Sunday aftrernoon

 We had company on Sunday, first my other baby brother and she who sees robins first, then two of our Grands.  Savannah and Paige came to spend some time with the old folks!  

We got caught up with the goings on in their lives. 

Then we went to lunch at our favorite Mexican place. 

We all had a fun time!  They make us smile and laugh!

Far Side

Booster reactions

Both of our arms were really sore! 

After the covid booster Far Guy felt like he had been hit by a truck, he had the chills, headache and body aches.

As per my normal reaction...a fever and fatigue.  I slept all night Friday and most of Saturday.  I was somewhat achy...but again that is normal for me.  

Between the two of us we managed a trip to the transfer station to get rid of our garbage and together we managed supper...which was pretty easy we just warmed up leftovers in the fridge. 

Far Guy woodcarved outside for awhile.  I managed to paint a few Christmas ornaments.  

Our old place on the lake....we lived there nine years (1986-1995).  That is the boathouse that is directly on the lake. 

Far Side

A Wildlife

Yes we live a wildlife. 

Picking tomatoes every day and sharing them with others. 

  Painting the Christmas ornaments, Far Guys says there are 109 ornaments.  

We got our Covid Boosters Friday afternoon  So far so good...but as I write this it has just been five hours. So who knows. 

We went for a Ranger Blue ride the other night.  My hip is not as sore as it was so we got to have a longer ride.   I still have some pain, but I am doing the exercises and the whirlpool and heated rice bags.   I hope PT can fit me in their schedule next week...I am on the call list. 

More Doctor appointments have been scheduled...seems like it never ends. 

Far Guy got a call from his Doctors office warning him of an increase in covid hospital admissions, the covid wards in Fargo, ND are open again.  They told him to isolate and stay out of crowds.  We are practically hermits already. 

A fawn with fading spots.  The fawns are slowly turning a darker color.  Their Mama is really dark.

A Grouse on the back road...she is living right behind our house...safe except for the Fox that is a frequent visitor.  Sure hope there is more than one Grouse...we have not seen one in this area for a long time. 

Such is our wildlife:)

Far Side

Baxter and Smudge

 Baxter turned four the end of August.   He still likes me...possibly because I have treats (Cheerios). 

Here is Baxter enjoying the pontoon ride one night this week.  My baby brother and his bride have a pontoon. 

Smudge can run faster than Baxter now.  Far Guy and I were at the end of the dock waiting...and they came running! 

It was a nice night to be out on the lake. 

It was getting close to sunset before we came off the lake.  When we docked Smudge took off ninety miles an hour...happy to be off the pontoon. 

Far Side

Lists

 I have many things on my list for September...you know all the things I should have tended to before they made the list!

I crossed a few off my list the other day..I returned some photos to one of my cousins and had a nice visit with her, I also dropped off photos my Mom had for the American Legion Auxiliary Historian.  I got the car washed...and had some of the eye tests that my eye doc wanted...I still have one more test next week.

Far Guy finished carving this years Christmas Ornament, I did the final quality control check and they are all set to paint.  

I am researching ideas for this years Christmas card.  I may have to audition a few of the designs I found. 

My lawn mowing is done for now, we have hot dry weather and the grass is starting to turn brown.   I finished up next door on Monday...it had been two weeks or more since I was there. 

and along the back road...

Far Side

Silence

 

Book Club: September

 We read The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom.

I liked the book as did the other ladies in the book club.  I give it a 9 plus...not a perfect 10.   It is another historical fiction read.  

What have you read lately?  Anything good that you care to recommend? 

I still order books from Thrift Books...I still like to hold a book in my hand even though I have many books on my Kindle.   I usually pass the books along after I have read them or donate them.

Far Side

OH the places i mow

 Oh the places I mow.  Isn't there a Dr Seuss book called Oh the places you'll go? 

I have a phone, riding mower, bright red boots and many places to mow. 

Where will I mow next? Eeny meeny miny moe...which way should I go?

 

My mower is a bit dusty and sometimes so am I.

Mowing under the bright blue sky.

I can stop here for a chat.

What's better than that?

I can fill with gas here so my mower will go.

Oh the places I mow.

I am not far from home, if Far Guy is out woodcarving he can tell exactly where I am at. 

 I have not seen the bear...just lots of Fox scat. 

Far Side...so not a poet...just a lawn mowing goddess

Wedding Shower

 Friday evening was my other baby brothers oldest granddaughter's wedding shower.  She will be getting married in October.  

Hailey is my great niece. 

Jen and Andy helped with the construction and design for the recipe box.  I copied some of my favorite chicken recipes for Hailey and included a dish towel and a scrubby.  Hailey has raised chickens throughout her high school and college years!

It was a nice evening out, the food was perfect and the bride to be got many nice gifts! 

Hailey had a pretty hat hanging up in the room....little girls were admiring it! 

