I did take a nap for a couple of hours, but got up and suited up to go outside.  The wind is blowing 20-30 mph. and the temp hovers just above zero.  And this is when the sun is shining at the warmest part of the day.  With wind chill factor, it will be well below zero tonight.  So I took that new bale of straw I got, and cut it loose.  I put it in sheafs all around the chicken house, packing it in closely under the tarps.  And some more new straw in her house, too.  She has a good 8" deep layer of straw in there now, but she can play with the extra.  I am giving her water twice a day now, too, besides her feeding.  She looked pretty happy and interested in all my doings.  John said he is going to look for another hen to replace the one that died.  I know he loves the eggs from them. 

For her afternoon meal, today she got:  leftover cooked squash; 1 small tomato, chopped; a handful of oats; some foccacia bread, torn up; some eggshells, minced; sunflower seeds and of course, laying mash.  If it's one thing I'm pretty sure of, the chicken is getting a well-balanced diet.  Should I name her?  Naw, that would be silly.  In all this time, names have not come to me for them.  

My seed catalogs have arrived!  It's not even December yet.  All the ones I usually get have arrived, right after Thanksgiving.  And I'm reading them, cover to cover.  I got through one last night (Pine Tree Seeds) and started on another (Totally Tomatoes).  What with my seed saving, I will again have to make a list of what's on hand, and what I will need.  But surely, there's no hurry.

The fire is keeping this house warm, but John has already turned up the floor heat all the way.  In this cold and wind, I guess it's necessary.  I am wondering if I should plug in the heat tape that keeps my bathroom drains from freezing.  Probably should do that before tonight, yet. 

Yesterday, I got a hotter, brighter lightbulb to place in the chicken house, and it is a lot brighter and warmer in there.  The black hen came roaring out this morning and began eating right away.  I also draped a huge tarp over the house, and some clear plastic sheeting over her yard.  All this, weighted down with garden tools and long sticks.  When I got home yesterday, the hen was just cooing and singing away all by herself.  I wonder if placing a mirror at the end of the outside yard would make her feel like she had company. 

But the weather has remained sharply colder; yesterday it was 8 degrees, though they said it got into the teens.  There's a pretty good breeze going on out there, and my nose was cold all night.  Very annoying.  Today, I'm not doing so good.  I now wish there was someplace I could give my hen to, so she wouldn't be the only one out there.  But she is well set for food for the winter now, so...guess I'll just continue to go out there, dressed warmly, to take care of her, 3 times a day.  With the wind chill tonight, it will be the equivalent of below zero weather.  Glad I beefed up her protection. 

My son did not last long installing Direct TV.  He already landed another job, thank goodness.  They had him working far into the night, after dark, climbing ladders up onto people's roofs, in the cold wind, and even after he got done installing at 9:00 p.m., they still wanted him to go on to another job.  I suppose everybody in the northwoods wanted to get reception for the big Packer/Cowboy game last night, which was blocked out from our local cable companies.  So they would have had him installing things non-stop until the game was on.  No rest at all.  Fortunately, he said no, he was quitting for the night, at least.  The next morning, he got a call for another job and took it.  Starts Monday.  I'm relieved.  The man who trained him had only been working for the company for 3 months, and this blast of winter weather had him up on a ladder too, after dark, and he almost fell.  He told my son he was thinking of quitting...my son told him he already did, and they both laughed. 

I'm not too disappointed about the Pack losing to the Cowboys last evening.  After all, someone has to win and someone has to lose.  I just hope all our injuries heal up in the next 9 days or so.  I really think Donald Driver is heroic in the way he plays, but so many of them this year are very good, including Brett Favre...oh, they're all so good.

And I should start campaigning to have our Presidential elections run for four days, not just one day.  Our population is increasing and there just isn't enough time in one day to allow everyone to vote who wants to.  It's discouraging to voters, and in many cases, impossible for them to get to the polls.  I think we should have a Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday to vote in a proper and orderly manner.  And let's not worry about our identity being secret in the election.  We have no secrets anymore.  The only thing we need is to I.D. each and every voter, possibly by Social Security number.  And there has to be more polling places set up for densely populated areas.  We should start working on these changes right now, or we are going to have another fiasco at the polling places on election day next year.  Also, I believe we should allow people to vote even if they have been convicted of a crime.  It would be therapeutic for them to be able to participate in our society in a positive way.  With 20% of the population now in jail, it could have a significant effect on the election. 

And what else?  Got all my packages mailed out yesterday, so that's good.  Think I'll go back to bed for a nice long nap.      

Went out to let the chickens out and feed them their breakfast yesterday morning, and just the black hen came out.  I called to the other brown hen to come eat, but there was no response.  Then I "heard" something behind me, breathing close to me.  I knew it couldn't be the dogs, because they were all inside, and I whirled around and looked, but there was nothing there.  I knew then that she was dead, but I was freezing out there in my bathrobe, so I went back in to get more clothes on.  Yes, when I opened up the top of their house, she was lying there.  On top of an egg she had just laid.  I was sad all day, but when John heard about it, he assured me she had a better and longer life than any of her other brood, who were given away to someone who didn't care at all for them, let them run around and never fed them, then slaughtered all of them soon after getting them.  I guess...but it still makes me sad.  I couldn't see any wounds on her, maybe she was just "laid out."  She was the one who laid the big brown eggs.  The black hen lays smaller, bluish-colored eggs. 

The weather has turned sharply colder this week.  It hurts the fingers and toes if you go out there unprotected.  No more.  Today, I'm going to Menards to get a different kind of light bulb fixture, so I can plug in a "hotter" 40 watt lightbulb for the black hen.  I'm also mailing out Christmas presents today to my 2 brothers and sister.  I spent all afternoon yesterday preparing the boxes and packaging and they are ready to go.  I need to send out bills too.  And I am going to lunch with my school chums at a restaurant I've never been to.  Then on to the chiropractor's, who only wants to give me a scan of some sort to see how well I am. 

I called up the bank to see if there will be any problem renewing my mortgage, but they said in my case, the renewal is automatic.  That's a relief, after all the bad news I've been hearing about the mortgage industry on tv. 

Here it is, almost the end of November...winter came in like a lion last night, with a roaring wind that began as suddenly as turning on a faucet.  It roared all night, then this morning, I toddled out in my flip flops and bathrobe to feed and water the chickens.  I nearly froze my behinder off.  My fingers were very cold, my toes were in the snow, and the chickens were reluctant to come out of their house.  From now on, I'll have to wear socks boots coat hat and mittens to go out there.  

I wonder if I should hang a "hotter" lightbulb out in their house, especially at night.  Think I'll give it a try.   I just hate to use up the extra juice, but I'll also have to plug in the heat cable so my bathroom drains don't freeze.  Good news is that my gas bill for the underfloor heating was only $20.00 this past month, so the wood heat is helping to save money. 

I spent Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, making my own version of turkey dinner here at home.  Although I enjoy dinner at my daughter's house very much, I miss having turkey leftovers for days afterwards.  My son and son-in-law do the fried turkey outside the house, but I prefer the traditional roasted turkey with stuffing in the oven, so moist and well-done, it is easy to pull the bones right out of the meat.  I made a stuffing featuring pork sausage with sage, onions, celery, cooked giblets chopped fine, snipped prunes, sweetened dried cranberries, butter, croutons, and all the water from cooking the giblets.  Of course, lots of seasonings and sage.  It turned out golden brown, with lots of extra stuffing in a foil pouch next to the bird.  It was a Butterball turkey and very economically priced.  Even after all this eating, there are still two big bags of turkey meat in the freezer. 

