A Tale Of Tails

Stove is working overtime these days.  Even so, the house stays,if not cold, chilly.  Two sweaters and a hoodie, as well as the "bean bag" I heat in the microwave, and there are still times I can't feel my fingers.  Fall ducked out in a hurry and winter came rushing in.  This has been a whackadoodle year, for sure.

Michael has thick, plushy fur, and he still wraps his tail around to keep warm.  When he gets in one of his beds in the living room, I tuck him in with one of his blankets.  (This is a dog who moved in with creature comforts.)  Michael is not a tail wagger.  I feel grand when he gives me a swish now and then.  When we goes for walks, he raises that big brush high, but it stays low when he's in the house unless the doorbell rings.

Google answered a question I'd always wondered about...why do cats flick their tails when they're hunting.  One would think they'd stay statue still.  It seems it has a hypnotizing effect on their prey, and fools them into thinking the cat is on the move.  Ralph and Celeste do it even in the house when they see a bird or squirrel on the deck.

It's pretty obvious why lizards "throw" their tail when threatened.  The discarded tail keeps moving and gives the lizard a chance to get away.  I think it's a one-time shot because, although they can grow a new tail over time, it's never quite the same.

Mike worked all day yesterday and I'm sure, in the vernacular, he froze his tail off.  I wonder if he remembers it was sunny and warm when he contracted for this job.

I'm running late this morning and I'd best move my tail.

Off Track

Was I always such a creature of habit?  Probably.  I know I was thrown for a loop yesterday when I couldn't use the computer in the wee hours of the morning.  Computer time in the afternoon just doesn't work for me.

The grey skies brought only rain last evening.  For Mike, that is a good thing because it rinsed away most of the snow.  As of Wednesday, he planned to work today.  We'll see.  He said he never wanted to work in an office, but in weeks like this I'll bet central heating and a view out a window sound pretty good.  As much as I sympathize with him, getting the deck finished sounds good to me.

Ralph, also a creature of habit, makes such a pest of himself every morning.  He is long and lean and reaches up to pat my arm, wanting to be stroked.  When that's not enough, he gets on the bed and pats my shoulder until I turn my chair so he can climb onto my lap.  That's where he right now, eyes closed and content.  It's very difficult to type while sitting sideways.

For a long while the piglets had gone dormant.  They lay throughout the house wherever they'd landed when the cats lost interest.  They're on the move again and the crooning has resumed.  Now I never know where I'll find them.  At least Celeste has stopped flinging them into the toilet.

I overestimated how much deli turkey I'd need.  Now, just like the rest of those who celebrated Thanksgiving, I'll be living on leftovers for a week.  I do miss the gravy, though.

I'm very glad I had the forethought to bring wood to the porch.  Between the snow and the rain, this house gets cold.  If I go off track and wait too long, it takes Stove hours to get us warmed up, burning wood at an alarming rate.  Michael curls up in one of his beds and puts his long-haired, fox-like tail over his nose.  The cats, who have no concept of personal space, crowd onto my lap.

It's time to get back on track today.

One Thing Or Another

If it isn't PG&E, it's Nature.  Oh crum.  I didn't know what time I woke up because I (duh) hadn't reset the bedside clock...turned out to be 4:30 a.m.  Turned on the computer and went to make a cup of coffee.  Came back to...nothing.  The Wi-Fi modem only had two lights and it needed five.  What the heck?  Do modems wear out or break?  What do I know.  Being pitch black outside, I had no idea it had snowed during the night.  The computer worked, but I had no access to the internet.  After 50 games of Solitaire, I was getting pretty good.

After daybreak and I could see maybe 2-3 inches of the white stuff on the deck, I called for help.  Winston did some diagnostics and decided the satellite dish was probably clogged with snow and that I should hope for the sun to come out.  Ta da!

I declined a very gracious invitation for Thanksgiving dinner from Florence yesterday.  She said she'd come pick me up, but no.  That would have been four trips over icy roads and that just wasn't going to happen, but wasn't that nice?

Mike worked yesterday until he couldn't feel his fingers anymore.  Brrr!  I periodically took him mugs of hot coffee, but that only works for a little while.

I had wondered how Missy would fare in this white stuff.  I shouldn't have worried.  She was on the covered portion of the deck when I went out and had had a good breakfast.  There's a padded chair out there that she used for a bed.  She told me it might be a good idea for her to come inside, until she saw Celeste on the other side of the glass door, that is.  Hisss!  Probably not.

Michael's walk this morning didn't take long.  There are several patches of yellow snow now, but he didn't dawdle on the way back to the house.

I've got a good fire going in Stove.  I have TV and computer.  I had a marvelous turkey and avocado sandwich for lunch (probably another for dinner).  Minus my Kids, it's been a good Thanksgiving.

(The cloud cover is rolling back in.  If you don't hear from me, you'll know why.)  If it's not one thing, it's another.

Out Like A Lion

An old adage says that if March comes in like a lion, it will go out like a lamb.  November seems to be the reverse.  Other than the one day of wind (when the power was cut for six days), this has been a pretty mild month...until yesterday.  The morning was sunny, but brisk.  Mike showed up early to work (I was dressed) and got right to it.  Michael didn't dawdle on our walk.  Even though the sun felt good, we were glad to get back to the house.  The wind picked up and the clouds closed in.  Along about noon, I wussed out and lit a fire.  I also hauled four wagons of wood to the porch (boy, I'm feeling that today).  If the weatherman is correct, we're in for more than a week of this weather.  As much as I'm going to miss seeing the Kids, I'm glad nobody is going to be driving tomorrow.

