Everything sublime is as difficult as it is rare. Baruch Spinoza

Sunday, November 6, 2022

Hello Standard Time.

I have missed you 

This is not hyperbole. I really, really don't like daylight saving time. It shows the ridiculous nature of humans, thinking there is some magical hour gained. I'll leave it here. But I will say, welcome normal circadian rhythm.

Yesterday ended up being a full day on this normally quiet and boring piece of earth. Bill came in the morning to put the new motor in the pellet stove. He spent an hour or so cleaning the workings of the stove, then went home to do some adapting of wiring and have lunch. Matthew, my son, in the meantime sent me a text asking if he could come for lunch. The past four times he's asked I've had to say no for legitimate reasons and I thought he may think I'm putting him off. I didn't want him to see my beat up face but I said yes. The past couple of years he has not-so-subtly implied we should move. My faltering condition now combined with the mess of my face wasn't something I looked forward to. And then there is Mark's cancer. He looked disapproving but stayed quiet. 

Bill came back to finish the stove and the four of us talked for awhile before Matthew went home. The stove works, there were some pellets  in the hopper, so it ran until they were gone. Bill was very surprised by the amount of heat it puts out. Mark, ever the optimist, wants to buy one or two bags of pellets to make sure it will continue to work. Of course, I want the pallet. There's no place close to buy them and I see it as a waste to drive 50 miles for a bag of pellets. He thinks I can magically find something close. Get me that wand.

I'm better and today I will visit and catch up. It's a cold but sunshiny day. We have a few above normal temperature days this week, but November is becoming November. We find out on Tuesday what treatment is recommended for Mark's prostate cancer. Having some specifics will help us both. He had a large area on his upper arm cut out on Friday. There was still some cancerous tissue remaining after the last removal. There was enough skin to suture it, which is good. The wound is about five inches and sore. He's restricted for two weeks on use of this arm. He's managing well for a guy without a lot of dexterity!

That's all the news fit to print. Enjoy the "extra" hour.

10 comments:

Val Ewing said...

Well that is a lot to deal with. Hopefully your son understands why you love your place so much?
I know my son suggested a move at that point in time that I become alone here.

I'll consider it but not until all my aged equine are no longer with us. I feel it is my job to care for them as they cared for me.

Aging is full of unknowns and things that happen.

I don't mind the hour change as much as I used to now that I just use my inner time clock more often.

Keep getting better.

Boud said...

I can see your attachment to the place and the need to care for the horses. All in good time! First your health and planning around that. Later the house and those concerns.

Far Side of Fifty said...

I just want the time to stay the same and I don't care which one it is.
Glad you got the stove fixed. Seems strange that you cannot get pellets locally. I think wood stove have such a cozy heat! Glad you finally got a visit with your son. :)

Beatrice P. Boyd said...

The time change is not on my favorites list as well, partly because of the manual clocks we have to reset twice a year. We have a wall of clocks that require manual intervention😀 Glad to read that you are healing, Sandra, and hope You and Mark get more information on his diagnosis this week. Hopefully, the pellet stove repairs will make it usable, but going such a distance for the pellets is an issue. We really miss our former fireplaces, even if they were only gas ones. The small electric one isn’t the same. Any decision to relocate is tough and you will know when it’s the “right” time.

Pixie said...

The tables have begun to turn then, when the kids think they know better. I imagine your son worries about you though.

Glad you're feeling better.

Sandra said...

Val, this is something people not in it don't understand; there is more than just Mark and I involved. I have 14 aged to quite old horses, three barn cats, two house cats and a large dog. The horses are the main issue. I would have to put my horses down if we decided to move. I have lived here for 30 years and like my home but the main issue is the animals I brought into this world.

I don't like the morning being dark so late, we have horses to put out and it really shortens the day when we need to wait for daylight.

Sandra said...

Boud, we'll see what is up with Mark. He enjoys his work on the farm.

Sandra said...

Far Side, we buy pellets by the ton and do that at Fleet Farm, which has the best price. I did find pellets about 10 miles away so we will buy a few bags there before we bring a ton home!

I don't like the late dawn in the winter.

Sandra said...

Beatrice, I am healing! Tomorrow we will know more about what to expect for Mark's treatment. The stove does work but Mark is worried something else may break since it has sat unused for so long. He is right to be cautious. The small electric fireplaces are a good alternative, though. I put one in my mother's basement and really liked it.

Sandra said...

Pixie, you hit the nail on the head. When you have spent the entirety of your life in the inner city you really do know nothing of this life.