Living Through an Historic Event

We are about 5 days in to an order from the Governor to stay at home. More and more states are making the same declaration. The Congress has passed and the President has signed a $6 trillion stimulus package. I think that may be the most damaging thing to us once this pandemic is over.

Susan and I are still working and we have savings we can use to keep going if this goes on for months. Plus, we have a freezer full of food. Most of it, we can't eat because of a diet we are on for Lent. Once Easter arrives, watch out!

So we are not feeling the pressure that many other people must be feeling. This looks like it could be May or June before things return to normal. The problem with that is nobody knows what normal is going to look like.

Toilet paper has become a major commodity. If you have some, you have some bargaining power. We just figured out a way to extend our toilet paper supply. We purchased an attachment for the toilet that turns it into a bidet. It was astonishingly less expensive than I have seen in the past. So we got two. Does that count as hoarding?

It did occur to us that even with the bidet, we are going to use toilet paper. How else to you dry your ass? A Hair Dryer perhaps.

We are going to try and be productive today. There's no reason to be stuck here and not accomplish anything.

I'm also going to take some squirrel pictures today. Stand by for that.

Later: It's been a few hours now and we have done well with the day.

First, here are the squirrel pictures:

We moved the couch out of the TV Room in order to make room for "The Return to Remodeling".

I discovered a mouse trap under the couch that I had forgotten about. However, the trap had not forgotten how to work. We got one. It did not appear he had been there long.

Susan continued stripping the front window and I set about to measuring the room to see how much wood I need. I need to buy trim for the three doors, trim for the two windows and baseboard for the one floor. I'll need a corresponding amount of base shoe for the floor as well.

We are all set to go out for a walk but suddenly the skies opened up. We're waiting, rethinking. In this peculiar time, you have to be fast on your feet.

Even Later: Nope! No walk. It was coming down pretty good and now the sun is coming out. I will not be baited. It will turn to rain as soon as we get out there.

Better to enjoy a glass of wine on the porch.

The Equinox of Vernalosity

With all the excitement and worry over the Covid 19 Virus and how it has shut down life in America as we know it, Spring snuck in without any fanfare.

Winter is like Lent. When it's over, you really have something to celebrate. Today we are having a really great Spring day. I was out driving around earlier and saw a bank sign that flashed 64 degrees. 

Susan and I have just returned from a bike ride. My stamina still sucks. We did three laps around the park, taking the one mile route and my bike speedometer said 3.34 miles. Perhaps the park got stretched out over the winter. That's close enough to accurate for me.

I'm going to go out on the porch when I finish this and enjoy a glass of wine. I would like to enjoy a glass of beer, but that's still a couple of weeks away. In the meantime, I've lost 12 pounds.

We are talking about getting back on the job of finishing up the TV Room. We haven't worked on it since last Fall. We even moved the couch back in there to accommodate the Christmas tree in the living room. 

Now that we are home more, we might as well get that going.

Now, it's time for some wine followed by some grilled asparagus.

Getting Serious on the Covid

Things are starting to get serious with this CoronaVirus.

Today the Governor shut down all bars and restaurants for two weeks. At the end of the two weeks, they will reassess. Restaurants with delivery or drive up windows can still operate. Pharmacies and Grocery stores are open as well but they may be limiting the number of people in the place at any one time.

Nothing like this has happened since the Spanish Flu epidemic back in 1918. There's a column in the paper where they look back at the news 100 years ago. There was lots of stuff about the flu and how they closed down all kinds of gathering and events.

Social media and round the clock news cycles haven't helped. It seems like they feed the panic. I wish they would ban the Interweb. Of course, that would shut down this ever so interesting blog. I'd have to write this on paper...with a pen...or one of those pencil thingys.

People are hoarding. Toilet paper is never in stock. Now the stores are out of pasta, pasta sauce, and canned goods.

So far, I still have a job. I went in today for a few hours even though I'm supposed to be off on Mondays. We have a lot of work and I'm falling behind on some of it. 

Just Another Covid Sunday

We are experiencing a really lazy Sunday. We slept in until 9:30. For me, that's really decadent. For Susan, it's Heaven.

It's now about 11:30 and we are watching the squirrels eat bungy corn and just getting around to having breakfast for ourselves. Susan is planning on some sort of no carb muffin in a cup. Okay...I can eat that.

