Sitting here, at my computer desk, looking out the west facing window, I just saw a raven land on top of the telephone pole, arch his neck and vocalize. He "cawed" four times, with four separate plumes of breath steam ejecting from his mouth with each call. - The temperature has climbed up to 7 degrees (F), from the 4 degrees it was when I first went out this morning. Very high thin clouds, with plenty of sunshine out there - but, brrrrrr! The gigantic thermometer on the shed at Pip and Squeak's house read 4 when I was getting fresh kitty litter in for them at 7:30 today.
Had scrambled eggs, potato chunks and bacon for breakfast, after taking care of the black girls; the topped off the bird feeders and put almonds out for the squirrels, jays and ravens. I had picked up a hard cover trilogy of books by Andre Norton a while ago, at the used book store. I started reading the first novel, and I was almost finished when I realized I had last (and first) read the book when I was in 7th grade - that was the 1968-69 school year. (Yikes!)
I'm going to make meatballs in marinara sauce this afternoon. I have all the ingredients and I'll heat up the crockpot and let things simmer until supper time. Looking forward to dinner!
Showing posts with label cold. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cold. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 16, 2018
Friday, February 3, 2017
Snow and Genealogy
I think Mother Nature likes to make me crazy. It was 60 degrees here on Monday and Tuesday, the last two days of January. On the first day of February, it was 40 degrees, and then the temperature kept dropping and sleet and freezing drizzle began to fall. Yesterday, we had a very light fine, dry snow fall all day, and it's still coming down... one or two flakes at a time. It was 14 degrees when I left this morning to care for the hens and cats on Dellwood; I had asked my nephew if he would shovel the sidewalks at Dellwood if it snowed, as he lives one block away. He never answered, so I shoveled like mad this morning. It was still 14 degrees when I returned home, 90 minutes later. At 11 a.m., it's 19 degrees. - But it's supposed to be 58 Saturday, Sunday and Monday.... Is the Lady upstairs having hot flashes?
In any event, I've hit a couple of walls in my genealogy work - Elizabeth Cox was born on 25 Jun 1675 according to her grave stone, and died on 10 May 1837. According to Family Search, she was married to Hezekiah Hall on 11 Nov 1784. But there are no records of her parents that I have been able to find.... The other wall, at the moment is Moses Cleveland's grandfather, Richard Cleveland. The church records of St Nicholas Parish in Ipswich, Suffolk, England, record Moyses Cleveland being baptized on 26 February 1604, and that his father's name is Isack Cleveland. Church records indicate that Isaac was married to a woman named Alice, and that Isaac was born 1 Jan 1584 and that he died on 3 June 1626. Church records also indicate that his father (Isack's) was Richard Cleveland, who was baptized in July of 1542 at St Nicholas Parish in Ipswich, Suffolk.
I need to find Elizabeth Cox's parents, and I need to find Richard Cleveland's parents.... Of course, there are lots of other dead-ends, also.
I start taking care of Maggie May today - her folks are heading off to Vail for a wedding in the family. That means we should have a vehicle available for the rest of the weekend. Then, next weekend, Rosie's parents will be gone and we will again have wheels... Having a vehicle for use is heavenly.
In any event, I've hit a couple of walls in my genealogy work - Elizabeth Cox was born on 25 Jun 1675 according to her grave stone, and died on 10 May 1837. According to Family Search, she was married to Hezekiah Hall on 11 Nov 1784. But there are no records of her parents that I have been able to find.... The other wall, at the moment is Moses Cleveland's grandfather, Richard Cleveland. The church records of St Nicholas Parish in Ipswich, Suffolk, England, record Moyses Cleveland being baptized on 26 February 1604, and that his father's name is Isack Cleveland. Church records indicate that Isaac was married to a woman named Alice, and that Isaac was born 1 Jan 1584 and that he died on 3 June 1626. Church records also indicate that his father (Isack's) was Richard Cleveland, who was baptized in July of 1542 at St Nicholas Parish in Ipswich, Suffolk.
I need to find Elizabeth Cox's parents, and I need to find Richard Cleveland's parents.... Of course, there are lots of other dead-ends, also.
I start taking care of Maggie May today - her folks are heading off to Vail for a wedding in the family. That means we should have a vehicle available for the rest of the weekend. Then, next weekend, Rosie's parents will be gone and we will again have wheels... Having a vehicle for use is heavenly.
Thursday, December 8, 2016
It'a a Little Chilly Out
Thankfully, there wan't any wind to speak of during our snow Tuesday night and Wednesday - and it isn't windy or breezy now - winds are "calm" and it's all of five degrees outside. The sun is shining, and fog is developing on the roadways. The big worry out driving today is unseen ice on the road... I'm not going out, unless there's an emergency for one of my clients. - I'm sitting here, in my desk chair, wearing slippers, sweatpants and a T-shirt. And I'm warm enough that I've pulled my hair back into a ponytail so my neck won't sweat... I'll put my boots on later and go out and sweep the balcony clean.
Beatrice, my room-mate, just left with Mike. They spent yesterday afternoon working on a Christmas surprise for Mike's wife Sarah, and they're hoping to get it finished today. A week ago I introduced Lovey to Bea's new waterbed mattress, one that is "waveless." Now, every morning at 9:30, Lovey goes and gets on Bea's bed, and follows the sunshine from the window across Bea's king size mattress. She just luxuriates in the warmth and the sun. When the sun is not shining, she whines and complains to both of us, as if we can turn the sun on for her...
Nedi is working apace on his newest art project. He loves boxes. Smaller ones, and crisp paper, he shreds with his teeth - but he loves to artfully claw and scratch large boxes. The only large one we have inside is the one that Bea's old waterbed mattress is packed in. We need to take it down into the basement storage area, but Nedi is having a delightful time clawing and scratching the upperreaches of the box. He was actually swinging by his front paws, with hind feet and tail off the floor, yesterday morning. It means we sweep the floor daily, and sometimes thrice; but it keeps the boy happy and he doesn't attack the furniture.
We're supposed to warm up to 40 degrees tomorrow, so I'll be walking Rosie again. I spent yesterday with Tessa, Cleo, Lily and Lyra - walked Tessa and Cleo for 45 minutes in the snow at 1 p.m. and then stayed inside as much as possible. I turned the dogs loose every 90 minutes to go run and play and use the bathroom in the snow, but I did not join them. Even Lyra, who longs to escape the house, didn't try to go out... She's a smart kitty!
Beatrice, my room-mate, just left with Mike. They spent yesterday afternoon working on a Christmas surprise for Mike's wife Sarah, and they're hoping to get it finished today. A week ago I introduced Lovey to Bea's new waterbed mattress, one that is "waveless." Now, every morning at 9:30, Lovey goes and gets on Bea's bed, and follows the sunshine from the window across Bea's king size mattress. She just luxuriates in the warmth and the sun. When the sun is not shining, she whines and complains to both of us, as if we can turn the sun on for her...
Nedi is working apace on his newest art project. He loves boxes. Smaller ones, and crisp paper, he shreds with his teeth - but he loves to artfully claw and scratch large boxes. The only large one we have inside is the one that Bea's old waterbed mattress is packed in. We need to take it down into the basement storage area, but Nedi is having a delightful time clawing and scratching the upperreaches of the box. He was actually swinging by his front paws, with hind feet and tail off the floor, yesterday morning. It means we sweep the floor daily, and sometimes thrice; but it keeps the boy happy and he doesn't attack the furniture.
We're supposed to warm up to 40 degrees tomorrow, so I'll be walking Rosie again. I spent yesterday with Tessa, Cleo, Lily and Lyra - walked Tessa and Cleo for 45 minutes in the snow at 1 p.m. and then stayed inside as much as possible. I turned the dogs loose every 90 minutes to go run and play and use the bathroom in the snow, but I did not join them. Even Lyra, who longs to escape the house, didn't try to go out... She's a smart kitty!
