Sunday, March 3, 2024

March comes in like a lamb


 We had, it seems, the last blizzard of our winter on 2/28 & 2/29.  This has been such a strange winter in the UP.  We have set record breaking high temperatures as well as record breaking low amounts of snow.  Many of our sled dog, snowmobile and skiing events have been canceled this year because of lack of snow.  A great many businesses that thrive on our winter tourism are also hurting.  The weather people are calling this "The Lost Winter".  Personally, B and I like the "Lost Winter" and hope it turns up again next year.  Our temperatures have been in the high 40s and low 50s.  Saturday 3/3, we made it to 59!  Wow!  This has definitely lifted my spirits.  As you can probably tell, B and I are not winter people.

Unfortunately, my oldest son and dil, who live in Reno, NV are getting the weather we usually get.  Since Friday, they have gotten 2-4 feet of snow.  My son is not happy since he has to shovel it.  I tol him he should get a snowblower but he says this is a rare occurence and will probably not happen again.  I said that I thought Mother Nature was trying to tell him to get the snowblower anyway.  He laughed.  My grandpuppy, Buster is loving the snow.  They had to shovel a path front the back door to the yard so he could go out.  He loves it!  They sent us a video of him jumping, running and having a great time in the snow.  I am happy someone likes it.

Buster enjoying the snow in Reno
 

Health issues are plaguing B and I.  I had a bone density scan last week and they found osteoporosis in both hips and my spine-more pills for that.  B has to have his other eye cataract surgery done this spring and then it is my turn to get mine done.  It is hell to get old (as my fil used to always say).

We got our taxes done and were happy to get a refund, which has already come in.  We didn't get anything from the state of Michigan but then again we didn't have to pay either which is just fine.

With so many changes going on with Medicare, BXBS and Tricare, we have been having problems getting our medications.  So we have decided to just go thru our local pharmacy.  The costs are not bad (knock on wood) and we are able to get the medications and refills in a timely manner.

I am so looking forward to Spring.  I am jealous of those of you who can open your windows, have blooming flowers and can sit outside.  Hopefully, I will have that soon.
 

Al waiting for spring and the birds and squirrels at the feeders here at home

 

Wednesday, February 7, 2024

Catching up


February started quietly which is always good in my book.  

On Thursday, the first, B took a large donation to St. Vincent DePaul store and 2 bags of groceries to their food bank.  I am constantly decluttering and usually have a bag or two to be donated.  I also look at sale items in the grocery store which not only we can use at home but I can also add to the bag for the food bank.

On Friday, Ground hog Day, we definitely got a laugh over the groundhog predicting an early spring for two reasons...one, the UP has never had a winter with springtime temperatures in decades like we are going thru now and two, our calendar on the four seasons and when they happen are usually just looking outside to see what it is doing.  Our weather never matches the calendar (or the groundhog).

On Saturday, we went to an antique show where the only thing we saw we liked was way overpriced. Then to the Hallmark store for Valentine cards for friends and family.  Craft Store was next to purchase some thread for some needlepoint projects I am working on.  Then B suggested we try the new Panera restaurant that just opened.  B had a bowl of chicken noodle soup and a bacon turkey sandwich. I had a bowl of tomato soup with a grilled cheese sandwich.  Both were very good and we plan to go again.  We talked about the Texas Roadhouse restaurant which is supposed to be open in the spring and we will try that out.

Sunday was a sit around the house, watch movies and do nothing day (which is something we are quite good at).  Heard from our oldest son who lives in Nevada.  They got almost a foot of snow because of that storm moving into California and then into Nevada.  Since they never get that kind of weather, he did not have a snowblower so he was shoveling most of the day.  The only one really enjoying it was our grandpuppy Buster who likes to play in the snow.  I told my son that all the snow was so he wouldn't be homesick this time of year.  He told me he would rather be homesick for dad and me and not the snow.

Monday, we spent a good portion of the day on the computer trying to figure out when we could go to Nevada to visit our oldest son and dil.  What we found was more expensive than we thought and layovers in airports that were ridiculously long.  We will keep working on it.

Tuesday, the national and state news were full of good news which brightened our day.