Month: February 2019

Yesterday (Saturday) we finally received some snow, enough to cover the lawns, driveways, and sidewalks. At that, it was only about 2 inches or so but enough for me to get out the John Deere garden tractor and blade and do some plowing.

The snow was light but, due to the past warm weather, there was a layer of slush on top of paved surfaces. The snow, instead of coming off the blade in a steady flow, came of in chunks.

Snow was in the air most of the day but stopped accumulating by mid-morning as the temperatures hovered in the low 30 degree range. Not a bad day, but one where inside activities seemed to be a better choice. Here I am reading a book with a couple cats keeping me company:

That is London by my leg and Cirrus on my lap. My cup of tea is on the side table and Bru is napping on the couch in the background. It was just a good day to relax.

Today will be “chore day” as I will make a small shopping run and get fuel for the cars. So far the day is bright and sunny but more storms are coming later today (Sunday) and lasting through Tuesday.

This past week I had to change a headlight in the Honda; the low beam bulb on the driver’s side had burned out. To make the repair I had to remove part of the inner fender liner. These newer cars don’t make maintenance easy! I am still using the headlights on the commute in and sometimes on the way home, depending on the weather, so I need to have the lights working. This was not a difficult job but still a pain. I broke a couple of the plastic rivets that hold the liner in place; one of my stops today will be at an auto parts store to see if I can find replacements.

You may notice a change in how these posts are made, starting with this one and going forward. Photos will be closer to full-size but you can still click on them to bring up a larger image. This is due to a new editing program I am using. (The new editor is called “Gutenberg”.) It should be easier to insert photos, photo galleries, and videos using Gutenberg but a few changes from past practices will be involved.

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

Pam’s Penny:

When one’s big excitement for the week is the half hour to the grocery store and the half hour back, nothing for the blog there.

Happy Trails.

There are a few things to cover this time. First up, this humorous photo of a dog playing with a sprinkler inside the house caught my eye. Dog is having a great time. Good thing the floor is tile, though.

(Internet photo.)

Pam continues to do some packing. Below is her doll collection waiting to be carefully boxed:

Pam’s ceramic doll collection

The biggest problem, when we do get ready to move, is how and on what schedule to relocate the animals. That will be a real challenge, particularly the cats.

Taxes are done and sent off to be processed. We will get some money back from both Federal and State as Pam’s unemployment-to-retirement dropped us into a lower tax bracket. Refunds will be a first for us in over a decade; we’ve always had to pay at tax time, both Federal and State. I’m always glad when that task is over for the year. (Pam filled out the short form. Retirement time has its advantages.)

I-70 through Glenwood Canyon was closed for most of a day due to rockslides this past week.

Feb 2019 rockslide in Glenwood Canyon (CDOT photo.)

Both east- and westbound lanes were closed. Eastbound opened first, followed by one lane westbound after many hours of work. (View above is of the westbound lanes.) Some of the boulders had to be split with dynamite into manageable sizes. All repairs, including road surface damage, will take a few weeks. Yes, we have a few travel challenges that are unique to western Colorado!

Fuel prices have dropped, as they normally do every year at this time. We are paying around $2.10 per gallon for regular. It would be nice if prices stayed that low but, sure as spring temperatures, prices will go up in the coming weeks.

Weather has been mild with lows in the teens and twenties and highs in the upper thirties and low forties. Storms are common, though, this time of year and conditions can change rapidly. A few mornings have had traffic moving at about 25 mph instead of 65 mph through canyon areas where the sun does not hit the road until late in the day. A few more storms are forecast for the upcoming week, but mostly rain as temperatures will not fall much.

Upcoming week’s weather. (Click on image to enlarge.)

As for my weekdays, routine is the word.

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

Pam’s Penny:

I’m packing.  Exactly where and exactly when relocation occurs is still a mystery. (One thing I do know, moving expenses are no longer tax deductible.)

Happy Trails.

After a stretch of decent weather, today has turned a bit nasty. Rain mixed with snow pellets, driven by gusty winds, makes this a good day to stay inside.

I had tried to get out for my daily walk but mistimed the incoming storm and got soaked as a result. I returned home early, changed into dry clothes, and am sipping on a nice hot cup of tea as I type. At least it’s not below freezing, although colder temperatures are on the way later this week.

Both of us are [still!] recovering from colds, which seem to be hanging on much longer than normal. Hopefully the next week will see us over this bad spell. Below is a photo of Pam relaxing on the glider with London on her lap, JoJo getting a tummy rub, and Cirrus sitting on the cat post. Note Pam is holding the TV remote control. This is not Pam’s normal posture but recovering from the household cold has limited some of her energy.

Pam surrounded by pets

The Midwest house hunt continues, but online listings are down this time of year. The houses we are gravitating toward are in small towns; we’d like to find an appropriate retirement house on some acreage close to town. One with room for my toys and the dogs to run in a fenced area.

Pam has started packing our infrequently used items, such as holiday glassware. She says it gives her the feeling of forward movement toward relocating, with that much less to dust in the meantime. I picked up ten U-Haul small boxes ($1.07 each with tax) and retrieved a box of bubble pack from the garage attic to help this project along.

I raked the lawn yesterday. Leaves had blown up along the fence lines, making the place look a bit messy. Today’s wind may reverse some of the cleaning but the lawn looked good for a day! I was surprised to see the town’s compost site, where I drop off leaves and grass clippings, still being used by several residents.

The groundhog Punxsutawney Phil did not see his shadow which is supposed to mean an early spring. I sure hope this is the case!

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

Pam’s Penny:

Scotland weather today. Memories…

Happy Trails.