AppleAttic Blog

Generally I stay away from politics in these posts as there are many other places where political commentary can be found. Today I am going to make an exception.

On April 5th I attended one of the Hands Off rallies that took place across America. Mine was in Decorah. Here are a few photos and some thoughts about the event and the reasons for attending.

I have been sending emails to my Federal representatives and getting very unsatisfying answers, mostly form replies thanking me for my contact and little else. It was time to take stronger actions such as appearing in person at a rally.

Pam found a “Hands Off” rally scheduled for Decorah, one of around 1,500 such rallies organized across the country, and I decided to attend. These were organized for people to come out and express displeasure at what is going on with this administration on many levels, concerns Pam and I share.

Pam decided to make a sign for me to carry.

The Decorah organizers announced attendance of around 500 people, this in a state that has been solidly Republican for decades. Other news outlets report that thousands of people took part in other Iowa rallies and tens of thousands did so nation wide.

These rallies are in opposition to cuts in Social Security and other large programs (CDC, VA Affairs, EPA, NIH, USAIDS) but also to a range of smaller programs, many of them grants to cities and towns to help promote clean water, air, and energy diversification. In all, this administration is seen as incompetent, anti-science, and just plain stupid. The actions being taken will hurt us.

The First Amendment states, in part: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble…”

People are social animals and have been gathering for various reasons, including political ones, since well back in history. That is why the right to assemble is the first right guaranteed by the Bill of Rights.

As for the Deborah rally, it was interesting. Only one of the speakers was an elected official; other officials opted to skip the rally. (The elected official attending was a member of the Decorah City Council.) The other speakers were locals, including a couple teachers, a farmer, a small business owner, and a guy that writes editorials. Quite the cross section of people.

There were songs as well, three in fact. I was standing next to a pair of younger girls, possible local Luther College students, who had very good voices. The music went down well. Selections including the first chorus of “America the Beautiful” and a couple other protest songs. The lady leading the singing had an excellent voice.

What are my takeaways?

First, I was reminded of how public gatherings are such a part of our American culture and how they are integrated into our political system. Alexis de Tocqueville once wrote “…the only guarantee of liberty is for everyone to combine forces…” in his 1835 two-book volume titled Democracy in America.

Second, it is good to be among people who share a common interest. This observation may seem to be self-evident, but in our modern post-Covid world, face to face meetings are getting lost. As one speaker said, “you can’t make changes with a comment” left on a YouTube video. In-person gatherings for a common cause are a powerful motivator.

Third, such gatherings reinforce the idea that you are not alone and are part of a larger movement. It is easy to stay at home and wonder if anyone else in your community feels the way you do. National reports are not the same as seeing your local neighbors standing up for the same causes. The feeling gives you motivation for doing more than sitting at home.

Lastly, non-violent rallies are kind of fun. You are standing with other people, holding up signs and singing, and being led in responses by the organizers. New information comes to light from people who follow specific parts of the government. Rallies are part of the American experience.

I have several photos from the event, and a couple sent from friends who attended other rallies, in my Gallery page. I encourage you to take a look. Some are funny, most are serious, and all express a point of view that may be different (or enhance) your own.

That’s it for now. Thanks for looking in!

Pam’s Penny

Prolonged walking and standing are no longer in the comfort range of my superpowers. However, sign making is in my wheelhouse.

My childhood girlfriend, Janean (Hurd) Lang texted me re: our plans to locate an Iowa event on “Hands Off” day. This motivated me to search for the Decorah rally, which motivated Himself to be in attendance. Janean attended the LaCrosse rally, where about 1,000 people gathered.

Rock on.

Today’s Humor:

I have a few minor updates to mention today. Let’s get into it!

My left foot is now out of the medical boot for good. The last doctor’s appointment cleared me from wearing it, and the doctor said the bone fractures have healed. The ankle is still swollen and will remain so for the next couple months, however. I am walking better but still limping a bit, but improving over time.

