Turning the corner

Far Guy has finally turned the corner, he is feeling a bit better.  He is still coughing and wheezing but can breathe easier.  He was in the hospital last week. Respiratory distress and Acute Bronchitis and most likely a nasty virus.  He has a long way to go for a complete recovery, it will take time and patience.

I am feeling better also ...just real tired.  That was one wicked virus.  Our youngest daughter Jen made many trips here to check on us and make sure we had what we needed.

Our winter weather has returned with a late April snowfall yesterday.

Just what we needed to feel all "springy."

My main objective is to take care of Far Guy and get him back to reasonably good health.  I will write the blog when I can...no promises.
Far Side

Blog Break

Difficulties

When it rains it pours.  Internet, TV and telephone are intermittent.
We are still trying to recuperate.  Two sickies with no TV to entertain them sucks.

I won't share what Far Guy wants to do to the provider of these services.
Far Side

Saw one Grand

There was a wedding shower for Maddie on Saturday.  I arranged to meet Paige...I was coming down with the Flu.  Paige took my gifts and I came back home.

Paige April 20 2019   20 years and twelve days old.

I was sad to not attend the party...but I would have shared this awful bug.

It is a head cold that goes to your chest and makes you ache all over even your toenails and teeth.  I ran a temperature for about 24 hours.  I am better now but weak.

Far Guy is still struggling.  His cough and chest congestion is worse...he is taking his steroids, an antibiotic and doing extra breathing treatments...I am not sure what else we can do.

Far Guy's Uncle Archie died on Good Friday,  he will be missed.  He is the last of his generation.

Far Side

Happy Easter!

Far Side

Saturday

Far Guy is a bit better...not out of the woods yet but better.  His breathing is not as labored or difficult as it was and I think his fever has broken.   The Chicken and Noodles I fed him for supper last night may have helped....or my hovering...maybe both.

I have a sore throat now too...hopefully I can fight it off.  STRESS!

We will stay home until we are better. 

Orchids in Hawaii January 2019.

Far Side

 

Concerned

Far Guy is having a real hard time breathing.  He is very short of breath and wheezing.  I insisted he go to Urgent Care after his weekly infusion... luckily he got to see his own Doctor...not a specialist  just his primary care doctor.

He began another round of steroids. The Doctor is not sure if he is getting a bacterial infection, a virus or has allergies.  He had a Kenalog Injection last Monday and it helped for a few days.   Thursday morning he woke up short of breath and it continued to get worse throughout the morning.

His Port is no longer safe to use for his weekly infusions.  It leaks and possibly has a kink...an appointment is being made at a far away hospital for a new port.

If it isn't one thing it is another.  It might be a bit rocky until the steroids kick in.
Far Side

Another winner and Birthdays!

We have another winner.

Tuesday April 16 there was still snow and ice at the snowstick.

Then it started raining during the night.

April 17 and the snowstick is free of snow, ice and water.  Sara from South Dakota is the winner...please email me your address.  A woodcarving will be in the mail soon.

It is birthday week for our oldest daughter...she is 47 today!  Our Granddaughter Maddie was 21 yesterday!   Happy Birthday to them both!  Hopefully I will get a photo of them together this weekend.

Far Side

Wistful Wednesday: Easter

Here is a polaroid photo of our niece Bethany in 1986.

A big rabbit, Bethany with an Easter purse and Baby Snuffer.

Since this is a Polaroid and was in Far Guy's parents photo album I am certain Far Guy's Dad took the photo.

Baby Snuffer was our Snuffer's puppy.  Snuffer had a rendevous in Florida when we were stationed there...she had four puppies, Fatty, Blackie, Brownie and Flowie (Trica named them...she was just shy of 2 years old)  Far Guy and I are pretty sure that it was Blackie that became Baby Snuffer and went to live a good long life in Indiana with Far Guy's sister and family.

Far Side

Monday Happenings

Two  health care appointments were accomplished.  Far Guy had a "Port Study" done by the Interventional Radiologist...who apparently doesn't know his butt from a hole in the ground.  The port leaks as the needle is being removed...yet did he remove the needle from the port??  No.  They are alive and walk among us everyday.

