed and as I pulled in today I thought there's nothing like a freshly-plowed driveway. I'm a girl who's easy to please.
It's been cold, was -13 yesterday morning but is now 21. It was sunny this morning but is now a bit cloudy. I should walk down to Holts to water Annie's African violets but will I?
I haven't been doing much but seem to have ways of filling my days. I went to Saranac Lake on Monday, which was good. Had to pick up my glasses and run a few errands. I picked up my goldfish, who is now safely installed in the living room. So far he hasn't frozen and seems to be just fine.
The dogs keep me entertained and busy--they stare at me when they want to go out (every 20 minutes) and eat (every half hour). They are good companions and don't seem to notice that I don't go to work every day.
I'm adjusting to my new status and am doing well. I should be more productive but I do get something done each day. Yesterday I took a big bag to the dump and I have another one loading up to go on Saturday. I'm slowly, very slowly cleaning the living room in prep. for book group onn Sunday. I've been reading a bit, nothing really of note but enough to make me feel as if I'm using my brain. I still watch too much TV.
I'll run errands tomorrow and will feel productive, trying not to spend much money. I am worried about money, haven't got a check yet. Social Sec will kick in in February, I think the pension won't come until then, either. Makes me nervous.
I made dog reservations at the kennel for my Georgia trip in March. That was a good thing to get done. I'm supposed to go to the dentist in Pbg on Monday but I think I'll cancel and reschedule. Next Weds. I go to Burlington to the car dealer to have the oil changed and tires rotated. That should be a nice trip.
Things are good. I'm happy, very happy to be at home. I just had my driveway plowed and as I pulled in today I thought there's nothing like a freshly-plowed driveway. I'm a girl who's easy to please.
Thursday, January 08, 2015
Home for goood
I know, it's been a long time. I'm adjusting to my new life but it's pretty strange. I went to RI for 2 weeks and had a good (but maybe too long) visit there. My mother is fine but is old and doesn't like that. She & Mark like having me there, and I enjoy being there but I think one week is probably long enough unless there's something like going to to be beach to keep us busy. Anyway it was a fine trip and my house survived just fine. That was a big relief, I worried about frozen pipes of course. Nothing happened. It got down to -5 while I was gone but the house was 42 at its coldest. whew.
I've only been home this week, just 3 days until today and I'm having a hard time adjusting to it. I'm really happy to be home to keep the stove stoked and the house warm, and to keep the dogs entertained but I'm having trouble finding things to do. It was -20 this morning and the house was freezing, so was the pump. I got everything set, though, went out & got wood, stoked the stove and now it's toasty and all is well. I spent one day in Plattsburgh--doctor's appointment and errands, but I got tired of being there before finishing all of my errands so will return tomorrow. Have to pick up a prescription and still haven't retrieved my goldfish from work. I don't feel like going there but maybe will tomorrow. It's a very, very strange sensation to be at home every day. There's not much to do. I need to get a lot of cleaning done and hopefully will feel motivated to do that one of these days. Book group is here on the 18th. I still have my Christmas tree up but am pretty tired of it. Will keep it up until after the 18th I guess.
I saw P&J last night and on Sunday, but other than that have been mostly quiet & alone. I've had phone calls, and have talked to my mother (she worries about me when it's this cold). I welcome the conversations. Am I lonely? Not at all. I think I'm just worried about my inactivity. I'll get used to this home life and will perk up I'm sure. I lie in bed at night and marvel at the fact that I don't work anymore. Did I do the right thing? I have no doubt that it was a good thing but I know I was unprepared for the magnitude of the change in my life. duh. It's all fine and so am I. I'm happy, just adjusting.
I've only been home this week, just 3 days until today and I'm having a hard time adjusting to it. I'm really happy to be home to keep the stove stoked and the house warm, and to keep the dogs entertained but I'm having trouble finding things to do. It was -20 this morning and the house was freezing, so was the pump. I got everything set, though, went out & got wood, stoked the stove and now it's toasty and all is well. I spent one day in Plattsburgh--doctor's appointment and errands, but I got tired of being there before finishing all of my errands so will return tomorrow. Have to pick up a prescription and still haven't retrieved my goldfish from work. I don't feel like going there but maybe will tomorrow. It's a very, very strange sensation to be at home every day. There's not much to do. I need to get a lot of cleaning done and hopefully will feel motivated to do that one of these days. Book group is here on the 18th. I still have my Christmas tree up but am pretty tired of it. Will keep it up until after the 18th I guess.
