Memorial Day Musings

First things, first: My hat is respectfully doffed in salute to those brave souls, volunteer or conscripted, who have taken up arms in defense of our country and its ideals, regardless of the overt or covert objectives behind the declarations of President or Congress. I, and every other citizen, owe you all our lives, liberty and happiness. Thank you.

Being the consummate procrastinator, as well as under the weather, I failed to make a trip to town Saturday to acquire a pair of flags to place at my parent's grave site. First thing this morning upon dropping SWMBO at work, I made a bee line to Wally World. Sad to say, there was no joy for the personal patriots division to be had in that big box store. None of the other stores around the Mall open before ten, so I was suspecting the the P' s were going to be SOL in the flag department this year. But, what do I spy but activity in the parking lot of Lowes! Upon investigation, flags of the requisite colors, stripes and stars, of a size to go next to a (flat) headstone were immediately procured and the trek north to the grave yard was undertaken. I am the only family member left. My memory isn't what it once was. So, picture me in our one-ton dualie, driving the cart paths in this 200 years plus old cemetery, driving up and down the same few lanes my memory insists is where the family plot is located, swear softly at myself under my breath, unable to "find" the surname stone. Seems someone cut the bushes that flanked said stone. It hasn't moved -- I just didn't recognize the naked granite marker. Stupid memory.

Anyway, today the forecasters claim we will see the sun for the first time in ten days. The grass is over a foot high and the weed wacker won't start. Oh joy. No money in the kitty for a new one, either.

And So It Goes... Hope y'all have a safe and fun holiday.

Update

It's been West Texas windy of late. The breeze broke up the ice on the lake as I predicted. Still some snow banks and mud preventing the move over. New moon and a true sound of Spring last night- there was a woodcock drumming and "kee-wee" -ing on the hill for a mate. I hope the coyotes don't get him. I had to run off a bunch of them the other night while out with Iggy. Despite her desperation to get with kittens, Ms. Belle has figured out the coyotes and owls can't get to her in the dog kennels, so she's taken to coming and going into the garage through them.

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In like a lion...

April Fools Indeed

 

SWMBO* and I tied the knot on a sunny, balmy noon fourteen years ago today. She was just shaking off the flu, I was coming down with it. By mid-afternoon, we were both sound asleep in our sick bed…

Ten and four years later, the morning dawned gray and wet, slushy snow flakes interspersed with rain while temps never left the thirties all day. SWMBO gave me a hat pin which reads “Excellence In Service” with a tiny bit of bling and the number “14” in the center. All attempts at photographing it with my phone have failed to resolve focus issues. I am such a Neanderthal – I prefer manual focus like my old SLR to these digital screen devices with AF.

We have managed to survive the March of 2013. For most intents, winter is over. We have had almost 79 inches of snow this year, about three inches more than our 30 year average during my tenure here.

Ice is now gray on the lake. The evening news is replete with tales of ice fishermen and others falling through the rotten ice with four wheel drive vehicles, ATVs, snowmobiles and Snow Cats. Those who haven’t gotten their ice houses off the lakes and rivers by now are doomed to lose them AND receive a fine from Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (each shanty must have a permanent placard with name, address and phone number of the owner). The dooryard has a large hole, once a puddle, which a year of turning with dual rear-tired axle has dug. The mud is about six inches deep where the sun has melted the frost while early morning is reminiscent of traveling the old “corduroy road” of my childhood.

Most of the snow is gone from the fields and woods. Iggy has been ranging much farther afield, out “covering” his territorial markers in the never-ending battle with the coyotes and foxes. Speaking of coyotes, a rare, white coyote came out of the woods down in West Kennebunk, crawled under a family’s porch and up and died moments later. It did not appear to be starving, so the COD will have to await toxicology tests.

I hope all of you who commemorate the Ascension had a good one. For the pagans amongst my friends and readers, hope you had all the Peeps(TM), hard-boiled eggs and chocolate bunnies, gum drops and other sweets you can stand.

 

*SWMBO – She Who Must Be Obeyed – my wife.

 

Addendum: I composed the above on the 1st but ran out of juice for the laptop before I could post the entry to Blogger. So now I’m once again up against the battery limit after reading other’s blogs this morning, so time to hit the SEND button.

