Reports

 First the snow report; it snowed twice maybe three times and this is what we have.  Granted some might have blown away.

Not much to complain about!

I am wearing my snow boots now...just too cold for Crocs even with socks.

Far Guy has one more radiation treatment on Tuesday.  Monday's appointment had a little glitch...as we have to see the surgeon again as a troublesome spot has appeared on his incision.  Is it a radiation burn?  A pocket of fat?  A stitch?  Something to worry about?  Something not to worry about?   The Radiation Oncologist says he is going to err on the side of caution and recommends that he see the surgeon. Needless to say Far Guy is discouraged. 

 I refuse to be discouraged until I know exactly what to be discouraged about.  What is one more appointment anyway...it is what we do. 

Far Side

Saturday Stuff

 It was an alarming day first thing in the morning, the sump pump alarm was going off so we hollered for help from Andy.  Nothing like being awake at o dark thirty.   I think we are all struggling with the time change...Sadie too. 

We relaxed and napped during the day. We watched  the movie Hey God Its me Margaret.  A very enjoyable movie.  Far Guy even laughed a few times. 

We need the weekend to rest up for the radiation treatments next week.  Five down fifteen to go.  So far no huge side effects from the radiation, he uses a special radiation cream a number of times during the day.  His Doctor suggested a new med to help with his anxiety...well that was not a good idea because the side effects were horrid.  Hopefully we have him back on track again for a bit with his meds. 

I started a new hoodie/ scarf with pockets for Cee Cee...she and her brother both had requests for me. Hey Mikey wants a green and white striped scarf with fringe AND both said make us mittens...so I am going to try to knit some mittens.  It will be an adventure. I have attempted crochet mittens but just don't like how they turn out....so knitting it is....I believe I recall attempting to knit some about 40 years ago. 

Here is a photo of Sadie...I played with removing the background...as the other three people in the photo were not looking at me. 

As you can see she is one beauty of a dog!

As we made supper...Tacos and Far Guy's Italian Sausage, Chili with no beans, philly cream cheese and velveeta cheese dip  we noticed strange white things in the air outside floating past the windows. 

Far Side

Getting Ready

 For Winter.  There is no doubt that Winter will come to Minnesota sooner or later.  Yesterday we pre bought all the propane for our furnace and fireplace for the Winter.   Check that off our list.  The pre buy program works well for us, we know up front what the cost will be for the whole year.  We usually order more than we use ( just in case it is extremely cold Winter) so they carry over the credit.  Last year it cost $904 to heat our home for the year. We think that is very reasonable.  We never have to call for fills either as the gas company monitors the tank. ( I don't have to traipse back there to check the levels and then call them.)  We usually keep our thermostat at 74 degrees during the Winter, if we are gone we turn it down to 70.  We do not like being cold. 

We are both anxious to hear what the Oncologist has to say at the end of the week.  We will be happy when the next battle plan is in place.  We both want to move along on this fight with Cancer...we want to win the battles and eventually the war!  Being patient is hard...and being THE patient is even harder. 

Yesterday I was busy all day except for a restful reading, watching TV nap time.  Laundry and some cleaning was calling my name.  Far Guy did some woodcarving. 

Supper was left overs in the fridge! 

Minnesota weather: High was 68F or 20C Low was 50F or 10C eh!  There were freeze warnings for way Northern Minnesota.

A huge snow drift at my parents home a few years ago. Photos found on my Mom's SD cards.

Here is my Dad walking back from the bird feeders after someone had snow blowed a trail for him.

It has been a number of years since we have seen that amount of snow. 

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re check and snow

 We are traveling for Far Guy's Doctor appointment with his Pulmonary Doctor, it is a recheck after he was in the hospital.  They are keeping a close eye on him.  He still has a cough and is still losing weight. 

Snow in the trees. 

Must have been about 9 or 10 inches all together.  Now it can melt.

Photo taken Thursday morning...April 3.

Far Side

Pretty Branches

 We enjoyed the bit of snow on the Balsam Fir branches.

The snow makes for interesting designs in the woods. 

Today we both have Doctor appointments.  Nothing exciting just regular check ups.

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Ranger Blue

 Far Guy got Ranger Blue out of the garage and we went for a ride. 

