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A View From the Field |
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July 2021 July 31 Well, it turned out to be a nice birthday after all.
It didn't start out that way. I was about to step into the shower when the ladies arrived and attacked the kitchen, where I didn't want them to start with, so I was very grumpy with them. Debbie understands me better than I thought, so they went out and cleaned up (!) the breezeway while I showered, fed the cat and ate. Things went better after that. They finished the breezeway, which hasn't looked like that in years, then Debbie did the floors in the hallways and the great room while Cheryl attacked the kitchen. I helped where I could, but I wasn't doing to well. I did finally wash a lot of pots and pans. I wouldn't say they finished the job, but only they and I know what they didn't get to and it looks so much better in the house!
Then we rushed off to dinner and Johanna came, too and we had a very pleasant time. We finally left because the restaurant crew were the only people left. But you know what happens when you get tour women together...
So it was nice. and now I am irrevocably 80. Amazing. When I think that 20 years ago, I wasn't sure I would even reach 60.
The weather was sort of normal for July 31, if cooler than sometimes. The high temperature was 71º and there was a north wind that got to 20 mph in the morning. The lowest the humidity got was 78%, which isn't comfortable. And about an hour before dinner, we had a short rain shower that dropped 0.06" of rain on us in not more than 10 minutes. Then it cleared up again.
Grayson made us laugh. He couldn't understand why all these people were in his house and nobody fed him until I got to the kitchen. He was complaining a lot about another day of disruption of his routine, at least until he got so tired he had to sleep. Late in the afternoon, Debbie got under the dining room table and Grayson saw her there and immediately went into hunting posture, crouched down and staring, and then he ran into the great room. I don't know what he thought he saw, but it was funny to watch him.
So that was a day that ended up very nice and now it's a coolish, dampish night in the field. I need bed.
July
30
The ladies didn't get here until mid-afternoon and they didn't leave until after 10:00. They will be back tomorrow. They decided they were going to clean my whole first floor, including doing some windows, instead of just attacking the really bad parts, so there are a lot of floors left to do. The toilets are clean, although Debbie had to take the seats off to do it. I'm glad she did it. I had such a time getting them on that I don't want to try to get them off.
I actually did some things, too, although not nearly as much as they did, and I was forced into it. I have had a pile of magazines beside my chair for, it turned out, eight years, and overnight, they finally avalanched all over the floor. So I attacked the pile, and after some thought, I only kept a few of them. Some don't interest me anymore, but when they threw out what got wet in the flood, they disrupted my complete sets of several of my pattern magazines, so it was no use keeping them. There are a couple I kept, but mostly I now just have the past two years, or most of them. I found my next three lace projects, if I ever finish the purple shawl.
I got into a cabinet I haven't been in for eight years either, and I found some very interesting things, including some cross stitch kits I'd forgotten about. There are a lot of little things that will be easy to finish in a hurry before I start on another big project - if I ever get the sampler done.
Anyway, I swept the floor and rearranged things under and around the computer desk so at least that part is neater. Whenever I get to it, I can swap carts so I can put away all the stuff in the little baskets on my desk, and that will be nice, too.
But I didn't find the clicker. i have lost the garage door opener that I keep in the house. That happened several years ago now. I thought I had gone through the stuff on the desk enough that it wasn't there, so I thought it had to be on the floor behind the magazines. Well, it wasn't. There was other stuff there, but the clicker is still missing. I don't think the ladies will have time to help me with the office very much, so I guess it will be up to me.
They did finally put away the silver hollow ware in a safe place, so I will have room for the tubs of yarn, when I get the yarn into tubs, and that will help the general mess in here. Maybe I can get Mary Ann to help me with this room.
I don't like to clean. In fact, I don't like to do anything that I know I will have to do over again exactly the same way. However, my personal space eventually gets to be such a mess that I can't stand it and then I do what I have to, to straighten it out. The office has been like that for some time now and the only trouble is, I can't do as much as I used to. However, with the rest of the house coming around - with the exception of the kitchen, of course - I may be able to get a little help to get this room under control. We'll see.
The ladies will be back tomorrow, at least for a while, to finish the floors, or at least get the worst of them done.
I seriously need a bath, but I'm so tired and it's so late now that I think I will do it tomorrow. I need to be clean for our dinner date!
The weather was so-so. The high temperature was 69º and there was a light wind from the north - under 10 mph - until around 4 PM, when it switched around slowly and is now from the southwest. It was very humid. My towels are still damp from washing my face, and I hate that. There was supposed to be some rain, but it was mostly out over the lake. I was out on the deck (!) and there were a few drops of rain but it didn't even wet the ground, just made it more humid.
Grayson mostly slept, but toward the end of the day he began to complain. I think he wanted to use his tray or at least the shower, but the shower door was closed and his tray was in the kitchen and he wouldn't use it there. So he complained. Both ladies like him, and he likes them, too. He even let Debbie pick him up and scratch his chin.
So that was my day. I didn't feel good all day and my joints are really sore, knees, hips and hands particularly. But the house is shaping up and on Monday I can call the contractor and try to get that underway, which is all I wanted.
Now it's a cool, damp night in the field and I really need to go to bed!
July 29 Wow, I thought I was tired last night! I got to bed a little after midnight, but I didn't sleep very well. It was mostly that it was so humid that my bedclothes were dampish and I had to get up several times to go into the bathroom. I got up around 9 AM anyway, although I could have slept more.
When I got to the kitchen, Debbie's car was outside, but they were gone. They wanted to walk out to the lighthouse. It turned out that they were gone until after noon,, so I had eaten and done my surfing before they got back.
Well, we all worked; Of course, they worked harder than I did, but I expected that. The first thing was to get my bed changed, and they did that, although the second pillowcase for my body pillow has gone missing. It may be in one of the bags from the laundry room. Then they cleaned most of my bedroom and Cheryl vacuumed the entire house and got rid of all of my cobwebs. Debbie got out into the garage and got most of the bags out of the house and organized. Cheryl attacked the bathroom, but she didn't finish it. I haven't been there to see what she did, but I know she got the floor. There are still a lot of things they want to do, but they will be back tomorrow. I doubt we'll get to the office, but the rest of the house will probably be more under control.
I worked with them as much as I could, and besides, I washed the light comforter and a load of bottoms and put away two loads of bottoms. I helped with the sorting and stuff like that. I don't know about them, but I'm exhausted.
It wasn't a bad day to work. The temperature was nearly steady between 64º and 67º and there was a brisk north wind that has now been gusting up to 28 mph. The problem was that the humidity was around 90% until just lately, so it wasn't as comfortable as the temperature and wind might have suggested. It was nearly cloudy until after 3:30, when the sun came out and the sky cleared a bit, although there is still a lot of smoke.
Grayson was interested in the new ladies, but he didn't like the vacuum or the unusual rustling around. He would rather it was quiet around here and I think he was glad when they left.
So it was a busy day, but we made some progress. The poop is gone from the great room and they will mop the floors tomorrow after they do the toilets. We'll see how much they can get done.
Now I'm going to bed in my lovely, clean bed with my soft new sheepskin pad and my new sheet blanket. It looks so inviting1 It's a sort of cloudy, cool night in the field.
July 28 So I was late but part of the reason I didn't do anything today was that I got a visit from a woman from the Michigan DHHS. Someone apparently called their hotline about me so she came to investigate. I guess there are people who worry about old people who live all alone. We had about an hour and a half conversation and it may even do some good. Oh, and she said I don't have a cognitive dysfunction and I'm not a hoarder. I'm just weird. So there.
