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As you know, I lead a birding group for two hours on Saturdays. This fall we were out 13 times. Once it gets to December it's too cold for cameras and field glasses. From December to April we will get the same 8 - 10 suspects . They're the only ones here.
So it was that we had our wind up for the end of the fall season. This fall we saw 59 species and had 36 people participate. Usually we had 10 to 12 people each session.
Our windup is a coffee and cake session
This year I was most surprised when some one pulled out a bag and pushed it my way. Okay , what's going on?
The first bag contained a mug. When I looked at it I nearly fell off my chair. There was a very candid shot of me attached to the mug. I was touched. Lynette takes awesome bird photos. ( I've used some on this blog.) and some cool candid shots of birders. She had a mug done up with me and some good bird shots of the fall of 2018.
Now I think I have another nick name ...Duck! Just as she took the photo I pointed and hollered "duck" as some ducks flew over. That's why "duck" is on the photo.
The second gift was also hand done. A craft that is new to me uses pebbles to make a combination of sculpture and painting. Again there's humor and a great caption. Estelle caught the idea of bird watching.
So the thank you for the card and gifts. They were most appreciated.
This weekend we had some major snow fall...about 24 cm ( 8 in) . For us that's a lot of snow. There was no wind and it was about minus 5 C.
I had the great honor and pleasure of shoveling my driveway and walk three times. It was dry light powdery snow so was very easy to shovel.
I couldn't wait to go out cross country skiing. Skiing was a challenge. I had to make a trail My skies were under the snow. My intention was to make a few rounds and set the track. Somehow with the deep snow I became fatigued very quickly. It was very dull. (You know I'm leading up to an excuse , don't you.) On top of that my glasses got fogged up and I didn't notice it. When you make your own trail everything is uneven so balance is key.
Well that's right . I fell. But I did get up by myself. I continued but had decided I'd skied enough. I stopped. I lost my balance and fell. Yes, I got up again and then immediately fell. The third time I had to take my skies off.
The beauty of the falls was that we had the deep soft snow.
These photos were taken about 11:30 AM and you can see by the shadows how low the sun is in the sky.
I like the way snow piles up on stuff.
Last week I got new lenses for my glasses. What a difference!
In the early spring I began having difficulties with eye sight. Using glasses with binoculars was a problem. Light was always dull. Colors were very washed out. Driving was frustrating as it was difficult to read signs. I knew something was wrong but didn't know what.
When I put the glasses on it was if I was looking through a light film . It made things darker. Walking in the dark was a double problem.
I remembered the same thing happened before and it turned out to be the lens coating. I went to an optician and he declared my lens coating fine.
What to do? Things became worse. I did not use glasses for driving. I found an old pair of half eyes to use for the computer. Try washing dishes without glasses?
I dropped to the opticians again and a different person said the coating is definitely a problem.
So then lens shopping began. I wear trifocals and at first they told me they couldn't get them . Some people said trifocals are going out. Finally they found some trifocals. I've never used progressive lenses. The lenses came in last week. What a difference! Things are bright again. Driving is easy again. I think the dishes are cleaner.
So life is good again. I'm not half as crabby as I was!
The solution to my leaking humidifier came about very easily.
The first day I thought I had to check with the company who made the humidifier. I found out these humidifiers are no longer made and that if you were very, very lucky you might find parts. I then checked out stores that had sold the humidifiers. I found a surprising number of part but no hoses. That took care of the first day.
We've dealt many times with a man who runs a small retail outlet for a plumbing supply company. So the next day I said we'll go there first. Were we lucky. He was able to supply us with all the necessary parts . So :7 ft of hose, two ferrules, two inserts and a copper compression nut . Put them together and we were good to go.
So with a little help from my friend things were repaired quickly and easily.
Yesterday I got up at the usual time and stumbled around until my head got cleared up. Finally, I was ready to get my breakfast. Oatmeal porridge! Great stuff.
