Life in the Bristolwood

I decided to “go lie down” last Sunday after feeling terrible with a bad cold.  No big deal.  I figured I would feel better in a day or two. Or three. Four. Five. Six!

Today was the first day that I got up, dressed, and stayed awake almost the entire day.  Before this, I spent much of my time coughing to the point that I was sure I was choking.  If I didn’t lose weight from all the coughing I have done, I would be totally surprised.  My abs have definitely tightened up a bit with all the “activity”.

When I spoke to Carly on Friday evening, she wondered aloud if I might have Bronchitis. I discounted this, but as I thought about it the next day, I realized she might be right.  I have not felt this sick since before Ben was born.  I was sick an entire ten weeks before he was born.  He was taken C-Section, as I had a terrible pain in my side the day he was born; the doctors verified Ben was in distress and he was taken.  Poor fellow was feverish upon birth and needed to be cooled! Meanwhile,  I was being administered morphine and who knows what antibiotics.  It took a couple of days before I finally came round….(I shan’t go into how if I would have had an ounce of strength in my body at that time, I surely would have lobbed an object at the mouthy nurse who looked at my sorrowfull state and asked, Oh, a smoker?)

 I  began taking a round of antibiotics yesterday and the difference between “before and after” has been extreme and like day and night.  Although I have a ways to go, I am feeling some strength coming back into my body. Whereas each day last week it was a chore to rise off the bed to even use the bathroom, today I actually cooked a meal and made fresh rolls. 

Needless to say, it is good to be back amongst the living!

I think I would like to just have the world slow down until Christmas.  I REALLY need a break!!!!!

Well, once again, I am in a rather “stale” mode; or is that “stall”?  I’ve not been inspired to take any photos the past couple of days.  Today, however, I did have somewhat of an excuse. The wind has been howling mercilessly the entire day…I am convinced that were I to take a camera out in this, it would either shake so badly, all my images would be grossly distorted, or, (worse scenario) the camera would sail right out of my grip and fly into the atmosphere!

Today was a very boring day with the highlights being the food we consumed.  And it was not all that exciting!

My Amish friends have been on my mind a lot the past couple of days.  They are being faced with some whopping big bills from their little Susanna’s birth.  Since the Amish do not subscribe to insurance,  the price tag seems a bit insurmountable in my book.  If you are inclined, please keep my friend’s family in your prayers.  I know they are greatly appreciated!

Hopefully I will be getting out and doing some photos again soon.  My poor trigger finger is itching badly!

Today was another one of those days filled with running around.  I guess it was a kind of continuation of yesterday, really!

Yesterday we left home and went to Mark’s mom’s house so Mark and Ben could put the finish coat of plaster on the wall they replaced in the garage.  It was so bitter cold out that Mark had his mom set up a heater in the garage so he and Ben could work.  As one thin coat was drying,  we had to run to Home Depot to grab the compound for the final coat.

While Mark and Ben applied the final coat of plaster,  Michelle and I ran up to a craft store where I (YAY! Finally!) found a glass dome large enough to place over the cute little beaded Christmas tree Randy gave me last year.  The store is called Hobby Lobby and let me tell you, that store really knocked my socks off.  Not only is it huge, but I have never seen so many crafts in my life under one roof!

We returned home well after nine last night and I was exhausted.   I had some things to do before retiring to bed and by the time I plopped my head upon my pillow, it was about 11:30.  I nearly cried this morning as I crawled back out of bed shortly after 5. 

Enough bellyaching, though!

I took Michelle to college this morning and as I made my way back home, I took just a few photos.  Thought I would share!

Tis shortly before 9 and I am so dog-tired, I am calling it a night!

I will share something that happened yesterday that is too funny!

I have said on this blog before that I love technology.  Yeah, I know.  Crazy, isn’t it?  I admit, though, that I  do enjoy reading about what friends are doing on Facebook, Twitter, and blogs.  I like reading email in between working around the house.  I often check on my cell phone to see if anyone has made a comment on a blog post. So, where is all of this leading?

Yesterday,  after dropping Ben off at school, Mark and I decided to just relax as we didn’t have anything pressing to do.  This is a rare treat, so I suggested we might park out on the pier and enjoy the lovely weather.  Mark agreed.

