Afternoon pals

 Jen was at work and then came home to rest quietly.  Far Guy was downstairs working on a puzzle and having a nap. Andy was at work and came home in time for supper. 

Sadie and Little Elvis had me cornered in the computer room.  No way was I escaping without them.

They had the exits covered.  Smart dogs.  I will "do" in a pinch. 

View out the window in the computer room.

Notice no snow.  There was some morning frost but I slept through it. 

I was the cook yesterday.  Roast pork, mashed potatoes and gravy, with roasted parsnips and carrots.  There are enough left overs to eat again today.  BTW the Pioneer brand gluten free brown gravy mix was excellent!

Far Side

Getting Settled

 We made it Up North safe and sound.  Our youngest Grandson Adam came by and helped us move stuff from the car to the house.  We unloaded stuff and settled in quickly.

Saturday we went grocery shopping and I had a long rest time. 

Sadie and Little Elvis are thrilled with our company.  When Far Guy put on his jacket to go along to the grocery store Sadie was visibly sad. She makes us laugh with her antics. 

I moved one dog bed between Far Guy and I in the computer room.

Little Elvis is happy to be there with us.  He rested with me in the afternoon. 

Andy custom built the cabinets and drawers for the computer area.  It is just perfect.  It is a very pretty room where we spend some time off and on throughout the day. 

No snow here yet. 

Far Side

Getting Ready

 We are getting ready for the move Up North for the Winter.  The last minute things have been gathered and the pile on the love seat in the living room is growing.   Basically it is last minute "stuff."

I will clean out the deep freeze just before we leave.  Some frozen foods are going with us and the rest will reside in the fridge freezer for the rest of the Winter.   We will be back from time to time as the weather permits and an easy to warm up freezer meal works for us. 

Next week we have appointments most of the week...six appointments...at least we don't have to worry about the weather or driving conditions....and some dogs will be thrilled to see us again.

Far Side

Somedog was happy!

 We loaded the car with woodcarving supplies, tools and yarn.  We took a road trip up North to deliver  "stuff" to our Winter home. 

Somedog was happy to see us. 

Little Elvis was happy too! 

A few more weeks and we will be up North for the Winter.  It was a great day for a drive no worry about ice or snow it was 56 F or 13 C and sunny! 

I should have enough yarn up there for the Winter...if not I know where the store that sells it is.   We had a nice lunch with Jen and were back home before it got dark at 5PM. 

Far Side

 

Thinking of Spring

 It got a tad warmer...above zero   21 F or -6 C eh.  Practically a heat wave.

Believe it or not those temperatures make me think of Spring.  

It was nearly balmy when Far Guy and I went out to pick up Pizza for Sunday supper.  We usually have pizza on Sunday....it is a tradition.  We have ordered from several different places.  Seems we all have our favorite places.   Far Guy likes Rhombus Guys Pizza so that was the pick this week. 

We get a little spoiled by the take out food that is available here. In the boonies where we live most of the year take out is ...take it out of the freezer or fridge and cook it yourself. 

Far Side

Headed out

 We are off to our  Northern Winter home where there are people we love and dogs that love us and someone to shovel all the snow.  Far Guy is just across town from all his Doctors and close to the hospital for the worst part of the Winter.

  

A gift from friends in Wyoming!  We hung it above the dining room window.

 We are lucky to have Lisette to watch over everything while we are gone, my brothers and nephew will be checking on our place too.  I will be back once in awhile to see my parents and my brothers.

Far Side

Homesick

 Someone asked me if I was homesick.  

Nope, as long as Far Guy is with me I am not homesick.  

Do I miss our home in the woods?   Yes I miss some things that are there...the whirlpool tub and Ranger Blue and just going for a ride when ever we want and my cast iron skillet.  I also miss seeing my brothers and my parents, but I talk to them on the phone and in a few months we will be back there.  

We are waiting for our Accountant to finish our Income taxes and we will make a trip back to sign them and then they get sent electronically.  So we will see everyone then if they are not sick!