Vivian another of my great nieces tried it on! 

Far Side

End of a busy week

 Yesterday we both had appointments for our annual dermatology exam.  Far Guy did great and I had two small surgeries.  Suspicious spots; one on my cheek and one on my shoulder. The numbing up is the worst part.  Both spots will be biopsied.   

Check something else off our list! 

Last week we had five medical appointments...this next week only two...practically a week off.  

No big plans for the weekend, catching up on mowing and perhaps making some chili. 

Far Side

Cautiously optimistic

Wednesday as I made my follow up appointments at the Clinic an opening was available for a Physical Therapy consult just prior to Far Guy's weekly Thursday Infusion appointment.   So I took the appointment. 

Good News!!  The Therapist is 99% sure that he can totally relieve my pain.  After seeing my x rays he believes that it is my sacroiliac joint on the left side that is the problem...possibly stemming from an injury on June 29 1980 when I broke four bones in my leg and totally dislocated my ankle.  I was unable to have corrective surgery due to a blood infection.  I spent a very long time ( 6 months) in various casts and had to learn how to walk all over again. ( The Doctors all said I would only walk about 10 years back then...see they don't know everything!)

The Therapist explained that my sacroiliac joint is angry and the large muscles have it locked in a painful place...no doubt inflamed with the RA that I have.  He massaged my back and leg...used some cups to increase the blood flow and found all the pressure points that are causing me pain.  He is convinced it is all muscle not nerve.  So I will see him again when they have a cancellation or in October which ever comes first.  In the meantime I have a few new exercises to do, and he said the hot rice bag should be continued along with my nightly whirlpool soaks. 

So at least we have a plan.  I may not need the fancy expensive RA meds at all.  That is really good news!! 

It is very different walking with no pain...strange in fact.  I might get used to it!

So I am cautiously optimistic...one day at a time. 

Far Side

Ok not fine

 The Orthopedic consult happened yesterday...he thinks my hips, knees and ankles are just fine.  "It must be a problem with your back...sciatica maybe...I don't do backs...I will send you for more X rays and for a Physical Therapy consult.  You should really take 2,000 units of Vitamin D a day it might make a difference.  You can see the PA in our Department maybe he can steer you the right way."  

And how long have I been complaining of this pain...about 2 1/2 years...maybe longer...I have been to PT previously and I do the exercises they recommended at that time. 

On other high notes...I am still in limbo with the Rheumatology second opinion at a different clinic (we will call you in 3-4 weeks to set up an appointment)and the latest arthritis med that my Rheumatologist ordered must be lost in the insurance pipeline someplace.  OK not so fine.

What ever.  I was so NOT impressed with the Dr I saw yesterday....even if I required surgery...I would limp off into the sunset. 

I take part of a THC Sativa Gummy...it is supposed to make me more energenic and have less pain...it just makes me sleepy.  The THC Indica Gummy seems to help more with my pain and of course makes me sleepy too. I have not tried the ones with THC, CBD and CBN  ...yet...of course if I can get comfortable and get to sleep I have no pain. 

We had one day of no wildfire smoke and now we have it again.  Far Guy is staying mostly inside.  

Flowers in the wild gardens.

Far Side

Sunset, a wash and a visit

 Sunset was fairly orange on Monday night, lots of particulate in the air.  

I took this photo on the way over to my baby brothers to visit  Baxter and Smudge...I had not seen them in about a week.  They love me...cause I have Cheerios for treats! Smudge grew a bit and she knows sit and down now...I think she is a smart little dog.  

On Tuesday morning Far Guy took all the extra hoses out and we washed the house.  In accordance with our 10 year warranty on the exterior finish on the house...it must be washed once a year in late Summer.  This blog serves as a record of the washings. 

Check it off the list.

It was a very warm day...but between both of us we got it done...plus we cleaned up the air conditioner part that sits outside.   Check something else off our list.  I was tired...Far Guy lured me into taking a ride into town for a visit and lupper at A & W.

We had a very enjoyable visit with Far Guy's cousins Bonnie, Wayne and Scott! 

Fra Side

23

 How can it be that the baby in our family is 23?   Wasn't he just a baby a few days ago? 

Hiding from Grandma behind his knees!

I was almost 50 when he was born...I am a tad older now. 

With his parents in Hawaii.

Mostly he avoids my camera.  

Adam and his gal Courtney last Christmas.  Since then Adam has moved to Western North Dakota.

Happy Birthday Adam!  23 is a great age!  You will never be younger!  Love you lots! 

Grandma

Upgrade

 Time to upgrade!  

I had a very old iron, it would steam stuff but often with obnoxious water spots...rusty looking...I usually used a pressing cloth (an old white dish towel)  not sure how old it was but I used it to starch and press Far Guys military BDU's many years ago.  At that time a new iron was much cheaper than sending his uniforms out to a laundry.  The cord had been replaced once...