Oh, I did do one repeat of the shawl edging. I'm having some problem getting into the swing of it again, but eventually I hope I can do three or four repeats a day or I'll never get the thing done. I really want to work on the sampler, too. I only have about 6" of the edging to do, but I haven't been able to fit that into my schedule.
Debbie is in town and I'll see her tomorrow. My new bed pad came, so the first task is going to be to change the bed. Then there's the bathrooms, and then...we'll see.
The weather wasn't very good, at least from my point of view. The high temperature was 79º, but that was around noon and it was in the middle 70s for the rest of the afternoon. The wind was from the southwest but under 10 mph mostly. It was humid, though, mostly in the high 70s and it has been very uncomfortable to me. I am wearing shorts, and while I was sorry the social worker saw me in shorts and compression knee-highs, it doesn't matter much. There were thunderstorms, but they were all south of Houghton
Grayson didn't like it either. He mostly laid flat out, mostly in front of where I wanted to go. He said hello to the lady, but then he went back to sleep. This is not our favorite weather.
So that was my day. The next few are going to be very busy, because Debbie is determined to clean, which means I'll have to work, too. It will be worth it, though.
Now it's a warm, cloudy night in the field and I'm going to try not to be too late to bed. We'll see about that, too.
July 27 Late again, but I actually accomplished something today, all in vain.
I thought the people were going to be here today to move my trash, so I rustled around and got everything I can do by myself ready to go. The kitchen was the worst, of course, but there was stuff in the bathroom, the laundry and the powder room. I got everything out of the bathroom, but there are piles in the powder room and the kitchen that I will need help moving. There is more that I could do, if I have time, particularly the five barrels of papers in the great room. Maybe I will work on those tomorrow.
Anyway, while I was otherwise engaged, Scott texted me to say they wouldn't make it today. He said they'd come later in the week, but I don't know what he means by that. At least I'm more ready for them. And it's nice to see some of the kitchen counters again.
The information for the bulletin came through and I did that, too. I also hassled the online pharmacy and PastyNet and maybe got something fixed there. Tomorrow it's Schwan's. They clearly say on one of their checkout pages that my account won't be debited until my order is shipped. Since it isn't going to be here until next week, I thought I was safe, but oh, no. They debited my account right away - causing me to be overdrawn. I need to bitch about that.
So now I'm tired, but I should take a bath tonight. We'll see how that goes.
The weather was OK. The high temperature was only 72º and there was no wind, but the lowest the humidity got was 66% and that has done a number on my joints. I guess you'd say it was clear all day, but the smoke kept the sky white.
Grayson was bugging me again. He got something he likes for breakfast and he decided he wanted more of it, and then I had my steak for dinner and he wanted some of that, too. He got some, which he inhaled and he went off happy, even though he didn't get any more canned food. I guess it was too humid for him to sit on me. i cleaned as much as I could out of his tray today and he seemed grateful for that.
So that was my day. I wasn't happy that the people didn't come, but at least I'm a little more ready for them. Maybe tomorrow I can do a little more. Now it's a coolish, calm night in the field.
July 26 The usual - late night, late getting up, nothing done. Sigh. Tomorrow will have to be busier.
I did cast on the edging on the shawl, but I had to rip it out and start over because I forgot I was starting at a corner and the join is different. I also worked on the edging on the sampler but I still have about 5" to go on that. Otherwise, I did nothing.
The weather wasn't bad. At least it was sort of sunny and cooler than the forecast. The high temperature was 74º, which is fine with me. There was a lot of smoke in the air and clouds moved in late in the day. The wind sort of moved around. It was mostly from the north, under 10 mph, although for an hour or so this evening it gusted up to 17 mph from the southwest. There is some rain south of us, but at most we just got a few sprinkles.
Grayson was bugging me all day and I don't know why, at least after I filled all his food bowls. He apparently decided it was too warm to sit on me.
Now it's a dark, cloudy night in the field and I must go to bed. Soon.
July 25 I was really late last night - or this morning - and the only excuse I can give is that I took my bath, although I was so tired by the time I did that I was afraid I might slip in the shower. I slept well, of course, because I almost fell asleep several times while I was in the bathroom. Then I dawdled around before I ate, so nothing much got done.
Well, I finally remembered to fill the pill dispensers at the south end and I will fill the ones at the north end before i go to bed. I had to get my pills out of the bottles this morning, and that is such a pain I don't want to do it any more than i have to. It's something like seven or eight bottles.
I also discovered that I apparently haven't received one large shipment from the online pharmacy that they said was sent on the 15th. I must call Ron tomorrow and have him check around the post office and see if the bag got misplaced. Otherwise, I'm going to have to call the pharmacy and report it. I hate to do that. They are completely out of control and their CSRs don't know anything.
It was a clear, hot day, but there wasn't much smoke for a change. The high temperature was 85º. There was a nice breeze for most of the day. It started out from the north and then came from the northwest, with gusts as high as 25 mph. I toyed with the idea of clearing a path to the patio door and opening it, but I didn't and I didn't get warm until after I ate.
Grayson just does not like this weather, so he laid out on the floor and slept for most of the day. He got his favorite canned food today and his body language said there wasn't enough in his kibble bowls, but they will last him until tomorrow. Mostly he's a sweet kitty, but there are a few things that turn him into a real pill.
So that was my day and now it's a clear (I think) warm night in the field.
July 24 Well, this was a lost day! I didn't get to bed until around 2:30 this morning. I slept well - the thunderstorms were over - but I didn't get up until around 11 AM, and then I just sat for quite a while. The only thing I did was fish the poop out of Grayson's tray. I am still recovering from yesterday's heat and exertion, I guess.
Debbie called late today and she will be coming in late on Wednesday. I've pretty much defined what I need her to do and I've pretty much defined what I need to do before the guys hopefully get here on Tuesday, but I didn't do any of it today. I just don't have any energy anymore.
The weather was lovely, at least after noon. Before noon, there was pea-soup fog and it didn't lift until 1 PM. After that, it was clear, although there is still a lot of smoke turning the skies white. The official high temperature was 82º, but I don't think it got that hot here, because there was a nice breeze from the north with gusts as high as 35 mph. After about 6 PM the wind died down and got variable, but that usually happens in the summertime. It would probably have been warm if I'd been doing anything, but it was quite comfortable for just sitting.
Grayson wanted his breakfast, wanted my breakfast, wanted my crackers (which he got) and really wanted my dinner (which he did not get). I don't know why, He got his canned food and he ate all of it, and he still has kibble. He thanked me for cleaning out his tray. Sometime this week, I should be able to give him a completely new tray with clean litter, which I'm sure he will like. Some cats are snobs, but a lot who were strays or orphans are actually grateful for what we do for them. Buster felt entitled, but he had been with me from the time he was six weeks old, so he didn't understand the ways of the world like my other cats have.
So that was my day and I hope to be more productive tomorrow. Now it's a clear, warm summer night in the field.
July 23 Well, let's see if I can get this to upload tonight. I've been having trouble with my internet connection since I got home.
I wasn't too late last night, I guess, and I slept fairly well, although I was awake around 8 AM. That wasn't enough sleep, so it was 9;30 or so before I got up. I didn't dawdle around, but of course I had an accident, so I had to change my bottoms. I think the thing that makes me runny and the thing that causes the urges are two different ones. I know how to handle the runs - eat enough rice or potatoes - but I haven't figured out the other one yet. Sigh.
