Category Archives: Weather related
Snow, dogs, and a touch of insanity
Posted by doggonedmysteries
We had less snow than the weather reporter said we’d get. I woke to the sound of shoveling and then Gavin barking at AJ who had just finished clearing our driveway. He wanted her to pay attention to him. It’s nice not to have to worry about clearing the MIL’s walks and ours.
The pups don’t mind snow if it isn’t deep and they don’t have to be outside long. The sissies. They do tend to raise hell after they’ve been outside, chasing each other around the house. Watching them is like watching the balls bounce around in the lottery drawings. With one exception, the lottery balls don’t move the furniture and bounce off cupboard doors.
During their wrestling matches and mad dashes, I pray the furniture survives. We can’t help but giggle at them when Patty gets the upper hand, grabs Gavin’s collar, and drags him around. It’s a hoot.
Twice today, DH had to remove Gavin’s collar and readjust it to the right size. Patty can sure be a pistol when she wants to be one.
Posted in Dog related, Weather related
Tags: Author, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Craft of writing, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Home, Humor, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Pet humor, Post A Day, Rescue Dogs, Snow, Writer, Writing
Mother Nature gave us a big break
Posted by doggonedmysteries
We were lucky we only got a little over two inches of snow while the major portion of the storm hammered south and east of us. A couple of places in NJ had 28 inches of snow. I’m glad we don’t live there.
It won’t take long for the snow we have to go away. The forecast for the coming week claims rising temperature climbing to fifty degrees by next Monday. Can you say yippee? I sure can.
We did get wind and lots of it. I swear we’ve had more wind this year than I can remember having over the last thirty plus years. At least it’s cleaning the dead wood out of the trees, which is something I hadn’t done this fall.
Neither Gavin nor Patty like the wind or the snow and are quick to be about their business outside. My poor wussy pups. They will be happy when things warm up later this week.
The new heater for the pond is working well, we have very little ice, and that is only where our Pan fountain is running at a weak trickle.
Posted in my garden, Weather related
Tags: Author, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Craft of writing, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Home, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Snow, Writer, Writing
Isn’t it spring yet?
Posted by doggonedmysteries
Okay, Christmas is over, can we stop with the TV specials and Christmas carols now? After all, they began back in October, and to be honest, I am completely, utterly, and thoroughly sick and tired of them.
We have snow and wind, and more snow. It’s cold. Cabin fever is already starting.
As of now, I am looking forward to Saint Patrick’s Day and spring. I have had enough winter weather in only two days to make me wish for March and the promise of spring.
I am ready to dig in the garden and plant things. I want warm sun and fresh air.
Posted in Holidays, Weather related
Tags: Author, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Craft of writing, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Home, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Snow, Writer, Writing
Are you a bad weather survivalist?
Posted by doggonedmysteries
As we on the East Coast batten down the hatches and prepare for our first blizzard of the season, some of us still hold out the hope that the storm turns seaward. Well, at least those of us who are sane do.
The idea of an oncoming blizzard sends some people into a strange frenzy of activity. They panic and become bad weather survivalists. They crowd into the grocery stores.
I know these people. Although they have an unopened gallon of milk in the fridge, they dash to the store to buy five more along with tons of other things they already have. Heaven forbid they don’t buy out the store on paper products.
We have these storms all the time and it may take a day or two for the streets to get plowed but plowed they get. Stores have their lots plowed privately; their doors open ASAP, they want to make a profit.
We’re more of the keep things on hand so we don’t have to make panic runs sort. I hate to shop and shopping in crowds of bad weather survivalists is almost as bad as shopping on black Fridays. I refuse to do it.
Posted in Weather related
Tags: Author, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Craft of writing, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Home, Humor, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Snow, Writer, Writing
Glad I wasn’t the only loony outside in the cold
Posted by doggonedmysteries
At two forty one a.m. dressed in a heavy coat, scarf, hat, gloves, and winter boots, I stood outside to watch the lunar eclipse. For a while, I thought I was the only idiot outside in the freezing cold and windswept neighborhood. I stood in my driveway sheltered from most of the wind thinking that all my neighbors had more sense than I did. However, I wasn’t going to miss this. The sky was perfectly clear.
