Hiding from the Dog

At 5:30 nothing was stirring as I reveled in the warmth of the bed. There were two more hours to sleep before the alarm went off! My eyes popped open wide, thinking that if Kacey heard me, she’d be prancing about, wanting to go outside. Niece Chrissie tried to break her of getting up early, a habit she started after David moved out. I used to stay up until 11:30 at night to take her out, not knowing when David would come home, anywhere from 1 to 6 am. I’m still going to bed late, while hoping to sleep in the morning.

I carefully pulled one foot from the duvet, then the other. I tiptoed to the bathroom, hoping the floor wouldn’t creak. No dog in sight. The bed announced I was getting back in. Moving quicker than I thought was possible, I pulled the covers up to my chin and lay there holding my breath. Without hearing aids, I wouldn’t hear the quiet footsteps. Hoping my eyes wouldn’t squeak, I looked toward the door. Yes! The tip of Kacey’s tail moved past the bed. Hold still! Don’t move! If she suspects I’m awake, 45 pounds of dog will vault onto the bed and pounce on me! Slowly let your breath out and inhale silently. Ahh! Don’t make any sound as you relax. For heaven’s sake, don’t snore! Zzzzzzzz

The alarm chimed. Yes! 7:30! The dog appeared almost instantly “Get up and let me out, please!” said Kacey. We found rain falling on bits of ice on the front steps. The temperature was slightly above freezing, so the steps were not slippery. My third day of living alone was off to a well-slept start.

Alone!

I watched myself to see what I would do first when niece Chrissie left. She had come to help David move out, finding a place for him to stay in Asheville, and to be with me for the transition. She caught a ride to the airport with neighbors Cindy and Jim. It was most fortuitous that Cindy was flying the same day. I was now officially living alone, having never done that in 81 years. On coming back into the house, I went to the main bathroom and turned off the towel warmer. That was a logical thing for a miser to do. Kacey was dancing around, so the second thing was taking her outside and untangling her tether.

Being with Chrissie was a marvelous gift. We took photos of the last days she was here. We enjoyed a Burger King picnic at Richland Creek. There was a constant parade of dog walkers, one offering to take our picture.

Stephanie, Chrissie’s coworker and friend, came to have lunch with us. We made a quick stop in Mast General Store, a place I love to take visitors. The floors creak, just like old stores of my youth, and they sell lots of fun things.

On one of our last days, we went to my favorite waterfall and on to the Blue Ridge Parkway. What a lovely day it was to walk a few steps on a trail and take photos of the mountains!

Joyce invited us for dinner. She is one who prepares amazingly delicious food that is also beautiful on the plate. It was marvelous to have plenty of time to visit.

February Days

Chrissie and I enjoyed Valentine’s Day. On our morning walk, she wrote her initials in snow. There were tiny flakes falling on us, which we both loved.

I cooked dark chocolate chip pancakes, and she bought us balloons.

Chrissie’s husband Chris drove here from Massachusetts, then the two of them drove to Florida for a family funeral. We had one meal together when David was also available.

Time always speeds by when I am with them. All too soon Chris was driving north again, but I still have a few more fun days with Chrissie.

A Week with Chrissie in Photos

Niece Chrissie has been with me a week, and I have had a marvelous time. She works five days a week, preferring to sit in a chair in the kitchen amid the chaos of normal living. Weather permitting, she walks Kacey to the stop sign with me. As you can imagine, the dog adores her. Neighbor Joyce walked with us one day, too.

I have photos taken at the creek, but we cheated and drove there after running an errand. The enjoyment was not contingent on walking.

My family was always food-centric, so I tend to record eating events with a camera. I have Chrissie eating fried clams and hush puppies at Jukebox Junction, homemade biscuits with sausage gravy, and sushi at Watami Noodles.

Chrissie and David smile for Mexican chimichangas.

I liked this picture that Chrissie took of Kacey and me.

Finally, you may laugh at my selfie of a bed-head hairdo.

Sarah and Nathaniel Visit

Grandson Nathaniel and friend Sarah came to visit after Christmas and after the proposal. She is now officially his fiancee, and everyone is very pleased. We have photos from the mirror ritual. Nate raises the mirror on arrival and lowers it when leaving. Everyone participates, but I didn’t get the dog in the photo this time.

There are two pictures of them. I thought her likeness was better in one and his in the other, so here you have both.

Snow Day for a Retiree!

