Author: admin (Page 7 of 62)

It was a very busy week. Renovations and upgrades to the upstairs bathroom were begun – lots of photos of that – and a new light fixture was added to the kitchen. A roofer actually showed up to look over the Tower. The main event, though, was the upstairs bath.

I have been anticipating the addition of a shower to the upstairs bath for over a year. I knew this would be a major project, as there are three separate areas that need work: carpentry to level the floor and build the frame for the shower, electrical to install a vent fan + move the lights + outlets, and finally plumbing to install the water feed lines and drains. Relocating the sink and clawfoot tub are also part of the plan.

Bob the Builder (Bob’s Building Service) arrived on Tuesday to begin the task of leveling the floor. As the old floor had sagged quite a bit and was way out of level, a new floor had to be constructed, This involved cutting “tapers” to lay over the old floor and make a level surface for the new one.

To gain work room, the tub and toilet had to be removed. They are in the guest bedroom at the moment.

New plywood was installed over the tapers to give a level and solid floor to work on.

The next step was done by a combination of the the carpenter and the electrician. A frame was built for the shower stall by Bob the Builder and the electrician began wiring. The existing ceiling light had to be moved and a vent fan installed. New outlets are planned for both sides of the sink location and two switches, one for the vent and another for a light over the sink, had to have wiring installed.

There was a fairly major problem, as access to the above-ceiling area in the bath has been removed or plastered over. There was no attic access. The solution was to empty my closet, which backs up to the bath, and cut a new access through the closet ceiling. This created quite a mess as the attic is filled with loose blown-in insulation. None-the-less, it was done and access was achieved. Bob will return and create a more formal hatch in the closet ceiling; right now a cardboard box has been flattened and is in service to close the hole.

The electricians got right to work. This also created a mess as cutting a hole for the vent fan dropped a lot of loose insulation on the floor. Loose insulation got tracked through the house and required plenty of cleaning after the crew left.

The new vent required going up through the roof to install the outside portion. This was done without incident, although Pat the Electrician told me the roof is steeper than it looks from the ground.

The next step will be a return trip from Zach the Plumber. The toilet needs to be reinstalled, water supply runs for the shower, sink, and tub need to be installed, and drains for all three connected. After that, Bob the Builder will be back to put down underlayment for the floor covering we want to put in. He will complete the afore-mentioned hatch and put up drywall on the shower walls. The electrician will need to make a return trip once the drywall is in place to finish the wiring by adding all the switches, outlets, and other necessary hardware. Finally, Pam and I will put down the new flooring and – eventually – finish painting the room. (That may be a winter project.)

We have chosen to try an unusual flooring material, snap together garage tiles. These should hold up to the weight of the tub and daily use of the room. Two colors will be put down in a pattern to add some interest to the floor.

This is how the room appears as I write this blog. I will use it as a comparison photo as the project moves along.

As if the bath was not exciting enough, two other projects moved forward. Pam had requested a light fixture change in the kitchen (having purchased a new light last year). The electricians were able to make the swap. Here are before and after photos.

There is some additional work to be done on the light; Pam wants a ceiling hook installed to move the chain and fixture a little closer to the sink. This would add light over the food prep area. A decorative hook will be purchased on one of our next outings.

Another bit of excitement occurred when a roofing company actually showed up to examine the Tower. I will insert one photo of the guys examining the potential job. Pam has an additional comment below.

It was an interesting week and I am very pleased to be moving ahead with these projects!

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

Pam’s Penny

I had to simplify the tower shingle design. A variety of colors are hard to find/no longer manufactured. So, alright, shades of gray it is. In the same ombre effect as the blue-painted-gingerbreading in the gables. Moving on to the $$ astronomical quote $$ stage (not yet received, can hardly wait).

Monday’s icy road trip to Decorah for additional medical tests resulted in the urologist saying my kidney stone “appears” to have passed. I’m off the meds; surgery previously scheduled for May 1 has been cancelled.

Happy Trails.

With a bit of rain and lots of warm weather, early flowers are beginning to bloom and the lawn is turning green. Easter came and went. Most of the week’s work was routine; I have a photo or two to share. There is a new cat video this time around, featuring Elmo, with appearances by Stirling and Vienna.