It being trash day, I gathered up my stuff early and headed out with Michael.  Michael had other plans and took off down the drive.  Ratchafratch!  It was too cold to stay outside so I sat in the truck to wait for the wanderer. (Power blipped off just long enough for me to feel my way down the hall to retrieve the lantern.  Sure glad it came back on.)  Anyhow, I was surprised to see Neighbor Joe drive up and even more when Michael jumped out.  Joe had been going for mail when he saw my runaway and brought him home.  I'm glad I'd introduced the two.  I put my miscreant in the house and took the trash to the road.  Michael had already had his truck ride.

The wind picked up and along about three o'clock the first snow started flying.  Mike just kept working.  He said it wasn't bad enough to stop him.  Brrr!  He worked for another hour and then stored his tools on the porch and went home to thaw out.  He said he'd be back today.  We'll see.

Power just blipped out again.  Evidently this "lion" likes to play in the dark.  Sure glad I don't/won't have a turkey in the oven.  Happy Thanksgiving!

Catwalk

I knew there was a possibility that Mike might not work here yesterday and, if he did, it would be only a half-day.  I'm bad about taking "before" pictures, but this is the deck as it is now.  These are the loose boards where Mike does his tightrope act.  He's not the only one.

I knew from the empty bowl that Missy had been taking her meals topside, even with the deck under construction (make that destruction).  Yesterday I saw her carefully picking her way to the backside.  It put a whole new meaning to "catwalk."

This is the backside and the little cat's bowl is around the corner.  What a mess.  As I'd feared, Mike didn't make it back and another whole day was lost.  Ordinarily this wouldn't be a big deal, but the storm is predicted to blow in tonight with snow down to 2,000 feet.  I'm at 2,400.  If that weren't bad enough, a week's worth of rain is to follow.  It's been in the 30s at night and Stove is doing his best.  Note to self:  bring more wood to the porch today.

I made it up to the market and splurged on freshly sliced turkey, not the prepackaged stuff.  I went whole hog and bought an avocado for my Thanksgiving sandwich.  I'll miss the Kids, but I won't go without!

Having gotten "sit" down pat, Michael and I have been working on "down."  He makes me laugh.  It didn't take him long to get the "down" part, but he lies down and then rolls over.  "As long as I'm down here, you might as well rub my belly."

Our evening walk went pretty fast.  A couple of piddles and he was as ready as I to get back to the comfort of Stove.  It was/is cold!

Coming Right Along

Mike had planned to take Sunday off, but that one day's delay caused him to change his mind and he worked (and I mean worked) a long day yesterday.  I'd told Mike I get up early so not to worry about his start time.  Ha!  Yes, I get up early, but I sit in my robe until I'm darned good and ready.  It's a good thing I can see the driveway while I'm at the computer because I almost got caught.  I saw Mike's truck and made a mad dash for my clothes and was trying to find the danged strap on my bibbies when the doorbell rang.  I won't make that mistake again.

As with almost any job, there have been glitches.  Pulling off the top boards, he's uncovering more of those rotten joists.  That will add more time to his estimate.  Sigh.  The good news there is that he can fix the problem.  As I told him, my concern is for safety.  It's a wonder no one has gotten hurt here...scary thought...at one corner, it's a fifteen-foot drop!  I even worry about Mike.  As he pulls off the cover boards, he lays a couple of pieces of lumber across those bad joists and it's like watching a tightrope walker as he works his way down the line.  He knows what he's doing.  I just quit watching.  I did tell him I would not leave home while he's here, just in case.  All I could probably do would be to call 911, but I could do that.  I think he's pretty much done with the tear-off, so he's coming right along.  I'm getting excited to see the finished work.

Another who is coming right along is Michael.  He essentially learned "sit" in a day.  We practice all the time and it works.  Okay, maybe it's the treats, but he sits when asked...sometimes before he's asked and looks at the pocket where I keep the goodies.  Who is training who here?

I think Mike is going to work a half-day today.  That will give me a chance to make the truck runs I neglected yesterday.

Six o'clock and still dark.  I'd better get dressed now.

Drat!

The best laid plans, and all that...our family Thanksgiving has been cancelled.  Common sense, that rare commodity, took over in my conversation with Deb yesterday and we made that hard decision.  Not only would Bucks Bar be problematic for me, there will undoubtedly be a lot of traffic on Hwy. 50 with happy skiers heading up the hill for the first snow of the season.  It wouldn't be fun for the Kids to get stuck in that.  Drat.

Mike got a good start on removing deck boards yesterday, only to find that some (okay, a lot) of the joists need to be, if not replaced, at least reinforced.  In for a penny, in for a pound, and I told him to do whatever he deemed necessary.  I'm certainly not redoing the deck for cosmetic reasons.  I don't know what this glitch and the weather will do to his time frame.  As has been brought home to me many times, I'm not in charge.

Michael knows esoteric commands such as "turn left, turn right," so it was a surprise that he didn't seem to know some of the basics like "sit."  I called Florence to see if there were special code words that he might know and I didn't.  There weren't.  Drat.  I've started working with him, using those itsy-bitsy milk bones as an incentive.  Michael is so darned bright.  He picked up the cues, voice and hand, in no time at all.  I don't even need to throw in a treat now.  Because he is so smart, I think he likes the challenge of learning something new.  We are definitely going to work on "come!" and maybe stop him from going walkabout down the drive.  One can hope.

I will take Michael to his favorite meet-and-greet store, Mt. Aukum, today to get a replacement hose for the washer.  Later I will go up to Holiday to buy some deli sliced turkey...by golly, I will have a turkey sandwich on Thursday!

It Sounded Good

"Hey, let's all meet at the casino and nobody will have to cook for Thanksgiving!"  "Okay, let's do it."  I checked my weather app a couple of days ago...rain on Tuesday, snow on Wednesday.  Not the best, but still doable.  Checked the app again yesterday...rain on Wednesday and snow for the next five days.  Arrggh!  Even with 4WD I'm not sure I want to do Bucks Bar in the snow.  There have been times I've had to throw Truck in gear just to get up my driveway.  Oh well, it sounded good.

