Thursday 13 (#845)

Here are 13 things that I think make life better, in no particular order. You may or may not agree:

1. Books. All books, even the ones I wouldn't read. They harbor so much knowledge! They make the world make sense, even in times when it doesn't make sense.

2. Word processors (not computers). I think the invention of a word processor that allows someone to write and rewrite without having to retype 90,000 words is one of the greatest things ever.

3. Quilts. Who needs a weighted blanket when there is a quilt around? If you want to feel cozy and snug, then this is ideal. Grandmas had the right idea when they made quilts.

4. Eyeglasses. For those of us who can't see well, they're definitely a necessity. For everyone else, wear sunglasses to protect those beautiful gateways to the soul!

5. Cameras. Now that everyone has one, all of the world is on record (though I have my doubts that future generations will ever see it.). But there's something exquisite about a beautiful photograph, one that moves you to inhale abruptly because it captures something extraordinary.

6. Musical instruments. Whether it's a bongo drum, a guitar, or a piano, making music is part of the heartbeat of humanity. Even early humans made music, using bones for flutes. Is there a more delightful sound than a musical instrument played by the hands of someone who loves it?

7. Pencils (or pens). What good are all of those thoughts bopping around in our heads if we don't write them down? I still use pencils, good ol' #2 yellow leaded pencils. I prefer them to anything else, though my favorite ink pen is a Pilot G-2 (05). 

8. Electricity. Just think of all the things made possible by the stuff whizzing through the power lines. Light to see by, heat to stay warm or cook - and to run those word processors.

9. Watches and/or clocks. I love watches and clocks. I prefer the old-fashioned clocks with a face on it and the 12 numerals, with a little second hand ticking away.

10. Clothing. Thank goodness for the things that keep us warm during cold days and cool in the heat of the summer! Plus, nobody wants to look at that without clothes . . . at least, I don't!

11. Chocolate. It really is a food of the gods. Can you imagine not being able to enjoy good chocolate?

12. A porch. This is probably foreign to most city or apartment dwellers, but honestly, sitting on a porch late in the evening, relaxing in a rocker and talking about the day, is one of the best ways to unwind ever invented.

13. Dishes and cutlery. Isn't it great to have a glass to hold your water? Or to eat from a nicely decorated plate? Much better than eating with your hands, right?

______________

Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here if you want to read other Thursday Thirteens and/or play along. I've been playing for a while, and this is my 845th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

A Quote

"Conspiracy theories put you in the role of the truth-telling hero. Paranoia is the opiate of those who fear they may be insignificant." - David Brooks, "Chicken Littles Are Ruining America," The Atlantic, 01-2024.

The Games They Play

I had words with my pharmacist today. I had called in my prescriptions on Sunday, all of them due for refill within 7 days.

I noted on the pharmacy dashboard that one of them was not listed as being filled. It is a Schedule II drug (or maybe Schedule IV, I don't know and don't really care).

I've had trouble with this drug in the past. Sometimes I call it in and can pick it up 3-4 days before it's due to run out, other times the drugstore holds it until the day I'm supposed to run out. I wanted to know what the "rule" was. Or what the problem was.

A male-sounding person answered the phone.

I gave him my name and date of birth. "I'm calling about [particular drug]. I asked for a refill and it's not on my dashboard as being refilled."

He told me the drug could only be filled the day before it runs out by federal law. 

"This is most inconvenient," I told him, "I'd like to pick up all of my prescriptions at once. And must I call this prescription back in? You used to hold it until it was time to pick it up."

"You'll have to call it in the day before it's due. I'm not violating federal law," he boomed into the phone. 

"I'm not asking you to," I replied. "You can hold all of my other drugs there until I can pick them all up at once."

And then I hung up on him because I wasn't going to argue. In the first place, I really don't think this is the law, as I've picked up this drug several days before; I think it varies by pharmacist. In the second place, I still have a bit of laryngitis and he obviously wasn't listening to my question, which simply was this: when am I supposed to call my drugs in so I can get them all picked up at the same time?

Funny thing was, as soon as I hung up the phone, within a minute I had a call from the store telling me I had prescriptions that could be refilled. The phone bot just doesn't say which ones. Or if they are my husband's drugs.