Midwest temperatures were well above normal this week and a few flowers began to pop. Hyacinths bloomed in the east flower bed near Glory the goat. The annual [unidentified] small blue flowers popped up in the oak tree bed.

We started early season yard work. Pam raked all the flower beds and I cleaned around all the fence lines. A load of yard debris, mostly consisting of leaves and small twigs but including our old Christmas tree, was taken to the dump as the first load of the year. The yard is looking pretty tidy right now.

Pam put out a few of our outdoor decorations, including the Board Buddies at the front of the catio. I removed the wind screen tarps from the west fenceline, and uncovered the AC unit for the season.

Celebration of Easter passed without a lot of fanfare for us. Pam made a tasty pork chop meal for Easter Sunday and hand-decorated a few hard boiled eggs.

I picked up a used air compressor which I found on Facebook Marketplace. While it is an older unit, it seems to work fine. My old compressor is just a motor and pump from an old Chevy air conditioning system. I have a portable tank which I had been using to check tire pressures and such but the old system did not put out much volume to run my other air tools such as impact wrenches. (I use these to remove tires for brake jobs and other tasks.)

Last year, when I went out to The Lot, I had to borrow a compressor to pump up the tractor’s tires and add air to The Box’s tires. It was just luck our neighbor was up on his lot and had a small compressor I could use. This year I will take my old compressor to Colorado and leave it there for use when I need it, hence the desire to have another compressor at home.

Contractors, contractors — what a pain. The roofer who said he would be here, first on the 3rd then again on the 10th, failed to show both times. I made overtures to a different roofer and I’m waiting to see if/when he, or his son, can arrive and give us a quote. This is frustrating; an option going forward is putting a “Help Wanted-Roofer” sign in the yard. Below is one of the photos I sent to the “new” roofer to give him some idea of the tower we want re-shingled.

That covers the news of the past week. It was an active time for us and we enjoyed time spent outdoors in the improving weather. We have to pace ourselves, though. Factoring in rest periods, after a long winter, is part of the dynamic.

As promised in the opening, here is a new cat video. This one features mostly Elmo but there are appearances by Stirling and Vienna. As per my regular tactics, there is no audio track as I did not want to disturb the action. Run time is 3:57.

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

Pam’s Penny

A week of domestic pets: 1) JoJo had a gimpy leg and was “limping on three” this week. Doggie ibuprofen for arthritis seemed to do the trick. 2) Bru has about 2/3 of her [warm weather] grooming completed. I can only keep her on the table for an hour at a time, and I hand cut as well as shave her coat. The process takes days. Once Bru is trimmed, it will be JoJo’s turn. 3) Elmo visited the vet for his “age three” shots, and actually behaved himself. Unexpected. 4) The Terrible Two are now working on stripping wallpaper in the library. I guess that means I will put off wallpapering in the parlour until Vienna and Stirling grow out of this phase.

Farm animals: The detour from Elma to Cresco (Cresco being the location of Elmo’s vet as well as Himself’s physical therapy) features 8-10 massive hog operations. The “aroma” on that route is already truly indescribable, and the seasonal heat has just begun.

Happy Trails.

Warmer weather is here! The change in temperature has enabled us to take on a few outdoor tasks. Nati [the cat] was taken to Becky’s house in Greene. Guest room painting and decoration advanced. Animals were being cute. Physical therapy continued. Let’s look at the week’s activities.

I am going to start with outside activities. Pam grabbed our edger and went around the oak tree flower bed. It was time to do this as the day lilies are beginning to turn green. (The bridge came out from under protected cover on the north porch about a week ago.)

I was active, completing several projects. One of them was getting the pressure washer out and giving the car a good outside cleaning. (Look at me, balancing the pressure wand with my right arm!)

Converting the John Deere LX-176 from winter use to summer mowing was next. With Pam’s occasional assistance I was able to remove the snow blade, tire chains, and extra weights and re-mount the mower deck and bagger. I took a quick spin around the yard, hoping to pick up many of the leaves that had blown in and wintered on the lawn. That went pretty well, although I need to get out the lawn vac and clean up around the fence lines yet. That will be a task for later today.

