Gypsy's First Winter at The Lake - February 19, 2010

Word of the Day

Sniglet - Any word that doesn't appear in the dictionary, but should.

Bear with me, it's been a long time since my last blog and it isn't because there hasn't been anything to write about. This is the first opportunity I've had to spend more than a few short moments on my laptop.

The last time I blogged, HTP and I had no plans to leave sunny Arizona to return to our home here at The Lake. Plans change. Sometimes change comes at lightening speed. HTP's Dad has been in and out of the hospital since February 6th. After receiving notice that he was back in the hospital yet again on February 13th, HTP and I decided that it would be best to head to The Lake so we could be closer to HTP's folks.

It’s amazing how quickly one can accomplish in one day with a little help from friends and neighbors. Our Arizona house is all closed for the summer. Friends came over for a movie and appetizer night on February 13th. They ended up taking home half the food in my fridge. One of these friends agreed to return our cable converter boxes to the cable company for us. Our neighbor next door is going to check our mail, forwarding the important stuff until the post office stops delivering there and starts delivering to The Lake. She’s also picking up newspapers for us until we can get a hold of the newspaper and tell them to STOP. I was supposed to play my clarinet at church on February 14th and February 21st but the Pastor and his wife were very understanding.

Most of Sunday morning (February 14th) was spent buttoning everything up in and around the house. Draining the fountain. Disconnecting the battery on the car. Taking down wind chimes. We’ve got quite a To Do List to close up but HTP and I finally packed and loaded and hit the road at 11 AM that very morning. We even loaded up the wine that isn’t quite ready for bottling. Buckets and Jugs of Hooch.

HTP and I finally got all packed and loaded and hit the road at 11 AM on Sunday. Driving was great! Sunny skies and dry roads. We arrived in Albuquerque at 6:30PM. We planned to head for Omaha to spend Monday night with DD Daughter, GI Joe, Mr. T. and Ms. En, but plans changed.

I was practically gibbering after our marathon 22 hour drive Monday and Tuesday. Tom and I got a call from his sister as we were leaving Albuquerque. HTP’s Dad had gone home but was back in the hospital so we decided to drive straight out to Minnesota and the hospital after a quick stop in Omaha to give DD Daughter and the grandkids some hugs and drop some of wonderful grapefruit that our neighbor gave us.

We left Albuquerque at 7 AM (February 15th), Albuquerque time, and got to the hospital at 6 AM (February 16th), Minnesota time. According to the nurse, HTP’s Dad was doing OK. We checked into a hotel where I crashed with Gypsy. Thankfully, the hotel gave us a room and let us check in right away. We even got to enjoy the continental breakfast. HTP headed back to the hospital to visit with his Dad at around 8 AM…then he came back to the hotel crash. We went back to the hospital to visit with Tom’s Dad at around 5 PM that evening and then went out to eat with our son Dave.

In the meantime, my folks arranged to have our driveway at The Lake plowed. It took the poor guy five hours to clear all the accumulated snow….and…my Mom told me that it had started snowing again. Oh well, at least the next time the guy comes to plow, it shouldn’t take so long. They also called our plumber to hook up our water and then went over to turn up the heat so we wouldn't arrive to a frigid home.

On Wednesday, February 16th, we checked out of our hotel and went to visit with HTP's Dad at the hospital and then go see HTP's Mom at their apartment. We finally arrived at The Lake (after picking up groceries), at around 3 PM. Our driveway was plowed, the water was running, the house was warm. We unpacked the car, opened shades, unpacked boxes and suitcases, and touched bases with my folks and Sis. I shoveled a path of snow off my back deck and moved the gas grill that we'd stored in the kitchen out to the deck and so I could drag the deck chairs back outdoors. Finally, I started a fire in our fireplace and connected with my folks...across the frozen lake, and Sis in Florida. By this time, I was too exhausted to more than pour myself into bed.

The weather has been fine but it is COLD!!!! I’m really glad I had a pair of gloves but I really need a sturdier, warmer pair. I’m going to have to buy some warm boots. There is LOTS of snow and ice. Poor Gypsy stepped into a snow drift by mistake and leaped out as fast as she could and then she slipped on some ice. Poor baby. She’s going to have to get used to walking barefoot in the snow. The only bad driving conditions so far were in Iowa. HTP and I couldn’t believe all the ditched and overturned cars and trucks on either side of the freeway. Apparently, driving conditions were HORRIBLE the day before we got there. There was still plenty of ice left and blowing snow which forced us to slow down to 40mph. here and there. By the time we crossed the Minnesota border, the roads were clear sailing once again.

So...Thursday? I ended up in a dental chair. I can't exactly remember when my crown popped off. It was my birthday. Happy Birthday to Me! I was driving. I was eating jelly beans. Crunch. Off came my crown. I passed my gold crown to HTP, who put it in a plastic baggy that he dug out of my purse so the crown wouldn't go missing somehow. Thankfully, the dentist was able to glue my crown back on with little problems. Stupid jelly bean! *sigh*

And then...HTP got a call from Sarge and D Buddy. They had hopped in their car and were within 80 miles of our home here at The Lake! Wow! They drove 23 hours straight from their home in Texas. So, with a still numb mouth, HTP took me to the closest grocery store for supplies, drove home and made sure that our guest room and guest bath were usable. Thankfully, I'd moved my grill out to the deck. Hamburgers on the grill. Sarge made french fries. We invited my folks to dinner...that was last night.

It's Friday! Today! If you've read this far through this mega-blog entry, you're almost caught up on all the happenings. Sarge, D Buddy, and HTP headed off to The Big City after breakfast today so they can go visit with HTP's Dad. They also rented a U-Haul trailer so Sarge and D Buddy and move all the items that they've had stored in a storage unit in The Big City, close the storage unit out, and move those items here to The Lake where they can keep them here until they can pick them up again and move them to Texas....later this summer? While in The Big City, Sarge and D Buddy plan to connect with #1 Son, visit with HTP's Dad, and then return with #1 Son to The Lake where I'll have a late supper waiting for them. HTP will be hauling the loaded trailer behind our Gator. Thankfully, today seems to be an ideal day for driving. Blue skies.

I can hear the ice melting out on the deck, but despite Sarge and D Buddy's best efforts at snow and ice removal, there is still quite a layer of very solid ice built up out on my deck. Though the thermometer on our south-facing deck reads 41 degrees, it's going to take quite a while before I'll be able to see deck board. Maybe #1 Son will be able to help tomorrow. Tomorrow is another day.

Random Thought of the Day

Why is there a light in the fridge and not in the freezer?

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

If one morning I walked on top of the water across the Potomac River, the headline that afternoon would read "President Can't Swim".
Lyndon B. Johnson (1908 - 1973)