Mike didn't make it yesterday.  I don't know what that and the weather will do to his plan to finish the deck by Thanksgiving.  It sounded too good to be true when he said it.  Oh well.

I keep all windows open a bit, even in winter, because I like the fresh air.  Poor Arden.  Knowing that she chills easily, I lit a fire before she came yesterday and covered her with a lap robe while I got her laundry started.  (I'm in charge of the washing machine and she does the dryer.)  We were sitting and watching the news of the day when I realized something did not sound good in the laundry room.  Going back to check, I found a fountain of water spraying out of the drain hose.  Turn off the machine and go for that old standby, duct tape.  It made enough of a repair a la Pa Kettle to finish the load of wash without flooding the room, and the dryer worked well for Arden.  So much for our relaxing Friday.  It sounded good.

I called Mt. Aukum and they have the kind of hose I need.  I'm sure Google will have instructions so I can replace it.  Wish me luck.

Ferris And Me

The only thing I have in common with Ferris Bueller is, you guessed it (Ferris Bueller's Day Off - 1986 - Matthew Broderick), I hit the brakes on the merry-go-round yesterday and spent the entire day doing nothing.  With all that had been accomplished in the last week, I didn't have even a tiny twinge of guilt and it wouldn't have mattered if I had.  Ferris had a pretty wild time on his day off; it would have taken dynamite to get me out of my chair on mine.

Mike came by in the afternoon to drop off the first load of lumber, about half needed for the deck.  He plans to bring the rest today and maybe even get started on the tear down.  I hope he's not being too ambitious when he anticipates being done by Thanksgiving next Thursday.  To me, it seems almost insurmountable for one guy alone to get that done.  The most help I can give is to stay out of his way and bring him a cold beer after work.  That I can do.

Timing is everything.  Wouldn't you know, after this beautiful weather we've had, that Nature would throw a curve ball and a monkey wrench just before the holiday?  Rain and then snow are predicted for next week.  I mentioned that to Mike and he said he was waterproof.  I can only take him at his word.  Me?  I'm not looking forward to driving on Thanksgiving, but at least the Kids won't have to come so far up the hill this year.

Arden is coming over today.  It's become a weekly ritual, and a day to look forward to.  Since so much was accomplished in anticipation of the blackout, I'm going to take another day off.  So there!

It's A Start

How's this for a view to start the day?

Waiting, waiting, waiting for the power to go out.  I put water in the bathtub.  I put a big pot of water on the stove.  I washed dishes and left the soapy water in the sink.  I vacuumed the living room.  I read the instructions for the solar charger.  I watched some of the impeachment inquiry.  It was like waiting for the other shoe to drop, but I was waiting for PG&E to send us into the dark.  I was also waiting for Clay to arrive.

The predicted wind came.  It lasted all of five minutes, just long enough to cover the recently swept porch ankle deep in dead leaves, and then stopped.  Along about 11 o'clock, PG&E sent out a polite text that they were not going to cut power to our area.  I appreciated that small consideration.  Everything done in readiness had needed doing, so I was actually ahead of the game when Clay drove up.

We sat for a bit to play catch-up.  Michael asked for butt scrubs and Ralph made a pest of himself climbing in and out of Clay's lap.  Clay is a favorite and they show it.  Then we got started on the task for the day, a major clean up, beginning with some defunct electronics.  Moving outside, we went through everything that had come off the deck, pitching cracked flower pots, broken furniture, and other detritus accumulated over the years.  Then we headed to the sheds.  It should be enough to tell that there were three nonworking vacuum cleaners in Shed Two.  Clay provided the muscle.  By the time we were both too tired to go on, he had piled his pickup up to cab height.  He'd brought his trailer, too, but enough is enough for one day.  We'd not gotten to the barn, but, said Scarlett, tomorrow is another day (a next time).

The power stayed on, we'd gotten a good start on cleaning up Farview, I got to enjoy Clay's company...it was a good day.

Charge!

"Charge."  Now there's a good, hardworking, multi-meaning word.  Could be a general's command for his troops to rush toward the enemy.  Could be the fee for services.  Could be an agreement to delay or portion payment.  Could be legal allegations.  Could also be the replenishing of power to an electrical implement...that's my focus right now.

PG&E hasn't dropped the hammer yet, but a shutdown is imminent so it was extra-good to see Stan yesterday.  He brought a stack of buckets and lids and I filled several to store water for when there is none.  It won't be potable, but the toilets won't care about that.

Aside from Stan's company, his gift yesterday was the solar charger for the cellphone.  Omigosh, I feel like I've been shoved into the 21st or even the 22nd century.  Who knew there could be such a thing?!  I thought the multi-cord charger in the house that can power up at least three things at once was the bee's knees.  This new device is simply jaw-dropping.  It's small, about the size of a notepad, but it can, using the power of the sun, charge the phone as well as its own storage battery.  It is Stan's plan that, once I am assured of its reliability (okay, I'm a skeptic) I can cancel my rather expensive landline phone.  When we lose power, none of the wireless phones in the house works, and I can't be without a means of calling out if there were an emergency, which is why I've always kept the landline.  It's old-fashioned.  You can answer or make a call, period.  No caller ID, no voice mail, no keep track of the time, no storage of phone numbers.  At least it has buttons instead of a rotary dial.  It rings, you pick it up and say hello, that's it.  I have no idea of what this new charger cost, so I made Stan agree that I would keep it on loan.

Ignoring my pleas, Stan had also brought up a generator.  There are those things about which I am adamant, and he took it away when he left.  I would never have used it...ever.

My merry-go-round is still whirling at high speed.  Clay is coming up today and volunteered to haul away all the debris that has accumulated over time.  Am I not the most fortunate woman?  The song for today is the Beatles' "With A Little Help From My Friends," (Yellow Submarine, 1967) only, in my case, it's a lot of help and I am oh so grateful!