Friday, December 2, 2016
Snow!
We're having our second snow fall of the fall - it'd been falling steadily here in Boulder since 9 a.m., and is forecast to end about 9 tonight. Our high temperature for the day was 31 degrees (F), but there is very little accumulation on the ground. There is about a half-inch on the chairs, table and hot-tub cover here at Rosie's, but the road is clear of snow, though the driveway isn't. I am staying at Rosie's until Sunday night, when her family returns.
I, once again, had to laugh and shake my head over a client - both yesterday and today. She called me up, asking if I could send something to her via overnight express shipping at 5 yesterday evening. But she wanted to receive it before 5 p.m. today. I told her I couldn't do it. So she tracked down several other friends of hers, who, also, could not accommodate her. She called me back at 9:30 last night, and explained that she'd be staying at Disneyland, and she needed to receive the package before she arrived. (It's a legal herbal supplement around the world.) I asked why she couldn't receive it at her Disney hotel? Oh! She hadn't thought of that... So, at 10:30 last night, she texts me the details of where they're staying at Disney - I was in bed.
This morning, I went to her home and picked up the small plastic tub that weighed 8 ounces. I took it to FedEx and sent it off to Disneyland. I could have the package delivered before 10 a.m. tomorrow, before noon tomorrow, or before 10 a.m. Monday. The client is leaving Monday for Mexico, and she wanted it immediately. The costs for the three deliveries were: $119, $74, or $56. I chose the $74 one with delivery by noon tomorrow (Saturday). I paid this out of my own pocket, with a reimbursement promised by the client. Thank goodness I had enough to cover the cost, as I had just paid my rent and all other bills due...
Tomorrow Beatrice and I plan on hanging our icicle lights from the balcony, and deciding how to put up the colored lights. She wants to put up the multi-colored rope light over the sliding glass door, but I think we'll need Mike and his trusty electric screwdriver to place the screwed holders into the concrete-board siding. I had a very hard time driving nails in, and so did Mike, the last time we put things up out there.... And we're expecting an Arctic front Monday night through Wednesday, with highs in the teens and lows in the single digits, with lots of snow! Got my plants in off the balcony this afternoon, in preparation for that.
I hope that all of you have a great weekend, where ever you live!
I, once again, had to laugh and shake my head over a client - both yesterday and today. She called me up, asking if I could send something to her via overnight express shipping at 5 yesterday evening. But she wanted to receive it before 5 p.m. today. I told her I couldn't do it. So she tracked down several other friends of hers, who, also, could not accommodate her. She called me back at 9:30 last night, and explained that she'd be staying at Disneyland, and she needed to receive the package before she arrived. (It's a legal herbal supplement around the world.) I asked why she couldn't receive it at her Disney hotel? Oh! She hadn't thought of that... So, at 10:30 last night, she texts me the details of where they're staying at Disney - I was in bed.
This morning, I went to her home and picked up the small plastic tub that weighed 8 ounces. I took it to FedEx and sent it off to Disneyland. I could have the package delivered before 10 a.m. tomorrow, before noon tomorrow, or before 10 a.m. Monday. The client is leaving Monday for Mexico, and she wanted it immediately. The costs for the three deliveries were: $119, $74, or $56. I chose the $74 one with delivery by noon tomorrow (Saturday). I paid this out of my own pocket, with a reimbursement promised by the client. Thank goodness I had enough to cover the cost, as I had just paid my rent and all other bills due...
Tomorrow Beatrice and I plan on hanging our icicle lights from the balcony, and deciding how to put up the colored lights. She wants to put up the multi-colored rope light over the sliding glass door, but I think we'll need Mike and his trusty electric screwdriver to place the screwed holders into the concrete-board siding. I had a very hard time driving nails in, and so did Mike, the last time we put things up out there.... And we're expecting an Arctic front Monday night through Wednesday, with highs in the teens and lows in the single digits, with lots of snow! Got my plants in off the balcony this afternoon, in preparation for that.
I hope that all of you have a great weekend, where ever you live!
Friday, November 18, 2016
Snow and Books
So after more than fourteen hours of snow fall, the sun is shining, and most of the sky is bright blue. But it's 23 degrees outside - not the 80 degrees we had two days ago. There is snow on our balcony, and on top of Bertrando's telephone pole. The parking lot and street are almost entirely clear of snow. There is a small amount of snow scattered across the grasses and bushes in the little area between our apartment and the restaurant next door, but the community building across the creek looks to have two to three inches of snow on their large yard.
I had to turn the heat on this morning when I got up. We'd had the air conditioning turned on Wednesday, but my legs were chilly under my blanket when I awoke this morning, so I turned the heat on. We have eight biscuits left from last night, and a large amount of soup - that's all in the refrigerator at the moment. And I had two raspberry muffins for breakfast today - yum! Waiting to hear from various clients as to whether they want their dogs walked today... I'm very happy to do so, but a few will want their dogs to stay home because of the cold, and a few because of the snow and ice on the ground. Winter day walks are always a toss-up.
I finished reading The Rest I Shall Kill, a very good, but incomplete, biography of William Tillman. It's incomplete because we really have no history of the man before the incident that made him a "Northern hero," and because, like today's 15 minutes of fame, he disappeared into obscurity a month or so later. It's really a shame that a man can have so little known about him, even after he's been acclaimed a hero of the Civil War. - I also just finished reading the new Jack Reacher novel,Night School, by Lee Child. I also find it funny that Lee Child, an Englishman, is the author of a series of books that introduce and maintain the idea of the iconic American ex-GI.... But I thoroughly enjoy each and every one of them!
Going back to read a few more Eight Countries books by Elizabeth Moon that I haven't seen before... Should be a snug reading and sewing weekend.
I had to turn the heat on this morning when I got up. We'd had the air conditioning turned on Wednesday, but my legs were chilly under my blanket when I awoke this morning, so I turned the heat on. We have eight biscuits left from last night, and a large amount of soup - that's all in the refrigerator at the moment. And I had two raspberry muffins for breakfast today - yum! Waiting to hear from various clients as to whether they want their dogs walked today... I'm very happy to do so, but a few will want their dogs to stay home because of the cold, and a few because of the snow and ice on the ground. Winter day walks are always a toss-up.
I finished reading The Rest I Shall Kill, a very good, but incomplete, biography of William Tillman. It's incomplete because we really have no history of the man before the incident that made him a "Northern hero," and because, like today's 15 minutes of fame, he disappeared into obscurity a month or so later. It's really a shame that a man can have so little known about him, even after he's been acclaimed a hero of the Civil War. - I also just finished reading the new Jack Reacher novel,Night School, by Lee Child. I also find it funny that Lee Child, an Englishman, is the author of a series of books that introduce and maintain the idea of the iconic American ex-GI.... But I thoroughly enjoy each and every one of them!
Going back to read a few more Eight Countries books by Elizabeth Moon that I haven't seen before... Should be a snug reading and sewing weekend.
Thursday, November 17, 2016
Cold and Rain
I just added a pound of diced ham to the crock pot of beans simmering away, and I also added another two cups of water to the mix. The beans have been simmering for two hours, with a good sprinkle of coarsely ground pepper and a dash of lemon zest. Can't wait for this evening! I'll have a left-over slice of pizza for lunch, along with a salad. And I'll be sewing tablecloths today, also.
The forecast for today was cloudy and cool, with a high of 40 (cold, compared to yesterday's high of 80). They said the rain and/or possible snow wouldn't arrive until after 4 this evening. It was 38 when I got up this morning; an hour ago it was 35 and misting rain. I think our high temperature was at midnight. The clouds were hovering just on the tops of Bear, Green, and Flagstaff mountains this morning, then dropped down to the tops of the Flatirons. Now the Flatirons are invisible, and I can see 2 to 3 blocks away from my balcony, but no more. We're getting socked in. (And this kind of weather makes me want to curl up and sleep...)