It snowed.  Not much maybe an inch of snow but there is some ice under that snow so it must have rained first. 

Fun to be back on the trails again.

The road home.  

It was fun to get out and about...we didn't see anyone else while we were out...no people, no traffic, no dogs. 

Sunday was a quiet day...Naan Bread Pizza was for supper. 

Far Side

Quiet Day

 I had a quiet day, I slept late, did some laundry and cleaned the bathroom.  Far Guy and Jen ran errands.  For supper I had vegetable beef soup and Far Guy and Jen had Thai Chicken and Zucchini. 

My pain might be a little less at times...I am hopeful.

About supper time it began to snow.  We are supposed to get a few inches and then it will blow around. 

 The dirty snow is all covered up!  

Far Side

Puzzling and a few movies

 This puzzle was hard.  Never again will I buy a puzzle with so many dark pieces...it was a struggle...but it is finally done. 

The next puzzle has flowers and a couple of dogs...maybe it will feel like Spring instead of Winter.

It snowed here yesterday a couple of inches. 

This week I watched three good movies.  A Dog's Purpose, Carryon, and Jerry and Marge Go Large ( a true story).  All great movies and well worth the watch. 

Presently my crochet project has a few glitches to work out, so it is still in process.

Far Side

a little snow

 It warmed up enough to gift us with some very fine snow on top of the ice.  

Thank goodness for my other baby brother, he brought over a load of sand with his skid-steer and covered the wide icy path to the garage.  Now the new snow covers the sand but at least it is not a treacherous path anymore. 

The snow is so tiny it is hard to see in the photos.  We are headed into the deep freeze for a couple of days now. 

I am making lists and checking them multiple times.  Plus the normal laundry, cleaning and all the other fun stuff around here. 

Pain: Is somewhat less at times, but still there.  

Christmas card report:  12 more on the final dry time so the total is now 107.  I am seeing the light at the end of the tunnel and hope it is not a train coming. 

Far Side

A little progress

 I am busy between household duties; laundry, organizing, not much cooking, selling "stuff" on Facebook and creating the Christmas cards.  I ordered the paper for the Christmas letter and ordered a gift for Far Guy and one for myself.  Progress.

I didn't have to shovel the snow that fell...about an inch maybe a bit more...my other baby brother came by and blew it off the walk and the patio!  The snow came down gently in huge flakes ...Far Guy's sister would have called it a Winter Wonderland. 

Christmas Card report only 9 completed today...total 19. 

Far Side

Happenings

 Not too much snow left yet. 

June the snow bank is barely hanging in there.

Far Guy had blood tests and a chest x ray.  No pneumonia although his white blood count is up, after two days trying to get a script to the correct pharmacy I recalled a bottle that had a fill left on it.  Who knows when or if the script will get to the correct pharmacy.  No one does their job anymore.  Anyways...I am trying my best to keep Far Guy out of the hospital. 

My other baby brother called Wednesday morning, our brother in law Dean was in an accident and life flighted out to St Cloud and the puppy Lolli was with the Highway Patrol.  We went to the scene of the accident to get the puppy. We found out later that Dean has a broken sternum.  I took Lolli and gave her a quick exam...she seemed okay...everything worked.  I dropped her off at my baby brothers, he has Baxter and dog food.  He discovered a small spot near Lolli's anus after she pooped...he took her to the Vet and she has a rectal bruise. Poor puppy.  My baby brother and his bride, Baxter and Lolli went to St Cloud to see how Dean and my sister were doing.  My sister Julie was on her way to work at a Regional Office in Thief River Falls when she got the phone call about the accident....so she had a really long drive.  We are thankful that Dean will be okay eventually, he will have pain for a really long time. 

Far Side

Looking out

 We went from brown and slightly green to white overnight.

Looking out the computer room window.

Out the kitchen windows.

Yes it was bound to happen sooner or later. 

I did not go out...Andy did and he said the roads were awful.  The wind blew most of the day, in the country there were white out conditions.  Interstate 29 was closed from Fargo to Canada.

FYI  A low pressure system moving into the area is the pits for arthritis.   It was a rough day. 

Far Side

Snow on Sunday

 We got a tiny bit of snow.  Nothing that amounts to much. 

Not even shovel worthy.