There is the predicted breeze (can't call it a wind yet) blowing and the morning sky has just a ribbon of light under a dark cloud cover.  It should be an interesting day.  Charge!

Merry-Go-Round

Someone has cranked up the speed on my life's carousel and I'm close to spinning to out of control.  Me, who normally races around at a pace a snail could beat.  Let's see, I called Mouse last Monday.  He came on Tuesday and Wednesday.  Arden came on Thursday.  Mouse and Mike came here on Friday.  I took Saturday off.  The Dynamic Duo were here on Sunday.  Michael and I had to go to town yesterday after blowing a ton of leaves off the deck (still not through with that job because the blower ran out of charge).

Later I got a call from my brother-in-law Stan.  He has been concerned about the situation up here when we are without power and somewhere he's found some marvelous solar gizzy that will charge the cellphone without electricity in either the house or the truck!  He's coming up today, and also bringing lidded buckets I can fill with water and store so I'll be able to flush the toilets.  Believe me, that in itself will be wonderful.  Stan also had plans to bring up a generator and I had to ask him, please, not to do that.  I would never use it...ever...and I can't be more honest than that.  He's got a full schedule today, but he's fitting me in midday, bless him.  He's good company and it's always good to see him.

When Mike told me he was going to start on the deck on Tuesday, I'm not sure now if he meant he was going to start here today or maybe start milling the lumber.  When we shook hands on the deal I had a few seconds' relief of a blank mind before days of panic set in.  Did I do the right thing?  Did I find the right guy?  Did I get enough information?  Etc., etc., etc.  Ah well, in for a penny, in for a pound.

PG&E has sent out messages that they may cut power again, probably tomorrow morning.  Aarrgh!  Stan's visit couldn't be more timely.  I'm ready for my merry-go-round to slow down.

Dynamic Duo

I will say again, there are nice people out there.  Yesterday I received a call from my friend Florence, who had seen my note about scrap metal.  She said she also had some and a trailer...would I like her to pick up my stuff too, and she could take it all to Harold.  Would I?  Why, yes, I would!  Florence said she and her husband Dan would be over in early afternoon (yay!).  I set about to gather the most obvious things so as not to take so much of their time.  I had my concerns about the antique, enormously heavy, commercial scale that Steve had brought home.  All I'd ever used it for was as a plant holder.  Why did we need one?  Don't ask...it was free.  I used the waiting time to get a start on emptying flower pots.

I told Michael that his friends were coming over.  He had lived with Florence and Dan for a time.  It was she who introduced me to Michael, the dog I wasn't sure I wanted and who has turned out to be one of the best things ever.  He was pretty noncommittal about that announcement, and then they got here.  Ohmigosh, Michael lost all his reserve and bounced between them like a puppy.  "Oh, you're here!  You're here!"  I'll admit to a twinge of fear that Michael would want to go home with them (that turned out to be needless).

We (more them than me) got my scrap stuff loaded in their trailer and the scale off the deck.  Then Florence said, "Okay, let's get started."  She wasn't talking about leaving, she was headed for the flower pots!  One thing about living with a yard without a lawn or landscaping, the dirt from the pots could just be dumped over the rail.  Rain, wind, and the wild things will smooth it out.  Florence and Dan, now known as the Dynamic Duo, went to work with a will.  I did what I do best, which is to stay out of the way.  I took it as my job to move deck furniture, etc., under cover.  In what seemed like no time at all the deck was clear, and we had time to sit and talk for a bit.  (Michael chose to sit by me, which gave me reassurance that he likes where he lives now.)

The Dynamic Duo went above and beyond, and I am ready for tomorrow.  What can I say besides "Thank you!"

Give And Take

Finally I had some news to share with my daughter when she called yesterday.  She's the one out there in the world, working, going places and doing things.  I'm the dud who doesn't do s'much.  However, yesterday I was excited to announce the prospect of a new deck, and she was as happy as I about it.  Deb had seen the gradual deterioration of the wood and had warned me about going out there.  (Contrary to public opinion, I do listen to good advice.)

In the course of the conversation, I also mentioned that Missy, the little barn cat, had made an appearance on the deck and how feeding her there would make life easier.  Then the thought hit me.  Here I am giving her food out there and this week the deck will be taken away.  How's that for a dirty trick?!

I'm very good about planning the work for the day (I'm going to do this and this and then that and that), but lousy about execution.  Sometimes the enormity of the job (like clearing the deck) stuns me into immobility.  I got as far yesterday as calling Harold the Ironmonger to see if he would still take scrap metal.  He would, but Harold is older than I and no longer comes to collect the stuff so I'll have to figure a way to get it down to Plymouth to him.  I'm in desperate need of a new Helper Dude.  Doggone that kid for growing up, getting married, and moving away!

The temperature was dropping as fast as the sun last evening.  When Michael and I were done with our walk, I seriously considered lighting a fire, but decided I could make do with a hoodie (yes, with the hood up in the house) and the heated bean bag.  Throw a couple of cats on the lap and we were all good.  The time to put Stove to work is coming.

Yesterday I could use the cooking shows as an excuse not to start on the deck.  That will have been taken away today.  Nothing for it but to gird up and get 'er done.

Hit The Deck

This house and the deck are close to thirty years old.  The house has held up well; the deck has not.  The south end in particular has taken the brunt of the weather, but the entire surface is in bad need of replacement.  I don't go out there anymore, and don't want anyone else to put themselves in danger on those rotten boards, either.  When Mouse was here, I asked him if he knew anyone who did such work.  I respect Mouse's work ethic and thought I could depend on his recommendation.  He said he did and would talk to him.