I saw P&J last night and on Sunday, but other than that have been mostly quiet & alone. I've had phone calls, and have talked to my mother (she worries about me when it's this cold). I welcome the conversations. Am I lonely? Not at all. I think I'm just worried about my inactivity. I'll get used to this home life and will perk up I'm sure. I lie in bed at night and marvel at the fact that I don't work anymore. Did I do the right thing? I have no doubt that it was a good thing but I know I was unprepared for the magnitude of the change in my life. duh. It's all fine and so am I. I'm happy, just adjusting.
Tuesday, December 16, 2014
It's my last week at work, down to the last few days. I still have plenty to do and have yet to finish cleaning up around my desk. WHAT AM I WAITING FOR??? I have a lot of files that might be of value to someone. I keep weeding them, throwing out more each time I go through them. Mostly I have a lot of discarded books that at one point I thought I would want. I go through them, too, and throw out a few each time.
Lots of meetings this last week--what ARE they going to do when I'm gone? I have no strong feelings about who will do my work or how well/whether it will get done. It's up to someone else now, I've given it my best 30 years.
I have lists of things to get done before leaving for RI on Sunday. This morning I came to town extra-early so I could get my blood done. Sure, good idea, except I brought the wrong paperwork so it was for naught. It's not a big deal for me to get here early, nor is it a big deal to have the blood drawn. It IS a big deal to have the lab orders, though. duh.
So far I've had 2 farewell lunches with friends. Tomorrow night is our union Christmas party. Thursday I have birthday lunch with Barb, Friday is dinner with Bill & Fred, Sat. is dinner with the Holts, then Sunday at last I'm on the road. I can stay in RI for a long time, if I want to. I'm thinking of 2 weeks but if it gets too cold here I'll hustle on home to protect my house. It got down to 39 in the living room over Thanksgiving, when the outdoor temp was 4, so I'm wary of cold weather. I shut off the pump (learned that lesson the hard way) and hot water heater, but just about every year there's some problem while I'm in RI at Christmas.
The dogs are great. Tess is really slowing down but can still wag her tail in a circle. Treasure is very needy so the two of them really like it when I'm home. Last week I only worked 2 days--I took one day off to have my new electric stove delivered, we were closed one day, I had a doctor's appointment in Saranac Lake another day, so it was a good week for the dogs.
Last Sunday I went to Saratoga to the calling hours of a friend. It was a good trip, easy drive down and back, but I didn't stay long at the funeral home, nor did I stick around for the funeral. I knew that, if I'd gone to the funeral I would have cried a lot, probably loudly, so I skipped that. She was a wonderful woman, a couple of years younger than I am.
I have lists and lists of things I need to buy or do before leaving for RI. Yesterday I had 4 stops in town before I left for home, tonight I think I'll have 3 or 4. I have to get a new tag for Tess' collar, thank you--she lost hers and I hate to take her to RI without any identification because she always seems to get away at least once per visit. At Thanksgiving she & Treasure took off into the woods and I had to track them down. Scary.
I'll be in an Internet-free zone in RI but will take my laptop and go either to Mark's work place or to Java Madness, where the deck overlooks the marina, and will check my email and the weather here.
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all.
Thursday, December 04, 2014
Back in the saddle
Thanksgiving was only a week ago and yet it is a world away. I had a grand trip, easy driving and good visiting with Liza and Mark. The weather was OK, some cold days and a couple of warm ones. Mark & I took the dogs to the beach, I took Liza to the beach, and for a change of scene Mark & I walked the dogs all over the Univ. of RI campus, which is near where he works. That was a real treat. Campus was deserted and I got completely disoriented because there are so many new buildings added since I was there in the 70's. It's really most impressive now. And pretty.
We went to the annual art sale that we always hit, and it was as much fun as we expected. A lot of pottery--Liza bought me a great bowl for my birthday and I bought myself another great bowl because I liked it. We picked up odds & ends, as we always do.
