Slow progress

We have 39 Christmas Ornaments finished bagged up and ready to deliver.  Hopefully I will get them delivered this week.

Far Guy had his Flu and Covid vaccinations on Monday morning...he had aches, chills and felt rotten most of the day yesterday.  I had my Covid booster on Monday ...fever blisters and feeling tired...yuck.  I had my Flu vaccination last Friday and slept for about 20 hours off and on....I started to feel chilled and off about 12 hours after the vaccination...but felt better after my long sleep.  Cross the miserable things off our list!

The rest of the Christmas Ornaments for 2025 will have to be finished Up North and mailed out before Christmas along with the Christmas Card that is still in my imagination. 

I know Halloween comes first...I bought the candy...I will guess that we will get 4 trick or treaters this year. 

I am gathering things that I know we will need Up North and putting them on the couch in the living room...like I said progress is slow. 

Ornament bags all set to go. 

Far Side

One down

 One more to go.  I got my High Dose Flu shot on Friday morning.  On Monday I will get the Covid booster and then both are crossed off my list for another year!  

My Rheumatologist wants me to try a different medication for my RA and I cannot have any vaccinations while on the medication...so I will get my vaccinations and then wait two weeks and try the new med.  I am so not impressed with my Rheumatologist...he said "Oh your blood work is showing so much inflammation"...yes...go figure...I could have told him that.  He has no explanation why my Ferritin level is still high....nor does he care.  He also said "You have tried so many RA meds and failed them all"  no news to me...as if that statement helps at all.  

I will just keep on keeping on and hope that sooner or later the Clinic in Grand Forks will recruit a Rheumatologist.   My Primary Care Dr says they are trying their best in recruitment. 

I hope that both vaccinations will be smooth going with no major couch time. I could have gotten them both at once...but did not want to press my luck. 

Supper was roast pork, mashed potatoes, gravy and baked carrots.  Comfort food.

Minnesota weather: It was frosty!

Far Side

Uffda x2

 I had the high dose flu shot on Monday afternoon...3 days later I am still feeling like death warmed over. BUT it must be better than the flu. Right? 

To make things even more difficult...our septic system water sensor alarm started beeping Monday night...the phone was ringing and the alarm was going off...the alarm company wanted to make sure we were aware..."yes I know it is going off we are dealing with the situation"   Far Guy said "Something is plugged."  I called my other baby brother and his phone went to voice mail...it was 10 PM ...I called she who sees robins first and she answered right away.  She woke up my other baby brother and he and our Great Nephew Mason came right over...they decided it was tree roots...got it partially unplugged enough so that water would drain out...and they would fix it in the morning.  

So the next morning nephew Josh, Ryan and David came to dig up the tree root clogged septic line. 

They replaced the pipe and hopefully it will take another 26 years to become clogged with tree roots again.   My brother says it is normal for tree roots to seek water and cause problems over time. 

Luckily my other baby brother lives right next door and he owns a Construction Company that does septic systems and all kinds of dirt work.   How lucky are we??  Very lucky to have someone you can call late at night and will put you on his list for repairs the next morning!  

Living in the boonies has it's challenges. 

Far Side

Red Leaves

 The leaves are slowly beginning to change.  We have had a few chilly nights and that helps color things up.  Usually we are past peak by now....strange weather. 

I was out mulching leaves and noticed this Oak...a Red Oak with nice fall color. 

I got my stitches out on Thursday, my face feels much better without the stitches, so I am back to mostly normal activities.   I am on a three month recheck program now since I had skin cancer. 

Far Guy got his Flu shot at one of his Doctors appointments this past week.  I did not have mine yet.  He had little to no reaction. 

Far Side
 

Two or three vehicles and a flu shot

 We were in a pinch.  My Mom ( Dental appointment) and Far Guy ( Infusion) both had appointments at about the same time.  There was no way I could accomplish both.  I should be two people sometimes.   We worked it out.  Far Guy took Tilly to town so he could get his infusion and I took our car.

