j2103

A View From the Field

March, 2021

March 31

So March is history and it went out like a lion.

i was late but not as late as the night before and i slept well. Not surprising, since I was so tired that I couldn't see straight. I got up late and even though I didn't fiddle around too much before i took my bath, i only got one meal and I didn't do anything else.

While i was sitting there, I got at least four phone calls, including one from the NP's office, just to tell me that they are putting in a standing order for my monthly blood work. So I got to ask them to add a uric acid test. I have developed a tofus on my left big toe joint. I didn't think I was eating so much stuff that is not gout-friendly, but something is going on and I want to check it out.

The weather was cold and windy. The high temperature was 26º during the day and it was nearly steady. The wind was from the north in the 15 - 20 mph range with gusts up to 28 mph. It was mostly cloudy all day and when I got up, it was snowing! Sheesh. I don't think there was more than an inch of accumulation, and it stopped by 2:30, but still. I was glad I decided not to try to go to town today.

Grayson was very lovey today, for some reason. He wanted a lot of petting when I was in the bathroom and he sat on my lap twice. Don't ask me why. Some days I don't see him at all.

So that was all and it's all for March. Somehow, March always seems to be one of the longest months of the year, and even though the weather wasn't too bad, I'm glad it's over with. It's a very cold, dark night in the field.

March 30

I inverted again. I got about seven hours' good sleep, but when I got up, I just sat so it was another lost day.

The weather was mostly sunny but very windy. The wind settled down from the northwest and the gusts were as high as 46 mph. The temperature went down all day. It was 50º at 8 AM, and it's 33º now. Tomorrow is supposed to be very cold, so I have decided to postpone going to town until Thursday. It won't be warm then, but it will be a little better than today.

Grayson was patient with me until I started to rustle around, when he told me he does not like my schedule. Then I think he got something to eat that he doesn't like very well...and I wouldn't give him any of my dinner.

Well, I didn't eat it, either. I had to scramble something together and it was a disaster.

Now it's a cold, windy night in the field.

March 29

I wasn't early, but I was a lot earlier than the night before. I slept well for about 7 hours, but then I couldn't get back to sleep. Not enough sleep, but oh, well. I didn't do anything.

The weather started out cloudy. but after about 1 PM it cleared up. It was very windy, with south to southwest winds gusting up to 48 mph. Whoosh! The high temperature was about 41º. The NWS website just went down, so I can't be more specific. I guess the wind is expected to keep up tomorrow and tomorrow night. Well, March will go out like a lion. Figures.

Grayson slept on my lap for a while today, but except when I was eating, I didn't see much of him. I had some old canned food in the pantry and he's decided he likes that kind, which is nice. I only wonder if he can actually tasse any differences in the flavors, because he seems to like everything.

So it was another lost day and now it's a clear (I think) windy night in the field.

March 28

I inverted big time, but it wouldn't have mattered, because I was running off at the bottom more than I can remember and I would have been either in the bathroom or cleaning stuff up all night long anyway. I don't know what happened, and it's been better today, but there wasn't much left inside me when it was over. I also had a lot of gas and some terrible cramps. So it was probably better that I sat and read - kept my mind off my gut.

The weather was sort of weird. Around 10:00 last night, something started coming down. I think it was snow, because there was a light layer of white all over everything when I went to bed. It stopped around 5:00 AM and then the wind started and that lasted until around 5:00 PM. It was mostly from the northeast and the gusts were as high as 39 mph. The lake was singing. The high temperature was 33º. It was mostly cloudy until sunset.

I don't know where Grayson was. When I got up, he came into the bedroom and whined at me and he seems OK now. When I got to the bathroom this morning (ahem) I discovered that he had apparently pulled out a bunch of his fur. That concerns me, but he didn't want to sit on me today, so I didn't get to look at him very carefully. That usually means he's stressed, but I don't know why he would be more stressed now than a few weeks ago.

So I didn't get nearly enough sleep and maybe - just maybe - I can get to bed a bit earlier tonight. It's a cold, dark night in the field, but they say it's supposed to be mostly clear. We'll see about that.

March 27

I was a little earlier getting to bed last night and i slept well, for about 11 hours. So it was late when I got up and I didn't do anything.

The weather was nondescript, but it did get up to 41º. Sometimes there was a wind, mostly from the southwest, and sometimes there wasn't any. It was cloudy but not particularly dark.

Grayson was on his good behavior, considering that all the bowls of things he will eat were empty. There's one kind of kibble he won't eat, and unfortunately, I have almost half a 16 lb bag of it. I thought he liked that kind, but I guess it must have been Louie who ate it. He got some canned food he really likes and it's all gone already.

So that was my nothing day and now it's a cool, dark night in the field.

March 26

So I was ridiculously late last night and I didn't sleep well after I got to bed. There weren't any hot flashes, like the night before, but I felt like I never got into a deep sleep. I got up around 11:00 and I had time to eat my breakfast because the contractor was late, which was fine by me. One nice thing I appreciate about being in the Keweenaw is that most everyone is very casual about appointment times.

The contractor looked around and saw more than I thought he did, and he mentioned that the state of my bathrooms particularly is a health risk and they would need to be cleaned before anyone came to work. Well... We had some conversation about the heating system and he went off to call my HVAC people and the adjuster and someone to see if it would be possible to get some cleaners in here.

Well. He called back sometime later to say that there aren't any people to clean (which I knew) and he has some sort of wild story saying that the insurance company wouldn't pay anything more than they had. WHAT???

So put in a panic call to the adjuster and discovered that the contractor had it all wrong. What they won't pay for is anything not part of the current water problem - like the heating system - but I knew that. The adjuster is a nice guy and I think we got things straight, but we talked long enough that I didn't get to call the contractor back, nor did I get to call the appliance repair people.

The contractor did turn off the breaker for the ovens, because they were still beeping,11 days after the power glitch and i was getting tired of it.

So it was a rather interesting day and for a while there my heart was twitching.

The weather was dull and gray and cold. The high temperature was 28º and there was about a 10 mph wind from the north. It was so dull that it looked like the camera picture never changed - but it was working fine. Yuck.