Some activity has occurred on the lot across Main Street from us. The foundation appears to be complete and the excavator has been removed. The last action was the installation of several round cement footers for – what looks to be – a front porch. Much of the ‘dirt wall’ has been backfilled around the foundation but a small pile remains.

Two of the cats, Elmo and Reese, took a trip to the vet for their annual checkups and shots. Both are in good shape and quite healthy. Elmo is a chunk, though, weighing in at 15.2 pounds. He may be the heaviest cat we have owned.

Grayce is doing well and growing, but she is still not quite used to letting us know when she needs to go outdoors to do her business. This frustrates Pam continually. Puppyhood…

Grayce likes to play with her new Frisbee. She’s getting long and leggy.

Flowers are growing and greening in the flower beds. Recent rains (and some short-lived snow) helped. NE Iowa area is still classified as being in a moderate drought, so rain is appreciated.

There was not much outside time this last week — there was a mix of rain and snow accompanied by colder weather, temps in the 30s and low 40s, not good for outside time. Next week promises to have improved weather and we can look forward to more outside tasks.

There’s a batch of newborn squirrels running around in our oak trees. Pam has counted 5 of them. It’s fun to watch them running and jumping, exploring their environment, and stretching and discovering the limits of their abilities. This stage does not last long.

A special note for the calendar date: I attended one of the April 5th “Hands Off” rallies today, this one in Decorah. I will have photos and thoughts on the event in my next post.

That’s it for now. Thanks for looking in!

Pam’s Penny

Well — turns out Grayce is a poop eater. And a digger. I pick up fecal output [from all three dogs] almost before it hits the ground these days. And throw rubber mats over active dig spots in the dog enclosure. Grayce can excavate an 8″ diameter hole in under two minutes. Hard to get outdoor projects done, as I must constantly watch Grayce when she’s outside. I was able to edge the planting bed under the oaks, that’s about it.

Happy Trails.

Today’s Humor

There has been action on the lot across Main Street from us: A foundation was dug and new cement poured. NE Iowa received several inches of wet, heavy snow earlier this week, now mostly melted, and there are a few other notes of minor interest. Let’s get into it!

After many weeks off inactivity, last week saw quite a bit of action on the lot across Main Street from us. The excavator was fired up and a large hole for a new basement was dug.

A crew arrived to put in the footings, followed by installation of wall forms.

Finally, cement was pumped into the forms, leaving the top of the foundation quite a bit higher than the surrounding lawn.

The activity has ceased for the moment, although additional minor work has been done such as some backfilling the foundation. I expect water and sewer lines will next be installed before some sort of modular home is moved in.

While much of the excavated dirt was hauled away, there remains a wall of dirt on the Main Street side of the lot. This makes the view from the Heart House bay windows a bit bleak. (Particularly now that the trees previously there were trashed.)

It is to be hoped more work continues as weather allows, and the house is moved in soon, so the wall of dirt can be removed and the lawn areas will “green up” as spring arrives.

A typical “March Madness” storm brought the state several inches of very heavy and wet snow earlier this week. While it is now mostly melted, it was a bit difficult to clear from normal walking areas around Heart House.

The extended forecast is for mild weather over the next 10 days, with highs into the 40s (approaching 50 a few days) and just below freezing at night. I expect the remaining snow to melt completely by this time next week.

Summer travel plans for me are beginning to take shape. A visit to Felicity in New York is definitely on the list as there are a few items to take to her. At least one trip, possibly two, to The Lot in Colorado are potentially on the agenda. I have considered visiting Toby in Las Vegas (either drive or fly) if that could be arranged. Plans are tentative at the moment but some broad outlines are in place.

Trips need to be scheduled around a couple other events. We are on the local plumbing shop’s schedule to have our water service line replaced this spring, and Pam wants me here for that project. There will likely be the need to remove dog enclosure fencing for the dig; plans are afoot to reconfigure the dog enclosure area after. Ideally both items would be spring projects, which should allow the lawn to recover after the work.