The muffin has been eaten. It's pretty dry but palatable with the addition of some sugar free Cool Whip.

Well, I just accomplished my first productive item for the day. I went on line and filled out our 2020 Census form. We shall now be counted. I'm not one who prescribes to conspiracy theory's regarding the Census and have no problem filling it out.

Next I'm going to shower and groom. Even on a Sunday with nothing to do, it is important to keep yourself up.

1:18PM: I am refreshed. I'm not sure what is next on my agenda but I can assure you it is too mundane to discuss here.

3:21PM: We have just returned from a brisk walk around the park. We took the mile route and it took us 21:16 to get around. We can improve that substantially if I could get my shoes tied properly.

4:42PM: This is turning out to be one unexciting post so I'm going to stop wasting your time and shut it down.

SnowRona

Our burgeoning Spring has suffered a set back with the return of Winter. There was a Winter Weather Advisory issued yesterday. The snow started to fall about 2:00 PM and continued through the night and just let up about half an hour ago. 

I'm going to make a hearty breakfast of Cheese Eggs and then get out there with the snow blower.

Other than that, it looks like we are avoiding contact with all other human persons because of the declaration of a national emergency due to the Covid-19 CoronaVirus currently spreading the land.

11:50AM: I have completed my snow blowing duties but it looks as though I may be back out there. Right after I started blowing, it began snowing again and it continues as I write.

Here's how it looked.

Here is a nice photo of the house.

Yup! It really is that blurry out there.

I have just built a nice fire and I did it in the fire place, which seemed to make the most sense.

Here's something I have not run across in the 15 years we've lived here.

I've never had the whole front porch covered with snow. I broke out the shovel since it was going to take a whole lot of effort to lift the snow blower up there. It must have been snowing sideways from the north to do that.

So now, we are hunkering in for a snow-corona day. Snowrona!

9:15PM: Today is the day that most people and bars are celebrating St Patrick's Day. We went over to the Hub to enjoy a couple of glasses of wine and St. Paddy's festivities. Susan won a pair of wine glasses by hanging around so long into the evening that they were the only door prizes left.

The evening is now winding down and we are back home to watch a movie or something before bed.

It's been a good day.

Ski Season 53

I have not been shut out for the 2019-2020 ski season. We skied on Saturday at Lookout Pass. It started out as a lovely semi-warm day that turned to snow just as we ran out of gas.

We got on the chair lift for our first run at 11:00 AM. We skied until 2. We skied a total of 5 runs. That comes out to about $7.40 a run.

I would like to say that the intense snowfall coming down was the reason we decided to quit for the day. But that would be false. We were both totally spent. My stamina has crashed and I need to get it back.

Susan felt the same even though she has been out running and working out.

Having skied this year, I have added to my continuing unbroken ski legacy of  53 years. I hope to get again before everything shuts down. We'll see.

It's great to be in shape. At least, that's what I've heard.

The Hilarity (Torture) Continues

Bungy Squirrel Update

Here is an update on the Squirrel Bungy Cord.

It appears to be very popular with the local squirrels. Well, at least two them. Here are some shots.

The one big problem with this thing is the mess it makes. The squirrels don't eat the whole corn kernel. They just go for the meaty white stuff at the base and drop the rest...for me to clean up. I guess the torture of furry urban park dwellers comes with a price.

Bungy Squirrel

We have a new toy designed to torture squirrels for our amusement. 

It's a Squirrel Bungy Cord. You attach a corn cob to it and then watch the fun as they jump up on it in order to get a little food. 

It's hilarious! Well, I think it will be hilarious. We just got it and they don't seem too interested in it so far.

Lumber Jack and Jill

Yesterday I rented a log splitter to take care of the numerous stumps and branches left over from last year's downing of the tree. (Refer to August 30th, 2019)

I had it for four hours and was not able to complete all the splitting in time. Oh sure, I could have optimized my time by having some gas on hand to fill the tank when the splitter ran dry. I could have organized myself a little better and not spent a chunk of the rental time stacking the wood.

But to be fair, there was a lot of wood out there. I was never going to get it all in four hours.

Today, Susan and I went out in a husband/wife team and did some stacking. I'm happy to say that we got a good pile close to the house that is ready for burning...once it's had the summer to dry out.

I'm working on another stack that will have to be covered with an tarp. ( I know that is an improper use of grammar and yet, I'm leavin' it) I laid down a couple of 4x4 posts I've had rotting in the wood pile to use as a base for this new stack. 