We were on the pier a short time when sleep overwhelmed me.  Yes, I was totally overcome by sleepiness and I leaned my seat back and drifted off. (Lest one should judge me wrongly, I was up until 12:30 the night before, reading.  Then, Murphy, for some inexplicable reason, decided to awaken me at 3:30 am.  To compound matters further, I was unable to go back to sleep!)  Can you imagine falling asleep in the truck, breathing in fresh lakeside air?  It was divine! I was suddenly awakened by Mark jiggling my arm.  I can’t remember the sequence of events,  but I heard a loud noise next to us and my cell phone was ringing.

I answered my phone and Mark motioned for me to get out of the truck to take the call from Michelle.  Now, remember, I had been asleep and was rather disoriented by Mark “kicking me out” of the truck.  I hopped out the door and clambered to a picnic table located across the street to speak with Michelle.

Mark was on the phone in the truck with an insurance agent,  getting prices, and with two people talking on cell phones in small confines,  it makes conversations nearly impossible. I sat outside and waited.  Then I got this brilliant idea to grab my camera and go for a nice little walk.  Which I did….

I was strolling about, making the most of my great photo shooting op, when Mark whistled to let me know he was off the phone.  I (casually) made my way back to the truck only to realize it was nearly time for us to pick the kids up.

Now, let me explain.  Mark had his laptop plugged into the inverter,  his cell plugged into the cigarette lighter, and my cell phone plugged into the USB connector on the inverter.   When I climbed back into the truck, there were cords everywhere!  What a mess! 

Mark cleared his “toys”…er, mobile office up a bit, then turned the key in the ignition.  C-L-I-C-K.  Umm….he turned it once again.  C-L-I-C-K.  Oh my.  He turned it one more time.  c-l-i-c-k. 

Yes, the battery was drained. Dead. Nada!  Mark opened his wallet and pulled out his AAA card.  He called the number on the card and the phone rang.  A girl answered and asked how she could help.  Mark began to answer and I began to giggle.  My giggling caused Mark to burst into giggles and he had to immediately hang the phone up.  We both sat and laughed until Mark looked at the clock and said we needed to get the kids shortly!

I more or less voluntarily left the truck again so Mark could make this call without giggling…..after all, what would the girl at the other end think?  It just seemed so hysterical that Mark and all his “gadgets” would drain the battery in the summer! (particularly on a warm and sunny day!)  Technology…so wonderful, but draining!  Literally!

The call was made and a garage despatched.  Mark got a call saying the fellow driving a FLATBED would be there soon. Well, we no sooner got off the phone when the aforementioned flatbed came into sight with a silver car on its bed. 

The guy cheerfully greeted Mark,  who popped the hood of the truck.  The guy already had a “supercharger” in his hand and as soon as he clipped the wires on, he told Mark to try and turn ‘er over.  V-room!  Instant start!  The guy took the charger off and closed the hood. 

Mark mentioned that he had seen the silver car on the flatbed driving down the pier just a short time before with what looked like the starter hanging out and the front end smashed!  The guy smiled and confided the driver had no idea how it happened, but it happened on the pier!  Mark later told me the loud noise I heard was “parts” dragging from the car after its accident.  Mark thinks the fellow drove up over the curb or some such thing.

We all laughed and our guy turned and wished us a good evening. No charge as he was already on the pier!

Well, after such a blessing….the AAA guy being right there and getting to us in time so the kids didn’t have to wait….we laughed all the way home!

If there is one nearby town in which visitors could linger for hours, maybe even days, it would be the beautiful little scenic town of Fairport.  Perched upon the Erie Canal, the town is juSt a delight.  But then there is the flip side.  If a cute little town could annoy one to the point of screaming, it is Fairport! There are two reasons!

If one is heading westward into the town,  there is the liftbridge to encounter.  When the family was seeing a dentist in Fairport years ago,  I cannot tell you the number of times we were several minutes late because the liftbridge had backed up traffic halfway to Victor!  Well, almost…. Every time a large boat must cross under Main Street, the bridge goes up and traffic is at a standstill for many minutes.  Tick, tick, tick…..

The second annoyance comes just a bit farther down toward town and is every bit as inconvenient as the liftbridge.  That would be the railroad crossing!  Be aware that both of these roadblocks are right along Main Street!

Michelle had another bout with poison ivy a few weeks ago and after it finally dried up a few days ago,  her hands, feet, and elbows all broke out in a rash!  This morning,  Michelle was nearly reduced to tears as she told me her hands hurt from the swelling from the rash.   I got concerned and did something I have rarely done for my kids in ages!  I called the pediatrician!