About the time the last spoonful of porridge was consumed the Micro Manager arrived in a panic and said , "I hear water running!" Now in the last 50 years I'm sure she's heard water running about 5000 times. I usually check because I don't want water to get a head start on me.
The micro Manager zoomed downstairs as she was in the bathroom when she heard water dropping and thought the water was leaking down stairs under the bathroom..
I followed her downstairs at a more leisurely pace. We didn't detect water dropping in the furnace room. After bouncing up and down a few times , the micro manager beat it upstairs again. Once her noise was gone I discovered where the water was dripping. Yes, this time she was right . There was water dripping.
The little water intake hose for my humidifier had sprung a leak. So turn off the valve that controls water to the humidifier and the leak is over.
Fortunately we caught this leak right away and not much water had accumulated. Water was wiped up and a fan turned on to dry things up. We both wondered what would have happened if we'd been away.
Now comes the fun part...finding a hose replacement. The proper sized hose is tricky business. Pressure nuts are on both ends of the hose so the hose has to be one that fits the nuts and the ferule inside the hose. So far I haven't found a suitable hose.
Wish me luck.
The house next door to me is being renovated. I have a ring side seat to see the action. The waste is appalling.
The house was built in 1963 ...so not old. It was well built and has a brick exterior. Very few houses here have any brick on them. Brick is very expensive here. Wood is very cheap so our houses are mostly built of wood.
The house next door was sold on Oct. 31. The buyers were reported to be planning to spend $100000.00 on renovations. The next day two women showed up and started taking things out of the house... kitchen cupboards and anything that would move. It's just gone on. Attic insulation was removed. Then gyproc went out to the dumpster. The last two days all the interior studding was hauled out. Now the studding is perfectly good wood. It is a crying shame to throw good would into the landfill site.
I'm afraid more of this house will go into the garbage before they are finished. and start rebuilding. So all electrical and plumbing will be ripped out and thrown away.
Now I admit that this house needed some work on it. The people who lived in it did not do regular up keep and it was not very clean. However, a little elbow grease and cleaning would have made a big difference. Then a good paint job. I think the windows may be rotten so they need to be replaced.
So I think we are very wasteful. Where I live there's lots of good wood so why not throw good would away? I think it's a shame to throw usable material away.
Why destroy a perfectly habitable building away?
I had an ultra sound on my right shoulder a few days ago. My appointment was to be Dec.20 but I had put myself on a cancellation list. So Friday morning at 7:53 AM I was phoned and asked I wanted an appointment at 8:30 AM. I thought for a minute. I really didn't want to go as I had no hair or beard combed. I didn't want a bad hair day! I hadn't brushed teeth or put in dentures. I had finished breakfast. I looked at the clock and was sure I could make it so said , "Sure I'll be there."
Most people have had an ultra sound. You know, plaster some slimy cool goop on the area and then rub a cold electrode over your skin while they watch a screen.
Well the young lady who took me was miss antisocial. No small talk from her. Not even a comment about the weather. Just business. Short brief commands as to where to put my arms hands or body. Rub more goop on and keep rubbing and searching for soft tissue someplace.
The ordeal didn't take long. She briefly told me that she had to see the doctor to see if she had been successful with the ultra sound. On her way out she put a towel on the stool for me to wipe the goop off myself. I picked up the towel. Ich! It had the horrible goo on it. I found a place without goo and wiped. The towel was so goopy it didn't seem like I got much off. I put my shirt half way on. Yuch! More goop.
I finally got enough goop off to finish dressing.
About that time, smiley face returned and informed me that things were alright and that I was good to go.
Some people just can't realize the miserable projection they give of themselves. Have they ever thought of enjoying their job by trying to be pleasant to patients? Have they ever thought of cleaning the patient off with a warm towel? Now after that I had a good day. I wonder if she had a good day?
Or am I being just a little bit cranky?
