I bought myself a new water pump for my car. *grin*
At least I can count my blessings, that the offending part made noise before breaking, and I was able to get my car into the mechanis so he could check out the noise, to determine what was pakarued.( kiwi for, broken, worn out) I would have been really, really brassed off,(annoyed) if the water pump had broken when I was way out in the wop wops with no way to let anyone know of my distress. I do not have a cell phone, but am thinking that now I have a job, which requires being out on back roads, it may be a good idea to have one. Perhaps a prepaid phone would be useful to use if I should be in an emergency situation. Although on this island, there are dead zones, so this is also a consideration - just how useful would a cell phone be? Sighhhh!! there is always something to make one ponder the remedy.
All our snow had melted away, leaving the outside world dirty looking. I am not a huge fan of snow, except for the fact that everything it covers, looks so clean and fresh, and the muffled sounds of daily outdoors life is quite pleasant to the ear. I must admit that it is enjoyable driving on roads which are now just wet instead of slick with ice.
I am working five days a week, 4 to 6 hours daily, which is just fine with me. This semi-retirement is nice as I am able to get more done at home. I have been working on getting some painting done in the laundry/mud room before we put our new freezer in there. I considered for a while, doing the painting later on, but decided how foolish that would be to have to move a heavy freezer, full of frozen foods, just to paint the walls surrounding it, in the small alcove. Nothing quite like making life for yourself easier, in the first place. Is this called growing wiser/smarter with age?
Come back to Keewee's Classroom, to learn more Kiwi slang, in future posts.
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Sunday, December 28, 2008
I love surprises
This morning as I went out the door to take some garbage out to the dumpster, I noticed two boxes which had obviously been delivered earlier. I called to MrC and said "there are a couple of boxes out here, thinking they were filled with computer parts he had been waiting for. I continued on out to dump the garbage, and when I came back into the house, MrC said " you gotta come and see this." He had opened one of the boxes and to my delight it was not computer parts, instead a lovely gift basket from Wine Country gift Baskets.
This beautiful basket of Pear Blossom products was for me.
A Get Well gift basket for MrC.
In this gift basket was a fabulous collection of goodies and games, sent by several of our Gun Blogger friends. Not a round of ammo or gun related merchandise in sight *grin*
Thank you to our Gun Blogger friends for the very thoughtful gifts.
I was about to go and buy some more lotions as I was almost out, so the basket of Pear Blossom products arrived just at the right time. I am sure Mr Completely is going to enjoy all the goodies in his basket and I will have to teach him to play dominoes, *chuckle* which is one of the games in the basket.
HERE is MrC'S telling of the story.
This beautiful basket of Pear Blossom products was for me.The card read, A little something for Keewee.
Thank you for taking care of Mr Completely!
From the Gun Bloggers.
My honey then proceeded to open the other box and there was a very nice gift in it for him.
Thank you for taking care of Mr Completely!
From the Gun Bloggers.
My honey then proceeded to open the other box and there was a very nice gift in it for him.
A Get Well gift basket for MrC.In this gift basket was a fabulous collection of goodies and games, sent by several of our Gun Blogger friends. Not a round of ammo or gun related merchandise in sight *grin*
Thank you to our Gun Blogger friends for the very thoughtful gifts.
I was about to go and buy some more lotions as I was almost out, so the basket of Pear Blossom products arrived just at the right time. I am sure Mr Completely is going to enjoy all the goodies in his basket and I will have to teach him to play dominoes, *chuckle* which is one of the games in the basket.
HERE is MrC'S telling of the story.
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
A Different Christmas Poem
The embers glowed softly, and in their dim light,
I gazed round the room and I cherished the sight.
My wife was asleep, her head on my chest,
My daughter beside me, angelic in rest.
Outside the snow fell, a blanket of white,
Transforming the yard to a winter delight.
The sparkling lights in the tree I believe,
Completed the magic that was Christmas Eve.
My eyelids were heavy, my breathing was deep,
Secure and surrounded by love I would sleep.
In perfect contentment, or so it would seem,
So I slumbered, perhaps I started to dream.
The sound wasn't loud, and it wasn't too near,
But I opened my eyes when it tickled my ear.
Perhaps just a cough, I didn't quite know, Then the
sure sound of footsteps outside in the snow.
My soul gave a tremble, I struggled to hear,
And I crept to the door just to see who was near.
Standing out in the cold and the dark of the night,
A lone figure stood, his face weary and tight.
A soldier, I puzzled, some twenty years old,
Perhaps a Marine, huddled here in the cold.
