Weather Report: My Hair Froze

And, right now, it is snowing sideways. But, the end of February is almost here; weeks, not months, and it will be different. The Perkiomen Trail beckons.

Aidan's birthday bash at the trampoline place went as planned...

Eleven!

Please, forgive my tardiness in postings. I spent a few days coping with dizziness from a temporary vertigo problem. No complaints; it is nearly gone now. Just grateful for a mostly healthy body and mind.

Today Keoni went with his school orchestra to Doylestown for Regionals. While he was practicing with them an Army recruiter called him on his cell phone to see if he wanted a military career. He declined, yet it is a reality check for me on how old he is getting to be, and, not least, a reminder of our sons and daughters who have been a part of our terrible armed conflicts. I'm having a moment of silence here for them.

Weather Report: One-Way Driveway

A sort of acceptance has set in, and a determination to make it until spring arrives; like August in hot climes evokes determination to make it to October.

Ahead of me as I back out (Yikes!) onto Ridge Road from our winter, one-way drive.

No cactus.

The goats are handling their new environment well. It's a little too slippery for Austin some days as the snow melts into slicks during the day and freezes at night. The truck has sat for quite awhile now as we utilize John's car and mine for errands; limiting them often to essentials. No running over to convenience markets at the drop of a hat. Maybe that is why gas station/convenience markets are so thinly scattered over the region. They'd be inconvenience stores.

Only one late-start school day this week. Aidan had a birthday mid-week that had a light (lite?) family remembrance after supper with a lemon meringue pie. Today is the big day when he meets his nine invitees at the wall-to-wall trampoline warehouse where he celebrated a friend's birthday in the fall. He liked it better than the jumping castle (bouncy house--that's Pennsylvanian) place of another friend's day. The decibel range will be above 120. I'll take my book and earplugs.

A shoutout to the Casas Adobes CC Choir: I'm entranced with Imperfect Harmony: Finding Happiness Singing with Others by Stacy Horn. What a great story about music and singing in a choir. It's now at the top of my all-time best-loved books.  And, I am getting used to new songs and singing in a choir near me here. They are very good, are wonderful people, and I'm challenged; yet CACC choir is a very, very hard act to follow.

Music continues...

Karma helps.

Cat rules.

For One Dollar Or Maybe Not

Early Sunday, I dressed to make sure I got the snow and ice off the car in time to head to church. After a fruitless, frustrating pocket/purse/premises search, no keys. John must still have had them from the last car switching. The household was asleep after a probably late night watching Olympics that John records from the day's broadcasts. After de-icing, warming the car using my spare key, I negotiated the icy steps to go back inside. I found the storm door locked, or stuck??? Repeated tries availed nothing. Neither could I open anything else!

Now John's relationship with sleep is uneasy so he hates interruption when fully settled into dream land. Out of regard and wishing to avoid waking anyone else, I warmed myself in the car for awhile thinking it over, hoping someone would appear. Thinking didn't help; my thoughts grew unkind.

Next, I text messaged Keoni and waited. Nothing. Phone probably off. Ah well. It was now 7:30 a.m. I made the call to the master bedroom. Wendy rescued me and my keys; then, she went to the barn doing chores. Not a good time for negotiating our driveway car juggle, and John's car blocked me from the street.

The rest is fodder for situation comedies.

The service at church was welcome, but snow depriving the choir of practices (I need them a lot besides what I do on my own) resulted in a sort of worrisome singing experience this time.

Hmmm. Was I somehow running athwart the grain of life here?

"Relax. The day has just begun." answered the dust fuzzies.

_____

After church I drove to Lansdale Station to ride on the SEPTA train to City Center (Philly). I was 10 minutes too late for the 11:51 so I looked about me for walkable possibilities to get out of the 27 degree wind, and spotted a small "Mediterranean" storefront across the tracks. Packed inside the tiny business were every description of middle eastern-type foods and a few pastas on shelves and cases; including far orient garments for sale hanging high on the walls. I told the proprietress I was looking for a restaurant and she told me that she'd make me a "sandwich" for carryout--only 10 minutes. She named some menu sounding names and I chose one she said had chicken. Right on time she rang up that and a New Jersey canned guava juice I'd chosen. We parted and I wandered back to the depot platform.