I've "rescued" the ivy from the balcony, but think I'll let the honeysuckle stay out overnight. If it continues to be extremely cold, I'll bring that in, also. Nedi wanted to go out this morning, but didn't stay long. Now that the balcony is wet, he wants out again. I was mean and said he couldn't go out. With the weather cold and damp, Rosie's walk was cancelled this morning, which I pretty much expected. I might not walk her tomorrow, either, depending on the weather and how she feels, but I do have a date with her tomorrow night, so her parents (owners) can go out and relax.
Originally, I was to pick up some clients from the airport on Saturday, but they've been delayed, and will return on Monday, so I have vehicle access until then. Which means that Beatrice and I might go up into Rocky Mountain National Park this weekend... We'll have to see what driving conditions and weather are like.
I hope your Thursday is great!
The forecast for today was cloudy and cool, with a high of 40 (cold, compared to yesterday's high of 80). They said the rain and/or possible snow wouldn't arrive until after 4 this evening. It was 38 when I got up this morning; an hour ago it was 35 and misting rain. I think our high temperature was at midnight. The clouds were hovering just on the tops of Bear, Green, and Flagstaff mountains this morning, then dropped down to the tops of the Flatirons. Now the Flatirons are invisible, and I can see 2 to 3 blocks away from my balcony, but no more. We're getting socked in. (And this kind of weather makes me want to curl up and sleep...)
I've "rescued" the ivy from the balcony, but think I'll let the honeysuckle stay out overnight. If it continues to be extremely cold, I'll bring that in, also. Nedi wanted to go out this morning, but didn't stay long. Now that the balcony is wet, he wants out again. I was mean and said he couldn't go out. With the weather cold and damp, Rosie's walk was cancelled this morning, which I pretty much expected. I might not walk her tomorrow, either, depending on the weather and how she feels, but I do have a date with her tomorrow night, so her parents (owners) can go out and relax.
Originally, I was to pick up some clients from the airport on Saturday, but they've been delayed, and will return on Monday, so I have vehicle access until then. Which means that Beatrice and I might go up into Rocky Mountain National Park this weekend... We'll have to see what driving conditions and weather are like.
I hope your Thursday is great!
Sunday, December 13, 2015
Sleeping With Dogs
We had two to three inches of snow fall yesterday in Boulder; but I know they had a foot or so fall higher up, in the ski areas... The streets are clear of snow, but there is a lot of ice on the roads. I'm at Finn's until 2 this afternoon, then I'll take a cab home (I think). The last time I called for a cab, I was told the wait was 90 to 120 minutes, so I ended up walking. If the wait is that long today, I'll take the bus, which will take me over an hour, but doesn't cost anything.
It's supposed to be in the mid-40s (F) today, but breezy, and sunny tomorrow. But then we've got more snow coming in Tuesday, with a high less than freezing. I'll be at Rosie's starting Tuesday, and her owners have offered to pick me up if the weather is really nasty. So I'll have a car through the weekend, and can finish my Christmas shopping. I also need to move the furniture around in the living room/dining room area - need to put the boot tray next to the door, which means moving the small cabinet that stands there now. But I have to be certain there's still enough room for Beatrice to set up her massage table in the same area...
It'l be nice to spend two nights with my kitties before heading over to Rosie's. Sleeping with a large dog is a very different experience than sleeping with two rather small cats each night. I had to leave the bed for a quick bathroom visit this morning, and then had to wake Finn up and get him off the bed entirely, just so I could get back in, under the covers... It's amazing how a 60 pound dog can spread across a queen size bed. Rosie usually just spreads across the bottom, and I can manage to lie diagonally across the bed - Finn just sprawls everywhere.
I need to send out a few Christmas cards, and three small packages, and then I'm finished with the Christmas crazies. And I have decided to be foolish and have my first decorated tree in 19 years. I saw several tiny trees in a lot near the apartment, so I hope to get one either this morning or Tuesday. I have a few small ornaments, and we'll probably make a small ring garland, and possibly a popcorn string.... I'll make something to go on top, too.
It's supposed to be in the mid-40s (F) today, but breezy, and sunny tomorrow. But then we've got more snow coming in Tuesday, with a high less than freezing. I'll be at Rosie's starting Tuesday, and her owners have offered to pick me up if the weather is really nasty. So I'll have a car through the weekend, and can finish my Christmas shopping. I also need to move the furniture around in the living room/dining room area - need to put the boot tray next to the door, which means moving the small cabinet that stands there now. But I have to be certain there's still enough room for Beatrice to set up her massage table in the same area...
It'l be nice to spend two nights with my kitties before heading over to Rosie's. Sleeping with a large dog is a very different experience than sleeping with two rather small cats each night. I had to leave the bed for a quick bathroom visit this morning, and then had to wake Finn up and get him off the bed entirely, just so I could get back in, under the covers... It's amazing how a 60 pound dog can spread across a queen size bed. Rosie usually just spreads across the bottom, and I can manage to lie diagonally across the bed - Finn just sprawls everywhere.
I need to send out a few Christmas cards, and three small packages, and then I'm finished with the Christmas crazies. And I have decided to be foolish and have my first decorated tree in 19 years. I saw several tiny trees in a lot near the apartment, so I hope to get one either this morning or Tuesday. I have a few small ornaments, and we'll probably make a small ring garland, and possibly a popcorn string.... I'll make something to go on top, too.
Saturday, November 7, 2015
Bronchitis Bites
I have COPD - better known as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Both of my parents were heavy smokers from before my birth until I was in my teen-age years. My sister and I used to get reported to teachers, deans and principals because we reeked of cigarette smoke. Neither of us have ever smoked, but everything in our house smelled of cigarette smoke - we could take a bath, wash our hair, dry ourselves, put on clean clothes, and still smell like cigarette smoke. Our towels, wash cloths, clothes, sheets and beds, curtains, and furniture all retained that "wonderful" odor of tobacco and nicotine. Because I breathed all of that stuff for a good part of my life, I ended up with COPD. I don't have normal lung function. I have chronic sinusitis, I have chronic bronchitis, I have chronic asthma. I've dealt with this for nearly 60 years, so I don't blame my parents. It's just something I have to deal with.
My biggest problem now comes from where I live. I walk five miles each day, no matter what - and today it was extremely difficult. Boulder is located more than a mile above sea level; the air is very dry; and when it gets cold here, it gets cold. In the eleven years that i have been here, I have found that I cannot step outside if the temperature is less than 15 degrees (F). My lungs go into spasms and I simply cannot get enough air to breathe. Since I walk dogs, and am out in the weather, this creates a difficulty. .....
Anyway, my first big case of bronchitis jumped on me yesterday - I have lungs full of fluid, sinuses full of fluid, a sore throat, swollen lymph nodes, coughs full of "junk," and aches and pains. Other than taking care of my charges - cats and dogs - I'm drinking tons of fluid, taking hot showers under fresh eucalyptus sprigs, and I've already gotten sick of chicken broth and chicken noodle soup. Beatrice suggested I put Vicks Vaporub on the bottom of my feet each night when I go to bed. We'll have to see what this winter brings.
I had made the comment to Bea that I thought we might need to purchase some thermal-lined curtains for the sliding glass doors in our living room, and for our bed rooms. She didn't think so, since the buildings were just completed in June and are supposed to be very "green" and environmentally friendly. After the other night, when we had a low of 28 degrees, she said we needed to get out the measuring tapes and write down the dimensions of our double-paned glass areas because she could feel waves of cold air coming from them.... That's on the agenda for tomorrow.