First Impressions

That's the underbelly of the dual-ly. Ten inches of clearance -- twelve inches of snow. Danged thing can't get out of it's own way in the snow. Naturally, the Town plow had pushed up a bank of two feet at the road, so SWMBO couldn't get out to go to work. Our plow guy didn't come by until evening, of course. Beggars can't be choosers ... I could always offer myself up to the Heart Attack Gods and try to shovel out the sixty or so feet of driveway.

Beach Weather

I tried sunbathing. Snow kept blowing up my nose!

Spring Is On The Way

So I went by the camp today. With the wind blowing from the North about twenty-five miles an hour, the ice at the South end of the lake was singing and moaning louder than Janis Joplin. But, there is, as you can see on the photograph, a ray of hope - a line of open water above the ledge off the point. So, tomorrow's predicted fourteen inch snowfall will likely result in the breakup of the lake ice a few weeks early. I won't know for sure unless all the snow melts beforehand as the road is dirt and was passable this morning because it was only twenty-four degrees.

In any event, the calendar says the Vernal Equinox is upon us, so I guess I will go get my sunburn cream and lie out in the blizzard in the morning to get some color. Pink and gray are colors, aren't they?

Shedding Monster - Trying to look cute

Blizzard 1

Getting Along

Had another blizzard last weekend. Not as bad this time. In between the two we had a goodly amount of melting with a few inches of rain to beat the snow drifts into submission. This time, three inches of snow with only 50MPH gusts with above freezing temps and rains at the end left us with a couple inches of slush. Almost felt like Spring for a while. Then the evening low of 18° F. Brought us back to reality.

Yes, Punxsutawney Phil, there IS six more weeks of winter to come. Damn it.

Iggy is confused by all of the extreme temperature swings, so he is blowing coat. EVERYWHERE. I haven't had a bite of food, cup of coffee nor brushed my teeth without plucking a long, black Iggy hair from my mouth. Trust me when I say it isn't an improvement to my oatmeal. He is freezing when outside and covering the interior of the trailer in a cast off fur coat.

Nothing else new to report. Just another day in paradise.

And So It Goes.

Freedom

We got plowed out late on Tuesday evening. Tyler took a major hit to the savings account restoring his plow truck to operation. Even with used parts the bill exceeded three grand!

So, I got to town yesterday, picking up LP for heat, gasoline for the generator, food and other essential sundries, Rx drugs, chocolate for SWMBO Valentines Day, and some fast food which allowed me to get back and seated as the opening credits to Survivor rolled. My choice of McDonald's Fish bites was not very satisfactory - they tasted like the fish was old.

Hope you and your loved ones have a great Valentines Day.

Evernote:Motorcycle camping in the blizzard – Bennett There Done That - BDN Maine Blogs

From Evernote:

Motorcycle camping in the blizzard – Bennett There Done That - BDN Maine Blogs

We have (mostly) survived Snowzilla, receiving 23 1/2" here at the trailer while six miles away at the airport (KBGR) the official tally was 18.4". Sadly, Tyler lost the center bearing and drive shaft support trying to plow out his equipment and was still awaiting the big flatbed to take his plow truck off to a garage for repair when we talked yesterday mid-day. To add insult to injury we picked up an additional 3" of the white stuff yesterday before it turned to rain. The only one who appreciated that development was Iggy. Now the snow surface will support him, sort of, so he can attend to business without slowly sinking out of sight as the warmth of his rotund body melts down through the powder. SWMBO was forced to call out of work, which the PTB's* didn't appreciate, but there is no way in hell she could make it the 100' through that crotch-deep snow to a taxi with her cane, assuming one could even be had... there be a lot of folks in need of alternate transport in town. A driver could make three times the fare allowable for a pick-up out in the boonies just by answering calls in Bangor.

So, here's hoping we get plowed out before 6 AM Wednesday... no more time available to miss work and we will be out of fuel for heat and power by then. It could be worse as some folks to the South have been without those commodities since Friday morning.

Finally, give a looksee at this blog entry by Bangor Daily News  photographer Troy Bennett -- the damned fool went motorcycle camping in the blizzard! Link at bottom .

PS editing an entry really sucks when you can't highlight anything.

*PTB: Powers That Be, ie. The Man, bosses, etc.

http://bennetttheredonethat.bangordailynews.com/2013/02/11/motorcycle-camping-in-the-blizzard/