Craziness

Friday found us watching as State after State began shutting down. I think we are very close to this happening here. We’ve been told to stay home unless we need to get prescriptions or food. Basically shelter in place with no running around.

This being said, Jack and I stayed in our pajamas all day. I mean really, who is going to care if we are in our comfy clothes? Certainly, the dogs do not care.

So here we are comfy, with doggies draped all over the furniture in the house. It’s a peaceful scene, really.

I have done only cursory housework and cooking. I’m perfectly happy to keep ~~playing with~~ programming my new computer!

I also learned how to use my Bluetooth device on the laptop to listen to music!

And I have to brag about two things. The first was I had trouble getting my email accounts to work correctly. I called my local carrier. Due to the Virus, the Techs are working from home. I had the unlucky experience of getting a guy with a name like “Keanu”, who was working from his living room.

His TV was on full blast, enough so that I could hear screaming from the show. Also, his dog was barking and this added to the chaos.

Now I tried to remain calm, after all, he is a professional, right? But as I attempted to explain my problem, it became clear that he had no desire to help me. He told me to do two things and then told me to switch to a better email program. Ah, what?

I hung up feeling furious. Then I remembered what Brad told me. Sit down, and work through the problem systematically.

I compared my old computer settings to the new one. Now wouldn’t you know the problem was in the last place I looked! Ha!

The next tech type victory was learning to sign in to the online WW Classes. They are having online workshops for us because the Virus has shut all the in-person workshops down. Thursday I could not connect, but on Friday I figured it all out! Yay me!

Life goes on, and if we are all lucky, no one we know and love will contract this Virus. Please stay safe and healthy!

Maribeth

Too Many Mugs!

I decided over the weekend that it was time to clean out the coffee, tea and mug cabinet. I swear the mugs have multiplied on their own over the years. I simply do not recall having that many.

Lately, I am only using my Tervis Tumbler mugs, as they keep everything nicely hot for an extended period of time. I also wanted to place a variety of teas in the cabinet instead of leaving them on the shelf.

What I found in the cabinet was amazing. Coffee filters from previous coffee makers. Instructions from two coffee machines ago! It was mind-boggling.

True to my word, I began to wash the shelves, and then put aside mugs I have not used in years. I also pulled out any little thing that does not belong there.

The cabinet is now clean, organized and I almost cannot stand the neatness! Haha!

The 8 piece set of Pfaltzgraff mugs is packed carefully away in a labeled box and the odds and ends mugs will go to the recycling center.

I was on a hot streak now, so I opened the cabinet with all the plastic containers in it. Many are without covers now, some were never right, so I went through and moved some to save and others to send to the recycling center.

After that, I finished the laundry and noted that I was a little bit tired (at 4 PM). So, I made a lovely cup of tea and then sat down to enjoy it.

Not too much to do on this Tuesday except getting Jack to the Orthopaedist for a procedure for his Dupuytren’s Contracture. I hope that this will go well and he will get full use back in his hand.

My Sunglasses

A few weeks ago, during my daughter’s move from one house to the next, I came home from helping, in the rain and the next day, in the sun, I reached into my pocketbook for my sunglasses. They were not in my purse. I checked my tote bag. Nope, not there either!

Then I searched my car. Then I searched Jack’s car. Then I came upstairs and searched in the kitchen. I went to the lost and found at the grocery store, to the post office, and at WW.

I could not remember the last time I’d had them, and this really bothered me. We’ve had a lot of gray rainy weather, so I could have lost them anywhere!

These are not just any old pair of sunglasses. These are prescription sunglasses.

Meanwhile, I got out my old pair of sunglasses and used those. I was not happy and quite honestly, due to the fact that I was close to turning 61, I was afraid I’d developed some sort of memory problem.

Then on Saturday I got to my daughter’s and we went out to her car to go to Savannah’s play and as I got in I spotted my glasses case on the floor of her car! Of course, they must have fallen out as I either got in or out of her car. She drives a low sports car and I am always joking that I need a crane to help me get out of it.

So, the mystery of the sunglasses disappearance is over and I am once again driving with my favorite pair on my nose!

And I am so happy that I did not misplace them, but simply had them fall out of my bag! Whew! Another aging bullet dodged!

