TheCapeBlog

Ron found a hole in the closet floor that looks like the entry point for the mouse we saw yesterday. He is tackling the carpentry side of patching. Hoping the electrician will be here Friday afternoon to remove the live outlet so that can be patched as well.

Hoping for gutter measurements tomorrow for Spring installation.

Ron brought the 40+ plastic flower pots and other recyclables to the transfer station. He cut wood for the closet baseboard.

I pulled dead stems and roots out of the aster pots, finally.

Ron accomplished a major project yesterday that he’s been mulling over for at least a year. He cleared the rear garage gutter and installed the gutter guards we bought at Home Depot a couple of weeks ago. It looks great, but he is still fussing with it.

He plans to do the same to the front gutter tomorrow. Install and fuss afterwards.

I washed out dozens of flower pots that have accumulated since I started gardening here and plan to recycle them tomorrow. It was awful work, wet, cold and messy. It was mild enough – fifties – that I could work without a jacket, though, which made things easier.

I took a break partway through to make and eat a not very wonderful lunch: pasta with sauce and veg burgers. The sauce was bland. I added sugar and Italian seasoning to improve the leftovers.

This evening we saw a mouse in the living room and set out traps.

I’ve had run-ins everywhere due to “keeping proper place” issues. I like hearing other opinions and ideas if they are backed up intelligently. Apparently not everyone feels the same way. Especially those who are “in authority”, either official or implied.

I also don’t like to be ordered around by dictators, appointed or otherwise. I’m loyal to a fault to a boss or manager I respect, but lose my respect or fail to gain it, don’t expect the same.

Ron had another accident this morning.

Our traps caught a second mouse in the cellar.

Huge electric bill this last cycle. Space heaters?

Checked in with next door as requested; they are fine.

Ron made pancakes for lunch. We had cheese and sweet and sour cabbage sandwiches for supper. Not a culinary highlight.

I’ve done not much but fulminate today. Returned borrowed items to the library and briefly attended a perfectly awful concert at Williams College.

We dug up a large rock next to the rear shed. It was fun.

Set up four new traps, three in the cellar, one in the garage and two old ones in the kitchen. Already caught a mouse in the cellar.

Ron started work on the gutters.

I cleaned up some loose driveway material in the street. Tried removing leaves from the front gutter but it was too painful and I hurt for most of the day afterwards.

Boys came over to use the driveway. Gave them grapes for a snack. Looked for a fishing net for them, didn’t find one.

Made a “scramble” for lunch with leftovers: greens, corn, black and refried beans, tomato and enchilada sauces, cheese. Enough for at least three meals, so froze most of it. Tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches for supper.

Tried to watch “The Big Lebowski”. It helped to “chill” for a while, feeling much better.

I planted 25 daff bulbs yesterday in the corner and center gardens. Measured, cut and installed wire cloth in the center garden.

Ron did a massive cleanup of fence detritus. I helped by raking. He started mowing up the last leaves, hoped to finish this afternoon. Unfortunately, the lawnmower didn’t start. So, we ended up raking the rest. It went fast. We topped off a bag.

Meanwhile, I’ve been going over our finances for the next 5 days. A break: homeowners premiums aren’t due until December. We did take a break from house stuff, went to the Log Lunch and heard a presentation by a Mass. Dept. of Agriculture person.

I’m thinking about ordering gutters for the rest of the house before the tariffs kick in. We might get an estimate next week.

It’s 3:31 am. I’ve been up since 1 or so with stomach pain.

I tried Pepto, ice, baking soda and a slice of bread. A small handful (less than the maximum permitted) of pseudo-Tums seems to have helped.

Didn’t do much today besides figure out how to pay for the latest home improvements and attend the writers workshop. Small group.

Ron picked up his meds at Walmart. I put together rice and leftovers for lunch and pizza for supper.

Turned it back on around 7.

We did a lot of yardwork yesterday. I cleaned up the left side yard and both of us worked on the front. Ron used the leaf blower to clear around the Rose of Sharon and the low-lying juniper, the boxwood and arborvitae and the lawn. Filled eight bags.

Today I visited the Salvation Army to get the ball rolling on their Neighbor to Neighbor program. I also picked up groceries at Stop and Shop and dropped by State to see Alyssa.

Ron brought multiple leaf bags to the transfer station. I dug up the grass that invaded the low growing juniper, mulched and pulled dried stems from the base of the Rose of Sharon.

A new HVAC expert I found online did a thorough exam of the furnace and found nothing wrong. In fact, he praised the cleaning done by our oil man last Spring. He replaced the controller in the hope it’ll be more reliable and provide more info if the furnace stops again.

He assured us that we don’t need to consider replacing the furnace.

So this year we added a mini-split, a paved driveway, solar, had the garage roof fixed, replaced the frig and the furnace controller, removed the dangerous pile of cement blocks in the bulkhead and installed a gorgeous set of cement stairs.

Ron realized yesterday that he’d lost his iPhone. FindMyPhone located it this morning at Aubuchon.

We went to the Harvest Fair at Sweetwood yesterday and bought some homemade goods, sweet and sour cabbage and cherry preserves.

I did some garden cleanup.

We cooked and/or prepped two multi-part entrees. Always a lot of chopping and cleanup, which fell to Ron.

We woke up around quarter of two this morning, staggered downstairs in the cold: the furnace was off again. I went back to bed, powered it back on this morning after seven. Ron had microwaved thermal socks but left them in WAY too long so he couldn’t put them on.

We changed the sheets. Ron went to Aubuchon for his phone and dropped off film to Walgreens.

For lunch, we combined white beans, fresh tomatoes, sauteed mushrooms and yesterday’s prep: delicata squash, onion, carrots seasoned with garlic powder, sage and oregano. I made a no-bake cheesecake. Ron volunteered once again for cleanup.

I dug up a number of Goldenrod from the garden next to the deck. It was awkward working on the slope. Did about an hour of Fall cleanup.

We did get to the jazz combos concert at Williams College last night and thoroughly enjoyed it.

This morning I dropped in on a lecture about bullying at the Senior Center. Didn’t stay because I (and others) couldn’t hear the discussion and the chairs were way too close together. It also was geared to the residential community rather than Williamstown.

Feeling fine today.

Mailed Ron’s enrollment form for Legal expense benefits.

Went to Stop & Shop for a few items that Ron forgot yesterday.

Ron and I went to Bennington for gutter covers. I bought a can opener at Walmart while he had his hair cut at Super Cuts.

Got home in time to throw together a pot of chili and steamed greens before the Williams College jazz orchestra performance.

The concert was mind-blowing.

Woke up at 5. Tried everything – omeprazole, pepto, baking soda, alka seltzer, ice – was still hurting six hours later.

Ron heated up some soup for lunch. Drank some oat nog. Fingers crossed.

Fortunately, I have no chores today. Hoping we can make a jazz combo concert this evening at Williams College.

Weather has been exceptional: mild with no wind.

With the leaves gone, we have our obstructed mountain views back.

We stopped by the Bike Exchange last evening. They were closing early but stayed open long enough to let Ron see the Schwinn that interested me. We were invited to make an appointment to see it before the next open house in December.