While going inside for another cup of coffee I heard a voice. My next-door neighbor’s son had a camera aimed out their front door focused on the astral show. After I refilled my coffee cup, he joined me outside. It was nice to have company with which to share the event.
We talked and watched the sky. He saw a meteorite streak by to the south but I missed because it my eyes were focused on the moon in the west. His mother came home from her night job and joined us but only for a little while. It was too cold for her.
Posted in Misc, Weather related
Tags: Astronomy, Author, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Craft of writing, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Home, Life, Love, Lunar eclipse, Moon, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Winter solstice, Writer, Writing
Windy and cold
Posted by doggonedmysteries
It’s been the most blustery year we’ve ever had here. We had wind all summer and now more wind to drop the already cold temperatures into the cellar, so to speak. Baby, it’s cold outside is no joke around here.
Gavin and Patty are choosing to stay inside until they absolutely MUST go out. No, I’m not complaining one bit about that. I prefer staying warm. The Jacket I bought a few weeks ago has helped a lot I didn’t realize how much cold my old jacket let through.
We’ve not had any real snow other than the one storm we had come through several weeks ago. That snow was gone by evening. We have had light snow showers that don’t seem to make it to the ground. I’m good with that.
With wind chills in the low twenties, I’m cooking more stick to the ribs type meals too. This makes DH very happy.
Cold weather to me means soup weather. I am the soup lover in the house but he’s beginning to enjoy them more as long as they’re home made. He actually asked when I was going to make my scallop bisque again.
Posted in Weather related
Tags: Author, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Craft of writing, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Home, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Wind chill, Writer, Writing
Recaps and updates
Posted by doggonedmysteries
DH’s mother isn’t doing well. Most days she doesn’t recognize him. The stress has caused some problems with his MS. The other day when he woke he had trouble getting out of bed and walking. The same thing happened today.
DH has new neurologist and she’s sending him to a rehab center for aqua-therapy. I think he might benefit greatly from it.
Since I’m writing this at two a.m. Gavin hasn’t been to the vet yet. He goes at three in the afternoon. I’ll probably post about his visit there tomorrow.
All that heavy rain and strong winds not only caused me problems with my server but our roof leak came back. It only leaks when it rains and the winds are over 25 mph. The wind hit gusts of over 45 mph. The leak was very small this time, thank goodness. Our roofer has tried to stop the leak for years. His offices are two doors down from us and since he did the main repair work years ago, he’s been trying to stop the leak free of charge for years.
Posted in Dog related, Misc, MS related, Weather related
Tags: Author, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Craft of writing, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Dogs, Family, Fiction, Home, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Writer, Writing
Back to the cold weather exercise
Posted by doggonedmysteries
It was cold outside today. It was a good time to get a few things done inside. I cleared out a lot of the clutter that had developed in the back bedroom, due to laziness on my part, when it came to taking things to the attic. It’s not an easy staircase to maneuver while carrying things. Therefore, I tended to drop things in the bedroom while promising myself I’d haul them to the attic later.
Now I can get at my exercise equipment again. With the cold weather coming, it is a good thing. I can spend a half hour a day on my weights and exercise ball no problem now. There’s even a nice CD player in there to play some hard rocking exercise music.
After all, at my age it’s difficult to keep the muffin top and bat wings at bay so proper exercise is important. Once the cold weather sets in G and I can’t take our weekly one-mile walks, which helped.
As I said in another post, I wear flip-flops all the time. When I went in for a stress test, I wore them and the doctor thought I should change into sneakers. I told him I would be fine and much to his surprise I was.
Posted in Misc, Weather related
Tags: Author, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Coffee, Craft of writing, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Home, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Physical exercise, Writer, Writing
I should have duck feathers
Posted by doggonedmysteries
We had a lot of rain today and Gavin and Patty, for some perverted reason, wanted to go out every five minutes. I soaked all my shoes and waterlogged every jacket I own. Dripping jackets hung from every kitchen chair back and coat hook by nightfall. Our weather forecasters have proclaimed that this winter we will have more rain than snow.