It’s All In A Day

On Saturday I:

Walked the dogs, hung the bird feeders and had a cup of tea.
Made breakfast, cleaned it up and got dressed.
Went with Jack to a WW II Museum in Wolfboro, NH.
Drove to Jack’s favorite Chinese Buffet for lunch.
Was able to eat white rice, egg drop soup, and some plain cookies.
Came home, got Heavenly Jam Batch #1 on the stove.
Sterilized the lids and caps and jars.
Cooked the jam for an hour, added the pectin and cooked it another 20 minutes.
Canned 12 jars of Peach Jam at 4 PM.
Got out a 7-pound chicken and seasoned it, tied it up and put it in the rotisserie to cook for 2 hours.
I got Batch #2 going on the stove.
Sterilized the lids and caps and jars.
Cooked the Jam 1 hour, added pectin and cooked another 20 or so minutes.
Canned 12 jars of Peach Jam at 6:30 PM.
Cooked two baked potatoes.
Sat down for a few minutes and then the chicken was done and I served dinner to Jack and me.
At 8 PM I finished the dinner and the cleanup and I could sit down!
Bedtime will come in a few minutes, and quite frankly I am exhausted!

Nite-Nite!

It Seemed Like A Good Idea At The Time

Last week I was shopping online at Amazon.com. I was looking for a book on Highclere Castle, the real Downton Abbey. I came upon a book about Highclere Castle and the origins of the castle and the owners of it.

The reviews looked good, but since I wasn’t sure, I thought I would order myself a copy and then if it was any good I would order one for my sister Melodie.

My copy arrived and I was thrilled when I looked it over. So many details of the Castle and so many beautiful pictures. I sat right down and ordered it for my sister. I knew she would just love it!

On Saturday I was contacted by Amazon that the book had been delivered. Since it was pretty early in the morning I wanted to make sure she got the package before the rain set in, so I sent her a text.

“Did a package arrive for you?”

Well, my phone rang almost instantly! She was laughing like crazy! You said between giggles “You will not believe this!”

It seems that my sister had the same idea. So about the same time I ordered this book to review, she had done the same thing! When her mail carrier arrived he delivered two packages with the same book inside!

At first, Mel thought she had ordered two of them! Until my text! Then she knew that we had done this again.

So often we have similar ideas right at the same time! But this was pretty spooky! We are both still laughing about it.

Great Minds…

Dishes

Why is it that you get the cooking bug at the same time that your dishwasher has broken down? Now I do not mind washing a dish or two along the way, but my gosh, you should see the mounds of dishes that I have been washing!

My cousin Janet jokes with me because she actually likes washing dishes. She finds it relaxing.

For me, I could list about a dozen reasons why I really do not like to wash, dry and put away dishes, but I’m trying to remain on the positive side of things!

Today I made Italian Meatballs to go with the Spaghetti Sauce I made the other day. Jack likes meatballs with his spaghetti! Well after mixing the meat and then shaping the meatballs and using my cast iron skillet, I found I had a ton of dishes!

One thing is for sure. You are never really lonely in life. The dishes and the laundry will always be there for you. Right now the dishes sure are keeping me company!

Hopefully, the parts will arrive for my dishwasher by early in the week and my repairman, Barry can get it all fixed up!

A Scary Event

Well, we brought Anneliese into the Canine Ophthalmologist and her right eye is actually worse than her left eye. She is in a precarious state with these Corneal Ulcers, but I will give her the ointment for her eyes and keep her as quiet as I can. And hopefully, we will have some healing.

The ride home waws rather eventful, as we had a road rage incident with a burly truck driver.

We were in a line of traffic on Route 11. The truck in front of us was bothering Jack because he couldn’t see, and all he wanted to do was pass and get by him.

Bad idea.

Finally, he started to pass and I told him not to because on the other side of the road the traffic was closing in fast, and the truck driver sped up and came on the passenger side of the car trying to almost push us into oncoming traffic.

This is an example of the truck that nearly ended our lives today!

I could see the truck driver’s angry face. I was scared and screaming. I felt I was going to die.

Somehow we made it into our lane, and disaster was averted. But the truck followed us all the way from Rochester until Alton.

A police car started following us and so at a scenic pull-off, we pulled off. That’s when the trucker pulled in, tried to block us into the pull off. The trucker jumped out of his truck and came toward our car! I told Jack not to open the window or get out of the car. I told him to drive away.

The trucker smashed his fist on the driver’s side window and windshield! (It did not break, thank God!) I was screaming again.

He followed us for a long time and I was telling Jack that if he followed us to Meredith, we needed to drive to the Police Station. But the truck did pull off.
I am feeling terrified. I am so scared this trucker will look up our plate number and find our address.

This guy was furious and a maniac!!!

I went to the New Hampshire State site and looked up the Law for this incident. It clearly stated that the truck driver was at fault. In the Law, it says, if a car starts to pass you, you are to back off and pull closer to the right side of the road to make the pass easier for the passing car.

And then to follow us and try to destroy the glass windows on our car, well, that is under the heading of road rage.

The truck was a simple yellow boxed van truck and I couldn’t make out the license plate. Oh, how I wish I had!

