Watcha doing today?

[Jeepers]

@Mt_Rider  I agree with Mother and Littlesister. That place is a major accident waiting to happen. I know its nice there but I think you have outgrown its usefulness. It's hard, I know. BT(still)DT.  But it isn't going to get any easier on you guys and time isn't on your side.

 

Said with love not criticism!  

[themartianchick]

2 hours ago, Jeepers said:

Necie, I've been having second thoughts about having a bird feeder in my yard next year because I didn't want to attract unsavory vermin. I wanted the birds for enjoyment but not at the expense of mice and rats etc. Plus it would have to be close to the house so I could get to it in the winter snow and ice to fill it.  

There are plenty of things that you could plant that would attract birds. That would eliminate the rat attractants. If you could find a good hummingbird feeder that doesn't leak, you could attract those instead of songbirds. 

[Jeepers]

Good idea on the hummingbird feeder. I had a hummingbird feeder a long time ago and it was very nice. The little birds were so pretty. I had it in front of a window. It was hanging from an eave so it was high up enough that nothing bothered it. They never seemed to mind if I was outside sitting on the patio. They just flew in, got a drink and left. Little helicopters. Or drones. 

[Mt_Rider]

Soooooo guess who showed up at 7:30 in the morning today?  Yep. 

 

I'm currently back on my 2am to 10am sleeping so 7:30am      Not amused or happy.  I went back to bed but didn't sleep much cuz of the roar of the snow plow.

S and DH did get the car unstuck/out of the way.  And our driveway, etc is plowed.  And it was quite warm today.  We're in the 40's 50's all this week.  No precipitation.  Apparently it was what meteorologists call an "atmospheric river" that hit New Mexico and Colorado.  Well, both locations probably could profit from the moisture.  And with the warm forecast, a lot will melt.  In the mean time.....

 

Walking the dog was interesting!     No thistles nodding at me saying: " nah nay - you couldn't slaughter us!  We won and are spreading our fluffy-with-seed alll over.".....................  Nope!  They all got squashed flat when the county road grader or whatever came by and threw a ton of wet snow all down the road/ditch.  Barely saw one thing sticking up.    {wouldn't surprise me if some resurrected a bit}

 

Next was wrangling the trash bin (changed time of pick up to 7 or 8 am..) up out of the deep N steep ditch with snow.  I carved a circle out of the snow with my boots and maneuvered the bin into that.  Hope it will stay.  Loaded our trash bags inside.  Night before is a BAAAD idea in bear country but....hoping they'll sleep on...  If we've got the same pick up time in summer....dunno what to do.  Before we had plenty of time to take bags down before they'd arrive.   

 

I also carved the snow out of the trail going up the berm to the duckhouse.  DH...for all his martial arts training, does not fall well.  All that loooong ago - is not the same when there have been changes to the body!!!    So while he did all the night things for the birds, I tried to minimize his chance of falling.  Clearing a path down to dirt cuz the duckhouse is up on the berm.  Hillside + ICE =    By the end, I could barely hold up the heavy spade.  Plastic snow shovel is too wide.

 

But back up to the house, I noted that Snowplowguy didn't realize I'd left the bench in that location so he wouldn't push the snow back too far.  Unfortunately, we have 1) water hose(s) going down to the duckhouse.  Not used in winter but..don't want it sliced.  Also that  "French drain pipe and the Romax electric wire.  Guess he didn't realize ...cuz I forgot to remind him this year..  But he had pushed snow back..out of the way for more snow coming ...whenever in this season.  So it's a good idea...  But I had to dig out the French drain again.  The electric cord and hose were ok.  I had to dig the bench out of the piled up snow.  So.....this time I gathered 3 old, worn brooms.  Tied them together and set up like a tripod on the top of the current mound of snow.  I have to remember to tell him about this issue. 

 

So yeah, ready to drop.  I am admittedly nervous about this much snow this early.  If a lot of it melts this week, I'll be a lot happier. 

