Mt_Rider

I'm thawing a roast. Potatoes, carrots, onions.... I think I've got it! 'Course mine will start on the stove and end up in one of those THICK styrofoam coolers that things get delivered in. I'll have to pad the sides well so the hot dutch oven doesn't melt my insulating box. I have other alternatives if I think that's likely but I hope it works. Maybe put a board inside to make sure the bottom is protected. ?? MtRider

It's still Wednesday for 10 more minutes in CO sooooooooooo........ HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOTHER I hope and pray you're having some NICE weather for a change! Hope you had family around you! MtRider ...hmm, don't mind if I do.

Finally above zero and sunny. But the wind is kinda strong and bitterly cold! Had an appt this afternoon. I'm beginning the process of getting off a medication. We'll see if this will work. It would help if the stuff hits the fan and I can no longer get the med. I have another 'script for just sinus/allergies. I've got options with that one so I'm not worried. However the amantadine that reduces my fatigue levels.... THAT one I'm hoping to stock up on....JIC. Hope Jeepers got her furniture all placed into her house today!! MtRider

Yeah, I want to try the oatmeal too. MtRider

I'm still pondering how today's zero degrees caught me by surprise. I'm a weather person! But....but Sunday was warming up and then wham! We were -10* last nite and zero all day today and even now. Okay, I'll let that alone. It is what it is. With bitter cold, we haven't been outside too much. Kept ducks/goose inside except "balmy" Sunday. I've been successful in clutter clearing a few areas. Unfortunately, while some is getting tossed or donated, some just migrated to other areas. .....reorganization is a work in progress. MtRider .... stay warm and safe, everyone.

Oh this reminder will save standing out on the porch cooking forever! Thanks for digging these oldie-goodies back up, Mother!! MtRider ...WHY do we forget all these things??? { cuz having never done them bodily, brain doesn't store as well }

WINDY and chilly here today. Around 20* above zero. That was surprising that we didn't go below last nite. Still hovering around 20* now. But the wind across the snow fields is raw! Pellet stove blazing all day. Furnace is nigh on to useless...well, it does heat the back rooms. Mom reports that it's dreary and raining at her location outside of D.C. She doesn't like all the noise of it hitting her windows all night. I think she's feeling locked in...but who wants to go out in that stuff? I've gotten a few tiny areas cleared/organized. But ya know? You have to look behind you. Disorder jumps in and messes it up again! MtRider ...

We have the "Gatorade granola bars" but chocolate chip rather than those on the recall - peanutbutter chocolate. We've eaten the chocochip ones with no ill efffects. MtRider ....that, we would not need right now!

This article tells some of what isn't on the recall....like their basic oats and quick oats. (good, we just bought some - unused yet) However, it seems the recall has been expanding since the first listing so stay tuned????? https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2024-01-12/quaker-oats-widens-recall-of-granola-bars-cereals-linked-to-salmonella-risk This is from Q O site https://www.quakerrecallusa.com/ MtRider

Becca Anne for your wisdom in choosing. We just went thru that with Mom. As of early Dec, she's in a care home that has 3 levels. Independent Apartments. Assisted Living apartments -( kitchenette but not stove. Microwave/full fridge/sink/cupboards. ) That's the level Mom is at currently. Then there is the locked Memory Unit. More staff. Meals in their unit, not dining rooms. Sounds like Door #3 is appropriate for him. But it may also take some calming meds. The C virus is not helping the situation. Jeepers for your trip in the mess. Maybe double that cuz you're sick too! But, you sound like you've done what you can to prepare for the trip. Maybe check with the Amish (phone?) to make sure THEY can make the trip with this horrid weather?? I'm assuming they don't deliver with horses and wagon? It's exciting to "see" your Indy place coming together! Little Sister....hey, at least the young man is washing his own clothes now! Progress! I admire your ambition and energy in all that cleaning and canning! We're at MINUS 11* ...last I checked. Living room with high ceiling is getting cold. No insulation in the roof. {sigh} Gonna go to bed and get warm. ....and DH has to get his car to mechanic. Got pulled over and his tail lights were out tonite. No ticket but good advice to run with his flashing lights on. That car's electrical system is shutting down. Hope our guy can find and fix at least the necessary parts. I hope he works on electrical! One by one we lose power to overhead lights, dashboard lights (DH uses a flashlite to check speedometer after dark) and now this. Well, we do currently have the $ for it. MtRider

Finally I remembered to fill my 3 scripts as early as allowed. By doing that repeatedly, you have a slow back stock. DH has done that. I just never notice when I'm getting down to the last pills. One of mine I'd hate to go without - the newer one for less fatigue. Another one I can't just quit. Needs to be weaned off slowly. So I'm proposing to my doc to begin that process. The third was is for allergy/sinus. I assume that's not really an issue. Friend is sending me herbal tinctures and a book about their use. I'm really leaning hard towards that ....something I've always been interested in but have only picked up a few things here and there. So I can step out of the pharm stuff as much as possible......but CAREFULLY. MtRider

