It's a Blizzard Out There!

We are having a regular blizzard today.  

When it's windy like this we can hardly keep the place warm, so much cold air comes in around the windows, so Jim and I are sitting in front the the fireplace.  

I was knitting and Jim was napping, but now I'm blogging and he's video watching.  

He can find all sorts of things to watch, from building houses to cooking food to restoring

"B" John Deeres.

We may be in but the birds are enjoying the feeder. 

This is just the right kind of day to make doughnuts.  

But, I won't.

There aren't enough people in this house to eat them anymore and I don't want to risk anyone's life to take them anywhere or have people come to get some.  

The days are gone now when all the kids were home on a snow day and we would eat fresh homemade doughnuts until we were sick.  

Or, at least I would.  

My dad was a teacher so a snow day meant all of us were home together.  

That's where I learned to make, and eat, doughnuts. 

Making doughnuts now means planning a time when we are all together or a day when I can deliver them.  

I think Jim and I will make candy instead. 

It's Snowing Today

It's snowing today.  

It's been snowing since we got up in the dark.  

We are expecting a a big storm resulting in lots of snow.  

I was out early.  I couldn't resist.  There wasn't much wind and the it was snowing heavily.  

I went out and scooped a path to get the paper.  I scooped the very wet half inch of the stuff off the sidewalk and a shovel width to Jim's shop, just for fun, since he had joked about it.  '

There isn't much to do outside at my age.  The snow is too heavy and wet to even think of attacking the driveway, unless I want to be laid up with back problems.  

So, I walked "around", which is what we call the half mile circle running through our little neighborhood.  

I have always enjoyed being out in the snow, especially when it's "perfect," which is was this morning.  Heavy snow, little wind, 33 degrees, perfect. 

If that temperature dips a little more, there will be a mess out there.  

Ice, covered with who knows how much snow.  We are getting predictions above 8".  

The storm seems to have settled in above us to snow itself out. 

The wind is picking up a bit and snow is falling off the trees which is a good thing, as the evergreens have been sagging under the heavy, wet stuff. 

I came in soaking wet to hang my coat by the fireplace.

Jim likes this way to spend a snowy morning.  

He has since gone out to out shop to paint tractor parts. 

I Can Hear Again!!

Yesterday we spent the day in Omaha.  There might be more exciting things to do there than have two doctor appointments, but that's the way it was.  

I am now on yearly oncologist's visits and I passed that one with flying colors.

We planned on visiting Valentino's for lunch, when we got to the one we usually visit, it has changed into a party room place, but if we went next door to the carryout/lunch counter we could get a coupon to use for the buffet at another place.  So we did.  After stuffing ourselves we went shopping.  I prowled around Good Will, looking for a pair of brown boots and a brown sweater and finding none, I found myself eyeing a nice little backpack purse in far better shape than mine.  While I was debating someone else was making up their mind, and it was gone, so I came home with nothing.  Jim however was spending company money for an air hose reel, which he needed, and then after a little comedy in the parking lot, where I couldn't find our car without Jim hollering at me, even though it was right in front of me, we were off to the ENT clinic to get my BAHA.

I saw the doctor for just a bit while he inspected the post site for healing around the post and tugged on it to test how well it was grown in, then it was off to the audiologist for a long lesson on the BAHA, and it's accompanying equipment.  It was programmed after a little hearing test which proved I can't hear much of anything as the device is set to it's highest volume. Then we found out how to take care of it, use the batteries, which batteries to buy, how to store it, how to clean it, how to take it on and off, and not to get it wet.  It seems like we talked about lots of other things, that I can't really remember, but we asked lots of questions and felt like we understood everything we needed to.  

Whether we will remember it all is a different story.  

Now, my brain has to get used to a louder world.  Everything is louder; I can hear things I haven't heard for 5 years.  I can hear the toilet paper unrolling, and the fridge running.   Flushing, Jim's slippers on the floor and the dryer are too loud.  Crinkling plastic bottles, clinking silverware and setting plates on the table are just plumb annoying.  This the the time for my brain to relearn what it wants to hear and what it doesn't.  It takes awhile, anywhere from 10-12 weeks.  

It's not so bad, it's nice not to have to be right next to Jim to hear him.  

I think I'll get used to this new, louder world sooner than I expected. 

It's Not Monday Anymore

Today is Monday

Today is Monday

Monday wash day

All you hungry brothers, we wish the same to you. 

Only today is Wednesday.

On Monday I thought I should write a post about trash day.

Today is Monday

Today is Monday

Monday trash day....

Monday is trash day at our house. 

 Early that morning Jim heard the trash man coming and hurried to get the kitchen trash into the container before he came.

That made a total of two Walmart sized bags in the container.  

We don't generate much trash around here. 

We just don't buy stuff.  

I do recycle, but even then, it takes me a few months before my 3 laundry hamper sized recycle bins are ready to go.  

I made a goal this year not to spend any money on clothes.

I haven't.

I have picked up a couple pair of free shoes.

I think the idea should have been no new articles of clothing come into the house. 

I have snitched a dress of Lorene's I want to remodel, but that would mean buying some lace and I'm trying to decide if that is clothing or no.  

We did some other things this week besides not buy anything but a few groceries.

We got eggs.  Lots of eggs.

We don't need to buy groceries even.

Sept.22nd

14 eggs

Sept.23rd

15 eggs

Sept 24th

16 eggs 

I've been trying to get outside for a little bit everyday and work in my flower garden.  

Yesterday I was bombarded with Monarch butterflies so I started snapping photos to try to get a good one.  

I got one by aiming randomly because by the time they are focused in the view finder, they are off somewhere else. 