The garden hose was retrieved from the garage attic and water for the outside faucets was turned on. The bird feeder was taken down and cleaned, ready for use next fall. I raked a portion of the lawn under the oak trees as this area had a lot of small branches and twigs that would not be picked up with the LX-176. There is a limited time I can rake before my shoulder starts to complain, but the yard looks much better after this clean up.

Pam is about 65% done with details in the guest bedroom. She is adding ribbon border that defines the walls from the ceiling, plus she added decals to the light switch. The room is looking quite a bit fresher with new white paint, the new windows from last year, and continuing updates.

Our outing this week took us to Becky’s home in Greene. We transferred Nati to Becky’s care per Becky’s request. Becky reports Nati is settling in well and appears to be developing affection for Becky, jumping into Becky’s lap and even going to sleep there. We hope the transition goes well, but Becky has another cat, Vanna, and a lot of plants around her house. So far Nati has been confined to a bedroom; the real test will be when the two cats come face to face and Nati is – eventually – given more space to explore. If this does not work out, there will be a Plan B to take Nati back, but we hope for the best.

My twice-a-week physical therapy continued, as it will for many weeks yet. I am making progress and can reach a few more things than I could in the past. Still, it is occasionally frustrating that I can’t use the arm freely. Below is a photo of the sign in my rehab center.

On the down side, our good friend Henry (Hank) Tourtillott, who lives in Arizona, is having a tough time as of late. Hank is 96 and has been living with his daughter, Pat, for several years. Pat was diagnosed with congenital heart failure and is no longer able to take care of herself and Hank. To make matters worse, Hank recently had an accident and broke his tailbone. Pat’s son, Marty, is there and helping but long-range plans are mostly on hold. We offer encouragement and positive thoughts; I wish there was more we could do for them. Age and distance reduces our options to assist.

I am going to close this post with a couple of animal photos taken this past week. Our animals do a lot of sleeping, particularly the older ones.

That’s it for now. Thanks for looking in! Happy Easter to everyone!

Pam’s Penny

The coming week may be just warm enough to break out the Mary Lynn Memorial Garden plaque and put Gretel the lamb (statue) in the planting bed with the tulip and daffodil starts. The Mennonite greenhouses will be opening in a few weeks– yes! I do wish my lifelong friend Mary was alive to enjoy this most magical season as it arrives once again. Bittersweet.

Happy Easter.

It has been a quiet week here at Heart House. Routine tasks with only a few side projects were the norm.

I continued my twice-weekly physical therapy and my range of motion is improving, but I still have a long way to go. However, since I am in Cresco twice weekly for therapy, I stop at the Fareway grocery store and pick up any needed supplies. The last time home I took the new detour; it will add at least 10 minutes to the commute and is about 5 miles longer than the regular route. The detour is on gravel roads which means the car will get pretty dirty with spring rains in the forecast. I start driving the detour regularly next week.

Medically, Pam is doing OK with follow-ups on her kidney stone condition. The doctor wants her to stay on meds into April, then go in for an X-ray to see if the stone is still in place or if it has passed through. If still in place, non-emergency surgery is scheduled for May 1.

Pam has been working on a plan to remodel the parlour and has received wallpaper samples she ordered. (See below.) Also, as an addition to sleeping capacity in the guest bedroom, I spotted a twin bed frame on Facebook Marketplace last weekend. After a successful negotiation, we took a field trip to Stewartville, MN on Monday to pick it up. So, several home projects are in the mix.

Yesterday’s forceful Spring storm left us with a trace of snow this morning, but before that we had thunderstorms and some hail. Happy April Fool’s Day to us!

The past week reinforces the rural character of our NE Iowa setting. We received the last of our contracted-for propane, 202.2 gallons. We hope this takes us through the summer, as a “summer fill” [usually in August] is always the lowest price of the season. I did not take a photo of our delivery but here’s a typical sample from the internet.

I went to a garage sale in the country near Elma, and was surprised to see numerous Mennonite carriages parked on the road and drive. I didn’t think to take photos of this (my bad), as a visual would have made this post more interesting. However, here is a photo of a carriage going past our home on Main Street back in 2021.

My garage sale spend was $2.00 for a non-working Makita battery-powered craft saw and charger. New batteries are on order and I hope the saw works OK once they arrive. Pam would like to try using it for some summer craft projects she has in mind.