 

As for relocating...  I truly only have one more move in me.  (after seeing all Jeepers went thru)  I can't even get everything organized while living here.  Secondly, we don't whine about things being rustic and the owners don't raise the rent.  Long time, no raise.  Thirdly, we ARE preppers and we're established here; we know what's good and what's problematic.  Know this area quite well.  Going somewhere new and the Hooey Hits Fan?    No, don't think that's wise. 

 

I was teasing DH about having a rigorous workout routine every time it snows.    But moving? 

 

Going to bed EARLIER tonite! 

Thank you all for prayers and concerns.  Pray that this batch of { I don't know how many inches} snow melts before we get down with real WINTER.   

MtRider ...

 

 

[snapshotmiki]

We have an appt. next week with a new pulmonologist for DH. The one he has now is apparently mad at him. When he finished his IV antibiotics, the doc refused to let the nurse draw blood or get another sputum sample. As a result, DH is not feeling good already. Sigh

 

Already walked.
Going to town to look for a new(er) vehicle for me.
Walk dogs when we get back- maybe.

[Littlesister]

Went outside early this morning to make sure there were no surprises waiting for me to dispose of. No rats found dead or alive.  Need to cut down a few more low limbs from the trees. Got one done yesterday and put those limbs in one of the raised bed boxes. Came back in and starting to work on the office again. Got sidetracked on other things for a couple of days. Just drinking a second cup of coffee this morning. Slow start today. 

I now know who has the chicken coop. They said they really had a hard time with the rats. This makes me want to rethink my idea of having a chicken coop unless I can somehow rat proof it. 

Heading out shortly to the bank and then back home to work on office more. Got a lot done and I need to get more boxes as well. Otherwise, I will just use plastic bags. 

Also need to work on getting my printer working and working on my older computer. I think with that one I can get pictures on here. But not for sure till I check it out. Just don't want to buy a new computer and printer right now. Next year is another story. I just want to get through this year right now. 

Redid the new den yesterday. Moved furniture around and made the room look and feel bigger. I like it better the way I have it now. It feels more like a den than a living room now. 

Well, finished my coffee so off to the bank and back home to get back to work.

[themartianchick]

I'm at Dad's house through tomorrow, so I'm getting ready to prepare some food to get him through the next few days. I did laundry this morning and I'm trying to get some dusting done. This house is full of dust catchers and many are too high up for me to reach without a ladder. I've got bills to pay later and a grocery list to make. The deep freezers are full, but there is still a little room in the pantry here that needs to be filled. 

[The WE2's]

On 11/8/2024 at 9:20 PM, Littlesister said:

Might try making chili with it

I use Mrs Wages chili mix as well as extra onions, tomato sauce, veggie broth and paprika.

[Mt_Rider]

             NO!  The weather folks said:  clear for the next week or more!!!  I just looked up to see a flake or two  eight   twenty-six     There's a million of them..  They're baaaack!     AND THEY BROUGHT THE WIND THIS TIME!      Even when I checked local weather, nothing is being said about this Instant Replay!  We're gonna go broke paying S to run his plow.  This early....??? 

 

I didn't walk the dog tonite cuz toooo wiped out from yesterday.  DH and dog got in just before it hit.  He saw it on his computer and got going early.  Didn't mention it to me....cuz I usually know all about the weather before him.  Hmph!  Good thing the truck is still down in it's Emergency Parking space.  Don't like leaving it there - to close to the road and too far from the house.....  but the "emergency" continues, evidently. 

 

   good thing I scrubbed up the pellet stove (windows and take ashes out) yesterday.  Gonna be needing that heat if WIND has returned. 

 

MtRider  ...gonna close all the curtains and hide.   

[Midnightmom]

On 11/11/2024 at 1:43 AM, Mt_Rider said:

OK...I'm up late and it's cold - cuz turn furnace down when we're under the blankets.....which is where I'm headed now!!

 

Will it work in Colorado? No idea, but worth a watch for the personal/body options.

 

[The WE2's]

Somehow I am not able to find the "what are you canning" topic...however I did post my turkey chili.  But, I also jarred up two canner loads of "seasoned" red beans.  We love red beans and rice, so I looked at the label of a box of red beans and rice we had left in the freezer...and I did my own.  It's delicious over rice!  No more boxed mixes for this house, it's truly home made...other than buying bags of red beans. 