I joined Far Guy at the clinic for a bit...long enough to get a flu shot.  Cross something off the vaccination list...one down two to go.  (RSV and the Covid booster)

If we lived on the outskirts of town Far Guy could have taken Ranger Blue but 14 miles is a bit much. 

We use Ranger Blue to travel country roads to visit neighbors, trail rides, garbage to the County Transfer Station and to recycle. 

So far I am doing okay with this years flu shot...a bit warm and sore, but nothing to complain about ...yet.

My Mom is getting very forgetful.  Her short term memory is not good.  She has to take the City Bus to appointments and someone must ride with her.  She uses a wheel chair to go to appointments.

Far Side

Second Snow

 At this rate Winter will be here early.  The third snow usually stays:(  

We woke up to the second snow. 

By afternoon it had melted.  

We had a fairly productive week.  Only two more windows to wash and the screen door.  It may or may not happen.  Ranger Blue was cleaned out before the cold weather and windows were washed.  We brought in "stuff" from the garages that would freeze.  Far Guy cleaned up Tilly's garage and did some work in the greenhouse/woodshop.

 Leaves were blown around and mulched.  One more time around the yard might happen.  So far I have mulched our yard seven times this Fall.  I mulched at my other baby brothers...he has lots of leaves yet to fall.   The leaves in our yard are 90% down.  

The last of the ant hills were doused with borax/powdered sugar.  The no trespass signs were put up.  

Are we ready for Winter...not completely but in the next two weeks we should be. 

Our quiet snowy day yesterday was spent mostly inside...Far Guy began painting the Christmas Ornaments. We watched Blue Jays and Juncos out the windows.   I cleaned the bathroom and did some laundry and organized some craft stuff. 

We both are a bit headachy and tired from the high dose flu shot.  Naps were high on our priority list in the afternoon.  Far Guy cooked supper...hamburgers without a bun but with some bacon, waffle fries in the air fryer and peaches.

Far Side

Quiet Day

 We saw this nest along one of the trails in the area.  It is a wasp nest. 

We have gone on this trail before and this is the first time we have seen the nest. 

We had a quiet day on Friday.   I had a nap in the afternoon.  I am feeling a bit "off"  my Covid shot arm really hurts...not sure if that is a coincidence or not....the weather changed.   I often have intense itching in that arm.   I got the flu shot in the butt...the injection site is swollen to the size of a softball and has a temperature.  I am tired and chilled, but I am often tired because I am old. 

We started painting the Christmas Ornaments...the first few test ones turned out great so painting is a go.   It will be a process and I hope to be done by November 1st...we will see. 

Far Guy made Halibut and a baked potato for supper...raspberries for dessert.   He is a good cook. 

We may get our first freeze overnight. 

Far Side

Rain

 We finally have a few days of badly needed rain.   We have not had a frost yet, possibly this weekend. 

Before the rain we managed to get Wet and Forget on the deck on the North side of the house,  the patio out front, the picnic bench, a wooden seat and the Ferris Wheel Seat. We find that wet and forget works great on moss and lichens that cover everything here in the northwoods.   It has been two years since the last application. 

I killed some thistle and some weeds.  Always a fun job for me.   I have a few more weeds to kill before it snows.   

I mulched again...not that it did much good with the wind and the rain...but 7 1/2 times out of 10 is done.  I raked some leaves away from the buildings and mulched them up.  Still more to do but until it dries up nothing more can be done. 

Thursday grocery day...no lime Outshine bars or mixed frozen vegetables.

We got our High Dose Flu shots yesterday.  Keeping my fingers and toes crossed that I can skip the rotten side effects. 

Far Side

Normal?

 I am feeling almost back to normal after that horrid flu shot. Is there really a normal anymore...sub and ab the normal brothers seem to make themselves frequent visitors. 

I blew some leaves around on the East side of the house and mulched some of those leaves. It rained almost two inches the night before so the leaves from a Popple tree that are bunched up on the North side are wet...I can either rake them into the woods or wait for them to dry out.  I will wait. 