I had a dentist appointment early this afternoon,  so I agreed to bring Michelle in to visit the doctor’s office mid afternoon.  The dentist visit was non eventful, which was good, as the gaping hole from having my root pulled out is filling in nicely.  The dentist merely looked and poked at it a bit, then I left!

We took Michelle for her appointment and she saw a nurse.  The nurse came to the conclusion Michelle’s problem was probably something like a viral contact dermatitis.  She wondered if Michelle babysat or came into contact with any young children.  Not that we know of!  The nurse then called one of the pediatricians to verify her diagnosis. The pediatrician looked Michelle over well and said she thought the nurse was correct.  The good news is that they didn’t give any meds and told Michelle it is likely to disappear as quickly as it came.

After Michelle’s appointment, we had some supper,  looked around a couple stores, then headed home.  Michelle was feeling terribly, so we were trying to get home as soon as possible. 

Then we came to Fairport.

As soon as we came into the town,  the railroad lights began flashing and we knew there was a train headed our way. 

We sat and Mark and Michelle counted 122 slowly moving railcars.  We sat for quite awhile while watching all sorts of cars passing with seatainers of every color.  When the last car passed,  traffic began to start to move,  only to become instantly immobilized once again!

Yes, indeedy!  The westbound train was barely out of view when an eastbound train approached with three engines in front, no less! Michelle and Mark counted about 142 cars on this train!  If the other train was moving slowly,  this train was barely crawling along the tracks! We never thought it would end!

We all kind of giggled about this sign!

As soon as the second train was out of sight,  we were off again, heading toward home!  I told Mark maybe we could be further detained if the liftbridge was up now, too!  Mark didn’t laugh, actually, but the good news is that we had no further delays!

Until we were almost home, that is!

As we traveled the highway leading to our road,  there were flares in the road.  We wondered if there might have been an accident ahead, but were relieved that wasn’t the case.  As we moved along the road,  we saw large amounts of debris that had washed out of the hills and deposited on the road! There were three separate areas where this happened.  What a mess all over the road.  There must have been some very serious downpours while we were gone! This was all about 5 miles from our home.

When we arrived home,  all of the water running on our property was behaving nicely and there were no washouts here.  Thank you,  Lord!  We did notice the water level rose between an inch and an inch and a quarter in the pool while we were gone. Good news….I didn’t have to water plants this evening!

I know that a good many of my friends actually can tolerate and (gasp!) enjoy high amounts of humidity.  I hear them say that they feel more vibrant and alive when the weather heats up and gets juicy.  Well, somehow the Good Lord cut me from another cloth.  Michelle and I began our day by walking three miles, and at the end, I was as red as a tomato and feeling limp as a dishcloth….that had been wrung out, mind you!

I seriously *tried* my best to endure,  but as the day progressed, so did my irritability.  I’m sorry to say, but I complained and snapped at my family.  I took it easy, trying to just relax and at least live with the weather that felt as though it was consuming my very being.  I even took some photos!

Along about mid-afternoon,  I thought perhaps a ride on the ATV might make me feel a bit better.  I told Mark and he said he would go with me for a ride.  Our neighbors have given us permission to ride on their property, so with access to about 75 acres,  that gives us some good riding.  But alas, even the ATV was less than refreshing.  Mark said we needed to wear hats as the Gypsy Moths are all over the woods.  Well, as soon as the hat went on my head, I am sure my core temperature rose a few degrees.  Since I don’t sweat, I grew even redder! Ah well, the short ride up the cobbles in our front yard was fun!

When I got ff the Honda,  I decided I needed some refreshment.  Since my choice now is lemonade, I grabbed a lemon. The kids have a friend who refers to my lemonade as “lemon water”, but even though lemons grow on trees, they are not cheap!  The good news is that as the year goes on, the lemons keep getting bigger and bigger!

Ah, the result was refreshing!

Wish you were here to enjoy it with me! Of course, you are always welcome to come for a visit! I will even promise not to be grouchy,  no matter what the weather!

We opened the pool, and par for the course, we discovered not only a leak in one of the hoses (YAY! we had a spare!) but also in the pump.  The pump will require dissembling it and replacing some parts. Mark and Michelleto the rescue! Every year, there is always some minor “tinkering”!

The weather changed, drastically, last night, and now it is once again “my” weather.  For the time being, anyway! Much cooler and with scattered rain.