The depot is locked up on Sundays so I waited with the gathering crowd on the lee side out of the wind. The sun hitting the spot where I stood kept me from completely chilling down. The lined London Fog coat I was wearing didn't quite make me comfortable. I shall have to invest in a real overcoat for next winter. My precious LF will be fine for spring and fall.

Boarding the Philly-bound train I looked for people dressed up in finer attire. I sat in the next seat by a well-dressed couple who maybe were about 10 years my junior. Before we took off I asked if they were headed to City Center and sure enough they were. I told them I was pretty new to the area and train system. During a brief conversation I learned their opera destination was two blocks from Kimmel Center where I was headed. They said that they'd walk with me and show me the shortest distance way.

That six dollars I'd just spent at the Mediterranean store turned out to be a handsome lunch I ate on the train. The very large "sandwich" had ample chicken and plenty salady ingredients tightly rolled in some sort of flat bread--the content flavors ran to pickle with sharp overtones of hot spicy-ness. Mmmm-mmm.

SEPTA employs people to take fares on the train. I was ready with my Medicare card and dollar bill for my senior fare and the employee just passed me by. I didn't say anything about it, but sort of wondered.

Arriving City Center the couple oriented me well and we conversed happily walking along until their destination where they pointed me to mine two blocks ahead. They offered to meet me afterward to see I got back to the depot OK. Thanking them, I declined the offer letting them know I'd return with family who'd made the trip on the train a couple hours earlier avoiding the parking fees and problems finding space on a car show, opera, Philly Youth Orchestra, and whatever else a busy Sunday afternoon in Philly had going. I'm still enjoying the warm feeling that couple gave me.

Wendy, John and Aidan waited in the Perch Club pub within sight of Kimmel Center until Keoni's PYO orchestra time. Ernie, Gena and Sophia, a young family, were there with them when I arrived about 40 minutes ahead of PYO time. John works closely with Ernie at their mutual employer, and had invited them for the afternoon. Keoni had been at Kimmel rehearsing since they'd arrived.

It is always daunting taking orchestra pictures. Nothing really does it well except an excellent lens and a tripod. A couple pages of the program...

Here are a couple smart phone ones to show we were there.

Michael Ludwig, in front of Keoni, was violin soloist for S. Barber Violin Concerto, Op 14.

Keoni is growing so happily into a life of music. My grandsons, all, my granddaughter and my great grandsons are a crown of joy. But, you knew that.

All the while enjoying this wonderful music I am struck, once again, at the paradox of joy. This teenage boy makes me so aware that joy is in its own moment, to be experienced, yes, yes and yes; yet, it will be over. I wipe away tears remembering I can't hold its sweetness; just savor it.

_____

We made our way back to the train station. This time Keoni led the way since he comes to practice in Philly every week. I walked with him and correctly guessed each turn.

After our homeward train ride began the SEPTA ticket agent started down the aisle as before. John had his family round-trip ticket ready for punch. Seated with John, I held my senior dollar and medicare card. The agent waved it away and said, "Naw".

The dust fuzzies are right.

Keoni: There should be Olympic snow-shoveling competitions.

Which snow layer we are working on is no longer discernible. Our one-way driveway challenges us. We have to plan. You could say that brings us together, too. There are choices to make: pull in front forward and next trip back out onto Ridge Road; or, vice versa. Extreme backing. Either way involves reverse gear out onto the road, and if you are the lucky one, your car is closest to Ridge Road and you don't have to move the other car first before you can get out.

So far, we can see over the piles of snow at the driveway entrance/exit.

Snow plow going by. This isn't the big momma though; that one is scary. 

I carry around a "snow brush" in my car. An object I never knew existed until a couple months ago. I've used it lots.

John and Keoni digging out John's car.

Keoni hurls it onto the flower garden.

After this winter Keoni may never want a car, even though he is a teenager.

Wendy joining the effort. She already cleared the way in front of the barn stall doors.

The two cars readied for the day's juggling.

In the afternoon, another neighbor came with his tractor and blade. John moved the cars to the neighbor's drive and the neighbor had our driveway cleared in no time. Plus, he cleared out the turn-around area in front of Wendy's truck at the barn. We have great neighbors helping our Southwestern kids make their winter transitions.

