Tuesday, June 30, 2015

Catching up

When I first started this blog, my goal was to be amusing.  I soon found out that while I may be mildly entertaining for a while, daily, or only weekly, I couldn't maintain that.  So I selected "home blog" from the list, and certainly that is pretty much accurate even now.  But still, I don't think I am qualified to write about the issues of the day.  Only the recent issues in the news today lets me say " Hoorah!" for the marriage equality act!  And for the Obamacare I shout out a big cheer for that as well.  If Obama never tackles another single issue, these two will go down in history as his greatest triumphs.  And the dour old white male Republicans can fold their tents and drift off into the night.

Tomorrow I go for my second cataract  surgery.  It feels like months that I have been squinting and pushing my glasses around so I could see somewhat.  I can't read for more than a few minutes at a time, a big disadvantage.  I still feel apprehensive about the procedure, even having done it on my left eye already.  Here's hoping all goes well.

Bumper sticker for the day:  "Do vegetarians eat animal crackers?"

Wednesday, June 24, 2015

Virtual standstill

Well, I was right, I messed up my knitting, I was only on step 4, when I couldn't figure out what the next instruction meant.  So I decided to try my intuition, and it was, unfortunately, wrong.  BUT I put in a lifeline, and so I unraveled back to that point and re-hung the stitches.  I have decided to regard this effort as a "beta" trial, a prelude to an actual wearable hat.  I have lots of yarn so I don't worry about using it on a doomed project.

Son C had an appointment with the ortho surgeon earlier this week and was given the OK to remove the leg brace.  But continue with crutches, and no weight bearing yet.  The leg brace d/c means he doesn't have to sleep on his back, and best of all - he can drive!  He went to the local game stop to get a game to play as soon as he got home.

 R saw water in the laundry room last Saturday.  When we checked, there was water coming out from under the 80 gallon water heater tank, so we mopped, and shut off the water to and from the tank (and the circuit breaker).  We put a garden hose on the outlet on the bottom of the tank and ran it out into the driveway.  It takes a long time to empty an 80 gallon tank when doing it at a trickle.  I called Roto-Rooter, who said they could not come until Sunday (!) and then didn't show up until Monday.   While we were waiting, we watched old movies, and N dismantled the doorway into the water heater area, since it wasn't wide enough to remove the water heater ( it was in there before the door existed.)  On checking my file I found the receipt for the heater, dated 1982.  So I had to admit that the heater was well past its use-by date.  We drained the tank while we waited for the plumber, and at the end there was brown sludge coming out.  It meant that from Friday afternoon to 11 am on Monday we had no hot water.  No showers, no dishwasher.  N and C had to go to C's doctor appt. so they both took cold water showers in about 3 minutes beforehand.  R showered at the gym.  So I got the duty to answer the plumbers' questions, etc.  They finished up before N came home, and the first thing he saw when he got home, was that there are no shut-off  handles on the tank; the only way to shut off the tank now would be to shut off all the water for the entire house.  Plus they seem to have set the temperature on the heater too low, it isn't hot enough for the dishwasher.  I showered in straight hot water after waiting two hours for  the heater to warm up partway.  Guess we will see how hot it is after working overnight.  The installer said the new one  will probably last only 5-6 years, tops.  The damages came to $1300.  I was shell-shocked.  I could get a lot of retail therapy on $$$ like that!

 Bumper sticker for the day:  "If at first you don't succeed, do it the way your mother told you !



Tuesday, June 16, 2015

Still grieving

I know most people would think my sorrow for my friend's death is excessive; we have known since last year that she was living on borrowed time. But I find reminders of her everywhere, from macrame hangers to candlesticks, Betty Boop merchandise to old movies.  I wish I could have been there at the end for her, especially since she unexpectedly lost her husband the month before.  Even her little dog died as well.  All sad times.  I received her funeral card today from her therapist, I must remember to send a thank you note.  She was 63, it seems very young to me now, although back in the day I would have considered it OLD.  As with her life, she left this one with grace and poise, we should all do as well.

My knitting is at a standstill for now, I will mess it up and I can't bear to start it again just now.


I can't think of anything to write here, so here is the bumper sticker for the day:  "A short pencil is better than a long memory." (from Dad)





Monday, June 08, 2015

Shoulder to the wheel

It has been a while since I have posted here (2 weeks).  I know this is not earth-shattering to  to any of you, but I feel like I am abrogating my responsibilities.  There are a lot of blogs I've read over the years, where they just stopped at some point and never got started again, which I resolve never to do.  Did I mention that I have posted regularly since Oct. of 2004?  So I have quantity if not quality...

We all (four) went out to a very nice restaurant on the 6th for dinner, it was very very expensive, but the food was excellent, if a little odd.  Like cornmeal pancakes with brook trout, or pureed cauliflower with grilled salmon and kale.  Anyway, we had a nice time for -- TA DA -- out 45th wedding anniversary.  We told the "kids" that 50th is on them.  I think we just march to a different drummer, have never even thought of divorce.  Who would put up with me for all that time?  I have been told that a successful marriage is to stand in front of a mirror every day and say, "You're no bargain yourself."  DH gave me a necklace and matching earrings in blue sapphire (traditional gift) of the type called "tremblers"  (if that is a real word?)  But very lovely.  I told him I now needed a place to wear them, we dropped out of the country club set a long time ago Oh well. I will wear them to the grocery store if I want to... But I am sure that I will need a few wardrobe enhancements, right?

The horses are doing fine with being outside in the paddocks/small pastures.  We kept checking in on them when a thunderstorm came through, but they just trotted under the "pavilion" (according to the tax man) and waited 15 minutes until the storm was over, and then moseyed out to munch a little grass.  I am thankful for these quarter horses, can you imagine what an Arab would do?

Oh, and the shoer called to say he is raising his prices.  That is OK, it's the first time since ever, and I was afraid he was calling to tell us he is giving up his business.  Which is what the last 3 ones did.  It is hard work and rough on backs and hands, and I appreciate their effort every time.


On my way back to bed (it is 1:30 AM now) so

Bumper sticker for the day :"I love sleeping.  It's like being dead without the commitment."
(A little black humor there.)