Roses Put to Bed

November 20th - Wednesday 46 degrees

Lou and I took advantage of the warmer temperatures today.  Lou had purchased a bale of rye straw from Walter  Sampson and we thought it would be a great afternoon to put the roses to bed for the winter.  It was 17 degrees last night and was the perfect temperature to secure the roses for the winter.  I was glad to have the job done before my surgery and before hunting season started.  I believe this completes our outside jobs.

Lou used the heavy nylon ties that the straw was tied with to tie up the bittersweet vine that we trimmed this fall.  I had tied it up with string, but it wasn't strong enough for the wind that we get  here in the valley and it broke and down came the newly trimmed vine.

While Lou was gone getting his hair cut, I got the garage vacuumed up, rugs washed and put back down and Christmas decorations put on the back deck.

Back Deck

Before he got back I was able to get a few things out in the house, I have never decorated before Thanksgiving, but think I will be glad later that it is done.  Now, I have had my shower, have my dinner ready for tomorrow night, will do my nails and I will be ready to go to the hospital in the AM for my surgery.

Still Baking

November 19th - Tuesday - Windy and Cold

I am busy getting the freezer full of goodies to help Lou out while I am confined to a sling for two weeks and decided that I would make some sticky buns for a friend for his birthday, as he doesn't get homemade baked goods.  I finished cleaning up the house today with the exception of the kitchen floor and want to do that tonight after dinner.  Then tomorrow, I want to get a few Christmas things out, as when I took time to count up the weeks that I would be confined, I would miss my decorating days and I can't have that.  I had already decided to forego the outside decorating.

Krista and Matthew came down Saturday afternoon and we got all of the wreaths ready for the cemetery and Lou and I delivered them yesterday, so that little job is all taken care of.  We even took straw to cover the newly planted bulbs that we had planted, so they will be kept warm this winter.

Wreaths are ready

Matthew is getting old enough to know that his grandparents live next door and when I walk in the door he goes for his shoes and he is ready to go with me.  Last week he wanted to come down and I couldn't take him and told him that he could come the next day after his nap.  It was cute, when he got up in the morning, he got out of bed, put his boots on and told Krista "go".

Matthew wearing his new hat and mittens that Krista crocheted

He loves to be outside and is content doing nothing or just walking around watching us do whatever needs to be done.  Loves to watch the birds, bugs, and anything that is moving around outside.  Very inquisitive.

Getting Ready

November 112th - Tuesday - 27 degrees, snowy and windy

I was a little late getting my breakfast this morning.  This was the morning that Lou meets with his retired buddies from Schweitzer and he was up and out early, so I followed him out and cleaned the sidewalks and decks.  It didn't take long before I realized that the snow shovels were still down in the barn, I tried to use the leaf blower to blow the snow off, but it was frozen down, so it took a little longer to complete the job.  I even had to use salt on part of the drive way, as it really wasn't safe to walk on some of it.  Hope this isn't a sample of what is to come.

I was glad that last night before I went to bed, I did something that I used to do when the kids were still at home.  I put oatmeal in my small crock pot, added a chopped up apple, some cinnamon and brown sugar and let it cook all night, so I had hot oatmeal when I came in from the cold.  Certainly tasted good.

I spent yesterday in the kitchen preparing food for the freezer to enjoy after my surgery.  I made a double batch of bread, sticky buns and cinnamon rolls with raisins.  Froze five quarts of applesauce, did apple slices in a sauce that our family is very fond of, two pans of apple dumplings and a double batch of white bean chicken chili.  Thanks to Krista, I had to borrow several ingredients from her, as my baking supplies were low, but she is always well stocked.  Certainly seemed good to be able to spend time doing those kinds of things.  Now that my house is clean, I feel like I can do the things I enjoy doing them.  I did a double batch of gingersnaps as they are Lou's favorite cookie.  I still want to do chocolate chip cookies and snickerdoodles, but need to get to the grocery store first.

I am baking a ham for dinner tonight and have asked my brother to eat dinner with us then I will have the ham to do several casseroles that I can freeze for later.  Jerry is still having a rough time, and it seems like everyone thinks he should recover from the death of his wife quickly and those of us that have been through this know it takes a long time and actually I don't think you ever "get over it".  You just learn to live with the loss.