Anyway, I was only a little later than I wanted to be getting away. I didn't have a real appointment, and it was a good thing, because I met a neighbor I'd been wanting to meet who turns out to be the new township supervisor and we had a nice conversation while he opened the gate for me.
So I was later than I expected to be getting to the tire store. I am now the owner of four lovely new tires. Then it was off to the body shop, where they installed my new rear-view mirror. It's silver rather than black, but it works and I now have a left side rear-view mirror for the first time in several years. It's nice. Before it broke, I used it a lot and I must get back to that.
I left the body shop around 3:30 and wow, was it a traffic mess! Not only are they working on US-41 through Houghton, they had the bridge down to one lane in both directions and the lines to get over it were longer than I've ever seen before. I went all the way around, almost to Tech and back, and that was faster than waiting on the line on M-26, but it still took me a long time to get over the bridge.
Then I stopped at Pat's, with the idea of getting a "few" things I needed, and I ended up spending a whole lot more than i expected. I needed produce, from lettuce to potatoes, and I wanted to stock up on a few other things, like OJ and eggs, and I was flat out of JD. That didn't help, because they didn't have any big bottles, so I ended up getting one fifth and one quart. That's more than a big bottle, but it's also more expensive. And I got a steak and a lamb chop. I guess there were some other things, too. I didn't particularly notice that any one item was more expensive than it had been, but the total sure was. Sigh.
I didn't get home until nearly 6:00 and I had to come into the house to pee before I unloaded the car. Well, that turned out to be interesting. I wanted to tell my neighbor, Scott, that I'd left the gate open, so I texted him and he told me that he thinks he has found me somebody to help clean. I sure hope so! He is also working on getting some of the trash out of the house. I have some work to do before Tuesday, which is when he thinks they can come. And I mentioned that I was resting before I unloaded the car and he offered to help. Boy, did he! He got almost everything in in one trip. I had brought the JD and the cabbage, but he brought everything else. I went out with him because he was having a problem getting the lift gate closed, and I had to close the garage anyway, and we had another nice conversation.
People who live in Copper Harbor are all sort of weird, but they're all very nice people and very helpful. I only wish I could do more for them.
It was hot. The high temperature here was 81º and in town it was at least in the mid 80s. There was a breeze which could turn into a wind, because it was humid and about the time I was talking to Scott, we had some sprinkles. The thunderstorms moved in around 7 PM and so far we've had 2,65" of rain, 2.11" of that between 11 PM and midnight. I mean, somebody turned a bucket upside down on our heads! Currently, it isn't raining at all, but there is another cell off to our southwest, just east of Duluth. The temperature is only 73º, but the humidity is 94%, which means it is very uncomfortable. Needless to say, it was mostly cloudy all day. It was the kind of bright cloud that my mother used to complain about and which makes it very hard for me to see: it's really too bright for sun glasses, but the glare blurs my vision even more than it usually is. I managed, but I wasn't seeing very well today.
Grayson was very glad to see me when i came home, but this weather has whacked him out. He clearly doesn't like thunder and lightning, and he was complaining for most of the time it was going on. He wanted some of my dinner, so he thought, but I really think he wanted more of his canned food. He didn't get any. Or maybe he just wanted me to pay attention to him. Even though it's warm in here, he got on my lap twice to be petted and scratched. I've said it before: he likes to act cool, but he's really a very insecure little kitty and he needs his mama.
So that was my day. I now have a nice new set of tires and a new/used rear view mirror and no money. But that's the way it goes. I needed tires anyway. It's a dark, stormy night in the field.
July 22 I guess the reason I was late last night is that I had an accident - typical. I wasn't too late and I slept well, but I didn't get up until after 10:00. It was a quiet day.
The only thing that happened was that I got word that my tires are here, but it was too late to get them today, so I will get them tomorrow. That company has a nice schedule. They take a break between 11 AM and 1 PM. I wish my employers would have done that.
The weather was nondescript. The temperature got up to 80º briefly before it fell back. There was hardly any wind until after 5 PM, when it started coming from the north with gusts up to 21 mph, although it's died down again now. It was cloudy all day, although the camera hung up yesterday afternoon and I forgot to reset it until this afternoon. You didn't miss anything. I guess it's sort of cleared up now, but I can't tell because it's dark.
Grayson did his thing. He liked his canned food, but there wasn't enough of it. That's why I don't usually give him the stuff that's in gravy - there is too much gravy and not enough meat. He nearly got stepped on a couple of times because he was following me aorund.
So that was my quiet day and now after I dry the load of bottoms I washed, I will be off to bed. It's a dark night in the field, but I don't know if it's clear or cloudy,
July 21 Somebody doesn't want me to get my A/C fixed.
I think it was about midnight when I got to bed and I got up just after 9 AM. I was doing good and I left the house with plenty of time to get to Houghton. When I backed the car out of the garage, something didn't feel right and I was hearing some sounds I didn't like at all. I pressed on, but right about the entrance to the Fort admin building, I realized I had a problem. I thought it might be with the front tires, but they were fine. Just then, Ron, who had been behind me, pulled up and told me that my right rear tire was flat - very flat. That was one of the used ones the body shop sold me.
I pulled into the admin parking lot and a couple of the people who work there were kind enough to change my tire for me. I was able to call the dealership and the body shop from their office, but I didn't have a number for the tire store. I decided to go home anyway, since I missed my appointment and I'm a little suspicious of driving on that spare anyway.
Sigh. The resolution is that I need four tires. I doubt that's really true, but the person I was talking to is a really good salesperson and she pointed out that not having four exactly the same tires on a 4WD vehicle can put a strain on the transmission or some other part of the drive train. I knew I would need two tires because the ones that were on the rear aren't being made anymore. Neither are the other ones, although the new ones are just updated versions of the ones I have. I really didn't want to spend my insurance settlement on tires, but I knew I'd need new ones next year anyway, so I said go ahead. They had to order them, but they should be here tomorrow, so either tomorrow or Friday I will go down and get them installed, and then maybe I can at least get my rear view mirror installed - and shop. We'll see how it goes.
Anyway, I still haven't gotten my A/C repaired. And with Debbie coming next week, it will be a couple of weeks before I can get to the dealership. Maybe the third try will be a charm. With as hot as this summer has been, I need it. It hasn't been very warm here, but it sure has down the peninsula.
So I came home and sat quietly for the rest of the afternoon. I made a change to the bulletin and sent that out, but otherwise, I didn't do anything. Oh, well, I did break down and order a new sheepskin bed pad. They were having another discount on top of their sale prices and I just decided to splurge. I spend so much time in bed, and my current pad is 20 years old, so I figured I need a new one. The price I paid was nearly $100 less than the full price.
The weather was nice. It was sunny, although there is still a lot of smoke. The high temperature was 75º and there was very little or no wind.
Grayson was so happy when I came back quickly that he ended up sitting on me twice. Ron came with some packages and Grayson made a move to go out into the patio but both of us went after him and he didn't try again.
So that was my disappointing day and now it's a dark night in the field and I think it's clouded up.
July 20 I was a lot earlier last night. I think I was in bed by midnight and I slept quite well, although I had some achy legs and hips occasionally. I didn't get up until 11.
I did something today! I got the bulletin info and did that, although there is some confusion about who is serving on Sunday - it's Church Picnic day.