Aidan found other uses for frozen natural phenomenon...

Look what I found, Grandma Judy.

A light saber!

Aidan found many ways to hurl himself into snow banks. His former snowmen became icemen. He hated yesterday's snow day caused missing out on the fifth grade Valentine's celebration which can't be rescheduled we learned until sometime in March. So, his Valentine box entry for the competition sits in the music room along with a pile of Valentines for his classmates. Luckily, his disappointment was diverted since I revealed a heart-shaped cake pan, cake mix and icings that I'd hidden to make for a family Valentine. I gave all to him; then, stood out of the way as he made the cake and decorated with scarcely any input from me.

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY a day late.

Weather Report: They were right.

Ordinarily, I'd be headed over to Telford to see my buddies.

No goats or Austin outside this morning. Dogs trips out are very quick.

But not today. And probably not tomorrow.

The boys are home. I experimented with pancakes and got their endorsement for a repeat sometime. Parents are subsisting on black coffee, poor things, hiding away in their room.

Boys have had only one fight so far.

Toby is making good use of his hidey-hole and occasional refreshments of warm water in his dish...

Here is my experiment...

REFRIGERATOR FINDINGS

melt butter pat (or oil) in pan medium low heat

beat with fork one egg
add a smidge (1 tsp) of water (or o.j.or whatever)

beat in apx one Tbsp whole wheat flour
beat in apx one Tbsp all purpose flour

stir in spoonful leftover rice, or quinoa, or barley (or rolled oats? didn't try that one)
stir in apx 1/4 C frz blueberries (thawed)

*options, shredded carrots or apple, cinnamon, nutmeg, pumpkin, lemon zest

fry in pan -- (smooth out if needed) until both sides brown a little

sprinkle with powdered sugar
honey or syrup

or leave out the sweet stuff and use leftover shredded veggies, seafood, onions, olives, corn, peppers whatever.

___

Neighbor Joe's grandson Jeffrey has his snowplow on the front of his truck; he's clearing Joe's roadway. My car and John's are parked on the upper end of our drive this time so Jeffrey won't be clearing it this time. Ridge Road is snowed under and the plows and salt spreaders are not going by as yet.

Right where I left it after choir practice last night. The first flurries were falling. 

Praying here for the Goddess of Infrastructure to smile.

Weather Report: Check a viral posting.

Shoppers like us filled the landscape this morning as Wendy and I drove around picking up stuff that maybe will be needed if the snow predictions are true. Whatever is to come, I hope the electric and such keeps functioning for everybody.

Toby is back outside again as of last Friday afternoon. All went well at the vet check and he is good to go. The PA Public Health closed his case per phone call Monday. I fixed up his porch hidey-hole with one more layer than before; this one an old coat that has a fuzzy side. It is definitely warmer inside his quarters now. The fuzz seems to better hold the heat from the ridiculously expensive outdoor pet heating pad. Yea! I change his water often since it freezes over quickly.

Karma keeps going into the bathroom looking for Toby.

Aidan had his PRYSM orchestra concert on Saturday afternoon.

All set to go.

Centennial Hall at the Haverford School.

Returning from church Sunday, I backed into our one-way, icy driveway so I'd be pointed in the right direction to take Aidan to go see one of his PA buddies for the afternoon. I got out and had to hold onto the car to take the first step or two. Way too icy. So, I decided to step out into the crusted snow in the yard thinking my steps would crunch through the ice layer into the snow and I could progress to the door that way. That worked fine until it didn't.

I lay there in the front yard in full view of Ridge Road with purse and choir music scattered all over, but out of reach. Ah, the iPhone was in the purse. I was unhurt, but couldn't get up. The icy top layer all around me was thick and wouldn't break. At least not enough to crunch my feet into to get a purchase and leverage myself up. Nobody out on the road stopped. Neither did I want to think about being seen. I tried scooting and heaving myself up the approximate 20-25 feet incline to the side porch; then, I decided that I'd yell. After awhile Aidan heard his name and came to the door. He was in his sox and went back for shoes and Keoni. The two of them did fine on the ice as they pulled me to my feet and acted as sturdy props until I made it to the door; then, they gathered up my stuff.

