At camp what is a weekend?

 Noon to noon Saturday to Sunday rain. Sunday morning finished off with periods of heavy rain.

Right now blue skies. 

New month near the full moon.

 I balance one checking account and just keep an eye on the other. So at the first of this month I departed camp for one day to do all the beginning of the month tasks.

On a separate topic, we have averaged one a month Celebration of Life services in the last six months. In addition, a recent passing followed a book signing. The well edited book had a couple of hmm photos. 

Of course, at and after all services times of reflection continue.

Steady rain moved on!

 Here at camp yesterday, Memorial Day morning we had rain. A day later blue sky. I was able to burn twigs and finance papers in the resulting wet. Within the next weeks all the early summer bugs hatch. 

File cabinet documentation for me

 Friday 10AM appointment with urologist. I stop my least favorite pill in weeks. Then mid afternoon same day an appointment with the oncologist. Each six months I will alternate one doctor then the other. All for an attacker often benign except when it escapes to become lethal. So November and May followups scheduled. dlj 5/24/2026

Broken hearing aid.

 After four years the gentle flexing of the wire connecting the transmitter to the in-ear- speaker resulted in fatigue and failure. The audiologist said it was time for a follow on hearing test anyway.

Based on a cancellation my appointment was sooner not later.

In a second mini event today, the tire pressure system warning on Kathy's van cleared itself. What does that do for us? No service required. 

We are in the mode of UPTACAMP. That means moving pump, expansion tank, tools and specialized tools to camp. We were there on Saturday on a pleasant 68F afternoon. Blow down branches, decisions for use of the good dock and decrepit  dock will be in play for weeks.

A Doctor in the house!

 A nephew. 

Quite an accomplishment. A big congratulations. 

Just remembered also one in Arizona, a niece. Or in each case a grand nephew and a grand niece.

Travel.

 Land in Colorado a week ago. Walk on the University of Colorado Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Drive to Omaha on Sunday. Return home after visits with sons and family in both states.

WHERE, WHY, NOW

 Noisey tent on the campus of THE UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO. Why? Granddaughter Sarah graduation from the school of Civil Engineering. A pleasant Friday afternoon. May FIRST, 2026.

dlj 5/1/2026, Friday 

Count Down to Travel !

 We depart Wed and in two Saturdays we return. Return to buds on the trees and a few more sixty degree days. Check lists should keep us clothed and medicated. 

Wear the correct shoes.

Often I ride the city bus to Portland city center. Today I had an early teeth cleaning appointment. As I drove home, I realized I could catch the bus with minutes to spare. I did but I did not change to walking shoes. I did my usual route to a certain shop and then to our Portland Museum of Art. Penny loafers are my GO-TO real shoes but not so much for longer down and then uphill distances.

By real shoes I mean leather soles and uppers.

Bottom Line. Plan ahead with a later bus or better shoes right away.

Age 72 last week, age 94 this week.

 A service for a life long Christian a week ago and a visitation this week. A private event later. 

Other happenings we will fly in middle August one take off one landing each way. Also a steady list of appointments. 

Pills, pills!

 With breakfast and with supper I set out the current dose.  This morning last evening's  pill was still in the tray. Tucked up against the edge.  Another mini task for me  to double check.  For three quarters of a century my meds were zero.  BLESSED. 

Info for my siblings,  I also have a weekly shot (self administered). 

Visiting in Connecticut.

 Drive south on Friday. Plan to drive north on Sunday. A pleasant Saturday afternoon with temperatures nearly twenty degrees warmer than in Maine.

Inching toward SPRING

 A sharp cold even with sunny sky yesterday.  A breeze and warmer today with promise of more warmth this week. I see temperatures in the 70s in Nebraska but not likely here near the cold ocean.

I did have the chop saw out on our outside stone patio.  A small project cutting spacer boards for a shelf divider. Warm enough for that exterior work.

We decided to stream church on Saturday.

 Therefore we could go to a nearby breakfast place. It sits on the townline. Thus the name. Before COVID it had at least three names (owners). Today was our first stop. A go-to place because it's the closest.

Advertised on T-shirts as established 2026.

Good food, as expected prices and nice overall setup.

And yes, streaming church saved a 16 mile out and back.  This breakfast stop will be in future BLOG posts.

A warm day before and tonight rain and wind.

 Our expected weather tonight will be tame compared to other regions.

Other news is also tame. We are up to only the routine activities.  We are however, making travel plans for May. Denver and return through Omaha. 

Four thermometers - each near the other.

I am writing this on a very warm March Day. Read on please.