Grayson and the contractor liked each other a lot, which was nice. Grayson had to follow us around, but he didn't try to go upstairs. Grayson is a very smart cat and he understands speech quite well. He doesn't always agree with me, but he knows what I'm talking about. He'll try something every so often, but mostly as he's gotten older, he doesn't try more than once or twice.

So that was my day. I will call the contractor on Monday and see if we can get things straight. Then maybe the drywall guy and the floor guy can get out here and I can get some estimates. The adjuster is going to try to get me some names of other contractors, just in case i have to get some other quotes.

Now it's a cold, dark night in the field and I'm tired.

March 25

I wasn't too late last night, but I had another bad night. Perhaps it will take me a while to get my body back on a normal schedule. It could also be a problem I've always had: when the seasons change, I have a hard time sleeping for a while, and daylight time doesn't help at all. Anyway, I will try to keep pushing it. I did sleep after about 4 AM and that helped.

I didn't get to do much of what I wanted today, although I did call the clinic and got them to schedule some blood work for next week. It seemed clear that they and the nephrologist both thought the other was going to monitor my kidney function, which left me with nothing. Then Debbie called and we had a short, for us, conversation.

It was partly because I got that horrible noise in my phone line again. This one was a little different, though, and it actually sounded like a fax. My fax isn't hooked up and she doesn't have one. I didn't think even a fax machine could interrupt a phone like that is in use, so i don't know what in the world is going on. I just hung up and when I checked it later, it was all right. Strange.

The weather wasn't good. It snowed a little bit overnight - or maybe late yesterday afternoon, I'm not sure - and the high temperature today was only 29º. There was a brisk north wind in the 15 mph range. it was cloudy and dull. Not spring weather, for sure.

Grayson slept, although when I started talking to Debbie, he came and sat at my feet and talked to me for a while.

So that was my day and now it's a cold, dark night in the field.

March 24

I fiddled around until I was later than I wanted to be last night and I didn't sleep well. I think it had something to do with the weather. I couldn't sleep on my right side at all because my hip was too sore and at one point, I had to get up and sit in the bathroom because my knee was so achy. Eventually I got some sleep, but it wasn't until after about 6 AM.

I had several tasks for the day and I think I accomplished all of them. Today was Social Security day, and I had a couple of bills to pay, including one that is due on Friday, so I did that first. I had to get Sunday's bulletin out and I wanted to call a contractor about getting an estimate for my repairs. I don't remember which of those things I did first, but I got them both done. The contractor will be here on Friday. It took three of four iterations, but I think the Sunday bulletin is a go. Later, I did the ones for Holy Week. i haven't heard any feedback on those. It was rather difficult because there weren't any bulletins from last year to work from - I forgot that we were closed down then - so I had to go back to 2019 and that was confusing. I think I managed, but it took some thinking. Sometimes these days thinking hard hurts my head.

Oh, yes, and I washed a load of bottoms that needs to go in the dryer. Wow, I did more than I thought for as few hours as I've been up.

The weather was just plain miserable. It rained all day and it was foggy as well. I was totally socked in at sunset. The high temperature was only 40º and that was early, although it was nearly steady. There wasn't much wind until lately, when it switched around from the southwest to the north and has risen to 25 mph gusts. It's supposed to get cold tonight - down to 22º with something nasty coming down and it will be cold tomorrow, too, but only windy. Winter just doesn't want to give up around here.

Grayson mostly slept, someplace near me.

So that was my day, and maybe i can continue to get to bed a little earlier every night. I hope so. Now it's a dark, cold, foggy night in the field and a good one to cocoon in my bed.

March 23

I'm sorry for no journal last night, but it was another lost day and I forgot. I still haven't gotten the laptop up to the north end yet - it's heavy and I usually have a lot of other things to carry. Today was a bit better. I was still rather late getting to bed and late getting up, but I did a few things. I finally got my bath and returned the call I got from the adjuster yesterday and forgot about it while I was doing nothing.

Now I have to try to find a contractor who can do the work that needs to be done, including refinishing the floors that got messed up. I will try to work on that tomorrow, but I also got all the information for next week's bulletins, and I must try to get those done tomorrow so that we have time to make sure they're right.

The weather yesterday was nicer than it was today. The high temperature was 50º although it was early in the afternoon and it dropped off. There was about four hours of partial sunshine in the afternoon, after the wind shifted to the north and died down. When I went to bed, the moon was shining brightly behind a thin screen of clouds. When I got up to day, it was cloudy and, I think, foggy, and it stayed that way all day. After about 2:00 PM, we had a little light rain. The high temperature was only 41º. which is more normal for this time of year. The wind was calm or nearly calm all day. Oh, and the ice is gone. It was still there at sunrise, but by 10:00 AM, it was all gone. Good riddance.

Grayson hasn't done anything much of interest, except that I don't think he feels very good.

So that was two more very quiet days and I'm going to try to get to bed early (for me) tonight. It's a cool, dark, sort of rainy night in the field.

March 21

Inverted, didn't get enough sleep, didn't do anything. This must stop.

The weather was nice again, although it wasn't as clear as it has been lately and by sunset, it was completely cloudy. The high temperature was 60º (!!) and there was a southwest wind in the 15 mph range with gusts as high as 30 mph.

It was quite warm in the bathroom and Grayson luxuriated. He slept stretched out and occasionally turned over onto his back. He was getting antsy about his food before I finally fed him.

And that's all there was. I'll be going to bed soon, for sure. It's a warmish, cloudy night in the field.

March 20

So it's officially spring! The weather today sure was spring-like, but you should see the forecast for next week - they're saying snow on Palm Sunday. Michigan weather is so interesting.

I guess there were northern lights early in the morning, and I thought I saw a glow of sorts when my eyes acclimated, but I was too tired then to try to see it. The trees have gotten so high it would have been hard anyway, although I guess they came fairly far south. One of these days I'll see them again.

I sat for most of the night and after I got up, I sat for most of the rest of the day. I think it's a hangover from Thursday.

Like I said, the weather was very spring-like. It was almost completely clear, with only a few little high clouds occasionally that didn't interfere with the lovely sunshine. The high temperature was 57º and there was a southwest wind around 10 mph with gusts as high as 20 mph. I should have stuck my nose outside, but oh, well. We should get one more warm day, although it probably won't be quite as cloudless, and then it will go back to more normal for March in Keweenaw. At least we have a good start on clearing the snow and Walter has been scraping down the road every day to try to avoid some of the problems we've had in the past.

