Good Things on a Snowy Day

Our weather has been a little extreme, even for Michigan. The depiction above has been shared recently on Facebook.

The water main break came during a cold spell, but the pipe was about as old as I am and broke at a vulnerable spot, where a 30-incher downsizes to a 20-incher. It should not happen again during my life time, whatever the weather.

Sleety snow blowing sideways

After a moderately cold weekend, things began to melt, fast. A mid-winter warm-up is to be expected, but the thermometer climbed to nearly 60 degrees and it rained, lots. Early Tuesday morning there was a rather violent winter thunder storm. I was awake during the loud rumblings.

Debris field from flooding

I had a chance to inspect my yard and pick up the fallen branches after all the snow had melted. Yes, mulch and leaves had been moved around by the water main break "river," creating debris fields on the lawn, but I should be able to rake it all in a few hours on a nice spring day. I tucked in a few plants that were starting to *pop out like it was spring. Curiously, there was a small pile of very red mulch which must have drifted over in a frozen lump from some neighbor on the next street over.


But soon it started snowing again.


Beautiful, fluffy snow.
Boots. Gloves. Scarves. Hats.
Frozen locks again on my Mitsubishi.
Full-sized broom put back again in my front seat.

It is winter again (as it should be)
on this last day of January.


The good things on this day of living?

• Enjoying a free nachos appetizer (again) and a lite beer with friends at Happy Hour today.

• Cheating the gas man (again)--20 gallons at 60 cents off--barely under $3/gallon this time. Photo is of J, caught in the act this evening.

• Looking at the snow from the inside--once again, a warm fire glowing.

Getting the Red Out

NOT SEEING RED
I once heard a decorator say that every room in the house should have a touch (not a *pop!) of red. That was a long time ago and I never bought the premise. In fact, I have banned red, even at Christmas-time,  much to the dismay of the husband, whose standard answer when asked if the Christmas tree looks nice is, "It needs a little red."

Even in my garden I have little that is red, and not just because I don't have enough sun to grow a tomato.

The only red you will see in my house is on a couple of book covers, and an occasional red poinsettia gifted to me at Christmas.

Turns out I don't do so well with red wine, either.

What's wrong with me? What's wrong with red?

I do think red looks very festive at Christmas-time. I like the red dresses on the beautiful tv anchors on the Fox News Channel. The bright red ties on the men are also very celebrative. I have a history of making sure all the men in my life own one bright Christmasy-red tie, including the preacher. Not that he is a "man in my life." He is just a man, in my life. Are red ties still considered power ties? The new young preacher doesn't wear ties. Dressing more metro, he wore a bright red shirt for the Christmas services, with a scarf. Maybe a bright red scarf instead of a tie...

Restaurants used to favor red decor, thought to be an appetite stimulant. Now, not so much, which is a good thing, because I don't need to see red to work up an appetite for food!

Christmas is over, but last night was a night to get the red out.

DINNER AND A MOVIE
What with the very cold weather and a very warm gas fireplace stove operational, yesterday we decided to do a Dinner and a Movie night with the young marrieds.

Winter comfort food from the oven was the desired choice. Marissa and I reviewed our pantry options and decided on lasagna. She had some rich red tomato sauce which I adore in anything and I provided the shredded cheeses to top it all off. I also made a salad with red leaf lettuce, sweet red peppers and red grape tomatoes. Also, some red jello, 1/2 sugar-free, topped with frozen strawberries and Reddi Wip.

 
IT WAS A
DINNER WITH
A LITTLE
SOMETHING
RED!

Turns out, I LIKE RED FOOD!

Blackstone merlot

Oh, and RED WINE!

Don't we all love foods with tomato sauce: pizza, pasta, barbecued anything? And when you add cheese to tomato, it's to drool for.

Oh, and lately, we have discovered the delight of eating with plastic forks and spoons, especially with desserts--smooth, simple, and no metallic taste!

Baguette with whipped butter and lasagna

The movie: The Hunt for Red October? No. Started the Downton Abbey first season on Netflix.

The Sink Hole

The large sink hole and the broken water main and gas line

Today I decided to take a look at the source of the freakish flood of early Wednesday morning. I walked up the hill through the ice and sand on the sidewalk and followed the path of the flooding waters as they had rushed torrentially down the hill from here, through our yard and beyond.

A very large hunk of concrete

Here is a look down the sinkhole street from the top of the hill by my street. There is only one house that is blocked by the hole. They had to drive their cars over their lawn to get out of their garage and around the sink hole. A worker said they hope to have things fixed by tomorrow.