I traded Jen an old white desk top rotary phone for the iron at the garage sale!  Win win.

Far Guy and I had a quiet Sunday, we listened to church and in the afternoon we went for a Sunday drive to our favorite Mexican place for lunch/supper.   One more day of no cooking sure works for me. 

Our area is experiencing wildfire smoke...it is awful...it even smells inside the house. We have two air purifiers going.

Goodbye August and hello September!  The construction on our road to town was supposed to be finished...it still needs lines/lanes painted...it was Sunday and no one was working...so we took it anyway and ignored the detour. 

Far Side

Jen and Andy did "a thing"

 A few years ago, daughter Jen and Son In Law Andy bought a piece of furniture from an older couple who were downsizing some furniture, the kids thought it was just the cutest house with a great location just a block from "The Ralph"...then the house came up for sale...so Andy and Jen bought it.  They cleaned and painted, decorated the entire place and filled it with nice furniture.  Andy built all new kitchen cabinets, they replaced flooring and updated a time warped bathroom in the basement.  They built custom loft beds for a bedroom in the basement.  They had a very successful Airbnb for a number of years.  

Last Friday they closed on the sale of their Airbnb in Grand Forks, ND.  Earlier in the week, they moved everything out and we got everything ready for a garage sale at their home in East Grand Forks, MN.  It was a great team effort...but exhausting for both Jen and Andy....so much was happening over just a few days plus they are both teaching full time.  

(The last guest checked out on Tuesday so I went over and helped pack up the kitchen, Wednesday I got things ready for the garage sale and went with Far Guy to his appointment. We had the garage sale from Thursday through Saturday at noon...we got rid of lots of stuff...lots of my stuff included!  Far Guy picked me up on Saturday and we all went to lunch before driving back home.) 

Jen writes on Facebook 

"We closed on the sale of our Airbnb today. I am happy/sad and sad/happy, but I might be more sad than happy.

Owning an Airbnb isn’t glamorous; it’s hard work. We could have hired people, but we did not. In fact just within the last month we found someone reliable to clean. Otherwise my husband started laundry before and after work, we spent evenings, weekends, and an occasional Hail Mary to flip the house in one day… cleaning up after the one guest and getting the house ready for the next, and letting people check in early and out late as allowed.

Making beds went better with two people. 2 kings, 2 queens, 4 twins. Our two boys helped in exchange for their part of the phone bill. Niece Maddie worked when she could.

If I had to clean alone, which was rare, it took 4-6 hours, but if the laundry was done 3-4 of us could be in and out in a little more than an hour. Winter’s were great because my mom took care of cleaning the kitchen.

98% of the time we rented to great people and I enjoyed providing a service… a clean, warm, safe, comfortable home for families to mourn together, celebrate together, or get away together. We hosted robotics teams, dance teams, tennis teams.

2% were shitty guests, who let’s be honest we’re probably shitty people too. One reservation left drugs and burn stains into the bar top downstairs.

We provided what anyone could wish for: a Kitchenaid mixer, Ninja air fryer, crockpots. Our welcome gift was usually chippers from Widmans or Dots. We provided bottle openers on both floors, yet the bar and countertops were used to open bottles and broken and damaged. One house rule was “please take off your shoes” yet the dried mud clumps left behind in the bedrooms arrured me guests didn’t. “Clean the out grill” if you use it — I hoped would dissuade use, but there I was elbow deep in grease cleaning up after another person. We brought items people forgot from our own home, we came to let in people who locked themselves out even with a passcode for the lock.

On Airbnb we had a score of 4.98 stars. The two? One guest left five stars for all individual items but four overall — that didn’t make sense. Oh well. The other? The guest said “too many stairs, it was too cold, and we didn’t get money back for leaving a day early”. Stairs are in the description and photos, and visiting North Dakota in December can be cold. They didn’t say the house was cold, and yes we did provide heat. No, no refund for leaving early — I couldn’t have replaced the booking in less than 24 hours.

We only had one group we needed intervention from the police for having a loud party and disturbing the neighbors. The guest turned around and made an “unsafe” claim against our business, resulting in a one week suspension for us from Airbnb. Airbnb did not help us when we requested damages from the same group: Alcohol dripped from walls, floors were sticky and so bad you had to vacuum before you could walk through the house… we had to repaint ceilings, replace bedding, broken glass, damaged flooring, even though we had before and after photos.

I handed over the key to the new owners today. They said, “You made it too good of an Airbnb”. With a puzzled look on our faces they explained: they had rented the house twice in the last year “what a neat place to live” and “I wish we could stay forever”. When they discovered the house was for sale, they said, “No way!” An end of one story is the beginning of another."

Who knows what their next adventure will be...but after this week they need to just rest for a bit.

Far Side