Land of

 Sky Blue Waters! (Hamm's...the beer refreshing)  If YKYK

My sister Julie sent a few photo of her plane ride on Sunday.  It gives you a beautiful view of Minnesota in the Fall.

The Tamaracks are just beginning to turn golden yellow.  I see a few Maples and probably some yellow Piss Popples (Aspen). 

Sunday Far Guy and I went and got our vaccinations at the corner of Happy and Healthy...Flu for me and both Flu and Covid for him...his arm was sore...I slept all afternoon on Monday and spent the day in jammies. 

We can cross something off of our "to do list"

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Sore Arm

I had my Covid Booster on Thursday...I have sort of a sore swollen arm and had a long afternoon nap on Friday....other than that I am ok.  I will get my flu shot when I am totally recovered. 

Smudge likes to play ball so she limbered up my arm nicely!

 

You can see her brother Baxter in the background...he does not play ball.

My sister in law spent a night in the hospital this week after three ER visits and one ambulance ride.  She has Myasthenia Gravis and getting meds to the right levels is a challenge.  Prayers for her are appreciated!

What's cooking?  Pork chops and wild rice. 

Minnesota weather:  High 69 F or 21 C   Low 56F or 13C

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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. 

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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 from 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. 

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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:)

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Better

 We are both feeling a tad bit better.  It was a rough spell.  We both took it easy again yesterday and should be right as rain in a few days. 

I have been working on painting the Christmas ornaments....I am about 1/3 done. I am watching Call the Midwife while painting. 

 I watched Dancing with the Stars the other night...I wish those men would keep their shirts on every time one of them rips his shirt open to reveal a bald chest while dancing...I feel like barfing.  AND if the Golden Bachelor spends anymore time at the tanning salon he is going to croak from skin cancer.

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Through the rat hole

 Ever feel like you have been drug through a rat hole?  Hit by a Mack truck?  Like maybe it would just be easier to go lay down in front of the funeral home or your plot at the cemetery?

That is how Far Guy and I feel after the Covid booster that we got on Monday afternoon.  We both started feeling rotten with  a fever, aches and pains about 12 hours after the injection.  I felt like I had been shot. I would have welcomed death with open arms.   Needless to say neither of us slept much. 

We had a quiet day at home yesterday with numerous naps. We hope by today we are feeling much better. 

Two down and one more vaccination to go.  (RSV)  Far Guy had  RSV one time....he was horribly ill so if a vaccination will prevent it that is a good thing...he was hospitalized for about four days in one hospital sent home and then hospitalized another four days in a different hospital....because I refused to take him back to the first hospital when they obviously didn't know what they were doing.

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Third Booster

 Far Guy and I both had the super shot...the third booster yesterday.    One day at a time to see how I react.   We decided to get this one over with before we have the flu shot in a couple of weeks.  

Cadillac not sure what year  40's or early 50's and I wonder if the hood ornament is original.

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Boosted again and other stuff

 We both had our Covid Boosters on Thursday afternoon.  We are both feeling fairly crappy; muscle aches, tired and very sore arms.  We are happy to have it behind us again.  It is supposed to be a rainy couple of days so it is a good weekend to spend resting up, napping and watching tv.  I wonder if we will have to get these boosters the rest of our lives?  It had been 7 months since Far Guys last booster and 5 months since mine, now we are on the same schedule anyway...misery loves company.

Cross something off our list. 

We got rid of our telephone land line over the winter, can't say I miss it.   When I don't want to talk to anyone I turn my phone off or leave it in another room and if it bugs Far Guy he can answer it. 

I am watching Tournament of Champions a cooking show and Downton Abby.  At night Far Guy and I have been watching The Repair Shop.   It doesn't take much to entertain us. 

We miss Little Elvis and Sadie and maybe even Phoebe the cat a little.  Our reasons not to get a dog outweigh the reasons to get one.  No fence, skunks, porkypines, raccoons, burrs of all kinds, deer and dog ticks are high on the no dog list...all in exchange for companionship and laughter.  We can always go Up North and visit Little Elvis and Sadie and anyways Baxter seems to like us a little.

Sadie catching snowflakes one day this week.   Photo by Jen. 

It seems Sadie misses her "daytime" company...namely us! 

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Words

 I am working on words. 