Basically, I am unharmed, but have a very achy body that can only be the result of the event.

The animals are all fine. Austin is out in the round pen for awhile each morning while Wendy does her chores. The goats are let out of the barn, too, while she is busy there. Monday afternoon they all came trotting up to the house.

They were so intent on something...then, I saw Wendy coming down the driveway with the mail. She'd gone to get it while the goats were out and they tried to follow her. What little dears.

The barn cats were curious about Toby's return to the outdoors. That led to one cat fight; with Patches--not Jasper. I guess Toby is not a complete wuss since he was winning; his reward was a snowball. That ended it for the time being. There didn't seem to be any real injuries. Gee whiz.

Weather Report: Weather rules!

The past few days atmospheric events intertwine nearly all endeavor. We didn't lose our electricity as did the 650,000 people in Philadelphia. We are relatively comfortable, if a little inconvenienced. I am mindful of our good fortune...thus far.

Choir practice was canceled Wednesday this week and last, as well, due to the weather. The boys had a "snow day" Monday and Wednesday; Tuesday and Thursday were "late" days which means the bus picked them up two hours late and brought them home at the usual times. The delayed start days count as regular school days. John was home Monday and managed to get out the driveway the rest of the time.

Music lessons and practices have continued to happen.

We all helped shovel snow Monday late afternoon. A good thing since the next problem was freezing rain on top of everything. Wendy and I went in my Outback to the Tractor store for needed animal feed this morning. Tomorrow we will take Toby to the vet for his clearance and Health Department paperwork on the bite. Today, is the 10th quarantine day. Frezz will go with us for his annual. Toby will like that.

The locals say this Pennsylvania winter is more severe than most in recent memory. Daily, I find myself reminded of my mother and Missouri winters when I was a teen; the two-hole outhouse, a commode in a closet for the truly desperate, Friday washtub baths and hair-washing, cistern water pumped at the kitchen sink, hauled water for drinking, milk buckets and jars to sanitize, a cow to milk, five kids to track mud in, and to feed, coats piled on kitchen wall hooks, a bushel basket of socks, frozen laundry brought back indoors hanging in the kitchen to dry, weekly ironing of two bushel baskets of family clothing and linens. There is more, but I'll stop.

Wendy clearing the side door steps leading from the kitchen.

Out the front door.

For all the treacherous aspects of the winter, its difficulties, expenses and even the hardships it brings, it continues to amaze the eye.

Weather Report: Everything snowballed.

Drip, drip, drip. It's melting but not gone. Late Sunday Aidan continued snowball formation before Superbowl game...

Pretty soon, he had help...

Yesterday, another snow day. Even John stayed home...

Our driveway and neighbors' across Ridge Road.

Late afternoon the snow stopped, and Neighbor Joe's grandson who lives behind us snowplowed Joe's drive and came over to our drive and plowed it, too, making it possible to dig out John's car. Keoni helped me dig mine out though I'm not planning on going out today. Still, feels good to have his help and just in case someone misses the buses on two-hour delay this morning, I can provide the transport to the school. 

Good neighbors. Good, good neighbors.

Weather Report: Keoni going out the door to school. "Wow, it warmed up!"

It was 17 degrees. We'll need lots of sassafras tea in the spring to get us used to warm temperatures again.

Kickoff is in four hours; tailgating already.  Just now Aidan pointed out Katie Perry who is in full cry--lotsa hair. Now I know what she looks like.

The kitchen sends aromas that cause salivation and appetites that supersede cautions for moderation. Wendy is making marvels of tailgate cuisine. Aidan made brownies. He didn't really need a grandmother's help for this batch so I (wisely) took a nap.

Of course, you are right. It is the XLVIII Superbowl. Next thought; do we have to wait four hours to begin snacking.

The family has discovered Sherlock. We stream it now from my old Mac Mini to the giant TV set. Glad it has new life. If you haven't watched Sherlock, start with the first season and episode. Awhile back I watched a subsequent episode and it wasn't as good without the background.

Since it warmed up the last couple of days the fluffy snow took on a wet texture. Aidan took advantage of the new possibilities.

Joe Namath was just interviewed on the NY Broadway portion of tailgating. He has good teeth.

Time to investigate the kitchen.