I seem to be on a blog streak lately: every two months on the 8th without fail I’ve managed to find some words to post. Perhaps bimonthly three times in a row isn’t much in the grand scheme of the world, the galaxy, the universe, but it’s a lot for me. I’m lucky in that there isn’t much to write about. I lead a quiet, sane life (at least it feels sane to me) without a lot of trauma or excitement, but that suits me well. I’ve had enough of both to last the rest of my life.
Oh, there are some things of concern, such as a couple of visitors of the small rodent kind and a crumbling corner of my foundation (for some reason, that particular corner decided it didn’t want to have anything to do with the rest of the house, so it went walkabout) but mostly, I (and my house) have been doing well.
So, what’s new? Snow! Lots and lots of snow. I haven’t seen so much snow in years. In fact, I think we’ve had more snow the past couple of days than all last winter. It’s been so warm that I’d been procrastinating on cleaning up my garden areas for fall, mowing one last time, readying the ground for planting wildflower seeds (which in previous years I did before the first snow) thinking I had plenty of time to do the work, but no. Snow!!
Luckily, they got the foundation concreted in before the snow started, but it will probably be a while before they can replace the dirt and redo the landscaping around the house. It’s ornamental rock, so it’s not much of a problem, and it’s out of the way so I won’t be putting myself in danger, but they might have to wait until the snow melts and the excavation area dries out. Or not. What do I know. And anyway, it’s not that cold, so I doubt the snow will be around for very long.
There isn’t much snow in the above picture of my ramp, but the snow that’s there is just from the early hours this morning. Yesterday, I shoveled the ramp twice. Each time the snow was about six or eight inches deep, so you can imagine how deep the snow would have been without all that work! And without the melt from late yesterday afternoon when the snow turned to rain.
After this storm passes, the days will warm up (though the nights will be colder than they have been), so I’m sure I’ll still be able to do the fall cleanup I’d planned, assuming, of course, I feel like it.
Right now, what I feel like is a cup of hot tea, a warm blanket, and a book to read, so goodbye for another couple of months! It was nice connecting with you.
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Pat Bertram is the author of Grief: The Inside Story – A Guide to Surviving the Loss of a Loved One. “Grief: The Inside Story is perfect and that is not hyperbole! It is exactly what folk who are grieving need to read.” –Leesa Healy, RN, GDAS GDAT, Emotional/Mental Health Therapist & Educator.
Bertram's Blog 
November 8, 2024 at 10:33 am
Snow!? I guess it shouldn’t surprise me. It’s a week into November, after all. But this whole year has been a strange one for me and I’m not ready to cope with winter yet. So I hope it doesn’t find its way here for a while longer. I still have tubs of flowers on my back deck and front porch. Admittedly they’re looking very bedraggled and I’ve been thinking of pulling them out…but I haven’t quite gotten to it.
How strange that a corner of your foundation crumbled. Did the contractor suggest a reason? I’m glad you were able to have it repaired before the snow came.
It was nice to see your post turn up in my inbox this morning and know that all is still going well for you. I hope your coming winter days are filled with lots of those cozy reading opportunities. 🙂
November 8, 2024 at 1:50 pm
I still had some flowers when it started snowing, and my petunias were still doing well, though bedraggled, like yours. This snow has me a bit bewildered. It’s too early, too much, too wet, more like a spring snow than a winter storm.
I think the part of the foundation that crumbled happened a long time ago, and probably wouldn’t have been noticed except that the corner migrated. A crack four feet from the end on the south side and one four feet from the end on the west side grew and grew. It must have migrated almost an inch. Then after a big rain a few weeks ago, it started migrating back. I bet if I hadn’t had it fixed, when this snow melted, it would have been back where it started. Apparently it has something to do with the water table. Even stranger, although the ground everywhere else was rock hard, right there it was damp all the way down. Making things even weirder, this town supposedly sits on a clay ball that has a mind of its own. The house has been sitting here for 95 years, so it’s probably dealt with many issues over the years. Luckily I have a contractor I can call on!
I hope you’re doing well in your new place and that your winter is mild.
November 9, 2024 at 3:14 pm
This autumn went by so quickly…it seems so early for snow! I hope your furry little visitors are permanently gone, and the repairs are quickly and permanently done, too!
November 9, 2024 at 3:42 pm
I’m hoping, too. And hoping the snow melts quickly and we don’t get another one until winter actually gets here in another few weeks.
November 11, 2024 at 5:43 am
You had a good bit of snow to forecast the months ahead. I hope you are able to do your yard work without any more interruptions. I’m glad you still connect with me. There are very few that do.
If you remember my front porch, you will be surprised at the changes. The wood had rotted out after 9+ years. My daughter is replacing it for me, but it is taking a long time due to her work schedule and personal things. It is a long, difficult process, but with luck she will finish it by Christmas, which is the perfect gift.
Stay well and warm,
Judy
November 11, 2024 at 7:08 am
I was just thinking about that yesterday, how nice we’ve been able to connect. And yes! So much snow. When this snow melts, I’ll be able to finish up my yardwork, then I hope this year we’ll get a lot more snow. I did enjoy this storm. Well, for the first two days anyway.
Good luck with your porch. Houses are a wonderful thing to have, but oh, boy, the upkeep is an ongoing proposition.
Stay well and warm!
November 14, 2024 at 12:44 pm
Gosh, if the foundation crumbles, I won’t know which was to run.
November 14, 2024 at 1:05 pm
Luckily, I got someone to replace the corner. Whew!