The grasses on the East side of the house still look good....we leave them alone. 

I finished unpacking the last of those suitcases...that is a done deal.  I did some laundry...  we cooked supper together ham, tator tots in the air fryer and baby peas. 

Covid cases are on the rise...two local eating establishments are closed for cleaning because of exposures.  We have not been to either place since last February.   Even the UPS Driver said that Covid is everywhere. 

I was feeling a bit down so I took a walk along the back road...I walked alone ...yet two shadows show up...Far Guy says it looks like the other shadow has wings.  My shadow is on the right.

Far Side

Tired

 The flu shot made me tired.  I had a fever for a short time... and my bones hurt. I will live to see another day or so. 

Far Guy worked on his new old car...not sure what he did out there...something about ignition wires. 

I forced myself to work on Christmas Cards...and then I had a four hour nap.  I was watching The Great British Baking Show before I fell asleep...perhaps I will be a better baker now....although they make cakes and breads I have never heard of.

Thank goodness for meals in the freezer.  

Far Guy has no side effects from his flu shot.

Far Side

Fall Report

I got dish soap again!  Almost cause to celebrate!  This week curbside grocery pickup gets an A no mistakes and everything I ordered was there!  Will wonders ever cease?

Town seems a bit busier than normal...I heard that many retirees are staying here for the winter instead of going to warmer climates. 

My baby brother said there was a real pretty tree along one of the trails...it was worth checking out but the light was not great.  It is a Red Oak.

Other pretty Fall colors.

Far Guy and I got our Flu Shots...cross it off the list!  So far so good...we will see how it goes...as I write this I am 8 hours post injection...usually I wait til the 12-24 hour mark to feel miserable. 

Far Guy is doing well...his groin is all different shades of purple and yellow...very colorful.  He says that the stent must have been the size of a can of corn.  He speaks with the Cardiologist soon.

Far Side

Busy Day

Saturday was a busy day.  We made a trip to the landfill...they are only open on Saturday now.  We go about once every three weeks.   I did some laundry, washed some windows and then had a short nap and went out to mulch more leaves...this is the 5th mulching.  One or two more times should do it!

Mulching.  I have special blades on my lawn mower, the blades pulverize the leaves...basically most of the leaves turn into dust....it makes a great natural fertilizer for your lawn!  We have mainly Oaks here, Red, White and Burr Oak.  If the leaves are left on the lawn over the winter it is a real mess come spring.  It is bad enough that the White Oaks keep many of their leaves all winter so you still have leaves to take care of in the spring.  A heavy bunch of Oak leaves will mold and kill your grass.  Mulching blades also come in handy taking care of grass clippings...they are all returned to the grass in tiny pieces.

Toward evening we met Jen, Andy and Jonas 60 miles north of us for supper and returned the dogs to their rightful owners.  Jonas is the foreign exchange student from Belgium...he is a pleasant young man, we enjoy visiting with him.  They had all been traveling in Northern Minnesota....and we took care of Miss Miney and Little Elvis for them.

Tamarack or Larch are turning their golden fall color.

I am still tired.  That Flu Shot knocked the stuffins right out of me.
Far Side

Flu Shot

No doubt the flu is worse than the flu shot.  The symptoms began 24 hours after the shot...I was wiped out, ran a temp, had chills and every part of my body hurt...especially those parts that I have injured...my left leg, right shoulder, left hand...back and long bones in my legs.  Far Guy brought me warm corn bags and piled the blankets on....I had some really weird nightmares and he reports I was talking in my sleep.  Miss Miney and Little Elvis kept me company all afternoon. After six hours I felt much better and helped with supper and spent some time outside with the dogs.

I hope the worst is behind me.

Far Side

Fall Color and Bingo

We don't have much for Fall Color.  All the rain seems to have made the colors dull.