I need a second consult on my hand...both the scar tissue from the Carpel Tunnel Surgery and a growth on the palm of my hand...the Ortho PA said the growth  must go.  Now we will see what the Hand Surgeon says later this month. I  had ultrasounds and that horrible test where they test every nerve in you arm and hand (Nerve Study)

Two more health care appointments later this week....I swear our social life is mainly at the clinic.

Some snow melted but we still have a fair amount in our yard and at the snowstick.

I have been working on some cards.  I got some new Real Pen Brushes and I really like them. They can be used with water.

With my hand as wonky as it is...I don't do any one activity for very long before I switch. I have less pain that way. 

Part of getting older and having more aches and pains means that you must adapt your activities.
Far Side

Yard happenings

There is still plenty of snow...we don't have a shortage.

Three plus inches at the snowstick on Sunday afternoon.
We sat outside for a little while.  The wind was chilly...coming off the snow...but the sun felt good.

Our first Common Redpoll showed up....they like thistle seed just like the little Pine Siskins.

We had a quiet day yesterday at home, we went for a short walk...walking is tough in all the slush.
Far Side

Gifts from friends

This was a great week for gifts!

Always fun to get something in the mail or from neighbors that stop by with a bag of gifts!

A Border Collie Table Runner and Coasters from special neighbors Leah and Jo.  The gift made us smile!  I had fun finding Border Collies that looked like our Chance...we still miss him everyday.

Soap, lotion, cuticle cream and lip balm from Araignee's Tangled Web...she has more hobbies than I do!

Yes Far Guy was woodcarving at the dining room table when I took photos.  He has a special board he uses at the table to catch chips and it also protects the top of the table.

Sheila at woodcarving shared a pattern with him...and another fellow was cleaning out his garage so we have all kinds and shapes of basswood for carving.   One of the pieces was just perfect for his project. 

We have not yet picked a Christmas Ornament for this year...we have two ideas and will see what makes the cut...so to speak.

Far Side

Enough snow already

Snow.  It snowed all day on Friday.  What a mess and that snow was some heavy crap.  I used the power shovel and the regular shovel...thank goodness my Nephew came by with the skidsteer and moved a bunch of snow off of the walk for me.

It was about nine plus inches of snow.   It was so heavy that as it piled up it sunk shank shrinked...got smaller in height..

June the snowbank has been renewed also.

Far Guy woodcarved.  I made jelly...got another 5 jars of Chokecherry and 5 jars of SKOC Some Kind Of Cherry

The SKOC is beautiful in the jars...and tastes good too. 

I have three quart jars of rhubarb to do yet...I am thinking one batch of jam, some muffins and possibly a coffee cake are in our future.  I will be glad when this project is complete.

Far Guy's sister asked what will you do with so much jam and jelly.  Give most of it away most likely....it makes sweet gifts!
Far Side

Fresh Snow

It started to snow about noon on Thursday.  On our way home from our appointments we noticed more and more snow.

I took a photo of the patio.

 Before the snow and after the snow.

We had 4 inches of snow at the snowstick just before dark.  So the snowstick contest will begin again.

The snow storm is not finished with us.  It has been real windy.  Many of the roads are closed to travel, they are icy and dangerous.

I just finished raking the front yard one day this week...all twigs and spent bird seed was hauled away and I cleaned out the bird bath and put in fresh water for the birds. Then the Juncos came about 24 hours before it snowed.

We hunkered down at home...watching Frozen Four Hockey Playoffs. Far Guy worked on a woodcarving...I worked on a variety of things; nests, cards, scrubbies and old photos.  One afternoon this week I watched The Highwaymen...excellent movie except some of it was filmed so dark it was hard to tell what was happening.  I give it a 4 1/2 out of 5 stars.  It was based on a true story.

We have no place to go on Friday so we will stay hunkered down until the snow ends.

Far Side

Island Cake take me away

You recall that old commercial "Calgon take me away?" I used to envy that woman in that tub.  In the late 1970's I had two small children and  just 5 minutes of alone time in the tub/shower to shave my legs was a luxury.

Snowmageddon has been forecast for us.  The snow is supposed to begin early Thursday morning and continue throughout the day into Friday. We both have appointments Thursday...who knows what will happen to them.  We are in the 12 -18 inch predicted area and it will be windy...maybe they are WRONG!

Oh well I can take all day to shave my legs if I want too!  And eat the rest of the cake.

Andy and Jen brought us a Caribbean Rum Cake from their adventure.