I didn't press one to have whatever it was refilled. I hung up the phone and dearly wished I had the old style where you could slam down the receiver with great satisfaction. Clicking "off" just doesn't do it.

Kroger Pharmacy has the stupidest phone system I have ever had to deal with, and I understand pharmacists around here, anyway, are understaffed and probably underpaid. But that's no reason to get huffy because I asked a question. I pay them plenty for my medication and I've been getting my drugs there for 20 years. 

Why does everyone have to be a jerk anymore?

Oh, Pooh!

In December, I had my annual check-in with my gastroenterologist. A year ago, she had asked me about a colonoscopy, and since I was only 59 and had another year to go, I said we'd talk about it at this particular meeting.

She didn't even give me the option. She straight out said she thought I was a good candidate for Cologuard and we'd try that. I was surprised because I don't think I am a good candidate for it, based on what I've read. I have IBS and digestive issues galore.

But she said since I have developed a heart murmur, she thought this would be better and less stressful. Who was I to argue? 

Friends say that getting a colonoscopy checkup around here is difficult, taking up to a year to schedule. (Things are backed up. Ha.) I have never liked colonoscopies (I have had two.). It's an invasive "checkup." Too much could go wrong, between an anesthetic and the possibility of a bowel perforation. I prefer my wellness care to be much less invasive.

The Cologuard arrived via UPS last week. I had that upper respiratory infection going on, and the doctor put me on an antibiotic, so I wavered about doing the Cologuard test, but went ahead and took care of business. I didn't want to wait in case the antibiotic upsets my stomach. They do that sometimes.

Cologuard is basically a stool sample that is reviewed for cancer sheds and/or blood. The test claims to be 87% correct. Are those good odds? They would be in a life-or-death situation, but a positive result on this means loads of worry and a colonoscopy anyway. So, I shall have to hope for the negative in this situation.

I understand that in the UK this is the way they do colon checks all the time. They do the stool test first and go for the more expensive and better-paying (for the doctor and facility) invasive test only if warranted. Of course, here in the land of the dollar bill, the doctors are going to make something expensive routine (every 10 years, 5 if they find polyps).

Cologuard advertises heavily here, so I assume there is good money it in now. There is another test available called FIT, which I had never heard of until I searched to see if there were other tests. But if this is a brand, I can't find a website for it. Maybe it's not a brand but a description of the test. I'm not sure.

At any rate, the arrival of the test lead to a plethora of bad jokes and lots of discussion about how the mailroom at the science office smells. I surely would not want to be the UPS driver of the truck that carries these tests into the facility every day. You just know that not everybody screws the lids tightly on the test kits. Phewee.

Meanwhile, my upper respiratory issues are better, though I still sound a bit raspy, and I tire easily. I am trying to make today be like a normal day and not a sick day. I have had enough of those, so I am pretending I am not sick and trying to go about my routine as normal. I'm on the mend though I can see this may be a few more days before I can pronounce myself well.

When I get the results, I'll write about how that goes. It may be a few weeks. I am also anxious about the expense. No one has mentioned how much this costs.

*I am not getting paid to write about this. I am just talking about something I experienced recently.*

Sunday Stealing

Sunday Stealing

1. What are your plans for February?

A. To stay warm (it's usually a chilly month here), finish up my tax stuff and meet with my accountant, and that's about it.

2. Did you ever have or go to sleepovers as a kid?

A. I went to a few sleepovers, and I had a few. Not many. Being rural and because my mother worked an hour away from home limited such things.

3. Which books would you pick for a book binge?

A. I prefer to read things that are new to me, so I'd pick up some fantasies, maybe something by Juliet Marillier or Lois Bujold or some author new to me, an unread Nora Roberts book, an unread Stephanie Plum book (unfortunately there is only one of those I've not read), something new by David Sedaris, maybe a Neil Gaiman book, somebody's memoir, and whatever else I could find. My Kindle is full of unread books I've downloaded for free; I could spend plenty of time going through those. 

4. What features do you love most about your home?

A. It's one story with no stairs, it's small so it's easy to take care of, and we built it ourselves, with our four hands, so my husband and I know this place inside and out.