So, aside from PT in Cresco, propane delivery, yard sale, and some work on the guest bedroom and other project planning, it was a relaxed retirement week. The coming week may be somewhat more exciting, as we are expecting a roofing contractor to be here on Monday, looking over the tower and – hopefully – giving us an estimate once he has seen the scale of the work.

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

Pam’s Penny

Well, the samples arrived and left me more confused than before on the way forward with the wallpaper. The first sample (on left in green) is an art deco print with a HUGE scale, so that’s out. The second (middle) sample is a Victorian print that is anything but restful – probably too much. The final sample has a better scale, but may not be dramatic enough – too little? The jury is still out. Pondering. (No rush.)

Happy Trails.

We had an assortment of events and happenings this week. The power company is installing new posts and upgrades, Pam’s godson captained a yacht through the Panama Canal, and work was done in the upstairs guest bedroom. Federal and state taxes were completed and mailed.

Last week our power company, Alliant Energy, began replacing power poles along Main Street in Elma. New post had been laid out; then a truck, equipped with an auger and a hoist, drilled holes for the new posts, and lifted the poles into place.

The next step will be the moving of wires from the old pole to the new one. We have been advised to expect a break in service while this happens but have no time frame when this will happen.

Pam has completed painting the guest bedroom white, but I did not include photos of it as Pam is just beginning to add the ribbon trim where the walls meet the ceiling. I’ll have more in my next post.

As reported in a previous post, Nati had been moved into the guest bedroom. While I was in the room checking on Pam’s painting progress, Nati decided to jump into my lap and get some attention. I was pleased she seems to be a bit more animated and moving around more. Hair is beginning to re-grow under her neck.

One event this past week involved Pam’s godson, Zach Hayes. (Zach and Sakura visited us last summer.) Zach is a yacht captain and had the opportunity to pilot his ship through the Panama Canal. That must be something to check off your Bucket List!

Zach had let us know the approximate time he would be going into the lock from the Pacific end. He is heading to Florida, so the crossing would be from west to east. The western entrance is Miraflores Lock. Here is a screenshot of Zach’s craft; it’s the one closest to the open lock doors, in the approximate middle of the photo.

In this lock the water level has to be raised from the level of the Pacific to the level of the canal as it passes through to the Atlantic. The process takes several minutes. While waiting for Zach’s passage, we also saw the left-hand lock being used to lower a large ship down to the Pacific level. We have seen locks work before, but this was the first time we had looked at them in the Panama Canal.

There are a couple of medical updates. My physical therapy is ongoing and I am getting a bit more range of motion in my right shoulder. Pam is feeling better but still does not know if the kidney stone has passed or not. Another CT scan may be scheduled just to see what, if anything, has happened to the stone.

The summer road construction season is upon us. Beginning the first week in April, my trips for physical therapy will involve a detour as Highway 9, the main route to Cresco and the clinic where I get my therapy, will be closed for bridge replacement and road widening. The closure will last most of the year.

Three contractors responded to us this past week. 1) Bob the Builder confirmed his intent to do our upstairs bathroom remodel in the “next few weeks.” 2) A roofing contractor is scheduled to stop by the first week of April to look over/give us an estimate for the tower re-roofing and repair job. 3) The painter we contacted last year, who will be doing the “gable work” in the high peaks, confirmed we are on his 2023 job list.

We are anxious to get these projects completed this year. There are a few porch repairs to be made, including to some of the undereave areas where the plywood is deteriorating, and – of course – always painting to be done. I am hoping to have enough use of my shoulder to work on some of these tasks but it is by no means a given. We shall have to see.

As scheduled, we finished our Federal and state taxes this week. As in past years, since retirement, we tend to owe Iowa a bit of money and end up getting a small refund from the Feds. You couldn’t get a much simpler tax return than ours, but we still have to complete various worksheets, mostly State, to fill in the correct amounts. A tip for seniors out there: Look at Federal form 1040-SR, which is the 1040 form for seniors with limited income sources. This is our first year using this document. It is similar to the standard 1040 but includes the “Over 65” tax deduction tables.