My biggest problem now comes from where I live. I walk five miles each day, no matter what - and today it was extremely difficult. Boulder is located more than a mile above sea level; the air is very dry; and when it gets cold here, it gets cold. In the eleven years that i have been here, I have found that I cannot step outside if the temperature is less than 15 degrees (F). My lungs go into spasms and I simply cannot get enough air to breathe. Since I walk dogs, and am out in the weather, this creates a difficulty. .....
Anyway, my first big case of bronchitis jumped on me yesterday - I have lungs full of fluid, sinuses full of fluid, a sore throat, swollen lymph nodes, coughs full of "junk," and aches and pains. Other than taking care of my charges - cats and dogs - I'm drinking tons of fluid, taking hot showers under fresh eucalyptus sprigs, and I've already gotten sick of chicken broth and chicken noodle soup. Beatrice suggested I put Vicks Vaporub on the bottom of my feet each night when I go to bed. We'll have to see what this winter brings.
I had made the comment to Bea that I thought we might need to purchase some thermal-lined curtains for the sliding glass doors in our living room, and for our bed rooms. She didn't think so, since the buildings were just completed in June and are supposed to be very "green" and environmentally friendly. After the other night, when we had a low of 28 degrees, she said we needed to get out the measuring tapes and write down the dimensions of our double-paned glass areas because she could feel waves of cold air coming from them.... That's on the agenda for tomorrow.
Saturday, December 27, 2014
Weather and Pet-Sitting
My sister's first chemo treatment went very well yesterday, and she's supposed to be getting a white-cell booster shot this morning to counter-act yesterday's treatment. It's so confusing... Kathy didn't have any adverse reactions during or after the treatment, saying only that she felt sleepy afterwards.
The Dellwood family should have made it home by now - I stopped by earlier and fed everyone, and cleaned the potty box about 8. Then I went to the Chandler's and took care of Victor and Xena. I followed that with Tugger on Rosewood, then went over to see the new clients on Sumac. Have returned home for an hour or so, and will head back over to Tugger for the rest of the day after blogging.
NOAA said that Boulder got .7 inches of liquid precipitation on Christmas Day that was topped by 12.3 inches of snow through Friday afternoon. The ski resorts on the other side of the continental divide have had more than 43 inches of snow in the last 72 hours; they'll be getting more snow through Thursday. We're supposed to have mostly clear skies with highs near 30 today and tomorrow - if you watch the Broncos and Raiders game on TV tomorrow afternoon, I'm sure they'll show the snow and people skiing and snowboarding up at the resorts.
We're supposed to follow up this pleasant weekend with another Arctic front, so we'll (hopefully) have a high of 10 degrees on Monday, and, maybe, 5 degrees on Tuesday. The weather gurus are saying that the low overnight Tuesday-Wednesday might be -10, or so.... One of my clients let me know yesterday that she wouldn't need my services (beginning today), so that's a house off my list. I called to check with another client, seeing what time she was leaving her home on Sunday, so I'd know when to show up at her house. She informed me that her kids are going to be there through either the 30th or the 31st, and she'll let me know when she knows when and for how long she needs me. She does this frequently, and I should be used to it, but that irritated me a bit yesterday.
I'll be visiting the new client's house twice a day beginning Sunday evening and running through the following Saturday morning. I re-met Tiko and Bopp this morning, and again went over their routine with the owners. So that's settled; and I move in with Rosie Monday morning and stay until New Year's Day evening....
Apparently there has been an outbreak of tularemia in the squirrel colonies in our area. We used to see 10 to 20 squirrels in the back yard during the day - now, we might see 5 or 7. The CU married housing complex across the street has sent 4 squirrel bodies for analysis in the past five days. I know that our squirrel numbers are down, and we haven't seen Ernie, the raccoon, in a couple of weeks. I know that diseases are a natural culling of the weak out in the wild - but I don't like the knowledge. I'll be rooting for the South Carolina Gamecocks and Steve Spurrier today!
The Dellwood family should have made it home by now - I stopped by earlier and fed everyone, and cleaned the potty box about 8. Then I went to the Chandler's and took care of Victor and Xena. I followed that with Tugger on Rosewood, then went over to see the new clients on Sumac. Have returned home for an hour or so, and will head back over to Tugger for the rest of the day after blogging.
NOAA said that Boulder got .7 inches of liquid precipitation on Christmas Day that was topped by 12.3 inches of snow through Friday afternoon. The ski resorts on the other side of the continental divide have had more than 43 inches of snow in the last 72 hours; they'll be getting more snow through Thursday. We're supposed to have mostly clear skies with highs near 30 today and tomorrow - if you watch the Broncos and Raiders game on TV tomorrow afternoon, I'm sure they'll show the snow and people skiing and snowboarding up at the resorts.
We're supposed to follow up this pleasant weekend with another Arctic front, so we'll (hopefully) have a high of 10 degrees on Monday, and, maybe, 5 degrees on Tuesday. The weather gurus are saying that the low overnight Tuesday-Wednesday might be -10, or so.... One of my clients let me know yesterday that she wouldn't need my services (beginning today), so that's a house off my list. I called to check with another client, seeing what time she was leaving her home on Sunday, so I'd know when to show up at her house. She informed me that her kids are going to be there through either the 30th or the 31st, and she'll let me know when she knows when and for how long she needs me. She does this frequently, and I should be used to it, but that irritated me a bit yesterday.
I'll be visiting the new client's house twice a day beginning Sunday evening and running through the following Saturday morning. I re-met Tiko and Bopp this morning, and again went over their routine with the owners. So that's settled; and I move in with Rosie Monday morning and stay until New Year's Day evening....
Apparently there has been an outbreak of tularemia in the squirrel colonies in our area. We used to see 10 to 20 squirrels in the back yard during the day - now, we might see 5 or 7. The CU married housing complex across the street has sent 4 squirrel bodies for analysis in the past five days. I know that our squirrel numbers are down, and we haven't seen Ernie, the raccoon, in a couple of weeks. I know that diseases are a natural culling of the weak out in the wild - but I don't like the knowledge. I'll be rooting for the South Carolina Gamecocks and Steve Spurrier today!
Thursday, November 13, 2014
Cold!
The big news here is still the cold. We (the city/area) have set four cold temperature records in the past three days - that is, since temperatures began being recorded here, in the 1870s. Records were set for the lowest high temperature on Tuesday and Wednesday, and the lowest low temperatures for Wednesday night, and this morning - which was -14 degrees. Luckily, Nedi decided it was a little too cold for him to stay outside this morning - he ran out, hunkered down and ran right back inside. Lovey did the same. There are three squirrel tracks in the snow, but I don't know how many were here visiting yesterday. The walnut stash did not diminish much, I know. And the small birds are having a ball with the bird seed bowl I put out - lots and lots of juncos, sparrows, finches, chickadees, and a few jays are visiting. This morning, even though it's so cold outside, the sun is shining, so I have the thermal curtains that cover the patio door and windows open about half-way. This way, the sun shines in and gives the kits a sunny spot, and we can see the critters coming to feed. Nedi has started to squeak at me because he wants to go out and nab a new friend, but I just keep telling him no....
Nedi, with snow flakes on his head, looking for playmates
Our bird seed bowl on the patio
Walnuts for the squirrels and a deer antler for teeth sharpening
This morning, 10 inches of snow, and -8 degrees in the back yard
Friday, November 7, 2014
Family Surgery - And, Jury Duty, Here I Come
Well, I called the Jury Summons telephone number, and heard a recording telling me that if my assigned juror number was between this and that, then I needed to be at the Courthouse at 8:15 in the morning. The beginning number was only 25 before my assigned number, and the end number is 110 after my number. Looks like I'll be there!