Liza & I went shopping a few times. Since she doesn't drive anymore she's dependent on Mark and feels bad asking him to take her places, plus she needed to get him some Christmas presents, so we had fun driving around and seeing the sights. She likes to go to the grocery store--they all know her there and she picks up a few things each time she goes. Like, she needed Kleenex so we went there and she bought ONE box, not 2 or even 3, just one. So when she runs out again she'll need to go right back for more. I found it all entertaining and was happy to be there.
Thanksgiving itself was fine. We had our usual food--turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, squash and a zillion lima beans. All delicious. I made 2 pumpkin pies, one from fresh pumpkin that I got from Linda and another using canned pumpkin. News flash: there's no real difference in taste between the two. And 2 pies is a lot for 3 people to eat. They were both good. I use an old Martha Stewart recipe that includes 1/4 tsp of chili powder and that makes a difference. yum.
I got home on Monday, around 2 in the afternoon. It sure is nice to be at home during the day! I'm looking forward to retirement, which is only 2 weeks away. Yay! Work is funny, I don't have that much to do in the way of tasks but I'm swamped with assignments and cleaning.
Yesterday I spent the day in Crown Point, barcoding their collection. That was nice but frustrating--because it takes so long to get there (1 1/2 hours) we don't have many hours to actually do the work there. It's going to take a wicked long time to get that collection done, but I'll be long gone by then.
I talked to a friend this morning and found out that my good friend from the past, Brook, has died. She had brain cancer and was in a hospice facility so it wasn't a great shock but it's very sad. When I first came here Brook & I were very close and spent a lot of time together. We lived near each other and had dinners together often. Her boyfriend and Jamie were friends, and Dan worked at our sawmill for a while. Oh those were fun times and I'm very sad. I'll go to the calling hours in Saratoga on Sunday.
Dogs are fine. They like being at Liza's but are confined to a pen when they're outside. They own the couch while we're there. Mark & I take them for long walks when he doesn't have to be at work but other than that the only exercise they get is getting in & out of the car. But they sleep a lot. It's very peaceful.
The mother at the beach on a calm but cold day
Thanksgiving morning at the town beach--really high surf and a lot of gulls. Very dramatic
We went to the annual art sale that we always hit, and it was as much fun as we expected. A lot of pottery--Liza bought me a great bowl for my birthday and I bought myself another great bowl because I liked it. We picked up odds & ends, as we always do.
Liza & I went shopping a few times. Since she doesn't drive anymore she's dependent on Mark and feels bad asking him to take her places, plus she needed to get him some Christmas presents, so we had fun driving around and seeing the sights. She likes to go to the grocery store--they all know her there and she picks up a few things each time she goes. Like, she needed Kleenex so we went there and she bought ONE box, not 2 or even 3, just one. So when she runs out again she'll need to go right back for more. I found it all entertaining and was happy to be there.
Thanksgiving itself was fine. We had our usual food--turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, squash and a zillion lima beans. All delicious. I made 2 pumpkin pies, one from fresh pumpkin that I got from Linda and another using canned pumpkin. News flash: there's no real difference in taste between the two. And 2 pies is a lot for 3 people to eat. They were both good. I use an old Martha Stewart recipe that includes 1/4 tsp of chili powder and that makes a difference. yum.
I got home on Monday, around 2 in the afternoon. It sure is nice to be at home during the day! I'm looking forward to retirement, which is only 2 weeks away. Yay! Work is funny, I don't have that much to do in the way of tasks but I'm swamped with assignments and cleaning.
Yesterday I spent the day in Crown Point, barcoding their collection. That was nice but frustrating--because it takes so long to get there (1 1/2 hours) we don't have many hours to actually do the work there. It's going to take a wicked long time to get that collection done, but I'll be long gone by then.
I talked to a friend this morning and found out that my good friend from the past, Brook, has died. She had brain cancer and was in a hospice facility so it wasn't a great shock but it's very sad. When I first came here Brook & I were very close and spent a lot of time together. We lived near each other and had dinners together often. Her boyfriend and Jamie were friends, and Dan worked at our sawmill for a while. Oh those were fun times and I'm very sad. I'll go to the calling hours in Saratoga on Sunday.
