Sunday Snowday

 This picture was from around 9 AM...it was beautiful, the road was still clear and most of the driveway too.  By 11 we had over an inch and a half.  By 1 we had about 5.  And now we're hovering between 6 and 7.  The Irishman is out there clearing the bottom of the driveway in case the boyo tries to come home. He's in town at a friends house, said the interstate was a nightmare.  I told him I had bbq ribs in the oven..lol..so he may or may not try to come home.  

  We had a short (about half an hour) power outage, but the crews got it right back on. My oven won't work with no electricity, even though it's gas. The top burners will, so I was debating whether to take some of the ribs out and put them in the cast iron skillet and finish enough off for supper.  Just when I'd about decided, the power was back. Yay !

  It's really beautiful out there. They are predicting anywhere from 6-12 inches of snow for us.  Happy Spring.  lol  We really often get some snow in early spring, it's not that weird. I am supposed to go in to PT tomorrow and get my final; knee injection, but I seriously doubt that it's gonna happen.  I will not go out if the roads are bad. Can't risk having to walk any long distances (or wrecking my car !!)

 These are early pictures still.

I should go out and take some updated photos.  lol  

  Okay--

  It's just all so pretty....

  Alright...I'm gonna get off here and finish up some supper.  We had a late breakfast and we'll have an early supper...green beans, red potatoes cooked in their jackets, and bbq ribs. Yesterday I made a strawberry cobbler..one of those ones that you melt butter in the bottom, mix up flour, buttermilk, soda, salt and baking powder and sugar and pour it on top, then put whole (or big chunks, anyway) strawberries and dice up 4 oz. of cream cheese and sprinkle on top of the berries.  We had some last night, of course and boy--is it good.  mmmm...the crust cooks up from the bottom, but there are still berries poking through, so it looks real pretty.

  Let it snow.  We don't care !!



Namaste.

Another Friday and the backyard's on fire...

Yeah, that's right. The fire starter is off work today. (Isn't he handsome ?  Even covered in dogs.) And on his list of chores for the morning is burning up a lot of wood debris that's laying around.  Here's the thing...we have a big pile of wood back there that's been there for months and months and months.  But it is imperative that the debris be burned right now.

  Sigh... you know boys and fire...


    It's a go-slow and do a few chores day for me today.   So, I'll be here and gone and here again, writing this post in bits and bobs as I wind  my way through laundry and vacuuming and making another loaf of bread and trying some thing new with the Irish Soda bread recipe. I'm going to make a batch of it with garlic and rosemary and dried tomato bits in it.  Don't see why not, do you ?  It's such a good bread, and so easy to whip up. We've nearly finished the St Paddy's Day loaf and the artisan bread I made the other day is almost gone as well.  I had another loaf's worth of dough in the fridge, and now it's sitting out on the counter warming up. So, all I really have to do there is bake it. Easy Peasy.


  And now it's in the oven.  The artisan bread, anyway. I'm waiting on the Irishman to bring back buttermilk from the store to do the Soda Bread. And while I waited, I folded another load of laundry, swept down the front porch and sidewalk, vacuumed the master bathroom and  transferred the washer clothes into the dryer and started the last load, which I agitated a bit and then stopped. It's his icky dirty work clothes, and they will wait until he comes in to shower this afternoon so I can get all the yucky clothes cleaned (including the ones he has on) and start anew.

   Still doesn't feel much like spring. It's 36 and headed for 44 today. Tomorrow is 50. Then Sunday we get hit with another snowstorm. All I can say is that we need the precip.   This storm is coming in from Denver and supposed to hit the area pretty hard.  We'll see.

  I'm in a funny kind of mood today.  (Shocked?)  lol  I don't know...we had a great discussion group last night. Learned all kinds of things about our area that I didn't know, or didn't remember. It was pretty cool. I couldn't go to sleep last night and was up until about 2...damn you! green tea. lol  I always forget how much caffeine is in green tea and I drank some in the evening. oops.  I slept til almost 9:30 though, and then got up and made breakfast.  I'm not tired, I'm not depressed. I'm not angry. I'm just kind of mellow, and am taking a great deal of pleasure in my housekeeping routines today.  I haven't been able to do a lot lately and it feels good to get things done and not be in pain all the way through it. I'm doing okay, pacing myself, and doing and sitting and doing and sitting. lol

 I read this interesting article  this morning about women and aging. It was quite good...until I got to the part where she said she was 46. FORTY SIX.   After saying that she saw a picture of herself and said "I am an old woman".   46.   Bite me.   LOL


 Lots of crazy political stuff happening in your congress. Pay attention. I have spent this week making a lot of phone calls and writing letters and sending emails to my senators and representatives. Sometimes I think I want to just live the life of a hermit and pull the covers over my head and really trust that none of this make believe stuff can affect me.  Monsanto rider  just passed through Congress giving them full immunity from ANYTHING.  Ryan and his idiotic slash and grab budget.  Crazy, I tell you.  I really think we should take Warren Buffet's suggestion and pay them minimum wage and see what happens.


