Happy Pi Day

The door handle at my daughter's house sticks.  I have a considerably difficult time getting it open.  When I got back in the early hours this morning after everyone was asleep, I couldn't get it open.  I tried and tried.  I laughed quietly at myself and the absurdity of it all.  Then I remembered that in my car I had a rubber husband (the term I use for one of those rubber things to open jars).  I went back out into the cold and got it, went back and opened the door first time!  My hands just have no friction.

There was a blizzard today so I left my daughter's in the morning, got a few things done on the way home and shoveled when I got here.  There was probably about 5 or 6 inches when I started and another 2 or more fell in the hour I shoveled.  I was going to go back out and shovel again later but changed my mind.  The wind was just blowing too strong.  Instead, I had a nap, ate and went through boxes and sorted and threw things away.  Very productive day at home.  In the morning I will be heading back to my daughter's house before going to work.

I think I am getting much better at getting rid of things, but it might be that I am choosing things to sort that I know I can get rid of.  Like bills that I should have disposed of years ago but never bothered.  And an old sleeping bag that is falling apart but I was keeping just in case.  I have no idea what just in case would be.  It is highly unlikely that I would let anyone use it.  I had been using it for a while as additional padding under my bedding on my cot.  Any how, I think I am FINALLY starting to successfully downsize.  We shall see.  I still need to make the time to go through stuff.  I found a couple dollars in an envelope with my son's name in it.  That is part of the problem, I tuck money away and so need to go through everything to be sure not to throw any away.  If only enough would miraculously appear that I can completely fund my hike and my house, I would keep the house.  Maybe, not sure about that.  Part of me doesn't want to sell, another part is almost ready to walk away.

My son called to speak with me for a little bit today.  That is my happy.  We kept losing connection, probably because of the storm.  

Now for some dirty laundry.  Another happy is that I was able to go down into the cellar through "the hole" today.  "The hole" is a trap door in the floor that leads to the cellar.  For me, hopefully a recovering almost hoarder, it is a big deal.  It has been years since that area of the house was accessible.  My one picture for today is the pathway to the trap door.  I'm not sure if any of my prior blog posts touched on my hoarding tendencies, but now it is out there.  I use words like tendencies and almost because I don't feel that I am quite as OCD about it as my kids think I am.  Or at least I don't feel that I am quite a textbook case.  Until recently, at least the more common areas have been usable.  Whatever, I am rambling.  I am working to downsize and I will.  If I don't, there will be no hike.

The 13th of March

On this day in 1981, a Friday, I got my driver's license.  I have been a licensed driver for 36 years.  Now there is something to make a person feel old!  

Last night I slept in a hotel because work sent me far enough away to warrant an overnight stay.  This was the first time in a long time that I slept on a bed.  Tonight I am back at my daughter's house on her couch.  I don't mind, but I think some find it weird.  The hotel had a lovely continental breakfast.  I stepped out of a comfort zone again and left my cell phone in the room to charge.  So I ate by myself with only the view and food to occupy my morning meal.  I went late enough that it wasn't very busy.  Then I headed off to work.  It is funny how certain things keep presenting themselves in my life to prepare me to be alone, not the same way as I will be on the trail, but small steps.  

The views while driving today are my happy.  I need to stop taking pictures while I am driving.  😜

The 12th of March

Work sent me traveling and so I am sitting in a Best Western as I write this.  I had a late supper at a place called Dysart's.  An omelet, hash browns and molasses toast.  Breakfast, it's what's for dinner.  Very good food.  It is the first time I have had molasses toast.  The only thing that would have improved on the toast would have been a light drizzle of molasses on top.  It would probably make some good French toast as well.   Breakfast will be the complimentary one here at the hotel though.  I don't remember the last time I sat in a restaurant, by myself, and ate a meal.  I am not that I ever have done that, except maybe at a McDonald's.  There were prints on the walls of nature scenes.  Very pretty.  There is a possibility that I will be eating alone at restaurants when I hike, so I guess I should get used to it.  

For today my happy is molasses toast and spending my morning with a smiling 5 year old.  😊

The open road.

 

The 11th of March, Saturday

Fell asleep watching the movie Moana with the family.  I think I have been pretty tired.  My brothers came to my house today and helped me sort through things in the cellar.  We expected to find more tools that were my dad's.  There was quite a bit of stuff and they both chose some things to take with them.  We also got rid of quite a bit of trash.  There is still a bunch of stuff down there, but I think they have what they wanted.  Unfortunately, we didn't find any buried treasure.

There are still things at the house that are broken so I am staying with my daughter's family again tonight.  Tomorrow I will be traveling for work.

My happy thing for the day is that things are moving forward for emptying my house.  Also, getting to spend time with Gideon, my grandson.  😊

Moon through the trees.

The 10th of March

This has been an extremely rough day.  I will endeavor to move forward and remember the good times with my dog, Hunter, and try to cry about it less.  I am going to refrain from going into the sad details here.  Over the next few days I will try to post some pictures of him on yesterday's blog.

My daughter and grandson came by and we worked on packing things up in the house for a while.  We had dinner out with her husband and then my daughter and I went to craft night.  It was nice, but I am physically and emotionally exhausted.  It snowed a bit and I got some pictures that will be below.  I guess I am still without many words.

For today I had some happy things.  My grandson, Gideon, kept trying to cheer me up by making up jokes.  The sky was bright and beautiful between storms.  The outpouring of love from my friends and family when I posted on Facebook about Hunter.

The sun coming out.

The clouds...

Fresh snow.

March 9th- no words

I got home from work to find Hunter has passed away.  Crying...that is all.

Edit/addition 3-10-17

Some pictures

Tired

He loved to roll around in the snow or grass.

Playing with Gideon.                                    Happily retrieving the ball.

💗

March the 8th

After getting a little bit of sleep today I decided to look for things I need to fix parts of my house.  I chatted with my cousin about it and ended up seeing her, getting my hair washed and cut and then we went looking for parts.  We didn't find what I was hoping but had a fun time hanging out.  Tomorrow I am back to work.  She had a manicure earlier in the day and had mood nail polish on that changes colors based on your body temp, like the mood rings.

Hunter is still not completely recovered yet from his seizure this morning.  Hopefully he will be improved tomorrow.

Today's happy is getting time to spend with the people I love.  It is a happy thing that I am thrilled to be able to repeat.

Pile of hair.

The sky tonight.