Wolf River Valley Creations

Well, I think I’m finished with my packing. Suitcase is sitting open in living room for last minute items. Briefcase is ready as well as laptop.

I’m normally excited about going to Salt Lake because I can spend hours and hours in the library there looking for my ancestors if I don’t have cases to work. This time, I’m dreading the flight as I have 4 hr layovers both ways.

I will be either on an airplane, or sitting in a dumb airport from about 4:30 p.m. tomorrow until almost midnight. Ugh! Airlines are ridiculous anymore, extra fees for everything plus their schedules are ludicrous. When I was stationed in CA, I could fly from there to WI in about 6 hours. That included changing planes in Chicago.

We normally stay at the Best Western Salt Lake Plaza, however, it was bought by the LDS and now is a non-smoking hotel. I liked the hotel as it was right next door to the library and had an on-site restaurant. Now I’m really frustrated.

Anway, depending on the work schedule, I hope to post some here while gone. But if it turns into those 12-14 hr workdays, I won’t be doing any blogging.!

I can’t believe its Thursday already and I haven’t even started packing yet for my trip!  Each year the company I work for has an annual meeting, normally held in Salt Lake City.  Last year I couldn’t go because my father was ill at the time.  The year before, the meeting was held in Washington D.C. and as I use to live in the D. C. area, I didn’t go.  I had had more than enough of the traffic there.

Anyway, I’m supposed to leave late Sunday afternoon for Salt Lake.  My planes leave at 5 p.m. but I don’t get into Salt Lake until almost midnight.   I hate flying anymore.  The airlines have such ridiculous schedules.  It used to be that I could fly from California to Wisconsin in a little more than 5 hours.   Now it takes a whole day to get anywhere.

I guess I’d better get my rear in gear with the packing and making sure I have everything in my briefcase that I will need.

Yesterday I had some things to do in the afternoon so just left my computer on.  After supper, I came back in the office and sat down at the computer.  The monitor screen was black, which was normal as it goes into a sleep mode after a time.   However, when I wiggled the mouse, it was still black.   Hmmmm, did I shut it off not thinking?  I pushed the on/off button and the green light went out.  Turned it back on and there was the desktop……..for about 5 secs.   Black screen again……….noooooooooooooooooo.

After 6 or 7 years, my flatscreen died….sniff, sniff.  So an emergency trip to the Walmart 20 miles away and I now have a new flatscreen.  I like it, except for one thing.   It has no speakers!   I was so used to the built in speakers in my other monitor that I didn’t even think about speakers.  Oh well, I can manage w/o until I can find something that doesn’t take up a ton of room.

Just before Christmas last year, I had to pack away my clay so I would have room for the tree. Basically, its still packed away except for a little that I have on my table. I’ve been trying to get back into the swing, but I think I may have packed away my brain along with the clay.

I was going through some of my clay pics looking for inspiration, when I ran across this. I loved this flower and last year made a cane based on it. Now if I could just get my brain to work again, I would like to do some more clementis. I love flowers, especially roses.

It can’t be fall already!  The weatherman has to be wrong……I’m not ready yet for the white stuff.  Ahhh…….wait……..looking out my window……….ye gads.   It is fall!

A very hazy day today, but you can see some the colors that are showing up.  I love this view from my office window, regardless of the time of year.

Looking out my kitchen window to the west

Yesterday I checked my garden again to see what was ready for harvest.  I picked a large bowl of green beans, about 4 pounds or more, a cucumber and a couple of maters.

Yesterday I had to work at our local historical society museum.  Every year our town sponsors a fall festival called Art in the Park.  Many vendors come from all around to sell their wares.  It is also a juried art show.

We had a contest at the museum to see who could guess what items were from yester year.  It was fun other than the fact that people just didn’t read the instructions.

By the time I got home, I was beat from standing/walking/and talking.  So tired in fact that I couldn’t get to sleep last night.  So now I’m walking around in a groggy state of mind.

Well, another stressful day.  Dad called at 11:20 this morning to say he wasn’t going into town for lunch.  He sounded horrible!  Worse than a bull frog with croup!

Went to town to get him a few groceries and before leaving, decided to stop at the clinic and get some advice.  After talking to 2 nurses, I decided that some way I was going to make him go to see dr or nurse practioner.

We got home and stopped at his house, put his groceries away and then started to convince him to go.  After taking his temp, which was 100, and reminding him that he had had pnemonia last year, he finally agreed to go.

We ran home first to put our groceries away, and then I took my van and went and picked him up.  By the time we got in to see the nurse, his temp was 100.6.  She listened to his heart and lungs, and took his oxygen level (93) and then recommended that he be put on a super antibiotic for 6 days.  The nurse was kind enough to give us samples so that we didn’t even have to go to drugstore and wait for a prescription to be filled.

As we were walking back into the house, Dad commented on how sore he was.  I said it was probably from the coughing and being on his hands and knees yesterday when he was working on his woodpile.  Then he says it was probably from lifting the 8 ft long firewood logs into the sawhorse so he could cut them!!!

I tell ya, raising a 93 year-old father is extremely stressful!!!!  When I left, he was in his recliner, portable phone within reach and a fresh bottle of water sitting on end table.

I think I could use a bottle of Jack  Daniels at this point and I don’t drink!!

For the last few days, my brother who is older than me, has had a really bad cold.  As he has asthma, and had just spent a night at the ER for an asthma attack the week before, its very worrisome.

Today, when my 93 year-old father called to check in with me, he sounded gruff.  I asked him what was wrong and he said he now had the cold.  Now that’s not good…….especially for a man who’s had so many surgeries that his body needs a zipper.

Then just about dinner time, my hubby started downstairs to his office and proceeded to rip a hunk of meat out of his heel.  After I cleaned him up, poured the peroxide to the wound and bandaged it, I told him that its not smart to go barefoot into the basement.

I need a vacation!!!!!!!

Main bath window

After  a long summer of a major construction job, everything is finally done, including the staining and polyurthening of the new windows!  I am so sick of stain/paint/poly that I could scream.

We started out with having new windows installed prior to new siding.  I didn’t realize what a mess it was going to create INSIDE with removing the old windows.  There were dead flies, ladybugs and dust everywhere!  Everything had to be moved out of the way so the contractors could have easy access to the windows.  During that time, I couldn’t even cook because the whole kitchen looked like a scud bomb had gone off.

During the process, we had extra insulation added in the form of large sheets of styrofoam.  We also enclosed our front screened porch and made it into an entry way for coats, boots and shoes.

This has greatly reduced the amount of dirt, grass and whatever else that a person can carry in the house on their footwear.  Hopefully, the new entry will also be somewhat of a solar passive heating source in the winter.

So all in all, its been a super busy summer with everything that’s been going on.  But we’re pleased with the new windows (except for the stupid staining!), new siding and new entry/deck.  I’m gradually getting used to the light green color of the siding.   At times when I come into the driveway, my first thought is, who the heck stole my house!

Pardon our dust while we work on the Wolf River Valley site - we’re putting the finishing touches and details in!

In the meantime, if you need to get in touch with Terry, please contact her.