For most of the afternoon, Grayson was content to sleep on the rug, but after a while he started complaining that I was sitting too long. He has some of the most interesting, whiny noises when he starts to complain. They aren't very loud, which is why I was so surprised when he shouted at me when the dehumidifiers were running. So he can sound off when he wants to. I think the beeping of the ovens is annoying both of us. You would have thought he hadn't been fed in a week the way he carried on while I was preparing his canned food. He always does that, but this was especially loud and long. At least he liked it when he got it.

So it was a lost day and now it's a clear, fairly warm night in the field, but seeing isn't supposed to be very good tonight.

March 19

I didn't make it into bed until 11:30, but then I did good, with only three wakeups, and I got up around 10:30. I felt much better, although I'm tired again now. I was walking pretty well today - of course, not like yesterday when I needed it - until I rustled around the breezeway and that was it.

I went to the post office and the store - JD, you know - and there was a certified letter i had to sign for. That was interesting, because it was from the insurance company and they also sent me another copy of the entire package by regular mail. Sort of overkill, I think. It has something to do with listing all the stuff I may have lost in the flood. I may have to consult my agent, because as far as I know, there wasn't much of that. That isn't my problem - it's the holes in the ceilings and the missing baseboards and the filthy floors. So it will have to wait until Monday.

That was all the excitement. When I got back, I needed to move some paper goods into the house and some tea to a place where I can grab it, which meant a lot of walking back and forth and when I finally got into the house, I was all tired again and not walking very well at all. Anyway, my TP and Kleenex is now in the house and my tea is where I can grab it, as well as the cabbage I got.

I had to laugh at myself. I woke up with a very sore throat - I talked too much yesterday, much more than I've probably talked in more than a year, and it left me hurting. At least I wasn't squeaky either day. Anyway, some Lemon Lift with honey and milk solved my problem and now it's nearly fine. One of the little effects of hibernating, I guess. But I didn't think I should let Mary Ann do all the talking.

The weather was lovely. it was clear when I went to bed last night, but there was a slight mist in the sky after about 4:00 AM. That was gone by morning and it was perfectly clear all day. I was asleep when Taurus went away, but I saw Castor and Pollux again and then Leo came into view. I wasn't sure it was Leo, but I was lying down when I saw it, which sort of changes my perception. Anyway, the high temperature was 53º and there wasn't much wind. it was nice, even though it wasn't that warm when I was out. And it's supposed to be just as warm or warmer tomorrow and Sunday. Wow.

Grayson was very cuddly today. He sat on me twice and he thought he wanted some of my dinner, but he didn't get any. Anyway, he's obviously happy I'm home and I didn't go out very much today.

So that was my day and now I'm tired and I'm going to try to get to bed at a reasonable hour. It's a clear night in the field, although the temperature is dropping fast.

March 18

Oh, am I tired!

That's mostly because I didn't sleep last night. It's a problem I've always had - when I have to do something non-standard, I can't sleep the night before. When I was commuting to Detroit, I had to take a sleeping pill the night before I drove, at least until the last few trips I made. Anyway, I didn't sleep.

I got up at 7:00 anyway and somehow it looks like the phone/clock/radio may have lost its radio. I will check it tonight for sure, but while I heard a "click," there was no sound. I got up anyway and I had left myself enough time that I thought I would be able to do what I had to and still leave at a good time.

Well, I was moving slow, for starters, so it was 8:45 before I ate my breakfast. And then...I was about to get things together to leave when I had an accident. Of course. My jeans were fine, but I had to change my panties. I still made it out of here a bit before 10:00, but it should have been earlier.

It didn't matter. Mary Ann was ready to go and we were off. The weather was lovely: a bit cool but sunny to partly cloudy, and there was minimal traffic until we got to Marquette. Marquette is not a big city, but it's a city and I can't tolerate that traffic anymore. Besides, since the last time I was through there, they have installed three traffic circles, and I cannot express how I hate those things. I first encountered them in Philadelphia, and I have not lost my hatred of them in the 55 years since. What a STUPID construct!

Anyway, we were early, but that was all right, because I had to visit a restroom and I had my usual problems getting off a low, armless potty. I was not walking well, so I ended up in a wheelchair, and it was good that I did. And there was paperwork and other things when we got to the doctor's office.

The visit was late because of circumstances beyond the doctor's control, but once he came, both Mary Ann and I agreed that we really like him. He is very thorough, most willing to explain things and he is very attuned to his patients' quality of life. The result was that I can keep on doing what I'm doing and he will see me in 3 months. I will need blood work before and he wants an ultrasound of my kidneys, but I can have those things done here. It turned out to be a good visit. I will still need to get blood work every month or so, but I expected that. Now the only thing is to coordinate with my NP here.

It was a bit before 4:00 when we left the office and we went to a place someone recomended and Mary Ann and Bill had almost eaten at. It was pretty good, although I would have preferred something a bit more like a sit-down dinner. I guess I'm picky. I had to stop for gas - I'm not used to the current prices! - and then we took off for home. I dropped Mary Ann off around 7:45. Oh, I am tired!

After all the times I had to find a restroom all day, I didn't quite make it home. I was about a mile away when - oh, dear. Well, at least I was on my way home. Grayson was waiting and he seems happy that I came back. Instead of putting on some clean bottoms, I just got undressed, so the only thing I will have to do is take off my compression hose when I go back up to the north end. By the time I got into the house, I was sweating big time, so it feels good to be reasonably cool. It's 67º in the office.

The weather, as I said, was either clear or partly cloudy. Here, the high temperature was overnight and it was around 32º all day. I think it was about the same all the way to Marquette and back, although Marquette had more wind than we did. While I prefer to drive when it's cloudy, I thoroughly enjoyed the sunshine, especially when we started up the east side of Keweenaw Bay and I could see the blue, blue lake. Oh, how I love that blue lake!

Grayson got his favorite canned food for breakfast and by the time I got home, he had cleaned the dish. He has gone away now, but he did seem happy to have me home.