On our crusted stone outside patio area, I have as above four recording thermometers. By recording I mean I am able to check on a saved maximum (and minimum) temperature.  Each device detected a reading above seventy degrees. 

Three of the four transmit the current temperature to a display inside. The fourth is a liquid double tube (an upside-down horseshoe) with two moving pegs.  One peg goes up on the warm side and after the temp falls the maximum is shown. Same on the down cold side. After the coldest temperature is reached the peg shows what that cold reading was.  With a magnet I am able to pull each peg back to the current reading. I must put that reading in my head until I get to my recording books.  YES, at times when I get inside, I do not recall what one or the other reading was.  AMEN and AMEN. 

Acu - rite 75

Talylor (horseshoe) 73

Recording weather station 75.7

Taylor (transmitting) 74.5

Yes two of the four save the max/min accurate to tenths.

I believe this is the first time I wrote down all four readings inside of a two minute period.

 

One night away - three hours up the road.

 A nursing classmate of Kathy's passed. We were there for the viewing and the funeral mass. The church building, the voices of the reader and song leader, and the priest's knowledge from years past all combined to give strong positive emotions.  

Weekly or every six days?

 To do an offline draft and edit or write and press Publish? Yes I agree, an edited draft is superior. And I could make various excuses. So for tonight I will just go with unedited fragments.

Kathy had a call from a nursing classmate husband.  The wife was in memory care and passed. We will travel a couple hours to be there next Tuesday - Wednesday. 

Our Monday blizzard was of note. Gusts to 56 mph with four inches of snow. Connecticut son and the state of Rhode Island featured 20 inches and 38 inches. That kind of snow takes days to push from chaos to control. Worse, the Massachusetts mother-in-law lost power for well over twenty-four hours.  A cold house is COLD. A text showing mother and our daughter-in-law smiling meant a house starting to become warm again.

Skin red; other shifts in routine visits.

 To complete 4 then eight and nine, nineteen and last number 28. The drive, the drinking water one half hour before. The three visits to drain off the water. All good to be behind me.

TWENTY EIGHT total.

 Two remaining. Each Monday with the doctor check in, a question. Are you fatigued? This Monday the answer will be yes.

Excited medical technicians. (RE: Super Bowl )

 One asked about the snacks we would eat. One is a die hard Brady fan so wears number 12 as her work top. One was thinking terms of the half time show. I said I was neutral as far as the outcome. A bit of excitement for the local team but mostly looking forward to the game itself.

I think the Patriots might stumble,  18 - 42.

I did not check to see if those scores come together. BUT there you have it in writing.

Always excited, new month meaning a new posting start point.

My January 2026 had me on a schedule. By June I may give specific details.  Other than that, we have had a stretch of consistently cold temperatures. Layering, long underwear, and mittens knock most of that cold down as I walk outside. Here in Maine trees protect from harsh constant wind chill. A scarf over the chin is still standard issue.

We learned a lot over four winters in Alaska. We also have some really old outer wear. BUNDLE UP.

One last JANUARY POST.

 COLD!

Here near an ocean of 42F water, we had three sub zero days. Still warmer than the MIDWEST.

More to come in February. Birthday for a son and a great granddaughter.

Eleven to thirteen inches of powder snow.

 I shoveled a hydrant, a four-mailbox mini cluster and my BUS STOP.  Because the snow was so light in weight, I seemed to gain strength as time went by.  A small disadvantage the snow was so fluffy large blocks of snow on my shovel were rare. It all fell apart. 

Our son in central Connecticut showed a depth of fifteen inches of snow on a table on his deck. Here in Maine the snow fell into air at six degrees Fahrenheit. Cold air holds less moisture than warmer air, so the snow crystals were dry (VERY DRY).  

A fourth day of snow.

Today's moisture advected all the way from Watertown, NY on Lake Ontario. The snow showers come and go. Before today we accumulated over eight inches of snow in the all-day Saturday and Sunday events. 

In other news, one medical procedure requires the drinking of a lot of water, day after day. Easy enough as long as I have a restroom available each half hour for the first three hours.

Thursday, January 15, 2026

 Weather/ health/ and random thoughts.

Typical but longer than forecast stretch of melting temperatures. 

HEALTH:  Two active conditions and treatments. One with a late February finish but pill therapy will continue longer. The other a short term and longer term pill and injectable.

RANDOM:  Morning prayer sure helps a lot.

This NEW. YEAR

 An end of week Two weather summary.

Two days of mild middle 40's .

I was able to clean off one layer of dirt and salt. The roads have been wet so winter particles swirl and attach to the rear window and backup camera.