5. How often do you try something new?

A. Not as often as I should.

6. What type of sushi is your favorite?

A. I have never had sushi, and since I'm allergic to fish, I don't suppose I ever will.

7. Do you prefer to relax or go on adventures during vacation?

A. We generally tour an area, taking in the tourist spots, museums, stores, etc. My husband isn't much for sitting around.

8. Which colors look best on you?

A. Blue and purple.

9. Do you like brunch?

A. Sure.

10. Do you get stage fright?

A. Yes.

11. Which podcasts do you like at the moment?

A. I don't really listen to podcasts. I listen to audiobooks. Sometimes I listen to Ted Talks.

12. One thing that immediately makes your day better.

A. A phone call from a friend.

13. Which family members are you closest to?

A. My husband and my brother.

14. Something you practice often.

A. My guitar.

15. Are you a light sleeper or a deep sleeper?

A. I'm a light sleeper but a heavy dreamer.

__________

I encourage you to visit other participants in Sunday Stealing posts and leave a comment. Cheers to all us thieves who love memes, however we come by them.

Saturday 9: Joanna

Saturday 9: Joanna (1983)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) The subject of this week's song, Joanna, is described as someone who never lets you down and can always be counted upon. Who in your life is like that?

A. I have trust issues. I expect to be let down. My husband does a good job of being there for me, though.

2) Kool and the Gang vocalist James "J. T." Taylor sings that he will do his best to do what's right for her. Reflect on the last week. What did you devote special effort to?

A. I spent some time writing letters. I also did a lot of laundry, and this was major house cleaning week (I have someone who comes to help me with the things I can no longer do because of chronic pain.). But mostly I've been trying to rid myself of a sore throat that has given me laryngitis, so I've had more down time than I usually do.

3) This video was filmed at the Colonial Diner in Lyndhurst, NJ. Still open 40 years later, the Colonial is known for their Boom Boom Shrimp, aka fried shrimp in sweet chili sauce. Think of your favorite local restaurant. What menu item would you recommend?

A. The Tap House in Daleville has a great salad. They grow their own lettuce year-round and it's the best.

4) Kool and the Gang's biggest hit was 1980's "Celebration," which is popular today with disc jockeys at wedding receptions. Are you likely to get up and dance at a wedding reception? Or would we find you enjoying the party from your seat?

A. I haven't been to a wedding reception in years, but I can seldom not sway or at least bob up and down when there's good music on.

5) Kool and the Gang are proud of their NJ roots. Group founder Robert Bell was given the nickname "Kool" by his Jersey City friends because he was so "laid back." Do you think your friends would describe you as "laid back?"

A. No. I'm a pretty keyed up neurotic nervous Nelly. 

6) One of the Jersey City's biggest employers is Evergreen, a transportation and shipping company with offices in Evertrust Plaza, a high-rise near the waterfront. What is the tallest building you've ever been in? Were you there for business, or to enjoy the view?

A. I honestly don't know the answer to this for certain. I *think* I was in the Empire State building in New York when I was a teenager, but I'm not 100% sure of that. It would have been on a trip there with my parents when I was 13. I don't remember much about it except for eating the best Chinese food ever in Chinatown and seeing the Statue of Liberty from a distance.

7) In 1983, when "Joanna" topped the charts, Vanessa Williams became the first African American to be crowned Miss America. Today, Miss America is still among the most popular televised pageants, along with Miss World and Miss Universe. Do you watch beauty pageants?

A. I do not as a rule. My niece was a beauty pageant participant when she was young and if they were close, I went to support her. Those are the only ones I've ever watched.

8) Also in 1983, superstars Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson joined forces for the #1 song, "Say, Say, Say." Each man began his career as part of a group but went on to have success on his own. Can you think of anyone else who started out in band or group but also scored as a solo artist?

A. Stevie Nicks was in Fleetwood Mac but had a decent solo career. George Michael was in WHAM! but had a good solo career. Phil Collins was in Genesis before he became a solo artist.

9) Random question: Have you more recently eaten bread sticks or carrot sticks?

A. I have had carrots and bread but neither in sticks. I had baby carrots at Christmas so if the stick part matters, then I last had carrots. Otherwise, the sandwich I had at lunch takes the win for the bread.