My Dad and I went to Bingo and I bingoed twice so it was a good night.  Dad's knee was wonky but we put on his knee brace and he did just fine.  My Dad likes Bingo night to be very orderly, he likes to leave at the same time every week, arrive at Bingo at the same time, park in the same place and sit at the same table.  Finding and putting on his knee brace put us a little behind time...but he adjusted quite well until he saw the long line waiting to buy bingo cards...luckily I had two friends standing together in line that let me get in line with them.  Thank goodness for Bingo friends!

Far Guy got his Flu Shot yesterday.  I am going to wait a couple of weeks before I get mine.  I usually get sick from it and right now I don't need to be sick.

Far Side

sNOw

Yes we got snow on Thursday night. Technically this is our second snow, the first one was last weekend when there were flakes in the air.

 

If I had gotten up earlier Friday morning I am certain the whole ground was white.  It began to rain as the morning progressed and the snow was history.  I will have to wait a few days for the leaves to dry out to mulch them again.

The Flu shot has me a little wiped out.  I have an area on my behind that has a temperature and feels like it is as big as a basketball…but softball size is more like it.  Far Guy got his shot in the arm and cannot even tell where it is.  I should be so lucky. We both got our flu shots on Thursday October 4.

My Dad was not feeling up to going to Bingo this week… maybe next week.

I worked on Christmas ornaments yesterday.  The last 11 are being painted!  Yeah me a few more days and I can put the paints away.

Miserable Week

I had great hopes to get a whole bunch of “stuff” done on my list this week.  I still have a couple of days left but it is doubtful that they will get accomplished.

Tuesday afternoon we went to the Shot Clinic and got our Flu Shots…I also got a Pneumonia Shot because I was due for one a year ago.  I have been just miserable.  My body is not liking either shot, both injection sites have swollen to the size of grapefruits. (Ever tried to sit on two grapefruits?)  Both areas are hot to the touch as my body is putting up a big fight. I am exhausted and very little is getting done…I think the injections also caused a flare of my Lymes Disease.  Far Guy got his shot and he noticed nothing…nothing.

I am thinking that dying from the flu wouldn’t be such a bad thing.

I will be fine, if I were going to croak I am certain it would have happened before now.

Amongst it all we either have TV or Internet …but never both for very long. Grrrrr…

Mid October

The fourth mulching of leaves has been completed along with some raking and some leaf blowing.  We had a horrible wind on Monday and many of the trees lost all their leaves…we figure that the leaves are 80 % down.  (Two more mulchings and our fall lawn work will be done…unless it snows then we are done for sure.)

One of our old Aspens (Piss Popple) came down in the storm…luckily it fell in the woods.

The Juncos came back for a few days and they have left again.  They usually bring snow…this time they just brought cold weather…it went from 88 degrees one day to barely 46 degrees the next.

As you can see our grass is still green and growing…that wind on Monday brought some rain.

The Monarchs are still out in the Mustard field.

My Doctor says I am still way low on Potassium…she is thinking over what she wants to do…probably add more pills.  I got a Flu Shot a High Dose one…right in my Gluteus Maximus…it made a ball about the size of a tennis ball…better there than in my arm. Far Guy got his Flu shot too in the arm.

We started to put away lawn furniture…when Jen and Andy were here they carried the lawn swing into my garage.

My Marigolds were frozen…they were nice flowers while they lasted.

 

Fall is coming on strong…the furnace comes on late in the day and in the evening.

Flu Shot and 32 Deer

I finally got my flu shot yesterday.  Far Guy got his shot on Saturday…they ran out of serum so I waited until yesterday.  My arm is sore, Far Guy seems fine…he says his arm itches.

One more thing to cross off my list!

We went for a ride right after supper.

This was the first of thirty-two deer we saw in a one square mile area. Deer season starts November 8 in our area.

The two deer across from our driveway ignored Chance..apparently they are “our” deer and have heard him bark before because they kept right on grazing…buggers.

It was getting too dark for great photos.  Thirty-two is the most we have counted in years.  I recall one time a number of years ago when forty deer were counted in one field.  The most we have seen in one field this year was eight.

