Small Blizzard

Good Morning Everyone,

I know,  dorky title, but I have been in and have seen "blizzards".  This was a small one. Out in the country, yes, it was very bad, we had wind gusts of 50+ mph yesterday and even in town, the snow blew around and I could not see my house neighbor's homes.  This was a very quick mover of a storm.  By 9 pm, it had moved out to wreck havoc down in the eastern part of the state, and I am so very glad D and I went to that doctor appointment on Monday, whew!  dodged another weather bullet. But unfortunately, the roads were as usual, slick, drifting, and deadly to some.

I had a very early day yesterday.  My mom's hip slipped out of its socket during the night. So, I had to get dressed and go over and call the medics and ambulance to get her to the ER.   I was worried about this as I had taken her to her hair done Tuesday,  and the salon has crappy chairs not designed for elderly clients.  They look good, but are not functional to disabled or handicapped patrons.  So, during the night, it slipped out.  She sleeps in one of those lift chairs that moves up and down and it easier for her to do so, but what ever happened, it did, and I was off and running at 7 am.  It was not snowing or blowing at that time.  The storm did not start in here until around 10:30 am, when the wind and snow started.  They released my mom around 11:30 am, and I am so very glad they did, as the roads turned deadly and the ER starting getting in "code blue" calls in and when I heard that, I knew the roads were getting slick and deadly.
When I got my mom back home safe, I had to go pay the folk's bills, it was Social Security day, and I paid their utility bill and cable, and then got them money for groceries and gas.  I went  to go  send the lovely FlowerLady a package, though I was not sure when it would get shipped out because the roads were starting to shut down.  While out, the streets in town were getting slick quickly, and I mean, slick, within about a half hours time.   And people were being total morons, idiots with their driving, and whatever else I could lay my tongue on..I knew the first bad snow we had, people would be morons, and I was not far off that prediction.  The streets had been re-done with an oil topped pavement and boy, slick is not the word, and I won't use the word here. 

So, I did not get too much done after dealing with everything,  I did however bake   banana cake that Glenda at Living in the Ozarks has posted on her blog.  I had squishy bananas ready to go, and I was surprised that I was able to get that done.  I was supposed to rack my cherry brandy, and rack up my wine in different bottles, but never got to that, I was just too emotionally wore out and when I am like that, I will not touch anything that take more neurons than needed.  This morning, I feel better, though tired, and I will tackle this today.

So, sometime today, I will tackle the sidewalk and driveway, as I can.  I do not know what happened to my snow guy, I cannot find him, so I gather he has quit as the last few years, snow removal is a little shy of the white stuff that  makes the business go.
Well, I guess I had better go,   I am going to have another cuppa and then get started.  I just do not want to go out in the cold air.  But I must.

I wish everyone a wonderful day and upcoming weekend.
Hugs to All

Winter Storm Warning

Good Evening Everyone,

Well, its official, a winter storm.  This was updated about 1:30 pm this afternoon, and at tonight's local news, its a-coming.  I don't think that it will be LOTS of snow, but with 35-40 mph winds, it will drift and blow around, thus winter storm warning.  To the south of us, a blizzard warning, which is where this storm is tracking.  So we will get some moisture, but still not enough to squelch the drought, but some is better than none.

No too much else going on.  Since tomorrow will be a stormy day, it calls for stormy inside activities, like baking and racking my brandy.  I also need to rack my wine into bottles, so guess what, that's on the agenda tomorrow, along with laundry, and a few other household chores in between.

So, D and I ran errands today to get just a very few things and then came home, and took my mother to the hairdresser to get her hair done.  It helps to uplift her spirits and get her out for a little while.  I am glad that I did not make the appointment for tomorrow, as she is not steady with snow and ice on the sidewalks, and matter of fact, neither am I.  I don't need a mother with broken hip, been there, done that, and I don't need to be broken either, don't have time.

If I can get my camera to work, I will take photos of the white stuff. 
Well, I am beat, and am going to catch a movie and be horizontal soon, like the lovely FlowerLady says.
Hugs to All

Travel Monday, possible snow Wednesday

Good Evening Everyone,

Well, D and I got back from the appointment with the neurosurgeon in the NE part of the state about 5 pm tonight. .  Total miles to this physician was 416 miles.   D is in horrid chronic pain as I am posting, I am just as bad.  My days of traveling are very limited and numbered.  I am not young anymore to do the mobile thing I did when I was 30 years younger.

D has been doing so-so in the truck.  This particular truck has a ergonomic shaped seat with air ride, so its a little cushy for the ride. The pain get bad when he shifts the truck and that uses that left leg.   But the chronic pain is a constant and after this neurosurgeon did his own MRI for his record and for D's work comp case, it showed what I knew was wrong.
The MRI revealed  S-1 and L1-L5 damaged, and all disks are bulging and need to be fixed.  I knew this when D was having pain and loosing feeling down the left side  from the pain in the lower spine.  My own spinal fusion is at L4 to L5 and I had the same thing pain
wise and numbness, so I knew.  It was the company who he worked for who has, with their callous and uncaring attitude, and no medical care, has made D's ability to work until he could retire a pipe dream.  The neurosurgeon was furious as to the uncaring of this company and basically told D that his workability is next to none, and so now it will be up to this particular physician, and D's general physician, D's attorney, the opposition's attorney, and the work comp court to decide now, it may not even get to that point, they may settle as it will be 4 years in January that this has been going on.   This is the second opinion that has confirmed that D has a very severe spine injury and his days of capable work is pretty much done.

I am not going to worry about it.  What comes will come.  I have much to worry about with just trying to keep a roof over the head, a little food on the table and the utility bills paid.  I am much more worried about D's spine and a possible surgery, which personally, I have little faith in, as my surgery did not work and the fusion failed. Spine surgeries are not guaranteed, at all.

It was nice when we left early this morning, but as we got off the interstate, and up into the north east  corner, it got cold and very dismal looking.  Heavy, foggy clouds hung low, and had an inpending look of a snow storm on them, but that was all they did, just looked ominious.  We are however, supposed to have some snow here Wednesday afternoon, and maybe a possible snow storm for the eastern part of the state.  I will know more as Tuesday morning rolls around and the weather is updated. Again, I will believe it when I see white stuff on the ground.

Some time this later this week, I am going to rack up my cherry brandy and bottle it.  I am hoping that it turns out.  I will try to get the camera to work to take a photo.  I am wanting to order some different yeasts for wine and try the different types.  I will learn as I go.  I am also going to order a kit to make root beer and maybe try ginger beer or a vanilla creme of some sort.  I also need to order some more glass jugs so I can start new batches and let  wine  age more.  I am having fun just experimenting with it.  Its fun.
I also have to do a black forest cake for my house neighbor for her table. I will then sprinkle some of the cherry brandy I made over this cake.   I will have some of my cherries that were happily swimming in booze to make the topping for the cake.  Should be good.

Well, I am just about to fall over.  I am  so exhausted so I will post later and try to have some photos of what I am doing here with cake and drunk fruit.

Hugs to All