  Ok.  I smell bread, which is my cue to leave this chair and head for the kitchen.  Going to see OZ this afternoon at the matinee and then to Sakura's for sushi and bento supper.  We'll be home before 9.  We really know how to rock these Friday date nights, I'm telling you.  lol

  Happy Friday, all.  I'm taking advantage of tomorrow's beautiful weather to go to the opening weekend of the Grafton Flea Market. I'll take my back brace and wear a knee brace and tromp my heart out. lol  Look out bargains--here I come.




Namaste.
    

Oh, gawd...not her again...

This piece of art is called "Circle Tradition"   I like it's vibrancy of colour, but even more I like the reminder that life is a circle...and when I can remember that I am part of that circle, I need never be alone.


  I like being part of the blogging world, little corner that I inhabit.  I like the personal relationships I have forged here, some close, others a little less so.  I like that I can come here and pour my heart out, or make you laugh or astound you with my domestic engineering skills. lol  I like that I can come here and be defended or be comforted or be schooled.  I have been blogging here since August of 2008...


 I thought today...no more of the gloom and doom  posts.  No more about my health or my sorrows. Just keep it light and fun and ...

  And then my phone rang.

 This morning a dear friend called me to tell me he has been diagnosed with cancer. A relatively (hopefully, usually) treatable cancer.  He is optimistic. I felt like I was punched in my already sore gut.  We talked for a long time... he will come through this with flying colors, I am sure.  That's just the kind of guy he is. One of the many many things I love about him.

  My reaction to this news was to go on a whirlwind cleaning tour of my desk and office and living room. 


This evening, I got another message that an old dear friend of mine in California, who had been diagnosed  some months back with terminal cancer (I cannot remember for the life of me right now what kind it was)  had taken his own life because the pain was too much and the meds weren't touching it anymore.  He sent his partner out and shot himself.  Typical solution for him...I wasn't surprised by it, necessarily. Just gobsmacked by the thought that I wouldn't get one more chance to see him or talk to him.  That he is gone.


  So, the Pollyanna post I had planned for tonight has gone awry.  Life kinda stepped in and snatched it away today.  However...this past week has seen babies being born, people getting married, people getting divorced, and people dying.  Birthing---living---dying.  All part of this Circle of Life.  And as I age, I'm sure to see even more of this, and be even more jolted by the face of death.  None of us get out of  this alive, I guess.  


  And Lori said it..." Head down, one foot in front of the other."  Grief does not kill us. Directly. It is just another part of this circle tradition.  It is a place where we learn the depth of our emotional core. The value of our lives. The strengths and weaknesses that we maybe didn't know we had. And the true connections we have to the people who wander into our lives, staying for a bit, and leaving. Always too soon.


I'm going to spend some time tonight in meditation, celebrating the life of a man who always put others first, who was there when I was new to this sober life, talking me off ledges, showing me how it was done.  A man who was constantly trying to get me to take one of his potbellied pigs. A man who lived his life in the most honest, truest fashion of anyone I'd ever known.  And now, I want to believe, is on to his next Great Adventure...(in the words of Buzz Lightyear)  Infinity and Beyond !!!!




Namaste.

Ah, Monday...you old dog...back again, are ye ?

 With bells on, apparently.  We had a crazy night around these parts last evening. In the space of a few hours, it snowed like hell, thundered and lightning-ed, warmed back up, and rained buckets.  One power outage, one bout of housekeeping, one corned beef and cabbage supper, one loaf of Irish Soda Bread, and one pan of bread pudding with warm vanilla sauce.  Got the seed potatoes all laid out on the island on newspapers to sprout up a little so we can cut them and get them in the dirt in a week or so. Certainly a day that ran the gamut.

~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**

  Today (and last night--weather induced??)  my old knee is hurting again.  It's depressing and frustrating, but I'm not giving up hope. I have PT and another injection today in a couple of hours.  Starting this week I only go twice a week. Yay!!

  Ran across a picture of Roxie out in the garden last night...I was verklempt. How will I garden without her this year?  She sure loved digging out there along the edges of the beds...always careful never to disturb the plants. You could tell by watching her that she was born to dig..it was nirvana for her.

  I am feeling very tender and fragile this morning and not sure why. Spoke with a friend who is in the midst of some serious family problems right now, my brother and sister-in-law are battling her brain cancer, and I have nothing really to complain about.  I should be grateful. But I don't feel too grateful this morning for some reason.  Time to step back and take a look, I suppose.

  I am stopping by my cousins house to pick up the Swedish version of The Girl With The Dragon tattoo trilogy. She says it leaves ther American version in the dirt.  We shall see.


  Okay.  Time to get moving...a nice hot shower is calling my name and then I'll leave a little early for PT to run an errand or 2. Today's injection precludes doing much running afterwords. I think we'll eat up some leftovers tonight, or maybe I'll get home early enough to throw a turkey noodle casserole in the oven...something I've been threatening to do lately, but haven't done in a few weeks.  Either way, we'll have plenty to eat. 

