I hope so anyway. Ron was out there yesterday cutting away: stout heart.
I did some indoor chopping: carrots, kale, turnips. Apples for pie. Cheddar biscuits. Gourmet vegetarian meal with hollandaise.
Ron brought home wine and seltzer.
Touched up the baseboard in the third bedroom.
Did something to my right neck and shoulder. They’re loosening up.
I determined that the water pipe to the town line is not lead.
Set up wreathes, candles and the little Christmas tree.
Ground was still soft enough, so we were able to hammer in stakes and plastic wrap in front of the front and back bushes. Don’t know if they’ll hold or even if it matters, but figured it was worth a try. The big stapler loves me but refuses to work for Ron.
Stopped by the Senior Center to wish everyone a good Thanksgiving. Went to the Berkshire Food Project for lunch and groceries. Stopped at S&S for butter, canola oil, liners and “used” scones.
Ron was atwitter about checking account debits that he didn’t recognize. Turns out these were deducted for four months before he noticed them. I think I cancelled his account successfully and was able to take a screen shot of the confirmation. Emailed a copy to both of us. I found an invite from this same group to me in July which I ignored.
Checked the oil (still 1/4 tank) and found a big roll of visqueen in the basement.
First PT session today, went well.
Ron missed another appointment with his eye doctor, couldn’t find the office.
Picked up the book of construction project photos.
We put stakes and plastic covering around the front bushes.
I picked up CSA produce; Ron brought home Russell Stover!
Heard from Betsy.
Talked with Robert!
It’s been snowing since around 5 pm and accumulating on our street. Just saw two cars making their way slowly up the hill: feeling for anyone on the roads tonight.
Giving up on local hardware stores, we picked up plant stakes and some hardware – hooks and hangars – at Home Depot.
Ron wanted to stop for food on the way back at Tammy’s Candy Kettle. We enjoyed their corn chowder; their battered onion rings are incomparable.
Unfortunately, he decided he had to have a vintage mug for what turns out to be double the price online.
This morning, he woke up all aflutter because he thought the lady cheated him. As it turns out, we could justify the cost of the food but not the mug which in fact is Robin Hood and not a pirate.
I was able to book an appointment with a local plumbing company for next week.
Installed the two hooks in the upstairs bathroom. Hung a painting there, too.
Heard from Peter, the boys are not traveling this holiday.
Had a little book made at Walgreen’s of James’ photos of the construction project.
Paid the old oil company for the service call that was my “mind like steel mesh” blunder. In fairness to me, it was partially caused by someone’s painting over the “Off/On” labels on the thermostat so that they were invisible.
Got partly squared away with Power Sports thanks to Joe.
This afternoon, Ron and I cleared the flower bed next to the driveway. We filled three leaf bags. Not sure how much more I want to do besides stakes and burlap.
Sent $25 each to Robert and James for Thanksgiving.
Plumber – very expensive – seems to have solved the upstairs shower missing vent problem.
My leg is a little better but still hurting.
Ron mowed yesterday, which should be the last for this year.
Oil company removed the old tank.
I registered us at the Food Pantry, got produce and canned and boxed goods. Shared with Linnea when I picked up our lunches at the Senior Center. Bought peanut butter and proper toilet paper at Stop & Shop.
Using the crutches that were in the garage. Better than canes.
Made soup.
I’ve been suffering since the tree walk; won’t do that again.
Bitter cold yesterday morning but warmed up nicely. Snow last night, a dusting, already melted.
Our next door neighbor invited me to tour her house. I was told ours was similar so hoped to get an idea of what our original layout was. Of course, I’m inept with third dimensional visualization but think half of our living room used to be their dining room.
I think the kitchen is pretty much the same. They have a room to the right off the kitchen which is probably similar to our pantry. They have a dining room to the left, which is nice. Their living room, which faces our house, is an add-on.
Ron stained the railing yesterday and did a good job, although this morning he pointed out a problem which he’d missed.
Having found his missing wallet, he’s off to do errands.
I managed to find a plumber to troubleshoot our shower problem. He made a great deal of sense on the phone. I sent him several photos.
The J’s will be here on Friday to paint. My leg is better today and I don’t want to mess it up again.
Made an appointment for physical therapy next month. The orthopedics office sent a referral immediately.
I thought yesterday was Sunday so changed the sheets and showed up at Tourists for a Tree Walk. Yesterday was Saturday but the walk was today. Perfect weather and it was a mile or less but I am very sore tonight.
Loaded five adoption standup routine links to Bastard Nation’s FB page. A couple of people have actually liked them.
“When you grow up as an adoptee, you have no genetic mirror of who you are. So you create a false sense of self. You try to fit and blend in with a family who doesn’t look like you, who does not act like you, but yet you feel obliged to be like in some way.”
Liz Harvie, author, Unspoken
Nice Saturday afternoon.
I’d attended a CompSci lecture on LLMs on Friday evening, so it was easy to park. Ron drove me to a follow-on by the same visiting professor on Saturday. Afterwards, we went to Spoon for frozen yogurt and almond croissants.
I’ve been nervous about running out of oil. Left a message for Preite and found they’d switched tanks by the time we got home. Outstanding!
At some point, I cleared leaves off the deck with the blower – much better than attempting to sweep.
I’d baked a lemon poppyseed loaf earlier in the week and made a pot of lentil curry soup.
Decorated a Pepperidge Farm chocolate cake to celebrate the little boys’ good reports from school.
Ordered burlap and stakes from Tractor Supply to protect the bushes back and front.
In a lot of shoulder pain earlier this week. Felt like I’d been stretched on the rack. Ron thinks it was from moving the credenza in the living room.
Williams College students continue to amaze me with their kindness. Same with the facilities: meticulous, first rate. It’s like living in a dream.
Pro-choice referenda passed overwhelmingly across the country this past Tuesday. So, of course, the right wing misogynists are plotting to overturn them.
Meanwhile, the new House speaker has posted a Christian nationalist flag outside his office.
I was dreading running out of oil over the weekend, but the furnace kept going. Now that the work week has started we’ll have a better chance of getting someone here to switch to the new tank. It looks like something we’d be able to do ourselves, actually.
We changed the sheets. I picked up rubber gloves and rags at Carr’s, lunches at the Senior Center, groceries at Stop & Shop. We had vegetables with cheese and avocado on wheat sub rolls for lunch.
Checked the furnace air filters, they look okay.
Ron’s been in tough shape today. Cutting back on his pain meds has caught up with him, so he went back on his regular dose.
According to the map of our neighborhood, the woods behind our house are part of a 3-acre property with a May Street address.