But my thoughts today are with my sister, Kathy. Being sisters, and having six and a half years of age between us, we haven't always seen eye to eye; and I am frequently upset by her (in my perception) regal and arbitrary decisions. I am sure that I make decisions that she doesn't like, either. But she is my flesh and blood, my closest living relative; and I do love her very much. Kathy checks into Foothills Community Hospital this morning before 7 and will be on an operating table at 8:30. She is having a double mastectomy; they are also removing the sentinel lymph nodes from each arm pit. Hopefully, both of them will show no signs of the cancer that is eating her body, and that will mark an end of the removals. If so, the surgery will last only 3 to 5 hours.
Kathy has been diagnosed with invasive ductal breast cancer. The good news is that it's been found early; that it's the most commonly found cancer in women over the age of 50, who have had children; and there is a very high recovery rate without a recurrence of the cancer, if found and treated early. The worst thing is waiting for the results from the surgery, which will take a few days - waiting to find out if Kathy will need to under go chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and/or hormonal therapy. As she and Jim lead a very active lifestyle, Kathy has selected not to have reconstructive surgery - to hasten her recovery, to save money, and to be able to run her half-marathons without being stuffed into a Sports Bra. If all goes well, she should be returning to work soon after the New Year.
In the meantime, one of Kathy's former co-workers will stay with her in the mornings while Jim runs and takes care of business, and while I'm walking dogs. After noon, I'll be Kathy's hands and arms, cleaning, doing laundry, washing dishes, cooking, reading to her, and writing for her, while Jim takes care of house-hold items (like shopping). Connie, Kathy's neighbor, will fill in when neither Bernie nor I are available. I am scheduled to house-sit the week of Thanksgiving, but I'm only two blocks away from the houses... so things will be easy to handle.
Boulder has really dodged winter so far. However, after some rain tonight, we're supposed to be sunny and in the 60s Saturday and Sunday. Monday, however, the temperatures are forecast to fall all day with about 3 inches of snow in the evening, with a low of 17 degrees. Tuesday (thankfully, it's Veteran's Day, and a Holiday) they say we'll reach a high of 32 and have snow falling all day; Tuesday night's low is forecast at 19. Looks like Winter is actually on it's way!
But my thoughts today are with my sister, Kathy. Being sisters, and having six and a half years of age between us, we haven't always seen eye to eye; and I am frequently upset by her (in my perception) regal and arbitrary decisions. I am sure that I make decisions that she doesn't like, either. But she is my flesh and blood, my closest living relative; and I do love her very much. Kathy checks into Foothills Community Hospital this morning before 7 and will be on an operating table at 8:30. She is having a double mastectomy; they are also removing the sentinel lymph nodes from each arm pit. Hopefully, both of them will show no signs of the cancer that is eating her body, and that will mark an end of the removals. If so, the surgery will last only 3 to 5 hours.
Kathy has been diagnosed with invasive ductal breast cancer. The good news is that it's been found early; that it's the most commonly found cancer in women over the age of 50, who have had children; and there is a very high recovery rate without a recurrence of the cancer, if found and treated early. The worst thing is waiting for the results from the surgery, which will take a few days - waiting to find out if Kathy will need to under go chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and/or hormonal therapy. As she and Jim lead a very active lifestyle, Kathy has selected not to have reconstructive surgery - to hasten her recovery, to save money, and to be able to run her half-marathons without being stuffed into a Sports Bra. If all goes well, she should be returning to work soon after the New Year.
In the meantime, one of Kathy's former co-workers will stay with her in the mornings while Jim runs and takes care of business, and while I'm walking dogs. After noon, I'll be Kathy's hands and arms, cleaning, doing laundry, washing dishes, cooking, reading to her, and writing for her, while Jim takes care of house-hold items (like shopping). Connie, Kathy's neighbor, will fill in when neither Bernie nor I are available. I am scheduled to house-sit the week of Thanksgiving, but I'm only two blocks away from the houses... so things will be easy to handle.
Boulder has really dodged winter so far. However, after some rain tonight, we're supposed to be sunny and in the 60s Saturday and Sunday. Monday, however, the temperatures are forecast to fall all day with about 3 inches of snow in the evening, with a low of 17 degrees. Tuesday (thankfully, it's Veteran's Day, and a Holiday) they say we'll reach a high of 32 and have snow falling all day; Tuesday night's low is forecast at 19. Looks like Winter is actually on it's way!
Thursday, February 6, 2014
Frost On the Inside of My Patio Door
I knew it was cold outside last night, but I must admit I was surprised when I opened the thermal drapes over the patio door and found frost on the inside of the glass. The glass plate is less than four feet away from the corner of my radiator, and five feet from the foot of my bed... Hmmmm. Anyway, it was so cold outside this morning that Nedi, for the first time in his life, did not want to run out the door and onto the patio. The thermometer said it was -10, and the news person added that the wind chill made it feel like -25. If I hadn't been wide awake, I could easily have gone back to bed. Now, at 10:30, we have reached -1 degree... we hit a high of +1 degree yesterday. This is unusually cold weather for Boulder in February - our normal high temperature is 38. This is a photo from an outdoor pool yesterday afternoon - it had dropped to -14 that morning.... And, of course, we're expecting more snow this afternoon and evening.
The Winter Games have begun in Sochi, Russia. I laughed when I read that Shaun White's main competitor in the Slopestyle Snowboarding event said that Shaun's withdrawal should be counted as a failure on his Olympic record. Shaun stated that he felt the Slopestyle course was too dangerous, and, after injuring himself in practice, decided to concentrate on winning a three-peat Gold Medal in Halfpipe Snowboarding. Considering the number of times any athlete falls (and can incur a catastrophic injury), I don't blame White at all... his body has paid the price many times. I think he's finally reaching maturity. In case you don't remember, Shaun was known as the "Flying Tomato" in his younger days, before his hair darkened and he decided he didn't like that nickname any longer.
I am going to have to make a trip to the grocery store again tomorrow - I have plenty of cat food, canned and dry, and plenty of kitty litter; I have extra bird seed, and extra nuts for the squirrels; I have a huge cauldron of homemade marinara sauce simmering away with a large number of homemade meatballs cooking in the sauce, and I have tons of pasta. But I'm running short on Cheerios, blueberries for waffles and snacks, and - gasp! - Diet Coca-Cola. The only hot drink that I enjoy these days is cocoa - Maybe I haven't developed the taste, but hot tea, to me is hot colored water; and coffee is burnt, hot colored water. While I will drink tea, I won't drink coffee, and I get a lot of strange looks in Colorado. (But I'm different enough to be used to that!)
I'll be doing genealogy research today, so I'll watch the Olympics on NBC tonight. ** Cue the applause for our representative athletes! **
I am going to have to make a trip to the grocery store again tomorrow - I have plenty of cat food, canned and dry, and plenty of kitty litter; I have extra bird seed, and extra nuts for the squirrels; I have a huge cauldron of homemade marinara sauce simmering away with a large number of homemade meatballs cooking in the sauce, and I have tons of pasta. But I'm running short on Cheerios, blueberries for waffles and snacks, and - gasp! - Diet Coca-Cola. The only hot drink that I enjoy these days is cocoa - Maybe I haven't developed the taste, but hot tea, to me is hot colored water; and coffee is burnt, hot colored water. While I will drink tea, I won't drink coffee, and I get a lot of strange looks in Colorado. (But I'm different enough to be used to that!)
I'll be doing genealogy research today, so I'll watch the Olympics on NBC tonight. ** Cue the applause for our representative athletes! **
Thursday, January 23, 2014
Cold, With Light Snow
It started snowing, lightly, around 11 last night; depending on where you are in Boulder, so far the snow accumulations are between 3.3 and 5.1 inches around town. There is about 4 inches in my back yard, and snow started falling again at 7 this morning. The snow should stop before noon, but the forecast for today's high temperature is 26 degrees. - But then we'll have three days with temperatures in the 50s, and snow again on Monday... Typical Colorado.