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

Pam’s Penny

As if I don’t have enough home projects going/planned, I recently pondered the color scheme in the downstairs parlour bedroom + office, and it needs a refresh – already. Our first year at Heart House I transformed that room into “shades of pink” — mainly to counteract all the mustard yellow and hospital green paint schemes we found in the house when we moved in. Now I think I might be ready to moderate the “pink” concentration. I’ve ordered wallpaper samples with the intent of finding one that will look good on the lower half of the parlour walls. Maybe by next week’s post I’ll have the samples hung on the wall to “contemplate.”

I’ve been light-handed re: the use of wallpaper at Heart House. Generally wallpaper is a bear to remove, being so much more permanent than plain old paint. So far I’ve added a wallpaper border up the stairwell, and one wall of dog print wallpaper in the laundry room. This would be the third application of wallpaper, if I go that route.

Happy Trails.

This past week was not much fun for us. Doctor, dentist, and physical therapy appointments dominated our time. Here, in chronological order, is how the events of the week went down.

Monday.

I had an appointment with my oral surgeon (in Mason City) to check if I could proceed to the next step in getting an implant for a broken front tooth. The surgeon had removed the broken tooth a few months back, and it was a painful process, mostly because of where the novacane had to be injected. Monday’s appointment did not include any procedures, just an exam. I was cleared for the next procedure, actually implanting the “post” in my jaw. The implant appointment was scheduled for Thursday.

I combined a few other tasks during Monday’s trip. After leaving the oral surgery office I stopped at Great Clips for a haircut. The last one had been in early December so I was getting rather shaggy. A stop at the Mason City Walmart was in order to pick up some supplies. The car needed gas so I filled it up [at $3.099 per gallon], then headed home.

Tuesday.

Pam had been having some intermittent pain in her side. A trip to the Decorah clinic for a CT scan had been scheduled for Tuesday, so off we went. (Pam’s sister, Becky, came up from her home in Greene to watch the dogs and meet Nati the cat. We thank her for that.)

The CT scan revealed a kidney stone as the cause of Pam’s pain. She was prescribed a drug that will hopefully relax the duct and allow the stone to pass. Pam feels better at present, but can’t tell if the stone has actually passed. This is an ongoing situation that will require attention and follow-up.

Wednesday.

I went to my first physical therapy session in Cresco at the clinic. This first visit was to establish a baseline from which to judge improvement in my range of motion. After improving that aspect, strength improvement will be addressed.

The PT therapist indicated my arm was more “loose” than many that had spent 6 weeks in a sling. He seemed to know his stuff and moved my arm through a variety of motions to judge my current range of motion. He prescribed a few exercises I could get started on and all were passive, no lifting weights or pulling, just trying to extend my arm in different directions. Here is one of my exercises:

Thursday.

Back to the oral surgeon in Mason City; I was dreading this day, oral surgery to install the post for my implant. The extraction had been painful due to where the novacane had to be injected, above the front of my jaw and under the nose. This time it was not as bad, but still painful.

The post has a “healing cap” on it so I have to be careful not to disturb the area. The cap will be removed when the tooth is built on top of the post. Below is an internet photo of a screw in place with a tooth built on top.

I needed to stop at Walmart to pick up two prescriptions to be used during the next week, an oral rinse and some Amoxicillin. When I got home I took a couple of Ibuprofen to help ease the discomfort, and another dose on Friday so I could get some sleep.

Friday.

My second PT was scheduled for Friday. This session began a series of stretching exercises aimed at improving my range of motion. I can’t lift very high with my right arm which makes washing my hair a one-handed job, and getting stuff down from second-level shelving is a left-hand task. I hope the exercises done at home and the PT will result in better reaching capabilities.

So that was the week. Doctors every day, and none of it fun.

Pam accomplished several other tasks during the week. The storage shelves were rolled out of the guest bedroom, two coats of paint put on the walls, and Nati the cat was moved into the room and given more area to run around in and explore. Here are photos of the room and Nati.

Speaking of cats, here are a couple images of the “terrible two” – Stirling and Vienna.

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

Pam’s Penny

Rural healthcare in NE Iowa is a patchwork of frustration. Since we moved to Iowa in 2019-2020, Himself and I have scheduled appointments at six providers – clinics, specialists, hospitals. Their locations are anywhere from blocks away to 75+ miles away. Of the six providers, only three of them are on the same medical records system and can “communicate” with each other. The other three need to have paper copies of records FAXed back and forth. This is the real “pain,” putting responsibility for records transfer on the patient rather than the institution(s). Not to mention filling out endless forms and medical history at each location.