Since sidewalk sections (at the street plus around the house) will have to be removed to replace the water line, some cement work will be needed to complete the project. We have contacted the guy who did our sidewalk work in 2020 and he says he will come around and give us a quote for the job.

Spring — officially here on the calendar. Tulips and daffodils are poking up in the flower bed, and “attendance” at the bird feeder has fallen off. Mulch was removed from the Mary Lynn bed and some other clean-up of winter leaves was accomplished, with the debris taken to the town’s compost site. There is much to do yet, though, and when the weather improves it will be time to get outside and work on spring chores.

Inside, I continue with some under-the-hood changes to web pages by adding and updating some Javascript scripts. These streamline the pages and help them load faster. Pam continues to peruse home listings in Michigan, but mainly she works with Grayce, helping Grayce get used to the other dogs and cats. Both of us always look forward to getting out of the house more as weather turns milder.

While I am still wearing my medical boot upon my left foot, there has been noticeable improvement and the ankle is feeling much better. I have had the boot off now and then, walking around the house, and although the ankle is still stiff the swelling has gone down and my ability to walk normally has gotten better. An upcoming appointment will give me a medical update, but I am looking forward to the day when I can take the boot off for good.

That’s it for now. Thanks for looking in!

Pam’s Penny

Puppies are certainly cute, and it’s a good thing, as they are also extremely frustrating. Grayce and I are in a battle of wills most of the time these days. Reconfiguring both internal and external environments helps me reduce the number of times I need to say “No!” and “Leave it!” and to try for more times expressing the “good dog!” sentiment. Having said that, this dog cannot grow out of puppyhood fast enough for me.

Outside spring work, when the weather allows, will keep me away from the news of the truly disturbing First Felon’s administration. As Himself and I discussed when we paid off the mortgage last August (before the election), our Social Security retirement money is a tempting political target. Greedy grifters constantly eye SS – calling it an entitlement and not earned monies. It’s just a matter of time before some low life makes a grab at that honey pot. When it happens (not if), it will be time for me to join the Dangerously Angered Silver Hair Ladies League. The country isn’t ready for pissed off old ladies…I’m talkin’ to you, MAGA voters.

Happy Trails.

Note: This post is going to be somewhat technical and not much in the way of general interest. But, as this blog serves as a kind of a diary, I decided to go ahead with this story.

I made another change to my web site. It is minor, but it feels like a much bigger deal. The change is for a new tab titled “Gallery” and can be found on both my home page and the blog page. Here is the story behind it.

When I slimmed down my website I eliminated quite a few files, including my galleries. I missed having a spot I could go to view some photos so I decided to bring back a Gallery page.

This was not as easy as it sounds. I wanted the new gallery to be viewed on different devices which have different screen sizes. (Screens are now called “viewports” in web-speak.) So, off I went to do some research.

The web has programming standards created and maintained by the World Wide Web Consortium, commonly referred to as W3C. They have an on-line school that I have visited before. I went there in search of an interactive gallery page.

I did find most of the code I needed, then spent a few hours tweaking it to my needs. I created a new cascading style sheet (a CSS style sheet) and attached it to my code page. Another first for me, I attached my standard style sheet to the same page, something I had read could be done but I had never done it.

The standard css sheet handles the navigation bar and footer sections, and the new css sheet handles the formatting of the photos. The two work together to display the page while adjusting to the screen size the viewer is using. It looks good on the devices I have tried, including my desktop Mac, my iPhone, a MacPro laptop, and an iPad. let me know what you think!

Right now the Gallery holds a random set of favorite photos, but I see other uses for it going forward. Holidays, special events, and various themes will be displayed in the future. The limiting factor is space on my hosting service. I am signed up for a 10-gig plan and am sitting at just under 8-gig now. I will rotate photos in and out to stay under my size limit.

Now on to other, more interesting, news and updates.