Last night, though, I made chopped ham and scrambled eggs with toast for supper; finally, something different.  I've been writing a little bit on my novel every day, and now will be starting Chap. 17 or 18, I can never remember.  Oddly, I just got a flier in the mail from Vantage Press, asking me to send them my manuscript, any manuscript, for them to review.  They can't possibly know that I'm writing now, and this is the outfit that you have to pay them something, and they will publish your book for you.  Well, maybe I'll send to them, but this time, I'll also send to other publishers that might publish for me without my paying them to do so. 

I got my new insurance bill for my truck, and they have raised the rate by $40.00 a year on an already high-priced policy, so I shopped for insurance and yes, I've changed to another company and saved an incredible $207.00 every six months!  Of course, I cut down coverage, eliminating collision and comprehensive.  My truck is now an old rust bucket (sorry to say), and keeping all that coverage on a vehicle that is worth maybe $1,500 at most is no longer the smart thing to do.  It's too bad about the salt used on the roads in winter.  If it were not for that, my truck would still be like new.  You would think that the intelligent humans would think of another substance that would not rust vehicles and still keep the roads safer.  Or start making vehicles out of something other than unprotected steel.       

I had a rather trying day on Tuesday, struggling with my vacuum cleaner.  It's a Filter Queen, very expensive machine that my mother purchased, and the filter cones cost over $20.00 a package, but they last about a year, maybe.  I replaced the filter cone, smaller round filter, and emptied it.  Thought I would have a free path to cleaning, but it spewed dirt out instead of sucking it in.  I determined there was a clog, and 2 hours later, after a very exasperating time, I finally got the clog out.  It was in a difficult place to get to, requiring a bent wire coat hanger and a lot of jabbing.  Finally, got most of the vacuuming done, only to have another clog develop, this after a two-hour struggle. 

I gave up then, and had to shampoo another spot that my Pepper made by the door.  I think it's these long winter nights, and I try to let her out at least once during the night, but sometimes I sleep right through, even though she may be squeaking to me to go out.  My daughter has brand new carpeting, and doesn't want or need the shampooer back, so I'm going to keep it around until spring.

I did then get a double batch of cranberry sauce made and some other housework done before the end of that day.  Then yesterday, Wednesday, I made cranberry bread with the "pressings" that are left after straining out the cranberry sauce.  I added some sweetened cranberries, called craisins, to make two cups, and used 3 smaller foil breadpans to make 3 loaves.  Then I made chocolate chip cookies.  They disappear so fast, I have to grab them as I get a dozen and get them tucked into an ice cream pail, so they don't get eaten by John or me.  They are meant to be a birthday present for my son.  I managed to get 5 dozen into the ice cream bucket, and still had 3 dozen or so left for us.  I also got him flannel sheets in a woodsy print (he asked for them), and a tube of Gold Bond Ultimate Skin Softening Lotion with Shea Butter.  He spends a lot of time working outdoors, so he'll need some really good lotion for his face and hands. 

I will see him today, as the clan is gathering for Thanksgiving at my daughter's house.  The men will pass the football back and forth as they fry the turkey outside.  My daughter and I will do the rest of the cooking inside.  Of course, the Packers are playing Detroit, and I'm hoping they continue their winning streak.  I'm bringing tubs of strawberry jam to give to the kids, too.  So I have an enormous list of stuff to bring and I better start getting ready to go now.  The Packers are playing already. 

I called my brother earlier and I'm going to send him a box of books.  He's an avid reader, and I'm sending him books (tomes) by Clancy, Grisham, Michener, et al.  This should give him something to read for a month or two.  These are all books my mother had.  I never got into reading big novels.  I struggled in my younger years to read "Hawaii" by Michener and found it exhausting. 

I have much to be thankful for, and it is a beautiful day.  I hope everyone has a great day.    

I had registered for a CD burning class at the local college; but when the time came to go to the class, all my resolve fell apart, and I didn't go.  Now the class is over and I feel relieved.  I called my son and asked him to come over and burn a couple of CDs that I want to share with him.  That oughta do it. 

It's pretty official now - the dogs far and away prefer the liver food I cook for them, but it only lasts for two days.  I get a package of frozen beef liver for $1.52 and thaw it.  I separately cook 1 handful of brown rice, 2 handfuls of white rice and one carrot, peeled and cut into coin-sized pieces; sometimes 1 stalk of celery, chopped, in 2 cups of water.  In a frypan, I brown the liver in 2 tblspns. of canola oil, turning it over in about 2 minutes.  As it is cooking on the other side, I use a sharp knife and fork to cut it up into bite size pieces.  I sprinkle the meat with 1/2 tsp. garlic salt or onion salt, and 1 tsp. of seasoned salt.  When it's quite brown but not sticking, I pour in the rice and water mixture altogether, stir and add 1 big fistful of oatmeal, stir again, turn the heat down low, cover, and let it finish cooking for about 15 minutes.  I turn off the heat, leave it covered, and when it's cooled off, stir it up.  It will congeal and become stiffer.  The dogs just love it.  They beg for it so much, that's why it only lasts for 2 days.  I've actually eaten some of it, and it is quite good for humans, too. 

But in this winter weather, when it's dark out for so much of the time, they get bored just lying around, and they want to be fed 3 times a day now.  Which, of course, I do, but I decrease the amount of food somewhat so they hopefully will not get fat.  Also, this is deer hunting season, and I don't let them out at all now in the daytime.  I don't want them following their noses to a gut pile and getting into trouble or possibly getting shot along the way.

I've been roasting squashes, which I cut in half and lay cut side down in a roasting pan, after removing the seed cavity stuff.  When they are soft and have cooled down, I scrape them out into plastic containers and freeze them, but leave one in the frig to eat right away.  I like my squash with a bit of brown sugar, butter, salt and pepper.  And I've discovered that my Apple Pie Cake recipe tastes better by far using a cooking apple, such as Macintosh or Roma apples, not the sprightly eating apples. 

Another thing that has worked out well for me is that I stopped taking Lipitor, which had been giving me all kinds of side effects that I chose not to live with.  Especially when I had been doing so well keeping my cholesterol levels down with diet (no fried foods), exercize (minimalist, to be sure), and supplements from Swanson Vitamins (such as cinnamon, cardio health oils, garlic, to name a few).  No side effects for me, thank you.  Plus, that Lipitor prescription was enormously expensive.  You know they are making a huge profit on that stuff, and it may not be so good for the human body.  I feel so much better already, and Swanson just sent me a $20 gift certificate for my next order.  How nice is that? 

I wanted barbequed chicken last night, but John offered to make the BBQ sauce, so...  It was so good, I can't believe it.  He never measures anything, so I am going to write down what I observed him doing, and guesstimate amounts.  It was 1/2 cup packed brown sugar, 1/8 cup apple cider vinegar, 2 tblspns. balsamic vinegar, the juice of one orange, 3 tblspns. of oyster-flavored sauce, and 1/4 cup of store-bought BBQ sauce.  I first browned the chicken pieces in olive oil in a frypan, then he transferred that to a baking pan, added a little water (I think) and let it bake for another 15 minutes before adding the sauce.  Let it bake for 1/2 hour or less, turning the pieces to coat them, turned the oven off, and let it rest in there for awhile.   I don't usually eat a lot of meat, but it was so good, that's all I ate for supper, BBQ chicken.  Lots of water besides. 

