Tag: weather

Change of Plans

by eileentroemel, posted in Life
This weekend my plan was to run errands and work on organizing the paperwork in the office.  It was going to be a quiet weekend spent inside as much as possible out of the frigid weather.  This is not going to happen.
Instead I’ve run some errands but now Ken is packing the van for me to go to Indiana.  Vicki has an appointment she wants me to go to on Monday.  In looking at the weather forecast today will be a better driving day than tomorrow. 
This brings me to what would you do for someone you loved – family or friend – when they are in need.  My daughter – always concerned about me with my – has offered that I not come down but I’ve rebuffed her each time.  Why?  I’m handicapped and it is difficult for me to get around.  I have concerns about getting into her apartment and if something goes wrong while I’m driving being able to get around.  All valid concerns but at the same time – my daughter needs me. 
Because she needs me, I’m going the extra mile to get to her and spend time with her.  Hopefully I won’t encounter any of the difficulties that concern me.  If I do – I’ll deal as I have to.  Mostly, I just want to get to my daughter so I can provide the support she needs.  Worries and concerns don’t really matter because she is more important than the fear that things might be tough. 
It is more important that she have the peace of mind that me being there will bring than the concerns I have over a winter drive possibly being difficult.  I know she and I will care for each other once I’m down there. 

I love that my daughters have gone off to live their lives.  They are doing exactly what I raised them to do – follow their own path.  This is the one drawback – they are far from me and it is harder to offer care and comfort when they are in need.  I do what I can and hope they know I’m there for them.  It is the one aspect of having strong adult daughters that is difficult – they have followed their path far from home and I can’t be there in an instant – except in spirit all the time.

End of Vacation and Return to Work

by eileentroemel, posted in Crochet and crafting, Life, Writing
While I’ve been off, I worked on cleaning my office and crocheting.  I have a box of stuff ready to ship to the girls in Georgia, a small pile for a friend, and a scarf to go to Vicki.  Here are some of the pictures from these projects:


 

My office is a multi-layered job.  I’ve taken the piles of paperwork on my desk and sorted them into piles of organized paperwork on the card table.  Next is to work within each of those piles to get them into organized chaos instead of just chaos. 
During my time off, I have enjoyed quiet and calm days with little to stress me.  I think my toughest decision has been what to watch while I crochet.  I’m now working on season two of Charmed.  Today I will work on a few writing tasks and crocheting. 
A wonderfully talented and generous friend has taken pictures for me to use for my cover of my romance novel.  I’m going to have a difficult time choosing just one from the group of pictures she sent me.  Somehow with just a brief description she has managed to capture what I wanted in several photos.  I’ll have to figure out which ones to try and which one to finally use. 
After I’ve made up a few samples to ponder over, I will probably go back to crocheting and watching tv.  It is cold – only about 8 degrees with wind chill taking it down to about -5 outside.  I’m not likely to go out if I can avoid it today.  Tomorrow I will deal with what I have to.
Next on my list for crocheting is starting the kitchen sets for those who have asked for them.  I have a list (of course) and the colors for the first person.  I will use this to determine how much I need to buy of the other colors. 
Tomorrow I return to work.  I am sure once I’m there I’ll get easily back into the groove but right now it feels very foreign.  I think that is because I was so worn out at the end of the semester from school and work.  However, I will only be dealing with work when I go back so that means less stress.  I won’t be rushing off to class and then trying to get back into work mode in between classes.  I will go to work and focus on work.  When I come home I can focus on my writing or crocheting or nothing at all if that is what I choose to do. 
I know some of you who know me well are laughing at the idea that I will do nothing but I took a whole day where I did nothing.  I played on the computer and was completely unproductive.  It happens – just not very often.  

Alone!!!

by eileentroemel, posted in Uncategorized

With my daughter living with us, I rarely get time alone in the house.  Now don’t get me wrong she doesn’t intrude but the time I get completely alone is rare.  I like my alone time.  She is off today volunteering at the library and having lunch with a friend.  This leaves me completely alone in my house (well except for the stalker cat Sasha). 

What to do with my alone time?  There are certainly a ton of options but I will be responsible.  I have transcribing to do and then after that I think I’ll work on editing stories.  I have to edit the two stories I turned in to my Fiction Writing class.  The one is nearly done and the other is a long way from being done. 

This week has been good so far for getting things done.  I have finished more than half the transcribing and will hopefully get that done this morning.  I also finished one of my going away gifts.  My to do list definitely has things crossed off.  After I answer emails this morning I’ll wade back into the list and see what other things I can get finished off. 

The weather here has gone from too warm to normal.  This means yesterday when the temp in the house dipped to below 65 we actually turned the heat back on.  You have to love weather in Wisconsin in March – erratic is the best way to describe it. 

