Archive for the ‘Musings’ category
January 29, 2015
I am still house-bound. My factotum got stuck in high drifts yesterday and didn’t make it. He said few side roads in his town were plowed yet. I cleared off the two front steps with a broom because poor Gracie was beside herself in wanting out. When I was done, I opened the door, and she went out and squatted for what might just be a new Olympic record. Before we went to bed, she completed her business. This morning, she went right to the front door to go out. I am feeling so much better and far less guilty.
I am beside myself. For the last two days I have been reading the paper on-line, a most unsatisfying experience. I want to be turning pages. This morning I could see the papers sitting on a tall drift next to the driveway. There are two bags, one I’m supposing is filled with the two days I missed. I can’t get to them. They might as well be on the moon.
Today is bright and sunny. It is even winter warm. The icicles on my house are dripping. I can hear them when I stand by the front door. A very, long thick one was hanging off my outside light. I tried to break it, but I couldn’t though I did manage to break off the thinner lower parts.
I was just in the kitchen getting coffee and toast. I love the smells of both. My bread is scali bread or, as I just found out, scala bread for a single loaf. It makes the best toast. My friends from New Jersey had never heard of scali bread. I looked it up and found out, “Scali bread is an Italian style of bread made predominantly in the Boston, Massachusetts area. It is a braided loaf that is covered in sesame seeds.” That hardly describes the taste of scali, and how when it is toasted, the bread turns a delightful brown and the butter melts lovingly into the bread. Definitions seldom do reality justice. Snow is precipitation in the form of crystalline water ice that falls from the clouds. How boring that sounds.
My doorbell just rang. Gracie barked, and I wondered who it could be. It was my neighbor, and she had my newspapers in hand. I am delighted. I am done here as I am itching to get my hands on those papers.
Categories: Musings
Tags: brooming snow, Butter, coffee, dog business, house-bound, icicles, newspapers, scali bread, Toast, winter warm
Comments: 14 Comments
January 28, 2015
You were probably not expecting a posting today but Birgit asked me to give you a weather up-date.
We have at least 20+ inches of snow, but the drifting from the heavy winds makes an accurate measurement difficult. Luckily, the snow ended up soft and fluffy so the dire predictions of electricity problems never happened here. The house is warm and the coffee freshly brewed.
The one big problem is Gracie and her getting outside to the yard because both storm doors can’t be opened because of the snow, but even if they could be, the snow on the steps and the path is far too high for her to trudge through which keeps Gracie house-bound. She won’t go on the newspapers I put down for her which made her restless all last night. I then had an inspiration and went down the cellar and found I could open the door and I noticed the snow was much less under the deck. The problem was Gracie won’t go down the cellar stairs. They are open stairs which scare dogs. Oddly enough, though, there are two sets of open stairs going from the deck to the yard and Gracie doesn’t have a problem going down either one. I decided to get her downstairs. She wouldn’t come to me suspecting the worst. I grabbed her collar and got her to the top of the stairs. I had to hold her body around her belly to keep her safe. Her legs fell through the stairs, but I got them back on track and kept going. All I could think about was being run over by the bins when I was taking them down the stairs, and here I was in a similar maneuver but with a dog who could struggle against me. I don’t know how but we both got down the stairs safely. I opened the door, Gracie went a couple of feet and squatted. I swear I could hear the loudest sigh of relief.
We have the same problem now, but she’s asleep so I figure she must be able to wait a bit. I’m not looking forward to the down the stairs struggle again, but it is the best I can do until Skip, my factotum, comes and digs me out.
I have a book, tasty food, warmth and a few good movies. I’ll be just fine. I hope Gracie will be too. Come on, Skip.
Categories: Musings
Tags: drifting, high piles of snow, open stairs, relief, Snow, snow under the deck, the poor dog, winds
Comments: 22 Comments
January 27, 2015
Last night I was fretful and had trouble getting to sleep. The wind howled and had that runaway train sound. Gusts blew up to 55+ miles. I woke up every hour and checked my old clock radio to see if the time was still lit. Finally around 4:30 I fell asleep. When I woke up at 8, it took a minute or two before I remembered to check the radio. It was still lit. Glory! Glory! I have electricity. When I came downstairs, I had trouble getting the back door open. I had to really push to move the snow. When the door opened, Gracie took one look out then looked at me. I could read her question, “Do you really expect me to go out in that?” I closed the door. She was relieved. I don’t know how long it will be before she has no choice but to go out. I wouldn’t mind if she went on the deck, but she never has.
