When the ice rolled down in the front of the house it found space to spread out.
The first time it came down in the back I thought an earthquake caused the mountain behind the house to come through the roof. The noise was frightening and the shaking violent. It broke the plate glass of the guestroom window. As I walked into the room the glass shards were strewn all over the bed and the floor and furniture. What luck that my brother was not visiting that weekend. It was his bed. No way to get to the window from the outside so I blocked the opening from the inside. I learn my lessons rather quickly sometimes. The following Fall, $400. later for the new double pane window, I had my brother block it from the outside with a sheet of wood. It was a good idea but was it really necessary? The block of ice that came down did not touch the wall.
All that but, I miss the house sooo much. I was already 60 years old when I bought it and spent 14 years fixing and loving it - my soul was happy there but my body got tired and could no longer keep up with all that came with it, pleasures and work.
I wonder if the woodpecker is missing me and if the trees have room to breath or if the undershrub or whatever it's called is strangling them. One uphill acre full of little areas I built such as 'Amen' where I wanted my ashes to be - a rock that looked like a bicycle seat which I painted and named 'Kat's seat' - another rock that I painted 5 lucky seven's on and spelled 'Nick's outlook' on it. Nick is the very nosy slot machines lover husband of my dear friend and from that area uphill he could sit and observe the comings and goings on my patio and the area around the house. And, I'll stop here - why torture myself? Bad enough that I need to drive by it twice a month and more when I pick Moselito up for his home weekend.
Getting this 'insert picture' gadget to work again was is a longwinded process.
I hope I'll remember how I managed to get this one to appear.
That's all I have to say for today.
"
The snails are for me please"
Thank you, RR.
No bruises as yet but last night I could not sleep on my favorite side.
Whenever I bang my head on something I ask myself "what was I thinking at the precise moment it happened- was I having critical or mean or jealous thoughts?"
Yes, sometimes I find a culprit and start thinking negative thoughts about that person and the wheel in my head spins and releases the same thoughts over and over again until some other thought or a hit on my head appears and stops the whirl. Yesterday I was not having any hard thoughts and no negative thinking needed to be stopped but, simply asking myself the question leads me usually, as it did this time, to reflect on my opinions and fixed ideas concerning others in general. I do not want to and try not to pass negative judgement on others. As I write this I am thinking of lazy, greedy, untidy, ill-mannered, selfish.
I like to use the back door of the building. It's close to my parking space and my shopping bags don't have time to get to heavy before I reach the door of my apartment.
I don't like to do more than one trip. Today I carried two heavy bags in each hand.
The door is a heavy metal door opening to the left. When I reach the door I had to move two bags from my right hand to the left hand, pull the key out of my pocket, unlock the door but leave the key in it, pull the door open half way, put my left knee inside the door, turn the key to lock position for when it slams shut behind me, pull key out of lock, move my left arm together with the 4 bags and position it besides my left knee, finally move two bags from left hand to right hand while lifting my right leg to step inside and let the door bang shut.
Today I did not lift my right leg high enough. I tripped on the edge of the step and tumbled flew inside the hallway, could not find my balance because of those heavy bags, hit my head on the wall opposite me and landed with a big thump on the floor surrounded by my bags. My head was near the door of an apartment and I could hear him whistle as he always does and wondered if he heard me fall.
To make a long story short - I fell and am ok.
a very bad cold only.
I have been back to 'normal' for the last three days, busy taking care of things.
As soon as my neighbours realized that my car was moving in and out of it's parking space, they came to life.
Sunday, Mr. apartment #4 came to tell me that his wife/partner/colloq/who knows, it changes each time we speak, was in hospital again.
In the same sentence he tells me that he can't take it any more and that she might not make it this time. She is in intensive care and would I have time to drive him to the hospital. Loud out I tell him that of course I can do that but at the same time I question myself as to why he can't drive himself there. As we get to the newly constructed round-point in the hospital town, he tells me that he can't come here anymore because this silly new thing intimidates him. When we were back home he came knocking on the door with a piece of paper in his hand which he had just pulled out of the mail box and asked me to tell him if it was anything important that he should keep.
Ms. #4 is attached to an oxygen tank and sleeps in the living room on the couch. It has been 4 years now. She lives two lives. When her eyes turn right she lives TV life and when she looks straight ahead she observes the goings-on at the tennis court and in our parking lot. Brave woman, never complains when she finds enough breath to speak. I don't want to know what he will do without her and I don't want to know that I may have to learn to say NO.
Yesterday the eye doctoress confirmed that I can continue as is till my next appointment one year from now. Thank you.
Late afternoon Mr.# 4 dropped in to tell me the 4-day old news of Mrs.Lovebirds from #14 having to call the ambulance to pick up her husband. She tells me that he has weak lungs, that he caught the flu, that he fainted, that he is in intensive care with an induced semi-coma. When I mentioned that Mrs.#4 is also there she was surprised to hear that yes, the skinny woman that smiled back at her is the #4 lady whom she has never seen.
I am very grateful for feeling well enough to do some 'Driving Mr.#4' and for knowing that the Lovebirds are of European background. It helps with making the right choices when offering some comfort food or picking up some flowers to cheer up Mrs. Lovebirds.
this cold I caught. I was so careful not to brag about the fact that I don't avail myself of the flu shot that is offered us 'Golden Agers' each December. Did not want to jinx my health.
Hope it's just a bad cold and not the flu.
Back into a vertical position.
We have had timid winters for a few years, but old-fashioned tough winter is back and the height of the fence is shrinking.
December fence vs. January fence here, but photo insert option kaputt
I shovelled again early morning dressed 'daycare' style, bundled up heavy including scarf around mouth.
Polluted the air. Well, need to de-ice the car and what better way than to click the remote and have the motor running for 20 min. while I'm getting ready to brave the shovel job.
My fuel consumption has increased but my mileage is increasing at a slower rate than usual. Only happens during very tough winters.
I remember a time where I was in a rush to get somewhere and could not wait for the windshield to defrost properly and drove off starring through a 4-inch clear space spot.
My friends who were with me at the time still talk about it and wonder how we could have been so stupid foolish given our wise age of 70 at the time.
I could go on and on but am grumpy now because of kaputt business.
