Moving Day

In honor of Ms M and Mr C and their move to their first house.

No rhythm, but a great routine

I start every day pretty much the same way, and that's the way I like it. Same breakfast for more than 40 years. I know, that sounds terribly boring but bran flakes and orange juice start me off with a nice layer of comfort that lasts for hours. A shower, breakfast with the newspaper, then I check my email. I like my routine.

Boomer is changing my routine, or trying to.

The dogs have their own routine, which of course involves me. Me getting up at @6:00, when Boomer whines from his crate, to feed them a dribble of kibble and put them out in the yard. I go back to bed, and they stay out until I get up, 2-4 hours later. (I am trying to change 20 years of night owl hours, but it is slow going)

I shower, they come inside and nap, while I eat and read. The problem comes when I hear a low rumbling growl behind my seat at the computer. Ignoring it causes the sound level to rise, and the grumbler to circle around in front of me. As soon as I make eye contact, Boomer barks happily and bounces in the air.

He has decided I can have a half hour to read email and check blogs. I know he doesn't have a watch, but it's 30 minutes every time.  Not long enough, dog.

I've got people to check up on, a growing list of interesting, funny, touching stories to read, writers to envy, pictures to look at, peeping in on other folk's lives and  following up on other people's problems and cheering their victories. My kind of social life!

Tomorrow is my one year blogiversary, but I will be traveling to help Ms M and Mr C with the move to their new house, so won't be posting then. When I started this, I thought it would be just a fun way to write down thoughts etc, just for me. And it is. I amuse myself.  But it's also been a nice surprise lurking reading other blogs and I think that keeps me coming back online here just as much as mine does.

(I'll get up early enough tomorrow to leave an hour for my morning routine, but Boomer will be very unhappy when his is changed)

Enjoying the Thaw

Last week I read an article which said January 18 was the most depressing day of the year, according to several surveys and polls, etc. I don't remember any more details, but I find is easy to agree with the choice, although any date in January or February is a real contender!  So, when I spent most of the week doing a lot of reading, and not a whole lot of anything else, I blamed the scientists. They said it, not me- I just went along with the depression.

But!  But, then after a cold, snowy, snowy, period, a sort of tiny miracle happened. Our January thaw arrived. We had lots of rain and wind, and warmer temperatures- up to 48!- and lots of the snow is gone. I no longer need ski poles to traverse my driveway. And look what I saw today:

I don't know why pansy is a slur used to mean wimpy- Look at them, those suckers are tough!  I heart pansies.

Of course, living with J means finding other stuff unexpectedly popping up. This appeared when the snow melted on our bulkhead.

 

Obviously put there for safekeeping.

Last week, I was worrying about seeing Rosie sitting on a mound of snow that had slid off a shed roof. It was in a corner of the yard, and her head was close to being level with the fence top, which I found had pulled away from the wall. If Rosie had tried leaning on it, she would have been out. But, today, ta da! Threat removed.

You couldn't see that chair 5 days ago. (And please ignore the desperate need for paint)

Last goodie to be seen  now is the great bargain we got on 2 rolls of 6 foot chain link fencing. That will create our chicken wonderland next spring. We'll continue behind the shed, and enclose our raspberry/sumac tangle for the hens to ramble safely.

I know, not too exciting, but $13.00 for each 50 foot roll- that's a heck of a deal, people!  Plus look at the bare ground- under more than 2 feet of snow a week ago.

I crawled out of my dark hole of apathy and danced in the fleeting joy that is the January Thaw. And that's a good thing.

Hmmm

J is in the other room watching the news, and called out to me:
"I guess I need to get married again"
"Oh? Why?"
"They said men getting married now tend to marry richer women"
"You didn't mean get married again to me?!?'
"Not unless you get a job"