Grayce, the puppy, has recovered from her first rabies shot and is full of energy. She runs (really flies) when she is outside doing what Pam called “zoomies” around the yard. The introduction to the rest of the house continues and, surprisingly, it is oldest dog Bru that seems to be most put out by the newcomer. That relationship may take some time to develop.

We received some snow, accompanied by 50+ mile-an-hour winds, that caused many schools, roads, and businesses to close for a day or longer. The temps were not that bad but the wind sure howled. I was able to get out the John Deere and clean up the sidewalks and our mailbox station so we could walk to pick up our mail.

My left ankle is healing as it should, according to the doctor. I am to the point where I do not have to have the boot on all the time and can remove it when fairly stationary, like when I am sitting at my computer. Next appointment is in another 2 weeks and I hope I get permission to remove the boot full-time.

Pam reports she is seeing tiny green sprouts in the Mary Lynn flower bed. As soon as the recent snow melts we will begin our spring chores, including removing the leaf mulch from the flower beds. The lawn will need a thorough raking to remove the winter accumulation of twigs and branches. It will be good to be outside and active again.

A large excavator has been moved in to the lot across Main Street from us, presumably to prepare for the new home we were told would be put on that lot, but after a couple scoops the machine was shut off and nothing else has happened for several days.

Becky came over for a visit and gave JoJo some love while she was here.

Big news for Felicity and Peter: The move-in was completed and they are now full-time in the renovated house. There is a lot of work yet to do, but they can now call the house their own.

This is a sunset photo Felicity sent me featuring Seneca Lake in the background. Photo was taken from their back yard.

That’s it for now. Thanks for looking in!

Pam’s Penny

Pam reports she does not have a comment this time. Look to the next post for her observations.

Happy Trails!

Foremost this time are a couple videos. The first is Grayce getting used to the rest of the house (mostly) and of AJ and Snickers grooming themselves in the sunlight. For added viewing, a few photos of other animals, including JoJo and a squirrel, are included. Have at it!

Pam has been introducing Grayce to the house (outside the laundry room) in a gradual fashion. This first video is of Grayce running around in the kitchen and library. Run time is about 3 minutes.

Pam lets Grayce run in the house for a bit but some areas are still blocked off (as Grayce is still not 100% with the idea that pee belongs outside).

A recent vet visit confirms Grayce is growing; she is now at about 12 pounds in weight versus 8 pounds when she arrived at Heart House. Pam has had to “let out” Grayce’s harness and move up a size in dog coat. Puppyhood does not last all that long.

Still more on Grayce: She received a bath earlier this week. I’m not sure she enjoyed it. Nice to have the job sink!

I am including a couple random photos of other critters. In the first, JoJo is enjoying a treat, licking out an empty cottage cheese container.

Along the same lines, here is JoJo with KitKat. KitKat is more comfortable with JoJo than she is with household cats. Strange to see the canine-feline bond.

Moving outside, we are trying a new type of squirrel food this week. Pam ordered these “squirrel logs” from Chewy and we are trying them out. The squirrels seem to go for them.

The “grid lines” in the above photo are there as I took this picture through the kitchen window, and the grid lines are the window screen. I did not have time to go out the back door and shoot from the porch.

Moving back indoors, the other morning I was enjoying my cup of morning tea and noticed AJ sitting on top of the cat post, in the sun, grooming herself. Here is a clip of that activity, and Snickers gets into it near the end. Run time is about 4 minutes.

Otherwise, we are enjoying a mild stretch of weather with some nights not getting below freezing. Much of our snow has melted and there is a chance of rain in the 10-day forecast. Is spring really arriving?

I should mention our good friend, Henry Tourtillott, celebrated his 98th birthday this past Tuesday. Hank is moving slowly these days, but reports he is learning chess (against a computer) to “help keep my mind sharp.” Here is hoping for 100!

A couple other milestones worth mentioning: My first blog post was in February of 2011, so I am entering my 15th year as a blogger. Also, my e-mail address is now 37 years old as I opened it while working for Sears Business Systems in Beaverton, Oregon, in 1988. (I think. Could have been earlier than that.)

