NOVEMBER 2020

We went from summer to winter today.  Yesterday was in the high 70s.  This morning was 36°!  

A friend and I are going to a sewing shop today.  Good company and a nice thing to do.  

By the way, I saw the orthopedist on Monday.  I am ahead of expectations and won't need to see him again until February.    It's back to real life, although a step slower for now.

It's now Thursday: The leaves are DONE for this year. They are ground to dust, lying on the yard, waiting for rain to turn them into compost and grass fertilizer for next year.
Neighbor/Handyman Kent blew them down the hill and I ran the tractor over them until there was hardly anything left. It really is amazing how a HUGE pile of leaves can disappear into a tiny spread of dust.

Happy Veterans Day to all our veterans..............CB, HARRY, ROSE, RICK and I'm uncertain
who else.................THANK YOU FOR SERVING..............

Gads, please folks wear masks.........The country is out of control.............

I can't believe the mess..........I was supposed to go out for breakfast tomorrow.  Friend just called and said she just tested positive for covid.......she feels no symptoms.......ss itt'sout there.  She had to be tested
because her doctor changed her heart meds...............

I went the store today and not many out at all...............lucky I got eskimo pies and ice cream cones.........


Where is everyone? Do I have computer odor?

It is now A M here in AZ.............I wonder if RICK and ROSE are OK in the storms going up the coast.
Sure hope so, prayers for them.............

Yesterday was a rather busy day, but that's no excuse for not taking time to thank our veterans. I do very much appreciate their service to our country. Without them, we would not have a country. So, to all of them THANK YOU!

I wish there was a way to convince people that CoVid is real. Is it being politicized? You bet it is, BUT that doesn't mean it's not real. I read an article yesterday in the neighboring town's newspaper because you can still read Goshen News articles without a subscription unlike our local paper, but that's another soap box. Elkhart General Hospital is diverting all ambulance calls to hospitals in other towns because they are full. One Half of their patients test positive for CoVid. There are no beds to be had in the hospital. They are opening a small area in the old part to get another 10 beds. They are talking about tents for the ER because the ER is full with patients who need a bed. They are running out of all things used to deliver oxygen to patients, canolas, resperators, ventalators, everything. I find that terrifying. Maybe it's because Bill has heart and lung issues and the thought of him needing emergency care for some reason makes my brain shut down. Take care everyone, Stay Safe!

GRAYMARE:
 I don't understand people not taking such easy steps to prevent them or their friends from getting a potentially deadly disease.  My sister, Annie, is now in the hospital with pneumonia and neurological problems due to her experiences with Covid 19.  She is better this evening, but it was scary this morning.  She said she felt fine yesterday, then crashed overnight.  The pneumonia is just in one lower lobe, so they may have caught it early. She got it from a fellow housemate who caught it from one of the  house caretakers.  No where is safe.

We spent hours yesterday cleaning up the barn after rain from that hurricane dumped tremendous amounts of rain on us.  We didn't know it would get here.  We had about 3 inches of rain very fast overnight and it got into most of the barn, messing up a lot of shavings and some hay.  Poor horses were probably freaked out.   The lightning was pretty bad, too.  There was flooded roads everywhere.  It's okay here now.

On a better note, we adopted a kitten!  We don't have her name yet, but want something sweet or feminine.  She is a 3 month old grey striped and white kitty.  So sweet!  The dog likes her,  Kumquat and ThunderPuff aren't on board quite yet....  ;-)

Oh gosh, prayers for ANNIE.........hope she feels better quickly............

GRAYMARE:
Thanks. She is still in the hospital, but doing better now. I just got a text from her. My other sister visited Annie around lunch time today and said she was coherent and feeling better, but still a little spacey. Annie tested negative for covid after testing positive 3 weeks ago. Otherwise Vicki wouldn't have been allowed in to see her. I suspect those tests are a bit wacky, though. Vicki went in looking like a mobile hazmat suit.

I'm glad that Annie is doing better.
The little girls' grandfather and grandmother had it. Both are doing well. Grandpa is nearly back to normal and Grandma is getting there too.
The state is continuing "stage 5" for at least another month.

Oh, ARK.............how about "Coveeda" for the kitty name...............she's a cute one, for sure.

It has been a long dreary day. Cloudy, windy, getting colder. Tomorrow will be better.

Nice afternoon here, ELLEN................kids are out on bikes laughing & practicing "no hands"..........

I wonder if the storm has affected everyone........sure pray not.

GRAYMARE:
Nope, no covid names for the kitten!!! I have had enough of that without naming a cat who might live 15 years reminding me of 2020 and covid! Let it be over. Please.....

We may name her Shamrock. With 6 other kittens, she got chosen, the "lucky" one. One of my cousins suggested it. Today she has taken over the house. No one is friends, yet, but they are getting used to her.

ELLEN:
It has been incredibly windy here today. Areion was supposed to have a lesson, but it rained during that hour, so it got cancelled. I wouldn't want to be on her in this wind. Spook weather.


Annie seems to be doing better today. She says they may let her go home tomorrow. We'll see. It may be wishful thinking.