[Midnightmom]

2 hours ago, The WE2's said:

I also jarred up two canner loads of "seasoned" red beans.

 

I've also recently put up close to 2 dozen jars of red beans............................. Louisiana Red Beans! They're made with beans cooked in ham stock. The other ingredients are bacon, andoullie sausage, onions a variety of "southern" spices and chix stock. It's a recipe from one of the Ball books. Here is a link to the post in the "What are you canning today?" forum.

 

 

[Mt_Rider]

Midnight, I tried a couple times and can't get the vid to work for me.   

 

So today was the first time I went down the driveway HILL with dog.  Good Grief!  What did snowplowguy DO?  He came at 7:30am so it would have been COLD/FROZEN.  He did not clear off the other half of the upper parking (table top) section.  The steep part of driveway has tons of snow and ice thinly scattered all over.  I was lucky I had boots on ...in the lower part of driveway,  it's trying to melt in this sun.  But freezes over every night.       Hurry and melt!  Weather is proposing to reintroduce SNOW next week.    Gonna be one of THOSE years?

 

Apparently there is only one way to enter/exit to the road into our driveway - from the south.  Cuz he didn't plow the snow if someone tried to enter/exit from the north.     He used to bring snow down from on top and bring the snow all the way to the bottom area.  Out of the way....so the next batch of snow won't have us pinched in with the snow-plowed mountains making the turnaround on top too small.  How is UPS, etc ...and my Senior vans supposed to turn around up there.  NO ONE is ever going to try backing down..in winter.

 

Worst...when dog and I piled into the car to ride back up (as we always do) there's a 45 degree right turn as soon as you begin the hill.  So you have to get some speed in that turn.  Tonite we immediately went into a spin that nearly whacked us into the UP hill.  It's nearly vertical cuz the driveway is carved out of that steep hill.  Of course the down hill side is also verrrry vertical too.  As the tires finally gripped before we slid into the UP hill, we were spun back over toward that drop off!   

 

We're talking 4-wheel drive!

 

Good Grief!  DH was working the steering wheel quickly ....as I'm wishing all 7 original aspen trees were still there to stop what would be a VERY unfortunate descent.  Only 3 left and one is dying....cuz the steep hill washes away the dirt from their root system.  And hitting the brake makes the skid worse so DH kept doing the counter spin.  After a couple more zinging back and forth sideways...it was spinning less and less and finally we were going straight up the driveway.  Had to keep up speed or we'll be trying to BACK down for another run. 

 

This is a driveway that takes some skill but THAT was ridiculous!  THAT is why we pay for snow plowing....cuz it's dangerous!  We call the snow in the afternoon with sunshine - GREASY.  I repeat:  THAT is why we pay for snow plowing! 

 

  So I wrote S an email.  I waited a bit to calm my nerves.   OK...it was only that bad on those first two twists...towards the pond drop off.  Hitting the hillside wouldn't have been fun either.  But the drop off ....good chance of deadly.  Understand that we've been negotiating this driveway for over a quarter of a century.  There has been VERY few times when we're in danger of that cliff.  Cuz we know how to drive it.  Cuz we know how to avoid getting into this situation.  SNOWPLOW!    

 

    SO.....I began to compose an email to S.  Not a phone call.  Email gives you time to reread what you're trying to say.  You can eliminate what you should not say.  I wanted to be so very very clear that his negligence (and he hasn't been before!!!!) could have cost our lives tonite.  I pointed out that he's not dragging the over abundance of snow down to the bottom like he's always done.  THIS IS NOVEMBER -- we get big snow still in MAY!!!  And did you not remember our conversation on Thursday...you in your truck; me paying you; you asking when to come back; me telling you more big snow Fri so come back Saturday???

 

I also said if you're just giving us X amount of dollar's worth....then raise your price and give us what we need!

 

I actually asked him if he was ill.  If he was now forgetting things - and admitted that I CERTAINLY am having to take more steps so that I keep up with remembering things. 