A look down the sink hole street

Here are two more photos taken yesterday, by local press:

If you think I am exaggerating, the press used the word deluge and quoted someone saying it was like a waterfall--I can't really picture that.

Boil the Water!

The Flooding - from our driveway - 1:30 a.m.

What? Boil water? One thing we have come to take for granted is safe and decent tasting drinking water here in West Michigan. That big lake provides abundant water of good quality, far better than the well water that I got used to drinking on the farm of my youth.

We filter our drinking water, just because I am now a fusspot, but most people I know enjoy the water just as it comes out of the tap.

But today a city worker hand delivered instructions to boil our water for a few days, until they can test it and determine it to be safe. He indicated there was not much chance of risk, but I boiled a pot of water to be on the safe side and made some ice cubes with it. The husband was less careful and was sucking on other ice cubes. We have recently replaced the filter on the icemaker, and that might afford protection against contamination.

Once again, I am very aware that I live a privileged life. I have traveled through countries where I had to remember every day to brush my teeth with bottled water. One fellow traveler in a moment of less vigilance ordered a latte cooled with ice cubes at a Starbucks in Malaysia and promptly fell ill. I have a photo of her sipping that latte. I bought a mug from that Starbucks to add to my collection.

But here I am, "suffering" in my own country. First we had no heat, when the furnace failed. So glad that wasn't this week, when temperatures dipped to single digits--somebody said 2 degrees.

And now I have to boil my water!

When things as basic as fire and water are compromised, I feel justified in complaining.

The flooded street, however, was plowed and salted before I woke up this morning and it was like the flood never happened. It had been a raging torrent of water. A 30-inch water main broke. We are a few blocks downhill from a water tower. Our water pressure in this area rivals (I'm sure) the most vigorous in the world. The water from that tower poured out a river, flowing just outside my house! Because it snowed I can't assess whether the mulch I put down in the fall is now in the sewer. Warmer temps are coming and then I will venture outside to see if any hostas floated away.

Talk about unusual weather patterns--a winter flood at a time my indoor-outdoor thermometer registered 8 degrees!

The week when the POTUS used an inauguration speech to highlight once again the need to address global climate change, the country has been plunged into a deep freeze. Brrr. Talk to me about global warming in the summertime!  It reminds me that it seemed every time Al Gore was involved in a global warming conference we would have the nastiest cold and snow ever.

I only hope I live long enough to see some consensus on the truth or falsehood of the climate change propaganda.

Will it be like margarine and butter and cholesterol in eggs: oops we were kind of wrong about that? Now we have determined that it is the margarine that in fact clogs your arteries...

Sorry if I sound a little cranky in this new Year of Living, but I lost a little sleep last night taking photos of the "river" in the wee hours of the frigid morning.

And yes, I have become pansy-fied, living in a more moderate climate zone here in Michigan, partly moderated by the lake and maybe by a degree of cyclical warming.

 I remember temperatures of 40 below zero back in the Dakota days. We would have to plug in a heater to warm the car oil or it would get solid or something. When I was very young I remember scooping coal into our furnace--but it never failed. Then we switched from coal to electric heat, which was actually affordable back in that day.

Now I am inclined to just hibernate by my fireplace, or under that electric blanket, with a book--and not venture out until spring. The bears and other hibernating animals have the right idea. Skip (sleep through) the winter.

A Winter Flood on our Street

Early morning scene on our street - A River Runs Through It

I don't know why I peered out the window after midnight last night, but I was very shocked to see a river flowing across the street. At that time there was not a soul stirring and I didn't know who(m) to call.

I had to wake the husband. This was a situation too crazy to sleep through. We tried to call 911 without success, but eventually learned that crews were one street over, working to resolve the problem.

We  learned that a water main had broken around midnight, about a block uphill from here. By 2:00 AM the water had receded, a city worker had unplugged the sewer grates, and much of the remaining water had frozen over, with single digit temperatures around 8 degrees.

We took in a few gallons of water near the new furnace in the center of the house. I moved a dresser and a trunk and that was it.

In the morning I will see whether all my mulch and plantings drifted away in this mini winter flood that flowed through our side yard.

This is the closest we have come to having water in our basement in 20 years, but one of our neighbors across the street and in the dip of the valley had a wet basement for sure.

We were trying to wake them, but couldn't get through the river. The water was deeper than any boots I own. A neighbor up the street finally devised a bridge and alerted them to the impending flood.

I should have taken a video--this water was on the move!