A kiddo update: Felicity and Peter finally moved into their renovated Lodi home late last week. Now comes the fun part…unpacking, arranging, and making the house into a home. (By the way, the nearest city with any name recognition is Watkins Glen, home to a well-known road-race course.) In the winter, when the leaves are off the trees, Felicity and Peter can just see Seneca Lake from their property.

That’s it for now. Thanks for looking in!

Pam’s Penny

Puppy shots are concluding at the vet. It appears Grayce is having a low energy/diarrhea reaction to the first rabies series injection. Today that poor puppy is draggin’ — much like me for 36 hours after the Covid booster each year.

Happy Trails.

Included this time is a short (51 seconds) video of Grayce running outside in snow, a first for her. A few updates are along for the ride. Enjoy!

Pam has been taking Grayce outside frequently during the day. A recent snowfall left a few inches of snow in the dog run, and Pam thought a short video of Grayce doing “zoomies” would be a crowd pleaser in this post. Here is the clip. (The ending is a bit abrupt.) Note: YouTube has changed some security settings. You may need to click on the “Watch on YouTube” button instead of the red button in the center of the image. Clicking on the red button may ask you to log into YouTube.

Grayce is growing, stretching out a bit, and I think she will be a bit longer in proportion than a standard Beagle. Some of the cats are getting somewhat more used to her and will jump into the laundry room (over the gate) and spend some time there. Not real close, mind you, but not getting all aggressive and fluffed out. It is a process.

Pam has begun to introduce Grayce to the rest of the house, blocking off some areas (using pockets doors) but letting Grayce explore more of the floor plan. Exciting times for a puppy! These excursions are often followed by a long nap. (Grayce, not Pam.)

I mentioned a few other updates, none really earth-shattering. I went in for a follow-up appointment to get a new set of x-rays on my ankle, which is healing “in alignment” according to the doctor. This is good. I can move with a bit more ease as the swelling goes down, but the medical boot will be a must for at least the next few weeks.

NE Iowa did get some measurable snow, around 4 inches, which has left the ground covered in white. Right now the temperatures are well below normal for mid-February, with frigid wind chills and bitterly cold air temperatures. This morning the air temp was -17 with windchills of near -40. (Tuesday, February 18th) Good news, though: It is supposed to warm up by next Sunday, with temps getting above normal. Can’t wait.

Otherwise, slow. Good time to stay indoors, although we did have to shovel sidewalks after the snow. I could not do much with the leg boot, but managed to sit on the John Deer LX 176 (with blade) and cleaned major portions of the sidewalks and garage door aprons. The stretch that had to be hand-shoveled, between the house and garage and around the south side of the house, was Pam’s project. At that time the bitter cold had not set in, temps were in the low 20’s, but still a cold and tiring job.

Both of us work on small projects, mostly computer related, and take care of everyday living needs such as grocery shopping, cleaning, and doing laundry. Nothing in our normal routine to get excited about! Each of us makes a concerted effort to watch less political reporting (although the information we do tune in to tends to be quite distressing).

Felicity and Peter look like they will be moving into their Lodi (New York) home by the end of the month. Not all the repairs are completed but they are running low on funds and can’t afford to rent and pay a construction mortgage at the same time. I had helped them move from Tulsa to New York last July but obviously won’t help them move into the house this time. (Most of their belongings have been in storage since last summer, as they waited for repairs to the house to move forward.) I hope the transition goes well.

That’s it for now. Thanks for looking in!

Pam’s Penny

There may have been things I forgot about having a puppy in the house, but strange schedules and continuing potty training efforts were completely expected. I try to give all the animals – cats, puppy, and older dogs – their own spaces and adjustment zones. It’s a bit of a puzzle at present, but in the end all will be well.

Happy Trails.