Mouse came back yesterday to pick up his trailer and introduced me to Mike (there are a lot of Mikes out there).  Carpentry is this Mike's profession.  He recently moved to this area and is looking for work.  My first two questions:  are you licensed and are you insured?  When the answer was yes to both, "Okay, let's talk."  Mike walked the deck and made his calculations.  We agreed that the covered portion by the dining room did not need to be replaced, but the rest is a disaster waiting to happen.  He came up with an estimate that (gulp!) was half of what Home Depot would charge and we shook hands.  Then he said, "Okay, I'll get started on Tuesday."  Omigosh, so soon!  These guys don't mess around, for sure.

I've got my work cut out for me.  All those pots with dead plants have to be emptied and disposed of.  Robert the Raider will have to find fodder elsewhere, ha ha!  The table and chairs and other furniture must be moved, to where, I'm not sure.  I did explain to Mike that some of the big pots, etc., would be too heavy for me to manage and he said not to worry.  I'll take him at his word.

This is pretty exciting stuff for me.  What with the repaired driveway and now a new deck, this place will be looking good again.

Guess Who's Coming To Breakfast

On our morning walk, I was admiring the driveway and Michael was cussing under his breath at that doggone Dozer who had the effrontery to leave his mark(s) on Michael's turf.  Neither one of us were paying much attention to anything else so we were both startled when three deer leapt the fence out of the old garden.  I don't know what they find to eat in there.  I haven't planted a garden for years.  I'm not complaining.  It's better than when they'd break into the feed barn and tear into the alfalfa for breakfast.

Back inside, out of the corner of my eye I caught movement on the deck.  It was Missy!  She was evidently dissatisfied with the service in this establishment and came looking for breakfast on her own.  I don't know how Michael would react to a kitty not his own, but since he's mainly on a leash I thought it might be safe to take a bowl of kibble out to this little waif, leaving Michael in the house.  (Looking at this photo, I realize that Missy and Michael have almost identical coloring.)  After a pet, purr, and crunch, I used the bowl to entice the little cat around the deck to the covered, more protected area.  It would certainly be easier to feed her up here than having to make the trek down to the barn.

There is the possibility of a problem with that plan, however.  I've written before about the huge Siamese cat that the prior owners of this house just abandoned as they drove away.  "Hey, you forgot your cat!"  "Oh, just don't feed him for three days and he'll go away."  I don't understand how people can do that.  Anyhow, I wasn't about to let the creature starve, so I put out food for him on the deck.  He was fine with that and lived out his years with us.  The problem arose when the raccoons discovered the serve-yourself buffet and came on a regular basis.  They would wash each bite in the water dish, and were pretty messy.  I haven't seen a raccoon here for years, so maybe it will be okay.

It wasn't just breakfast company that came yesterday.  Sound asleep for my midday nap, I was startled awake to find someone right at my front door.  "Arden, it's Thursday!"  "No it's not, it's Friday."  Obviously, I'm not the only one who doesn't check the calendar.  What's a day or two between friends.  We got her laundry done and watched the news.  Today is Friday, right?  Just checking.

Eye Of The Beholder

I wish I'd had the forethought to take "before" photos to emphasize the vast improvement in these "now" shots.  Mouse and his buddy Mike finished up in the afternoon and rumbled off with their heavy equipment, leaving Michael and me to take our walk on the new flat driveway.  My excitement might seem silly to an urban dweller, someone used to paved streets and sidewalks.  To give an example of how bad it can get up here, I had given Mouse a ride up the road to where his truck and trailer were parked.  As I was making a three-point turnaround, one of my front tires got stuck in a rut, and I mean stuck!  I couldn't go forward and I couldn't back up.  Fortunately, my truck has four-wheel drive or I'd still be sitting there, spinning my wheels.

My driveway wasn't quite that bad, but it was getting there.  Mouse is a pro at what he does.  He left just a slight crown in the middle to let rain run off to channels cut at the sides, and went back and forth with the roller to compact the dirt.  Mouse estimated he'd done his last work here five years ago (I'd underestimated that).  If it takes another five years for the drive to go to pot, I'll be a happy camper.

Dozer was here again.  After his first visit, Michael beat his own record yesterday morning with ten pit stops.  I don't know how he does it.  I feel like I should carry a canteen so he can replenish what he puts out.  I imagine we'll have a repeat this morning as Michael reclaims his turf.

I don't want to drive on my driveway...I just want to look at it.  Ain't it purty?

Smooooth!

Mother always said, "You never get a second chance to make a first impression."  Anyone coming up the lower stretch of driveway here for the first time would think the house had been abandoned because of all the ruts and bumps.  The Kids have had to drive their trucks because a car wouldn't clear the hilly parts.  Having grown used to it, I could avoid the worst parts, but had to tell Michael we were going to go over the whoop-de-doos and to hang on.  I don't know, maybe three, probably four years ago a local gentleman named Mouse (he's anything but) did a good job of leveling the drive, but the rains took their toll over time and it was worse than ever.  Earlier this year I did talk to another guy about doing the job, but it was always one thing or another and he never came back.  I found out through the grapevine (Camille) that Mouse was going to be in the area to work on a neighbor's driveway and I gave him a call on Monday, thinking he might coordinate the jobs and save himself some time.  "Okay, I'll be there tomorrow."  I hadn't thought it would be so soon!

True to his word, Mouse rumbled up the hill yesterday afternoon with a grader, a water truck, and a roller, not all at once, but in stages.  Mouse is not a conversationalist, which is a good thing.  When you're paying a guy by the hour, it's not economical to stand and chit-chat.  Having come jouncing up the drive, he didn't need much instruction on what needed doing and he set to work.  The water truck was good insurance.  It's still very dry here, and a spark could be devastating.  The truck was also used to settle the dirt before rolling and compacting it.

At one point I went outside and saw that Mouse had brought his dog, an Australian shepherd, and had let him out for a brief period.  I went back in the house.  Michael was more excited than I've ever seen him when the dog (appropriately named Dozer), came up the walkway to the porch and had the nerve to pee on Michael's bush!  I mean really!  It goes without saying that Michael will come back from this morning's walk completely dehydrated from re-marking his territory.