A Bridge Over Troubled Waters

Just when I think everything is going smoothly again--new furnace running warmly, 4WD vehicle getting me through the snowy streets--there is new trouble, in the middle of a very cold night!

Less Pain at the Pump

SHARING GAS (COUPONS)

Continuing on with the "theme" of Dutch women trying to save a dime, last week friend J and I paid for our dinner at the gas pump. We met at the pump, parked across from each other--her tank on the right, mine on the left. We had three grocery store coupons between us to scan, and saved $12 on the maximum of 20 gallons. Then we went out for BOGO-free hamburgers.

Sometimes saving a $1 at the pump doesn't seem to matter, but I thought the $12 savings, by combining the capacity of two vehicles was worth the effort... Wasting it on hamburgers, BOGO or not, negated our savings. Besides, I paid more in tips to the pathetic young waitress (out of pity) than a hamburger is worth! I'm going back to the competent and cute waitress at our usual restaurant where we pay well, and in return receive excellent service and food.

The worst part: you have to use one credit card or pre-pay and estimated amount in cash; and the math...saving the receipt, subtotaling in your mind between fill-ups, writing down the amount on the receipt, deducting dinner from the total and then remembering to pay back the credit card holder--all challenging for the aging brain!


The best part: paying $2.64/gallon for gas.

I feel like I'm starting over, on my year of living leaner again...

******************************

ROSE'S RULES FOR LENDING/BORROWING

If you can't remember to pay back when you borrow, or to return a borrowed book or bowl, don't borrow.

If you can't bear to lose something, don't lend.

For as Benjamin Franklin said "creditors have better memories than debtors."

 (It seems we have a better memory for losses and wrongs we have suffered, than those we inflict on others).

And in the words of William Shakespeare, from Hamlet: "Neither a borrower nor a lender be, for loan oft loses both itself and friend, and borrowing dulls the edge of husbandry."

The Good, the Bad and the Really Tasty

Tiramisu

I know that this does not look much like "January health food," but the four of us in our Michigan family had the opportunity to use some December gift cards at an authentic Italian eatery last evening. After indulging in (what else) pasta, I shared this dessert with the husband.

I have searched for an ultimate version of tiramisu over the years and always seem to find the dessert lacking. I have seen women enter swooning states of ecstasy as they taste or even imagine tiramisu but I have not yet found that level of pleasure. The portion above was the best I've had so far, and really tasty. I loved the hedge of sliced strawberries.

As I was finishing my grocery shopping late Friday afternoon, having made all the good and healthy choices at a busy neighborhood store, we had agreed via a flurry of cell calls, to go out to dinner at 7:30. I had brought a baggie of pennies to the store to toss into one of those cash-counting machines, which had failed to print out a receipt. I was annoyed. It was a small sum of money and not worth my waiting for the manager, who had to find a key, call from the phone located inside the door and print out the transaction data.

So I was frustrated, tired, hungry and not inclined to hurry home, wash my hair and change into dress pants and shoes.

But later, as we were served with warm bread, olive oil, bruschetta and glasses of red wine (my first for the year!), the troubles of the world seemed to melt away. I cast aside all thoughts of the healthy foods I had just purchased and hoped to eat--broccoli, salmon, yogurt, almonds and other super foods. I was about to enjoy an entree of richly sauced and cheesed manicotti. After all my years of (attempted) low-carbing, I still think of pasta as a "bad" and indulgent food.

I am annoyed that spell check doesn't recognize the Italian foods! No, I did not mean Menotti. Haven't these foods become as American as apple pie?

I just checked the menu and I actually had cannelloni della casa. What do I know? They all sound like pasta to me, but spell check knows cannelloni.

I may not enjoy a long life if I eat like this, but it was one more good day of living!

Hear Ye Hear Ye - All's Clear in My Ear!

Sometimes odd little annoying things go wrong with this flawed earthly body we are stuck with for a few short years here on earth.

Just before Christmas my right ear plugged up (maybe improper ear plug use?) and only got worse until I was going a bit crazy. And it was probably not from drinking too much wine, as I previously postulated.

I am imagining that Mr. Caveman of olden days probably just put up and shut up, his ears filling up with wax until he became deaf. He probably sat despondently in his cave, having lost all interest in joining the mastodon hunts but somewhat relieved that he didn't have to listen to the endless prattle of the mistress of the cave (did cave men marry?) Perhaps he devised a rough Q-tip from the flexible wishbone of a raptor and learned to use it effectively.

I stayed home more while I was half-deaf, more comfortable in my own little cocoon where I could control the sound levels. I was offered free tickets to a concert and turned them down ... I couldn't hear well enough to enjoy it.