So I guess it was a successful trip. I now have a nephrologist, his message was positive, and I can forge ontward. I do not like that drive one little bit, but I will only have to do it every three months, which is tolerable.

So now it's a clear, cold night in the field and I am tired.

March 17

If you celebrate St. Patrick's Day, I hope you're having a good one. Since any Irish ancestors I may have (maybe 1/16 or 1/32) were Orangemen, I don't. I don't like those contrived things anyway. In Ireland maybe, but not here.

I had all sorts of plans, starting last night and nothing worked out the way I wanted. I got to bed around 10:30, but i had a hard time getting to sleep. When I finally did, I woke up around 3:00 and didn't make it completely out of bed. So I had to clean up myself and the floor and part of the bedding before I could get back into it - about an hour - and then I had a hard time getting back to sleep. I finally did. I was up around 8:30 and I didn't feel like I'd had nearly enough sleep so I went back to sleep and I think it was either 11:30 or 12:30 before I finally got up. So there went my careful plan...

I took my bath (have to look nice for the doctor) and I was making something to eat when the doctor's office called to ask me the COVID questions, so I was able to tell them I'm fully vaccinated.

I did my surfing, then i opened the two envelopes I've been ignoring. One was the thing they need me to sign every couple of years about my Neurontin. That is a trip - there are about 30 statements and I have to initial every one of them. It takes a while. Oh, and they didn't tell me where to send it back. Sigh.

The other one was from the doctor tomorrow and that was another trip. There was a four page, closely typed, new patient form, Another form to agree to treatment, which asked a lot of the same questions, and a couple of other things. They were nice enough to include a map of where the building is and where their offices are, but I couldn't find any restrooms on it, and a note suggesting how best to get into the place.

And then...I needed to print copies of my information sheet. The first one printed just fine, but the ink ran out on the second one. I had a new cartridge, but I've had it for a while, and when I put it in, as well as the colored ones that ran out a while ago, the black one wouldn't print. I tried several things, including a firmware update, and nothing worked. So I went out to the HP website and tried to find out how to get some support. Hah. I finally had to give up after I bought a 2 year support package, because I couldn't figure out how to use it, and besides, I needed to pee and I was hungry. Grr...

I think there is an Office Max in Marquette that's easy to get to, so I will try to stop there tomorrow and get a new cartridge and see if that fixes the problem. Oh, these devices we depend upon...Grr. Well, the doctor's office should be able to copy my page.

Oh, and in the middle of this, Mary Ann called and said she was all ready to get up and go with me!!! That improved my mood more than I can tell you. I was really shaky about driving all that way all by myself in a 20 year old car and going someplace I've never been before. I promised her a nice dinner.

The weather started out very cloudy and dull, although the NWS suggestion that there might be a snow shower was bunk. It's the old syndrome they get into - if there's a cloud in the sky, it might precipitate. That was true 30 years ago and it seems it still is. Anyway, by 4:00 PM it was clear and lovely. The high temperature was 42º and in the afternoon there was a moderate north wind in the 10-15 mph range.

Oh, I almost forgot. When I went to bed, there, low in the northwest over Porter Island, was a lovely thin crescent moon - without my glasses, there were four crescent moons in each eye, but it sure was pretty. The first time I got up last night, which was around midnight, when I looked out the windows it was pristinely clear - probably nearly as clear as it ever gets - and I could see the Pleiades without my glasses. I also got to see at least part of Orion, although I either have to go down to the other end of the bed or crane my neck to see all of him. It was so lovely! By the time I was back in bed the second time, the clouds had moved in. But at least I got a glimpse of the winter sky. Taurus is a bit discombobulating, because Mars is in it, so there are two bright red stars rather than one, but that was pretty, too.

Grayson mostly behaved himself and he's asleep on the cart again now. I did have to chase him a bit. He has wanted to pee on the seat in the shower. I don't mind him peeing in the drain, but I do not want him to go on the seat. He knows it, too, but he tries anyway.

So that was my day. As I told Mary Ann, for a good part of the time, I was waving my hands over my head and yelling " Aaaahhhh...." I have a few more things to do. I am going to take a pair of jeans and some underpants with me, just to be safe. I do not trust my gut at all anymore, even though it seems to behave itself when I have to go out. I don't trust it.

I had a distant cousin who wouldn't go out for the last 20 years of her life and my mother found her disgusting because her excuse was her gut. Now I understand her problem - she probably had C. diff - and I hope my mother, looking down from heaven, understands it, too. I'm not going to let it keep me home - I can't, of course - but I'm going to take precautions.

Now it's a clear, dark night in the field and I'm nearly gone.

March 16

Oh, I inverted last night, even though I was so tired I could hardly see. I was awake when Marquette called, but I didn't answer the phone. It's an automated message and I hate those. It's also not set up for voice mail, which made for an interesting message when I got to the office.

We had a power glitch around 10:00 AM but now I only have two clocks to set. Of course the ovens are beeping again. I discovered a nasty fact about my new weather station - when there is a power failure and it's plugged in, I have to totally reset the date and time when there is a power glitch, which is annoying. And I think that if I use batteries, it turns off its display and I have to hit the top to make it display. The display is pretty, and the price was right, but it's not the most user friendly thing I've ever used.

I dried my load of bottoms, which was a good thing, since I had one of those annoying incidents where i think I've taken care of my elimination and ten minutes later I find I haven't. I was out in the breezeway trying to get some potatoes for my dinner and i got hung up with those ridiculous plastic closures they use. I hate those things. Anyway, it turns out that the jeans I want to wear Thursday are in that load of bottoms, so it's good that it's clean and dry.

I've decided to take a spare pair of jeans and some underpants with me, just for contingencies. With my gut, one never knows.

Anyway, I was so late, that's all I did.

The weather was warm but only partly sunny. It did clear up around sunset, so there may be a star or two tonight. The high temperature was 40º and there was very little wind from all over. It was nice to have it so warm in the office - it got up to 71º or so. I didn't have to use the space heater at all.

Grayson was himself, but he didn't do anything noteworthy until just now, when I started sneezing and he ran away. I don't know why cats can't tell the difference between yelling and sneezing, but none of mine could.

