Self-Satisfied

I normally post in the morning but my morning was otherwise occupied in the kitchen. I made a large pot of chicken and dumpling soup, which I had intended to do several days ago, and a loaf of bread. Job well done!

My mental/emotional health is much better, leading me to much more engagement in life than I've had in three years. Pain still plagues me, although it is significantly reduced. I can honestly say I almost feel okay. The dough for this bread spends 14-18 hours in the bowl before using. Then another two hours covered after a loaf is formed. Crispy outside, soft inside. 

It's interesting how life changes and suddenly I'm delighted I had it in me to make soup and bread in the same morning. Feeling rather full of my often sorry self! 

Popping In

Another day. Another loaf.

March has flown by. People always said time goes by faster the older you get. It certainly seems true, even though it's not in actuality. Did we simply not pay attention when young? Probably.

Down That Lane

Remember when girls had "Hope Chests"? A cedar chest given to the girl, in my family, on her sixteenth birthday. She was to fill it with linens and needle work and such, for the day all proper girls longed for.....that walk down the aisle. I highly doubt this tradition carried on beyond my generation, and I doubt it was as strong then as it had been in the generations before. Good riddance for the meaning behind the chest, but they are a handy thing to have for storage.

This belonged to my mother. After she died I brought it home. I have sentimentality for items passed down through generations, even one that was hers. It was given by the grandmother I loved. The interior is so pretty. I use it for blanket storage and as a furniture piece in the living room.

I took a quick photo of mine, disturbing Frieda's morning rest. I had French provincial furniture, which I still have, but I painted it years ago. Except for the chest. I never did fill it with the proper items, but the stuff of a teenage girl who'd never even had a boyfriend. Marriage was not on my mind. It makes a good platform for a cat bed. It seems so much has changed, and yet, when you look, not all that much. The pressure to move backward is no joke.

When my mother died in 2020 I brought boxes and boxes of things home to go through. I did some, but most were deposited in my office and left to gather dust. I still have her beautiful china packed in a box. These past several days I have been tackling that task. Lots of photos, her family were pathological about photographing their lives. I came across this school photo of me. Can we say 1960s look! I don't remember this photo, so I don't know how old I was for sure, but maybe around that sixteenth year? Can you dig those cat eye glasses!

I believe I was born with that look on my face. I see it in many childhood photos. Sort of a go-ahead-try-it-look. I could have been the murderer in a Perry Mason episode. My god, that was a long time ago. I don't even remember this me.

The work in my office is moving along, when I'm not finding items that send me back into memory to mull over. We are having more snow after the undramatic rain yesterday. I continue to feel much better, so I am hopeful it's not temporary. It would be wonderful to engage in living again. I may be able to drive to my next medical appointment myself. I haven't driven a car for three years. I couldn't walk very far, meaning I needed to be dropped at the door. I lost independence, something I never would have anticipated happening to me. I am doing my limited version of a happy dance.

Take care, dance if you feel the urge.

Snow. Rain.

We got a foot of snow yesterday and then overnight rain. Rain is supposed to start again around noon. Kind of a mess, but we need the moisture so I won't do the usual complaints. The horses get a day in the barn, I don't want them out in cold rain. They are my barn puffs.

We had leftovers from the evening before. I had some pork chop leftover that I made into a kind of Alfredo casserole meal on the stove top. It was good and I like turning one meal into a different thing altogether. Grilled chops become Pork Alfredo!

If it's Monday, it's laundry day. It is Monday so that will take up the morning. I plan to make ciabatta rolls this afternoon. We all know what generally happens with my plans, but there it is. I am feeling so much better. The dopamine in the Wellbutrin has perked me up and the Celebrex is really helping my back. I'm not pain free, but it's a level of pain I can deal with. I've made headway with my office. That is very satisfying for me. The best thing is, I'm able to do this without feeling like I'm dying a slow death of torture. Most welcome.

Off to laundry duty. 

 

Sunshine. No Lollipops.

Good late morning from the Northland.

Sun is shining, snow is melting. We are expecting 6"-12"of snow starting tomorrow. We need it. I had done some physical work on Thursday, so I gave my back a rest yesterday. I made white bean and bacon soup, which will be today's lunch, and then a loaf of Italian bread in the afternoon. That was the excitement of the day. More clearing out and cleaning up in my office after lunch. I'm pretty much useless until afternoon, don't ask me why. But I am.

For several years my office was unused. After I stopped running a business of horses I gradually stopped using it. I had a laptop, so I generally used the kitchen table. My laptop aged out and I didn't want to spend the money on a new MacBook, so I began using the iMac that had been languishing on my desk. I now find I prefer this. So, the repository of all things dumped must be cleared. It's been awhile, but I have not been up to the task. I am now. I think. So....that's my story of the day. 

Let it Snow

It snowed!

There is more to come. We had a snowless winter so I have to say I don't mind this at all. Snow, when there was a normal, was always a given in March. Usually a lot of it. We badly need the moisture.

I made chicken stock a couple of days ago so I think I'll make soup today in honor of snow. I made headway yesterday on the Great Office Cleanup, never fear, there is much more to do. I am so much more mobile since I started taking Celebrex it's hard to believe. I am struggling with the question, why? Why wasn't this mentioned to me three years ago? Two years ago? One year ago? Last month? Why did I have to ask about a prescription pain medicine? Something is very wrong with our medical system. As if I and many others did not already know this. I'm not one to easily forgive, but I do need to just accept it is done and I must move forward.