I do have another entry in the Curse of the Black Thumb blog.  Go check it out:  http://www.naturalhomeandgarden.com/green-gardening/gardening-with-a-black-thumb-joys-of-an-early-spring.aspx

Also I’ll be having two more guest bloggers this week.  Kelley Harrell.  She is a wonderful author.  Here is her bio:

Kelley holds a Bachelor of Arts in English, and is pursuing a Masters of Divinity. She lives in North Carolina with a wonderful lover and a couple of energetic Twinkies. Her open dialogue with souls is recorded at Intentional Insights. She writes for The Huffington Post and in a mezzo experience of herself, Kelley is a prolific fiction writer. Her shamanic practice is Soul Intent Arts, LLC. She walks the path of the modern Druid and is a proud founder of the nonprofit organization The Saferoom Project

Elizabeth Hazel is the other author.  She has a weekly horoscope column and is a published author.  Here is her bio:

Elizabeth Hazel is the author of “Tarot Decoded” (Weiser) and writes the weekly Third Rock Almanac Horoscopes posted every Sunday at Kozmic Kitchen on Facebook. http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Kozmic-Kitchen. Liz is the editor of the American Tarot Association Quarterly Journal, and the author/artist of “The Whispering Tarot” deck and book. Her book “Chiron and the Lady Asteroids: A New Perspective” will be released in 2012. Articles on a variety of topics can be seen at her site: www.kozmic-kitchen.com
Watch tomorrow for Kelley’s posting!!!

Bumness

by eileentroemel, posted in Uncategorized
After a week of overtime and chaos with fifty balls in the air, I took yesterday and did NOTHING.  It was so relaxing to play on the computer and hang out with Ken, Vicki, and Beth.  We did only one thing productive and that was rent a car for our trip to Georgia.
I think my brain just needed to shut down and think on nothing.  I did make a date with a friend to visit her.  I have to email or text another to set up time with her.  I also have to turn down an invite to another friend’s for a party because the timing is bad for me.  One more friend to contact and see if she wants to get together, then I’ll be caught up on the social front mostly. 
With starting school, my time is getting more crunched.  The funny thing is I think I actually like it.  It means I’ll have to make the most of the time I actually get to do things like writing and genealogy. 
While I was a bum yesterday, I have to get my bum in gear today.  Ken and I played together on the computer but now I have to get serious and find my desk, organize my writing, genealogy, bills, etc.  I have to get my stuff ready for work and school next week. 
On top of which I got an email from a cousin with information on a family member I didn’t have before.  I need to write her a note and send her more pictures.  I also have to work on submissions for writing today. 
At some point though, I really want to go sit on the deck.  For the most part this summer it has been too hot and muggy to be outside for me.  I’ve felt trapped but today the a/c is off, windows are open and it feels HEAVENLY.  I’d be tempted to take my crocheting out and sit on the deck to do nothing. 
Mom, Alicia, and Beth are coming down tomorrow to grill out, maybe I’ll drag Stephanie’s afghan out there then and have my down time.  Social time and crocheting – multi tasking once again…
Vicki just brought me a pattern for a wrap which looks amazing.  I read the pattern too and I think it would be easy enough and quick enough to do.  I might have to do one for her and see how fast it works up.  I better stop before I get a giant list of craft stuff I want to do.  Although I seem to remember doing fifteen afghans one year while in school and working.  Maybe I just need to do more to keep me busy and sane (or is that insane?).

Early Case of Spring Fever

by eileentroemel, posted in Uncategorized
The snow has piled up.  The drift between my house and the neighbors to the north is at least 4 – 5 feet tall.  I’m not talking about a drift plowed there by the snow plows.  No I’m talking about snow that was either fallen or blown there (by wind or snow blowers).  That is too high.  I’m so ready for spring to be here and to have some green grass and leaves back. 
I am looking forward to my rhododendron bush blooming again.  I also am excited to see how my bush fence is going to come in.  I am hoping to have more lilacs this year.  The endlessness of the white snow and cold winter has finally worn me out. 
I backed up to leave my driveway and realized the drift between the two houses was so high I couldn’t see over it to tell what was coming in the road.  That is too much winter. 
I’m one of the few people who sits back to enjoy the snow on the trees, the contrast between the white snow and evergreen trees.  However, enough already, I want some warmth.  I want the snow to stop falling – I don’t care that it is big fluffy pretty flakes.  It is still cold and will just add to that damn drift. 
I look out my window both at work and at home and think – more white stuff.. can’t we have some relief from this?  Outside my window at work there is a lovely giant evergreen which is picturesque.  It is one of the darker pines dusted with a lovely layer of white on the branches.  It looks amazing. 
I want to walk up to the tree and shake its trunk hard enough that all the snow falls off.  Not that I could even if I were to walk across campus to do it.  The tree is too large.  It represents winter to me.  I am tired of winter – obviously.
I know I’ll get over this but for these moments – I just want to think of a summer breeze and the birds singing.  I want to feel the sun on my face and be WARM.  I want the breeze to cool me off not put me in a deep freeze. 
I know I have another couple months to go before we see anything near to summer like weather.. until then I’m going to huddle impatiently under my quilt with the bright colors up so I feel like spring will come eventually.