So that's all and even though it's just about 10:00, I'm going to bed as soon as the Mozart is over. It's a clear (I think) warm (for March) night in the field.

March 15

There was something (I forget now what it was) playing on the radio that I wanted to hear and then I got into the game trap. So I was ridiculously late and I didn't get enough sleep. And tonight, it's been all of the above and I couldn't decide exactly what I wanted to eat. Sigh. Maybe I won't be quite as late tonight.

So I was late enough that I didn't do anything except the second rinse of my wash load of bottoms.

The weather was partly sunny and a lot cooler than yesterday. The high temperature was 34º and there was a moderate wind from the south.

Grayson did his usual thing. He sat on my lap twice and he slept on the cart for a while, but now he's gone away again. He is one of the smarter cats I've owned. Lately, I've caught him using his paw to snag pieces of food he can't quite reach with his mouth, just like he snags my arm when he wants to get on my lap. I swear he can read my mind. I can sometimes read his, too, which annoys him.

So that was another lost day and now it's a cloudy (or partly cloudy) night in the field.

March 14

Well, I got to bed around midnight EST and got up around noon EDT - 11 hours and 1 minute later. Of course, I had the usual 2:00 AM accident that I had to clean up from, but the other times I was up I wasn't out of bed for more than 20 minutes. So in the middle of the afternoon, I nearly fell asleep. Makes sense, huh?

It was quite clear last night and there were some nice stars. Gemini is in my field of view now and I just identified the bright star that was almost on the horizon over Porter's Island - Procyon. I need to put my dim nightlight on so I can see out the bathroom window. I like that bright nightlight, but it means I can't see any stars.

I started a load of wash that I will finish tomorrow - I'm running out of bottoms again - but that was all I did. I am moving so slowly these days that I was to late getting to the office. And no doubt, I'm still on standard time. I hate daylight savings time. And doctors say that the switch ahead and back, especially ahead, is very bad for our health. SO...why do we still have it? Dumb, dumb, dumb.

The weather turned cold. It started out cloudy but cleared up quite early. The temperature dropped all day. It was 36º at midnight and it's 22º now. For most of the day there was a strong east wind up to 25 mph with 38 mph gusts.

Grayson got to sit on me once today, but the second time he wanted to come, I had to get up and go pee. While I was getting ready to do my dinner, he started bombing around, I think upstairs, stomping his feet on the floor. All my cats have loved to do that in the loft and on the stairs because it makes such a satisfactory sound. Even a little kitty can make a big noise. Now he's asleep with his head pillowed on my purse again.

So that was my day. I'll be late tonight because I wasn't ready to eat until late, but oh, well. It's a clear, cold night in the field.

March 13

So tonight I was thinking about what I would write, and then I thought I had written it. I do get confused sometimes these days...

I was later than I should have been last night, but there was that game trap again...I got up around noon and I took myself in hand and I've taken my weekend bath, so I'm good there. It made me late, so I didn't do anything else except for my surfing.

The weather was amazingly spring-like. The high temperature was 47º and it was clear and sunny all day. There was a rather brisk wind for most of the day, from the northwest in the 15-20 mph range with gusts up to 37 mph. Most of the snow is gone from the deck, but it melts there first.

Grayson didn't want to sit on me today. He was around, but not on me. He has decided he likes egg yolks. I've been eating poached eggs for breakfast lately and he wants to lick the dish when I'm through. I don't think that's bad for him, and in fact, it may even help his coat. However, i get tired of him sitting beside the computer screen acting like a vulture.

Hee-hee-hee!! I just looked at the NWS website for Copper Harbor and I had to laugh. The report said that the data was for 10:51 EDT, and it's only 10:30 EST. I guess I understand how it happened, but the time change doesn't happen until 2:00 AM tomorrow. How to confuse almost everybody...

How I hate daylight savings time! And I don't know anybody who doesn't.

So that was all there is and as soon as the Dvorak finishes, I am going to try to get to bed early. It would be nice to get back on a sort of human schedule. It's a clear, dark and quite warm night in the field.

March 12

Oh, I ended up being stupidly late. I was late enough when I brushed my teeth, but then I had to sit down again and two and a half hours later, I finally got to bed. I got up around noon and I didn't do anything, although i wasn't to late eating.

I had been going to go to the post office, but I was too late for that, so I got Ron to bring me my mail and the two packages that have been there for a week. Now I have flashlights again (I am NOT going to put them in my pocket again!), lots of batteries and soap. I also have a bunch of bills and the package of information from the nephrologist. The HVAC people included the quote for the heat in the office - $2500. I don't know what I'm going to do about that. I still haven't heard from the adjuster.

Oh, and a lot of pills. I'm taking so much potassium that I needed a new prescription. There was no copay on this one, so now I'm very confused. Last year, there were copays on just about everything I take, so I'll be interested to see what happens this year as my other pills refill. I've never quite figured out Medicare Part D anyway.

The weather was cold and windy but mostly clear and sunny. The wind started out in the 20-30 mph range with gusts up to 35 mph from the north, but as the day wore on, it began to drop and now it's nearly calm and wavering between south and west. the high temperature was only 25º. It was nice to see all that sunshine, though.

Grayson did his thing. He was frustrated, though, because every time he wanted to sit on me I had to do something else. Now he's asleep and using my purse as a pillow, which is how he spends a lot of his evenings.

I hope to get to bed at an early (or earlier) hour tonight. I didn't get enough sleep last night and I'm very tired. I actually didn't sleep very well for the last three hours this morning because my right hip was sore and I was lying on it. I've been having trouble walking at all today.

So now it's a clear, cold night in the field and there may be a star or two.

March 11

I can't remember when I got to bed, but it wasn't very early. Oh - I had to clean myself up, that's right. So it was a bit after 2:00 AM.

I got up right about noon, and it wasn't completely because I wanted to. I was waking up when all of the sudden, the phone started ringing continuously, no pauses. So I went into the bathroom to see what the caller ID said - it said "incoming call" - and when I answered it there was very loud static on the line, an every so often some other loud noises, clicks and things. After a while, I got a dial tone for about two minutes and then it went off again. This continued for at least an hour before it finally ended. I would have called AT&T right away if I'd had their repair number, but I don't have it in my cell phone and I wasn't going to search all over the internet to get it. I think maybe the wind caused a problem with a wire.