If we get no snow this Winter we can thank/blame by other baby brother as he bought some expensive snow removal equipment.  He wants it to snow everyday!   He wanted nice weather through Thanksgiving and now it can snow!

Far Side

Time goes on

 Yesterday Far Guy and I put up some No Trespassing signs and we went to recycle. AND just like that the day was over.  Pretty soon the day will be over before we drag ourselves out of bed. 

There was some snow in the air yesterday...if you look real hard you can see some of the glorious white stuff amongst the leaves.  It probably wasn't enough to be called a second snow.

Ranger Blue needs a new battery...so that is a project for today.  I hear it will cost just one arm and one leg or 69 skeins of my favorite yarn.

Far Side

Digging out

 The roads were plowed by the time we went to town for Far Guy's weekly infusion.   He was happy to see his favorite nurses and from the sounds of it they were happy to see him too! 

I ran some errands in town.  Lots of people were in town the day after snowy days. 

The roads were a combo of wet, slushy, dry or icy.  Driver beware...only one car in the ditch.

The huge snow bank was created by snow coming off the steel roof.  When it comes down it rumbles as it slides.  

I found an old half finished crochet project...cashmere yarn..so I refreshed my old brain on the stitches and  it may be finished...someday. 

Far Side

It snowed

 and blowed and snowed some more.  

Far Guy, Little Elvis and I stayed put for the duration.  The kids and Sadie were off gallavanting around since they had a holiday. 

 Sadie had fun with a friend called Harley and kept everyone up all night.  Obviously Sadie has no concept that a sleep over means... you should try to get some sleep instead of running around playing all night. 

Everyone came back home to sleep! 

Far Guy wood carved and I worked on my Nordic Mosaic project...I had to order more yarn. 

Far Side

Snow December 14

 We got quite a dump of snow. 

Looks to be about 12 inches. 

I took a photo through the window yesterday morning.

Far Guy had a Doctors appointment...so Andy took him since he has a four wheel drive pickup. 

Jen and Andy both worked at snow removal for quite some time...Andy snow blowed paths for Sadie and Elvis in the back yard.   Phoebe ( Adam's cat) went out in the snow...Sadie pounced on her and buried her in the snow...the kitty was kinda wet.

We are expecting round two of this winter storm today...the wind is supposed to come up and we are supposed to get more snow.

Far Side 

Snowing sideways

 Yesterday I went to town to see my Dad ( he was sound asleep) and my Mom.  I got to see my sister and my niece and her children. Mom and I went to lunch.  While doing errands it got colder and colder and began to snow.   By the time I was headed home it was snowing sideways.  

No falling gently out of the sky snowflakes...you know the picturesque ones...just the brutal freeze your face off kind. 

Far Side

What a difference a day makes

 It rained enough to encourage the grass to green up a bit and start to grow. 

This is the view out the kitchen window on Thursday November 10. 

Then it snowed overnight and the Juncos came...they are snowbirds after all. They were all over in the yard pecking at the grass/dirt.

We just got enough snow to turn the ground white.   Far Guy says there was no ice.  I did not go outside to shovel or to do anything else outside.  

Inside kept me busy...one afternoon I began cleaning the pantry...not done with it yet.  The next afternoon I finished the Spring cleaning in the Fall in the bathroom...yeah me!  I tasked Far Guy with the horrid job of updating the Christmas Address list....the program we use sucks big time...I threw my hands in the air and gave up...AND then he said "Didn't I enter all those addresses last year on my computer?"   Yes dear...you win!!!!!  

Far Side

sNOw

 There was snow in the air when I laid down for my Sunday afternoon nap. 

I woke up to snow on the ground.   The wind howled most of the afternoon...so the wind chill is a tad chilly.   Our high was 39 F or 4 C and it dropped from there.

This is our third snow but I doubt it will stay...we may have freezing rain by the end of the week...I would just as soon that it get cold enough to snow instead warm enough for freezing rain...typical Minnesota crappy November weather. 

Far Guy turned most of the clocks back...I am certain there are a few of them that we forgot.  Far Guy changed the batteries in the smoke alarms.  The Carbon Monoxide detector needs a different battery and it is on our shopping list.   I hate the time change....it takes me a week or two to adjust. 

Far Side