No plow has yet to tackle my street. The snow is drifting, borne by the wind. My car is perfectly cleared of snow. Last night it was covered. I can’t see out of most of my windows as the mesh of the screens has caught the snow. I watched the news for a while, but it is all the same, a rehash of the weather, live shots of some poor on-site reporter being buffeted by the wind and no schools listings still running along the bottom. By now you’d expect that every one knows the schools are closed.
I am not a fan of daytime TV, but Doctor Who, the David Tennant Doctor Who, is on BBC. The Doctor and his companion, Donna Noble, are in ancient Pompeii, on Volcano Day. The current Doctor has a major part in this episode. I wonder if someone remembered him when they went looking for the newest doctor. During commercials I looked in on the Lone Ranger, a regular on CoziTV. I like how the sets transition from real outside to an inside house. When the door is opened, you can see the fake scenery outside the door. A stagecoach was being driven outside on a dirt road. When the coach was stopped, it was inside. I laughed at the prisoner handcuffed to the deputy. His eyes kept shifting back and forth. He was obviously the proverbial bad guy.
We are only about half-way through the storm.
Categories: Musings
Tags: blizzard, David Tennant, Doctor Who, Donna Noble, drifting snow, fretful sleep, Lone Ranger, no plows, outside filming, sets, snow covered screens, snow storm, wind gusts
Comments: 43 Comments
January 26, 2015
Naming hurricanes is a long time tradition, but now we have to name blizzards. Juno is the one we’re braced for now. As for me, I espouse keeping the snow at a distance. Giving it a name seems to personalize it too much.
We have been told to prepare for the probability of losing electricity. The last time that happened during a snow storm my house got down to 37˚. I can’t think of many more ways to prepare. I have food which doesn’t need to be cooked, and when Gracie and I do a couple of errands, I’m going to add tomatoes and avocados to the larder. Everything is charged though the charges won’t last all that long. I have a lantern but I need a few more batteries. Burning wood to keep warm is almost futile as most of the heat goes right up the chimney though I love the look of a good fire. My father always called a strong and long-lasting flame a Hollywood fire. I still do. The snow won’t start until late this afternoon, and by then we’ll be home, warm for the meantime and the bird feeders will have been filled, my only other chore for the day. I’ll turn up the heat to warm the house as much as I can. It will be tropical for just a bit.
When I was a kid, snow like this was perfect to build forts and caves. The forts had protective walls to keep the snowballs at bay. The caves had rooms, but we used to have to crawl in and out the door. We’d bring something to sit on between us and the snow, and we’d pretend the cave was a house of sorts. I remember bringing my sandwich and having lunch in the dining room of our cave. The best cave we ever made was huge. It was built in the pile left by the plows. We used water to ice the ceiling and walls so they’d be firm and last a long time. Eventually snow melts, but parts of my cave lasted until almost spring. It was the only snow left.
If I don’t post tomorrow, you’ll know why.
Categories: Musings
Tags: batteries, bird feeders, building forts and caves with snow, fires, huge storm, Juno, lanterns, no electricity, Snow, wet snow
Comments: 28 Comments
January 25, 2015
This morning was a small triumph of sorts. I went outside to get my yesterday’s mail from across the street and today’s papers from the driveway. As soon as I stepped on the road my shoe slipped a bit. The whole road was black ice from yesterday’s rain and last night’s freezing temperature. I took the chance anyway despite my history and shuffled over to get the mail. The small steps I was taking reminded me of when I was first learning to ice skate, when I walked in skates instead of gliding on the ice. Next stop was the driveway for the papers then I managed to return to the house without falling, slipping or tripping. That is a diary entry!
Snow is coming starting tomorrow night. This time it is a real storm with a potential of several inches so we are under a blizzard warning which includes heavy winds, the possibility of downed power lines from the wet snow and white out conditions giving zero visibility. This storm has been late in coming as the winter has been a snow bust thus far. We have had probably an inch in total. The predictions, still iffy as to the amount, have been as high as 20 inches here and 29 or more off-Cape.
I’ll fill the bird and the suet feeders tomorrow so my birds will have food. Yesterday I noticed the red spawn has a girlfriend or a boyfriend. Either way they have been chasing each other in what I think might be a pre-mating ritual. They go around and around on the tree trunks and this morning chased each other across the top of the fence. That’s all I need, baby spawns of Satan. I have to figure out how to attach the wire to keep them off the feeders. I am devoid of charity for red spawns, and they better not be expecting a baby shower from me!.
Categories: Musings
Tags: black ice, ice skates, mail and newspapers, mating rituals, red spawns, several inches of snow, small steps, Snow
Comments: 12 Comments
January 24, 2015
The road was covered in slush when I went to get the paper. I left deep footprints and could see the track of the car which had been driven down the street some time this morning. Gracie was hesitant to go down the back steps. They were covered in slush like the road. It was raining, but there had been a sprinkling of snow first. After Gracie came in, I threw de-icer on the steps. I don’t want the steps freezing. Off-Cape is getting the snow.