   It's a bleak and grey day out there, but reasonably warm (40). I've been to visit the chooks twice and retrieved an egg. Maybe once more before I hit the hot shower ?? Hmmm...


  Happy Monday, y'all...hope it fills the bill for ya !


Namaste.

I'm thinking of running away...

   I am home, alone, on a Saturday afternoon.  I thought we were going to an Equinox celebration, but it turned out I wasn't going after all.  That man has gone. And I am at home cooking. Cooking exotic foods and making my house smell like one of those city blocks in some thrid world country where there are little cubbyhole restaurants  serving up delicious fare from all over the world. I was bashing and chopping and peeling and slicing with a vengence.   I was possibly sitting with my neighbor today, and that man had gone where he always goes on Saturday mornings. It's directly on the path of where the equinox celebration is.  I assumed he would call and say--what's happening ? Are we going?  Are you busy?  Shall we meet there? But no phone call came and then suddenly he was coming in the front door. Half an hour before the thing starts. Half an hour away.  No thought beyond his own...never mind.  Never mind.

  SO. I keep thinking of turning off the soup and leaving. Going somewhere. RUNNING AWAY.  Being alone. (like I already am, here, but someplace else.)  Sweet Jehosaphat.  I don't even care so much about the Equinox thing, but I get so weary of not even bering considered. Thoughtlessness...which feels like neglect to me. Not a thought to what might be something I want to do, or somewhere I want to go.  Or even a thought to just call and say...something.  Arrgghhh...



 Anyway. I am making a home made version of a Thai chicken soup, sans the chile. Lemon grass, garlic, ginger, onion, coconut milk, chicken...a little finely chopped celery and carrot.  I realized I don't have any rice noodles, but I will just use soba. It won't be as delicate, but I don't care. The smell is intoxicating.  If you recall, I froze quite a bit of lemon grass stalks  from my garden this year.  They certainly come in handy.  I do need to get some cilantro for the top.  Or not.  Maybe I'll use some dried fennel I have in the back. Who cares? It's all good. 

  Speaking of dried fennel... It's time to start checking out my stores in the pantry and see what I have left, how much  more/less of some things I may need to plant and put up.  I have some herbs back in the back closet that have been drying and need to be taken out of the brown bags and labeled and put in jars. Basil, fennel, mint, oregano, thyme, sage, bergamot, anise, parsley... spring cleaning time for the pantry.  Fun stuff.  I have done a pretty fair job of cooking using pantry items this past year, and hope to get even better at it. Sometimes it's easier to just grab something at the store, but that's not the way I want to do it. Otherwise, why on earth would I go to all this work and trouble putting food by ?


  Yesterday the seed potatoes came. YAY!!  The Irishman shoveled a truck load of leaf compost onto that back bed where we are putting the taters this year and even got it all dug in nicely.  So, it's basically ready to plant. Of course, that makes me even more impatient to get planting, and the truth is, it's way too early here for anything but potatoes. We do have onions and garlic in from last fall.  NEWS FLASH !!  They have just changed the forecast to possible snow tonight and tomorrow now.  sigh... Oh well.  We need to let these potatoes sit out and sprout a little anyway.  Around these parts most of the gardeners say you need to have your taters in the dirt by St. Patrick's Day, but I haven't met that deadline yet, and we always have great tater crops.


  I got a new book to read, called Water, Carry Me. It's by Thomas Moran and looks promising.  I'll let you know.  It's set in Ireland, the author is a journalist turned fiction writer, and the main character is a young woman named Una Moss.  It was written in 2000, the author's third novel.  Stay tuned.


  We also watched a movie last night whose title I wrote down during the Oscars...It's called "Beasts of the Southern Wild."  IT IS A MUST SEE.   Magnificent piece of work. Get it through Netflix or Blockbuster.  I was trampled by this film.


  Alright. As often happens, I am calmed down by the act of writing and think I'll go make some hot chai tea and sit in the living room and snuggle up under the fleece and start my new book.  I'll stir the soup and bag the herbs and perhaps, for now, running away will have to wait. For another day, another time.  Or perhaps, as Terry Tempest Williams says, " It just may be that the most radical act we can commit is to stay home."


  Have a grand Saturday, everyone.


Namaste.

Harummmpity Rump Hump Day

This looks like me.  Sort of.  Not quite so wise, or thin. Or beautiful. But almost as grey.  LOL  (Really I just loved the picture).

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  Well, they've gone and done it, elected a new Pope. I always wonder what kind of power he really has ? Can he make sweeping changes in a religion so mired in ideology and ritual that it might actually work again in this century ?  Can he save the face of the Vatican, steeped in scandal as it has become? Jorge Mario Bergoglio, who has renamed himself Pope Francis.  Unfortunately, one of  the first things he said was that allowing same sex couples to adopt was child abuse.  ARE YOU KIDDING ME ?????  That took brass balls to even allow those words to come out of the mouth of a Catholic, after all the pedophilia and sexual abuse of children that priests have been guilty of all these years.  I was shocked.  But not really.  Just disappointed. Anne Rice said something today about  St Francis of Assissi, that God said to him "Francis--rebuild my church".   For a minute I thought that might actually happen. But not really.