 

I read it several times over a couple hours.  Edited for clarity and tone.  Not heated; more exacerbated.  And scared.  I have no idea how he will respond.  He's a Christian brother but....we don't know each other beyond winter snowplowing.     We'll see. 

 

We either need to have him doing the job as he used to....or we need to find someone else.  That's not gonna be easy cuz so many around here do their own driveways with an assortment of equipment - but no trailer to haul that equipment around to other places.     God has this...and us as we're swishing this way and that on our 'greasy' snow/ice tonite.   

 

So that's my exciting story for today.  (which just became 'tomorrow' ) 

 

MtRider   

[Midnightmom]

1 hour ago, Mt_Rider said:

Midnight, I tried a couple times and can't get the vid to work for me.

I'm sorry the video didn't work for you. Here is the link: https://youtu.be/49rIqVDV9PY

Try copying the link and plugging it into your browser bar - hopefully it will work then.

 

[Becca_Anne]

Mt Rider I am super worried for you.  I know the kind of dropoffs you're talking about (I spent a year with the Continental Divide right out my window and my parents driving along "the shelf" near Gold Hill, CO. One tiny slide and it's over. It's not just the driveway, it's also the risk of falls just walking around in the ice and snow and carrying all the things up those steps. I know you love your home and living there but your cabin isn't really equiped for aging in place, and at some point it's just not safe anymore. 

[snapshotmiki]

I hope that your snow plow fellow straightens up and flies right, so to speak @Mt_Rider!

 

Yesterday was running around town half the day with my friend.

 

Today, already walked.
Waiting for DH to be ready to walk dogs.
Will do some ebay drafts.
Change shower curtain to Christmas shower curtain--that's the other room besides the office that I can decorate. Only other room that blasted cat can't come into.
Bible study this evening.

 

Tuesday when we looked at vehicles, I drove a Jeep Grand Cherokee L Limited. It's a little bigger and longer than a regular Cherokee. Definitely could get out of it's own way! We will look some more next Wednesday in another town.

[Littlesister]

Mt. Rider,  for both you and your DH for safety.  That guy that is doing the plowing needs to step up his game and do the job like he used to.  

 

Was outside early this morning bringing in firewood to the garage and then getting things out of the shed for the wood stove. We are supposed to get rain today but don't think it will be enough to get us out of the drought they said we are in. I have already winterized the well and emptied the rain barrels for the winter.  It is getting cold outside now. So, winter has officially hit. We didn't get that frost here last night but could be tonight. Nights are dropping into low 40's here now. But the daytime has been in the high 50's or low 60's but still doesn't feel that cold yet. I can run around outside with just a long-sleeved shirt, and I am fine not really warm but not cold either. I want to bring more wood to the house later in the week. But I have enough for now sitting in garage. 

Getting ready to work in the kitchen on some things I am cleaning out from the kitchen cabinets and then working on the built-in bookcase in dining room. Went through a bunch of papers and magazines and pitched them in the recycle can. Old bills and such I have in a basket to start fires in the wood stove.  The wood stove is ready to use, just needed to get all the wood and such up to the garage and some stacked in the house by the stove. 

Busy morning already and up very early. I think I am still on the old time. I go to bed earlier and up way too early in the morning. I really do hate this time change. Dark way to soon now. 

[Mt_Rider]

     .......Hmmmmmmm?  

 

Nothing extraordinary happened today! 

 

    

 

I didn't even slip on the ice.  The sun was fairly potent and melted more of the driveway.  When I walked the dog down, I was able to walk on long stretches of wet rock/dirt ...then step over the a different one to walk further down.  The bottom is gonna be a mess unless this sunshine keeps up for a week.  This 'dirt' is quite porous....NOT like Iowa farmland!    So because it's probably not firmly frozen yet...mebbe....it might sink in well.... I hope.