That was all the excitement for the day.

The weather wasn't nearly as bad as they forecast, and I could probably have made it to Marquette, but I wasn't sure. The rain ended around midnight. The high temperature was actually very early this morning, 40º, and it dropped slowly all day. It got down to 31º and then it started slowly up again. It was very windy. The wind was from the north as high as 26 mph with 48 mph gusts between noon and 1:00. It was very dull and dreary, and according to the camera, the snow was between 7:30 and 10:30 this morning, so I'm glad I wasn't driving. It began to clear up late in the afternoon and it was nearly clear at sunset.

Grayson was his usual self. Since it has warmed up a bit in the bathroom, he has taken to curing up right in front of the toilet in the morning, so that I have to move him in order to sit down. He liked his canned food and he sat on my lap twice this afternoon.

So that was my day and now it's a cold, windy night in the field - and I'm tired.

March 10

So instead of getting to bed early, I was late - very late.

I got up around noon and I had not quite gotten to the pot when there was a phone call from the nephrologist's office. I don't know why they called me, because I interrupted and said I had to reschedule. They seemed to understand why I didn't want to drive 300 miles in freezing rain and snow. So my new appointment is next Thursday. I might have tried to go tomorrow if my blood work hadn't been so much better, but I do not feel able to drive in that stuff anymore. The one day I had to go to Laurium this winter showed me that.

So I didn't do anything, except that I just finished the bulletins. Pastor found one error, which I fixed. I hope Sue doesn't find any more, because she's been printing on Thursday lately.

The weather started out very cloudy and warm but as the day went on, the temperature dropped and around 2:00 PM it started to rain. Oh, I bet our road is a skating rink. The high temperature was between 8:00 and 9:00 AM, 51º (!), and it's now down to 34º. The wind was very light, and it switched from southwest to north between 8:00 and 10:00 AM. It was very dark and dreary, of course, but all that meant was that I left the kitchen lights on and I didn't have to go blundering around in the dark.

Grayson was on today. He wanted to sit on me and he actually did get to sit a couple of times. I tried a different canned food on him today, and while he ate it, he didn't attack it with quite as much gusto as some other kinds. I have another can - I always try a new thing twice, just to be sure - because this variety was on that most of my other cats really liked. We'll see how that goes. He is so little and skinny, I'm worried about him, but if I do take him to a vet, it will have to wait until the weather is better.

So that's all there was. The weather forecasts say the rain is likely to turn into a "wintry mix" or snow, which could get ugly. I'm glad I can hibernate for another week. Now it's a cold, dark, rainy night in the field and I do intend to go to bed tonight. Really.

March 9

After i wrote last night's entry, I found the journal - on the desktop. I have no idea how it got there and I hope it doesn't happen again.

i wasn't too late getting to bed, but I had a very unsettled night. I think it was because it was very warm in the bedroom - around 80º - and I don't sleep very well until I get used to it being that warm. Besides, my hip hurt. Maybe it will be better tonight.

So I got a reminder from the doctor in Marquette and since I hit the wrong button, I had to call the office. I warned them I might have to cancel the appointment, and as the weather forecast evolved today, I finally decided that I do not want to drive 300 miles in rain, sleet, snow and ice. I made the decision too late, so I will have to call them tomorrow. I left a message with Mary Ann, and I hope she calls me back. I still want her to go with me.

That was about all I did. I did get two real meals today, which was nice.

The weather today was unseasonably warm. The high temperature was 49º and there was a very strong south wind, in the 15-20 mph range with gusts up to 40 mph. It was cloudy. I'm sorry about the camera, which hung up overnight, but I wasn't going to come trundling down here to reset it, and the laptop is still here. One of these days, I'll get it up to the north end and then I can fix it from there, as well as read my email.

Grayson was his usual self. He wanted some of my fish, but he kept sticking his head in my face so I didn't give him any and he went away mad. He does want some petting, but he keeps coming around when I'm doing something else.

So that was my day and now it's a warm, cloudy night in the field.

March 8

Well, that was interesting. I wrote an entry and thought I saved it and when I looked for "journal" it had totally disappeared! Egads!! So I copied it back from the server and I'm going to try to remember more or less what I wrote. There was actually some activity around here today.

I was not nearly as late as lately last night. I was late, but not excessively so. I got up around 10:30, but first I got a call from Mary Ann. I asked her if she could go to Marquette with me, and maybe she will be able to. i hope so. I'm getting very timid in my old age, but I keep remembering that I'm 79½ years old and I'm flying around the countryside in a 20 year old car like I was 50 and it was 2. Having someone along would be nice.

Then I got caught in the game trap, but Mike called and we actually got to talk. He maintains the PastyNet equipment around here and he had some things to do to the stuff under my desk. So I got myself up and ready and I had just gotten my breakfast together when he came. I ate while he was under the desk.

He is a nice guy. He offered to gather up my trash and take it to the transfer station in Houghton. Of course, I said yes, even though it means I will have to gather stuff up from both ends of the house. It means I'll be able to get a lot of stuff out of here, including the electronics and some other stuff that I've had lying around.

The weather was amazingly warm. The high temperature was 45º (!) and there was a wind from the north in the 15 mph range with gusts up to 24 mph. It has died down now. It looks like they finally got the weather station fixed, but we'll see how it does overnight. Apparently Mike jostled the camera cable while he was under the desk, so it hung up around 2:30. There is a bug on the camera lens. I will work on that tomorrow. IT started out cloudy, but around 2:30 it began to clear up and I think it was clear at sunset.

Grayson was excited to have someone in his house, especially when Mike petted him, but he was wise enough to stay out of our way. He got something good from a can to eat, so he was happy.

So that was my day. I am going to bed - no reading, no game trap, just bed. Now it's a warmish, clear (I think) night in the field.

March 7

Another late night, another lost day. This is getting boring.

I actually did do something, though. I took a shower and I filled all the pill dispensers as best I could. Some things are missing. Two of them are someplace out in the breezeway, so I can do that, but I ran out of another one and will have to order more. But most of it is done. When you take as much stuff as I do, it's a real chore.