I hope the deer hunters have a great hunt.

November is upon us

Spring ahead and Fall back.  Uffda.  I detest the time change.  It takes my body a week or more to adjust.  I will have to schedule lots of naps this week so I am not cranky.  How can it be November already?  I just want time to stand still for a bit…and a few weeks of Indian Summer.   

We got our flu shots on Friday.  The nurse was hesitant to inject my gluteus maximus..it qualifies it is a muscle… I pointed and said “Here this is a great spot. How can you miss such a large target?”

We headed North for a few days.  Jen asked her Dad to go to a Hockey Game (Sioux or more correctly North Dakota vs St Cloud…they lost.)  We did some shopping…there is a brand new Hobby Lobby in Grand Forks. I bought craft paint and some cardstock and an assortment of paint brushes just incase I am moved to begin a project or two I will have the supplies on hand.  Jen also introduced me to Bed Bath and Beyond.  If you have to shop that is a way cool store.  I bought coffee and some chocolate.

I bought one Christmas gift..so now that total is four…I am crusin’.

I also bought Chance a super dooper ball launcher..a K-9 Kannon!

I think the grand boys will be more excited about playing with the dogs if they can shoot something into the air.  We will see.

Little Elvis, Miney and Chance.

The tall ones are getting taller.

They are growing like weeds.  The tallest is learning how to cook a bit.  His Mother very patiently showed him how to make his own grilled cheese sandwich.  I gave him a few pointers…like when my pan is too hot and my sandwich is in danger of burning and my cheese didn’t get all melty a few seconds in the microwave will melt practically anything:)

October 18, 2012

More than half of October is gone.  We finished with the leaves. I ran the lawnmower around in a cloud of dust for an afternoon chopping up leaves that I was too tired to rake.  I was just black..and had to take half my clothes off outside before coming into the house headed for the tub.

I usually leave a pile of leaves on top of the Daylilies under the bird feeders every year.  I should trim that Forsythia ..it never blooms anyway.  It still has its leaves.

Whilst grocery shopping Far Guy noted that the Flu Shot kiosk was empty..he said “I better hurry over there before they close.  I need that flu shot.”   I talked him out of it twice..once when he first got sick with the crud, and then another time in the Doctor’s Office seeing what they could do for the crud.  He is feeling better..but he is still coughing. He has had two courses of antibiotics.

I got a flu shot too.  My butt is still sore.  The Nurse really didn’t want to give it in the Gluteus Maximus.. I assured her it was a great muscle and would be able to withstand the injection.  She would have preferred my arm..but after that time that I got a flu shot in my arm and couldn’t lift my arm above my head for months…I was unwilling to sacrifice my arm…

I made an interesting Jell-O salad for a funeral luncheon. ( A friend died..damn cancer.)  It was called Minnesota Blueberry Salad or Purple Salad and I found it in one of my cookbooks..a lovely lady by the name of Harriet Enfield who was a really good cook included it in a cookbook. I knew Harriet for years and years.  Four ingredients..easy peasy!

Minnesota Blueberry Salad

One package of Raspberry Jell-O dissolved in one cup of boiling water.

Add one can of blueberries with the juice

Add one small can of diced pineapple with the juice

Chill until almost set..then add a container of Cool Whip

It was a beautiful blue/purple color.  Far Guy likes Blueberries..and he said it tasted more like blueberries than anything else.  It had the dreaded pineapple in it..so I didn’t taste it..food allergies suck.  Next time I make it..I will add something other than pineapple..raspberries or maybe some coconut and  marshmallows.

I finished one project for the museum and have a good start on the August  October Newsletter.  I made some executive decisions.  Like the when and where for the Christmas Get Together. Just because it has always been one place doesn’t mean we cannot go someplace else within the county.   The little place I called was just thrilled to have a reservation..they can only seat 50 people..we will probably have 25 people attending.

It rained yesterday..our first real nice rain this Fall..I took in my rain gauge for the winter..but we had a puddle! :)