I am certain I will miss many things here...the security of having backup when ever I need it to take care of Far Guy... Jen, Andy, Adam, Little Elvis who has adopted us and Sadie who greets us like long lost friends every morning.  Playing games together in the evenings and having movie nights.  We watched the new Ghost Busters movie last weekend.   We will miss our new beds so we ordered a new bed for our home in the woods.  

I like having Far Guy close to his specialists...in ten minutes to fifteen minutes we can be at the Clinic.

Living in town is different, but this area of town is quiet ...some days I can hear the trains go by downtown...it depends on which way the wind is from....oh yes the saying here is "It is sure cold/hot/rainy/snowy but at least it is windy." The wind never quits. 

A trail at home last November!

Far Side

Card and a Puppy

 Todays Christmas Card was hand delivered....no postage needed. 

We only got one card yesterday.

Andy, Jen, Noah and Adam

There has been an empty spot in the household since Miss Miney died last January.  Little Elvis has been an only dog....and he is getting older.   A new puppy would not replace Miss Miney because that would be impossible.  Little Elvis would have a companion and show the puppy the ropes...and there is enough love for animals in the household to share with a new puppy. 

Preparations were made. 

Meet Sadie the Golden Retriever.  Sadie is eight weeks old.  I am certain you will hear more about her as time goes on. 

Jen and Sadie

Sadie was the runt of the litter, she seems to be well adjusted to people, dogs and cats.   Jen said that Sadie wagged her tail and started to chew on her shoes when they met for the first time...so it was meant to be. 

Far Side

More cards

 Oh the mail was abundant yesterday, five Christmas cards and one letter.  Sadly enclosed with the letter was a funeral card.   The wife of former co worker of Far Guys died last October in Arizona.  She had MS and had been in a wheelchair for 21 years.  She fought a good fight all summer with pneumonia. 

Far Guy infusion report: only three sticks this week, he is discouraged with the Nurses here.  Last week was four, this week three so they are improving.   His arms are a mess. 

I found a car wash and got the car washed while Far Guy was in the Infusion Center.  Car washes are not easy to find around here.  

Cards from Northern Minnesota, Southern Minnesota, North Dakota, Florida and South Carolina.  The letter was from Arizona.  

I watched a movie with Jen in the evening, Game Night, I give it a 9 out of 10 it was entertaining and funny. 

Far Side

A thought

 No Christmas Cards yesterday so we will revisit one from the day before.

" The ornament of a house is the people who frequent it."  Ralph Waldo Emerson 1803 - 1882

We had an intruder in the back yard Wednesday morning.  Phoebe ( Adam's cat) was not happy with the company that came to visit her.  All is well that ends well, she is fine and hopefully the neighborhood is also as I went outside barefoot in my nightgown to shoo the intruder away.  Probably wrecked any invitation for coffee and cookies. 

 

Far Side

Puzzling

 The first puzzle has been completed.  We will most likely do many puzzles before the winter is over. 

The game room downstairs is the perfect place to puzzle with a large table and eight chairs.  We are in between puzzles for a couple of days as the household ( two teachers and one student) are in finals week and fairly busy and a puzzle is distracting for them as they like to puzzle with us. 

We got three Christmas Cards in the mail yesterday from a high school friend, old neighbors and someone who has known Far Guy since he was a baby.  They all bring us Joy!

Far Side

Some mail

 We got some mail, my other baby brother and she who sees robins first stopped by for a visit and brought our mail and two packages.  So far we have only gotten two pieces of forwarded mail in 16 days....however the mailman has been leaving mail in our mailbox back home and she who sees robins first has saved it for us.  The other day in mail notifications the Post Office sent us a notice that they wanted our forwarding address verified...and guess where they sent it??  I have told you about the brain dead postal lady and apparently she is hard at work again.   

We had some Christmas cards, a box of fudge from Texas and cookies from Kansas! All much appreciated!!

We had a nice visit and lunch with my other baby brother and his wife.  They didn't get lost and enjoyed seeing where we are wintering at. 