Stacking wood is a lot like putting together a puzzle. You have to find the right pieces to go on the ends and then fill in with assorted chunks as you go. The more stable I make the ends, the higher I can go with the stack.

Susan is not particularly happy with the stack we did. She thinks it is too high and a bit unstable. I will give her that but I don't think it is going to go over. I told her she can give me a good "I told you so!" when it does.

Oscar Oscar Oscar

It is a modest Sunday in the second weekend of February. Superbowl 54 is a week in the rear view mirror. The Kansas City Chiefs won in a remarkable comeback to beat the San Francisco 49er's.

Susan is working a hockey game today and I am puttering around the house. I just finished balancing the checking accounts and now I am going to clean my closet. 

The Academy Awards are tonight but I'm going to delay watching until Susan gets home. Then we can fast forward through all the bullshit. Considering celebrities today and the recent acquittal of President Trump, I expect there will be a lot of bullshit.

Snow Clean Up at Icicle Fantasy Land

Icicles everywhere.

I woke up this morning to a light snow fall coming down but not sticking. After a nice breakfast of CheeseEggs and Ham, I got dressed and headed outside to do some snow blowing tidying up. I cut a path from the back door through the side yard to the front. I cut another path in the backyard to the hot tub.

While engaging in this activity, I noticed the giant icicle that usually forms near the upstairs bathroom was well on the way to being huge. I knocked off what I could from the bathroom window. However, I have some heat cord in that area and I had not plugged it in yet. I requires breaking out the ladder and climbing up there with an extension cord to hook it up. 

A six inch strip of my heat cord had been enveloped by the icicle and so a huge chunk of the icicle remained suspended from the dangling cord.

So now I had to break out the ladder and climb up there with an extension cord to hook it up. I broke it up as much as possible but a large piece remains while the heat cord does it's job.

I just went out and checked on it and it has fallen off. That of course, verifies for me that the heat cord is working.

Snow Blow Man

It's been a busy week for the snow blower. I was out on Tuesday morning and did the driveway and the sidewalk on three sides of my block. I ended up driving that day because when it snows, the bus schedule is not reliable. 

It snowed again on Wednesday night which had me out blowing on Thursday morning. I had to take a break because I ran out of gas. I quickly drove over to the local gas station and procured a gallon of Premium. I got back and had enough time to finish my rounds.

It started snowing last night just after I got home from work. It snowed well into the evening, requiring another round of snow blowing at 6AM. I know it's early but I do my neighbors sidewalks to mitigate any bad feelings. Of course, the neighbors I ignore on the other side of the street hate my snow blowing guts.

Sunday in SnowTown

Round Two of Winter Storm 2020 is happening as I type. It has been snowing for about an hour and if it keeps up like this, I think the 2 to 4 inches predicted in the forecast will come true.

Here are a couple of pictures from around the neighborhood.

If you look very carefully, you can see snow falling.

12:30PM: The snow has stopped. 

12:51PM: The snow has started again.

According to my weather station, it's 38 degrees out. However, I am having less and less confidence in my weather station as more systems on it fail. The anemometer which measures wind speed and direction doesn't work any more as well as the in door temperature sensor.

So I put a thermometer out side and it says 55. I'm going to give some more time to acclimate.

2:47PM: It's 39 degrees. The snow turned to rain and now it has stopped.

5:10PM: We are watching the Seahawks in their playoff game against the Green Bay Packards. It's not going well for the Seahawks. It's halftime and they are down 21-3.

It appears that the snow is over. Perhaps it will happen later tonight and if it does, I might post something about it.

Winter Storm 2020 Aftermath

It has warmed up substantially which has made the 5 inches of snow here at the house even heavier than it was last night. I got up a little after 8 and was firing up my snow blower by 8:30. The chute kept jamming with sloppy slushy snow. It made it very difficult to clear all the snow. Fortunately, my neighbors had gotten out before me and cleared their areas so I had less square footage to cover.

Nonetheless, it took about an hour and a half to clear everything.

There is more snow forecast for tomorrow. I am ready for it and I am also anticipating the arrival of plows in the neighborhood. They will clear the street but they will also create giant berms along the curbs and driveway entrances. Without vigilance of care, it can become a mess quickly.

We have inherited a cat that we don't want. We named him TwoToes because he has two white toes on one foot that stuck out to me.

