Posts from the ‘Front Porch Musings’ category

Ready to roll

Just to clarify…Bear is not seeming to be ill. I did have the feeling that he did not seem 100% comfortable and so when we went for his 6 month Senior Wellness exam, I asked for a full blood test even though all other parts of the exam indicated healthy dog. The one number is VERY high and has been increasing over the last 8 months and it indicates something… Still, as of today, Bear is Mr. Happy Boy: eating well, maintaining weight, playing, etc. … mostly normal…just that niggling feeling on my part that he is not 100%. Based on some other history I made the decision to jump directly to a specialist.

But, today we enjoyed a very springlike day – that is Bear digging on Beardog Hill.

So much fun!

Meanwhile, after considerable dithering, I de-winterized Wild Thing. She is full of water which allows us to live with “normal plumbing”, i.e. shower, hot water – all running water enjoyment! This is versus kind of camping in her using bottled water and the rv park showers. I am unclear why I was on the fence about this because it does not take all that much time to winterize OR de-winterize, but at this point, I am VERY glad that I decided to de-winterize and we roll tomorrow with a normal rolling house!

And I am calm about all. I have little control over any of it so it is 1 step/1 thing at a time and I am focusing on just enjoying each day whatever it brings. Worrying is not going to change a thing and although it has taken a significant part of my almost 60 years to get to this point, I am grateful to be here.

Auggie was in and out of Wild Thing as I did the de-winterizing and a bit of loading.

I think, like me…and like Bear…He is Ready to Roll!

Sunday Morning

As I was making coffee this morning, I looked out and saw the rising sun reflected in Wild Thing’s windshield. It just looked like such a happy promise for a beautiful day…

And it was!

The rising sun hit not only the windshield, but a few clouds …

… and the vapor trail from a morning jet.

After breakfast, Bear and I took a ride in the Jeep – East on our road to Echo Lake.

The lake is still frozen and the scene was far more wintry than the valley. The sun was warm, the sky was clear and blue and we had a nice walk along the northern shoreline.

Sunday Morning.

Yet another lesson on perspective

March arrived in the same way that February left: Full of sunshine!

…in more ways than just the weather.

Last Sunday, I had a stomach bug. You know the thing…24 hours of misery during which I considered pre-writing my obituary. At about the 24 hour mark, the fever spiked, I broke out in a sweat and then…done. I took a shower and felt like I’d never been sick. I googled “24 hour stomach bug” and it says that it does not exist. Huh.

Anyway, onward. But, it kind of set the tone for the week and between this, that and the other I was feeling frustrated and annoyed and completely out of sorts.

Then I read the news.

And thought about my life.

And counted my blessings: BIG TIME! I live in a place where I do not have to worry about walking out in my yard and being shot or bombed or kidnapped, i.e. I am safe. I am warm. I have plenty of food. I have Bear and Auggie and good work. I have a loving family and wonderful neighbors.

There is more, but the point is that Life is Good for me and mine.

And there is sunshine.

I am grateful for everything. Mostly I am grateful that I have peace and safety. I seriously cannot imagine what it must be like in some parts of the world and I found myself praying this week for those that do not have peace and safety.

Perspective is interesting.

Mine shifted yet again.

It was a wonderful week and weekend.

Winter Returns

After eight or nine days of Spring-like weather, it cooled a bit last week. Friday was gray with rain/snow/mix type precipitation off and on.

Today started with a Winter Weather Advisory for slick roads but by mid-morning the temperature was above freezing. Bear and I headed to town. I’ve not been shopping on Saturdays lately…mid-week or Sunday to avoid as many people with various bugs as possible :) !!

But, this week got away from me and I felt like getting out and about so off we went.

The valley was clear and sunny, but the mountains on all sides had snow squalls here and there. The northeast wind felt very cold after a week of warm breezes from the southwest.

It is supposed to be single digit temperatures tonight and tomorrow night before we warm a bit to February “normal”.

Winter returns.

Feels like Spring

Despite the date of February 15…it feels like Spring!

It has been sunny and warm … all is relative, but this is Montana and it has been above freezing for over a week!

And it has been sunny since Friday.

It feels like Spring!