One brave squirrel has already visited the nut stations this morning - he shoved a Brazil nut in one cheek and a pecan in the other, and took off. I have a large plate full of small bird seed mixed with nuts and dried fruit at the edge of the patio - and we have a flock of juncos and several chickadees visiting at the moment. Lovey is perched on the foot of my bed, watching the birds and squirrel, while Nedi is crouched on the rug at the patio door. (And it's all of 10 degrees outside now!)
I had blueberry waffles for breakfast, and am going to start cooking a large pot of marinara sauce with meatballs for consumption at supper. I also have a chicken breast, that I plan on baking with apricots, for lunch. The big news at the moment are all the traffic accidents because of the ice on the roads under the snow - and the fact that the Broncos are going to the Super Bowl. I know that we're bombarded each year with the cost of a televised advertisement for 30 seconds during the Super Bowl - but what about the cost of a ticket to see the game? The lucky few season ticket holders of the Broncos, who won the Super Bowl lottery drawing, were "allowed" to purchase two tickets apiece, at the cost of $850 per ticket. One of the sports announcers said that seats on the 50-yard-line about 20 rows up, cost $15,000 apiece. (Heck, that's more than I make - or live on - in a year!)
At least I can do some more work on the family tree today - a cousin sent me a photo of my great-great grandfather, Judge Hazel Petrie Mobley, a couple of weeks ago, so I decided to see if I could find photos of his siblings. I knew that the Judge had a younger brother whose initials were R.D., but that was all the information I had. I found out that R. D. stood for Richard Daniel, that he was also a Judge, and that he was one of the founders of Grand Junction, Colorado and of Mesa County. That was a surprise! One of the other brothers, Claiborne Riggs, was a lawyer, who spent his final years practicing in Tampa, Florida. That brother died from "pulmonary disease" (tuberculosis, or lung cancer?) at the age of 43. Another brother was a Methodist minister - the Reverend William H. Mobley - who died at the age of 35 in Kentucky. Brother Claiborne was a firm believer in slavery, but the others were not - even though Judge H. P. purchased a slave in 1850 (for $770), Bedford was given his freedom in 1858, and he stayed with the Judge as a paid man servant until his death. - Here's hoping I find out more interesting items about the family today!
One brave squirrel has already visited the nut stations this morning - he shoved a Brazil nut in one cheek and a pecan in the other, and took off. I have a large plate full of small bird seed mixed with nuts and dried fruit at the edge of the patio - and we have a flock of juncos and several chickadees visiting at the moment. Lovey is perched on the foot of my bed, watching the birds and squirrel, while Nedi is crouched on the rug at the patio door. (And it's all of 10 degrees outside now!)
I had blueberry waffles for breakfast, and am going to start cooking a large pot of marinara sauce with meatballs for consumption at supper. I also have a chicken breast, that I plan on baking with apricots, for lunch. The big news at the moment are all the traffic accidents because of the ice on the roads under the snow - and the fact that the Broncos are going to the Super Bowl. I know that we're bombarded each year with the cost of a televised advertisement for 30 seconds during the Super Bowl - but what about the cost of a ticket to see the game? The lucky few season ticket holders of the Broncos, who won the Super Bowl lottery drawing, were "allowed" to purchase two tickets apiece, at the cost of $850 per ticket. One of the sports announcers said that seats on the 50-yard-line about 20 rows up, cost $15,000 apiece. (Heck, that's more than I make - or live on - in a year!)
At least I can do some more work on the family tree today - a cousin sent me a photo of my great-great grandfather, Judge Hazel Petrie Mobley, a couple of weeks ago, so I decided to see if I could find photos of his siblings. I knew that the Judge had a younger brother whose initials were R.D., but that was all the information I had. I found out that R. D. stood for Richard Daniel, that he was also a Judge, and that he was one of the founders of Grand Junction, Colorado and of Mesa County. That was a surprise! One of the other brothers, Claiborne Riggs, was a lawyer, who spent his final years practicing in Tampa, Florida. That brother died from "pulmonary disease" (tuberculosis, or lung cancer?) at the age of 43. Another brother was a Methodist minister - the Reverend William H. Mobley - who died at the age of 35 in Kentucky. Brother Claiborne was a firm believer in slavery, but the others were not - even though Judge H. P. purchased a slave in 1850 (for $770), Bedford was given his freedom in 1858, and he stayed with the Judge as a paid man servant until his death. - Here's hoping I find out more interesting items about the family today!
Friday, December 20, 2013
Snow, Nuts, Papa John's
It's nearly 11 a.m. and it's still 19 degrees outside.. a little nippy. It's grey and overcast, and the clouds have been slowly lowering in the west; the tops of the Flatirons are shrouded in clouds, mist, and light snow. We're having small flurries here in town - they started falling as I was waiting for the bus to go walk Rosie. Since it was so cold, both Rosie and Lucy got short fast walks - 15 minutes apiece, but without the usual moseying about and tons of sniffing everything we encountered. I had my sweater, coat, scarf, and Santa cap on (not to mention the gloves and wool socks), so I wasn't really chilled - but the dogs were, and neither owns a coat, therefore the short brisk walks. My kits are watching the squirrels clash over the two piles of nuts - the same sized piles of the same nuts - but the outside kids get quarrelsome. Since it is winter, I feed them nuts with a higher fat content at this time of the year. They are getting a mixture of pecans, walnuts, hazel nuts, Brazil nuts, peanuts and a little dried corn... And they will happily go through 2 pounds or more per day, so I usually put out 3/4 pound twice a day, in two different spots.
I guess that I won't be eating Papa John's Pizza any more. I placed my order yesterday at 3:25 p.m., walked over a block to the store and found out they had moved. Walked back home, called the store, was promised free delivery. Waited. After an hour, I called the store again, and was on hold for 10 minutes before I was able to speak to anyone. I was informed that the first driver had been in a wreck and totaled his car on the way to my delivery, but that a second river, with the original food was just leaving. I got my meal delivered at 5:10. It was cold. No more Papa John's.... And I was never contacted by anyone about the fiasco on 6 December, not by anyone local, nor by corporate. I'm disappointed.
My cousin Aleda's husband, Cap'n Barry Frishman, is currently working in the Dagami area of Leyte Province in the Philippines. This is a video of the destruction that occurred there during Typhoon Haiyan: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jhbfWHtlk5I Barry is staying with a foster family, and is sharing food with them, eating rice three times a day.... He's a good man.
I guess that I won't be eating Papa John's Pizza any more. I placed my order yesterday at 3:25 p.m., walked over a block to the store and found out they had moved. Walked back home, called the store, was promised free delivery. Waited. After an hour, I called the store again, and was on hold for 10 minutes before I was able to speak to anyone. I was informed that the first driver had been in a wreck and totaled his car on the way to my delivery, but that a second river, with the original food was just leaving. I got my meal delivered at 5:10. It was cold. No more Papa John's.... And I was never contacted by anyone about the fiasco on 6 December, not by anyone local, nor by corporate. I'm disappointed.
My cousin Aleda's husband, Cap'n Barry Frishman, is currently working in the Dagami area of Leyte Province in the Philippines. This is a video of the destruction that occurred there during Typhoon Haiyan: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jhbfWHtlk5I Barry is staying with a foster family, and is sharing food with them, eating rice three times a day.... He's a good man.
Sunday, December 8, 2013
Snowing Again; Bits & Pieces
Sunday morning, seven degrees outside, and snow is lightly falling... I've walked to the bakery, fed my kits, cleaned their litter boxes, taken out trash, read the newspaper and put out food for the outdoors critters - wasteless bird seed for the juncos, sparrows, and finches; baguette rounds for the crows, ravens, and cowbirds; and a combination of peanuts, pecans, and walnuts for the squirrels. I've had my breakfast, listened to the local news and taken care of my e-mails and facebook page; now it's time for the blog....