Mouse didn't get done with the whole job and will be back today.  He'd better, all his equipment is in my front yard.  Michael and I had just enough daylight to get the trash down to the big road.  Well, let me tell you I've got my own big road now!  Omigosh, it was like driving on a freeway!  Wide and so smooooth.  I didn't get a really good look because it was getting dark, but I think we'd give a good first impression now.  Mother would be so proud.

Day On, Day Off

As is my habit anymore, after a day out with the "girls" or anywhere else, the next day is spectacularly nonproductive.  I did make a run up to Holiday, apologizing to Michael for leaving him alone two days running.  (I think I miss him more than he misses me.)  I only needed a few things so it was a quick trip.  There were just two bags in my cart and I was unlocking the truck when I heard, "Can I help you with that?"  It was a gentleman in the row behind me, unloading his groceries.  "No, thanks, they're not heavy, it's just awkward."  We finished about the same time and I was going to take the cart back to the store.  (It irritates me no end when people leave their carts in a parking space.  I'm crabby that way.)  "At least let me take that for you," as he came across the lot.  I said, "Either I am looking very decrepit these days or people are getting nicer.  You are the third instance lately with an offer of help.  Either way, it's very much appreciated."  "That's the way my mother raised me," tactfully avoiding the first option.  "Well, she did a good job.  Thank you," and we went on our ways.  I'm going to make a judgment call...there are nice people out there.

Lacking the much-needed rain, there has been perfect fall weather this week.  Days in the 70s and chilly nights, not cold enough for a fire, but just right for a lap robe.  Anyone with a cat will recognize what Celeste is doing.  That faraway look while "making muffins," kneading the soft blanket on my lap, is a dead giveaway.  What is she thinking as she self-mesmerizes?  Who knows what a cat is ever thinking?

The garbageman must be new and eager to please.  He was at the winery at 5:30 this morning instead of the usual 6 a.m.  At least I know it's Tuesday and my day to take my stuff down to the big road today.  Michael will finally get a ride in the truck.

A Day Out

For a change, I really was looking forward to leaving home yesterday because I was meeting Kit and Tinka for lunch.  Some days back, Kit had left a comment on the blog describing the unlikely threads of how we'd met, coming together from distant points of the compass.  Tinka and Kit are aunt and niece, so no mystery there.  How they came to Farview Farm is where the plot thickened.  Regardless, they are a gift in my life.

Kit has become quite a traveler, and one of her talents is using her Smartphone for directions.  The ladies gave me my choice of cuisine.  I opted for Chinese, thinking we'd go into P'ville as we had in the past.  Tinka was the chauffeur for the day, and I was confused when we headed south.  Kit had used her phone to look for Chinese food, Ione.  Her phone replied, "Ione Chinese Food."  No, she wanted the name of a restaurant in Ione.  "Ione Chinese Food."  That was the first of many laughs during the day.  Her phone had not gone stubborn or dumb, that was the rather basic name of the restaurant.

It was a beautiful day to drive through the southern hills, dotted with vineyards and herds of cattle, goats, and sheep.  We three see each other so seldom, it was constant chatter all day.  The food in that little hole-in-the-wall restaurant was delicious, and the company was better.  I didn't ask Tinka's permission to use the best one-liner of the day.  I had been asked a question that required some sort of computation and said I didn't know.  Tinka muttered, "Reading, writing, and arithmetic were never my best subjects."  I'm still laughing at that one.  We probably overstayed our welcome in the cafe as we talked and giggled.

As has been said, all good things must come to an end.  I needed to get home to take Michael for "walkies" (too many episodes of watching Barbara Woodhouse, a British dog trainer in the 1980s).  Those ladies give great hugs, coming and going.

It was a great day out.

Then And Now

Once upon a time and what now seems like long, long ago, I had a houseful of little Kids.  All four of my children were born within five years, and daily life was semi-controlled chaos.  Among our friends, the Kids were known collectively as The Group.  I had a nephew who would write to me while he was attending Notre Dame University and would address the envelope to The Wild Bunch and that is the name that stuck.  The funniest part of that is that the postman would know exactly where to deliver it.  (Do they still have postmen who walk their route?  Certainly not up here!)

Years later, after the Kids were grown and out of the house, The Wild Bunch was reformed with Steve and me, two other couples, and Deb (not yet married to Craig).  We used to go everywhere together, especially to county fairs and local events all over the valley, and many's the meal I cooked.  I've not been able to successfully scan the group photo we had taken together in Old West garb, with guns bristling everywhere.  If you've seen the 1969 movie "The Wild Bunch" (William Holden, Robert Ryan, Ernest Borgnine), you'll know what I mean.  Over time, death disbanded our group, but it sure was fun while it lasted.

The Wild Bunch sobriquet lives on, however.  Up here, it is a general term for the turkeys, deer, and various other wildlife that hang out in the hills.  It also applies to Ralph and Celeste as they tussle and race through the house; not in any way to the ultra-sedate Michael.

Ah well, that was then, this is now.

Social Butterfly

For a self-professed recluse, I've sure been getting a lot of people exposure lately, and enjoying it.  There is one shop in town that I've patronized regularly since it opened years ago.  The only conversations had there were limited to, "Have a nice day," as I was leaving.  ("Have a nice day" always sounds like an order to me, along the lines of a server chirping, "Enjoy!"  My own farewell is amended to, "I hope you have a nice day.")  With Michael as a companion, suddenly the shop personnel are initiating real conversations and I would appear surly if I did not respond.  Go figure.

Arden has been here three times in the past week.  I have her to thank for what housecleaning has been done.  Shame is a big impetus for me.  Yesterday I got the word that Kit arrived in Fiddletown and I'm to meet her and Tinka for lunch tomorrow.  I'm certainly looking forward to seeing them both.  If this trend continues, I'm going to need a social secretary (and a housekeeper).