Dogs are fine. They like being at Liza's but are confined to a pen when they're outside. They own the couch while we're there. Mark & I take them for long walks when he doesn't have to be at work but other than that the only exercise they get is getting in & out of the car. But they sleep a lot. It's very peaceful.
Sunday, November 23, 2014
Rainy Sunday
Well thank goodness it's warmed up--most of the snow is gone and I'm hoping that tomorrow's high temps and expected rain will get rid of the rest of it. November to April is a long time to have snow on the ground.
Had a good weekend but not an especially productive one. Last night I went to the Whallonsburg Grange hall with Lin & Ralph for dinner and a showing of Jay Craven's film Where the Rivers Flow North. I'd seen the movie before but didn't remember that much of it. It was excellent but the director couldn't stop talking so we didn't get out of there until 10, with an hour drive home to L&R's and another half hour home for me. I didn't get home until midnight. Late, late, late for someone who famously goes to bed around 8. It was fun and we agreed that, though we were glad to have gone we sure wouldn't do it again.
This morning I took the dogs to get the paper at P&J's and when I got home they took off. What a couple of turds. They were gone for more than 2 hours before I left for my noontime visit with P&J & Bill. I worried but hoped for the best, and sure enough when I got home at 1 they were waiting for me at home. They've been sacked out ever since then and poor Tess is very sore and moving slowly. I gave her an aspirin which helped a bit. Mostly she's just lying next to the wood stove.
Last week was pretty quiet. I spent a lot of time clearing out papers and books at work and finally got 2 file cabinets and a file drawer in my desk emptied. YAY. Now I just need to get to the 3 huge piles of papers and the bookshelf full of stuff and then I'll be all set. I bought the goldfish a new bowl. I think the director will take him after I leave. I can't bring him home then because I'll be in RI for 2 weeks and the house will be too cold (in the 40's no doubt). I killed off a couple of guppies that way. This fish cost a whopping 17cents so it's no great loss but he's sort of a nice fish. I think I'll get another one when I get back in Jan. My days of having a big aquarium with a heater and light are long gone. Boy did I spend a fortune on that set up and the fish. Which all died.
I'm only working tomorrow then am off for the rest of the week. Heading to RI on Tuesday, avoiding the predicted miserable storm for Weds. Whew. I'm looking forward to going, it's always nice. We'll have a nice peaceful Thanksgiving, just the 3 of us for dinner. We do like to do it up big.
People are still asking me how many days until retirement--I don't know. I'll be back at work on Dec. 2nd so I guess after that there will be 17 days. Yikes I just zoomed in on the text and now it's HUGE. I like my laptop but am not totally used to using it yet.
All is well. Happy Thanksgiving to all--
Had a good weekend but not an especially productive one. Last night I went to the Whallonsburg Grange hall with Lin & Ralph for dinner and a showing of Jay Craven's film Where the Rivers Flow North. I'd seen the movie before but didn't remember that much of it. It was excellent but the director couldn't stop talking so we didn't get out of there until 10, with an hour drive home to L&R's and another half hour home for me. I didn't get home until midnight. Late, late, late for someone who famously goes to bed around 8. It was fun and we agreed that, though we were glad to have gone we sure wouldn't do it again.
This morning I took the dogs to get the paper at P&J's and when I got home they took off. What a couple of turds. They were gone for more than 2 hours before I left for my noontime visit with P&J & Bill. I worried but hoped for the best, and sure enough when I got home at 1 they were waiting for me at home. They've been sacked out ever since then and poor Tess is very sore and moving slowly. I gave her an aspirin which helped a bit. Mostly she's just lying next to the wood stove.
Last week was pretty quiet. I spent a lot of time clearing out papers and books at work and finally got 2 file cabinets and a file drawer in my desk emptied. YAY. Now I just need to get to the 3 huge piles of papers and the bookshelf full of stuff and then I'll be all set. I bought the goldfish a new bowl. I think the director will take him after I leave. I can't bring him home then because I'll be in RI for 2 weeks and the house will be too cold (in the 40's no doubt). I killed off a couple of guppies that way. This fish cost a whopping 17cents so it's no great loss but he's sort of a nice fish. I think I'll get another one when I get back in Jan. My days of having a big aquarium with a heater and light are long gone. Boy did I spend a fortune on that set up and the fish. Which all died.