_______________

I encourage you to visit the posts of other participants in Saturday 9 and leave a comment. Because there are no rules, it is your choice. Saturday 9 players hate rules. We love memes, however. 

 

Friday Morning

 

It's unseasonably warm here now, so much so that I stepped outside onto the front porch in only my robe, slippers, and nightgown to take a photo of the moon. The deer in the front yard ignored me entirely. That gleaming white dot in the sky in the last photo is an over-exposed moon. The light was still low, so I was playing with camera settings to try to get the deer and the moon in a single shot. I would have preferred to have the moon look like the shot that looks like the moon is supposed to look, but the deer left before I could figure out where I needed to set the dial on the camera.

Where'd This Come From?

I have not been out of my house since January 10, yet somehow, I have ended up with a sore throat. It appears to be some kind of mild virus. I tested negative for Covid, but I don't know if the tests pick up the new versions of Covid.

My friends report other folks are having sore throats and I know strep is going around, but this does not appear to be strep. It's just a sore throat with a little sinus activity and some fatigue. I sound terrible, too, as I have a bit of laryngitis, but I generally get that with a cold.

I suspect my husband brought this home to me even though he hasn't been ill. Otherwise it hopped on me from the groceries he picked up.

The reasons I have been home have more to do with the weather than anything. We had ice, then snow, and I didn't go out because my car is not all-wheel drive. It's front wheel drive and our driveway turns icy in bad weather. I can get out, but getting back home is not always a foregone conclusion. The weather turned extremely cold, so the ice on the driveway didn't go away for a long time.

During this time, I finished up most of the tax records - I still have a little to do, but I haven't been in a hurry to finish them because I still need things from the banks and my husband's retirement information. Then I developed this sore throat and I've been trying to take care of that. This is the first bout of illness I've had in quite some time - since the beginning of the pandemic, really. I had other health concerns (another ulcer, for one thing), but my sinus and sore throat issues mostly vanished. I'm not surprised something finally caught up with me, but it would have been nice to have kept up my healthy streak.

I do not feel so bad that I have gone back to bed, but I have had trouble applying myself to things. But then, I think I have that problem regardless of the state of my health. Chronic procrastination seems to be one of my issues.

I don't think they have drugs for that.

 

Thursday Thirteen

Occasionally I think about the thing that I used to make a living doing: writing.

Here are 13 ways to improve your writing skills:

1. Research your audience and their questions before you write. This goes for nonfiction and fiction. Who are you writing for?

2. Start with an outline to organize your ideas and create a clear structure. I usually do this in my head, but some people write it down and have concise, clear outlines.

3. Simplify your topic and avoid over-explaining or using unnecessary details. This may not work if you're writing a fantasy, but it is a must for nonfiction. Aim to write for about the 6th grade level (if you can figure out what that is these days).

4. Expand your vocabulary and use precise words. Avoid jargon and obscure terms. Of course, if you're writing a college paper, you may need to do this, and if you're writing for a corporation, you're going to be using their buzzwords and such. But generally speaking, try to keep it clear.

5. Use contractions, colloquialisms, and conversational tone to make your writing more engaging and natural. This only works for fiction, nonfiction that has normal people (not professionals like doctors or lawyers and such) as the audience, and me.

6. Break the grammar rules when appropriate but know why and how you’re doing it. For example, do you know where commas go? How to use an ellipsis? Do you overuse exclamation marks!?!?

7. Use active voice, strong verbs, and sensory details to make your writing more vivid and dynamic. I consider this to be among the most important rules. Root out all of those do-nothing verbs like versions of "to be" or "go." Make your character run or shuffle along, not just go to the store.

 

8. Use transitions, headings, bullet points, and white space to improve the readability and flow of your writing. This is especially important in nonfiction work.

9. Use punctuation, capitalization, and formatting correctly and consistently to avoid confusion and errors. I tend to use Chicago style when I write, but you can also create your own style sheet and follow that. The point is, if you're always going to capitalize the word Error, then do it every time, otherwise, you've made an error.

10. Use a clear and consistent voice that reflects your personality and purpose. Of course, if you have no personality, then I suppose one ends up with very dry writing, but then again, maybe we need more of that in these days of overheated opinions and vast amounts of overwritten stupidity.