I was pleased the facility administering the CT scan on Tuesday was part of the medical records network. And also that pertinent medical information was actually reviewed prior to the scan. The wonders of technology.

Happy Trails.

Our week included some good news for both myself and Nati, the cat. A winter storm rolled through. A new cat video was created.

For me, the highlight of the week was a trip to the Mayo Clinic to get a 6-week inspection of my rotator cuff surgery. That went well; the doctor is pleased with the results so far. He had me do some hand exercises and movements with arm and elbow to test pain levels and strength. All seems well, and I was given the go-ahead to shed the sling and begin using my right arm for a few more tasks. (Restrictions on the weight I can lift or pull remain in effect.)

I can now eat with my right hand, brush my teeth, and get dressed without Pam’s help. I can’t raise my arm very high so washing my hair is still a one-handed affair, but I hope to see improvements over the next few weeks that allow me to do more with my right shoulder. As it is, this week was a big step forward. I am glad to be rid of the sling.

Nati the cat had a vet appointment. It has about 3 weeks since her operation and she was due for a follow-up inspection. The vet indicated that Nati is doing well and is ahead of where a “normal” cat would be at this point. Make no mistake, Nati is still something to look at with great chunks of hair missing from the side of her face and neck, but new cells are forming (red in color) and there is no evidence of infection. She continues to eat and eliminate, but has low energy levels and does not seem to be interested in what is going on around her. Only time will tell if she can fully recover and have a good life.

Due to requests, I have created another kitten video. Stirling and Vienna play with Mr. Spring, one of their favorite toys.

We received about 4 inches of snow from the latest storm, but melting is already underway and the sidewalks and paths we cleared are already melting off. I was able to run the John Deere LX 176 with the snow blade and clear off the sidewalks, but it was a bit of a chore as I had to operate the blade raise / lower lever and steer with my left hand instead of using both hands. Good thing the snow was fairly light and easy move. In addition to our walkways I clear out around two sets of mail boxes so the carrier can deliver the mail without any problems.

Note the ‘cat paths’ to the right of the above photo. We clear several of these to allow the cats access to the heated water bowls and food Pam puts out. Another series runs to the east of the garage to the alley and back to the oak tree water dish.

We had mild weather early in the week and the yard was almost bare of snow. Both of us got outside for short periods of time, enjoying the spring sun and warmer weather that – almost – felt like spring. The only drawback was mud tracked in by the dogs after their outside excursions. Pam had to trim the dogs’ footpad hairs and put some old paint cloths in the laundry room to keep mud from being tracked through the rest of the house.

We have not heard from the contractors we spoke with about this year’s projects so I will have to start calling again this next week. We would like to get the outside tasks done this year, but will have to see how that goes. In addition to the “tower project” we have some under-eave repairs that need to be done. A few spindles in the porch railings need to be replaced along with some porch floorboards. Some of that I may be able to do, but the tower and eave repairs will be beyond what I can do this year.

We have not heard from Bob the Builder who, last fall, said he would tackle the upstairs bathroom this spring. We would like to get this last major inside project done this year – it would sure be nice to have a shower upstairs.

I have a dental appointment in the upcoming week which means a trip to Mason City. This trip will include a stop at Super Cuts as my hair is getting pretty shaggy. A stop at the Mason City Walmart is on the agenda as well. It will be a busy day.

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

Pam’s Penny

Two robins arrived at the bird feeder this morning. Come on, Spring!

Happy Trails.

Our attention has gradually shifted to upcoming events of some note for us. Appointments for both myself and Pam are on the docket for the upcoming weeks.

Pam tried out a different medical clinic located in Decorah. This group is affiliated with the Mayo Clinic. As is the [usual] case with rural medicine, local clinics cover very basic family medicine and anything else is referred to specialists. Meaning one hour drives to different clinics.

I have a couple appointments of note. The first is this coming Monday when I have a 6-week checkup of my shoulder. I am hoping to get clearance to expand the use of my right arm. I plan to drive myself to this appointment in the truck. (I describe my method of doing this with an arm sling below.)