AND I actually cleared out all the poop that I could get from Grayson's tray. A lot of the litter is cast in concrete now - it's clay - but I was able to get most of the poop. He knew what I was doing, too, and he jumped up beside me and rubbed his head on my arms and as soon as I was through, he got in the tray and did some more! I had closed the bag, but it wasn't hard to open it, and when I realized he was watching me, I knew what he was going to do. At least he seems grateful. I can't lift the tray, even though the litter is dry, so we'll have to live with this for a while.
I soaked a load of bottoms, but I didn't wash them. Yup, I've had an accident every day. I wish I knew what causes that.
While I was sitting on the edge of the tub cleaning out the tray, I got a good look under my bed, and I need some help, because there is a whole bunch of stuff under there, including my big flashlight and a whole lot of used Kleenex. Maybe some other stuff, too, but I couldn't see well enough to be sure.
The weather had a remarkable turn overnight. The high temperature was only 67º and for most of the day there was a moderate wind from the north. It sure felt good! It actually cleared up a bit this afternoon and there was a bit of blue sky for a while. And the fuzziness of the moon is my eyes and not the sky, so it's clear now. I guess it's going to get smoky again tomorrow or Thursday, but it sure was nice to see the sun.
So that was my day and now it's a clear (I think) cool night in the field. I will sleep good tonight!
July 19 Late again and not enough sleep again. Sigh. The only things I did today were take a bath and warn the body shop that I will be there Wednesday, I hope. After the last time I tried to get my A/C fixed, I make no promises.
The weather was hot and humid again. The only good thing was that there was a breeze for most of of the day, which has pretty much gone away now. The temperature topped out at 85º, fortunately not for very long, and for most of the day there was a nice north breeze, which has pretty much gone away lately. The temperature is down to 79º, but without the wind, it's hot in here, even though I have the fan going.
I have a love/hate relationship with summer. On the one hand, my arthritis is measurably better when I'm warm, but I sweat so much that I'm always wet and uncomfortable. In the winter, my arthritis is really bad and I have a problem staying warm, but mostly I don't sweat. Can't win.
The skies were still full of smoke, so it was dull and gray all day, in spite of the wind, and when I looked out the south windows, there was a fuzzy half-moon shining through the haze. It's nice to see the moon again. It was so hazy that I missed all the little moons this month.
Grayson was sounding off all day and I don't know why, except that he clearly doesn't like hot. He piped down after he got his dinner, but I haven't seen him lately. He wanted to be petted, and maybe he was complaining because it was too hot to sit on my lap and get cuddled.
Debbie called, but she was interrupted so I don't know all of why she did. It was hard, because for some reason the cordless phone in the bathroom wasn't connecting today. I must see that the chair isn't in the line of sight and see if that helps.
Oh, I pared my fingernails after I took my bath - I always do it then, because they're soft and they don't chip - and I can't tell you how much easier it is to type accurately now. Knitting or embroidering are a bit easier if my nails are a little longer - like a millimeter - but it's much harder to type. I let them go too long this time and it's nice to have them cut off.
So that was my day and now I have to go to bed, after I sit in the breeze for a while and dry off. It's a warm, hazy night in the field.
July 18 Oops, sorry. i disappeared down the YouTube rabbit hole both last night and this. Last night it was Schubert's "Trout" Quintet and I watched it twice - it's one of my all-time favorites. So I was very late getting to bed and I didn't get enough sleep, so I didn't do anything.
Tonight it started out to be Schubert's Octet, which I've watched before, but then I remembered that the "Trout" always reminds me of "Death and the Maiden" so I watched that twice, too, once for the music (the video is overproduced and terrible) and once to see how the players actually look. And that led me to the Beaux Arts Trio (don't ask me how) and I just finished a Schubert Piano Trio that has to be from the middle '90s.
I'm having some problems with these videos, though, and I don't know whether it's where the microphones are placed, the fidelity of the stream or something with my ears, but I'm having a hard time hearing the highest notes of the violin. I don't think it's me, because when I stream audio or play CDs I don't have a problem. It's annoying, because I know those pieces well enough to know the notes are there and I can see the player playing them, but I can't hear them very well or at all.
Ah, well. I've been to very few concerts in my life and I've never been to a chamber music concert, so it's fun to watch the video. Most musicians must be showboaters and it's fun to watch the body language and facial expressions.
It was another warm, humid day and the smoke was so bad that it was dull and gray, at least until the sun started casting a sort of iridescent glitter path on the water late in the afternoon. Or that may have been an artifact of the camera - I forgot to look. The high temperature was 75º, but that was early, and it was in the low 70s for the rest of the day. There was a moderate north wind, which should have helped, except that it was quite humid.
Grayson was whacked out again. He did like his breakfast and he thought he wanted my dinner - he didn't get any. Otherwise, he slept stretched out.
So that's it and it's a warm, humid, smoky night in the field.
July 17 Ugh. This was a real lost day. I was a bit later than I have been, but I went right to sleep. I still woke up at 7 AM and 9:30 AM as usual - I don't know why I'm on that schedule. So I got up around 9:30. I didn't - and I still don't - feel very good for some reason, so nothing got done that I should have been doing.
The good news is that I finished the body of the shawl AND I finished the body of the cross stitch sampler! Now all I have left to do is the edging on each. The shawl will take some time. There are a couple hundred repeats of the edging. I said it's a big thing. A couple more sessions should finish the sampler, and I'm really glad about that. Now all I have to decide is what to do next and I probably have to hunt down my Q-Snaps again. They are like a hoop, except that they are square and made of PVC pipe. I like them because they are light and they don't mess up the fabric the way a hoop does. Anyway, now I can look forward to new projects. I'm not sure what I'll do after the shawl. I have some other shawls I'd like to do, but I may just pay attention to the socks for a while. It feels so good to have needles in my hands for a change!
The weather was medium warm and medium humid, no doubt one reason I don't feel very good. The high temperature was 78º, briefly, and there wasn't any wind. The humidity was in the 60s. It was OK as long as I sat quietly and didn't get agitated, but I do have a tendency to have hot flashes when it's that warm. There is a lot of smoke in the air again and the sky was dull and white all day long. Northern North America needs rain desperately, but so far we haven't had any. They keep promising some, but it never happens.
Grayson was hot. He liked his breakfast, but after that, he slept laid out on his side. It was too hot to sit on me, so he came and whined at me several times.
So that's all there was and now it's a warm, humid night in the field.
July 16 I was a bit later last night, and I had some trouble getting to sleep the first time. I hurt. My feet were bothering me and the ends of my toes were sore, as well as my knees and my shoulders... Eventually I did sleep and I was so sleepy for the rest of the night that I had to change my panties one time and my pad another time. i woke up around 9:30, but I didn't want to get up, so I didn't until around 10.
I knitted six rows and they went well, but they are rows with a lot of plain knitting. I'm into the last motif and I have 8 more rows to go - and all the edging, of course, and this is a big thing. It will be nice to get done with this. i also plugged away at the sampler, but I didn't stitch too long so I didn't make a lot of progress. I'm at a part where it's just fill-in motifs and it's slow going.
I started washing the load of slacks, but I didn't finish it and I didn't do anything much else. I had thrown the bag full of cat food boxes outside the door and I had to move that, because I asked Ron to bring my mail, but what I wanted didn't come and when I tracked the package tonight, it looks like it's stuck someplace down in Wisconsin, so I guess it won't come until next week.