I felt pretty good yesterday, so quit writing and got dressed to go outside.  Looked over my project and got a hammer.  Pounded down any lumpy places or nails that had popped up.  Cut milk jugs into 2" wide strips, put them and a small scissors in my right pocket, got a lot of  3" wood screws in my left pocket.  Got the cordless drill, which I keep plugged in next to the tv set, and carried the styrofoam sheets up to the house.  Just two of them for now, please. 

It was cold out there, but I was warmly dressed.  I have earmuffs that wrap around the back of the head and don't come off, plus a home-crocheted beige hat to keep the head warm, plus I put the hood up on my parka.  I even  found an old pair of suede boots that are just perfect for this time of year, keeping feet warm.  It was windy.  There is just enough snow on the ground to let you know winter has finally arrived.  I was hoping for more for the deer hunters, but it's enough. 

But I lined up the styrofoam sheet next to the big picture window and got one screw in, then straightened the sheet and put in another screw.  And soon, I had used up all the screws I had, and the drill used up all its power, too.  So I had to quit for awhile until the drill powered up again.  But then I went back out there with more screws, more plastic strips and got those two sheets put up just fine.  Is it my imagination, or is it warmer in here already?  I have increased the insulation by a factor of 5 and plugged up the tiny holes (through which I could see daylight).  I think the woodpeckers had done those little holes.  Of course, now that I've got those up, I'll have to continue and do the whole front of the house.  That's fine, since I can then put siding up over that next year. 

I have 1/2" plywood on the outside of the house, which does not last forever.  I am looking forward (not) to an attempt next summer to make my own siding boards.  I'm inspired by all the many things one can put into cement.  We'll see, we'll see.

Had nightmares all night about George Bush's earmark spending.  The speech he made the other day about how Congress is behaving like a teenager with a new credit card, when he is the one behaving like that himself is really galling.  When it comes to actually having nightmares about him, it truly makes me wonder why no one, or no group of individuals, has the authority to stop him.  Or, like me, do we all just groan and think to ourselves, "oh well, only one more year to go!"  And just put up with it? 

Today, I'll have to cut up the styrofoam sheets, which will require measuring first, then I guess, the steak knife will come into play.  I just heard a shot.  Today is the first day of deer hunting season.  Hope they have a good harvest.  Hope somebody gives me some meat.  I and the dogs love venison.  John may go hunting this year, maybe not.  If my son gets one, he'll surely give me some meat and sausage from it.

We did get an inch or two of snow recently, making everything white, but by the next morning, it was all gone.  This morning again, we have the powdered sugar dusting of snow.  I am hoping for more snow within the next day or two, because deer hunting season starts this Saturday, and it is easier tracking the deer.  Not that I'm going hunting, but my son is going with his buddies out in the western part of the state.  He has just completed his schooling for his new job.  I hope the job makes a decent living for him.  We will see.  He called me this morning.  I love it that both of my kids still tell me that they love me before hanging up.  So do my brothers and sisters, though, and I think it's kind of a family thing that we do among ourselves.  But it is heartwarming. 

I've been writing on my novel, and I've come to a particularly important and dangerous part.  I will have to mull things over in my mind and see what phrases and things come to me.  Wording is so important. 

I've been dusting!  Eeek!  Today, I want to tear apart my bedroom and clean thoroughly behind and underneath the bed.  I just love it when I have finished dusting all the furniture, but can't help noticing that it starts to build up again immediately.  I suppose the wood heat contributes quite a bit.  I have one of those feather dusters somewhere and should run around every day, tickling the knicknacks, etc. 

I've had arthritis in my right hand and elbow again, and had to have it wrapped up, with that icy hot stuff on it.  Took a couple of days, but it seems to be subsiding now.  I've made meatloaf and chicken teriyaki, and today might be a good day to make some chili.  

It is supposed to snow/rain later today, so I'm trying to get things done outside.  Didn't I already do this before?  Ah, but it never ends - right?  I tried to rig an extra shelter for the chickens' yard - they look impressed, though I am not.  It's a sheet of that semi-clear corrugated plastic.  We'll see how well it performs.  Still keeping the home fires burning...and liking it a lot.  Found the ash shovel, but will probably have to buy a metal bucket for the ashes.  For now, I'm using one of those popcorn tins that are so popular at this time of year.  I have a lot of them saved, as they are too pretty  to throw away.  (Another one of my faults.)  Then I spread out all the remaining straw along the path where I will have to walk daily to the chicken coop and the compost heap.  That will help keep my feet clean.

Yesterday, I was invited to an old friend's house for coffee in the morning with another mutual girlfriend.  I had never been to her house before, and it is a showcase of immaculate good taste and...well, words can fail a person.  It is a perfect house and garden, with a perfect view and a wonderful, big driveway, all paved, of course; many decks, etc.  I - wow! - will never live like that, but as I told my friends, I am comfortable and happy, so that is just fine with me. 

After coffee and cake, I went to town (always combining efforts to get the most from my gas mileage), took care of chores, bought a few more groceries, (plus a 20 lb. turkey for our own T-Day) and stopped at the Farmers Feed Store.  The chickens were almost out of laying mash, we needed deer corn, I got another bale of straw and some oats as a special treat for the chickies, and some tiny dog biscuits, especially for Daphne.  

And today, I have cooked chicken legs for the dogs in the crockpot, 2 big legs, 6 cups of water, 3 fistfuls of rice, 1 big carrot, chopped and 1 stalk of celery, chopped, 2 fistfuls of oatmeal, and enough seasonings, (a pinch of thyme, 1/2 tsp. onion salt, 1-1/2 tsp. seasoned salt) to make it all taste pretty darn good.  I also took a big plastic bag around the property and picked up anything that didn't belong, as I want to get things cleaned up before big snow hits.  This might happen sooner than later.

Today was the first day in a long time that I felt completely well - like my old self, and had enough energy to get the chores done.  Now I can relax with my doggies and enjoy the warmth of the wood heat.  The weather outside looks like it's going to get nasty any time now. 

What with the snow on the ground, and temperature in the house hovering around 60 deg., it seemed like a good time to fire up the stove and try out the wood heat again.  John took all the innards out from the gas connection and little by little, we found just about everything needed to get going.  The grate I found proved to be too big, but we can fix that later.  In a jiffy, the fire was started and soon the house was heating up like the good old days.

I still had the underfloor gas heat going, but in a couple of hours, it was so warm in here, that I turned that down to "warm" and that is where it has remained since.  The wood needs to be replenished every three hours, but since I wake at 3:00 a.m. lately, that is just about the right time.  Then I stayed up until 6:00 doing housework, and again replenished the wood.  Then I slept until 9:00 and again it was time to replenish the wood.  Hey, this isn't so bad.  The fumes are a bit much, but I'll get used to it.  I put a wide flat pan on top of the stove, filled it with water, and I've already replenished that water several times, which is a good thing (getting moisture in the air). 