I don't need to leave home to see fall foliage.  I took this photo yesterday when Michael and I set out for our morning walk.  There is a substantial drop-off from the back yard, and what look like colorful shrubs are really the front orchard fruit trees.  I know, front and back are confusing here.  The row of pines in the middle of the picture are on the northern boundary of the property.  I have to laugh every fall when I remember my sister's comment on her first visit here in autumn, "My, you must spend a lot of time raking leaves!"  Umm, no.

I hope you have a nice day.

Some Things

One nap a day is permissible.  I said so.  So I took one.  The rest of the day I actually got some things done...not everything, but some things.  Certainly got a better score than the day before.  Michael got to go to Mt. Aukum, but (gasp!) Nice Lady was not there.  Chris, who has worked there forever, was and he had not yet met Michael.  During the introduction I mentioned that Nice Lady always gave Michael a tiny milk bone.  "You mean one of these?" and quickly produced a couple.  Ahh, life was good again and Chris made Michael's day.  I bought a pound of the little treats and plan to distribute some to the shops we frequent in town.  The things we do for our furry friends.

Going for the last walk of the day takes some timing.  Too early and the sun blinds us on the way up the hill.  Too late and we can't see anything in the dark.  This was the view as we stepped out on the porch yesterday, and our timing was good.

It never ceases to amaze me how fast the sky changes at daybreak and nightfall.  This shot was taken after we had made the circuit and were on the home stretch.  The colors had intensified as the sun was giving its last hurrah.

Back on the porch again, just before going in for the night.  The glow was there, but those glorious colors had faded.

Good night.

Wake Up Call

Power outage, time change, whatever.  Maybe there is an unannounced infestation of tsetse flies in Fair Play.  All I know for sure is that my circadian rhythm is whacked out.  Poor Michael didn't get to visit Nice Lady yesterday because I was napping.  I'd wake up in the chair, check the time...yup, still time to make it to Mt. Aukum, and go right back to dreamland.  Michael got his walks and all the animals were fed, and that's where my ambition quit on me.  It's not like I have a strict schedule to follow or that I'm going to get demerits for failure to perform (that's a holdover from boarding school), but this is just ridiculous.  I wake up, look around and see what needs doing, and zzzzz again.  I've given myself a stern talking-to and have high hopes for today.  If it doesn't work, I'll be putting in an address change to the Land of Nod (Robert Louis Stevenson).

Friends

I've always believed in quality over quantity in all things, including friends, and I've got some good ones.  I received a notice from the post office that said I had a package waiting.  It had to wait because our little country PO is closed on the weekends and shuts down every week day from 1 to 2.  (Remember when "Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night..." was the Postal Service motto?)  I finally got the timing right and went up the road yesterday to find a care package from Kathy V.  Wow!  There was a pack of battery-operated night lights, several packets of one-serving coffee (perfect for the Melitta that Kit had sent), and a bathtub stopper.  That last was because when we got notice that the power was going to be cut off, Kathy had told me to fill the bathtub so I'd have enough water to at least flush.  I didn't follow her directions because all I had was one of those old-time flat rubber thingies that would let the water seep out.  This new one is fitted and will certainly do the job next time, and sure as shootin' there will be a next time.  In addition, there was a helping of, for lack of a real name, homemade donut holes.  I was pretty sure they wouldn't keep, so I ate 'em, and they were delicious.  I'm not quite ashamed to say the KitKat bars went the same way.  (Hey, I didn't ask what you had for dinner, did I?)  Kathy and Kit certainly put the Care in their care packages, and I'm grateful for the goodies and their friendship.

Michael and I got the trash down to the big road last evening.  He does like to ride in the truck, although I don't understand why.  Unlike prior dogs, Michael does not ride shotgun so he can look out.  He, unbidden, tucks himself on the floor behind my seat and pretty much stays there.  To each his own, I guess.

He'll get another ride today.  I took a big gulp yesterday when I looked at the gas gauge and saw it was teetering toward empty.  I almost never let that happen, but guess I'd been leaving home more than usual and hadn't paid attention.  Nice Lady at Mt. Aukum has Michael spoiled.  When we were in town the other day, he was looking for treats in each little shop we were in and was disappointed when none were forthcoming.  He'll be happy today.

In Sync

I've heard there was a boy band called NSYNC (1996), but I've never heard their music (kind of not my thing).  One thing I am not these days is in sync, in fact I am so far out of sync I'll need a road map to find my way back.

It doesn't take much to discombobulate me, and this has been one heck of a week.  No power, then power!  I'd no more than reset the clocks when they changed the time and I had to redo that again.  I'm still trying to adjust to early light, early dark and not being very successful; my sleep patterns are in chaos.  I slept in yesterday and didn't hear the trash truck beep-beeping at the winery next door at 6 a.m. (he is nothing if not punctual).  That's one constant that confirms the time and the day.  He only comes there on Monday and then I know the next day will be Tuesday and Tuesday is my day to take our trash down to the big road.  There's always the question of whether it is just trash or if it's trash and recycle stuff, but I usually guess that right.

Arden came over on Friday as per our routine (that's how I knew it was Friday), but for whatever reason had left her laundry at home.  It still needed washing so she came back yesterday.  Now I'm totally out of whack and wonder if I'll ever get in sync with the "real" world.

Today is Tuesday, not Saturday.  Tuesday is trash day.  Got it!

PS:  Oh crum...I screwed up again.  The trash truck just came to the winery (6 a.m.).  Yes, I stand corrected.  He picks up their trash on Tuesday and ours on Wednesday.  Sigh.  I feel like that commercial with the camel that goes around asking, "What day is it?"

Hope

Celeste told me her name (as they all do) when she first came here to live.  Apparently she felt that Celeste fit her elegant, smoky grey fur and pale jade eyes, and it does.  However, given the latest circumstances, she should have chosen Hope.