It was Key Lime...

They make 10,000 of these cakes a day in various bakeries in the Caribbean.
It was a cute little cake, the flavor was very pungent, but it was delightfully soft in texture.
Far Side

A Winner !!

Such exciting news I had to interrupt Wistful Wednesday!
The snow is gone from the snowstick! 

April 9th in the morning the snow and ice and water was all gone from the snowstick.
Pauline is the winner, please contact me with your address.  I will get a woodcarving off to you soon.

The rest of you...more snow is forecast...if when it snows 3 or more inches we will restart the snowstick contest...I will just keep all the old guesses.
We still have plenty of snow but there is hope for Spring now.

Far Side

Adventure Jam and Jelly

Last Fall my crazy somewhat ditsy friend Jill called me with a problem.  She and her husband were leaving for the winter and she was going to unplug her freezer.  She had quart jars of fruit and fruit juice frozen all ready to make jam and jelly.  Would I take them...she wasn't sure what each jar held...other than the rhubarb.  One jar was marked fruit and another cherry juice.  She said aw come on it will be an adventure Con.  (Not many people call me Con ...but Jill does).

The fruit turned out to be blueberries whole with juice.  The cherry is chokecherry. One unmarked was raspberry juice.  All made delicious jam and jelly.

Sunday afternoon was a jam and jelly making time  One batch of each.

There are still three jars of rhubarb and a few jars of "unknown" juice to be dealt with.   I think I got nine or ten quart jars from her...I put them in the bottom of our freezer.

I have jars, sugar  and pectin to do a few more batches. It will be another adventure one day this week.

Far Side

Happy Birthday Miss Paige!

Paige is older today.   Seems like only yesterday that she was born just a little early at 35 weeks.  She had episodes of not breathing and had to wear a monitor for a couple of months. 

Here she is two years old. 

Here she is just a few months ago. 

My oh my 20 years sure goes fast. 

Paige is going to school at The University Of Minnesota at Duluth, she hopes to become a Physician's Assistant someday after years of school. 

Happy Birthday Miss Paige...we love you! 

Far Side

Yard Report

The snowstick still has snow and ice and water.   It spit rain off and on all day yesterday.  It was a dark dreary day.

Pauline asked why we place the snowstick where we do...it is a level spot in the open and no snow from the roof reaches it or snow from the snowblowers.   It is a pretty good indicator of snowfall amounts over the winter.  See that  long pile on the right?  That is snow that came off the house roof.

The snowbank named June is getting smaller.

 We worked in the yard for a bit....removing 2 more wheelbarrows of spent bird seed.  We feed about 150 pounds of Thistle Seed, 120 pounds of a Premium Sunflower seed (mostly sunflower hearts) and then about 400 + pounds of Black Oil Sunflower seeds during the winter.  We rake off what we can until we run into a layer of ice...then we let it thaw out.   Spent seed is moved into the edge of the woods so the birds and squirrels can still scratch around and get seed remnants. Thistle seeds comes in 25 pound bags, Sunflowers seeds in 40 pound bags.

Bird feeder area

The tin on that far tree helps to discourage the squirrels from running up that tree and leaping onto the bird feeders and emptying them...don't feel too sorry for the squirrels they have their own feeder area. 

Will the snow, ice and water clear away from the snowstick  before the snow that is forecast for this upcoming week?  Probably not.  We will have to wait and see. 

Far Side

Thoughts of Spring

We wish Spring would get here faster!

Far Guy took away the Electric Snow Shovel...that piece of equipment saved my shoulders from many aches and pains.  No worries my other snow shovel is still near the door.  I expect that we will get more snow before Spring really gets here.

I bought a new stamp.

A Trillium.  It was on the sale table...truth be told I would have bought it anyway even if it had been regular price.

These will be cards ...eventually.  The shiny one  on the right is done with a pearl watercolor paint.  Far Guy and I both agreed that it was TOO much.

Simple is better...the rest were done with Prismacolor pencils, watercolors and a glitter pen.
If Spring cannot be here yet...working with Spring like images is the next best thing!

The snow is melting and revealing many twigs and branches that litter the yard.  Snow really hides lots of "stuff."
Our Trillium will be blooming in about six weeks.
Far Side

Snowstick and Bingo Report

There is 5 inches of snow at the snowstick. 