11. Edit your writing ruthlessly and eliminate any unnecessary or redundant words, sentences, or paragraphs. In other words, kill your darlings. This is hard for many writers to do. Don't fall in love with your sentences. Sometimes you just have to pull that great sentence out and hope you find another story in which to use it.

12. Proofread your writing carefully and check for spelling, grammar, and punctuation mistakes. I am always amazed at how many people do not use the spellchecker in their word processing program. Word and Page and Word Perfect or whatever you're using, heck, even the browsers now have spell check in them. 

13. Seek feedback from others and learn from their suggestions and critiques. But don't ask your mom. She will always love it and that's not the kind of critique you need. You may need to pay someone for a critique if it's a long work. It's worth a couple hundred bucks to hire an editor (I do that kind of work, should you ever need someone.).

______________

Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here if you want to read other Thursday Thirteens and/or play along. I've been playing for a while, and this is my 844th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

Now Comes the Thaw

After shivering in temperatures in the teens all weekend, this week the weather is going to offer us above-freezing temperatures both night and day.

And rain.

While for those of us who dislike the intense cold this is great news, I worry about the plants. Last year we had a warm spell, then a hard freeze, and the local growers lost most of their peaches. I don't think it hurt the apple crops so much, but it was certainly hard on the peach growers.

We no longer are considered to be in a drought area, although I do not think we've yet had enough rain to warrant that designation. We've had some rain and the snow over the weekend has been hanging around, which means it should melt into the ground as the weather warms. That will be helpful, and snow adds nutrients to the ground. Goodness knows the pastures need it. But by our count, we're still a bit short in the water table department.

We have not had extra had to sell for a couple of years now as the weather cycles have been dramatic and frustrating. We are only growing hay, not fruit trees, and I can't imagine what those folks are thinking as they watch the weather forecast. A week of a too-high temperatures is enough to have the trees and bushes start an early growth period that could be detrimental with another hard freeze.

When your business is weather dependent, like farming, then things aren't easy. People can deny climate change all they want, but all I have to do is look outside and listen to the winds howling to know that it's different from 40 years ago. I have never understood the objection to having cleaner air to breathe. How is that a bad thing?

No one mentions that this upcoming warm weather may hurt the crops. But if you wonder why some of your fruits and vegetables are high, remember that the weather may have something to do with what you're paying.

A low yield means higher prices.

Sunday Stealing

Sunday Stealing

1. If you could have a remote control that could pause time, what would you do with it?

A. Nothing. I don't need or want that kind of power.

2. What's the silliest thing you believed as a child that you wish were true now?

A. I wish there really was a Santa Claus.

3. If your life had a theme song that played every time you entered a room, what song would it be?

A. Unwritten, by Natasha Bedingfeild

4. If you were a vegetable, and someone accidentally ate you, what would you want them to say after the first bite?

A. That's a bit like wondering what you'd want someone to say if they cut off your leg. I would want them arrested and jailed. But to take this into fantasy, I would hope if I were a vegetable, I would taste good, so I would want them to say, "yum."

5. If you were a flavor of ice cream, which one would you be, and why?

A. I don't eat ice cream so I am not sure what flavors there are, but I will go with Neapolitan because it's multi-flavored and therefore slightly unpredictable with each bite.

6. What's the strangest thing you've ever googled or searched for on the internet?

A. I have no idea. I used to be a news reporter and I searched for all sorts of weird stuff from time to time.

7. If your pet could suddenly talk, what do you think it would say to you first?

A. The cows today would say, "put heat in the barn, it's cold out here."

8. If you were a character in a video game, what would be your special move?

A. I would be able to be invisible.

9. What's the most bizarre item you've ever bought online?

A. Compression socks. I have no idea, really.

10. If you could replace the sound of one everyday activity with your own voice, which activity would you choose?

A. I wouldn't choose any. I don't care for the sound of my own voice.

11. If you were a punctuation mark, which one would you be, and how would you punctuate people's sentences?

A. I would be . . . an ellipsis . . . and I would remind . . . people not to use . . . me too much . . . because so many . . . people do.

12. If you could have any celebrity work as your personal assistant for a day, who would it be, and what tasks would you assign them?