There are long lace curtains framing the windows in the living room and reaching almost to the floor, rather old fashioned, but I like 'em.  Twice in the recent past, and not for the first time, creatures (a praying mantis and a lizard) have tired of the wild life and decided to come in and join the resident group.  Their port of entry is the side door next to one of the side windows near where Celeste dozes in a patch of sunlight.  Evidently they make some noise that I certainly don't hear, but the cat does and she goes to investigate.  Celeste is a hunter extraordinaire, scratching behind a small stand and/or shaking the intruder out of the curtains.  She seems disappointed when the whatever-it-is doesn't want some playtime before she dispatches it.  (The things I have to pick up.)

The thing is, having found her happy hunting ground, Celeste now spends a good portion of each day waiting by the curtain for her next visitor (i.e., victim).  She should have been named Hope.

Pots, Pans, & Ponies

After days without power, one would think I'd be running around like Mrs. Tittlemouse trying to get things done, but one would be wrong.  It was Saturday, a day filled with cooking shows and, after recent deprivation, I watched every one, even two with Martha Stewart and her tedious recipes.  Lidia Bastianich is always the last for the day and, before getting up and getting going when she was done, I flipped through the guide and found, ta da!, the Breeders' Cup races.  Well, I wasn't about to miss those (any excuse is a good one), and I settled back down in the chair.

Men, and now women, have raced horses since caveman days.  Horses compete for speed in the pastures and in the wild even without riders.  What disaster has befallen Santa Anita racetrack that so many horses have died over the last year?  It was stressed over and over yesterday that extreme measures have been taken, including at least 30 on-site vets and multiple daily inspections, to protect the animals.  Still, in the last race of the day, a horse broke a leg and had to be put down.  A very sad ending to what would have been a great day of racing.

 Kathy V. was right (she usually is).  The clocks have changed and the sun still came up this morning.  Well, whoopee-doo.  It, and I, might be up an hour "earlier."  Ask me how I feel about that when the sun goes down early tonight.  I dread the long, dark nights of winter.

I'll go into Mrs. Tittlemouse mode today.  I promise.

Let There Be Light!

It's grand beyond reason to walk down the hall, flip a switch and have light, or sit in the chair, push a button and have TV, and, best of all, turn a handle and have water gush out of the faucet (or the toilet flush).  Ahhh!

A good portion of yesterday was spent in the kitchen, cleaning up.  I've been ever so grateful for the propane stovetop, but it took another pan or skillet to heat/cook anything and they were starting to pile up.  With everything washed and the countertops clean again, at least I didn't have to apologize when Arden came over.

The long, dark mornings had changed my sleep pattern.  It was a lot easier to just turn over and keep my eyes shut than to face the hours before sunup.  Of course, now I'm all messed up and didn't wake today until after six.  It is the day for my semiannual diatribe against changing the clocks.  I'll try to keep my yerping to a minimum, but no promises.

I got a delivery of alfalfa yesterday and took advantage of male muscles to also order chicken scratch and birdseed.  Carlos was kind enough to carry those heavy bags to the storage bins.  Better him than me.

Okay, the family is on Plan B, or maybe C.  We're going to meet at a different casino for Thanksgiving.  After all these years, it will seem very strange not to put a turkey in the oven before daybreak that morning, but hey, maybe that's a good thing.  As Deb said, with power being unpredictable, it's better to let someone else take the chance.

It's getting light outside.  Yeah, well, wait until tomorrow when it will be an hour earlier (and darker).

Dark Days, Darker Nights

Any power outage is cause for grousing.  It is inconvenient at the least.  "I can't flush the toilet.  I have no water.  I can't use the computer.  The wireless phones are dead, etc., etc."  Boo hoo, poor me.  As time goes on, these things become critical.  This time the power was out for six days and nights, and that's a long time to go without the necessities, let alone the amenities.  It wasn't too bad for the first couple of days.  I fired up the great LED lantern in the dark and was able to read, morning and night (finished three books).  With no way to recharge the lantern, and not knowing how long this thing would last, I quit using it, saving it for an emergency.

Morning comes slowly.  The hours waiting for the sun to pull itself up over the hills seem endless.  On the other end, the sun drops like a stone and darkness falls quickly.  There is a lot of dark during a blackout.  With a small flashlight in hand, I sat and waited for either sleep or daylight.  As I told Kathy V., it's a good thing I'm always hearing music in my head when that's the only entertainment available.  For awhile I got stuck on "Under The Bamboo Tree" (1901), probably best remembered as sung by Judy Garland and Margaret O'Brien in Meet Me In St. Louis (1944).

The wireless phones drop as soon as the power is cut, that's why I maintain a land line, again for emergencies.  The Kids had planned ahead and gave me this thingy that allows me to recharge the cellphone in the truck, so I didn't feel quite so isolated.  Michael, Ralph and Celeste are great companions, but not so good at conversation.  Arden came over several times because, thanks to Kit, I could make hot coffee, and for the company.  Kathy V. kept in touch via texting, and I looked forward to her morning check-in.

The wild things were looking forward to taking back their turf.  Tinka had seen a bear(!) right outside her kitchen window.  Deer were waiting in the driveway here in front of the house.  When I opened the door, they said, "Drat, we thought you were gone!," and bounded off.  When there are no other sounds, the birds become very loud.  The crows have come back and caw continuously.  I wonder if they irritate the other birds, too.  A flicker became very nosy and kept flying up to look in the living room window.  Sorry, kids, I'm here for the duration.

Michael and I had gone out yesterday to check on the goats and chickens.  Omigosh, I had a great leap of joy when I saw that a lamp that had been on when the power went out was lit!  We were back in the land of the light and living!  First thing, flush the toilets.  Next, run the dishwasher.  Charge the lantern and the cellphone.  Bake the pizza that had been in the fridge.  Life is good.  I'm back!