My daughter doesn't approve.  She says that wood throws off more carbon dioxide than burning natural gas, and she may be right about that.  But it doesn't throw off more carbon dioxide than burning coal, right?  Which the power company uses and loves.  But it is more about saving money this year on heating bills and reducing the dependency on fossil fuels and the power company.  Until I can go really green, I'll have to take what I can get just to survive on my meager income. 

Now if I could just get off the grid completely!  On the news the other day, we have been informed that Public (Dis)Service had a lightning strike at their power plant and will have to purchase electricity elsewhere for their customers.  $26,000,000 worth, to be exact, plus $8,000,000 for the repairs to the plant.  Guess who gets to pay for it?  The customers, of course!  So we've been told that electric rates are also going up this winter.

Let's see if I understand how this works.  If I got struck by lightning, survived with injuries, and couldn't work and pay my bills for 6 months or so, would Public Service still provide me with electricity and keep me as a customer?  You can bet that disconnect notice would be in the mail pronto.  But this is an example of how our government favors corporations and allows them to do business at the expense of individuals.  One of my gripes is, of course, when the Supreme Court decided that corporations deserved the same rights (and more!) as individuals.  Ah, but it's useless to complain.  Just let me get off the grid, please! 

What else?  Yes, I'm getting another cold, but that is hardly news.  I have finished Chap. 13 and now have started on Chap. 14.  I love this story.  I hope I can sell it, be like J. D. Rowling, go from being a struggling poor woman to being a rich one - HA!  But you never know.    

It's Tuesday already, and the wind howled around the house all through the night.  This morning we awoke to a white world, and the dogs just love to go outside and look around.  They seem to be at peace out there, with snow on the ground.

So far, we still haven't made a fire in the fireplace, and John has been bringing firewood home.  He's been getting it for free from a man who had cut down dead trees and just wanted the wood to be gone.  So John took his chainsaw over there, cut the wood up, and threw it in the back of his van.  After three trips, he got all that there was, and there is now a pretty good pile of firewood outside with a tarp over it, just waiting.  Now all he has to do is cut off the gas pipeline to the fireplace, inspect the chimney, take the gas mechanism out of the fireplace, and we are set to go.  Hope this helps to keep the gas heating bill down for the winter.  But I do still have the gas hot water heater, circulating the anti-freeze/water stuff through the floor, still keeping this house reasonably warm for now. 

Went to town yesterday, went to four different places, and did half of my town chores.  Shopping - good.  Got some stuff.  Lots of dogfood primarily.  Still cooking for my dogs and feeding them home-made meals, along with their regular dogfood, biscuits, etc.  They seem to be doing very well on the home-cooked food; it saves a lot of money, and they don't have allergies anymore from corn, wheat, and who knows what.  The chickens are happy in their winter quarters, too. 

I've been buying little presents for gifts for Christmas.  Soon, two of my kids will be having birthdays.  My son has found a job installing Direct TV and will be using a ladder for his work.  I'm giving him ladder jacks for a present, so he will be more stable on his ladder and won't leave marks on people's houses, either.  He's away in another town for a week, going to school to learn his new trade.  I'm so happy he found something that he likes to do.  He's very enthused. 

Day before yesterday, it was beautiful, breezy, and still warm enough to just wear a sweatshirt outside.  I had made a list the day before (I love lists) and had already assembled most of the items on it.  I got out a sheet of 1" styrofoam and took the tarp and all things off the top of the chicken house.  I measured - it was 2 feet tall by 4 feet wide on the sides and and 4 feet long.  After putting these measurements on the sheet of styrofoam, which was easy with a drywall t-square, I was going to use a utility knife to cut the foam.  But the knife just bounced along on top of the foam.  I went in the house and got the usual steak knife, which worked very well, and quickly cut the foam sheet to the proper size pieces.

There are 1" boards on the outside of the chicken house, giving me a good place to screw the foam right on.  But I was concerned that my wood screws would eventually (or quickly) pull through the foam, so I cut up a milk carton to get plastic strips.  After placing the plastic strip on the foam, I used my electric drill to put the wood screws right through the milk jug plastic to act as a kind of backing or washer, so that the screw wouldn't pull right through.  Applying two-handed pressure on the drill put it all right into the wood, not coming through into the chickens' house.  Then I snipped off the rest of the strip and moved on to the next screwy place.  The whole project took less time than it takes to wash a load of dishes in the dishwasher. 

The foam is 1" away from the sides of the house, giving air a chance to get in, but not the strong wind.  So the top and sides are all covered with 1" foam.  Their door closes on the front by sliding into grooves.  The door slides open in the morning and closes at night.  Also, I have a tarp that lies over the whole house and part of their yard, held in place by a brick and several long garden implements.  Their watering jug is right in a corner, easy to get at, and doesn't get dirt or straw in it, because its opening is just big enough to get their heads in.  Plenty of deep straw, a nice yard to run around in and eat in, a nest right under the indoor light, which is contained within a wire cage shaped like a chicken, of course.

And yesterday, it became very cold and windy.  I'm so glad I got that done for them before the bad weather started.  Yesterday, I went to visit my daughter (who is the author of "The Shackhappy Story by Lori Marie) and visited with her for awhile.  I brought her a walker and a cane and many other things besides.  Those had belonged to my mother, and with her MS, she needs them when she is having a bad time of it.  She is better now that the moon is waning.  How strange is that? 

John made a lamb shank, browning it on a fire first, then finishing it on the stove, like a pot roast, with veggies and potatoes in the pan.  I haven't had lamb since I was privileged to visit the Sahara Club in Chicago many, many years ago.  It was delicious, and the dogs got some fat and the shank bone to gnaw on.  They were impressed.  And John also went into the garden and dug up the potatoes for me.  I have a nice big bucketful, and he even found two more squashes out there, small but beautiful.   

Today is a beautiful day, the wind has finally calmed down, though all through the night, it howled around the house.  I love to take the dogs out in the morning, seeing the sun just peeking over the horizon.  I live on a wooded hilltop, primarily an oak forest, with a small lake at the foot of it.  Seeing the sun, moon and stars, and sometimes the northern lights, is wonderful now that the leaves are down.  As much as I love the forest, I love to look at the sky, and really miss it in the summer months.   

Yep, that's the consensus around here.  The weather has finally begun to get colder, and we've had two frosts now, not big ones, but definitely frosts.  Only broccoli and cabbage leaves remain green in the garden.  Yesterday, I boiled 3 acorn squash in a big pot until I could put a knife into them, then cooled them down, cut in half, removed seeds and pulled them away from their shells.  You get almost all the meat that way.  I think I prefer the roasted squash, however.  The extra squash I put into little tubs and froze.  I also got the water barrel almost emptied by gravity flow around cedar trees and hydrangea bushes, and it can now be tipped over and put aside for the winter.  I'll hide the sump pump inside the barrel. 

The brown hen has resumed laying eggs again, perhaps just in time to give the black hen a rest, though she is still pumping them out.  Both hens are fat, the black one especially.   She went through a molt awhile back, losing her pretty tail feathers, but they have all grown back in again.  They are still enjoying their little night light in their house.  I need to start assembling the styrofoam sheets around their house.  I will use a washer and screw the correctly cut sheets into place.  That will leave a 1/2 inch gap between box and styrofoam for air to get in, because there are boards on the outside of the house to screw to.