Today’s Humor:

I had never broken a bone until this past week. We had some freezing rain which covered the sidewalks in a thin layer of ice. On my way to the garage, while carrying a box, I slipped and fell. Now I am hurting.

The leg has two major bones, the Tibia, the main load-bearing bone, and the Fibula, which helps support the Tibia. In addition to suffering a very bad sprain, I cracked my left Fibula.

Now I am in one of those “walking boots” that are designed to keep the ankle in alignment courtesy of Dr. Maher at the Howard County Regional Health Center in Cresco.

Needless to say, this has made it very difficult (and painful) for me to move around much. Going up and down the stairs to my bedroom and upstairs bathroom has turned into a chore. Even getting a sock on the left foot has turned into a process, and I can work up a sweat trying to get dressed In the morning. No fun at all.

Prognosis is that I will heal in around 6 weeks, but given my age and medical history it could be longer. Old folks don’t heal as fast as younger people.

That is the main story for this week, but there are a few other updates. Grayce is getting acclimatized to her new home and the cats are beginning to inch closer to her when she takes a nap. The integration process continues. Oldest dog, Bru, is not excited about the newcomer as I think the rapid movements startle her as her vision and hearing are going. JoJo just seems to be amused.

I made a below-the-surface change to my blog page, changing the company that hosts it. I was using iPage but their prices kept going up. That would be OK if the blog was an e-commerce site or otherwise making money, but for a basic family newsletter it was getting out of hand. I am now using Bluehost, not quite as polished in their hosting service, but a lot more affordable. iPage was up to $257.00 per year and Bluehost is $178.00 for three years.

The change-over did not go all that smoothly, but eventually all functions were returned to normal. This is my first post using Bluehost and I trust all will go well! However, if you notice any problems, please let me know.

That’s it for now. Thanks for looking in!

Weekly humor corner:

We have a new dog: Grayce, a Beagle puppy. How we got here is the main topic of this post. The tale is a little involved, so stay with me!

Pam will have more to say on the background of us getting a new dog; she had been looking for a while. This chapter started with a trip to our local vet.

Early this week one of the outside cats, Scamp, showed up with a large cut on his leg. Pam decided Scamp needed medical attention, so she shoved him into carrier and off we drove to New Hampton for a vet appointment. (New Hampton is about 30 minutes away from us.)

At the bottom off the off-ramp to town was this sign:

After dropping Scamp at the vet for an overnight stay, we did some grocery shopping and went home. (Scamp was picked up the next day after surgery, was confined, has since recovered and is back in the neighborhood with leg stitches and two fewer testicles.)

Pam proceeded to call the number and, after some conversation, decided to buy Grayce, the last of the puppies in the batch.

Grayce arrived on January 29th. She is a cute little puppy with, it appears, a pretty mellow personality. She will need it when getting used to the other household dogs and cats. So far Pam has kept Grace in the laundry room, which has a gate-blocking entrance into the rest of the house. Eventually Grayce will have full run of the place, but for now Pam is trying to keep the initiation into the house as gentle as possible. (Just to mention, Grayce is not yet fully potty trained.)

I put together this 3:16 video of Grayce’s first time in the yard and, later in the video, playing in the laundry room.

There was not a lot of other news this time. My new crown came in but was not to my dentist’s liking so it was sent back to be recast. Becky came over to help Pam groom JoJo a bit. (And to meet Grayce!) Weather has been very mild and dry for January with the exception of several bitterly cold days last week with wind chills hitting -41 and an actual air temperature -18. We ordered and received another fill of propane.

On the upside, a few days ago we set a few record highs with temps in the upper 40s and even low 50s. Next snow may be a week from now if the long-range forecast is accurate.

I am going to close out this post with a photo of several of our cats taking in morning sunlight through our east window.

At back left is Stirling, with Snickers standing on the sill and Reese lying down. AJ is on the chair. Note lack of snow on the grass outside.

That’s it for now. Thanks for looking in!