Oh - i did get the check for the settlement on my car, which is a relief. Some time ago I discovered how to deposit checks electronically with my phone, which is extremely handy when the nearest branch of my bank is probably 400 miles away. I also got the check for the change in my car insurance, and that one has been accepted. I haven't heard about the big one yet.
The weather was nice. The official high temperature here was 82º, but I don't think it got that warm here. There was a breeze from the southwest that is coming in the south windows. I must get my remote temperature sensor outside, although I don't think it's very accurate. At any rate, the only time I got hot was at the end of making my dinner. It was clear and blue this morning, but by noon the smoke was moving in and the afternoon was dull and gray. I don't know if there will be a moon or stars tonight.
I think there was a critter in my bedroom this morning. At least while I was in the bathroom, I heard scuffling around and Grayson was going after something. He didn't catch it - I don't know where it went - but he was whacked out for the rest of the day and he slept outside the door to the office. After all, he's getting to be a geriatric cat. I'm just glad he will still go after the critters, Louie got so he ignored them.
So that was my lost day and now it's a dark night in the field.
July 15 Sigh. I went up to the north end around 10:30 last night with the idea of maybe getting to bed a bit earlier. I always update the camera and the weather sites on the phone before I go to bed, and when I updated the camera picture, the top half had broken up and it looked like it was hung. So I had to trundle back down to the office.
The camera was indeed hung, which i guess didn't surprise me. I've known since I had it that the driver has a data leak that screws it up every so often and it had been quite a while since I either rebooted or unplugged the camera. So I unplugged the camera and plugged it back in and so far it's all right. But then I had to see what Google had in the way of articles for me to read and there were some, so it was 11;30 before I finally got to bed.
I slept well and I got up around 9 AM. I decided that today was the day I was going to attack the purple shawl. IF you will recall, sometime last fall, I dropped a bunch of stitches and on the several occasions when I tried to fix them, i couldn't see well enough. This is the first - and last - lace project I have done in a very dark color, and it just isn't worth it, not to mention that this is about as difficult a pattern as I've ever done. Anyway, it was sunny and bright in the bathroom this morning and not only did I manage to get the stitches picked up so that they look OK, I knitted four rows. That was a bit more than I should have, although four rows is fine if that's all I have to do. I only have 14 more rows to go on the body of the shawl before I start the edging. I will try to do something every day and finally finish this thing. Ugh. I'm far enough along that I don't want to abandon it any longer, but I can't tell you how happy i will be to be done with it. No more dark colors!
I've been working away on the cross stitch sampler. I'm working a very large and complicated bush in the lower right corner. It has carnations, some other flowers and a whole lot of birds - all stylized, of course. When I finish that, there are only a few little spots and the rest of the border and I will be DONE with this thing! I found it enjoyable until I got down to the bottom corner, but lately it's been extremely boring, especially since I have three kits for roses and one cat that I would rather be working on. i just don't like to leave things undone, though, so I will finish it. Someplace in the basement, I have a chart for what would be a companion piece, but it will be a while before I want to contemplate anything else this big. Two of the roses are about 11" x 14", which isn't small, but they each have close to 50 colors, so they will be a challenge of a different sort. I don't think they are by Redouté, but they are in that style and they are really pretty. Stay tuned...
Last night , I washed the load of placemats and potholders I had been soaking and I put them in the dryer today. I have decided that the only way to fix the bad wrinkles in the slacks that had been on the counter all winter is to rewash them and I will try to do that tomorrow. If I can wash them, dry them and get them on hangers right away, the wrinkles should hang out. That was all I did.
The weather was nice. IT was clear and sunny all day and there wasn't any smoke to speak of. The high temperature was 70º and there was a very light north wind.
Grayson was around me all day. He sat on my lap for a while. I guess it was cool enough for him, but He didn't stay long. He got something he likes a lot for breakfast and while I was getting my dinner, he sat in the middle of the floor and stared at his bowls, because the canned food was all gone and so was the kibble he's been eating most of. Wow, how to be a pill!
So that was my day, and while it wasn't totally a loss, I didn't do anything that I should have been doing. Sigh. Now it's a clear, dark night in the field. There should be a moon and stars.
July 14 I was a little later last night, but I think i was in bed by 12:30. I slept well. I woke up around 9 AM or so, and I think it was because I thought I might get a call from the NP. Instead, I got a call from Debbie around 9:30. We didn't talk for very long, because she was at work, but I have a few more tasks to do before she gets here.
So I got up and didn't do anything for the rest of the day. i guess I'm still tired. Well - actually, I did do something. I got two calls from the NP's office, including a call back from yesterday. I now can go back to my former amount of my blood pressure pill. I also finally broke down and called Schwan's about the product that made me sick, so now they know about that. I got an appointment to see about my car A/C next Wednesday and I have to call the body shop and see if I can get my rear view mirror installed then. I have more to do tomorrow, but I was tired. I am tired.
The weather was blah, but mostly because it was very smoky - so smoky that this evening, I could smell the smoke. How sad that is. It never used to happen. Anyway, it made the day dull and gray. the high temperature was only 66º - I'm not complaining about that! - and the wind was under 10 mph from the north. It might even rain tonight - I doubt it - and that would be a good thing, since it would wash the smoke out of the air.
Grayson hung around me all day. He is so clingy and so vocal it hardly seems like the same cat that he was before Louie died, but hat seems to be a thing with cats.
So that's all there was and now it's a cool, cloudy night in the field.
July 13 I don't know exactly when I got to bed, but it was sometime between 11 and 11:30. Oh, did I sleep! I was only up twice, and I might have slept longer except that I got a spam call at 9:30. Obviously, those people not only ignore the do-not-call list, they ignore the rule that says no calls before 10 AM. It was all right, though.
It was a quiet day and I didn't do anything, I tried to talk to my NP's nurse, but she never called me back. Either she will wake me up tomorrow or I will call again.
The weather was so-so. The temperature eventually spiked to 78º - no wonder I kept having hot flashes - and here was hardly any wind. There weren't many clouds, but the smoke moved in and turned the sky white and eventually covered the sun.
Grayson slept outside the door of the office almost all afternoon. It was cooler there - it got pretty hot in the office - and he wanted to be close to me. Poor kitty, he is so clingy since he's been an only cat.
So it was a very quiet day, but I needed that, and now I'm going to try to get to bed at a reasonable hour tonight, too. It's a warm, dark night in the field, but the little moon is shining nicely in the west.
July 12 Ugh. I am tired. And hot.
Of course, I was later than I wanted to be last night. I think it was after 11 PM when I got to bed, because I had to take a bath and I haven't figured out how long that takes. I didn't sleep really well. I awoke in the middle of the night having had one of my recurring dreams that I haven't had in years, the one about this house, only it's a morphing house dream. It was actually all right - i did the right things before I woke up - but it disturbed my rest. I had to get up several times, the last one around 5:45, and I didn't really sleep before the alarm went off at 7. Ugh.
I was making good progress, and I thought I would be getting away at 10 like I wanted to, when I had an accident. It wasn't too bad, but I had to change my underwear, which took time, and then I realized I didn't have the phone number of the doctor's office in my phone, so I had to go back to the office and get it. I think it was 10:30 before I left, and that took time, because I couldn't get the garage door to go down.
The rest of the trip was fine. The car is working fine. I think it pulls to the right slightly, but it isn't something I have to fight. The problem was, the A/C. The temperature went up quickly to around 83º or so, which meant tht inside the car, it must have been at least 90º. There wasn't a lot of traffic in my direction until I got past MIchigamme, and mostly it was moving fairly well. There are all those traffic circles in Marquette (I STILL don't know what those idiot civil engineers think is good about those!). There is a boatload of road construction, including at least four bridges, where the road is down to one lane.