 I was sure that I could be helped, but probably didn't sound desperate enough on the phone, trying to get an appointment--and I didn't want to pay the extra fees to wait in an "urgent" care facility or see a specialist on my own dime, without the benefit of an approved referral. And it was the holidays and people were sick with the flu and worse things.

So I waited a little longer to access affordable health care than I wanted, my empathy for the hearing-impaired increasing with each passing day. I was also pursuing the home remedies.

Today was ear wash day and my hearing was restored.

I was totally correct in my self-diagnosis and utterly unsuccessful in my various attempts to clear my own ear. Without getting into the weeds with the seedy details of my condition or my attempts at home remedies, let me just say that a nurse pulling the trigger on a bottle of warm pressurized water aimed directly at my eardrum did the trick. My main concern was that my ear drum would be breached by the forceful pulses from the water "pistil".

I suffered from a similar condition once before, about twenty five years ago. At that time I was able to see our little Erica's pediatric ENT doctor. She vac-sucked my ear out in about two seconds. It was great.

I had purchased a new ear wash kit at the drug store. I also made a solution of hydrogen peroxide and water which I syringed into the ear. I bought a $9.99 pen light scope at Walgreens (pictured above) so the husband could take a peek and see how deep and wide the trouble really was. He reported that it looked very bad! But then he said he had no idea what he was looking at!

 In the end, I only paid a modest $15 co-pay at my primary care doctor's office.

Speaking of odd things that go awry in our bodies--a friend of mine told me recently that he once had uvulitis. His uvula (that thingy hanging down in the back of the throat, in case you were wondering) became infected and enlarged--tickling and triggering a cough reflex. When he laid down it hung more to the side and was more tolerable.

I had never heard of this ailment of an odd little body part I mostly ignore. Maybe it had something do with the glass of wine I was sipping, but I thought it was hilarious. The uvula has a funny name and a funny look. No one seems to know what purpose it serves. It made me giggle. I hope I never develop uvulitis because it probably would not be a giggling matter.

Someone else I know quite well developed labyrinthitis of the inner ear, causing temporary hearing loss and vertigo. Sounds awful. That was also a new one to me.

When I was a twenty-something I developed an itchy rash with a distinct Christmas tree pattern across my back--A Christmas Tree Rash. I was comforted to know that it had no known cause and would never re-occur.

And I have suffered from tinnitus (that tormenting buzz on a low e in my left ear) from drinking red wine in excess.

So many things that can go wrong--just in the head! Believe it or not, I do not get headaches, except when I have a fever. And most things resolve or heal over time.

 I very gratefully endured the squirt-bottle treatment today, even though the vac-job would have been preferable. The relief factor was *huge.

The worst thing about today was facing the very large number that appeared before my eyes on the doctor's scale! Ouch! (And I had worn a really heavy sweatshirt.)

 I am extremely grateful that my hearing was normalized today and that the world is incredibly loud once again. I was relieved to know that I can once again hear my alarm clock with one ear buried in my pillow, but I was concerned to hear new rattles and roars from my recently purchased car as I pulled out of the doctor's parking lot.

 I haven't had a glass of red wine since New Year's Eve (just in case), but I have nothing left to complain about other than a little January boredom. It was a good day in My Year of Living.

No-Guilt Eating Out

Scallops with lemon-asparagus risotto

I have found one solution to eating out with less guilt and fewer calories: find an accommodating waitress and ask for portions to be split and shared--with three friends. Frugal, as well!

On our Wednesday night girls night out we had expiring coupons to redeem at our favorite gathering spot. Every coupon includes a least one free dessert. We opened a few and decided on a free appetizer instead: nachos, shared. Hm. What entree could be shared? (Okay we were old-lady slow, trying to agree on a seafood deal-of-the-day.) After checking with our wonderful waitress, we decided on the smaller portion of scallops with lemon-asparagus risotto with basil olive oil and garnished with baby greens, split 2 ways, buy-one-get-one half-off!

 A very modest portion, this entree was artfully placed on 4 plates for our convenience and was rich and satisfying. But guess what? We still had a little tummy space for dessert--a huge brownie sundae, split easily with the implementation of 4 spoons.

Big plates-small portions

We enjoyed a happy hour-priced beer, the nachos, 3 scallops with risotto and a quarter of a brownie sundae without being stuffed! The bill, with one coupon opened at the restaurant and one coupon received by email and accessed on my phone--less than $10 each! Four Dutch women, watching their budgets and (sort of) watching their waistlines, were happy.