The cool kids in the photo is an anniversary card from them! 

Far Side

Ideas

 Here is an idea that I will file away for an ornament. 

When I was clearing out some "stuff" upstairs at home I found a whole bunch of old silverware that I bought for some old forgotten project.   So that is a start.  I would design mine a bit different...ya know put my own twist on it!

Quiet day here today,  I cleaned two bathrooms and did some laundry. ( the house has 4 bathrooms) The rest of the family were off shopping and doing their own thing...Far Guy and I made Pork Chops and Rice for supper.  Adam had pizza his preferred food and the rest went out to a fancy smancy restaurant for a three hour meal.  Jen has company here from Ohio.  It is a very busy household. 

Far Side

Early Winter

 Winter is not due for two more weeks...he came early.   Isn't it funny??  I think of Fall and Winter as being male and Spring and Summer as being female.  What do you think? 

I went to the Library with Jen, The Fiber Arts Guild had a very nice display there...of course I had no camera.  The knitting color work was stunning....some very talented people are in that group.  I also found out the membership is reasonable and they have table top looms and spinning wheels that you can use for up to three months!  That is a bonus.  I saw only two crochet pieces...and I have a pattern for one of those pieces.  Jen put up glittery snowflakes in one of the windows in the library, she is a Board Member there. 

It was a full day.  Far Guy began wood carving and he started a puzzle.  I had a short nap before fixing pork chops and roasted vegetables for supper. 

Far Side

Firsts

 Far Guy had his first infusion of Aralast here yesterday the nurse was very nice and her parents live in Park Rapids and we know her father.  Small world.   It took about two hours.   A bit longer than the 45 minutes that it took back home.  Far Guy has to have the infusions weekly. 

I had the first book club from here, no problems it is all online.  The Persian Pickle Club was the book, I had read it several years ago but enjoyed reading it again. 

We got our first Christmas Card in the mail! 

I got out the next book for book club The Children's Blizzard a blizzard that took place in 1888.... a historical novel of the Upper Midwest. 

Far Side

Spots

 We have computer spots, not side by side but across the room.  Andy and Jen gave up their office space for us. 

Far Guy can watch the street and see when someone goes down the street, mail man, delivery trucks, school bus etc...

The couple next door hired a guy with the tallest ladders I have ever seen to decorate the trees in his yard...should be interesting.  I was outside when the guy was way high on his tall ladder I almost hollered "Hello be careful"  but I showed great restraint in being quiet. 

My spot!   No view but thats okay I have space in the corner for all my stuff.  

Work is progressing on my Winter Wonderland Afghan...you can see it there on my desk.  Slow but sure! 

Far Side

Change in Direction

 Over the weekend we left our cozy little home in the woods in the capable hands of Lissette our house sitter and my brothers and my nephews watchful eyes. 

We moved Up North to the city where our youngest daughter Jen and her husband Andy live.   They helped us unpack and get settled in. We will be here a few months or until they kick us out.  We are closer to Far Guy's Doctors and Specialists for the winter, instead of a three hour drive they are just across town.  Someone is usually home here so if I leave for a few minutes Far Guy is well taken care of. 

We have a very nice room with a bathroom right outside the door.  The whole house is massive...I had to tell Far Guy if I am in a different part of the house and he needs me ...he will have to call me on the cell phone.  

Little Elvis is such a good companion, he waits in front of the front door making sure we don't leave without him.  He sleeps in our room at night or right outside the door...I nearly fell over him one night when I opened the door to go to the bathroom...he can still move pretty fast for an older dog! ( Good thing I am a  little slower in the middle of the night)

We are adjusting to a new room, news beds..everything is a bit different from back home.  Change is good, we are comfortable here and get to see Grandson Adam every day.  Jen and Andy are patient with us and we are so thankful for them! 

I will be going back home to the woods from time to time, to check on the house, to see my brothers and my parents.  I can pick my travel days according to the weather and driving conditions.  Far Guy will accompany me if he feels okay, if not he is in safe capable hands here. 

Far Side