The wooden deck had a thin coating of ice, so I suspected the road might be slippery. It was. I saw tire tracks in front of neighbor Joyce’s house and made a mental note to take a photo on the way back. I walked on the side, mostly on gravel or grass, to the big bend. That’s about half way to the stop sign. I got up the steep little hill and told myself I was crazy. Gingerly I picked my way across the road and headed home. It was dangerous out there! In talking with Shawn later, we figured those tracks might have been made by Bob’s truck as he took Logan to school. Public schools were closed, but his charter school was not. Here is the photo of the tire tracks looking downhill.

Joyce’s message was already on my phone. She wrote, “Morning, be careful walking! Schools are closed due to black ice! My school is closed, too.”

I replied, “I WAS careful and have just come in to tell you that it is treacherous right now.”

The woman, who was due to come at that time, asked to postpone cleaning for a week. Suited me! After a quick shower I called daughter Lise, who was watching snow fall after dark in Copenhagen. She showed me snow outside her window, and I discovered it was snowing here, as well. I aimed the iPad outside the window as we chatted. At times the wind would blow hard enough to make the snowflakes skid across the deck. My video, now discarded, did not show that action.

We talked for hours and had a meal together – breakfast for me and supper for her. Later she took a photo of Kacey and me to post on my frame. She is in an upper corner.

When Lise went to bed, I continued watching the snow while sitting at my computer. It began to stick as the sun went down. I hadn’t expected ANY snow today, so my White Day was a wonderful surprise.

Walking in the Cold

It was 7 F (-13.889 C) when I went out to walk just before the sun rose over the mountain. Rime ice had formed on all the trees at the top. Having not grown up with rime ice, I am fascinated by it and love to look at it.

I turned around and went home when I came to a long stretch of ice. Nearly all roads were clear in the area, but not this bit. I would have had to pick my way carefully and didn’t think it was wise.

The day was warming quickly. Four hours later the temperature had risen to 27 F (-2.778 C). I can’t say the house felt any warmer. I hope all of you are staying warm.

Locked Out!

I was shocked to find the garage door locked when I came back from walking. Normally I am very aware of NOT locking it as I leave. Grandson David and Kacey were inside, sound asleep, and I knew I had tricked myself. Although David’s phone never rings, only vibrates, I tried calling him. No answer.

Neighbor Shawn answered her phone cheerily, and I asked, “Are you home?”

Thank heavens the answer was yes. “May I borrow my key? I’ve locked myself out.”

She offered for Logan to bring it over, but I was dressed for the weather and already outside. I wouldn’t have wanted to stay out long, because it was 29 F (-1.667 C) when I left the house and 25 F (-3.889) when I came inside.

Not knowing I was locked out, I enjoyed looking for another tiny flower arrangement. This one was a little to the left of the one taken the day before, and I added my thumb for a size comparison. There are little bits of ice, leftovers from yesterday’s snow.

Tiny Floral Arrangement

My eye was caught by a travel mug and its top by the side of the road. It looked as if they could have fallen off a moving car. Picking up the pair, I put them on the retaining wall. The mug reminded me of one I’d gotten at Aldi’s, but then I saw the logo. It was a Yeti! I had plans for it if no one picked it up in a week. It was gone the very next day!

As I arranged the mug and top where they could be seen easily, I noticed tiny plants with red blooms in the crevice.

This display below was about as wide as the width of a small hand. I’ve never seen blooms that tiny. Really amazing! Too bad I didn’t have a coin to put there to show its size.

Ice Tapping with Logan

Neighbor Logan (13) and I hadn’t planned to walk together, but he came out of his house as I reached the end of my driveway. There were oodles of small, icy puddles to delight our ears. I didn’t realize there were several techniques until I saw the videos of Logan’s footwork. In this one he explored with his whole foot, used his toe, did some twists, and ended with his heel.

A longer stretch of ice gave him scope for moon walking and running in place. Together, we stepped on EVERY puddle on the road. We each did some and shared a few.

Logan didn’t miss a thing. He commented on one puddle that had more esthetic appeal than all the others. We put that in the art category.

We decided at the stop sign that we would go all the way to the creek. As we crossed the highway, there was not a moving vehicle in sight both coming and going. I think that is the first time that has happened to me. We spotted Lise walking Rosie near the firehouse, and she turned around and went back to the creek with us. What fun it was to have a group! We took photos of each other to record the event and headed home.