Alone in the dark, he looked up and smiled,
Standing watch over me, and my wife and my child.
"What are you doing?" I asked without fear,
"Come in this moment, it's freezing out here!
Put down your pack, brush the snow from your sleeve,
You should be at home on a cold Christmas Eve!"
For barely a moment I saw his eyes shift,
Away from the cold and the snow blown in drifts..
To the window that danced with a warm fire's light
Then he sighed and he said "Its really all right,
I'm out here by choice. I'm here every night."
"It's my duty to stand at the front of the line,
That separates you from the darkest of times.
No one had to ask or beg or implore me,
I'm proud to stand here like my fathers before me.
My Gramps died at 'Pearl on a day in December,"
Then he sighed, "That's a Christmas 'Gram always remembers."
My dad stood his watch in the jungles of 'Nam',
And now it is my turn and so, here I am.
I've not seen my own son in more than a while,
But my wife sends me pictures, he's sure got her smile.
Then he bent and he carefully pulled from his bag,
The red, white, and blue... an American flag.
I can live through the cold and the being alone,
Away from my family, my house and my home.
I can stand at my post through the rain and the sleet,
I can sleep in a foxhole with little to eat.
I can carry the weight of killing another,
Or lay down my life with my sister and brother..
Who stand at the front against any and all,
To ensure for all time that this flag will not fall."
"So go back inside," he said, "harbor no fright,
Your family is waiting and I'll be all right."
"But isn't there something I can do, at the least,
"Give you money," I asked, "or prepare you a feast?
It seems all too little for all that you've done,
For being away from your wife and your son."
Then his eye welled a tear that held no regret,
"Just tell us you love us, and never forget.
To fight for our rights back at home while we're gone,
To stand your own watch, no matter how long.
For when we come home, either standing or dead,
To know you remember we fought and we bled.
Is payment enough, and with that we will trust,
That we mattered to you as you mattered to us."
I gazed round the room and I cherished the sight.
My wife was asleep, her head on my chest,
My daughter beside me, angelic in rest.
Outside the snow fell, a blanket of white,
Transforming the yard to a winter delight.
The sparkling lights in the tree I believe,
Completed the magic that was Christmas Eve.
My eyelids were heavy, my breathing was deep,
Secure and surrounded by love I would sleep.
In perfect contentment, or so it would seem,
So I slumbered, perhaps I started to dream.
The sound wasn't loud, and it wasn't too near,
But I opened my eyes when it tickled my ear.
Perhaps just a cough, I didn't quite know, Then the
sure sound of footsteps outside in the snow.
My soul gave a tremble, I struggled to hear,
And I crept to the door just to see who was near.
Standing out in the cold and the dark of the night,
A lone figure stood, his face weary and tight.
A soldier, I puzzled, some twenty years old,
Perhaps a Marine, huddled here in the cold.
Alone in the dark, he looked up and smiled,
Standing watch over me, and my wife and my child.
"What are you doing?" I asked without fear,
"Come in this moment, it's freezing out here!
Put down your pack, brush the snow from your sleeve,
You should be at home on a cold Christmas Eve!"
For barely a moment I saw his eyes shift,
Away from the cold and the snow blown in drifts..
To the window that danced with a warm fire's light
Then he sighed and he said "Its really all right,
I'm out here by choice. I'm here every night."
"It's my duty to stand at the front of the line,
That separates you from the darkest of times.
No one had to ask or beg or implore me,
I'm proud to stand here like my fathers before me.
My Gramps died at 'Pearl on a day in December,"
Then he sighed, "That's a Christmas 'Gram always remembers."
My dad stood his watch in the jungles of 'Nam',
And now it is my turn and so, here I am.
I've not seen my own son in more than a while,
But my wife sends me pictures, he's sure got her smile.
Then he bent and he carefully pulled from his bag,
The red, white, and blue... an American flag.
I can live through the cold and the being alone,
Away from my family, my house and my home.
I can stand at my post through the rain and the sleet,
I can sleep in a foxhole with little to eat.
I can carry the weight of killing another,
Or lay down my life with my sister and brother..
Who stand at the front against any and all,
To ensure for all time that this flag will not fall."
"So go back inside," he said, "harbor no fright,
Your family is waiting and I'll be all right."
"But isn't there something I can do, at the least,
"Give you money," I asked, "or prepare you a feast?
It seems all too little for all that you've done,
For being away from your wife and your son."
Then his eye welled a tear that held no regret,
"Just tell us you love us, and never forget.
To fight for our rights back at home while we're gone,
To stand your own watch, no matter how long.