Trying not to get blown off the hillside today! Gusts made it very COLD outside. I avoided it. Not much noteworthy today. That I can remember, that is....? I am keeping an eye on weather and when our deliveries are expected. Have to rearrange freezer space in the next couple days. DH and I have been sending emails and links back and forth about things we'd need if we lost power in winter. Especially things that did NOT work last May. Heating food or water - did not work. Lighting was fine: even the little tea light candles INSIDE straight-sided jars like peanutbutter or jelly. And a pillar candle that must have had a crooked wick. It melted alllll over - within the jar! No mess. Keeps the air drifting from making the flame flutter as much too. WINTER has truly come to our little piece of the Rockies. MtRider

I've been keeping an eye on InComing Weather. Was super windy here today. I posted a weather alert in RURR.....potential for Polar Vortex. The data kept changing in the past 24 hrs so....not sure they know what it's going to do. Will be more out here in the west but as far as western MN -Iowa . Mebbe. Check it out and be prepared! Got the driveway plowed again. Wow, he was able to scrape down to dirt in most places. That will help melt..if we don't get more snow on top to cover the brown areas. Been researching some "bigger ticket" items that DH and I have been talking about. Made a choice - kinda rushed due to impending severe cold. Not sure delivery will come in time but..... We're so vulnerable w/o power and now we don't have my folks' place to retreat to. Feels kinda weird ...alone. I think your eventual move to Indy will be a very good thing, Jeepers. Since your son/dil up and moved over there! We all gotta have some back-up. MtRider ....God, keep the furnace on, please!

Snowy day....and cold...with some wind. Spent most of it talking on phone with a local friend. We hadn't talked since I went to VA so we had to catch up. DH got home and the trip into town wrecked his back again...which is to say that he's in spasms tonite. I bundled up and took the car down to barnyard. Dog rode along but I was not going to walk her in snow and . Birds were in duckhouse today. No sun and cold. Just lugged down warm water for them. And night food...inside. Tossed down thicker straw. Then I began to shovel the 3+ inches of snow from around their outside pen. So they have space to walk when they get to go outside again. [ don't know how ducks/geese walk around on snow in their "bare feet". ] My fingers where freezing in my best winter work gloves....stopped to pull my fingers down into palm part to warm them. Sheeeeesh, it's bitter type cold. I also took down the snowdrift outside their fence that was beginning to make a ramp for predators to get over the fence. And I shoveled a walk way up the kinda steep berm hill from driveway to the duckhouse. DH has a bad habit of falling on icy areas so this is preventative action here! Colorado...the sun will come out. Snow will start melting and then freeze up again at night. Not good cuz it causes ice alllll over the place. But anyway, by the time dog and I got back inside, I was sweating. So I took a quick shower. My body temperature just doesn't regulate well. But I figured the snow shoveling took the place of a walk for daily exercise. .......the dog had a different opinion. 10pm and it's -2* .... yep, gonna be subzero tonite. MtRider

Hi Cat!!!! MtRider ...glad you're back!!

Hmmm.....I really don't get out much (my trips out-of-state being an unusual exception). But I've felt like I'm fighting something. Throwing all our herbal/vitamin solutions at it. But mine seems to be "just a cold". Thankful! Cuz it doesn't sound like any of you that got this crud are having fun. Praying that all will be recovering and this will be a mild flu/cold season! MtRider ...and for Necie's family issues that take time/compassion/fortitude. BTDT!

I have 2 small ones like the one on the Left....but just a regular wheel on both sides. Not the triple. That's what I was using for the pellet bags. So it does roll up to the next step....rest...pull - roll up to the next step...rest..... The only thing to remember: DON'T get pulled forward and take a header down the steps I've learned (hopefully remember) to stay focused on those stairs. The stairs do have railings on both sides. Problem is....rustic means they are just long wooden poles. Slightly too big around for my small hands to grasp tightly. A number of people have insisted that I have one hand on a railing every time I'm going up or down. That was after the trip-and-fall forward UP stairs...and bashed my eye rim cuz both hands were full. I have put out sincere effort to do that. I tripped again but was able to hang onto the railing and sort of spun around on that arm till I was sitting on the steps. Second from the top....#14. The stairs certainly have been part of an exercise routine these past decades! Esp on laundry days...yes, that's in the basement. Exterior stairs only. Not ever doing laundry on a snowy day! For things much lighter than a 40# bag of wood pellets, I installed a pulley system. (buy pulleys...SO many uses!) One great thing about having a wood cabin, you can do things like that. I have a large hook on the ground-end of the rope. We've gone thru several ropes since back when DH had a blood clot in lung and I rigged this system. It makes a huge difference unloading groceries and such! The current one has a nylon twisted-strand rope. Not a good option - especially in our fierce sunshine that breaks down plastics. It works but it's unraveling the twists in one spot and it's hard on your hands. Can get nylon/plastic rope burn easily. I used cotton clothesline a couple of times and it's good while it lasts. Stretches a bit but that's ok. Easier on the hands. The top end of the rope....after it goes thru the small pulley (which is tied to one of the high cross beam logs for the porch roof above) is secured to the log that's the porch railing. That way the rope never gets away. DH comes home with grocery sacks or something. Not the pellet bags...over the weight limit! He puts the bag handles on the hook (used one of those very large carabiners they sell at Walmart camping section) ....or 2 bags if they're light enough for me to lift with the pulley. It's a small pulley and doesn't give me too much advantage of leverage but....it's certainly better than grabbing the rope directly and doing hand-over-hand method. I'm describing this cuz it's some of the ways I've adapted to being weaker than I normally should have been. If it's hard times, Energy Conservation doesn't just mean conserving things like electricity, etc. Disability IS hard times and one thing you must save is personal energy. Any way you can think of.... And yes.....we were much younger when we began living here. The steeep hills and stairs and ....lots of reasons ....it's not ideal for older, tired folks. But....the property is grande. The neighbors are not very close but we know them. The scenery is great. And....it would take me as long (or longer) than it's taken Jeepers, to move out of here. But one day.... Who knows. Just taking it a day at a time....knowing this place is ideal for many situations but not for all situations. MtRider ..... maybe I can get to sleep earlier tonite?