Had my septic tank pumped out the other day - $125.00.  I have it done every two years, even though the law says it's every 3 years, mandatory.  I am now using my reserved property tax money to get through the rest of this month.  I think I can make it up next month, though...

My son has finally gotten hired by a company that installs Direct TV in your house.  I don't know anything about it, since he has just now been hired.  He will have to buy a ladder, that's all I know. 

My daughter's Multiple Sclerosis gets much worse every month, as the moon is waxing.  She was in absolute agony Thursday night; it is very scary, as she keeps blacking out.  But as soon as the moon reaches its fullness, the pain begins to subside gradually.  Even though the moon seems to be still just as full to us, people like her can really feel it.  I wonder if other MS sufferers also have this problem. 

And I'm finally getting well.  October has been a terrible month for sickness in the family. Yet, I've managed to do everything that needed to be done, even driving to visit my brother.  All bills have been paid, even though I'm broke; there's nothing left in the garden except potatoes (still); chickens will soon be cozy for the winter.  The boys (son and son-in-law) showed up and they got the roll-top desk loaded up and taken into son-in-law's den, and it looks beautiful there.  He loves it.  Fireplace is ready to be converted back to wood heat; squirrel has been shagged out; rugs shampooed.  Today, I'm going to make chicken and wild rice soup, do some laundry and yes! dust furniture.  Might even get to write on my novel, finish chap. 12. 

I have been writing on my novel, and I'm now on Chapter 12.  The story is taking over my life, or at least my thoughts, but so far, that hasn't seemed like a bad thing....

I have also been taking it easy, not going anywhere, and not doing any heavy housework.  And that means that I've recovered from my latest bout with a chest cold.  So, I've had flu twice and a chest cold that felt like it was trying to become pneumonia or pleurisy, maybe.  But just taking it easy, keeping warm and rested, is the best. 

So I really have nothing to blog about.

It turns out that the squirrel was not gone, just resting. 

I can only say that for awhile there, it was like Chevy Chase's Christmas Vacation, where the squirrel jumps out of the Christmas tree.....only with 3 dogs.  Eventually, I blocked the dogs off so they couldn't get into the same room where the squirrel was hiding.

So, when the squirrel began to try to chew his way from one room to another, I used my leaf rake to poke at him, and began to talk very gently, telling him that he shouldn't go that way, that I would leave the window open for him, and that we wanted him to live long and prosper - outdoors.  I told him/her that we liked squirrels, thought they were very smart and pretty.  Then I backed off, and to my amazement, the squirrel came out of hiding, jumped onto the curtain rod and looked at me intensely.  Like it could actually understand my intentions, if not my words.  But then it leaped into the bathtub, where it zipped around for awhile, then dove into hiding again. 

The evening came on, and fortunately, it was warm and breezy.  The window was open about 4 inches and the lights got turned off and everyone went to sleep.  I got up one time during the night to go to the bathroom, and heard a low growl by the window, on the inside.  Do squirrels growl?  It was enough to have me go to a different bathroom.  But when I woke in the morning, he was truly gone.  We knocked about with a coat hanger on various places and he is gone.  What a relief. 

That's once in 23 years that a squirrel has come down the chimney and I hope it never happens again.  My daughter was teasing me that the squirrel was probably sleeping with me in bed all night.   

I think the squirrel may be gone; I have the sense that he is no longer in the house.  He disdained all our nice efforts to have him go by normal exits though; preferring to chew his way out of the back of my closet and onto the stairway that goes upstairs.  From there, he left by an open doorway though.  He could as easily have jumped out the bedroom window.  At least all the doors and windows are now closed.  Now I can fix the hole in the back of my closet.  Geesh!

I remembered that I saw a few round cabbage heads that I planted late in the season in the garden, just poking seeds into the ground here and there.  So I went out there and harvested a couple of these small cabbages just now.  So crisp, that they split apart when stuck with a knife.  I cut them up into a large pot, then decided to make

                        Cabbage and Polska Kielbasa

Put 1 medium (or two small) cabbages, cut up, into a large pot.  Add 2 or 3 carrots, peeled and chopped, 1/2 of a medium onion, chopped, 1 or 2 stalks of celery, trimmed and chopped, 2 big potatoes, peeled and chopped, 8 cups of water, 1/2 tsp. fennel seed, and 1 polska kielbasa sausage, cut into chunks.  A little salt, pepper, 4 chicken boullion cubes, 2 tblspns. butter, and let this cook until all veggies are tender.  Scoop out one cup of broth; when cooled, stir it into 1/2 cup of flour, and return to pot, stir well.  Fresh parsley, if you have it. 

I am constantly being amazed that the garden continues to give me veggies, even though I keep saying it's over.  It's not over until Jack Frost sings.  And so far, that hasn't happened yet.  I still have broccoverde, broccoli, 1 or two more cabbages, and I haven't even looked for eggplants or peppers.  And still haven't dug the potatoes.  I think I'm afraid of hurting my back again with the potato digging.  The onions are regrowing, though the flowers have really given up now.  Even the marigolds.  Every day still, I am able to give my chickens green things from the garden.  It has truly been an amazing growing year.  We've had so much rain lately, for which I and everyone else, are very grateful.  Perhaps the lakes will begin to recover.   

While typing away on my novel at the computer, I kept hearing quite a ruckus going on in the vicinity of the fireplace, and I thought maybe a mouse was trapped inside, somehow.  I decided to have mercy and opened the fireplace door.  Out jumped a gray squirrel, who must have fallen down the chimney, and even the dogs headed out the door as the rampaging, frightened squirrel leaped around in the house, knocking over many, many things, and going from room to room.  We have opened all the doors and one window that has no screen on it.  Good thing it is warm out, reasonably.  The squirrel has hidden now, in my bedroom, but the window is wide open and it is breezy in there.  I am hoping that he feels the breeze from wide open spaces and gets the heck out of here.  It is impossible to live in a house with a squirrel in it!  It can't be done!  He is capable of knocking over and breaking almost everything!  I only hope more birds and animals don't get in while we're waiting.  I can hear him now, fidgeting around in my bedroom.  Please, please leave! 

Went to town yesterday, got chiropractic adjustment, I am almost completely realigned now.  Then I went to the new Kohl's store that opened recently.  I had bought a t-shirt for my son's fiancee who recently became a police officer.  It said on it "It's all fun and games until the cops arrive!"  When I bought it, it was funny?  I guess?  But after the shootings in Crandon, it is just awful.  Kohl's agreed with me and took back the shirt, no problem.  They had also pulled all the cop t-shirts right off the shelves, so that's good. 

I am, or was, related by marriage to one of the shooting victims, who had been the deputy sheriff's girlfriend before they broke up.  So she was my ex-husband's great niece or something.  My children's 3rd or 4th cousin, perhaps.  Their grandfathers were brothers, I think.  Still....we are all saddened and horrified by what happened.  Nobody can understand it. 

The squirrel has not left yet.  I don't know what the problem is with him.  I certainly don't want him to become too comfortable.  Should I try to shoo him out?  It didn't work at first, when we tried it right away.  It will get cold in here if he doesn't leave soon.  I don't know what to do now.  I can't relax with a squirrel around. 