Yesterday when I went to Krista's to borrow new yeast, Matthew went to his room and got his shoes and brought them to me, he wanted to come home with me, this was new for him, so he came home with me and played while I baked my bread and stayed for about an hour, and he was ready for his dinner and I walked him home after dark.  I had rearranged our living room and put a toy chest out for him with toys for him and he was delighted to find all of his things ready for him.

Lou received many phone calls on Veteran's Day, all to wish him well wishes, which he certainly appreciated.  One was from his grandson in Afghanistan, actually that came on Sunday, and he was able to talk to Spencer for over an hour, then we brought up his location on google maps and Lou really enjoyed being able to see exactly where he was.  Lou is recovering from a fractured rib, so he has been spending his time inside working on his slides.  He had a mishap while cleaning the spouting on the garage.  It is a touchy subject, as he wasn't supposed to clean it, as I always do that one, and we had made a deal......  Steve had offered to help him on Friday, but no Lou would do....... did someone mention stubborn???

Yesterday we saw something that I have never seen before, we were eating lunch and watching the birds in the feeder and looked at the flat behind the barn and saw a huge flock of birds eating where Jerry had corn, usually they are blackbirds, but they looked to be the wrong color, I told Lou they looked like Mourning Doves, we went out on the deck for a closer look and that is exactly what they were, as far as we could see.  The field is seven acres and it was covered with Doves.  Never thought of taking a picture, just was amazed at the sight!!  

A Mixtures of Visitors

November 5th - Tuesday PM - Cool and Windy

We have had a busy week since the last posting and I will attempt to bring you up to date on the happenings at our house.  I will work backwards as that seems to be how my mind works best at this point.  My good friend Trish, from Louisiana has been here for almost a week and what a pleasure her visits are.  I always look forward to these special times.  She is the type of friend that just takes up where we left off.  This time was very rewarding, as it looks like now she is finally going to be able to relocate to our area and I can't wait, as we seem to enjoy doing a lot of the same things and always have a good time together.  She found a home that she liked and will order it this spring so now it is forward we go!!

Prior to her arrival, Krista and Michelle had each taken a day to help me with some fall house cleaning.  I now have the living room and the guest bathroom to finish along with the hardwood floors to accomplish.  Of course, the hobby room will need to be done; however, Lou is still working on his slides and I can't do that room until he has that project completed and that won't be for some time.

Lou was able to get the lawn tractor all winterized, the mowing deck off, cleaned, repainted and the blades sharpened and everything put back together.  He has gotten the water to the barn turned off and put to bed for the winter.  Tomorrow afternoon, we want to get the spouting cleaned out and the garden finished up and perhaps some pine put in the plant boxes.

The little buck that has been spending the summer with us is still around and calling on us.  The guys in the hunting camp were up for bow season and I cautioned them about his and Ed told me that they wouldn't shoot him, as he was just too dumb, the poor little guy, he just doesn't seem to realize the danger of man.

He comes daily and eats the grass in our yard

On Halloween we had visitors also, but can only include a few of the pictures.  It was great to have Wyatt, and so good to know that he and his family will be back in our area to live after the many years his daddy has been in the Marines.

Lou, Travis, Noell and Wyatt

Krista and Matthew were down early on Halloween, as they were going into Wellsboro so that Matthew could go with his cousin, Nick he had a better idea of what Trick and Treat was this year, but he can't have the majority of the candy due to his allergies, do Lou picked out a little truck for him and I got him a book on potty training, that flushes and he thought that was pretty neat.

The Soldier - Matthew

Now to bring you up to date on the MRI of my shoulder.  I had a return appointment with the orthopedist on Monday and was told that the surgery I had in February was not successful and that I also have a fresh rotator cuff tear that needs to be repaired.  No wonder I have such severe pain.  I am scheduled to have my preadmission testing tomorrow and the surgery is scheduled for the 21st of November with the possibility of it being moved up to the 14th of November.  I will be at least two weeks in a sling, then six to eight weeks of physical therapy.  This is much more extensive surgery than I had done in February, so I am going to be a busy person to get ready for the upcoming weeks ahead.  Need I say more!!