As the family understood it, the surgeon was to drill a small hole in Kent's skull Friday to perform the biopsy on his brain tumor. Instead, he removed a piece of skull the size of a person's hand; then he shaved bone from the interior of the skull before replacing it... Why? We found out that Kent cannot undergo either chemo- or radiation therapy until his skull seals, or re-knits/heals. As the amount of time that will take is unknown, and due to the fact that Kent's tumor is growing rapidly, the surgeon wanted to be sure that Kent's brain would not be cramped, or under more pressure, as the tumor grows, or in case his brain begins to swell. The surgeon said Kent had a wonderfully thick skull, and he was certain that he was able to make enough space, if it's needed. Now we have to wait for a full-body CAT scan today, and the results of the biopsy, which will, hopefully, be available on Wednesday.
I wrote about a month ago regarding a case of animal cruelty - Caitin Lesko had taken her young French bulldog to the vet for treatment, but when she was told the cost of setting Bamboo's two broken legs, as well as the cost of treatment for the burns covering half of his tummy, the woman left. The veterinarian's office called the police to report a possible case of animal cruelty. The lady was arrested, and the dog taken to the Humane Society of Boulder Valley. The pup has since been adopted out to a new family. Ms Lesko was originally charged with a misdemeanor pet cruelty charge; it has now been raised to a felony count. And, during the investigation of the case, the police found that Bamboo was one of a pair of puppies that Ms Lesko and her boyfriend had purchased. The other puppy, unfortunately, is dead. It was strangled to death by Ms Lesko's boyfriend. The couple had the puppies in bed with them - a king sized bed, raised quite high from the floor. French bulldogs have short little legs. The now dead puppy had to use the bathroom, but was afraid to jump down from the bed - at 8 weeks, he used the bathroom on the bed. The boyfriend woke up and strangled the puppy to death because it had used the bed as the ground. The boyfriend did take the puppy to a vet, appearing very agitated when he was told the puppy was dead. The man had given a fake name and address to the vet's office, so even though it was reported as a suspected animal cruelty case, it could not be followed up by investigators. Now the boyfriend is facing felony animal cruelty charges, as well. I say: Hooray for our investigators! This type of nonsense must cease!
Back in June, Boulder was shocked by the stabbing and death of a 17-year-old high school student who was camping out with friends near Nederland. The man (20 years old) charged with the murder was a previous classmate of the deceased. On Friday he pleaded guilty to manslaughter and stated he was under the influence of LSD, psychotropic mushrooms, and "moonshine" at the time.
Also, the young lady that lives next to me, and who screams in anger and frustration, has allowed her abusive boyfriend back into her life. I have seen him multiple times during the past week. I called the police once, to see if he was still "banned from the building" but received no answer - even though they came to Britta's apartment to be certain she was safe. So I guess he's allowed back on the premises - and, unless I hear something truly horrendous from next door, I'll be ignoring their shouting and screaming and the sound of thuds of body blows and furniture being thrown around. Poor little girl... he's got her convinced that he is the only person who will ever love her. It's the same old abuse story all over again...
And, finally, I rooted for three college teams yesterday during the "College Football Championship" day. Each one of those teams lost. I feel like my support is the kiss of death at the moment. Hopefully, the Broncos will the Tennessee Titans in today's game - if not, then I'll know I need to stop watching for the rest of the season....
As the family understood it, the surgeon was to drill a small hole in Kent's skull Friday to perform the biopsy on his brain tumor. Instead, he removed a piece of skull the size of a person's hand; then he shaved bone from the interior of the skull before replacing it... Why? We found out that Kent cannot undergo either chemo- or radiation therapy until his skull seals, or re-knits/heals. As the amount of time that will take is unknown, and due to the fact that Kent's tumor is growing rapidly, the surgeon wanted to be sure that Kent's brain would not be cramped, or under more pressure, as the tumor grows, or in case his brain begins to swell. The surgeon said Kent had a wonderfully thick skull, and he was certain that he was able to make enough space, if it's needed. Now we have to wait for a full-body CAT scan today, and the results of the biopsy, which will, hopefully, be available on Wednesday.
I wrote about a month ago regarding a case of animal cruelty - Caitin Lesko had taken her young French bulldog to the vet for treatment, but when she was told the cost of setting Bamboo's two broken legs, as well as the cost of treatment for the burns covering half of his tummy, the woman left. The veterinarian's office called the police to report a possible case of animal cruelty. The lady was arrested, and the dog taken to the Humane Society of Boulder Valley. The pup has since been adopted out to a new family. Ms Lesko was originally charged with a misdemeanor pet cruelty charge; it has now been raised to a felony count. And, during the investigation of the case, the police found that Bamboo was one of a pair of puppies that Ms Lesko and her boyfriend had purchased. The other puppy, unfortunately, is dead. It was strangled to death by Ms Lesko's boyfriend. The couple had the puppies in bed with them - a king sized bed, raised quite high from the floor. French bulldogs have short little legs. The now dead puppy had to use the bathroom, but was afraid to jump down from the bed - at 8 weeks, he used the bathroom on the bed. The boyfriend woke up and strangled the puppy to death because it had used the bed as the ground. The boyfriend did take the puppy to a vet, appearing very agitated when he was told the puppy was dead. The man had given a fake name and address to the vet's office, so even though it was reported as a suspected animal cruelty case, it could not be followed up by investigators. Now the boyfriend is facing felony animal cruelty charges, as well. I say: Hooray for our investigators! This type of nonsense must cease!
Back in June, Boulder was shocked by the stabbing and death of a 17-year-old high school student who was camping out with friends near Nederland. The man (20 years old) charged with the murder was a previous classmate of the deceased. On Friday he pleaded guilty to manslaughter and stated he was under the influence of LSD, psychotropic mushrooms, and "moonshine" at the time.
Also, the young lady that lives next to me, and who screams in anger and frustration, has allowed her abusive boyfriend back into her life. I have seen him multiple times during the past week. I called the police once, to see if he was still "banned from the building" but received no answer - even though they came to Britta's apartment to be certain she was safe. So I guess he's allowed back on the premises - and, unless I hear something truly horrendous from next door, I'll be ignoring their shouting and screaming and the sound of thuds of body blows and furniture being thrown around. Poor little girl... he's got her convinced that he is the only person who will ever love her. It's the same old abuse story all over again...
And, finally, I rooted for three college teams yesterday during the "College Football Championship" day. Each one of those teams lost. I feel like my support is the kiss of death at the moment. Hopefully, the Broncos will the Tennessee Titans in today's game - if not, then I'll know I need to stop watching for the rest of the season....
Wednesday, December 4, 2013
Bits and Pieces
Laminitis updates on St Nicholas Abbey and Jimmy (Black Caviar's brother): St Nicholas Abbey is being slowly weaned off pain medication for the laminitis in his left forefoot (he had surgery on his right fore, followed by colic surgery this summer). His vets say this is the "critical" period, seeing if he can move freely without any changes to his pedal bone. .... In Australia, Jimmy, the $5 million colt, is also being weaned off his pain meds. He developed laminitis in both of his fore feet after an adverse reaction to antibiotics for a spider bite. .... I hope both colts continue to improve - hopefully, both of them will be able to proceed with a career at stud.
Immortal Verse, in foal to Dansili, sold at Tattersall's for a record $8.09 million. The beautiful 5-year-old bay mare, who was a Grade I winner in both England and France, was sold to BBA Ireland, which is going to establish a new partnership for her ownership within Coolmore.