Today lends itself to laziness. It is an I won’t get dressed day or do any chores day. I will most decidedly take a nap later. That is not in question. I may have a pizza delivered. I don’t know. That sounds too much like a plan, and today is not a day to plan. It is a whatever happens day. Fern and Gracie are asleep on the couch beside me. They are my role models.
I cut out recipes and have a gigantic folder filled with them. Periodically I go through the gigantic folder and put the recipes I’d most like to make in a smaller folder. I have yet to make any. Most times I fall back on the familiar: my curry recipe, my brother-in-law’s chili and my uncle’s sausage cacciatore. This week I am going to make Peg’s corn chowder. She brought it down when she and Bill last visited, and I loved it. It is a perfect winter recipe, one to warm the innards.
When I was young, my mother sometimes gave us Campbell’s tomato soup and her grilled cheese sandwiches especially on cold days. I still love grilled cheese sandwiches, especially gooey ones, but mine have become a bit more sophisticated than using yellow cheese unwrapped on Wonder bread. My aunt was the first to give me one with tomato, and I still like tomato as a basic addition to the sandwich. I also like bacon, jalapeño or avocado with pepper jack. I think grilled cheese is the best sandwich to personalize. A BLT is just that. Bologna is about as unsophisticated as a cold cut can get.
A couple of Christmases ago I got a panini maker from my sister. It elevates sandwiches from a simple lunch to something far greater, far tastier. Avocado is the best addition of late to grilled cheeses and regular sandwiches. I now have an addiction to them. When I was a kid, I would have thought avocados too squishy and far too green. The rule of thumb back then was to avoid anything green. The only exceptions were green beans and unripe bananas as they had a yellow future.
Categories: Musings
Tags: avocardo, BLT, bologna, Campbell's tomato soup, Cheese, Cooking, de-icer, deep footprints, favorite recipes, grilled cheese sandwich, lazy day, mush, nap day, panini maker, rain, recipes, sleeping animals, slush, wet and mushy, Wonder bread
Comments: 14 Comments
January 23, 2015
The morning is a cold one, a frosty morning. The sun is shining but has a pale winter light which brings no warmth. Gracie has been burying her treats. Her new chew has been buried twice and is still somewhere hidden underground in the yard. Gracie’s dirty face was a giveaway. She pushes the dirt over the hole with it. I cleaned her face but she didn’t seem grateful, only annoyed.
I watched Zorro today, twice. When I was a kid, it was shown in black and white, but it was filmed in color so that’s what I see now. Today Don Diego sang to Sergeant Garcia about how strong and powerful Garcia is, a flattering lie. The song was dubbed, not something I would ever have noticed when I was young. When the theme played at the beginning, I still knew the song by heart. Like Superman’s Clark Kent, Zorro’s Don Diego hides his alter ego but the disguise is easy to see through. Though Zorro wears a mask, he has Don Diego’s voice and mustache. When I was a kid, I knew enough to suspend my disbelief, and I loved watching Zorro. I even bought and read the first book of the Zorro series by Johnston McCulley. Instead of being a distraction, TV was an inspiration which led me to read novels on which the programs had been based.
I remember when cigarette commercials ruled the TV. Dancing packs, virile cowboys, catchy phrases and movie stars hawked cigarettes. I remember, “Winston tastes good like a cigarette should,” bad grammar but catchy. Santa Claus even smoked Luckies. I figure with all that traveling, he needed a cigarette break. It would have been tough smoking as the sleigh flew.
Pharmaceuticals now rule the TV commercial world, and I chuckle a bit at how many commercials are aimed at baby boomers. They show people my age solving problems such as incontinence, erectile dysfunction, the need for whole life insurance and wearing underwear like Depends which can’t be noticed under clothing. I’m thinking my future is fraught with indignities if the commercials are any indicators.
Categories: Musings
Tags: bone burying, cigarette commercials, cold day, commercials are aimed at baby boomers., Depends, Don Diego, Johnston McCulley, reading, reading Zorro, Sergeant Garcia, TV series, Winston tastes good, Zorro
Comments: 20 Comments
January 22, 2015
When I woke up this morning, I could see snow on the tops of the branches of the pine trees. I checked outside my bedroom window and we’d had a dusting overnight. It is the first snow of the season but not much of a showing by Old Man Winter. Mind you I’m not complaining but a fluffy dusting of snow is just annoying. You can’t sled or build a snowman or even make a snowball. The driveway was clear for some odd reason as were parts of the road. Now, an hour or so later, the temperature is above freezing, and the snow is gone from the branches. The sun even made a short appearance.