Peace, Believe, Noel and Joy are the words I chose to use on the Christmas Cards.   I used the Gemini and dies to cut out the words.   Then I had lots of  poking out to do the centers of all the a, e, o, l's etc ...it was putzy work.  I got rid of a number of paper scraps that were accumulating in the paper drawer in my desk. 

One more afternoon and I will be done with those words!  My fingers get all sticky from the glue I am using. 

Far Guy entered all the addresses one by one on the Christmas Card list...he was a trooper and hopes he never has to do that again.  ( Windows to Mac was a nightmare)  The address labels have been printed.   He is working on the Christmas letter. 

The last of the Christmas Ornaments were mailed Monday afternoon...so I will reveal the ornaments at the end of the week.  Brain Dead Postal Lady had no Internet so she could not weigh packages or print out postage...I didn't know the scales were connected to the Internet...I wondered what they did in the olden days?  She told me to come back tomorrow...ya right. ( I may have said bad word bad word under my breath)  I went to a different Post Office that is open from 12 - 2 and she was more than happy for the business. 

Fever Blisters are no fun...I get them when I have had a fever for a couple of days...and guess what the Moderna Vaccination Booster gave me a fever.   In a couple of weeks they will be gone...it always takes time.   The ones inside my mouth are a bit better...but I am still cranky.

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More stupid sNOw

 Yup it snowed again overnight on Saturday night/early Sunday morning...  

It must have been about four maybe five inches...and it was good heavy wet snow like you make a snowman with.   I was tired after shoveling so no snowmen were made. 

The glass flowers were all covered with snow. 

I rescued the bird feeder, it had lots of ice in the tray...poor birds were struggling to find seeds.  Then I shoveled in front of the garages. 

Then I went to the couch and sat with my feet up feeling sorry for myself because I have fever blisters inside and outside of my mouth....I suppose there could be worse side effects from the booster shot. 

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More Snow

 Not sure how much more is out there...enough.  Our big excitement yesterday was almost getting stuck in a snowdrift with Ranger Blue....we took recycles to Osage.  We were ditch riding until the snow got too deep. 

It was nice to get out of the house.  It is nice and warm in Ranger Blue, after awhile you wouldn't even need a coat. 

I rested most of the day just doing a few things, I crocheted and watched a couple of Movies...Silver Linings I give it a 4 and Begin Again  I give that one a 6 out of 10.  I watched The Holiday a few days ago and I give that one an 8.

My yarn for my new project is stuck in West Fargo ND since Thursday morning at 8:34 AM...hasn't moved at all in days.  Buggers.

I felt better yesterday and hope today is even better.  I need to get back to normal...I must have been making antibodies to beat the band.   

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sNOw

 It is white here and more white stuff is supposed to join this white stuff.  We have had snow before but it melted, so this is the first snow of the season that has stayed on the ground.

It was a rough day Friday with the after effects of the 3rd shot; headache, joint aches, chills and being tired.   I hope today is better..if not I will resume my spot on the couch watching and sleeping through Norsemen on Netflix.

Far Guy is taking good care of me. 

My baby brother came over and shoveled the walk. 

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Fall Y'all

 I put up some Fall decorations on the wreath outside the door. 

I mowed the front yard, it looks good again. 

Friday  I made two crock pots of Chili, my baby brother and Baxter joined us for supper.    Chili will be frozen in individual servings...it is great to warm up on a cool Fall day and will be appreciated when the Fall yard work begins.

Far Guy felt feverish and tired for about 36 hours after his third Moderna vaccination.    I am not due for my third vaccination until sometime in November. 

Friday we went for a Ranger ATV ride in the evening...around the block and saw ten deer.  We have my other baby brother's Ranger for a few days.   Saturday night we saw about twelve deer.   The cool evenings and mornings feel like Fall.

Saturday morning we had a power outage for about 4 hours.  We went to check things out and the breaker out on a pole by the road had been tripped.   When you call in an outage you get a message that says if the problem is on your side of the breaker they will charge you $400 to come out.   This is the second or third time that breaker has been tripped this summer.   I got out my book and read, Far Guy kept wanting to do things that used power.

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Third Shot Day

 Far Guy got the 3rd Moderna Vaccination yesterday.  So far he is doing okay.

I have  to schedule mine someday soon...I will need a few days to recover...I heard that there may be a flu/Moderna combo coming out soon. 

Grocery pickup was good...they had oranges! 

My baby brother and I went to Bingo with our Dad.  My baby brother won...so it was a fun night.