My second appointment concerns the implant for a broken front tooth. I need to verify I have recovered from the initial extraction of the broken tooth and can proceed to the next step, actually getting the implant post inserted in my jaw.

This week I did a few more tasks with my arm, including driving the Ford F-150 as it has an automatic transmission and found I could get around OK driving with one hand. I also took the ATV out for a short spin. It has the gear shift on the left along with brakes on the floorboards and left handlebar. Biggest problem is the right-side throttle, which I operated by crossing my left hand over to that side. Very awkward and a trial run, just a spin around the block, but it was good to get out even that bit.

I had another advancement this week. I went back to sleeping in bed as opposed to sleeping in my recliner. While I had to experiment to get a couple comfortable positions, right side and left, I am more comfortable now. It felt strange, though, the first couple nights after having slept in the recliner for almost 5 weeks.

In other respects it was a quiet week. Pam made chocolate chip cookies one day, a real treat.

Pam did some designing of a color scheme for the tower re-do. I had created a line drawing of the tower using a photo and PhotoShop Elements that she was able to use as a pattern. We hope to have the existing painted cedar shakes removed and replaced with colored architectural shingles.

If you first landed on my home page, you will have seen a “spring” cartoon where a trio of flowers bloomed early. Well, it looks like something is coming up in the Mary Lynn bed, which we consider to be too early for blooming plants. Does Mother Nature know something we don’t?

Finally, I thought I would include a photo of the cats and dogs getting their breakfast. In the following photo you can see JoJo’s and Blondie’s butts at the right. (Bru is out of sight in the laundry room.) Stirling and Vienna are at left and Elmo is under the table. KitKat does not normally participate in this routine and is not in the photo. She occasionally eats a bit of wet cat food separately.

And that is about it for this post. Thanks for looking in!

Pam’s Penny

Trying to get on a contractor’s schedule to have the tower redone is a big pain. Himself needs to recontact two people he connected with in January to see if either will get us a quote and put us on their schedule. I sincerely hope those corbels along the top tower edge aren’t rotted, as I would like to reuse them in the new design. (I’d say the odds are not good re: the rot, but hope springs eternal.)

We also need to touch base with a painter who was here a YEAR AGO for confirmation he can paint the trim in the eaves this year. I want house exterior projects we cannot do ourselves to be done this year. Considering Himself’s shoulder recuperation, pretty much all projects on the house’s east side are ones we can’t do ourselves. (Again, hope springs eternal.)

Happy Trails.

This is going to be a short post as our activity level has been curtailed. Not much noteworthy happened this past week. However, a few items are documented below.

The biggest event of the week was weather-related. The “big storm” that passed through the Midwest by-and-large passed us by. We did receive around 4 inches of snow and a light coating of freezing rain. This combo resulted in a “crusty” new layer of white that Pam had to shovel from the sidewalks. The upcoming forecast has temps getting back onto the low 30 degree range so most of what we received will melt in the next few days.

Before the storm we drove over to the Walmart in Decorah to stock up on supplies and pick up a few groceries. We try to not stay for prolonged periods in the store; we have a list of items to get and don’t dally longer than necessary.

As a treat, we stopped at the Culver’s restaurant for lunch on the way home. We don’t leave the house much these days and it was good to be out and about. Pam did the driving and it was a treat for me just to sit back and look at the passing scenery.

One victim of the storm was our daughter, Felicity. She had been visiting friends in Portland, Oregon and her flight back to Tulsa, Oklahoma (routing through Denver) was delayed a couple of times. This proved not to be a problem as she just stayed with her friends a bit longer than originally planned.

Son Toby has an offer on his South Bend home and has started refereeing ball games in Las Vegas. Apparently softball and baseball games are a nearly year-round activity in that part of the country. While this will not be his main income, it will give him some funds while looking for a full-time job.

Nati the cat seems to be doing OK. While she is not very active in her cat condo, she is eating and eliminating just fine. Nati will butt her head into Pam’s hand when Pam feeds her and Nati tries to purr, but the sound comes out a bit strange and gravelly. There may be some damage to the vocal cords, or it may be that the damage to Nati’s neck is inhibiting her sound reproduction. Pam has been able to rub some bag balm on the bare spots on Nati’s neck and chin in an effort to help keep those areas a bit more pliable.