I called  my daughter and asked her to explain to me again how this darn shampooer works; she told me, I tried again, and this time I got it done!  Almost!  There is only a faint whiff of the beastly smell.  One more time with the shampoo, and it will be gone, I just know it.  Also did another rug in the living room, and it too, looks a lot better.  Then I rearranged furniture, and now we are completely ready to convert the gas fireplace back to wood heat.  We have some firewood, but not enough to get through the winter.  That will be done next, I guess.

John returned from his marathon.  There were 800 people at the starting line, not the 2,000 who registered.  John did well, until his knee began to hurt, about 1/3 of the way through.  The next 1/3 of the race he did with a lot of pain in his right knee, and the last 1/3 he did in excruciating agony, but he did it in 5 hours, 44 minutes.  This was his second marathon, 26 miles, and I am trying to convince him that twice is enough. 

A lady who is a professional trainer watched him run, and saw right away, that when his right foot comes down, it splays outward, and what he needs is to correct that.  That's what is causing the pain in the knee.  So he needs better running shoes with a lift in one side, so his knee will strike properly on his leg.  He is resting today.  I fed him smoked pork chops and roasted fingerling potatoes when he got home.  And lots of beer to rehydrate, of course.

But I feel like resting today, too, after my shampooing, furniture moving marathon yesterday.  I could dust.  That wouldn't be very strenuous.  And I have very many squashes, pumpkins and melons looking at me.  I could carve the Jack-o-Lantern today.  The temp in here remains at 63 degrees, which means the slab is partially heated and keeping the place warmer already.    

Yikes!  The more I scrub this rug, the more it stinks!  I have borrowed my daughter's rug shampooer, and maybe I'm not doing it right, but I will have another go at it today.  I will drench the rug, if I have to.  After that, if it still smells, it is going outside for the winter.  I just can't stand it any longer. 

It is cold now, and yesterday morning, it was but 55 deg. in here, so I turned on the floor heat.  It is 60 deg. in here this morning, but it's a sunny day, so maybe it will warm up the house, too.  It takes a couple of days for the cement slab to heat up.  Even 60 deg. is better than 55 though. 

I've returned from visiting my brother in Waupaca.  We went out to eat at Chef Chou's again, and to my surprise, there is no Sweet and Sour Garlic Pork on the menu.  So I just had the S&S Pork.  It was tasty, but my bro ordered the Orange Chicken, which was fabulous.  I stayed overnight.  Something kept biting me all night.  In the morning, I was able to see that the creature was one of those Asian Ladybugs.  Their bite is every bit as nasty as a spider bite.  But I'm home now, and the doggies were all glad to see me.  I brought my bro some eggs and strawberry freezer jam.

Now, even the brown hen has begun to lay eggs again.  So if they are both laying again, I'll have enough to give my kids, as well.

My sister's procedure to zap the muscles in her heart that were causing arhythmia, tachycardia, etc. has turned out well, and she is at home now, resting and already relieved that she doesn't have rapid heartbeat to worry about any more.  She has a slight fever though, which comes on every afternoon, and will have that checked out on Monday.   

And John is away now, running a 26 mile marathon near Ashland.  There are over 2,000 people in the various categories, running this one.  He said an extra long goodbye to his dog, Arnie, who trains with him, in case he has a heart attack or something.  I yelled at him "you better come back!"  Maybe I will start nagging at him to quit these races.  It seems to me that the original marathon man, who did the initial run from Thermopoli to Athens(?) dropped dead after delivering his message.  But he has a lot of fun too, and it is good to get his training exercise.   

Well, it's been back and forth, but I suspect this may be the last time we have really warm weather for this year.  It turned cold again last evening, the wind sprang up, didn't rain for once, and this morning, it is quite brisk outside.  Skies are gray and troubled. 

I'll be visiting with my daughter today, and tomorrow I'm going to drive to see my brother.  I'm getting my oil changed today and they usually do a checkup on other things too while they're at it.  I can't get over how well my daughter is doing, battling her MS.  She has her bad days, but she is so determined to win against it. 

Got a lot of housecleaning done yesterday; I'm finally able to say that I'm getting caught up on all the housework that didn't get done while I was sick all last week.  I've been working on clipping dog fur from the nether regions of Pepper, and she is beginning to look trimmed and ready to put on new fur for the winter.  Also, clipped and trimmed her brisket fur.  She's good to go.  Now to tackle Daphne, the other furry one.  I've got a start, but need to get serious, especially on the back end. 

And now, I'm pronouncing myself officially well again.  Got up early this morning to begin the behemoth task of cleaning up this house.  Things get ugly when the maid doesn't show up for a week.  I've been working for one hour, the dishes are done, the garbage carried out, recyclables out, the critters have all been fed, I've been pilled and fed, and now I can begin the day.  The sun has come up and it promises to be a very beautiful and strangely warm day.  Very humid out there too, from all the rain we've been having.

The Packers are playing tonight in Lambeau Field, and some storm clouds are approaching - hope they don't get hit with a downpour in the game.  I am hoping they have a "best year ever" experience this year.   

Since I was semi-well yesterday, I went to town and paid bills/got groceries.  I only went to Walmart, since I needed dogfood, so got all my groceries there, too.  Also bought another phone - my Uniden has been acting like it's got a failing battery lately.  My new phone is a V-tech, just $20.00, is plugged in and charged up.  So far, so good.  I might just get a new battery pack for the Uniden.

Strange dreams last night that the Chinese have already taken over this country, that we are already their slaves.  I think this is due to the shopping trip yesterday, seeing hundreds of cars parked at Walmart, and going by the brand new Kohl's Dept. Store, and their parking lot is filled also.  They've only been open for 3 days.  The Walmart logo ringing in my ears - something about live better, shop here.  I suspect everything these days.  Maybe it's because I've been so sick, I've been thinking about death a lot lately.  Wonder if they own our a**es already.

My sister called me and told me about her tachycardia.  It was getting so bad, that she is going in on Monday to have a muscle in her heart zapped so it won't cause her heart to beat so rapidly anymore.  They will have to thread a lot of things up various veins into her heart to do this.  Sounds very scary, but she has no choice.  I'm praying it all works out well for her.

A footnote about fake eggs and chickens - they have adopted the dark grey egg also, have pushed it into their laying nest, and have resumed laying eggs alongside the other two rock eggs.  Very good, e-g-g-c-e-l-l-e-n-t.  Every day, I pull up lettuces, spinach, and mustard plants from the garden and put those whole into the cage.  They are gone in minutes.  What will I do in winter, when there are no greens forthcoming from the garden?  Will I have to purchase bags of salad greens?  Can I go around behind stores and get throw-away greens from their produce people?  I don't want to do that.  It's enough already that I have to go shopping.   

I am finally up on my feet again, at least for minutes at a time, still shaky, but most of the aches and pains have gone.  Started on the 1st and I think it's the 5th now?  It was all I could do to get up to feed the dogs and chickens, pissing and moaning all the time.  I still have some head pain to cope with.  What a way to lose weight!

I have noticed the wonderful glow of autumn outside, in spite of being sick.  The very air is golden, the weather is warm and it's been raining off and on, every day.  Our land up here in the north was so parched, that the large Rainbow Flowage reservoir that begins the Wisconsin River had dried to a mere trickle.  It looked shocking to see the picture in the paper.  I hope this rain continues and continues.  I think we got about 4" of rain in the past month.