I'm only working tomorrow then am off for the rest of the week. Heading to RI on Tuesday, avoiding the predicted miserable storm for Weds. Whew. I'm looking forward to going, it's always nice. We'll have a nice peaceful Thanksgiving, just the 3 of us for dinner. We do like to do it up big.
People are still asking me how many days until retirement--I don't know. I'll be back at work on Dec. 2nd so I guess after that there will be 17 days. Yikes I just zoomed in on the text and now it's HUGE. I like my laptop but am not totally used to using it yet.
All is well. Happy Thanksgiving to all--
Wednesday, November 12, 2014
I had a grand time yesterday, day off. Finished outdoor chores, walked to the HTC boat house to take pictures of the new roof for Duncan & JK, enjoyed the whole thing. The dogs took off but weren't gone long. I cabled Tess for most of the day so I could leave the door open. How nice! Two chickadees flew into the house but I managed to herd them out the window upstairs. They really are sweet birds, let me get so close to them. I started feeding the birds again over the weekend and within an hour there were chickadees, blue jays and a woodpecker at the feeder. Hungry little boogers they all are.
It's colder today but nothing like what's happening in the Midwest. Boy do I feel sorry for those people! We have no snow and it's not likely we'll have any anytime soon. It will be chilly but in the 30's, which I never really think is cause to complain.
Sunday, November 09, 2014
Cold weekend
Well, can't really call it cold because it was above freezing, but it was cloudy, windy and in the 30's both days. I spent a lot of time yesterday driving, which seems to be turning into my favorite weekend activity. I drove to the farmstand with great apples and got some great apples, then I drove to the farmstand with good cider and bought some good cider. The dogs are always eager to go in the car but unless I drive very slowly with the windows down they don't seem to do much. Treasure sleeps and Tess stands between the front seats and looks out the windshield. I have no idea how much she sees but she does respond to things like turkeys and squirrels.
I had dinner with Annie and her brother + his wife last night. It was a cold walk down, which made me feel woefully inadequate to deal with impending winter. Get use to it, Toots, it's here to stay. Anyway it was a nice evening and pleasant walk home in the dark.
Today I did a few chores, went to P&J's for a nice visit, then walked to camp with the dogs to shut off the power there. Of course they didn't come home with me, they ran off. Treasure soon returned but Tess found a huge crowd at the bog and spent an hour or so with them. Right now she's on the deck barking non-stop at what? The dark I guess. It's high entertainment for her.
This week looks good--until Weds. night. I have Tuesday off and it's supposed to be 50 so I'll finish up my outdoor chores, then plan to go to Pat's & help her take in her garden stuff. I have some more flower pots to empty and bring inside and have to put away my chair--the last vestige of summer. I started feeding the birds today, filled the bird feeder this afternoon and within an hour there were chickadees, blue jays and woodpeckers hanging out there. That was nice.
It's due to be much colder at the end of the week. My stove is behaving well but I'm eager to have the stovepipe cleaned on Thursday afternoon. The house is warm right now without the heat, just the stove going.
All is well in Hawkeye. The lake looks cold and unforgiving. There's snow on Catamount, on Duncan and Whiteface plus of course the High Peaks.
I had dinner with Annie and her brother + his wife last night. It was a cold walk down, which made me feel woefully inadequate to deal with impending winter. Get use to it, Toots, it's here to stay. Anyway it was a nice evening and pleasant walk home in the dark.
Today I did a few chores, went to P&J's for a nice visit, then walked to camp with the dogs to shut off the power there. Of course they didn't come home with me, they ran off. Treasure soon returned but Tess found a huge crowd at the bog and spent an hour or so with them. Right now she's on the deck barking non-stop at what? The dark I guess. It's high entertainment for her.
This week looks good--until Weds. night. I have Tuesday off and it's supposed to be 50 so I'll finish up my outdoor chores, then plan to go to Pat's & help her take in her garden stuff. I have some more flower pots to empty and bring inside and have to put away my chair--the last vestige of summer. I started feeding the birds today, filled the bird feeder this afternoon and within an hour there were chickadees, blue jays and woodpeckers hanging out there. That was nice.