 

I didn't do much today but walk the dog on road.  Sheesh, I must have been out there early - probably 6 cars went past us. One is unusual.   I wear blaze yellow on my back and a headlamp on  - even tho it's not dark at all.  Just to make sure we're seen.  I pull the dog in and face the vehicle.  We usually both give a little acknowledging wave.  (vehicle driver and me....not me and dog   ) Coming up the driveway was NORMAL.  Just really depends on conditions.  I'm still concerned about how huge the pushed up snowdrifts are up here.  There's never a whole lotta room but the large U.P.S. - Fedex - my senior vehicles ...they can all maneuver fine.  But if the space is encroached by more and more snowdrifts....  Unless S can take more snow down below like before.  Unfortunately there is ice right by the car so I keep moving it to let the sun melt it.  If it gets soft enough - I'll chip at it with a heavy spade.  Just hold off any more snow till this is better under control. 

 

MtRider    gotta do 'olelo Hawai'i

Edited November 15, 2024 by Mt_Rider

[Mt_Rider]

And...thank you all for your concern.  You know I'm a story writer ...so I'm writing somewhat for my/your entertainment.  Partly to just process What All Happened Today!    I don't wish for any of you to be so concerned.  This .....truly isn't any different than any other time in my/our lives.  DH and I are used to -- peculiar, odd, difficult, taxing, hilarious (after the fact), ....events in our lives.  Just how our lives always go.  You could say that it's "Within Our NORMAL Parameters". 

 

Yes, having the car snapping around one direction and then reverse to do that same.....  Scary!  OTOH, DH was able to pull the car out of that and we got up the hill.  This was hardly the first time we've had trouble on THIS driveway.  But...we're "old hands" at this lifestyle.  Rural IS different! 

 

Now....if I'm in the city and things begin to happen, I might be Way more freaked out than any of you.  Sirens drive me crazy - sets off my nervous system.  All the NOISE.  The congestion.  Busy Busy Busy!      No thanks!  Rural Girl! 

 

Thanks for your kind words but don't worry!  We're fine and with all the hassles - we fit here.  ....I've lived 'in town' and same things happen there!  If we'd stayed on Maui....you know what happened where we lived! 

 

MtRider   

[snapshotmiki]

Haven't done much yet.
Will walk first.
Probably some ebay.
Several misc. chores.
Make buttermilk biscuits to use up the rest of the buttermilk.
Easy day!

[Littlesister]

Still going through things that were pulled out of closets and such. I still have dishes and things to put away somewhere else that was in the China hutch I got rid of. Now that that monster is off that dining room floor the floor is coming back up to where it should be. It was starting to drop back down again after I had it jacked up 2 years ago. 

 

We had rained all night but is now clearing up and the sun is trying to come out. Still some clouds lingering around.  We needed what rain we got. 

 

Getting ready to mop kitchen floor and put some bags of oatmeal and such in canning jars to seal up. I think that is the last of the things in bags that I had bought over the past few weeks. Not giving any rats, a chance to get into this house. Though I haven't heard anymore from any of the neighbors so hoping the issue is solved. I think almost everyone put poison down or called an exterminator to deal with it. I did check the attic and no issues up there. So, all is good. But will continue to take those precautions. 

[Jeepers]

I don't think I'll ever get my kitchen area done. I just don't have room for everything.

 

I've decided I'm short. Too short. I can only reach the bottom shelf of my cabinets and only the very edge of the second shelf. Forget the top shelf. I'm going to have to find some room in the laundry closet, next door, for a step stool. I can't reach anything. I don't remember my other cabinets being like that. Menopause has a shrinking effect but this is ridiculous. I won't be able to reach the stove by next week. My cereal boxes are on their side because if I raise the second shelf, I won't be able to reach anything up there at all. 

 

And two of my cabinets are corner cabinets. They look so pretty...when the door is closed. Inside they lose all of the back corner space and anything along the side walls gets lost because they are on an angle. I can't reach anything in them anyway. So whatever. If you ever replace cabinets, think long and hard about those pretty corner triangle shaped ones. Unless you have a big kitchen and don't really need the extra space. Or any space at all. 

 

There is still a cabinet over the fridge I haven't opened yet. But it has a huge slow cooker thing on top so I have no idea if I already stuffed it previously or not. I'll need a ladder to access that one. Seriously. 