A. I would like to have Betty White as my assistant, and we'd just talk.

13. What would be the worst "buy one, get one free" sale item ever?

A. Used chewing gum.

14. If you could trade places with any fictional character from a book or movie, who would it be, and what would you do differently in their story?

A. I would be Scooby Doo and I wouldn't run from the ghosts/monsters/whatever.

15. If you had to live inside a TV show for a month, which show would you pick, and why?

A. Cagney & Lacey. I'd like to be one of those strong, tough women.

__________

I encourage you to visit other participants in Sunday Stealing posts and leave a comment. Cheers to all us thieves who love memes, however we come by them.

Saturday 9: Young Girl

Saturday 9: Young Girl (1968)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) The song is about a girl who is too young for romance. How old were you when your parents allowed you to date?

A. I was told I wouldn't be allowed to date until I was 16, but I went to the prom when I was 15 (I would turn 16 the next month). 

2) Lead singer Gary Puckett mentions the girl's perfume. What scent do you wear most often?

A. I don't wear scents. Everything I own and everything that I buy is unscented. Unscented shampoo, unscented detergent, unscented soap.

3) "Young Girl" reached #2 on the charts and stayed there for three weeks, but it never hit #1. It was stuck behind Otis Redding's "(Sittin' on) The Dock of the Bay." Are you competitive by nature? Or would you be satisfied doing well, but not being #1?

A. I am competitive but not to the point of making a big deal out of it. I'm ok with not being #1 (so long as I'm not last).

4) The Union Gap got together in San Diego, California's second most populated city. Have you ever visited California? If yes, where did you go?

A. I visited California in 1977. My father, mother, brother, grandmother, two young uncles and I drove across the U.S. to California to visit my other set of grandparents. We were in a van. It was a long, cramped trip. I was 13. We were in some flat state like Kansas when we heard on the radio that Elvis Presley had died.

5) The Union Gap performed at a White House state dinner for special guests Prince Charles and Princess Anne. Some in attendance that night maintain that President Nixon seemed to be playing matchmaker that night between the Prince and his daughter, Tricia. Have you ever tried to fix people up? If yes, did romance result?

A. I have not meddled in other people's lives, at least, not with any intent.

6) After six Top 20 hits in three years, the Union Gap disbanded. Today Gary Puckett tours as a solo artist on the "oldies circuit" with Peter Noone of the Herman's Hermits. Without looking it up, can you name any of the Herman's Hermits hits?

A. Mrs. Brown you have a lovely daughter. Isn't that one of theirs? 

7) In 1968, when "Young Girl" was a hit, Jacqueline Kennedy married Aristotle Onassis. Think about the last wedding you attended. Were you closer to the bride or groom?

A. I haven't been to a wedding in years. I was probably closer to the groom as he would have been a firefighter with my husband.

8) Also in 1968, the most popular movie in theaters was Funny Girl, starring Barbra Streisand. What's the last movie you watched?

A. Role Play, which is an Amazon movie staring Kaley Cuoco that I do not recommend, unless you just want to kill an hour and a half or so. It wasn't terrible, but it wasn't great, either.

9) Random question -- Come clean: Right now are there more dishes in your sink or clothes in your hamper?

A. Clothes in the hamper, but they will all be washed up by the end of the day. I try to get all of that stuff caught up when we're expecting frigid weather in case the power goes out. I like clean undies.

_______________

I encourage you to visit the posts of other participants in Saturday 9 and leave a comment. Because there are no rules, it is your choice. Saturday 9 players hate rules. We love memes, however. 

Thursday Thirteen

Thirteen things I could talk about for a little while, and sound like I am sensible:

1. Writing nonfiction news articles.

2. Playing the guitar or other instruments.

3. How to stay with the same person for 40 years.

4. Virginia government and how it works (or rather, how it is supposed to work).

5. The history of Botetourt County.

6. Raising cattle.

7. The ins and outs of a septic tank.

8. How to thoroughly clean a house. (Not that I do, but I know how it should be done.)

9. Allergies or environmental sensitivities.

10. Endometriosis.

11. Fantasy television, movies, and/or books.

12. Dysfunctional families.

13. Journaling and why it can be helpful.

______________

Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here if you want to read other Thursday Thirteens and/or play along. I've been playing for a while, and this is my 843rd time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

Havoc

Last year, frankly, was not a good year for us. Everything that could break, broke, or so it seemed. My husband was constantly patching tractors and other pieces of farm equipment. We replaced tires on both vehicles. We had to replace the heat pump and the furnace/air handler at the house. We had a drought and fretted over hay so much that our hay count is down to the smallest piece of dried straw that a cow could feasibly munch on. Vultures killed a calf.