We are supposed to have a warm ...as in 50 degrees weekend...we will see.  We could have some major melting!

I took my Dad to Bingo last night, we did not win.  Dad says "We are losers."  There was lots of commotion at Bingo...ladies laughing, giggling and carrying on...and Dad was distracted by the noise.   I just try to keep him on track and watch his numbers and mine at the same time.   He really enjoys Bingo...but he enjoys it more when we win.

We are done with appointments for the week...yeah us!  Today is a day off.  We both enjoy days where we don't have to go anyplace.

Far Side

Water

We had to go to Fargo for a Doctor's appointment.  I escaped with Jen to a craft shop while Far Guy saw his Neurologist...who asked where I was and why I left Far Guy unsupervised.  All was well with the appointment....right now Far Guy's Trigeminal Neuralgia is under control.  The Doc said he is still wheezing...

Water in the fields near Glyndon Minnesota.

Water in the ditches near  Moorhead Minnesota.

We were so glad our appointment was this week instead of next week when The Red River of the North will be flooding.

The trip to K and K Kraft's was fun,  I got the supplies I needed for the May Baskets this year!  ( You all have 26 days to think up your May Basket design!)   I also bought some new stamps for cards...some for Easter and one for Spring.

Yesterday we enjoyed a day off of appointments...I cleaned the bathroom and caught up with laundry...Far Guy hauled two wheelbarrows of spent bird seed from under the bird feeders.  We went for a long walk in the afternoon and made ribs, french fries and fruit for supper.

It has snowed a little bit the past few days, yesterday it snowed during the night enough to make the ground white.  Winter doesn't want to let go! 
There is still snow at the snowstick.

Far Side

Wistful Wednesday: 1804 and another outlaw

Far Guy's GGGG Grandfather Daniel on his Mother's Paternal side of the family had that problem selling wheat that wasn't his.  Now it appears his son Aaron also had a brush with the law.. ...or Grandpa Daniel could have had a brother named Aaron...seems like it was a well liked name.

In the month of March last; of which the said Aaron Abbott convicted at the last Summer Assize held for the said County, and then condemned to be hanged.

At any rate our Aaron ended up in Canada so he was not hung....what happened?
GGG Grandfather Aaron would have been 22 in 1804.

In November 1822 Aaron, Martha and six children left Great Addington for Canada. In March of 1823 they disembark  from the ship Comet in New York.  They lived in Dundas Ontario for a time until they settled in Eramosa Ontario.

The six children on that ship named Comet were William 12, Thomas 9, Hannah 8, Elizabeth 6, Esther 4 and James 2.   The trip took 4 months.  Can you imagine?
Much more research should be done.

Far Side

Bunny Wreath and Misc

I put up the bunny on the wreath outside the door.  I have not seen the bunnies for awhile...or their droppings.  We have a Fox that likes to visit our yard, we got him on the trail cam.  The Fox, the Eagle or the Owls probably got the bunnies.

The wreath probably needs something else besides those cones...

I finally got to attend carving instead of a Physical Therapy appointment.   It was fun to catch up with everyone there...they are all doing ducks.

I have a PT appointment later in the week.  My entire leg hurts now...must be the change in weather coming.

Far Guy doesn't believe that one tiny little shrimp will make you have wild dreams. 

Dream;  I was taking photos and not watching where I was walking and almost walked off a cliff....then I was in Hawaii taking a nap under a tree...go figure...then some strange guy shot me in the leg.  I woke up and my leg hurt.  Uffda

No more shrimp for me.  I made a salad for supper, Far Guy made Chicken Alfredo...he is a good cook!

Far Side

Goodbye March

It had to snow one more time in March.  The ground was all white for awhile and then most of the new stuff melted.

We walked to the mailbox even if it was Sunday.  Along the way a Chippy greeted us. 

At one point he ran right toward us and went across the road.  I am certain he went to find all his friends and alert them to the bird seed in our yard.

We had a quiet day yesterday.  Far Guy did a batch of Popcorn Shrimp in the Air Fryer.  I like shrimp but only fresh not frozen...so I had a freezer meal...hotdish  the one with tator tots, mixed veggies and hamburger.
Only three Doctor appointments this week....practically a week off.   Far Guy told one of our Grands that we have no social life except for the medical people we see every week.
Far Side