For when we come home, either standing or dead,
To know you remember we fought and we bled.
Is payment enough, and with that we will trust,
That we mattered to you as you mattered to us."
A poem which touched my heart.
Please remember our service men and women, who will not be spending Christmas with their families.
Monday, December 22, 2008
And we thought we had enough
Snow that is. Yesterday we were quite satisfied with the amount of snow we had, but last night we were dumped on once again.
A friend came over yesterday afternoon, with his backhoe, and cleared a lot of the snow off the driveway. As you can see, there is another 6-7 inches on it now.
A beautiful sight from the den window.
Somewhere under all that fluffy white stuff, is our deck.
The trees branches are drooping under the weight of all that snow.
Accumulated snow on our side deck.
I cry Uncle. I have had enough of this white stuff. It wouldn't be so bad if I was retired and did not have to earn a paycheck, but I am not, and having only worked one day this past week, and probably only one day this week, if the roads are drivable, makes for a very slim paycheck.
A friend came over yesterday afternoon, with his backhoe, and cleared a lot of the snow off the driveway. As you can see, there is another 6-7 inches on it now.
A beautiful sight from the den window.
Somewhere under all that fluffy white stuff, is our deck.
The trees branches are drooping under the weight of all that snow.
Accumulated snow on our side deck.I cry Uncle. I have had enough of this white stuff. It wouldn't be so bad if I was retired and did not have to earn a paycheck, but I am not, and having only worked one day this past week, and probably only one day this week, if the roads are drivable, makes for a very slim paycheck.
Sunday, December 21, 2008
An excuse to stay home from work
Snow, high winds, and frozen rain was all in the forecast for the Pacific NW. Overnight here on Whidbey Island , well at least at our house, we got about 6inches of snow on the driveway and drifts of up to 10 inches on the front deck and elsewhere on the property. Also it seems that there must have been some wind, as the snow has been blown under our carport. fortunately we did not receive any frozen rain.
I am standing in front ofmy vegetable garden and thinking how
pretty it looks, all covered in snow,
and at the same time, wishing
for an early spring.
MrC posing for a picture.He is finally on the mend,
and feels a little better
each new day
To prove that there was almost 10 inches of snow on the front deck, I pushed the ruler down into the snow.
A red Breasted Sapsucker looking for food on the tree just ouside our front door. He sure is a handsome fellow.
Saturday, December 20, 2008
I am a scaredy cat
Well perhaps not a scaredy cat, just more cautious.
Due to our nasty weather I have worked just Tuesday of this week. Then we were snowed on again, the temperatures dropped and the roads became very icy.
Yesterday, I had just one client so before deciding to cancel, I called around, and the consensus of opinion seemed to be, "yes the roads are slick in places, but you should be able to get to where you are going"
Dang! why didn't I just call the office and cancel. There are other workers who will go out in such dangerous (in my opinion) conditions. After getting bundled up in my warmest coat, hat, gloves and boots and running the car to get it toasty, I set off.
I was about a quarter of the way to my client's home before it crossed my mind, I should not be on these roads, but I had made the commitment, and kept on driving.
I should have paid more attention to what MrC. had told me about his, quarter of a mile drive from the house, to mail out a couple of packages. He said he had almost turned sideways on a slick spot, but of course as he says about me "when you have made up your mind to do something, then you are pretty well set on going ahead with your plans" Oh! how right he is. When I have made up my mind to do something, then I do it. I will say, in my defense, yesterday I had already told my boss I will go out to help my client if I could start an hour earlier, and leave before it was dark. I would have felt really foolish canceling so soon after confirming my attentions to go, and at the time, I was feeling confident that I could drive there and back.
Anyhow, I did get to my client's home in one piece, to find her daughter was there helping out, so there was not too much for me to do. Her daughter asked if I would stay and be with her mother long enough for her to go to the grocery store and back. When the daughter returned she insisted I go back home before the roads became worse as the temperatures dropped. I was only too happy to bundle up once again and drive home.
Yes I did drive to and from my clients home, but was a white knuckled, tense, heart pounding drive, one I wish I had not experienced. The roads were rutted with ice, very slick in places and the drivers who were driving way too fast for these conditions, made me very nervous. Just one bad decision by these impatient drivers and there could have been a wreck. A couple of times I pulled over and let the guys in the large four wheel SUV's go by and hoped I would not come across them up the road in an accident.
I have learned my lesson, if in doubt, then trust your instincts, stay home. As my honey reminded me, a paycheck is not worth a wrecked car, or worse, ending up in the hospital or dead.