It's due to be much colder at the end of the week. My stove is behaving well but I'm eager to have the stovepipe cleaned on Thursday afternoon. The house is warm right now without the heat, just the stove going.
All is well in Hawkeye. The lake looks cold and unforgiving. There's snow on Catamount, on Duncan and Whiteface plus of course the High Peaks.
Tuesday, November 04, 2014
The dogs don't care for setting the clocks back because it's nearly dark when I get home so they think I'm late. They don't seem to notice how light it is when we get up. Dumb dogs.
Saturday, November 01, 2014
Nice stove
Cold and wet outside but my living room is warm. Boy I do like my new stove, but it smokes right now. I'm having stovepipe cleaned next week and sure hope that will take care of it. Once I get the fire going it's great but it's hard to get it going and it smokes like a chimney in the house. It's ticking away merrily now and that's what counts.
Went to the dump today, then took a nice long drive with the dogs. This seems to be my big entertainment. I had to buy more apples because the dogs ate the ones I got last week while I was at P&J's last night. Rat pigs.
I pulled up the kitchen rug today which was on my list of MUST DO'S. It stinks because Tess peed on it a bunch of times and it can't be cleaned so out it goes. The kitchen floor is red oak on the diagonal but the wood is in terrible shape and needs to be sanded and treated, plus there are huge gaps between boards. Almost all of the wood in this house (and there's a lot of it) came from our sawmill so was air-dried not kiln dried. This means the boards expand and contract all the time and there are big gaps in nearly every room. The maple in the bedroom is a mess and I'd like too paint the floor but can't figure out what to do with the bed. Well that's a big project. I painted the living room floor many years ago with Lin's help. It should be painted again but boy that was something, to move all the living room furniture onto the deck and hope it didn't rain.
I'm excited about having time to do work on the house in January. I have to be back here around the 6th so will start my retired life then. I'm going to RI for Thanksgiving, leaving Tuesday and returning Sunday/ I retire on Dec. 19 and will go to RI after that for Christmas. Christmas will be here before I know it so I should be making baskets instead of writing this.
We have book group Thanksgiving this month but I don't know when that is so I need to call M'lou to get details. We have grand Thanksgivings together. We've been a group for more than 10 years.
It's pretty dark now, at 6:00, which will be 5:00 tomorrow. It was pitch black at 6 this morning and I'm looking forward to having more light in the morning. Doesn't bother me to have it be dark earlier at night, I prefer good morning light.
Went to the dump today, then took a nice long drive with the dogs. This seems to be my big entertainment. I had to buy more apples because the dogs ate the ones I got last week while I was at P&J's last night. Rat pigs.
I pulled up the kitchen rug today which was on my list of MUST DO'S. It stinks because Tess peed on it a bunch of times and it can't be cleaned so out it goes. The kitchen floor is red oak on the diagonal but the wood is in terrible shape and needs to be sanded and treated, plus there are huge gaps between boards. Almost all of the wood in this house (and there's a lot of it) came from our sawmill so was air-dried not kiln dried. This means the boards expand and contract all the time and there are big gaps in nearly every room. The maple in the bedroom is a mess and I'd like too paint the floor but can't figure out what to do with the bed. Well that's a big project. I painted the living room floor many years ago with Lin's help. It should be painted again but boy that was something, to move all the living room furniture onto the deck and hope it didn't rain.
I'm excited about having time to do work on the house in January. I have to be back here around the 6th so will start my retired life then. I'm going to RI for Thanksgiving, leaving Tuesday and returning Sunday/ I retire on Dec. 19 and will go to RI after that for Christmas. Christmas will be here before I know it so I should be making baskets instead of writing this.
We have book group Thanksgiving this month but I don't know when that is so I need to call M'lou to get details. We have grand Thanksgivings together. We've been a group for more than 10 years.
It's pretty dark now, at 6:00, which will be 5:00 tomorrow. It was pitch black at 6 this morning and I'm looking forward to having more light in the morning. Doesn't bother me to have it be dark earlier at night, I prefer good morning light.
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