  I am not catholic, but my husbands family is and he was raised Catholic. He doesn't attend Mass anymore, save when his parents come to visit. Or probably when he goes there.  But he's been ex-communicated, because he married me after being divorced from his first wife. BOOM!--you're out !   LOL

  Personally I find it all rather like a Masonic Lodge kind of a deal...funny hats and secret handshakes.  I don't mean to poke fun at anyone's religion, but you have to admit...well...maybe you don't.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  It was a sunny and clear hump day today.  But still chilly, I don't think the mercury hit the 45 degree mark. Supposed to be warmer tomorrow, with a slight chance of some showers. But then 65 on Friday, to make up for it all. I am so ready for spring, it's not even funny.  AND--my potatoes are supposed to be here on Friday.  That's a SURE sign of spring !

  I'm sitting here with the ice packs on my knee. It's been feeling so much better I'm afraid to say so, in fear of jinxing it. lol   Had PT today and it went pretty smoothly.  I go back tomorrow and then home free until Monday. woohoo!

  Getting ready to order a set of cd's from The Great Courses on Mindfulness.  I can get the whole set of 24 lecture titles for 19.95 plus S&H...Because we bought the  Optimizing the Brain set, I got a new catalog with a 20 dollar off coupon.  I'm going for it.

  Today I hit the health food store and bought some Bromelain, some Borage Oil and some Valerian Root capsules.  I already have Omega 3's and Evening Primrose Oil caps, and these were recommended for treating inflammation. Also B complex and Vitamin C, both of which I already take.  I'm hoping it will help with the bursitis, arthritis, and carpal tunnel.  Wish me luck.  I downloaded a set of guidelines about diet for reducing inflammation...and thankfully, most of it is foods I eat often, although I may have to punch them up a bit. There are a few things I may have to forego that I have been eating, but nothing I can't live without.

  Monday the doc told me that the tendons on either side of my knee are calcifying, and that when he hits them with the needle they are hard as bone. This is apparently a result of inflammation and injury and age. I don't think it can be reversed, but maybe I can prevent it from continuing.

  BTW--the Valerian Root is just to help me sleep better, lol.  Nothing to do with anything else, that I know of. I haven't slept well in 12 years. And that can be a problem on so many levels.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  ANYWAY...Life meanders on here at Honeysuckle Hill. Nothing too exciting, nothing too depressing...just living in the middle, which is what I strive for, and rarely attain. lol  It almost feels boring, but then I remind myself that it's really not.   It's just peaceful. 

  Just the way I like it.





Namaste.

"Normal" --just a setting on the dryer...

*grin

*****************************

  It's been a pretty normal day around Honeysuckle Hill. Normal for us, anyway. Chilly, windy and grey.  The chickens didn't want to come out of the coop this morning,  one of the dogs stood in a corner growling at her own shadow for over 10 minutes,   the oldest of the cats insisted on going out in the mudroom (he usually stays in--hates the cold) and then as soon as I would close the door, insisted on coming back in immediately. And by "insisted" I mean the butthead would sit there and yowl until I opened the door again.

  Thank Goodness, I had to leave to go to PT and was gone for almost 4 hours. God only knows what they did while I was gone (conspire, probably) lol.

  Tonight the dogs have all 3 been acting crazy...something must have been traipsing through the side yard, and they wanted out  to get it, but then in because it was 32 degrees. lol  Out and In and out and In and finally I told their slave to stop putting them out!!!!  The Irishman glared at me and I ignored him. But they were up on the back of the love seat that sits in front of the picture window, acting stupid and making everyone nuts.  I threatened their lives. The next time he let them out, Bella's collar fastener broke, and she bolted out the door and was gone for 2 hours. I wouldn't worry, except there has been a lot of coyote  activity and lots of pups yapping...she's not smart enough to leave them alone, and I was worried she'd get into an altercation.  But--she didn't. I went out again and whistled for her and she came bounding from around the house, muddy and happy. She's sleeping here at my feet. 

Sigh....


  Good news on the PT front: I am making such progress that starting next week I will only have to come in twice a week instead of 3 times. YIPPEE !!!!  He also prescribed 4 more 15 minute massages. WooHoo!!  I can tell I am stronger and that the PT is working and I am very glad.

 The 3rd injection in my knee was today as well. It went smoothly with a minimum of pain.  He did say that he thinks the tendon there is calcified. Apparently a by-product of the inflammation. He said he kept hitting it with the needle and it was hard as bone.  I've been studying up this evening trying to find out what to do for inflammation. Inflammation is bad in my right wrist too...diet change is in order and I will take necessary steps to try to manage this stuff without any more surgery.  Wish me luck. 