That is when it hit me; I don’t own anything that’s even remotely waterproof. DH has three waterproof jackets. I could borrow one of his jackets without him complaining. Nevertheless, wouldn’t it be better if I had my own? You bet.
I hate to shop. However, it looks as though I’ll have to start hunting for the perfect waterproof jacket. While I’m at it might be a good idea to find some rain boots too.
Posted in Weather related
Tags: Author, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Craft of writing, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Home, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Writer, Writing
Leaf leapers—another year gone by
Posted by doggonedmysteries
The yard is a sea of leaves and the trees still have more to drop. It wouldn’t be so bad except now they are wet leaves. As soon as they dry, it’s time for me to put on the work gloves and get raking.
Patty and Gavin love the leaves. I think the silly dogs are both dying for me to rake them into piles into which they can leap. They’re worse than kids are about leaf piles.
Each dog has its own style of leaf pile diving. Patty loves to race up to the pile, leap high, and land in the center. Gavin prefers the tank style of plowing through them.
They both love it when I join in on the fun. They hop about begging me to kick leaves up into the air for them to pounce on. You’d never guess that Gavin had his tenth birthday on November 1 with all his energy.
I find it hard to believe it was ten years ago that I picked up that little eight-week-old white puppy at the airport customs office. He was a ball of energy then and hasn’t slowed since.
Posted in Dog related, Weather related
Tags: Author, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Craft of writing, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Dogs, Family, Fiction, Home, Humor, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mystery, Novel writing, Pets, Rescue Dogs, Writer, Writing
The frost absconded and the green tomatoes fried
Posted by doggonedmysteries
The other night there came a dire weather prediction. Possible frost! I nipped out to the garden with shears and a basket. I cleaned all the tomatoes, ripening and green ones, from the vines. The last two eggplants joined them in the basket. We didn’t get the frost and now I have a large basket of green tomatoes on my table.
Last night for dinner, I took advantage of having green tomatoes on hand. I sliced them, dusted them with seasoned flour, dipped them egg then a seasoned cornmeal and breadcrumb mixture, and fried them to a lovely golden brown. I placed them on a cookie sheet and kept them warm in the oven while I cooked the rest of our dinner.
Which, since I’d already headed down south with the tomatoes, and had a hot frying pan ready, made me make a quick decision to turn DH’s hamburger steak and my steak into chicken fried steaks. Well, then when the steaks were done, I had to make redeye gravy didn’t I?
At least I stopped there and didn’t add mashed potatoes. We would’ve burst had I made them too. As it was, we were full.
Posted in Food, my garden, Weather related, Writer
Tags: Author, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, comfort foods, Cooking, Craft of writing, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Food, fried green tomatoes, Gardening, Gardens, Home, home cooking, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, redeye gravy, Tomato, Writer, Writing
After the storm
Posted by doggonedmysteries
With very strong winds gusting and pushing the rain from the south, our roof leaked again. This only happens when conditions are right and conditions were perfect. I cussed the weather and roof and set out the usual buckets. If we could afford it, I’d have that entire roof torn off and redone so it never leaks again.
Since we often have a problem with the power going out in fractious weather, I cooked the bacon for our BLTs early in the afternoon. This time our power stayed on much to our surprise. I told DH it was because for once I was prepared for the worst. I guarantee had I not cooked the bacon for our dinner the power would’ve gone out. I will keep that in mind for future storms.
I see we have some small tree branches down and there are a few plants in the garden that look like an elephant stepped on them. Today is still gray so I’ll wait for clear skies before I go out and clean up the mess. In the meantime, I have buckets to empty, walls to scrub, and more cussing to do.
Posted in Weather related, Writer, Writing
Tags: Author, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Construction and Maintenance, Craft of writing, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Gardening, Gardens, Home, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, weather, Writer, Writing
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