He's very friendly but he's also very needy. He bit Susan on the arm when she was getting food for him. It wasn't malicious but that didn't keep her arm from swelling and turning red around the area of the bite.

She went to the doctor who prescribed antibiotics.

We are taking TwoToes to SCRAPS today. It's unfortunate but he is not our cat. Especially since Susan (a total cat person) is very weary of him.

Let it Snow

Anticipation builds as we await the coming of a Winter Storm.

Winter Storm 2020!

It's very exciting.

This has been the main focus of the news the last couple of days. This and an avalanche at Silver Mountain that killed three skiers on Tuesday.

The forecast is calling for between four to se7en inches to fall starting around mid day and making the P.M. commute a slide show of fun and dented fenders.

I'm on the bus of course so I'm not too worried about my commute, other than the buses running late.

The snow blower is gassed up and ready to blow. Now I just have to wait for the white stuff.

10:33AM: I just looked out the window and the snow has started. It's not even sticking yet. I guess I should take some pictures of the frosty progress.

Not much happening here. You can't even tell it's snowing.

Here we are at 3:15. The snow has been falling steadily since it began and is still coming down. I don't know if it is going to turn into 7 inches, let alone 4 but we shall see.

In the hour after I took this picture, the snow started to accumulate.
Getting home on the bus during a snow storm is no walk in the park. I waited for half an hour outside work and the 20 minute ride took 40 minutes to get downtown. Once there, my transfer bus was 16 minutes away. Then it was delayed. After 20 minutes, the schedule said 50 minutes. I could walk home in 50 minutes. And so I did.

Now I am home and very happy to be here. 

There is a good seven inches on snow on the ground and it's still coming. I would like to get in a round of snow blowing tonight but I will settle for a little shoveling from the garage to the house.

I must say that I am impressed with the Weather Service. The snow fell just as predicted.

10:35PM: Here is a picture for the statistics of the night.

And here's another for the front yard.

The snow is wet and heavy. Great for making a Snow Individual. Unfortunately, it is raining now. So that individual would wash away. Hopefully by morning.

Christmas Wrap Up

We have made it through Christmas and tomorrow is back to the grind, with a brief respite on Wednesday for New Years Day.

I've had a week off which has been great. However, I don't seem to have accomplished anything to show for the time off. I had wanted to completely clean out my closet and throw a bunch of stuff away. But I am lazy so it didn't happen.

We got three new items for the house. First, a wireless printer. We have been without one for a while and it was becoming frustrating. so we are back in business on that account.

Second, a new scale. The one we have had for several years has been unreliable. I can gain or lose as much as 5 pounds every day. My weight has been hovering around 215. With the new scale, I have gained ten pounds overnight. I'm now hovering around 225. I may go back to the old unreliable.

Thirdly, we have a new wine kit to start. We'll probably do that within the next week. Sounds like a good project for the weekend.

In the meantime, it's back to work tomorrow. It should be an easy week as a lot of people are not back to work yet. i have plenty to do either way.

Merry Christmas from Us

Half String

We are back on track with our regular lives, but regular lives thrust into the middle of the Holiday Season. I am trying to get some lights up in the house but I am running into this problem.

Shown above are two strings of lights. The string on the left works on the front half and the string on the right works on the back half.  Together, they make one good string with lots of extra bulbs in case one goes out...and you can find it. 

I believe this is all part of a huge Chinese conspiracy to take more of our money for lights whilst driving us insane at the same time.

Complimentary Me

I'm going to take a moment to brag about us. So if you're not interested in that sort of thing, I suggest you don't read this any further. But I know you will.

We have finished this years' round of Sky Walk decorating. We did ten sky walks this year and finished our last one just last night. 

Everything went well except for last Thursday night when my defibrillator went off on me. I was up on the ladder and felt the dizzy spell coming on. I got off the ladder and went to the floor and it hit me. It's very shocking! (I love that line) 

There is a period of disorientation afterwards but when I came out of it, Susan was in panic mode (justifiably) and said we were done painting. The odd thing is that after the event, I am fine. I felt okay and I wanted to keep painting. That was not going to happen.

Here is a photo of us in the STA sky walk with our artwork. The theme this year was snow globes. Here are a few more pictures of our work.

Maybe now we can get on with our lives to finish decorating the house and get our Christmas Card sent out.