Winter weather – it is February

by eileentroemel, posted in Uncategorized
It snowed last night.  It is snowing today.  We are supposed to get about 18 inches of snow overnight.  I understand this is a lot of snow and that it will be compounded by the high winds we are also supposed to be getting. 
I don’t understand why the news has to make such a HUGE deal out of it.  Here’s the thing – it is winter.  In winter we get snow which may or may not be accompanied by high winds.  If you are used to Wisconsin weather then you know this and know how to handle it. 
It doesn’t make a lot of difference other than I might have to leave earlier to get to work.  Or worst case scenario, I get to stay home and sit in front of the fireplace because there is too much snow for me to get through on the roads.  Maybe that is best case scenario… look at that I’m 47 (well almost) and I’m hoping for a snow day…
It is winter and in Wisconsin this means we don’t need to be overly dramatic about a snow storm that sweeps through.  Yes we need information – like when is it going to hit, how much, driving conditions and so on.  We don’t need sensationalism that will cause panic – or in my case annoyance.

I wrote all of this above while comfy inside my work.  Then I walked out to my car and the wind nearly blew me off my feet.  It is hazardous out there but at the same time we don’t need the drama we just need facts.

Risk Management

by eileentroemel, posted in Uncategorized
I’ve been taking Darvacet / Darvon for 19 years.  It is the only pain killer that has given me relief from the arthritis, gout, bent bone etc pain that I suffer.  Now Darvacet has been taken off the market.  Apparently it causes heart issues. 
So far the docs have tried one other pain med, Tramaldol, which I of course had a reaction to.  I’m also allergic to codeine so can’t take Tylenol with codeine.  I have an appointment with the docs in two weeks to try to find a different med. 
In the meanwhile what the heck am I supposed to do?  I have two prescriptions at home I can’t take for pain.  One could cause heart issues and the other could cause seizures.  Which risk do I want to take?  On my bad days, Tylenol/Advil etc doesn’t touch my arthritis pain.  Being immersed in hot water helps, however, I’m pretty sure that I can’t work while sitting in a hot tub.  It might be awkward to say the least…
Anyone got any home remedies?  I already drink cranberry / cherry juice to help with my gout.  I will increase that intake.  I’m trying to lose weight by going to the pool to work out.  Love the pool time but with the cold / inclement weather it is harder to go to the pool. 
When we have a week of weather – lots of snow – then I hurt.  Today I sit at my desk and every joint in my body hurts.  I can’t close my hands into fists because my hands hurt so much.  Sitting up straight is too painful. 
In all of this I try to remember that it is just pain and will pass.  Eventually the weather will change, the pain meds will help, or my joints will be warm enough that they will stop hurting.  I now there are people out there with much worse situations than I have.  This will get better.  For now all I can do is curl up under the quilt my daughter made with love and hope the pain eases sooner rather than later.

Frigid…

by eileentroemel, posted in Uncategorized
I know it is December.  I know that I live in Wisconsin and not Hawaii. But when the starting temp for the day is minus five I consider that damn fucking cold.  Brilliant me, I was tired Monday night and just wanted to get home.  I debated about getting gas.  We were at a nearly balmy temp of five degrees so I thought maybe if I’m lucky it will be warmer in the morning and I’ll get gas then.  I didn’t believe myself but I was tired…
Tuesday morning, after getting not a second of sleep all night, I realize I can’t squeak out one more day from the gas in my gas tank.  Well okay I probably could have but what if I got stuck in traffic or a snow bank…
I’m all bundled up but still that sneaky wind finds little cracks and crevices to sneak into and chill me to the bone.  I pumped my gas and swiped down my windshield with a dry piece of paper towel in order to see.  My washer fluid isn’t working because it is DAMN FUCKING COLD.  Plus if I sprayed my windshield washer it would have formed a film of ice even though my car was edging towards warmish…
I don’t mean to complain.  I know we have to endure winter but couldn’t we stay in the damn cold range?  I mean I know it may not seem like a big difference but feeling like each breath is going to make your lungs shatter apart because of the cold is sort of a big step.  In the damn cold range it is the time to consider maybe just zipping up the jacket or adding a scarf.  The DAMN FUCKING COLD level means you are walking around with a comforter duct taped around you to block out the frigid fingers of the winter wind.  Of course you have to have eye holes and maybe a heated tube to be able to breathe but still…
The wicked wind plays tricks on you too because while we might have temperatures in the minus five range the wind chill (trust me it isn’t just a chill) drops the temp to minus twenty.  This of course edges the temp range from damn fucking cold to way too damn fucking cold.
I don’t know about the other walking comforters but I’m ready for the DAMN FUCKING COLD weather to be done and move into a more reasonable range… heck I’d even take fucking cold or damn cold instead…