The weather was OK, I guess. It started out clear, but by noon it was cloudy again. The high temperature wsa at least 36º, but the weather station is still acting up, so I don't know if it got warmer. There was a strong southwest wind in the afternoon, with gusts up to 38 mph.

I didn't see much of Grayson until late, when he got on my lap and actually cuddled for a few minutes. He got some of his favorite canned food, even though it was late, so he was happy. He didn't even ask for any of my fish.

So that was all there was and now it's an apparently warmish, cloudy night in the field.

March 6

So I was stupidly late getting to bed, got up late and did nothing.

The weather was cold. It was cloudy in the morning, but it began to clear up around 11:00. I thought they got the weather station working again, but it went down again after 7:00 PM. Before that, the high temperature was 24º and there was a mostly light wind from the northeast.

I didn't see much of Grayson. I don't know where he's sleeping, but I suspect it's in the pink chair. He came in late in the day and whined at me, but he's happy now. He got some canned food that he likes and all his kibble bowls are full.

And that's all there was. It's a clear (I think) cold night in the field.

March 5

It's been 24 hours or so when I just did not feel like doing anything, so I just sat. Too long last night and too long today, so I'm late again. Oh, yes, and in the middle of the night I had a horrible accident and had to try to clean up the floor in the bathroom. I did as good a job as I could, but now it really needs to be mopped. I'm not sure how I'm going to do that.

I was sitting in the bathroom when I got a call from the nephrologist's office in Marquette, and amazingly enough, I have an appointment for next Thursday! Wow, what a difference from the one here! I'm not looking forward to that trip, and it doesn't seem quite as vital as it was, but I'll go. I also got a call from the NP's office, saying, "Keep on." That was all I did.

Everything was complressed into a few hours this afternoon, and then before I could have dinner, I had another accident and had to change my bottoms. Sheesh.

It kept me from having a really nice dinner I'd planned. I made rice, because I have a lovely large cabbage and I want more of that cabbage/rice mixture I enjoyed so much. So the rice weht in the fridge (what didn't go on the floor) and I will have it tomorrow, or I hope so.

The weather was pretty nice - and pretty. It was clear or mostly clear all day and there was all that beautiful sunshine. The high temperature was apparently 30º. The weather station was down all morning, but evidently it's OK now. There was a bit of wind from the north, in the 10 to 15 mph range. Oh, all that sunshine and blue sky!

It also let me get a good look at the MODIS imagery and the lack of ice on the lake is remarkable. There is a little bit around the Keweenaw, and the Apostle Islands, but not even very much at the bottom of Keweenaw Bay. Even all that cold weather we were through in February didn't make much of a difference. And it looks like the next couple of weeks are likely to be quite mild, too. What a weird winter we've had. We had 76" of snow in February, which is not far from the maximum of 88", but we haven't had any measurable precip yet in March. How weird.

Grayson made a nuisance of himself. He hasn't figured out the accident thing yet and walking around on dirty floors doesn't bother him as long as I pet him. He wanted some of my lasagna, but his name isn't Garfield and lasagna is not good for little gray kitties.

So that was my quiet, truncated day and now it's a cold, clear night in the field. Maybe I'll see a star tonight, if i ever get to bed.

March 4

I got to bed around 11:30 and that was nice. However, in the middle of the night, I had about an hour where I had to sit in the bathroom after I changed my underwear, so I didn't get as much sleep as it sounds when I got up around 10:30. I didn't diddle around very much, but I hadn't quite finished my tea when the repair guy got here, I think about noon.

He took part numbers for the ovens and the washer and said he would call me tomorrow to tell me whether the parts are still available. The news on the fridge isn't good. He did get it pushed back into the cabinet, but he decided he couldn't pull it out so I could put the tow strap around it. It's so nice to have it back where it belongs! However, in his opinion, the only way to fix the ice problem is to turn the whole thing off and leave the door open until the ice melts. That's unacceptable, since it's the only fridge I have. I did turn up the temperature and I can hope that will soften up the ice enough that maybe - just maybe - I can get it out.

After he left and before I unloaded the Schwan's order, I went through the entire freezer and got rid of a whole bunch of stuff that has been in there for far, far too long, and then I loaded everything up very neatly. The freezer is full, at least for a while, but it is holding a lot more than it did before. I tried chipping away at the ice - the guy got rid of the stuff in the front of the bottom - but it's too thick and too hard.

Evidently the problem is, there is a drain hole at the back of the bottom where the water from the defrost cycle is supposed to drain out and it is apparently clogged. Since it's in the back, where the ice is thickest, it isn't possible to tell what's clogging it. I will keep working away at it.

I didn't do anything else, of course.

The weather was cold but nice. I can't tell exactly what the high temperature was because the weather station has been intermittent, but it was at least 27º and there wasn't much wind. It was cloudy this morning, cleared up around 12:30 and then clouded up again around 4:30. The sunshine was nice.

Grayson behaved himself pretty well, at least while the repair guy was here. He has been bugging me ever since and he is now on the floor between the desk and the door. I don't know what his problem is. I'm hoping that maybe tomorrow I can get his litter tray set up. Since it's going in the bathtub and that's where he's been pooping, I have some cleanup to do before I can get it set up. Then all I have to do is hope he uses it. I tried some new canned food on him and he apparently really liked it, but I haven't found any canned food he doesn't like. The picky one in the house was Louie, although Grayson is picky about his kibble.

So that was my day. It feels good to have the freezer in order, even though it's still full of ice. Now it's a cold, dark night in the field and i need to go to bed.

March 3

I'm going to bed. It was an exhausting day.

I got to bed around midnight, but a couple of hours later, I had an hour when I just ran off at the bottom, so I had to sit and stare at the reflection of the clock. Then my right hip began to hurt, no matter which side i slept on, although I did get quite a bit of sleep. I think I got up around 9:30, although I fiddled around some.

I got my stuff together (memo to self: even the small purse is too heavy. Stuff needs to go in pockets), and I did my surfing. I was all set to leave when...I didn't quite make it to the pot. Oh, sigh. So I changed my bottoms - thankfully, some of the clean jeans that got wet in the laundry room are OK - and I finally got out of here at about 2:00.