I made it early, which was good, because by the time I got into the building, I was so hot that I was not quite all with it. Some very nice people helped me, and one of the nurses from the nephrologist's' office happened to be going back to the office and she helped me into a wheel chair and into the bathroom. She also helped me get up. Now I know that what I really need to carry with me is a short tow strap to put around my waist to help me up from those extremely low toilets they seem to have in all medical facilities. I was coming to a boil by the time I got to the office. Evey piece of clothing I had on was wet and I had to ask for a towel to wipe my face.
The visit was short but nice. The doctor is pleased with how my vital signs are holding steady. My blood pressure is up, though, which concerns him. I think I will call my NP tomorrow and see if I can convince her to let me go back on a full dose of the one med.
it was early enough that I decided not to try to eat there. And besides, I had enough gas to get back to the gas station on the Indian reservation in Baraga, where they don't have to pay all the taxes. Their gas was only $2.889, whereas the going rate at all the regular stations is $3.099, so I saved several dollars. It was a little wierd, though. I know my tank was full because it was backing up a bit, but when I turned on the car, the gauge didn't go all the way full until I had driven several miles. Maybe the hot weather made it sluggish or something, or maybe it's just getting old. I think it's all right now.
I got home a but after 6 PM and I had to sit in the powder room for quite a while because the window was open there and there was a slight breeze. I had to sit some more because I wasn't hungry and I couldn't decide what to eat. I finally just did what I would usually do on Monday and it was all right. My legs are all right since i didn't spend much time on them.
The weather was sunny, although it was hazy, at least until mid-afternoon. The high temperature here was 82º and the wind was under 10 mph alll over the map. Over at Marquette, it apparently got to 84º, officially, but that's at the airport and I think it was hotter where I was. I don't know, because I couldn't see the thermometer in the car because of the glare and because I was trying to drive.
Grayson was upset when I left and he was very glad to see me when I got home. He wanted some of my dinner and he went away mad when I wouldn't give him any.
So that was my day. I see the doctor again on November 1 and maybe I can get Mary Ann to go with me then, I thought I could make it by myself, and obviously there were some hurdles I hadn't considered.
Now it's a warm, dark night in the field and I'm going to bed before I fall asleep right here.
July 11 Short one tonight. I wanted to be in bed by 10, but I'm not going to make it.
I was a bit later than I wanted to be last night, but I slept well and I got up around 10 AM. I diddled around a bit, but eventually I got our breakfast. I had an accident, so when I went up to the north end to change my bottoms, I stayed. I folded the last load of clothes I washed and put them away, and I discovered that my back wasn't the only thing that hurt. My left shoulder is very sore from all the motion of folding. Well, I should be doing my exercises every day anyway.
Oh, yes, and I picked up the scale and washed it off. I am going to put it in the bedroom near the bathroom door. It was in the way anyway and every so often, Grayson decided to pee on it. There is a spot beside the dresser where I have some things to hold onto and it will be out of the way there.
The weather was about the same. It was hazy and white - or gray - almost all day, with the smoke. The high temperature was 74º and there was almost no wind.
Grayson followed me around all day again. He got his very most favorite canned food, which he gets on Sundays, and when I was getting ready to make my dinner, he laid in the middle of the floor and stared at his kibble bowls until I filled them. I needed to do that anyway, and now I won't have to do it tomorrow.
So that's it. I figure I have to get up by 7 AM, no matter when I go to bed, because I have to leave by 10. My appointment isn't until 2 PM, but I don't want to be rushing around. Oh, how I wish Mary Ann could go with me! Well, I'll cope, one way or another. I think there is cell service most all of the way, so I'll be safe. I was thinking about taking some sandwiches, and I still might, but probably I won't, so I'll have to find a place to eat. I can probably go back to the one where we ate in March, but I'd like to find someplace else, if possible.
Now it's a warmish, calm, hazy night in the field.
July 10 It was a sort of weird day. I was a bit later last night, around 12:30, but I slept well and I got up around 10 AM. Then I went into zombie mode for a while, so I was late eating. Eventually, late in the afternoon, I actually did something.
I had three big washbaskets full of clean clothes, so I kicked them all into the closet and spent the next two hours or more folding. It's good aerobic exercise. I now have some tees and polos to wear and all the jeans except for the pair I have on are neatly folded and stacked. There is one more load of tops in the dryer and a load of placemats, kitchen towels and potholders in the washer. Was that gross! There was a while when I wasn't using a saucer with my cup and the placemats were full of tea and other stuff. I soaked them in Oxiclean and the water looked like latte. I think I will have to wash them over again to get the stains out.
Anyway, maybe it isn't what I should be doing, but at least I'm doing something. Actually it is something I needed to do. I was running out of clean tees and placemats, both of which are important. The next task on the clothing front is the bags that are full of black mold, and I'm not looking forward to that. I have to do something in the kitchen again, too, and probably figure out how to get some of the bags out.
Mary Ann called and she won't be able to go with me on Monday. I'm not happy about that, but I understand it. Her youngest son is getting married on Wednesday and she has a lot of relatives coming into town. Bill has been having problems again, too, so she wants to go with him when he sees the doctors. i'll make it, I'm sure, but it would be safer if I had somebody to go with me.
The weather was (is) getting warm again. The high temperature got to 79º and there was no wind. The NWS forecast said "haze" but it looked like smoke again to me. The sky was white and it got thick enough that there wasn't a lot of sunshine. I guess it's supposed to be better tomorrow.
Grayson followed me around and all the time I was in the closet, he was sleeping in the hallway outside the door. I find it surprising how much he's changed since he's an only cat.
So that was my day and I'm tired. One doesn't think much about what good aerobic exercise folding jeans is. Almost all my jeans (which are old) are very heavy all-cotton denim and they're heavy and stiff, even though they feel soft when i'm wearing them. The way I wash most of them, they are wadded up and half inside-out and it takes some effort to get them straightened out and flattened. And the tees need to be shaken and smoothed before they're folded. So my arms are tired. It's time to go to bed.
Now it's a warm, hazy (or cloudy?) night in the field.
July 9 I think I was in bed by 11:30 and I got up around 9, so I had a good night's sleep. Hope to do it again, but they're doing Beethoven's Choral Fantasy, and that's one of my faves.
I didn't do a lot, but I washed two loads of tops left over from last fall - or before. One is still in the washer, but now I will have a few more things to wear. Then it's a matter of dealing with the black mold. I also have about three washbaskets overflowing with stuff that needs to be folded and put away. Tomorrow.
It was another nice quiet day.
The weather was a bit warmer than yesterday. The high temperature was 74º and there a north wind that got up to 17 mph. It was clear and there wasn't any perceptible smoke in the air. It was a little more humid than i like and my knees were telling me about it, but maybe it was partly because I spent more time than usual on my feet.
Grayson is still clingy, but I guess that's just how he's going to be. He got a nice lap sit.
So that was all there was and now it's a clear, not very cool night in the field.
July 8 Aah, a nice quiet day!
I was in bed just shortly after midnight and I slept well. I was up around 9 AM, but I diddled around in the bathroom. I didn't do a lot, but I had some more bottoms to wash and I got all the underwear folded and put away. I still have a huge pile of clean wash to fold, but that will have to be tomorrow.