The leaves are in full color now, perhaps a bit past their prime.  What a golden, glorious time of year.  Except for my bout with flu, I'm very happy.   Dogs are happy, chickens ditto, what can I say?  Need to beef up my strength and get busy doing things again.

Among my souvenirs, I found two rocks that had been formed into egg shapes and polished.  I wondered if they would inspire the chickens to lay more eggs, so I put them in their nests, one for each hen.  There was a dark grey one and a swirly pink one.  The grey one they buried in the straw, probably thinking it was a rotten egg.  The pink one is so admired, that they take turns sitting on it, and now they have stopped laying eggs altogether!  That's it!  Those eggs are coming out of there.

I've finished clearing out the porch, throwing away a lot of junk, cleaning and sweeping the floor, tossing out the old rugs and laying down clean ones.  I thought moving all the building materials across the room was going to be backbreaking, but I did it and was not too sore.  I will be paying for these materials through next February, but they will give me something to work on through the winter.  The porch looks really nice now, with plenty of space to get the big desk out.  If only I can find enough time to put up those dog-earred boards as trim on the porch, I will be very happy. 

Today, I'm continuing the same treatment for the side room where all the appliances and utilities are kept.  This room always ends up catching a lot of clutter, so this is a two-day job.  But I'll have more things to take to Good Will or the Thrift Store, like a box of glass baking dishes that have been sitting there for years.  I bought the set because it was so cheap, but only needed one pan.  Now, others can benefit from the extras. 

I've been picking up the apples every day that fall from the tree.  This is a Haralson apple tree, and they are large, smooth, crisp, and have a sprightly flavor.  I will make Apple Pie Cake today with some of them.  This is so good and an easy recipe.

                    Apple Pie Cake

Mix all this together - 1 cup sugar, 1/2 cup butter or oleo, 1 egg, 2 tbsp. hot water, 1 cup flour, 1 tsp. salt, 1 tsp. soda, 2 tsp. cinnamon, 2-1/2 cups apples, diced and 1/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional).  Mix all ingredients, adding apples and nuts with flour mixture.  Pour into greased 9" pie tin.  Bake at 350 degrees for 40 min.  Cut like a pie.  Serve with ice cream or whipped cream.

After a few days of really warm weather (for end of September), we've returned to the chilliness that's usual for this time of year.  The garden is in shambles, the tomatoes, cukes, beans are definitely through; yet when I go out there for something, I find huge beans still, cherry tomatoes everywhere that weren't there before, but no cukes anymore at all.  The corn is kaput.  There is still fresh-looking lettuces, though tall and spindly, the chickens love them.  There are still the marigolds, huge bushes of them, all abloom, blue morning glories, nasturtiums, hydrangeas and a few others.  Basil, peppers and eggplants still to be brought inside, if only I can find room for them.  And there's still the potatoes to dig.   

But that will do it for the garden for this year.  Next year's garden will be very different.  I haven't begun to think much about it yet.  What I am thinking of doing is changing the drift of this blog from gardening/recipes/griping about the aches and pains of advancing age, to ????  I got into a huge dialogue via email with someone, and it was about politics.  I have deliberately avoided politics here, but may start researching articles to better promote my "agenda," which would include things like trying to change the way we elect our president, for example. 

And I might try publishing my novel right on my blog.  But that would call for learning how to do new things with the blog, and so far, I haven't been able to sustain enough interest to learn anything.  I have signed up for a college course in November which promises to teach me how to burn CDs, but they would have to treat me like I'm in kindergarden; it's that bad.  I can barely manage to use my new remote control for the T and V; I can't bring myself to read the darn pamphlet that came with it.  Is this what is called being a technophobe?

The change from summer to autumn happens tomorrow, but it's so warm and moist out today, I've been bringing in the last of my tomatoes.  I mean the plants, which I had put into pots, the Romas that I didn't plant until August 1.  They have begun to blossom, their roots are taking up their pots, so I got larger pots, then pots without bottoms to place on top of the soil in the bigger pots; I put the tomatoes in there really deep, filled with soil.  Put in a big stick to tie them to, and carried them in.  Filled to the brim with more potting soil and watered in, they are already half way up to the ceiling, but I'm hoping to get tomatoes, indoors, for many months.  We shall see what happens.  Almost all of my transplanting and repotting has been done now; there are still pepper plants and an eggplant, and one more basil that I'd like to save.  There is no more room at my window now, but in winter, the sun shines clear across the room, so the plants will get sun if I line them up there.

I've finally cleaned out the last drawer of the reproduction antique rolltop desk, and everything is in readiness for the kids to come and pick it up.  I went to Walmart yesterday and got a runner rug and a throw rug.  The new ones are really nice, and I just got done washing another load of small rugs, hung up to dry.  All that remains to do is move some of the building supplies over to another wall of the porch, so the desk can be dollied out the door.

Also went to Menards yesterday and got 6 sheets of styrofoam insulation, 1" thick, with an R rating of 5.  One sheet will be cut up and attached to the chicken's house to keep them warm in winter (besides their warmer lightbulb), but the other 5 will be attached to the outside of the house where I suspect there may be air leaks.  Where I know there are air leaks, I should say.  That should help cut down on heating bills and keep me more comfortable.   I also got 4 sheets of 1/2" oriented strand board to finish the garage walls.  That should keep leaves from blowing into the garage and keep things cleaner in there.  And it will look more finished, too.  Now, only the two peaks remain to be filled in, and I am thinking about a different look for those ends. 

But I forgot to look for vinyl tiles for my daughter when I was at Menards yesterday.  And that was the reason I went to Menards - that, and the other stuff.  How could I have forgotten?  I felt so bad.  Now I'll have to make another trip...I need more suet cakes for the birds pretty soon.  This time I'll have to tie the tile she gave me to my head so I don't forget. 

Tomorrow, the kids have invited me to go with them to an autumn harvest festival in Lake Tomahawk.  This will be fun, and I intend to buy a big pumpkin and other produce there.  I did harvest 7 squashes of various kinds from my garden, but they are not big ones, by any means, although 3 are pretty good size. 

Where does the time go?  Well, I've been very happy lately, maybe that means you don't write?  I've been washing pots out, clipping and filling, and putting the clippings in new soil.  I am almost through transplanting things from the garden.  Yesterday, I used up the last of the water in the barrels behind the house, then tipped those barrels over for the winter.  I have kept the side room barrel upright and handiest; and last night, it rained all night long, a gentle steady rain that is so good for everything.  Exactly what's needed.

I've wound up the garden hose, all 200 feet of it, and wrapped it around a barrel.  That had me cursing the usual things.  I suppose I need to bite the bullet and buy a more expensive kind of hose that doesn't kink, but this one manages to get entangled in everything.  I think it's possessed. 

Speaking of the beast, one of my dogs had an accident on the rug in front of the door the other night, and it must be that this rug is just too old; it's probably had accidents happening on it for years before my mother even moved here.  And even though I've shampooed, scrubbed, used vinegar, orange oil, and borax on it, I can't seem to get rid of the smell.  One more effort on my part, and I've had it with this rug.  Regardless, I've already got a plan in mind...as soon as the kids get this big desk out of here, the rug is getting rolled up and taken out to spend the winter draped over the log pile, where it can really get clean and aired out.  Then I may use it in the porch.  But I'm thinking that the box of ceramic floor tiles I got for $11.00 on sale just might be a better thing to have in front of the door, anyway.  We'll see, we'll see.