Of course, in order to keep our waitress friendly and accommodating, we had to tip generously on an amount not based on all the discounts!

Our newly-engaged waitress told us she has rented a barn a little north of here for a July wedding--a month when three of us have birthdays to celebrate. I think it would be fun to crash her wedding--just to say hello and take a photo--not to cause any trouble!

Brownie Sundae (ate most of this one myself last summer)

A New Furnace, a New Gas Stove, and an Electric Blanket...

Warming gas flames

I am once again thoroughly warm--warmed through and through.

 On January 5 the new furnace became functional. It features about a five percent increased efficiency over the 20-year-old replaced one. We missed the energy credits that would have been available last year, so we are doing our part to fully support the government, the economy and the environment. Our furnace is a just a little greener.

The new furnace--an inside look

So guess what day it is? National Bubble Bath Day! I am tempted to say, *who knew, because really, WHO KNEW? But that is now cliched and this is a new year--so I will say, what a serendipitous email notification I received today from Better Homes and Gardens!

I decided to take advantage of the day. The furnace guy and I had turned up the water heater a tad (not very green). I had missed some bathing on those cold days of last week when the furnace flamed out for the last time. I needed a long, hot, sudsy, make-up bath.

 I turned down the lights, lit a tea-light candle and found some old bath salts (do they ever expire?--not the kind of bath salts that make people go a little crazy and eat each others faces off!) and some sweet pea and violet body wash. The only risk here was that my skin would turn dry and pruny. I want to say *WOW! but alternatively, let me say that I enjoyed an extended hot soak, neck-high in a bubbly whirlpool tub. Again, not a green choice.

Furthermore, I had forgotten how decadent an electric blanket could be! JCP still has many rows of shelves of them in all sizes and colors, so get yourself one! Once again, not green.

 (You can already see why I could not go for A Year of Living Greener this year!)

I had given up on warming blankets years ago for two reasons: the possibility of a fire and something I read about the constant exposure to the electric current field being detrimental to health. I haven't heard anything about that lately and I'm getting too old to worry about it.

So after the bath, I threw on a robe and snuggled under the hot blanket to watch television.

Yes, I am warm again. Thoroughly. Toasted. *Literally. (Just demonstrating how easy it would be to use some of the words from the suggested banned words lists!)

While I was soaking I perused a health publication from Sam's Club. It featured Oprah and Chopra (Deepak)--what a cute pairing--with a feature on "Lessons on Gratitude."

Oprah revealed that she keeps a gratitude journal, listing 5 items a day. I don't think I am ready yet to commit to that level of gratitude. Oprah has been working on attaining higher levels of (peace, awareness, actualization, spirituality, whatever) for years, and has had the advantage of guidance from a long parade of (*gurus) experts, passing through her life and appearing on her shows.

But I will express this one note of gratitude, as I am still in the hopeful early stages of the new year. (I read recently that, on average, people keep up their resolve for about three weeks). And I have thoughts of (if not resolve for) developing a more positive and grateful attitude this year.

Today I am very grateful to be warm again--the new furnace (January 5), the hotter water, the new gas fireplace stove (January 3), the new electric blanket (January 1) and a new generator (December) to keep all this stuff going in an emergency! The generator was up and running by Christmas Eve thanks to the help from son-in-law (G) while he was visiting from Florida). The other son-in-law (S) loaned us his space heater, sacrificing his own comfort for a few days while we were without the furnace.

(When I made a call to my brother (L) to wish him a happy new year, telling him about the furnace and the gas stove and also the new generator, he made the observation "Are you getting ready for the Apocalypse, or what?" That cracked me up a little).

Having been additionally warmed by my bath, I am also grateful that it was National Bubble Bath Day, legitimizing my luxuriating in a full tub of gloriously hot water. My day of living has been good.

A New Year - Alive and Well

Well here goes. Yesterday our new furnace was installed and the house is once again comfortably warm, in the midst of this bleak Michigan mid-winter. I can no longer claim any cold brain fog. Time to start a new blog.

It was more than easy to apply a simple new Blogger template that was good enough. I am up and running.

I'm exhausted (my favorite word since the Hot Summer of 2012) with themes and goals. To my delight, My Year of Living was available, as well as the url a living rose.

So what could be less specific than my year of living? I am just grateful to be alive and reasonably well for another year. Really, I can say quite well, as I reflect on all the illness and death that has been in my church and community and nation and world recently.

A little too fat and happy after all the holiday indulgences, but yes:

 I am alive and well.

Note: occasionally use of 2012-2013 banned words will be starred, indicating apology.