Right? for Little Sister and her pesky DGS. The young man has to learn to help himself so as not to be a royal pain for those around him. But it does sound like he's making some progress. Tho baby steps at his age is frustrating. Hang in there. As for a ramp for our stairs........ can't. We have 15 steps ....steeply rising up to the second floor level of the front side of the cabin. Underneath is the basement. It's built into the steep hillside so that the back door opens to ground level. That would be great but trying to make a ramp to that level would be a nightmare - due to the terrain. And the rainwater flooding control ditches. It's good for a quick fire escape since it leads out into the dog's big fenced yard. {formerly a small dog yard and my dwarf goats yard} But the upper hillside goes up nearly verticle only a couple yards beyond the back door. I keep saying that one cannot go more than a hundred feet in any direction from the house without encountering a VERY STEEP up hill or down hill. MtRider

Wow...pretty cupcakes, Martian! Happy Bday, Dee! MtRider

Stayed up late ...catching up on this thread. Oye! y'all have had challenges to overcome at the beginning of 2024! Seems to be straightening out tho. My update is mostly in Blue Couch. We've had the annoying 1-3" of snow...repeatedly. We had enough to warrant paying the snowplow guy and then these bits and dribbles make the driveway so slick. But who can pay for plowing 2" ???? Got more coming in this week. Plus I wasn't here when the melt-water began to form an ice flow from around the corner of the garage....right where the people door is located. Every year I build a mini dam to keep the water -> ice -->water --> ice from creeping too far. It melts during the sunny days and flows down the hill. Some is coming off the ever-growing icicles that hang off the roof on that side of the house. Where they are too high for me to knock down, they get 5-6' long. We had to build a cover over the propane connection into the house so when (not if) a monster one finally let loose of the roof, it wouldn't damage the gas line. CRASH!! Mountain living! So this winter, I'm playing catch-up cuz winter arrived when I was in VA. DH doesn't even understand these little bits that I do...but appreciates the effects. He and I had to bring up heavy bags of wood stove pellets today. The ones from last year came up the stairs to the porch. He carries over his shoulder (hurts his back tho) and I use the small 2-wheel luggage dolly....lugging up one step at a time. This job is getting to be almost more than either of us can do. Got the new bags onto the pallet under the porch with the tarp covering them. Got the bag of cat litter into the back of the car. Wood pellets can add weight for the back of the vehicle but cat litter can also be used for traction on a slick spot. The wood pellets just disintegrate to mushy sawdust. So...that's done. Got a load of clothes down to the washer/dryer in the midst of going up and down the stairs. That was about it for both of us! ...Except evening feeding for birds and I walked the dog a ways. Our temperature dropped this evening... MtRider .....late! So late again!

I've felt relatively mild earthquakes in Iowa, Hawai'i, Colorado, and ....oddly, Georgia. Remember that one Miki?...Darlene? That one felt like a big SHOVE! Since when I walk I sometimes get off balance so that it feels like a mild earthquake feels..... MtRider

I heard - no tsunami warnings tho.

Tests went fine. Details in Blue Couch. TIRED! Glad that's done cuz it's a long trip "to town" from our house. Picked up pizza for supper. MtRider early.....TIRED!

I like the cat, Midnight! This is my yearly contribution to the New Year. MtRider

Definitely better functioning today. Spent quite a while on the phone with the friend who covered my absence on our church Prayer Requests. She was busy! Then when I sent one out last week....no one got it! So she on her computer and me on mine....finally figured out what happened. There was an additional choice between two options...hadn't been there before. I just clicked the top one. That wasn't the right choice. So...now we know. I'm able to talk to my mom every night again. I do it a bit earlier now. Have to time it around eating supper. Or cooking supper. I did go down to walk dog on the road. Chilly day with clouds instead of yesterday's sunshine. Happy New Year everyone. MtRider