Due to our nasty weather I have worked just Tuesday of this week. Then we were snowed on again, the temperatures dropped and the roads became very icy.
Yesterday, I had just one client so before deciding to cancel, I called around, and the consensus of opinion seemed to be, "yes the roads are slick in places, but you should be able to get to where you are going"
Dang! why didn't I just call the office and cancel. There are other workers who will go out in such dangerous (in my opinion) conditions. After getting bundled up in my warmest coat, hat, gloves and boots and running the car to get it toasty, I set off.
I was about a quarter of the way to my client's home before it crossed my mind, I should not be on these roads, but I had made the commitment, and kept on driving.
I should have paid more attention to what MrC. had told me about his, quarter of a mile drive from the house, to mail out a couple of packages. He said he had almost turned sideways on a slick spot, but of course as he says about me "when you have made up your mind to do something, then you are pretty well set on going ahead with your plans" Oh! how right he is. When I have made up my mind to do something, then I do it. I will say, in my defense, yesterday I had already told my boss I will go out to help my client if I could start an hour earlier, and leave before it was dark. I would have felt really foolish canceling so soon after confirming my attentions to go, and at the time, I was feeling confident that I could drive there and back.
Anyhow, I did get to my client's home in one piece, to find her daughter was there helping out, so there was not too much for me to do. Her daughter asked if I would stay and be with her mother long enough for her to go to the grocery store and back. When the daughter returned she insisted I go back home before the roads became worse as the temperatures dropped. I was only too happy to bundle up once again and drive home.
Yes I did drive to and from my clients home, but was a white knuckled, tense, heart pounding drive, one I wish I had not experienced. The roads were rutted with ice, very slick in places and the drivers who were driving way too fast for these conditions, made me very nervous. Just one bad decision by these impatient drivers and there could have been a wreck. A couple of times I pulled over and let the guys in the large four wheel SUV's go by and hoped I would not come across them up the road in an accident.
I have learned my lesson, if in doubt, then trust your instincts, stay home. As my honey reminded me, a paycheck is not worth a wrecked car, or worse, ending up in the hospital or dead.
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Nasty weather
I do not have a good excuse why I have not been blogging the last few days, as I have had all the time in the world because I have not been working.
Any of you who have been watching the news on TV, will have seen that the Pacific NW, where I live, has been hit by some pretty nasty winter weather. The roads have been so bad with all the compacted ice and snow, that I have phoned the home office and said I will be staying home.
Today I spent a few hours installing indoor window insulating kits, on most of the windows in our home. Our home was built in the early 1950's and only has single paned windows. I dream of winning the lotto and having the whole house re-insulated and some nice new triple paned windows installed. In the meantime, the plastic insulating kits will have to do.
The birds have been at the feeders all day long gobbling up all the seed I set out for them, and the wild rabbits have been nibbling on any green leaves they can find sticking out of the snow. I did go out earlier in the day, and tossed a few handfuls of rabbit pellets under a couple of our parked vehicles as I saw rabbit footprints in the snow leading underneath the vehicles. Poor little rabbits get hungry too.
Tomorrow I have one client I have to visit, who lives five miles from here, then another on Saturday who lives about eleven miles away. I will not venture out on the roads if they are still covered in ice or if we get another snow storm.
I am hoping this severe early winter weather, is not a sign of the kind of conditions we will experience throughout all the winter months.
Us folks who live here in the Pacfic NW, complain about all the rain we get, but I say "Mother Nature, bring on the rain, and take away the snow"
Any of you who have been watching the news on TV, will have seen that the Pacific NW, where I live, has been hit by some pretty nasty winter weather. The roads have been so bad with all the compacted ice and snow, that I have phoned the home office and said I will be staying home.
Today I spent a few hours installing indoor window insulating kits, on most of the windows in our home. Our home was built in the early 1950's and only has single paned windows. I dream of winning the lotto and having the whole house re-insulated and some nice new triple paned windows installed. In the meantime, the plastic insulating kits will have to do.
The birds have been at the feeders all day long gobbling up all the seed I set out for them, and the wild rabbits have been nibbling on any green leaves they can find sticking out of the snow. I did go out earlier in the day, and tossed a few handfuls of rabbit pellets under a couple of our parked vehicles as I saw rabbit footprints in the snow leading underneath the vehicles. Poor little rabbits get hungry too.
Tomorrow I have one client I have to visit, who lives five miles from here, then another on Saturday who lives about eleven miles away. I will not venture out on the roads if they are still covered in ice or if we get another snow storm.
