Cold! and..

......more cold!  We are going through a period of 0º +/-.  Ice every where.  It is amazing we don't have more broken hips and snapped wrists from falls.  The population here is decidedly 50's and above.

I have to report some very sad news today.  Pat's brother (by marriage) Ed Atkeson has passed.  We both deeply mourn the loss.  He suffered quietly many years from his ailments.  We pray he is now free of pain and can find a stream to fish nearby and a view of Brian playing sports.  Ed had two passions in life, his grandson Brian and fishing. Maybe a third, baseball.  I'll never forget the excitement I saw that Ed had for Brian and baseball. I'll miss you very much Ed and I will look for you when my time comes.  I loved you as a brother and I am sorry I did not say that to you.  You are gone but not forgotten by the many you touched in life.  My tears are blurring my ability to think and type.  I miss you Edmund. REST IN PEACE, EDMUND, rest in peace.

Well, let's see....

In the last few weeks our TV in the living-room went belly up and the refrigerator followed, or was it the other way around?  Whatever, we have been hit with expenses we had not planned.  That's how it always works though, isn't it?  We have a 8 year water heater that is going on 16 years of use.  I was prepared to replace it, not my TV just before the Superbowl!  We are using a small (19") TV in place of the 50" rear projector TV.  My myopic eyes are not adjusting well at all.  The new TV is on order and should be delivered on the 26th.  The new refrigerator was a more immediate need and was purchased off the floor at a local Hardware Hank store.

We have accumulated about 2 feet of snow around the house, some places deeper where the snowblower has deposited more.  I'm ready for spring.  Today it was 40+º in the sun and we have a small melt in some places.  I'm worried about the foot of snow on the roof of our RV.  Thats a lot of weight.  I'm glad it is on jacks and not resting on the tires alone.

Pat has been very busy with her quilting business and giving classes.  She is also very active in the city and county politics.  I'm very proud of her achievements and her reputation.

I am on a new hearing aid and I believe it is providing a better solution to my hearing needs.  I can never have a complete hearing recovery as the nerves are damaged and without healing (not likely) I can only hope for a minor improvement.  I still have to concentrate on the sounds or person I am wanting to hear.

I am going to get this posted now so those of you who look at my ramblings will know we are OK and not frozen in the backyard or something (smile)!

 

 

Picture is one I got in the mail from a family member (Liddy).  I thought it was worthy of my blog!

I am still...

playing with various hearing aids,  Decided that the second aid (R. ear) was not going to provide enough benefit for the cost.  My L. ear appears to need a more sophisticated device for my condition.  Of curse it has to be more $.  I hope the damn thing lasts for the rest of my life.
It has been really cold and snowy here since the first of the year.  I just got off the phone with Norwegian farmer friend living in northern North Dakota near the Canadian border, little north of us. He said that since early this morning the snow has been nearly waist high and is still falling. The temperature is dropping way below zero and the north wind is increasing to near gale force. His wife has done nothing but look through the kitchen window and just stare. He says that if it gets much worse, he may have to let her in.



Have you noticed that the wipers have been reduced in width?  I documented the change with this photo.  I find that I use more TP due to its diminished wiping capacity. I suspect that this was done to appease some tree huggers and the net result will be we will use more to get the same effect.

It's 1-1-11, New year today and..

we are celebrating doing what we have done in the years past.  Mmmm, does that make it a tradition??. Anyway we spend the day more or less glued to the TV watching the parades and football games.  And, of course, eating & drinking junk food and keeping warm.  It is below 0ºF here.  We are warm and comfortable which we are thankful for.
I hope that your day is as relaxing as ours.
Pat went to a movie last night with her girl friends.  I stayed home with Canuck.  He rested on the couch while I watched TV.  As you can see in the photo he was not very good company.  We gave up any effort to stay up for midnight quite early after deciding there were plenty of others watching and it could happen without us.
Our Christmas was a wonderful family time.  We had a family dinner here with ham and all the trimmings.  Brian prepared a really good ham and it was enjoyed by all.