A Hudson...not sure what year...it was a real pretty car.

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Brown

 Brown in all shades...at least mud brown is gone so we can walk to the mailbox ...mud and ice are all gone. 

It was a gloomy day.  The Juncos stayed all day...I wish they would go where ever they go...North...and stop being snow storytellers.

The Trumpeter Swans are here and the Canadian Honkers too.   They fly over on their way to the grain and corn fields...there must be some open water down at the lake.

I had a fairly rotten day yesterday...just not myself yet.  I had a long nap in the afternoon.

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Windy Day

 The wind howled through the trees most of the day, there were even some leaves in the air from the Oaks that retain their leaves all winter.  I have a bunch of sticks to pick up. 

The lawn has a hint of green.   My other baby brother and she who sees robins first stopped by to visit out on the patio.

Far Guy had some projects out in the woodshop/greenhouse.  He is working on an old wooden toolbox that his Dad built years ago...it will become a toolbox for his new old car.  We found a Restoration Shop that will take the car in the Fall and fix some rust spots and paint it....they will keep it a number of months. 

It took me nearly all day to clean the bathroom, do a couple of loads of laundry and cook supper...I am still tired....or maybe just old.

Far Guy just talked to Grand Miss Paige she was quite sick after her first vaccination, she is feeling better now but says she felt like she was hit by a truck.  Grand Noah had his first vaccination and has no side effects. 

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Happy Spring!

 Taking it easy is hard when you are used to being busy!  I did some laundry and we ran some errands in town, we recycled and then dropped off old medications at the Sheriff's Office...they dispose of old medications properly.   Someone once told me it is more fun for them to identify medications so I tore all the labels off. 

I ordered some seeds in December we will grow two kinds of tomatoes, carrots and several varieties of lettuce.  The containers I used for lettuce worked just great last year and kept us in lettuce greens all Summer into the Fall.   We purchased a Sheep Tank ( a short water tank) it is galvanized  and will be placed on some landscape timbers out by the Sauna...Far Guy will come up with some kind of fence for it so the Deer can't help themselves to tomatoes and carrots. 

Our weather is so Spring like...we have to contain our excitement a bit because we do live in Minnesota and we could still get Winter in our Spring.  One of my old friends planted her tomatoes and pumpkins already...I can only imagine those vines and limp tomatoes:)  We cannot safely plant gardens here until June 1st.  Before that you may have to replant...or be dedicated to covering stuff up.  Luckily we have the old greenhouse /woodshop to use for a bit of early planting...like May 1st.

I worked on my Mosaic Crochet project and watched Anne with an E and then had a nap.

I feel much better, still tired and my tummy is a bit "off" ...I wouldn't call it nausea.   The headache is mostly gone...and my arm is still a bit sore.  I feel like my body is trying to fight something...guess it must be making antibodies to beat the band!

My Mom's Lilies and in the background Hollyhocks last Summer.

Happy Spring!

Far Side

Recovery

 I am recovering slowly.  We managed to pick up the groceries and get gas for the car...gas is up another 5 cents a gallon this week.  We disinfected groceries, had lunch and I crashed for most of the afternoon. 

Far Guy woke me up when my other baby brother showed up with three of his grands...Teddy, Vivian and Erwin...the older ones are excited about going to visit Aunt Katie...and no Vivian does not was to come live with us forever and ever.  Erwin just smiles and flirts with his eyes.   Fun to see them!  Their Grandpa had them all safely belted in the side by side so we just talked to them through the door. 

I am still very tired bordering on exhaustion and the headache comes and goes as do the hot flashes.  My arm is not as sore as it was but I still ice it when I lay down.  Aleve was the recommendation from the Nurses that were giving vaccinations. 

It is still better than getting covid being on a vent and possible death. 

For the next few days I don't have much planned...some laundry and maybe I will clean the bathroom...when my body says rest...I will.

The Big Island January 2019

Far Side

Shot report

 About 12 hours after the vaccination my arm got progressively sore...perhaps because it was nighttime...who knows...pain always seems worse at night.  I could not sleep through it.  I took Aleve and iced my arm.  It felt as though someone had shot me in the arm...or applied a red hot poker.

I was just exhausted... finally got ahead of the pain by yesterday morning and slept off an on all day yesterday.  It was a jammie day....I still have a bit of a headache and the chills.

I did nothing all day long.  Far Guy is a good Nurse. 

Sure hope today is better! 

Far Side