Anyway, life in the slow lane has improved, fingers crossed.

Rocky Racoon and Other Things

This large fellow sure does enjoy his comforts.

The afghan my grandma made for me is hopelessly covered in cat hair. She made this in the 1960's and it's still hanging in there. I saw Mark's raccoon stroll across the deck last evening toward the cat food for the strays. He got big! He saw me, went off the deck, then stood with his paws resting on the deck and looked at me. Love 'em or hate 'em, they sure are cute. He moved in last year as a youngster. He grew. He and the barn cats coexist peacefully.

We are in for a snow storm tonight and then through the weekend. That's what they say. These things have tended to go around us, so we shall see. We desperately need the moisture. We haven't plowed snow at all this so-called winter.

I am feeling better, the Celebrex has helped with the pain. Why did no one prescribe something like this three years ago? I had to ask for a prescription pain med to get this now. Oh, well....I am better. Slowly, slowly moving toward improving strength and balance, but I need to be patient and take it slow. It took three years to get here, it's not getting better in a week. I did start on my office yesterday. It has become the repository for all things not put away. How on earth did my persnickety self allow this to happen? Only the shadow knows. That's a reference a lot of people wouldn't get. How did I become old? 🤷🏻‍♀️

Frieda and Flowers, Again

Frieda does enjoy my flowers.

I took the photo with my iPhone at night, from a distance, so a bit blurry, but then so am I. Sorry, Frieda. The day began dreary, now the sun is making a welcome appearance. We are to get measurable snow this week. It has happened once, in this part of the state, the entire winter. We desperately need moisture.

Yesterday was a quiet, comfortable day of guilt-free leisure for me. Mark can't do leisure, he's too nervous/anxious, whatever it is. I have been forced into it and sometimes, when I feel it's my choice, I enjoy it. Monday = laundry day, so that is happening. I found a recipe for simple Italian bread I may make after lunch. My bread making has come down to the simplest of loaves. Life is narrowing down to the simplest of things and I'm allowing myself to realize that's ok. In case it isn't clear, I am by my nature a driven individual who has had a habit of forward motion. Maybe the fates forced me into slowing down and smelling the bread baking! I am learning to accept that which I cannot change, but to attempt to change to a reasonable degree. Such a philosopher.

The washing machine has given me the ding-ding signal it is finished, so I'd best be off to my scheduled duty. May you all move onto your own ding-ding signal.

Pizza. Flowers. Cats.

I disappeared from the internet yesterday. 

We had a good afternoon with Matthew and Kelly. It was really enjoyable. They brought pepperoni pizza, vegan pizza, a fantastic salad and ice cream! Gatto made a nuisance of himself, Frieda and Jiggs stayed incognito. And.....they brought me flowers! We had a fun and happy time. Also a very good lunch.

Frieda decided to taste test the leaves of the flowers. When I attempted to get better photographic evidence of her crime, she jumped off the table. Brat Cat.

As soon as the invaders vacated the premises Miss Priss came out of the bedroom she was considering a jail cell. Wide eyes scanning the scene before clearly establishing it was all clear.

Now it's time for some porch therapy to calm herself after the invasion of the strange two-leggers. Seriously......what were we thinking?

It's been a long time since we have had company. Mostly, I would say this is due to the problems I've had the past three years. Also a change in social dynamics. I never had a lot of people in my life and as time goes on it dwindles. Mark has a LARGE family, but I was considered unacceptable by his mother, being divorced with a child, urban and NOT CATHOLIC. The behavior was unacceptable, so that is his world, not mine. It is not a sore spot, not any longer.  We do need to make more of an effort to see my only relation and his wife more often. It was a pleasant day, indeed.

Soup and Cats and Vacuums

I found out it's Pi Day when the nerd I married starts rattling off the numbers. I asked him what in this world he was doing and he said, like I should care, it's Pi day and I'm remembering the numbers. As I often say, I married him voluntarily. 

 

Math Guy also thought it might mean I would make a pie. Fat chance, buddy. All I had in me for today was soup. I have obviously been off my game when it's mentioned to me that we haven't had soup in a long time. I made enough for a week of lunches. So there, put that in the ol Pi hole!

I think I may be feeling a little feisty today. The pain med may be working. Which is good, as I am having company on Saturday and I haven't so much as looked at a vacuum nor a broom. As it's six years since DIL has been here, I think I should maybe fluff the homestead up a bit. We are very close.

Mark has headed to Fleet Farm to buy the grain for the equines and chow for the cats. I'm not only feeding our six kitties, but two strays that have been giving me sad, hungry eyes.There's food and water on the back deck and on the front porch, as well as Howard's old doggo bed. Mark has repeated a few times we don't need anymore cats. One of them is very friendly. 🤷🏻‍♀️ Gatto finds it all so interesting.

This fellow is an intact male. I need to decide if he will live here or if I'll take him to a shelter. If he lives here, I'll need to neuter him. The other is likely male as he is orange and I think over 50% born are male. He is not touchable. He does stare through the glass at me, though. I did have seven large dogs at one time, so what's a few cats? 

Anyway......I should probably grab a vacuum and pretend to be cleaning my cat house.