The weather is slowly warming up. Unfortunately, it will probably be hot on Monday, and I have no A/C, because the dealership couldn't get me in this week. The high temperature was 64º and there was little to no wind. I think there was some smoke in the air, but mostly the sky was clear and blue, if not very dark. The humidity is higher than I like, so my knees weren't doing very well.
Grayson was very clingy again and he slept on my lap twice before he got too hot (or whatever else) and jumped up and ran away. He was happy to have me home.
So that was a very quiet day, but at least I did something. It's a clear, calm night in the field.
July 7 I made it into bed before 1 AM, and I slept fairly well. After sleeping without any covers over the weekend, I pulled up the comforter last night and I was just the right temperature. Unfortunately, I woke up around 7:30, and I only dozed after that because I knew I wanted to get up around 9 AM. I did and I was able to move slow because I didn't have to make breakfast.
I got to the hospital a bit after noon and it was good that I did because there was a jam-up and I had to wait a while to get my blood draw - and then they wanted a urine sample, too. That isn't a problem, except getting off the pot, but I got the technician to stay in the restroom with me and he was able to help me up. I got to the radiology department at just about exactly when my appointment was, and there was my favorite technician, Anna. The test was the right one and she said she didn't understand why they wanted me to fast either. It only took about 15 minutes.
I stopped at Pat's because I was running out of JD and I picked up a few other things as well and then it was home. The car worked well, so I have no idea what happened yesterday. Maybe I ran over something in the road.
While I was gone, the claims person from the insurance company called, so even though it was around 4 PM before I got to the office, I called her back. It was about the settlement and I would say they are being very generous. She emailed me the form that said I wanted to buy the car back - they charge 18% of the blue book value. It took about two hours for the email to get here. I don't understand the internet. Anyway, I printed it, signed it, scanned it and sent it back to her, so one of these days I should be getting a nice check. Sigh. The Good Lord looks after me. I don't know if there will be enough to do the heat - that's the highest priority - but there will be enough to to pay my summer taxes with some left over.
I am going to take the advice of the body shop guy and not bother to get the body work done. I will have to take it back to get my rear view mirror, but I will just live with the scrapes and bent edges and the bent out running board. It's a Keweenaw car now.
IT's still cold. The high temperature did get to 61º late, but it was mostly a few degrees cooler. The wind was from the north, mostly, but it was under 5 mph. It started out clear, then there were a few clouds, and it sort of clouded up for a while. I think it's clear again now. The smoke seems to be gone, which is nice. It's nice to see blue skies again.
Grayson was somewhere else when I left, but he came around when I got home and he got on my lap and went to sleep for a few minutes. He was back a couple more times. I think I was right that he wasn't sitting on me when it was so hot because he would have overheated. He wanted my dinner, too, but he didn't get any. I essentially ate one meal today, so I needed everything.
Oh - the results. My potassium is down a bit but still in the normal range, and my kidney function numbers are stable, just about where they've been for the past 20 years. They didn't find anything in the urine or in a fast look at the ultrasound. I was wondering about that, because my left kidney is just about where I've had what I thought was a muscle pain for several months. I guess it is muscular. I was surprised by how small my kidneys are - around 4" long, but I guess there isn't that much room in there.
Now it's a cold, clear night in the field...and I'm tired.
July 6 I was about to go up to the north end when I realized something had happened to the web page that displays the camera. The camera had hung up and I got that fixed, but the web page still displayed the earlier picture and uploading a new one didn't change what was being displayed. So after i ascertained that the pictures were being uploaded , I had to copy the livecam page in order to get it to display properly. Sorry if you were confused for a while. I was, too. I have no clue what happened.
I wasn't too late getting to bed, but I didn't sleep very well and I got up earlier than I wanted to. It didn't matter. We didn't start to town until after noon.
I have my car back and I guess it's all right. They bent the running board back into position for me so that I can get in. On the way home, I went around a curve and something started rubbing somewhere on the front end. I was going to turn around at the lower end of Cliff Drive, but when I turned off and got off the road, the noise went away and didn't come back, so I guess it's OK. I have to take it back, maybe next week sometime, to get the rear view mirror changed out and I will ask them about it, but it's drivable. I had some hints that it might still be pulling to the right a bit, but that could - and probably is - because of the road, not the alignment. Anyway, it's good to have my wheels in my garage again. I now have one new (old) wheel and two nearly new tires, so I won't have to get new tires until at least next year. The left side is scraped up, but it isn't nearly as bad as I thought it was. I hate to drive a car with damage, but I think I have other, more important places for any money the insurance company pays me. Like taxes. Or heat. We'll see.
I stopped and got gas on my way home and the discount I thought had expired hadn't, so I got 70¢ a gallon off the first 15 gallons. I won't argue with that. Gas has still gotten ridiculously expensive again, although here the going rate is $3.099, which I guess is a bit lower than average.
So I'm poor but I have a usable vehicle.
The weather turned cold and cloudy, but except for a few drops, there was no rain. The temperature was nearly steady at 57º and the wind was under 10 mph from the north. It was cloudy and dull all day long. I guess i'll take that rather than the heat.
Grayson will, too. After I got home, he sat on my lap twice and got a thorough petting, which seemed to make him happy. The ants got into his canned food yesterday, but not today, so I don't know what's going on there.
Tomorrow I have my ultrasound. The more I think about it, the more I wonder if maybe I'm getting the wrong test, but I'll discuss that with them tomorrow. I have to fast, so I should be able to get enough sleep. I was going to take a bath, but I'm clean, so I think I will go to bed instead.
It's a cold (for midsummer) cloudy night in the field.
July 5 The fireworks were very nice but only about 20 minutes long, which is shorter than I remember. I suppose it's because the cost has gone up so much - the story of our lives. There was at least one that looked like the outline of a heart from my vantage, and during the finale, I swear i saw "10" in lights. Weather conditions were good enough that there were only a couple of duds and rockets that didn't go high enough. Nice.
I took my time going to bed, but I was much earlier than usual, so of course, I had a hard time getting to sleep. One difficulty I had was that it was hot - or I was hot - but my feet were cold. It was so hot in the bedroom that I opened the northern most front window, but there wasn't much of a breeze. Well, tomorrow they're saying the temperature won't even get to 60º and it will rain. Ugh.
Today I got the best news I've had in a while. My car is messed up but fine. They were able to align the front end without any problems or parts. It isn't back at the body shop yet, but I should be able to get it tomorrow. The left side is ugly, but at least I will have wheels again. As Ron said, most people in Copper Harbor have damage to their vehicles, so now i'll fit right in. The body shop is being very nice. Now we all have to wait to see what the insurance company does. IT would not surprise me if they cancel that policy, too, after they pay out. I doubt if the net will be enough to replace the fender and two doors on the left side, but maybe I can find another use for the cash (queasy laugh). The body shop is looking around the junkyards to try to find me another wheel and maybe a tire to replace the one that was destroyed. I hope they can do that. I don't need a spare a lot, but I have used it a couple of times in the past 20 years.
I didn't do anything else, of course. I had my first accident in several days, but I didn't have time to do any wash. Tomorrow and Wednesday will be busy, and I'm thinking about seeing if I can actually get in to the dealership to get my A/C checked out. With the weather running warm, I may need that on my trip to Marquette, where it's almost always warmer.
