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Tuesday, February 18, 2020

I'll take my chaos with a side order of complicated, please.

So. 

Right now, the entire 4 acres of the LLF is covered in two inches of ice with a nice, slippery coating of snow.  Last week, the temperature plummeted from 42 to 4.  Then it soared from 4 to 38.  Now it's snowing.  My Yak-Traks are permanently affixed to my wellies.  I don't care if I pick up a pound and a half of mud, in between the ice events.  Tough toenails to housecleaning.  Pfft.

I managed to pare down my errands on Saturday to three, which was very nice.  I should have known I couldn't keep it up.  I went to feed 'my' barn cats on Sunday and there were trucks, hoses, various grimy bits of equipment and what-all all over the porch and driveway.  Nary a cat in sight.  I decided to come back later, after my jaunt to VT, and it was worse.  I did manage to convince the workmen that they needed to clear a space on the porch for the cats.  There was a lot of eye rolling.

I was short-listed for a rescue foster (I know, I know) and, just when I was getting things organized, the results of my hip x-rays came in and my doctor put the kabosh on any 'additional activity'.  I always love it when I am told that I can't do this and that.  Especially when this and that is what I do on a daily basis.  I prefer the approach of, 'you can't do this and that the SAME way you used to do it.  You have to figure out different ways to do both.'  I am a bouncy little soul, ain't I?  Bouncy being relative.  I have 'moderately severe osteoarthritis' in my left hip.  I now move my 50# feed bags on my plastic sled, right into the house.  From there, I drag it into the furnace/laundry/tool/feed room and dispense it in small bucketfuls during morning chores.  I find that I can negotiate my doctor into submission, if given the opportunity.

This week I am covering for my coworker in the City, which means I am tied to my desk and am busy.  I am not complaining.  However, in the midst of this week, I have to spend a day looking after my mother, as my sister needs to take her husband to a series of medical appointments.  No problem, sez I.  This causes the domino effect in HQ, where every square peg must fit in their square hole.  Needless to say, I am a round peg and proud of it.  That being settled, I have my week planned out.

Then I go out to the car to drive to town to meet someone who is using my quail egg boxes for her fledgling quail business (bless her heart) and see a small grey squirrel in the front yard, looking rather lost.  When I return, he is curled in a little ball on the side of the driveway.  I approach carefully and reach down to touch his little head.  He does not move.  Hmm.  So I pick him up.  Well, that got his attention.  In the kerfuffle, I notice that he has an injured eye - but he escapes before I can examine him more closely.  I toddle inside, but go out just at dusk and, sure enough, he is back in a little ball by the driveway.  I grabbed Slimmie's carrier and a towel and scooped the squirrel up and put him in the carrier.  He is now residing in the office, while I tried to track down a wildlife rehabilitator. There are three near me, but they are all 'full'.   I did finally find one a distance north of me and, as luck would have it, she has a doctor's appointment on Thursday that will put her within a reasonable distance ('reasonable' also being relative).  It also means I will be making six trips on Thursday, trying to watch mom and get the little fuzz ball some help.  And I am picking up and delivering some local aquafarm-raised lettuce to Marianne, so she can check it out for their store.  And I will be picking up some muslin to make produce bags for the aforementioned store.

Friends always ask me how I will manage to keep from being bored when I retire. 

14 comments:

jaz@octoberfarm said...

that squirrel picked the right driveway to curl up next to!

Susan said...

Joyce, I felt rather guilty, as I had spent most of the day shaking my fist at his larger relatives - who Hoover out the bird feeders. The Universe has spoken.

Ed said...

I used to look forward to February because we never had much to do. Now that the kids are older that unfortunately has changed.

Susan said...

Not sure moderately and severe belong in the same sentence. Perhaps it was thrown in there so you wouldn't freak out. Joking aside osteo is miserable and probably a disease of occupation for people like you as in hewers of wood and wranglers of sheep.

Debra She Who Seeks said...

Henceforth, you shall be known as "Susan the Rescuer of Squirrels."

ellen abbott said...

well, you know what they say, if you want something done, ask a busy person. I suggest you start looking less busy. not an injured squirrel but I think a cat is trying to get itself adopted as it has spent the last four days sleeping in the little backyard even with a yappy little dog that goes berserk everytime she sees the cat who just ignores her. and your quail boxes? what happened to your quail?

Joanne Noragon said...

It just never lets up, does it.

Michelle said...

I've wondered where you've been; practicing to join "Disney on Ice," I see! So is a hip replacement in your future??? Eeek!

tpals said...

In the winter I'll leave the 50 lb bags of chicken feed in the trunk of my car and pour it into 5 gallon buckets from there. I'm also not filling the wood bags as full as I used to. Alas, we are getting a bit gimpy.

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Bless your heart in saving the little fuzz ball. I had to laugh at your last sentence. Yeah, bored would not happen here either.

Mary Mc said...

Why is it always the hips! Stay safe, stay upright. Mary Mc

Retired Knitter said...

So is "modernly severe" the same as "medium well done." Hahaha.

Mama Pea said...

I've said it before and I'll say it again. I know you and you'll be even busier when you retire from your away from home job. How can that be? I guarantee it will be. Didn't you have necessary surgery on your shoulder (shoulders?) a few years back? Sure hope the hippity-hoppity hip doesn't lead to anything like that. Try to slow down to warp speed, will ya?

Buttons alias Grace said...

Retirement and you will fit nicely together. You are always on the move helping and working. You will just be able to do more of these things you love and need to do and less time worrying about the weather and the drive. You will rock retirement. :) It is easy to fall into for busy people like us. I know. hugs B