We have a small home we rent out, a place I inherited from my mother, and things went wrong over there, too. This doohickey didn't work, some other thing-a-ma-bob didn't function. The well pump went out.

On and on it went all last year. One hopes that such luck doesn't follow one into the new year, but so far that isn't happening.

In the bitter cold, the pipes are frozen over at the small rental home. Or perhaps not the pipes, but the actual well pump itself, we're not sure yet. We've owned this home for over 20 years, and up until last year, never had a problem with pipes freezing. (They froze and burst during the horrid Christmas cold of 2022; perhaps that was the beginning of this run of tortuous bad luck.) Now it appears every time the temperatures drop into the teens, we are going to be heading over there with a blow torch, and we don't know what changed to create this problem.

Additionally, the cattle waterers froze during the night, and my husband will have to check those every few hours until the weather warms up, which won't be until next week.

The only good thing is, knock wood, the electrical power has thus far stayed on, and the expected high winds did not materialize - yet.

I am useless in these situations and can do little to help my poor old husband. The best thing I can do is stay out of his way and fix his lunch.

But I fret. I worry about my husband being out in the cold. I worry about whatever is wrong. I worry about the cattle. 

Come on 2024. Do your thing and smooth out the rough seas!

Snowy Woods

 

We ended up with about 4 inches of snow. The forecast was for much less, but that's ok. Unfortunately, the winds are supposed to howl in the next several hours and I've already seen some blowing snow, so we will have to deal with drifts in the driveway.

But it is a lovely snow and one that I don't think will be here for long, even though we're expecting very cold temperatures soon. I just hope there is enough snow left from the blowing winds to melt in the ground to help out with the drought.

Sunday Stealing

Sunday Stealing

1. What is your favorite part of the day?

A. I like sunrise and sunset for taking photos. I like bedtime when I am tired. I like the hours between 10 and 2 when I have a project to work on.

2. What is something you know a lot about?

A. I know how to write an article. I know how to manage household finances. I know how to stay married for 40 years. 

3. Name an important person in your life.

A. My husband, of course. 

4. What is your favorite recipe?

A. I don't really have one, but it might be the recipe I use for meatloaf. It has no tomato in it.

5. Write about an event that turned out differently than planned.

A. My college graduation in 1993 did not go as I expected. Lots of people came to see me graduate, but then they all left, and I couldn't find anyone, not even my husband, as a massive amount of people milled around the front quad at the college. Finally, I went to the car and stood there crying until my husband showed up. He told me everyone had left as soon as they said my name. His mother was having a luncheon for me, so I had to come home and redo my makeup before I went over there, since I has blubbered all over myself. The luncheon was nice, though.

6. How do you procrastinate?

A. I play on the computer instead of using it for writing.

7. What is the best type of surprise?

A. The kind that doesn't scare the bejeesuz out of you.

8. List music that helps you relax.

A. I like to listen to Sheryl Crow when I am relaxing (her earlier work, not the country stuff). I also like to listen to Bread to relax.

9. Name a thing your life has in excess.

A. Clutter. I need to do some decluttering.

10. Name a book you want to read.

A. Democracy Awakening, by Heather Cox Richardson

11. Name a person you’re always happy to see.

A. My brother.

12. What time do you go to sleep?

A. Sometime after 10 p.m.

13. What word describes the past year?

A. Ok. It was an OK year.

14. What is your favorite household chore?

A. I don't mind folding the laundry.

15. What is one thing you’d like to see?

A. The Great Pyramids. I've always wanted to see them in person.

__________

I encourage you to visit other participants in Sunday Stealing posts and leave a comment. Cheers to all us thieves who love memes, however we come by them.