The weather today was much warmer than they had predicted. The thunderstorms last night were out over the lake - it didn't rain here - and it was kind of neat to be watching the fireworks and the lightning out to the north. Most of the lightning was so far away that I couldn't hear the thunder. The high today was 84º and only a brisk north wind, with guss up to 24 mph, kept it from getting warmer. The sky is still white and in the afternoon, the smoke got very thick overhead and I could even smell it in the wind. I think everyone is hoping that if it does rain tomorrow, it will clean the skies at least for a while. if there are so many fires burning now - and there are, even in the midwest - I can't imagine what the rest of the summer will be like. So sad. And no stars.
Grayson was zonked out again. He didn't get all his canned food because the ants are back, for some reason. I will have to put down the rest of my ant traps, even though they are supposed to be good fur 3 months. He spent some time sitting in the east window of the office, where he could catch at least a little breeze.
So that was my day, and I guess I can say it was a nice one. The news about the car is some of the best I've had in months, so now I can go forward. Maybe the worst is over.
Now it's a hot, dark night in the field.
July 4 - Independence Day I hope you've been having a lovely day. I want to do this rather early because I want to be up at the north end when the fireworks start. Yes, we are having fireworks, and we even had a parade, courtesy of Johanna (long story).
I wasn't quite as late getting to bed as i have been and I slept with only one wakeup. Then I did nothing for too long before I finally got my bath. And when I finished making my dinner, I needed another one. Sigh.
It was a hot day. The high temperature was 88º, apparently between 2 and 3 PM. I was sitting in the bathroom then and I didn't want to move. There was some breeze, thankfully, or it would have been even hotter. The temperature peaked when the wind was shifting around from the north to the southwest. It goes calm when that's happening and it gets much hotter. Now the wind is from the west, not very strong, and the temperature is down to 75º, a welcome relief. It wasn't quite as smoky, and there was a lot of sunshine early in the day although the sky is still white, and some clouds moved in later on. They keep saying we could have thunderstorms.
Grayson does not like this weather, even more than I don't. He ate his dinner, something he really liked, but he didn't even ask for mine. I think he's probably lying in the bathroom on the tile, which is cooler.
So it was a very quiet day and I hope to get to bed as soon as the fireworks are over. It's a warm, cloudy night in the field.
July 3 I was very late again and I didn't wake up at all, which was remarkable. I didn't get nearly enough sleep and I didn't do anything. I hope not to be too late tonight, because I have to take a shower. It was hot.
It was hot. Well - hot for Copper Harbor. The high temperature was 83º. For most of the day there was a nice wind from the north, around 15 mph, that made it more or less tolerable, but that dropped off around the time I ate dinner and I was sweating. It could have been clear, but we have so much smoke in the air that it looked almost like fog. There are a lot of fires in western Ontario as well as Saskatchewan and Manitoba and the smoke is drifting over the lake. They seem to think it will be better tomorrow, but I doubt it. As long as the wind is from the west or northwest, we're going to get it.
Grayson didn't like the heat so he slept.
Something happened to my internet connection early in the afternoon and it was so slow I doubt I could have streamed music, but I called them about it and it cleared up fast. I know, I'm spoiled, but even my "fast" internet is only around 14 mbps, which I guess is only about half what the rest of the world thinks is the minimum. Downloading pictures is particularly hard when it's so slow. At least it seems all right now.
And that's all there is. I'm really tired tonight, but I need that bath. We'll see if I get it. It's a dark, smoky night in the field.
July 2 Well, that was unpleasant. I diddled around until it was very late and I was so tired I was falling asleep in the bathroom, but when I got to bed, i couldn't go to sleep. My feet, and I guess the rest of me, too, were cold. After an hour or so I felt something in my gut, so I got up.
Well. I sat down in the bathroom at rOZ and finally went back to bed at ZOr. I look at the clock reflected in the shower door and I've discovered that those LED numbers frequently spell words when they're reversed. Anyway, that was two hours. After about an hour, I decided it behooved me to get the barf bucket and shortly, I had to use it, and it wasn't until I had emptied what little was left in my stomach that I finally felt free enough of the cramps to go back to bed. Pretty clearly, I had a touch of food poisoning, I guess from what I ate for dinner, which was from Schwan's. I will wait until Tuesday, but I am thinking about reporting it to them. I won't eat the rest of it. When I looked at the box, it doesn't have any batch number on it, like most Schwan's stuff does, which is odd. Everything else I ate was stuff I've eaten before with no problems.
When I finally got back to bed, I pulled up the comforter and then I was warm enough that I slept, but I was up briefly one more time - no more cramps - before I finally got up.
So I was really late and I didn't do anything again. Ron came with the mail and the two packages that were delivered there. I now have a new sheet blanket, so I guess I'll be changing the bed one of these days. The other package had, besides some Assam tea, some things to hold hangers vertically. I'd used them before but I didn't bring them with me, and with the stuff I brought down from upstairs, I will need them. I don't have much hanger space in the closet at all. And I got some bumper things for door handles. The mirror in the closet is behind the door and the handle bumps the mirror every time the door is opened. The door has a stopper in the hinge, but the rubber tip dried out and fell off and it doesn't work anymore. I got some things that stick onto the wall (or mirror) and cushion the handle so there isn't any danger of breaking the mirror anymore. The guys who did the dry-out put some of my boxes behind the door to make sure it wouldn't hit the mirror, but that isn't a good solution. I think this is. I think I can probably find another place or two to use them, too.
The weather was marginally warmer and sunnier than yesterday. The high temperature was 73º and the wind was alternately nearly calm and gusting to 25 mph. It has switched around to the northwest now. It was clear and lovely this morning, but it got dull and gray by afternoon. There were some clouds, but it seems that the real problem is all the forest fires up in British Columbia that are sending their smoke over us. It's really thick and it's covering the sun. I suppose we just have to live with this for the summer.
Grayson was his usual self.
So that was my lost day and now it's a dark, smoke-filled night in the field.
July 1 I just sat last night, so I was very late. I slept well, and the phone woke me up after noon. It was the adjuster calling about the car, so I sent him off to the body shop, but I decided it was probably time go get up. As usual, I diddled around long enough that I didn't do anything.
I did finally get to talk to the insurance agent. The pool has rejected my application because there is unrepaired damage, which really makes me angry, since it isn't a lot of damage and it certainly isn't impacting the soundness of the house. The agent has tried it a different way and I will try to get things cleaned up to satisfy the builder, although he may be busy with other things now. Oh, sigh.
The weather was cool but clear. The high was only 61º and there wasn't much, if any, wind. We didn't have any more fog, although it's still very humid. What the weekend looks like depends upon who you believe, but the NWS forecast, which has the high temperature on Sunday at 92º, is for the entire Copper Country and the lake usually keeps it cooler here. It is expected to be somewhat less humid than it has been this week. I hope so. It hasn't been comfortable, even though the temperature hasn't been that high. Whether or not it will rain on Monday again depends upon who you believe, but it doesn't seem too likely. I would have thought that on Tuesday, though, and boy, did it rain! Anyway, I guess hot but relatively dry is better than cold and sleet or impenetrable fog, both of which I've seen on the Fourth.
Grayson is still clingy, and he slept on my lap for quite a while this afternoon. He also told me when the FedEx guy came with my pills. Unlike some cats I've had, when he hears noises, he runs toward them. I'm glad he's content to be an indoor cat these days. Curiosity, you know.
So that was a mercifully quiet day and now it's a clear - or partly clear - cool night in the field. And we're into the second half of the year. Sigh.
Last updated 09/01/21 11:24 PM Copyright S. I. Smith, 2000-2021
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