************************************

  Got a sweet pictuire of my great nephew Reef today. Picture of the little booger laying on the blankie I made for him. I'm thinking about taking all the pictures of all the blankets and making a collage out of them. Here is his little Hiney-ness...

 When I made this blanket, we didn't know whether he was a girl or boy yet, so I played it safe and went with a jungle babies print.

 Isn't he gorgeous ??  Just like his mama.

  Okay, it's after midnight and I need some sleep. Sitting for my neighbor tomorrow and have to be up at a reasonable hour to get everything done so I can go.


  Sweet dreams all...



Namaste.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

Saturday in the rain

 It's a beautiful day in it's own way...rainy and slow...overcast skies and  temps hanging right around 40 for now, but destined (so sayeth the weatherfolk) for 60 today.  The rain is supposed to subside any minute now and then turn warm and not rain again until the wee hours. We'll see.

  In the meantime, I have laundry going. The first load just stopped and I need to get it in the dryer. I was looking at weather forecasts for the coming month, and it looks like winter may actually be over. Temps in the 50's and 60's for the rest of March. I commented to the Irishman that after this weeks laundry, I might actually be able to hang things out on the line to dry. I can't wait!  He smiled sardonically and said --I guess it really is the little things, eh ?

 It really is.



  I had a good day yesterday.  PT was better. I was better. AND--I had a one hour massage, that made my brains better, not only my body.  Then my husband took me to dinner at Mr. Curry's, our favorite little hole-in-the-wall  Indian place.  It's really a brick house, but inside is just dingy enough to feel authentic and just clean enough to pass health inspections. lol  And the food is outta this world. First, they bring you a cup of dal, which is a lentil soup, mildly spicy. It comes with an order of pappadam, a lentil flour crisp, seasoned with caraway seeds and baked.  We had a Coconut Chicken Curry and a Paneer Tikka Masala. Wonderful rice, as usual. We also had a vegetable samosa, which is a little pie turnover filled with sweet potato and garbanzo and cilantro and lord knows what else.  We ALSO had an order of garlic naan, just for good measure. All this and the bill was under 23 dollars. My kind of place. It was delightful. Our waitress is about 14 months pregnant and she was a delight. By the time we finished and boxed up our leftovers (not much, sadly) I was nearly in a food coma. LOL 


 It was a nice day yesterday, a little on the cool side, but sunny. The Irishman finally was able to get his Valentine's Day Blueberries in the ground. He was checking planting books and going back and forth and finally came in the house and said, "I can't think of anyplace to put them that is as ideal as the front yard."  I said, so? Put them in the front yard. Who cares??  Grow food, not lawns.  lol  I have an unfulfilled dream of planting a front yard full of cabbages. Just because.  We already have 5 fruit trees, blackberries and a small garden plot in the front and side yards.  Don't get me wrong--I have lots of flowers, almost all perennials--and hollyhocks and honeysuckle and roses. But I have a lot of unnecessary yard too.  Plant it all, I say !!

  The recycling got hauled off to town.  The poop patrol was done. The chicken coop was cleaned Thursday and everything refilled and spruced up.  I got a little vacuuming done and a couple of other things before I left for PT.  All in all, gently productive. Of course, the Irishman did a lot of that stuff yesterday, bless his heart. As he should.  lol

  He's heading off this afternoon to a town about 2 hours south of here for an assembly tomorrow. He'll stay the night in a motel and go to a speaker meeting tonight. He asked me to go, but I'm afraid to sleep on a hotel bed as hinkey as my back has been. I'll just stay home and enjoy the solitude. I can't handle  4 hours in a car in 24 hours either. Best I don't go.  I'm pretty much burrowed in...having to drive down to where PT is every other day has been taxing. I'm not used to having to be anywhere and so when I don't have to go, I don't.  I like my little cottage on Honeysuckle Hill.  I'm perfectly content to be here.


  Remember that peach salsa I made last summer? I'm thinking about making some pork chops for a late lunch before he goes and using that as a chutney-type topping on them.  What do you think ?  I'll let you know. I took some of that salsa to my nephew's house last weekend and everyone raved about it. I hadn't tasted any of that I had canned--only the fresh stuff.


  I'm still tweaking the home made dish soap. I don't like it. No suds and I can't seem to get over that, lol.  I have just mixed in some liquid castille soap. We see how that goes.  Hoping the extra peppermint will also change that turpentine-y smell of the tea tree oil and other soap. I'll keep you posted.  The thing is, it cleans good enough, but it takes a lot and I just need suds.  I know you understand. lol

  It's stopped raining, I think, and the sky is starting to lighten up. I was really hoping to open my windows a while today...just to let the fresh air blow through.  It might still happen !!


  Okay. The  dryer stopped, so I have things to fold. Have a grand weekend !!!


Namaste.

It's a sunny day

But still pretty cold.  36 and heading for close to 40.  Tomorrow is supposed to hit 50 and then 60 on Saturday.  Could be it's warming up to spring.