ARK, we have 3new feral cats in the hood.......all 3 are named Coveedi................We were talking
in the street the other day and that's what we call them............we hope they disappear as none of
us want another cat............We (the hood) are over run with cats.......On the other hand, we can't or won't do anything mean to them..............

Sorry your training session got cancelled.

Hello everyone.  Just checking in to say hello and let ya'll know we are still alive and kicking here in PA.  The weather has turned COLD and winter is headed our way.

I wanted to share this funny story that happened in my life that is a comedy of errors.  Good thing we can laugh about crazy things that happen around here.

We have been having phone issues with the land line (that George refuses to get rid of).  It rings and hangs up, says "line in use" called our daughter in MD at 6 AM, then it decided to do the ultimate phone call.  I looked out the bathroom window as I was getting into the shower (I know TMI) but it's part of the story, I saw a State Police car pulling into our driveway.  I run down the steps (not dressed, no time to do that) cause George's hearing is so bad, he would have never heard me calling him from upstairs.  Of course, my mind goes to (OMG what did the one of the kids or grand kids do, fight? accident? anything is possible with our family)  Turned out the phone dialed 911 and the police have to investigate every 911 call.  After the officer left I said to George "you know, he didn't really do his job, you could have had me tied up in the basement or attic, he never even asked to see me."  Our phone still isn't working and Verizon is sending a repairman out someday...LOL  Thank God for cell phones.

Stay safe & healthy...

Good one, Trudy. Maybe if the police get involved it will prompt your phone company to get busy and fix the problem.
More and more people around here are ditching their landlines. I haven't had one since I moved up here 14 years ago. At the moment, I can only think of two people who still have them. I kept telling my cousin she didn't need a landline. It took her a while to finally make the decision, but she realizes now that she doesn't need one at all, and it saves her about $50 a month.

After the gloom of yesterday, it is bright and sunny this morning. Cold! But bright.

TRUDY:
That is so funny! And George is right!! Who knows what you were up to!!


GRAYMARE:
The kitten's mother showed up at the doorstep of the people down the road who took in our cat, Dory, when she left here. Then she brought her 7 newborn kittens with her and three from her previous litter.... They are trying to find homes for all of them and got them all fixed. So we took one and will get her fixed ourselves. Those kittens are so darn cute! I wouldn't be able to get rid of any of them. It took me forever to decide on which to get. Donnie wasn't agreeable for more than one.... Now he is in love with her.


Annie is home this evening. She seems to be doing well. Turns out that all six of the roommates and two of the caretakers had it, one roommate tested positive, but was asymptomatic. Three of the roommates were in the hospital, one still is. Annie can't remember Friday. The virus is not to be ignored....

Great to read ANNIE is home & safe.........

That is very good news about Annie! It's so good to hear that she is home.

Happy Birthday,  ELLEN!!!

   

ELLEN:
I meant to tell you how glad I am your surgery has healed up so well!!  Congrats!  Hope you have had a wonderful birthday....


We have named the kitten...it took a week.  Her name is "Feather".   Compared to 18 pound ThunderPuff, she weighs next to nothing, like a feather....   She is worming her way into ThunderPuff and Kumquat's affections, although Kumquat is gritting her teeth and trying not to feel like murdering Feather.  She was seen eating next to ThunderPuff today without him being upset.  

I had a very nice ride on Ivan today.  We went to Pandapas Pond Park and had the best time.  One of our friends who lost her husband last year has been depressed since she is alone so much during this pandemic.  Today another friend and I pulled a sneaky trick on her,  we arranged for her dear friend who had moved away to Wyoming to come ride with us.  This friend had moved back and kept it secret so that we could surprise Joanne.  Joanne was shocked, surprised, and had a joyful cry.  It was sweet.  I think she is a little happier this evening.  

Oh brother. ELLEN, I totally forgot your birthday............I forgot another friend's the 12th.
Interesting tho, I haven't begun to lose it on other events. I've always had a bad track record on birthdays.
It's nothing new.

HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY birthday ELLEN and many more. Eat plenty of fudge.........

ARK. nice photo and great to see everyone happy..............glad Feather is working her way in.

Thank you for the birthday wishes!
It has been a little bit different today. The big event of the day was a haircut, and a very small trip to the grocery store. I've heard from several friends and relatives today. I am very grateful.

Ark, I think I can guess which one of the riders is from Wyoming, based on the head gear. It would have been a nice day for a ride here, although rather windy. That would have been such a wonderful surprise for your lonely friend.
Feather is a good name. It's interesting how new critters will eventually work their way into the 'herd' of cats or dogs or whatever.
A neighbor got a new Basset Hound puppy in July. They already had a pet pig. The pig was NOT happy about the new puppy AT ALL. They had to keep them separated at all times. Little by little, the pig finally decided that the puppy wasn't going to go away and started to accept her. Now, several months later, they share the same bed and play tug of war with a rug.
They had two other older dogs when they got the baby pig, so the pig grew up thinking she was a dog. When she walks around, she wags her tail just like a dog. When new people come in, she wants to sniff around to see who they are, and wants to untie my shoes, much like a puppy.

ELLEN:
You guessed wrong! The one in the cowboy like hat is Joanne. The friend from Wyoming is the one on the appaloosa mare on the right hand side of the photo.

Ark, I'm laughing at myself for making an incorrect assumption.