Gracie and I are venturing out later. I need some of life’s essentials: cat food, light cream and bread. I might also do a bit of shopping. I need a scoop to form meatballs and a metal masher for potatoes.
I’m thinking of a contest. Similar to a random guess of the number of marbles in a jar, I’m wondering how many unanswered calls will be made here before the caller gives up. The calls are from all over the country: the latest was Texas. The phone rings a few times then the caller hangs up. Names have recently been added to the caller ID, but they don’t tempt me to answer. Most calls are just after 9 AM and 6PM. I called the number. Surprise, surprise, the call could not be completed.
Here is a mystery for you to solve. What three well-known, popular to many people, singers have never appeared here. The reason is because I don’t like any of the three despite their popularity. I change the station on the car radio if I hear anyone of them. I’m sure there are many singers I haven’t posted, but these three are the only ones I deliberately ignore. Mrs. Miller is not one of them-that’s my only hint.
Categories: Musings
Tags: covered pine branches, dusting of snow, first snow, marbles in a jar, melted snow, non-appearing singers, Old Man Winter, robo- phone calls, Snow
Comments: 40 Comments
January 20, 2015
Today is pretty with a blue sky and sun. It is also cold, in the 30’s. Gracie and I are venturing out this afternoon as I have a couple of errands. She’ll be happy for the car ride but Gracie is usually a happy dog, a tail wagger.
I cleaned out my closet of clothes I haven’t worn in years, since I retired. It amazed me how many clothes I had, but I wore a dress or skirt to work every day and hated to wear the same things too close together. Now my closet has plenty of room. In it are my current outfits. There are four dresses which I seldom wear. Easter was the last time I wore a dress. Flannel shirts, polo shirts and a few dressier tops don’t take up a lot of room. Two of my tops are floral. Why I bought them I have no idea. I am not a floral type. I have summer and winter pants and sweatshirt type tops with hoods. My Ghanaian clothes are now hanging in the closet. One is a dress and three are shirts. They used to hang on the back of my bedroom door. They are colorful and stand out from the rest of my clothes. Anyone could guess they come from Africa or some other exotic place. My guest room closet is next on the list to be cleared, but I’ll save that for another day or month or even year.
I know the world hates the Patriots. According to many they only win if they cheat. That to me is poor sportsmanship and sour grapes. The latest accusation comes from the Colts, no surprise there after the beating they took. They are accusing the Pats of using under-inflated footballs to gain an advantage in the rain. It is being called deflate-gate. I loved the CNN post by Mike Downey which called this, “a weird, wild, farcical, you-gotta-be-kidding-me “controversy” that has, uh, blown up unexpectedly.” Mr. Downey filled his article with puns and jokes befitting the accusation. His conclusion was, “I believe the Patriots win most of their games because they score more points than the other team does.” Jimmy Fallon was hysterical with his opening monologue last night about inflated and deflated balls. You had to know that was coming.
Categories: Musings
Tags: bags of clothes, beautiful day, casual clothes, cleaning, closet cleaning, deflate-gate, Dresses, dressy clothes, floral tops, Ghanaian clothes, nice day, pants or dresses, Patriots, sweatshirts
Comments: 16 Comments
January 19, 2015
“Martin Luther King Jr. has now been dead longer than he lived. But what an extraordinary life it was.
At 33, he was pressing the case of civil rights with President John Kennedy. At 34, he galvanized the nation with his “I Have a Dream” speech. At 35, he won the Nobel Peace Prize. At 39, he was assassinated, but he left a legacy of hope and inspiration that continues today.” from the Seattle Times
I was in high school when I began to notice the world around me in a different way. All of a sudden it was far bigger than my small town. Back then I didn’t know a single Black person. There were none where I grew up, but a parish priest began to open our eyes and through him we met Black teenagers from Boston. Through them I became aware of social inequities, of Jim Crow and of the struggles of Blacks to register to vote. My friends and I were too young to go South, to march or register voters, but we were more than willing to do small tasks for even they had impact. We worked with snick, SNCC, going door to door to raise money. We attended NAACP meetings and passed out pamphlets. We did what we could.
Without realizing it, I had developed a social conscience which would forever be part of my life. It helped define what the 60’s meant to me. During college, I picketed and marched for a variety of causes I had come to believe in. I joined the Peace Corps, my recognition that we all have a responsibility to make this world a better place. I still feel the same way especially about my small town.
Categories: Musings
Tags: civil rights, marching, Martin Luther King, NAACP, picketing, SNCC, social conscience
Comments: 4 Comments
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