  This was mid March of last year.  I am so ready for some warm weather.


  I am also ready for some gardening, and some planting of blueberries. That will happen tomorrow I think. 

  And...here I go again...I'm ready for not hurting so much. And not feeling like a whiner and crybaby.  This morning has been rough, last night was rough. I have been yelling at the animals.  They won't shut up (bird--squawking his idiot brains out), they won't stop running in and out (dogs) and blah, blah, blah.

  I am grouchy.

  I didn't sleep well, although I was so exhausted I was in bed by 10:30.  I got up at 7 because a cat was outside my bedroom door yowling.  That started it. lol

  I haven't eaten anything this morning either, it occurs to me.  And it's now 11 AM.  I've had 1 cup of coffee. Almost.

 When I went out to let the chickens out, they hadn't been shut in last night. Luckily (?) they are all there and all okay. I actually got an egg today, right place at the right time.  I have never in my years of chicken raising had such a problem with them eating eggs like I have this past winter.  I went back out a little but ago and cleaned the coop and put down new fresh straw and ground cobs, no sign of any more eggs, but I'll go out again before I leave for PT.  There was almost no straw in there...the Irishman cleaned it last, and apparently didn't have the energy to walk around to the garage to get wire cutters to cut a new bale of straw, so just didn't put any more in than he could rake up. ARRRGGGGGHHHH. One more thing to add to my list.  That straw helps keep them warm too, so it makes it even worse.

  So, I've been stomping around swearing and acting like a complete ass.  In my sweatshirt and long johns. (I thought it was warmer out there...it looked so SUNNY).

  Any minute now, I expect the sirens will sound and they'll come and get me and lock me up.

  In the meantime, I've made a list of some things to do before I leave for PT, but am having a hard time getting any of it done,.  In fact, here I sit.   Hungry. 

  Will I ever learn ?  I'm still having that pulled muscle in my back, and actually put a pain patch on it last night because I could barely turn my head.   This has been going on since Monday, and I'm about done. Maybe seeing the chiro today will help.  I have a one hour massage scheduled for tomorrow after my PT...surely that will help. It's certainly something to look forward to.

 Alright. I need to eat. And I need to vacuum, but I might not. I still have last nights supper dishes in the sink, and maybe I'll at least do that. I do need to throw the big fleece blanket in the dryer to de-hair it...all the critters have been sleeping on it and it looks like Mohair.

  I'll feel better any minute now...I just know it.


  Love and sunshine to you all.  Happy Thursday.


  Namaste.

Ich habe schnee nicht gern.

 But, regardless of how I feel about it, it's coming down again.  We have about a half inch of accumulation in the past hour and a half. Whatever THAT translates to. (It was 50 yesterday).

 The title up there ?? THAT translates to the first German sentence I learned in the 9th grade elementary German class with Mr. Shonkwiler. He would try to make us say "Ich habe schnee gern!!"  But I would always shout out--Nicht Gern !!  Ich habe schnee nicht gern !!

  I took 3 years of German in high school. I could read and write it when all was said and done. Until about 2 years after the last class. Then POOF !!  it was gone.  Well, most of it. I have some fractured German memories, just like I have some fractured Spanish too.  All swirling around in that cavernous  and mysterious black hole called my MIND.  That place where I can't find car keys or peoples names or algebra.  That wondrous place that I keep memories, however, of my grandmothers flower print housedress and the way it swirled around her ankles when we were out in the garden, or picking gooseberries or pawpaws. 50-55 years ago. Sure, that I remember. But, WHERE THE HECK ARE MY CAR KEYS ??

********************************

  I'm going through a bit of a snit today, for some reason.  I've just fed myself a lovely breakfast of scrambled eggs and toast and gravy (because it was there, that's why.) I ate about half of it and Cayleedog helped me with the rest.  I thought maybe this pissiness was a blood sugar problem. I might have been wrong.  lol

  I got my 2nd Hyalgan injection yesterday. While it went MUCH better, it still hurt.  I also got the results of the upper EMG and the news was not good. Not surprising, particularly, but nevertheless, not good. Seems I have severe carpal tunnel in my right hand, as well as ulnar tunnel syndrome. The left hand has carpal tunnel as well, but not quite as bad.  My hands go numb mostly at night and now and then in the daytime when I'm here (computing) or doing something repetitive. I am not actually dropping things yet.  I've been dealing with this issue a while...always expected I would, because I worked in restraunts for years, and that is where it is seen alot. They actually used to call it Waitress Disease, a doc once told me. Secretaries of course get it and now everyone else on the planet. lol  Anyway, I went to bed last night with my knee really aching because I came home from the PT and started supper and was on my feet for an hour and a half nonstop. In retrospect, that may have been foolhardy.  By the time I went to bed the knee was really hurting. I took some naproxen and went to bed.