 

Anyway, I'm stuck with what I've got. The KitchenAid has left the room. The handy dandy Cuisinart chopper thingy is on thin ice. I have no space for my freezer boxes that will be used and reused often. I have already spent too much time in there and all the stuff sitting on the floor is still waiting for a home. The toaster oven/air fryer what ever else it does, might have to be bunkmates with the mixer...someplace else.  BUT, all but one countertop is cleared off. Go me.  

 

Trash was picked up today but I didn't get it all out. I wasn't sure if they were going to pick up today or not because of Veteran's Day this week. I didn't want to have to carry it all back in and look stupid for not knowing. I'm still trying to project a normal facade around here. The schedule usually shifts for a holiday. This time it didn't. But I did get all of the stinky stuff gone. I think by next trash day I'll have everything pitched from the kitchen that I don't want. I'm going to put an appliance cart together to set the appliances on, that I do want to keep and roll it...someplace else.

 

Serious downsizing  ain't for sissies.

 

I did a quick rearranging of the freezer so I have room for a few cabbage dinners now. Boy that's a cold job. 

 

Big excitement tonight was the doorbell rang. At least it works. I was sort of dressed except for my shorts. They were handy so I figured I'd answer the door, since all the lights were on. My front door is all beveled glass so it distorts. All I saw were flashing red lights. A multitude of them in my driveway! It's either police, fire or ambulance. Crimony, already. I opened the door and the Amazon truck had backed in my driveway and had it's rear backup lights flashing. My distorted beveled glass door made it look like Armageddon in my driveway. Hellsfire and brimstone. I thought I detected the slight scent of sulpher there for just a second. But no, my cement downspout rain diverted thingy had arrived with much fanfare. 

 

[Necie]

@Jeepers, look up corner cabinet organizers— pull out, lazy susans, etc. 

Pull out organizers might help on your second shelf also. Pull stuff from the back to the front so you can reach it.

 

My mom has pull outs in her bottom cupboards. I always pick on her... “WHY didn’t you have them put them in the TOP cupboards???”😂😂😂 She can’t reach the BACK of the bottom shelf, let alone the middle or top shelves. She keeps a good fold up step stool in the kitchen nook... it never gets folded up. 😂

[Jeepers]

I'll look into pull out organizers. A lazy Susan might work too except what I have in the corner cabinets are larger bowls and things that would take up one lazy Susan. 

 

I used to keep one of those cheap plastic fold up steps in a narrow cabinet that you'd use for baking sheets at the other house. I don't even have that now. I thought of one folded up beside the fridge and cabinet but the fridge is wedged in there. There isn't even an inch of room. And no floor space at all. I have one stool in there that you have to move to access a lower cabinet. The trash can has to go under the sink. I think the best I could do is have one folded up in front of the dryer. My laundry area is just a closet with about 6 inches on one side to spare. My broom and swiffer mop just barely fit in there. Not even a mop bucket will fit. The vacuum will have to live in the coat closet I think. I think I might get a stacking washer and dryer when the time comes. I'm not sure I'd like that but at least I'd have some sort of a utility area. 

 

I might have to invest in some sort of lockers for the garage next year. It needs overhauled too. There is a hanging canoe rack in there (I'll never use it) and some sort of cantilever looking thing that I'm not sure of. It's above my head and spans the entire wall. I want it gone too. It's too high to reach but too low for the freezer to fit under by about 2 inches. I'm not sure what the other people were thinking. There is another garage for storage. Plus both garages have an attic. That thing even sort of looks dangerous. I wouldn't want to store anything heavy on it. 

 

I'm going to need a crew next year because one guy will need extra hands. 

[snapshotmiki]

That's a lot of downsizing @Jeepers!  Doesn't sound easy at all.

 

Woke up early since I had no need to get up today.
Will walk first.
Pick up parking lot at Church and shovel out gutters at road.
Walk dogs.
Take ebay photos.
Label office folders for next year.
Nothing else on list, but it is going to be a beautiful day, weather wise!