Pam’s Penny

I’ve been missing Blondie girl for six months. And wondering if I am too old for one more dog. In late November I started looking at the online rescue sites for Beagles. And inquired about five different dogs in five different Midwest states. Oh dear, so many poor little pups from medical facilities and breeder overstock. So many Beagles with psychological issues. After all my years in cat rescue, I am genuinely weary of animals with psychological issues. Bless the rescues for the work they do; I just can’t go there any more.

And then a sign on the side of a road. And the last female puppy in a litter, located just seven miles from Elma. And a search through Heart House for the pup supplies tote, something I seem to have kept for over a dozen years. And washing the dog toys, still left from the two remaining geriatric dogs (when they had teeth). Sometimes The Universe speaks and it’s time to pay attention. So I did. And I am now a puppy concierge.

Happy Trails.

P.S. Years ago, Toby suggested I name any future dog something with “gray” in it, since I seemed to be naming dogs after hair colors and my own hair was turning gray. Which explains the “Gray” in “Grayce.”

New feature: Humor of the week.

All activities at this time of the year are either routine or of not much interest in general. I have a few updates and other comments, but, if the truth be told, nothing all that exciting!

I’ll begin with a couple medical updates mentioned as “upcoming” in my last post. My diabetes check-up went OK. In fact, the results were the best I have seen in recent years. I hope that keeps up over the next years.

The results of the blood draw sent to the Mayo Clinic, a follow-up to my prostate cancer episode, came back. PSA levels were unchanged from previous readings, a good thing. Next checks for both the diabetes and cancer are now 6 months away. I am glad to have those taken care of for now.

One of my old ceramic tooth crowns began to chip so I had to go to the dentist and begin the process for getting a replacement. Preliminary work was done and impressions taken, so now I wait until the new crown arrives. An appointment has been made to get the new crown fitted, about 2 weeks from now.

Holiday decorations have been taken down and packed away for another year. I miss the colorful lights in the house and around town, but at least we had some mild weather when taking off the outside lights. Inside decorations followed a few days later, including the tree. Now it is time to hunker down through the next few months.

NE Iowa weather is in for a truly frigid stretch, with several upcoming days forecast to have high temperatures below zero, night time temps in the double-digits below zero, and wind chills down to -35 degrees. (It is warmer at our lot in Colorado at this point, at an elevation of 9,500 feet.)

There is no snow on the ground as of this writing and very little chance of precipitation in the 10-day forecast, very unusual for this time of the year.

The “around the house” routine goes on with only minor tasks getting done. I touched up some paint on the upstairs bathroom walls where I had made some marks when installing the trim boards. The outside critters continue to get corn on the cob, acorns, and bird seed. The cats spend more time in the catio where it is warmer and Pam sets out food, water, and a cat box as well as turning on the space heater and plugging in a couple bed warmers. Last fall I had put up a wind-blocking tarp around the NW corner of the catio to help keep wind from blowing in through the cat entrance and that seems to help a great deal.

I sold my old Mac via eBay which helps pay for the upgraded Mac I bought late last fall. I kept the old hard drive, having purchased a used one to sell with the old Mac. The newer computer is working well, and is much faster in video and photo editing.

Our replacement WiFi router is also working well. We had been experiencing some problems with buffering and freezing so called our ISP, Mediacom. A tech came out and replaced a length of very old cable that had a joint (union) in it and that seems to have resolved the issue. Good thing, as we are watching TV more now than we do in the summer. Here is a photo of the tech and his ladder installing cable on another frigid day.

Speaking of streaming TV, we recently switched from Fubo to YouTube TV as our source. YouTube TV is a little cheaper, but it also has some channels we wanted that Fubo did not have, such as BBC News, HGTV, and a few others. The only downside is the need to create a Google account. I had one, Pam did not, so I had to create one for her. The new service is working well but takes some getting used to as the remote control functions are different between the two services.

Felicity’s and Peter’s New York home renovation continues. Electric service has been established and a certificate of occupancy obtained. Plumbing work continues, with the bathroom now functional, and kitchen work is underway.