I continue to have minor improvements in the use of my right hand. The stitches in the incisions – there are two incisions – appear to have absorbed OK. However, if I make a careless move I can feel it! I quit taking any Tylenol or Ibuprofen last week as the pain level has subsided to a dull ache, not bad enough to keep me awake at night but still there.

We continue to enjoy the antics of animals both inside and outside the house. Birds, who had not frequented the feeder during mild temps, returned with the snow. The red Cardinals and Blue Jays sure make a splash of color when they are around. The corn cob and suet feeders attract other birds, such as red-headed woodpeckers, and squirrels.

The cats and dogs offer up entertainment as well. The cats run and play with each other, except for KitKat who could care less, and the dogs mostly sleep and ignore the cats. Here is a photo of Bru in her ‘road kill’ sleeping position.

All the cats enjoy sitting in the morning sun in the library, including KitKat.

And that, my friends, is about it. We have begun gearing up for tax season by downloading state and federal forms and putting the various tax statements together. (Tax prep is always a PITA.)

Photo Archive

I did not take the following photos of this steam-powered rotary snowplow on the Toltec and Cumbres RailRoad, but wish I had. Familiar with this line from our time in Colorado, we had driven to the top of Cumbres Pass to see the train running in the summer on one of our trips. These are screen shots of footage taken in February, 2020, and the rotary is being pushed by other steam engines. The sight may never be repeated.

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

Pam’s Penny

Notes from the infirmary:

Himself’s shoulder incision is healing nicely. Removal of the tape stitches revealed no red skin or any nasty infection.

Bru dug a mole (or something) out of the side of her face and had to be encouraged to “leave it.” Now it’s clotted/scabbed over and hopefully she will “leave it” that way.

Nati continues to heal. The raw redness of her facial surgery is starting to subside. Additionally, Nati rolled over so I could check out her spay area. All good. She [unexpectedly] allows me to touch her while giving her care, pretty much without hissing or scratching.

Happy Trails.

Little went on this last week that is worth noting in this blog. In some ways, life has been suspended. You know this when the week’s greatest excitement and activity involves receiving a Chewy box, a trip to the vet, and going to the library.

Pam will have more to say about Natalie the cat (formerly Nat until the vet visit) and the trials and tribulations of that poor animal. After extensive work Natalie is in the house in the “cat condo,” a multi-level enclosure, until she is well into her recovery.

I am recovering a little use of my right hand. I can now carry very light objects (maxed out with a banana) and type a bit, but I cannot move my arm left to right or up to my mouth, so am still eating using my left hand. The one exercise I am allowed to do is called the “dangle” and is done 3 times a day. Pam helps remove the sling and, while I sit, I let the arm drop straight down between my knees for 1 minute. It feels good to get the arm straight and allow free blood flow through the elbow.

We have had a stretch of mild weather which has allowed me to get outside for a bit of fresh air a few times. I have one coat that I can zip up over the arm; other coats are draped over the shoulders like a cape. I appreciate getting some fresh air and the ability to do minor tasks such as adjusting the catch on the gate so it opens and closes easier.

And that is about it. As I said in the intro, there is not much else is going on. I have read a few books and watched some YouTube videos. In a few weeks I will have a follow-up appointment at the Mayo Clinic to see how the shoulder is doing, and at that time I should be cleared to begin physical therapy. Other activities will pick up once I am cleared to do more than dangle my arm 3 times a day.

Photo Archive

Here are a few more photos of old mine sites in the Colorado Rockies near Telluride.

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

Pam’s Penny

Poor “Nat the Cat” is actually Natalie. She survived surgery at the vet on Monday, which involved removal of a substantial portion of her rotting left facial area from her nostril to her cheekbone. (I also authorized a spay, assuming Nati would make it through the facial surgery.) Nati nows looks like the Phantom of the Opera – sans mask. Her face is disturbing to look at (so no photo); one hopes for improvement over time as fur and skin recover to some extent. Per usual in rescue, no good deed goes unpunished — I wait and watch and keep her indoors in a pen, while I see if I made the right call in choosing life. Nati’s a tough little nut.

Happy Trails.