I am hoping this severe early winter weather, is not a sign of the kind of conditions we will experience throughout all the winter months.
Us folks who live here in the Pacfic NW, complain about all the rain we get, but I say "Mother Nature, bring on the rain, and take away the snow"
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Surprise
This is what we woke up to this morning.Thursday, December 11, 2008
Retirement is very appealing
Yesterday was my first full day back at work since MrC. got sick almost five weeks ago.
I had a nice day with my client, an Alzheimer's patient, who was born in Germany. Towards the end of my day with her, she lapsed into speaking German. Once in a while I would smile at her and say Mrs M, you did not teach me enough German words to understand what you are saying to me. She would smile and continue to speak a few sentences in English, ( which still did not make sense ) then go right back to speaking in German. I would just smile at her, nod my head now and again, and just listen. So went my day, a lot of smiling and nodding of my head.
Mr C is gaining a little more strength and is starting to feel a little better. Sometimes I really wonder about the competency of our health care professionals. I have learned from this experience, that one should not take no for an answer, and be adamant on demanding other treatments. Easy for me to say now, but having never dealt with a situation like we went through, I did not know the ropes, so to speak. Now I know better. If there is ever another situation that needs to be dealt with, then I have to follow my intuition and be demanding, so be it. We were sent a survey to fill out, by the local hospital. They will not be getting a passing grade! The hospital 'over the pond' ( a Kiwi expression, meaning across the water) would get an A+.
I am still buying a lotto ticket once in a while, hoping for the winnings to come my way. I enjoyed staying at home and taking care of my honey and keeping up with the household chores.
I had a nice day with my client, an Alzheimer's patient, who was born in Germany. Towards the end of my day with her, she lapsed into speaking German. Once in a while I would smile at her and say Mrs M, you did not teach me enough German words to understand what you are saying to me. She would smile and continue to speak a few sentences in English, ( which still did not make sense ) then go right back to speaking in German. I would just smile at her, nod my head now and again, and just listen. So went my day, a lot of smiling and nodding of my head.
Mr C is gaining a little more strength and is starting to feel a little better. Sometimes I really wonder about the competency of our health care professionals. I have learned from this experience, that one should not take no for an answer, and be adamant on demanding other treatments. Easy for me to say now, but having never dealt with a situation like we went through, I did not know the ropes, so to speak. Now I know better. If there is ever another situation that needs to be dealt with, then I have to follow my intuition and be demanding, so be it. We were sent a survey to fill out, by the local hospital. They will not be getting a passing grade! The hospital 'over the pond' ( a Kiwi expression, meaning across the water) would get an A+.
I am still buying a lotto ticket once in a while, hoping for the winnings to come my way. I enjoyed staying at home and taking care of my honey and keeping up with the household chores.
Sunday, December 07, 2008
Thursday, December 04, 2008
MrC is finally able to get some rest
MrC is home from the hospital and so far he is doing well. Of course he is still full of drugs so we will see how he feels when he comes down off of his high!
I am praying for MrC's complete recovery very soon, as he has had, a very long four weeks of pain, frustration, very little sleep and the lack of progress in the "get well dept."
We were discussing how nice it would be, to win the lotto and buy a couple of airline tickets to Tahiti, for a little R&R, Oh well, dreams are free.
Keewee
I am praying for MrC's complete recovery very soon, as he has had, a very long four weeks of pain, frustration, very little sleep and the lack of progress in the "get well dept."
We were discussing how nice it would be, to win the lotto and buy a couple of airline tickets to Tahiti, for a little R&R, Oh well, dreams are free.
Keewee
Tuesday, December 02, 2008
Update on my honey's condition
The short version:
MrC has not been getting well as he should. Within these past few weeks we have made a trip to the ER, another visit to his doctor's office, then back to the hospital for an ultrasound and a blood draw for blood cultures to be done. The antibiotics he has been taking are doing their job, but another problem is the one which is really causing difficulties.
Tomorrow we travel over to Providence Medical Center in Everett to have a procedure done which should get my honey back on the road to recovery.
UPDATE: The procedure is scheduled for 8am Thursday 4th.
Keewee
MrC has not been getting well as he should. Within these past few weeks we have made a trip to the ER, another visit to his doctor's office, then back to the hospital for an ultrasound and a blood draw for blood cultures to be done. The antibiotics he has been taking are doing their job, but another problem is the one which is really causing difficulties.
Tomorrow we travel over to Providence Medical Center in Everett to have a procedure done which should get my honey back on the road to recovery.
UPDATE: The procedure is scheduled for 8am Thursday 4th.
Keewee
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)