b goes bloggish

Brrrrrr
Only 9˚F for a high today, I’m only doing the shoveling I need to today, it’ll got up to a steamy 20˚ tomorrow and sunny and will be much more hospitable then. I’m grateful I kept my electricity throughout.
Warren, my landscaper who only stops by to push the snow around, came by again at 6AM for his clean up round.

My cottage is on the market. Most of the pictures were taken by drone and the pictures excited my redoubtable west coast realtor who was very impressed.

I’m grateful to have shared a moment with a barred owl on the way back from getting the mail.  I saw it flying at thought it was a hawk, for a moment, but the tail was short.  With that eerie silence as it flew.  It calmly watched me as I came in view up the driveway and watched me watching it as I stood and stared.  As you know, I’m having an abundant mouse year and that owl looked hungry.  This is the second time I’ve seen a daytime owl, I suspect more because there is abundant food here, rather than because they are going to solve my mouse infestation.  Hope that isn’t too bloodthirsty, I mean, most people like owls and don’t want them to starve.

I’m grateful to be warm.

I’m grateful to have gotten my shoveling done early and that the snow was light, that’s what temps in the teens will do.

I’m grateful to have found a bag of balsam I saved after taking apart a wreath.  I threw some into the wood stove and the scent is faint but very present.  I think the scent of dried balsam on a hot humid day, is the most intensely sweet thing I have ever smelled.  I keep a couple of old Christmas trees that I collect from the neighbors in early Jan tied up in a “teepee” near the bird feeder so they have cover nearby.  By the time summer comes, they are crisp and sweet and on a still, warm day, they are almost overwhelming.

I’m grateful I’ve gotten most of my utilities going.  Working on making lemonade from this, the taxes here are low, but I have to pay $102/month for city “utilities” that includes trash, sewer, pavement fixing, a couple other things I thought taxes were for, other than water and sewer.  $1224/year plus water.  Apparently sewer is a set rate and water is extra.  Makes me less appreciative of all the little sprinklers in the gardens.  They are very efficient but there are a whole lot of them.  I wonder what xeriscaping would look like?  Maybe I’ve just been a country mouse for too long, hauling my own stuff to the transfer station, using water from the well and a septic system.

Imagine

Not only was I embarrassed about falling on the Post Office steps, but this elderly gentleman tried to help me up and ended up hurting his back. When it was clear that I had a major injury to my hip, we agreed I should just stay quiet until the ambulance came. Once I got to the ER, the x-rays showed an uncomplicated fracture and they arranged for surgery this morning. They gave me meds through the night, which was a long one and made me itch all night, I hardly slept.
Hospitals scare me. if I get a hospital acquired infection I might be hospitalized weeks longer and since they will be doing surgery on my hip (ie bones,) if an infection gets in there, I’m done. Forming a pulmonary clot is also a big risk for this sort of injury. I know too much.
So now I thirsty and I can’t eat or drink anything. I’ve been awake on and off all night, my hip hurts. I had to call Mo because he was supposed to meet me to clear out the garage. I’m going to be in the hospital for a while and the closing for my new house was next Mon which I won’t get to and I may even need to go to rehab. Looks like my trip to Oregon in 2 weeks is off too. Realistically there’s no way I’ll be mobile enough to get my house ready to sell and pack it all up to move by April.

All of the above is my lemonade factory. All of that unreal scenario would be true if I had actually fallen, leaving me sitting in a hospital bed in pain, wishing I hadn’t slipped and fallen and thinking how easily one’s life can radically change in an instant. But! Instead, I’m sitting at home in front of the fire, Mo came by to take away some more stuff to the transfer station and I’m finalizing my decisions on how I want my new house painted. I often fail to appreciate the enormity of some of the disasters I have narrowly missed and the gratitudes I never think to have.

Also, I’m grateful for a lowered total of expected snow tonight
and that Mo took some more stuff to the transfer station.
That I have picked out the colors for my house and will probably get it painted when I’m visiting, before there’s any furniture.
And I’m realizing that I have some wonderful things for my new house that have stayed packed or have not had the pride of place they deserve in the general chaos of my house.

The morning is bright and cold and quiet.  There is a wealth of seeds from the bird feeder scattered about, as it was tossed and wacked all night in the gusts, and birds and squirrels abound this morning enjoying the feast.  

(Wheels within wheels, levels upon levels, turtles all the way down  . . . . )
Above a suddenly quite yard, the Cooper’s Hawk spent some time overseeing the back yard.  Suddenly my bird feeder had become a bait station.
I reached the man who will sand the driveway, I was planning on going out today, but I didn’t want to try the gleaming ribbon of light that winds between my house and the road.  I’m grateful he remembers me, and he’s grateful that I don’t need sanding until tomorrow, so I’m first, right after his coffee. Wearing my spikes, I walked down the driveway easily enough and got 2 days of mail and newspaper.  

Looking forward as I am, to going out west in Feb, I am starting to wonder if the government shut-down will affect my flight.  It’s put off until Feb 15^thso barring weather, I hope to get there.  We’ll see about getting home.

Mid Feb of course, means weather, and potential delays.  I may have to make lemonade from it all, and I expect I will get to practice my calming techniques.  

I’m grateful that the Air B&B people agreed to return my month’s rent if they get someone else in. Anyone want a B&B in Oregon City for April?

I paid a month’s rent when I thought I’d need a base to house hunt from.  I did know I might get caught, but they seem like good folks, so I think they’ll treat me fairly.

Gratitudes abound

There was no standing water in the basement, the furnace didn’t get flooded and all the wood was stacked up on risers.

I’m glad I found out the tops on the dumpster had blown open last night before more than the 4” of water already collected, was increased.

I’m glad the gray squirrel is as annoyed by the constantly yacking and yelling a red one this morning.  Not that I’m happy that the gray is annoyed, but after a few gray chases, we both have a bit of peace, although I’m sure the red one will be back soon.  Red squirrels are as much an aural experience as anything and . . . I’m so happy I don’t have that sort of temperament!