For pity’s sake.  It is almost 9:20 pm and the temperature is still at 79 degrees.  (26 degrees, Celsius)  Okay. I will not whine about that, but I will give you two good reasons to feel sorry for me:

1. My tooth that supposedly had a “pocket” is still a tad sore.  I was given oral antibiotics for a week. When they failed to help, I was given a slow-release antibiotic at the site.  When that failed,  I was administered yet another dose.  My gums are still a little inflamed in the same area.  I have an appointment tomorrow morning with the dentist.  I am so not looking forward to that….

2.  While we were out getting some groceries today, the air conditioner in the truck just stopped working.  Yes, on the hottest day of the year thus far,  we lost our cooling!  While I have no qualms about opening the windows and letting the fresh air come in,  some people don’t care for this.  Argh.  I grew up with no air as a kid and I could probably live without it.  Of course, ruffled hair never has bothered me immensely!

I think I will put my steamy and weary body to bed soon.  At least while sleeping, the mosquito bites don’t itch and the heat doesn’t bother me.  Too much!

We spent the better part of yesterday being totally frustrated.

It all began the night before last when the hot water heater’s pilot light went out.   I tried several times to ignite the bugger, but each time, it was a total “no go”.  Finally, in frustration, I turned the gas off to the unit and called it a night!

Yesterday morning,  I went outside to read the guage on the 500 gallon tank buried in our backyard. 

As you can see, the tank reads at nearly 30% full.  Now, mind you, we were told this guage  is “sticky”….that is, it often reads higher than the actual level.  One of the guys that filled the tank told me this and advised me to “take a wrench and tap on the guage and it *will read accurately. Simple enough. I did so, and it read 30%.

Well, the bottom line is,  when the stove failed to ignite later in the day (after 5pm when the office was closed) we realized we are out of propane.

The above was written in total frustration this morning. The saga continues…………

If you have read here for awhile, you might remember we were discussing putting in a new tankless hot water heater last year. (my, how time does fly!)  Well, we still have the old heater and after the propane tank was filled today, water heater still isn’t working.  Mark spoke to the manufacturer and they said they think the orifice is clogged.  Joy of joys. We also had a visit from the service technician (why is everyone a “technician” these days, anyway?) this morning as well and we now have a new non-sticking (I sure hope!!!) guage on the propane tank.

So, the long and short of it is, we can now run the furnace if we desire,  we can cook on the stove, but we still only have c-o-l-d water!  Bahhhhhhh!!!!!

I know….I have been remiss in posting here lately.  The problem is, between family and my Scotties,  I am missing great amounts of sleep lately!  I won’t  relate all the details, but trust me,  I am just plain tuckered by being awakened at weird hours….

And, speaking of time!  When Mark and I were at WalMart the other day,  he was looking for a voltage meter, as his last one broke while Ben replaced an outlet for Mark’s mom.  (All done under Mark’s instruction and watchful eye) As we cruised along the aisles,  we passed some nightlights.  I really don’t like nightlights, as I like a dark room to sleep in…I am a rather light sleeper, and lights annoy me.  However….

As I looked at the offerings,  I found something that absolutely de-”lighted” me!  Amid the nightlights was one that has the most awesome little clock for a face!  I was happy because when I awaken in the night, I am always curious what time it is.  I have a Timex clock radio, but that thing is such a “work of art” (said VERY sarcastically!)  The clock radio is *supposed* to be atomic, meaning it should merely plug into the outlet and work.  Well, I did have to press a button to allow it to know which time zone, as the United States has four. 

As soon as I plugged in the darn clock radio, it came up with time all right….about five or six minutes BEHIND the correct time.  Also, wherever the thing gets its info,  it never is even close regarding Daylight Savings Time.  There has been more than one time I have threatened to open the window and HEAVE that thing….(it is several years old!)

So…here is a photo of the cute little nightlight doing its thing in the dark…

The little clock has that bright green face that illuminates nicely at night, making it very easy to read.  It audibly “ticks” each second…fortunately, noise doe not bother me at night like light does.  The best part is that when it is time to set the clock forward or back,  I simply unplug it and turn the circular set “button”! 

Yes, amazing what a few dollars can do to alleviate my great frustration.  And the clock radio?  Well, it is plugged in and sitting on a table in the corner of the room where it totally doesn’t bother me showing its “off” time.  I still press the button on it from time to time to listen to its radio!