My kits are crazy. It's 10 degrees outside, snow is falling (and has been since 5 p.m. yesterday) and the wind chill is -5. They keep going outside, running through the snow, then coming back to my desk to spray me and the PC with snow attached to their coats. I just closed the door, and they are looking at me like I'm a horrible spoil-sport. (My toes were getting cold, even though I have on wool socks and mukluks - of course, a tile floor on a concrete slab does not conduct heat.)
We are still awaiting results and doctor consultations regarding my brother-in-law's (Kent Snow) medical condition. He was suffering from a severe headache and was admitted to the hospital for bleeding in his brain. The MRIs and Cat scans were inconclusive, and none of the MDs is sure what is happening inside Kent's brain. He's taking a medically-ordered vacation and is taking it easy at home. His wife Vanessa was recuperating from lymph-node surgery (luckily, the mass was benign) in the hospital, when Kent was admitted. Vanessa is not dealing well with the stress. Prayers for that part of the family are appreciated.
Immortal Verse, in foal to Dansili, sold at Tattersall's for a record $8.09 million. The beautiful 5-year-old bay mare, who was a Grade I winner in both England and France, was sold to BBA Ireland, which is going to establish a new partnership for her ownership within Coolmore.
My kits are crazy. It's 10 degrees outside, snow is falling (and has been since 5 p.m. yesterday) and the wind chill is -5. They keep going outside, running through the snow, then coming back to my desk to spray me and the PC with snow attached to their coats. I just closed the door, and they are looking at me like I'm a horrible spoil-sport. (My toes were getting cold, even though I have on wool socks and mukluks - of course, a tile floor on a concrete slab does not conduct heat.)
We are still awaiting results and doctor consultations regarding my brother-in-law's (Kent Snow) medical condition. He was suffering from a severe headache and was admitted to the hospital for bleeding in his brain. The MRIs and Cat scans were inconclusive, and none of the MDs is sure what is happening inside Kent's brain. He's taking a medically-ordered vacation and is taking it easy at home. His wife Vanessa was recuperating from lymph-node surgery (luckily, the mass was benign) in the hospital, when Kent was admitted. Vanessa is not dealing well with the stress. Prayers for that part of the family are appreciated.
Saturday, October 5, 2013
A Cold, Frosty Morning
It was 26 degrees when I got out of bed this morning; now, 2 hours later, it's 36. There was a heavy frost on the grass this morning, but most of it has already melted. It's mostly cloudy, but skies are supposed to clear for some nice sunshine by this afternoon. It's fore cast to get up to 62. I'll be headed over to Charlie and Tinkerbelle's house this afternoon, and I hope to leave before the street gets inundated with partying Buffaloes - CU plays Oregon at home this afternoon. But I also have to pick up my meds at the local pharmacy at 1, so I might not be able to miss the crowd. Lovey and Nedi are outside, running around like maniacs, chasing each other and the squirrels. I have the patio door cracked open, but will have to call the kits back inside, as I'm starting to get chilly.
The Breeders Cup races will be run on Friday and Saturday, November 1 and 2, at Santa Anita. ... I'm happy to be able to report that St Nicholas Abbey is recovering very well from both his pastern and colic surgeries. ... Zenyatta's first foal, CoZmic One, has left the farm where he was born and is going into training - hopefully to follow in his Mom's amazing footsteps. .... Black Caviar was named the Horse of the Year for the third straight time in Australia. The mare was retired, undefeated in 25 races, in April. She has been covered by Exceed And Excell, Australian Stallion of the Year for the past two seasons. .... And, with the Breeders Cup coming soon, NBC Sports will show a program highlighting the best Breeders Cup races at 5:30 (Eastern time) on Saturday, October 19.
Two things were supposed to happen today on Assateague Island and the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge - the Fall Pony Round-Up and the Re-Opening of the Renovated Assateague Island Lighthouse. Due to the US government shut down, neither of these activities will take place. Children and adults who purchased foals too young to separate from their dams at Pony Penning in July, have been waiting for this weekend to return to Chincoteague and take their new pony (or ponies) home. Since the new owners were to pick up their new charges on Assateague, this cannot happen. And, for those of us who have been eagerly awaiting the opening the Assateague Lighthouse following a $1.5 million renovation, that, too, has been postponed. The Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company will notify the new pony owners when the round-up will take place - as soon as they know. And I hope the CNWR will give several weeks of publicity for the re-opening of the newly refurbished Lighthouse...
The Breeders Cup races will be run on Friday and Saturday, November 1 and 2, at Santa Anita. ... I'm happy to be able to report that St Nicholas Abbey is recovering very well from both his pastern and colic surgeries. ... Zenyatta's first foal, CoZmic One, has left the farm where he was born and is going into training - hopefully to follow in his Mom's amazing footsteps. .... Black Caviar was named the Horse of the Year for the third straight time in Australia. The mare was retired, undefeated in 25 races, in April. She has been covered by Exceed And Excell, Australian Stallion of the Year for the past two seasons. .... And, with the Breeders Cup coming soon, NBC Sports will show a program highlighting the best Breeders Cup races at 5:30 (Eastern time) on Saturday, October 19.
Two things were supposed to happen today on Assateague Island and the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge - the Fall Pony Round-Up and the Re-Opening of the Renovated Assateague Island Lighthouse. Due to the US government shut down, neither of these activities will take place. Children and adults who purchased foals too young to separate from their dams at Pony Penning in July, have been waiting for this weekend to return to Chincoteague and take their new pony (or ponies) home. Since the new owners were to pick up their new charges on Assateague, this cannot happen. And, for those of us who have been eagerly awaiting the opening the Assateague Lighthouse following a $1.5 million renovation, that, too, has been postponed. The Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company will notify the new pony owners when the round-up will take place - as soon as they know. And I hope the CNWR will give several weeks of publicity for the re-opening of the newly refurbished Lighthouse...
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Nedi Turns 10 Months Old
Today Nedi is bouncing off the walls. It's not because it's his birthday, it's because I'm not allowing him outside to run around. Why? It's -6 degrees outside, the wind chill is -24, and the humidity is 71% ... that feels mighty cold. Actually, I let the kits run out three times yesterday; and when I popped the door open this morning, Nedi ran out, stepped into the snow on the patio, danced for a few seconds and then high-tailed it back inside. Lovey just sniffed the air outside and retreated to the cat tree. - And the kits let me sleep in this morning! Usually Lovey wakes me up around 6; today she and Nedi snuggled with me until almost 9. The sleep and warmth was awesome - the dreams I had just before waking were awful.
I know the storm that brought us snow yesterday is massive - the TV folks are saying it covers 33 of the states, and is affecting over 100 million people. Because the wind chills are between 20 and 40 degrees below zero, the local public schools are closed, and the powers-that-be are asking everyone to stay at home if it isn't imperative to go out. That's why the kits and I are still snuggled up tight. - I have thoroughly enjoyed my reading time - yesterday, I read Preston and Child's latest novel about Agent Aloysius X. L. Pendergast, and, as usual, I want at least another four or five new novels available immediately.... And when I try to envision this fabulous FBI agent, the only body and face that comes to my mind is British actor John Castle. - In any event, I've read four books in the last 48 hours, and enjoyed them all...
I know the storm that brought us snow yesterday is massive - the TV folks are saying it covers 33 of the states, and is affecting over 100 million people. Because the wind chills are between 20 and 40 degrees below zero, the local public schools are closed, and the powers-that-be are asking everyone to stay at home if it isn't imperative to go out. That's why the kits and I are still snuggled up tight. - I have thoroughly enjoyed my reading time - yesterday, I read Preston and Child's latest novel about Agent Aloysius X. L. Pendergast, and, as usual, I want at least another four or five new novels available immediately.... And when I try to envision this fabulous FBI agent, the only body and face that comes to my mind is British actor John Castle. - In any event, I've read four books in the last 48 hours, and enjoyed them all...
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