  Had to get an ice pack somewhere in the wee hours of the morning.  It's not swelling or anything, just hurts to stand on (or move).  I switched off with ice and heat for a while and it eased up a little but is still painful. I also managed to somehow strain a muscle in my back, probably in my gyrations to find a comfortable place to sleep.  I put the tens unit on the knee this morning after I got up, let the chickens out and fed them, and had some coffee.  It helped some. I'll put it on again in an hour or so.  I tried to reach that nefarious spot on my back with the Ben Gay, but of course, it's JUUUUUUSSSST  out of reach. I'm thinking a little lie down on the heating pad might fix it right up.

  So...the snit is likely more about being INFIRM today. And now it's snowing like crazy and that means if I have to go out to deal with chickens again (and I will) I have to be sooooo careful not to slip and fall.  Days like this make me angry to be old. 

  And of course, that's ridiculous.  I'm grateful to be old. I'm just not happy about all the aches and pains that go with it. And the betrayal I feel towards my body.

  Sigh.....

  After 2 days of sunshine and rainbows coming out of me, I regret posting this schlop. No...I regret FEELING this schlop. lol   I am a grumpy old woman today. Instead of my usual self.  *snork*  here's a self portrait I did recently:

(Acrylic on card stock).  lol


   OKay. I'm gonna haul this old bag of  [defective] bones off to lay on the heating pad a little while. maybe I'll watch a movie.

  Let it snow.  Why should I care ??




Namaste.

Planning the Gardens...

Nothing like this picture YET...but a girls dream's gotta start somewhere. lol

  This afternoon, just past lunch, we sat down together at the dining room table and went through garden seeds to see what we needed for planting. I got out the garden journal, the Irishman got out the pen and paper, I brought the plastic shoebox container with the seeds from last year out and we went at it.  It took us about an hour, but we finished it. 

  We really are not going to have to buy much this year. I saved some seed (not nearly as much as I could have/should have), I had too much from some things last year (one place we buy seeds from locally sells them in scoops: A, B,C scoops--hard to gauge how much you need and how much you're gonna have leftover. lol).  And luckily, I had  extra packets of the 2 lettuces that did so well for us last year, so I'll not be having to order those, because they're heirlooms and not available around here. 

  The only thing I'm going to order probably is seed potatoes.  Because we really want organic and have a hard time frinding them, and we also want to plant some more Ruby Crescent fingerlings this year. I will buy a few plants from the Framers Market probably, but I'm going to grow my own seedlings mostly.

  I've got the garden fever !!!  And then I saw on the local news trailer that we have an accumulation of snow coming this week. Dang. Oh well. A girl can still dream, can't she ?

~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~


  I had a very productive Sunday...woke up feeling a need to clean. Woo Hoo !!  I did 4 loads of laundry (one was bathroom rugs and shower curtains). I vacuumed the house and mopped the wood floors. I did some re-arranging and put another lamp in the living room to light up the other end of the couch so we can both read at the same time. I dusted and cleaned out my antique "book through" and moved some of those books around. I dusted end tables and the dining room table got a cleaning too. I pulled the stove away from the wall and cleaned the floor and wall behind it, and cleaned the sides of it too. It was yucky, but it's been worse. lol  The master bathroom got cleaned (the Irishman did the big shower stall--I can't get on my knees to do that), the sink scoured, toilets cleaned, floors vacuumed and mopped, rugs and shower curtain taken down and washed. Tomorrow I will clean the mirrors and finish the counters.

  Supper was chicken fajitas and quacamole and chips. I still have one nice avocado left to finish ripening in the kitchen window sill that will probably find its way into a salad this week. ---(Bloody hell. I just realized I left the bowl of guacamole in the microwave and didn't put it away when I did the dishes.) We have to hide bowls of things like that during meals because we have cats that adore anything we eat. lol   I better go take care of that before I forget again.

  There.  sheesh...


   I have really been noticing lately the way the dynamics in this house have changed among the animals since we've lost Roxie and Jinga in such close proximity. Our little dog Caylee has suddenly taken to sitting on the couch with us every chance she gets, something she has never done before.  And the cat Junko has taken to laying on the furnace vents on the floor, something she has never done.  Roxie and Jinga did both those things. And every morning now, when I come out of the bedroom, Caylee is laying on the floor right in front of the door.  And today when I was cleaning, I found little Roxie's small pink leash and it set me sobbing  in the blink of an eye.  It's funny, but it feels like half the animals are gone with the loss of those two...a big hole.  A really big hole.


  Okay, I probably need to get myself to bed. Have to figure out what to do about my car tomorrow and get to PT by 2 :30. The boy is off tomorrow (he worked all weekend)  and said he will take me where I need to go.  I get my 2nd Hyalgan injection into the knee tomorrow and am really hoping it goes a little better than the first one. But I am feeling much better, the knee feels stronger and I have about half the pain I was having. That may be the PT as much as the injections. Who cares? All I know is that I feel hopeful I may not be crippled anymore.  I'll take it.


  Hope you all had a peaceful weekend. Mine was good indeed.  Take care my friends...take care.