We had Zane over for the weekend.  I'm finally feeling normal, (a month out of surgery) so we went on a bike ride.  We rode 5 and a half miles.  Zane was impressed.  We were also impressed that he stuck with Jim and helped dig potatoes.  He got money for that job.  We want him to know that working equals money. 

Before he came, Lorene took the boys to a pumpkin patch where they got lots of pumpkins and short pony rides.  I asked Zane who enjoyed that most, he said, "Barry."

I have too many mugs in my cupboard, but I didn't like this way of choosing which one to discard.  This mug we got with a little plant when Lynette was born, but I lost it dropping it on my

Pioneer Woman measuring cup in the dishwasher.

I got a cut on my finger arranging it to take a picture.  

Miss P is two and very much her own person. 

Healing Begins

More than a week has passed.  The plastic cover over my new BAHA post with snap fastener is exposed to the air. My doctor doesn't expect to see me again for three months when the hearing tests and device fitting will occur.  I won't see him unless the site gets infected, but they don't act like that is a big concern, although we were given explicit instructions on what to look for and how to react and when to call and get our bods to Omaha.  

This was our day on Tuesday.  

This morning our alarm rang at 4:45 and we left the house through intermittent fog for Omaha.  We would have liked to linger for a few outdoor minutes at our favorite Milford rest are, but as I didn't have enough jacket for the 50 degree temps, we decided to forego that and continued on our way. We got to to office at 8:30, and were ushered into the examining room at 9:10, and after a quick pull-off of the plastic cover and unwinding of the corn wrapped around the post and approval rating of 0 (which is good), we were on our way out fo the parking lot at 10:45 to get home at 1.  A long trip for a short exam.  I was VERY pleased that the area looks so good.  I know someone else, who had horrible problems with infection.  I hope I am spared that.  We have to watch and clean the spot of course.  I would really like to get by with no infection.  I've had so many other problems. 

I wanted Jim to help me with the first hair washing that hadn't been done per doctor's orders since the surgery.  I was a little bit nervous about the newly placed rod that isn't firmly grown in.  I have to, after washing, dry that spot with a hair dryer.  No more drip drying hair, ever.  That spot HAS to stay dry.  I wonder about swimming?  So, I went out and bought a hair dryer.  I haven't owned one for decades, although their presence has not been unknown in this house because I have two girls. 

So, the waiting begins. 

BAHA At Last

Several years ago, I wrote an exciting blog post about this BAHA thing.

(Bone Anchored Hearing Aid) on April 12, 2016 and then I wrote nothing because the insurance company denied me, twice, even after a couple of appeals showing that my hearing loss wasn't just happen-chance, but a series of unfortunate events starting with radiation and ending in destroyed

 ear drums. 

Well, a couple of years and a couple of insurance companies later, plus some enlightenment on the part of said insurance companies, the bone anchored hearing aid is becoming a part of accepted treatment for hearing loss, and we decided to try again.  

We were waiting for resolve and time.  I wasn't any too sure I wanted to start again and face more appeals and more surgery.  After Lorene graduated and didn't need me so constantly to watch the boys, it was feasible to think about it again and in July we started the process all over again with more hearing tests and waiting to hear from the insurance company.  

From there, things went quickly.  In a month, surgery was scheduled, pre-op physical done, and we were on the road to surgery.  

It's done, and I am home again, recovering.  I have very little pain in my head where the post has been put in, but my throat is very sore, since they had problems putting the breathing tube in.  That part of my anatomy has been compromised because of the radiation, and gives me plenty of problems. In three months, we will talk about fitting the hearing device. 

The white disc covers the incision site and the post, but you can see the area. 

This surgical center sends home a red rose. 

July

July was a busy month.  

We had a family dinner.

I had the boys two days a week.

My brothers and I met at our folks.  

Lynette and Anthony moved to Texas.  

Here's our life in a few pictures. 

Family Dinner

Pies for Dinner

Helping Papa

My Brothers and I 

Feeding a giraffe at the Zoo. 

Leaving for Texas in the rain.

Boys at My House 

Barry and Christian's gardens.

Zane's Garden

A visit to the cemetery in Netherlands for WWII soldiers.  

The Last Dinner

Lynette took this picture and wrote these words:

Today was Anthony and my last Sunday dinner at my parents’ for a while. The first Sunday after I moved into college and Anthony moved to Nebraska they invited us for lunch and then had us over almost every Sunday for the next four years. I loved watching my parents get to know and love Anthony during those times and we got to witness the best example of a Godly marriage as my parents helped each other in the kitchen each week. We will miss my sweet parents so much but I’m so thankful for the times we spent with them while living close.

A Long Way From Home

May was a busy month this year.  Aside from two graduations, we took a trip to see Bonita in New Hampshire.  I find that I have putting too much pressure on myself to get all the photos and all the story out for things like graduations and these visits.  

Suffice it to say, we found New Hampshire very different from home and very delightful.  

Therefore, this blog is just a few photos, well maybe not so few, of getting there and one day trip.

and...here we are!!

Stonewall Kitchen, where we bought wild Maine blueberry jam. 

Nubble Lighthouse

This is borrowed from Wikipedia

The Cape Neddick Ligh is a lighthouse in Cape Neddick, York, Maine.  In 1874 Congress Appropriated $15,000 to build a light station at the "Nubble" and in 1879 construction began.  Cape Neddick Light Station was dedicated by the U.S. Lighthouse Service and put into use in 1879.  It is still in use today.  

We saw some people cross over with this cable car.

Marginal Way in Ogunquit, Maine

We can't go to Maine without having lobster.

Or ice cream with blueberries.

Jim rather reluctantly put his feet in the Atlantic.

It was pretty cold to be letting the waves wash over our feet, but as a flatlander, 

I wanted to make the most of my opportunity.  

We don't see much water where I'm from.