I am going to close with this recent photo of Elmo and Snickers sharing a spot on top of one of the cat posts.

That’s it for now. Thanks for looking in!

Pam’s Penny

Rescue Animals in Winter: As Himself noted above, there are three bed heaters, one oil-based space heater, and a heated water bowl plugged in at the catio location. In the yard, two more heated water bowls are kept ice free. In the house, the dog pack is missing Blondie, the pack leader, this winter. Blondie hated cold temps and pretty much got out and in forthwith to do her business — the remaining two dogs tend to wander aimlessly until directed to get their frozen butts in the house. The inside cats find the warmest heating vent or blanket available during these cold winter periods. Or snuggle together.

Heart House: Usually I’ve been busy with a renovation project of some sort for the winter. However, the two indoor projects left are baseboard trim replacement to complete the snug (downstairs) and bathroom (upstairs). Carpentry is not my superpower, so I spend my time instead cleaning and dusting all the fussy decor on shelves and counters. The Dyson vac (purple trim below) is slowly disintegrating, which resulted in the purchase of the Bissell vac (turquoise below). I TRY to stay ahead of pet hair, dust blowing through from the lathe and plaster walls, bugs crawling out from the woodwork, dirt dragged inside.

Winter of our Discontent: Our homeowners insurance will not cover a single penny of the water line replacement we have scheduled for the spring. The policy covers water line breakage or damage, not proactive replacement. The neighbors across Main Street (who are preparing their property for the modular house replacement after last year’s house fire) cut to the ground three 50+ year old healthy maple trees on the Main Street side of their lot. (Three maple trees that were part of a line of mature maple trees along Main for blocks.) Now we look out Heart House’s Main Street windows to a very clear view of a big dirt hole. It kinda makes me sick to my stomach to look out the window in that direction at the moment. A bucket of suck…

Happy Trails.

A new year begins. In this post I will cover our Christmas, New Year’s, and note some changes to my web site.

Well, 2024 came to a close. We celebrated our Christmas with Becky, opening gifts and having a good meal. Some photos of the day:

Our New Year’s celebration was not much this time. Pam baked some excellent chocolate chip cupcakes (with additional chocolate chips added) which went very well with hot tea. To be honest, I am not sure what the new year will bring, but I’m not optimistic about the change in administration.

For the first time I can remember, there is no snow on the ground on January 1st. Here is photo of the house and east yard taken today.

While the weather had been very mild, and the snow we received back on December 20th has all melted, the next 10-day forecast has below average temps and no snow.

A bright spot for me was a meeting with my college roommate, Jon Bjornson, and his wife Joan. They are in the process of moving from the Boston area to Owensboro, KY. Jon’s mother lives in Spring Valley, east of Minneapolis, and they were visiting her before heading south. The route took them near New Hampton and we managed to meet there at Klunder’s Cafe.

As mentioned in my opening, there have been some changes to my web site. Several “tabs” have been removed, including Jer’s Toys, Videos, and Galleries. Removal of these features from the site will result in some broken links in older posts, but it was time to slim down the site. (No photos were removed, so links to them are still in place.) The remaining tabs were reordered and a new one, You Tube Videos, was added. This link will take you to my YouTube videos playlist.

A new entry was added to daughter Felicity’s section on the Kids tab: a link to her YouTube playlist is now present. This playlist deals with the renovation of the Lodi, NY house, which is still in progress. Take a look!

The next couple weeks look to be uneventful, although I do have a couple routine medical reviews coming up. It is time for both my Type 2 diabetes review with my local medical staff. The Mayo Clinic has sent me another blood draw kit, draw to be done in our local clinic, to monitor my PSA and testosterone levels following my prostate cancer treatments. Both are routine follow-ups but require a blood draw and a trip to the Cresco Regional Health Center. I hope there are no surprises in either case.

That’s it for now. Thanks for looking in!

Pam’s Penny

Happy Trails.