Namaste.

A fine day...

  I spent a fne day with some of my family today. A really fine day.  My sister-in-law, of brain cancer fame, as she likes to say,  and brother at their son's house, with her sister and brother-in-law here visiting from California.  (That's me on the end in the green, in my current Orca incarnation).  That's MY brother, on the floor in front.

  We all got together for lunch at my nephews beautiful home, and my niece decided it would be good to turn it into a little surprise birthday party, since Brenda's birthday is March 7th, but her sister has to go back on March 5th. So we did. Because we could. LOL  I said--we will convolute the space-time continuum, and no one will know the difference.  Bahahahaha.  So, for all intents and purposes, today was her birthday.  We had a catered lunch and we had cake and we had balloons and we had presents.  AND, we had rabbits (Ella and Bella, stuffed, of course) who begged for a balloon each to tie onto their ears to see if they could fly.  (Not quite--but they did sit up a lot straighter). And we had lots of laughing and loving and it was all quite grand.

 Sis and her grandbabies...



  My 2 great nieces, Jaden and Lily, are extremely intelligent children and so well behaved it almost makes me like kids again. lol  They are artistic and creative and adventurous and friendly.  They have 3 dogs, Finnegan, a Golden Retriever; Java, a beagle mix; and Snoopy, a long haired daschund who looks like he was crossed with a Sheltie, but is actually a pure bred.  They also have a fish. They helped their mama in the garden last year and had lots of fun with all that.  After everyone else had gone, I stayed and we had some great conversation about gardening and storing food and I was so pleased that these two 30 somethings are even thinking along those lines. They asked for help with their garden endeavors this coming summer, because they are novices. I promise to give them any and all the help they need. We talked for a bit about child rearing and disipline and all sorts of fun stuff. lol

*************************************

  I'm having some kind of car problems...my little Focus has been acting up some in the cold mornings.  My diagnosis has been the automatic choke or something, because some mornings it doesn't want to stay going after you start it, unless you continually give it gas. Once it warms up, it's fine. Until today. Today on the way home from my nephews, it died 3 different times, way after it was warmed up. Twice at stop lights when I slowed down to stop and once when I slowed down enough to turn onto my road.  And of course, when it dies, you can't steer it. It was a little hairy, but I got home safe and sound.  It starts right back up again with no problem.  sigh...I really don't need a car repair bill...


  Well, the Irishman and I just watched a couple of episodes of The Vicar Of Dibley with Dawn French.  If you have never seen this BBC series--do yourself a favor. It is comedy at it's finest.  I've laughed too much now, and my throat is dry. lol


  Have a great Saturday night and Sunday morning, everyone.  I'm staying home all day tomorrow and not going anywhere. Yippee !!!!!





Namaste.

Wheeee....it's Foto Friday...

And...it's snowing.

Again. 

 They said it was going to be finished yesterday, but it looks like they were wrong.

 However, on a bright note, it is warming up and there's lots of melting drippage going on out there. It's been a fine light snow, but it's been coming down since about 6 PM yesterday.  It's all good.  More precipitation means better garden starts. 

Here's a shot of the little weeping fruitless mulberry tree in the front yard. Poor thing was here when we bought the place, and is all stooped and bent over and I haven't the heart to take it out, because the dogs and cats LOVE hiding and sleeping under it in the heat of summer. It looks much more patheitc in winter than when it's covered in leaves, lol.

  I finally got busy yesterday and made my batch of home made dish soap. Very simple ingredients. Non-toxic. Works great. I even made my own dispenser lid to fit a wide mouth quart mason jar...a pump from some hand soap, a knife and some goop glue. It was easy to make, 2 quarts were made for less than $2.50.  And that's with tea treee oil in it, which is pretty expensive stuff.  I'll let you know...but so far, I'm very happy about it.

Have you ever made these?? Out of leftover (scrap) piecrust?  My mom and grandma always made them, and I do too.  My brother calls me sometimes and asks me to make them for him, because his wife insists on using ready made piecrust to make them with, and they're just not the same. lol  At Thanksgiving or Christmas, or sometimes just family get togethers, I'll makle a batch of pie dough and bake a butt load of 'em.  Everybody's  happy.  lol  I love cinnamon, more than it loves me these days. Sometimes I get heartburn from it, sometimes I don't. I figure I'll keep eating it until I absolutely can NOT. lol

 

Salads like this Italian Layered Salad make me soooo anxious for summer. Fresh tomatoes and basil and cucumbers...fresh picked lettuce...red onions...mmmm.  I've been extra hungry for salads lately and been fixing them almost every meal. lol

 And don't forget the bread.  Yummy slices of baguette-- buttered and garlicked lightly and grilled...

LORDY.



Okay--I have things on my list that need doing and just got a text that something a little extra is added . Cannot say what it is, just in case somebody that isn't supposed to know might read this blogpost. I might let you in on it tomorrow....lol


  Hope everyone is having a great Friday, no matter what the weather.




Namaste.