There were more people at the hospital than usual, so it was 3:30 when I got out of there, but it was worth it. All my problems have gotten better. I won't say I don't have kidney disease, but the markers were all much, much better - the two that were high came down and the one that was so low went way up. And my potassium is in the normal range (!!!). Wow. I'd really like some explanation for why my kidney function has recovered so much, but I'll take it - I'll take it. It was worth getting poked.

Then it was off to my other two tasks - gas and food. I got gas at the station that is close to Pat's for convenience's sake, and then it was Pat's. I did a lot of damage, but I was getting low on a lot of food. I have the idea I may have forgotten something that sits on those interior shelves, but I haven't figured it out yet. I was so tired I could hardly make it to my car, but a very nice young man helped me get unloaded and into my car. I didn't get home until around 5:30 and it was after 8:00 before I brought in the frozen stuff. The rest is fine out in the breezeway. I think it's almost as cold out there as it is in the fridge.

I am tired. My right hip and knee are very sore and I'm moving even slower than usual. Besides, the appliance repair guy is coming tomorrow.

I asked Ron to leave my Schwan's order in the breezeway but he brought it inside anyway. I hope it stays cold. Since I may have to unload the freezer anyway, I didn't want to put all that stuff away. The guy who has been wanting to do some work on the PastyNet equipment under the desk called twice after I left. There are a lot of things around here that I thought I might do that I haven't, mostly because of my knees.

the weather was all right. The temperature went down all night, and the high during the day seems to have been 29º, although we missed a few hours. The wind was from the northeast in the 15 mph range. It was very cloudy this morning, began clearing up around 4:00 PM and was getting cloudy again by the time it got dark.

Grayson was somewhere hollering when I was recovering in the powder room. He was asleep in the pink chair - his new favorite place - when I left. He wanted some of my dinner so he got to lick the empty container and then, of course, he went away.

One of the things in the mail was an invoice from the people who dried out the house - over $11,000!!! The insurance better pay that, because i sure can't. I haven't heard from the adjuster. Of course, things are dried out, but the floors are very dirty, some of the baseboards are missing in my closet and there are holes in the ceiling of the closet and the laundry room. There are any number of places where there are rusty drips on the walls. I don't know if those can just be washed or whether it will need painting.

I finally got my load of bottoms washed and dried, so now I have something to wear again. Either I or the repair guy is going to have to clean out the screen on the cold water line. And when he fixes the control, I can begin to attack all the wet - and possibly moldy - clothes in the bags in my bedroom. Oh, this is a mess and it isn't going away very soon.

So now I'm going to bed. When I got home, the laptop said it had installed updates, but then it began to try to download some more, so I don't know what's going on with that.

It's a cloudy, cold night in the field and it was a busy day.

March 2

Well, this was a day that didn't turn out at all how I had planned. I didn't sleep well and I was moving slowly, so I was late getting ready to leave. Then, halfway through the kitchen, I had an accident. It was after 2:30, so I aborted the plan and cleaned myself up. It was probably just as well, because my hips were so sore I was having trouble moving.

I sat in the office too long and when I got up to get my dinner, after the talking was over, I had another accident! Sheesh! Fortunately, I still have a few clean bottoms to wear, but no sweats. So I did my other task of the day. I went out to the breezeway and brought in the laundry soap and left the litter tray on the platform so I can get it when I need it. My order of cat food came today, too, but that's out in the garage and I guess it will stay there for a while.

I brought the soap in and immediately washed the huge load I have in the washer. I have to rinse it again, but I will do that on my way to bed. So I didn't do anything I'd planned today. And I kept dropping things, which always annoys me. I dropped the long reach tool, so I had to use the tongs to pick it up, and then I dropped the tongs, so I had to use the long reach tool to pick them up. this could have gone on for a long time. I dropped a jar of jam, and I discovered that the long reach tool won't hold on glass unless it's very small in diameter. I did manage to pick that up, but it was hard. We always called it dropsy.

The weather was all right. The high temperature was 42º and the wind started out from the southwest and ended up from the northwest, in the 10 - 20 mph range. it was cloudy until around 5:30 PM, when it began to clear up, and it was clear in the last picture. I'm going to have to adjust the start and stop times again.

Grayson did his thing. I have decided to let him pee in the shower, because otherwise he's been peeing on one of the rugs, and that annoys me. I've taken the next step toward getting things situated for him. Now I have to clean up the bathtub and then I can put the tray in it and fill it and we'll be good - or I hope we will. Oh, he's getting me trained.

So that was my day. I got the stuff for the bulletin from Pastor, and I suppose I should try to get them out tonight, because I won't have time tomorrow. I had hoped to get to bed early, but oh, well.

Now it's apparently a clear, fairly warm night in the field and I'd really like to go to bed.

March 1

I was a bit later than I wanted to be last night, but I slept well and I got up around 11:30. I diddled around, of course, and it was late when I ate breakfast, so I finished eating my dinner around midnight.

I didn't do what I was planning. I did call Schwan's and complain about the quality of some of their products, including the "Golden Fruit Blend" that was about 80% strawberries. It's supposed to have equal parts of four fruits, and the amount of the other three was about what I would have expected of one kind. There were some other things.

I was planning to go out to the breezeway and bring in the laundry soap and a litter tray, but when I got up from the pot in the powder room, I must have twisted my left knee and it hurt so bad I could hardly stand on it, so I decided not to do that. I didn't do anything else, either.

The weather was cold, cold, cold. The high temperature finally got to 17º, but that was around 7:00 PM. It was colder for the rest of the day, and the wind was very strong. It was from the north, up to 28 mph with gusts of 43 mph. The heat in the north end is holding up, and tomorrow is supposed to be very warm - up to 40º. That's how I know it's March. It was mostly cloudy, although the clouds began to break up around 3:30 PM and it was nearly clear when it got dark.

Grayson was behaving himself today. He peed on one of the rugs in the bathroom last night, but as far as i know, he hasn't done anything outside the bathtub today. I was hoping to get ready to get his litter tray set up, but I didn't.

So that was another wasted day. Tomorrow I have to go to town. Hopefully, the weather will be better. Now it's a frigid night in the field, although the wind seems to be dying down some and there might be a star or two, along with the moon

And we've made it to March. Woo-hoo!

Last updated 04/01/21 09:08 PM