So by the time we got home, I was feeling pretty stressed out. I did have a chance to make dinner and clean it up before collapsing in my chair with Arnie and watching another episode of Downton Abbey.

The Wall

Our wall claimed another victim today. Let me explain.

A few years ago, Jack was recovering from surgery and we hired a young man to mow our lawn. He’d just gotten a new rider super mower and he was on our sidehill when he got too close to the edge and he flipped the mower over and actually landed right side up! No harm to him or his machine.

Two days ago, Jack came in because our rider mower was sliding down the hill and he thought he should use the Highlander to pull it back up. Since I am of sound mind and rather a large body, I suggested that I stand on the mower on the uphill side and lean. It was just the right amount of weight so that the wheels could dig in and we backed our mower uphill! Yay!

The sidehill in the winter.

Today, Lili started pacing and making a fuss. She just would not settle down. Then I heard that Beep, Beep, Beep of a large vehicle backing up. I sprung to my bedroom window and saw a firetruck backing up my driveway and a lawnmower looking like it was on fire!

Well, our neighbor’s yardman had flipped at the end of our wall and ended up jumping off the mower as it plunged into the drive!

Fortunately, no person or mower was damaged! But it happened again.

I’ve always hated that wall. It’s the same wall that Greta fell off of the last week of her life. and ever since we moved in here I have wanted a fence or something to keep me and the pups from going over. I think, in the end, it will be something I will not miss when I finally sell this place and move on.

Meanwhile, the Chipmunks and Squirrels love the wall and make their home there. Oh well, call me a naturalist for providing a home for the little animals!

Why Grooved Pavement Isn’t Groovey!

We have five seasons here in New England.

Autumn
Winter
Spring
Summer
Road Construction

Now Road Construction occurs overlapping Spring, Summer, and Autumn, but is at its peak in mid-summer. Thus, our roads and bridges are in a current state of disrepair!

On Monday I had to drive down to Manchester for a doctor’s appointment. Going down I went through about 10 miles of grooved pavement.

I am not a fan of grooved pavement. It can grab your tires and drag you one way or another. I found myself tightly gripping the steering wheel and holding on tight. I slowed my speed and fought the road the entire way through the roadworks! I would love to know how many accidents this has caused.

It’s not like they groove up the road and immediately repave it. This started back in May and this is the end of July! Enough!

There are signs warning motorcycles of the danger. There are also a few signs that say pass at your own risk. After today I am not too interested in driving on that road! Even though I know I will have to next week.

So even though I know that this type of grooved surface helps the new pavement adhere to the road, I am not a fan! If they are going to groove it up, then have the paving set up for the next day or so. Not months!

I know I have grouched about this enough. What do you think of grooved surfaces? Does it bother you to drive on them, or am I making too much of it?

Tell me what you think?

A Tale of Two Bags

Back in 2011, I flew to Germany with Anneliese to breed her for the second time. I was Pass Riding with the company my husband had flown for before his retirement, and since there was an open First Class seat, Anneliese and I were upgraded.

Anneliese and me on the way to Berlin.

It’s always nicer, when flying with a doggy, to have good seating. And so it was with Anneliese on that trip.

Part of the First Class experience was being gifted with a small toiletry bag of goodies. Toothbrush, toothpaste, sleep blinders, and tissues. The contents were nice, but what I really loved was the Little Red Bag they came in!

It was made of a material that would not absorb water. Best of all, since it was mesh, you could see the contents in the little bag.

I knew immediately that this little bag was perfect to help me to organize my purse.

I set it up with dental floss, lipstick, glasses cleaners, Splenda packets, and chapstick. I have used that bag every day of my life since.

That was until 10 days ago when I lost my Little Red Bag! I was so upset. I tried to recall the last place I had used it, which was at a Chinese Buffet, and I even called them. No luck.

I searched the cars and even looked inside my purse again. Oh my, I felt terrible. Losing something that one loves and uses is not easy to deal with!

I searched Amazon.com for a replacement type bag and finally found one that would do. Same material, same size, and when it arrived I put all the things that had been in the other bag, with the exception of my favorite lipstick. Which, unfortunately, had disappeared with the Red Bag.

Saturday I needed to change pocketbooks so I can wash my Vera Bradly bag, after spilling my flavored water on it, and as I went through the pocketbook I heard a noise. Like Tylenol tablets in a bottle (also in my little Red Bag!). I searched again and there it was in this secret zippered pocket! Just where I had stashed it!

The Red Bag alongside the new Gray Bag. For now, I have tucked my Red Bag away for safekeeping and will use the Gray Bag.

Oh my gosh, I have now reached that stage of my life where I can hide my own Easter Eggs!