I made 2 meatloafs the other day, and John has been eating them, like half a meatloaf at a time.  I guess he needs the extra energy for his running regimen.  Anyway, meatloaf is one of our favorites.  But today, I'm doing something different with chicken - it's a recipe I got from my daughter yesterday, called Honey Glazed Chicken, and I'll blog the recipe when I know what I'm doing.  And speaking of recipes, Chef Chou in Waupaca can rest assured that I cannot duplicate his wonderful Sweet and Sour Garlic Chicken.  Although my effort tasted good and all, it just wasn't the same.

Favorite food lately is to make a big platter of sliced tomatoes and  cucumbers, snip a fresh basil leaf around on top, sprinkle generously with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, sprinkle green olives around and grate some asiago cheese over all.  I drink the juice that's left over in my bowl.  I love the olive oil, balsamic vinegar.

Chapter 8 is coming along on my novel.  My chiropractor has continued with my back adjustments, although I am not in pain, now.  Even my excruciating hand and elbow pain is not there.  He has been adjusting my wrist and arm, too. 

Thursday, I'm going to go to the Courthouse and have my Power of Attorney recorded.  I recently found out that a POA is not good unless it's recorded before you die.  !!!  So I better do that, eh?  Also, I'm going to Menards again tomorrow and I have to buy more stuff to get ready for winter.  So I might as well go to the landfill before I go there, and get rid of all the recyclables before I go to Menards.  I wish the kids would hurry up and get this desk out of here.  It is a beautiful one, a rolltop, 4 feet wide, very heavy, and is a reproduction antique.  I'm giving it to my son-in-law, who is very eager to get it.  Now if they can just fit it into their vehicle! 

I've got a lot to do today, and I better get busy before the frost hits later this eve.  Although, I could swear it was a snowflake that hit my face as I went out to feed the chickens.  I wish I could save everything in the garden, because it will warm up again. 

I especially enjoy the patches of marigolds, each plant is a big bush now throughout the garden, covered with bright rusty red, orange and yellow blooms.  This is the third year I've been growing them; there was only one packet of seed, but each year, when the blossoms dry, they can be plucked off and there's seed on the ends where they came out of the plant.  Hmmm, I know there's a technical term for this (seed saving?).

I need to pick the squashes, bring them in and keep them warm tonight, but when the weather is warmer and the sun is shining, I will take them outdoors and lay them on a dog food bag to harden up in the sun. 

I want to transplant some basil, parsley, peppers, eggplant and bring them inside.  I already have the Roma tomatoes in the porch that I transferred to pots, but they need bigger pots.  Then there's the begonia that got too big and got stuck outside, up against the wall; I should take cuttings and pot them and bring them in.  I already took a cutting from one geranium, already clipped down the hypoestes (had to look up the name), transplanted it, and brought it in.  But I destroyed two very large air plants that had gotten too big to live with comfortably.  There was a baby one on the end of a stalk, so I took that and potted it up. 

For once, my plant stand (right now) looks great, with all plants trimmed down and each has plenty of room.  I still have my mother's 3 Christmas cacti, her Norfolk Island pine, and 3 African violets.  But if I pot up and bring in all the plants I want to save, parsley, basil, pepper, eggplant, marigold, 3 tomatoes and the begonia - that's 9 more plants, and it will be crowded again.  Maybe I can put them back outside for awhile after tonight, though. 

And, out in the garden, I'll cover the rest of the living plants with row covers; maybe even a double layer.  Much of the garden has been harvested, though.  I still have the cukes and some tomatoes left, sitting in big bowls in the kitchen, waiting, waiting.  Oh, I haven't dug the potatoes yet.  They can wait for another day. 

With temps falling now, blowing, spattering rain occasionally, and grey skies overhead, it is time to get things in from the garden and prepare for perhaps an early winter.  You never know when it will happen, and it just feels good to get things done.  I have so much more energy now that it's cooler out. 

Today, I harvested as many of the tomatoes as I can stand, the only two puny cukes left, the last ears of corn, and the cranberry beans.  I was really surprised by how many beans there were - I thought not many, but I have over a quart.  And I only planted a few beans to fill in the end of a row.  Even the scarlet runner beans have done well this year, though they surprised me.  They sure are big beans.  The hummingbirds loved their blossoms.  The kitchen is full of big bowls of produce I must soon process.

Geese have been flying south overhead during this past week, even when the weather was still lovely, so I'm sure it is Fall now.  I haven't heard the hummers twittering for days; there's only a bit of fluid in their feeders.  If it doesn't disappear in a day or two, I'll know for certain that they've gone.  I haven't heard the loons lately, either. 

But the chickadees, woodpeckers, and the crazy old nuthatches are in full voice now.  So are the blue jays.  I've hung up the suet and they are all out there now, all the time.  I've removed the timer from the chickens' light, and they are having the little light on 24/7 now.  They are so much happier  - I can hear them inside their house, chirring away.  I hope they like their new water dispenser.

As cooler weather approaches, well, actually, it's here now, I have been harvesting the garden as much as I can, on a daily basis.  I've been gathering things like pots for planting together in one place, throwing out planters that are broken or icky.  I would like to build a very short lean-to on the west side of the house to put all gardening pots, soil, soil amendments, machinery and tools in on shelves.  It wouldn't have to be more than a couple of feet deep, could be just shelves mostly.  But with my continual back and arm injury that is still mending, I doubt I could wield a hammer or a drill.  So I'll just have to wait until I am healed.

I did manage to make a a light for the chickens.  It is a timer, plugged in inside the house, with an outdoor extension cord from it running out that tiny hole leftover from the cat door out to the chicken's house.  There, the little 10W nightlight is plugged in and the whole thing rests inside a wire cage which is held to the side of their wall with a screw.  Although it's hard to tell, they seem to enjoy the light.  Well, it's kind of pleasant and cozy with a light in there.

I also made a new and better drinking arrangement - cutting a hole in the front of a big plastic bottle, suspending it with wire from the top of the cage, and filling it with water so it doesn't spill out.  Now I think they won't be able to turn it over or throw straw into it.  I'm going to make another one for them, so I can just bring out water in the morning, take the old one out, and put in the new one.  Then, if the water freezes in one, it can come in and thaw out, and I'll always be giving them fresh water. 

I also found a brand new tarp for their house, one that doesn't have holes chewed in it, and that will keep all moisture out.  I partly cover their outside cage with the tarp too, so they can have a dry spot to eat.  Even if I can't build them big new quarters by winter, I can at least improve the ones they have, and when the weather gets colder, I'll put in a "hotter" lightbulb and surround their cage with bales of straw.  I can use one of the clear roofing panels for their yard and put a light-weight piece of polyurethane insulation on top of their house.  I know they will be warm enough then, and I won't have to lift anything too heavy or do any real construction. 

I've also made a new bird feeder out of an empty big white vinegar jug.  Same thing, just cut a big hole in the front side, make sure it's well cleaned, fill with sunflower seed and hang it up.  I had it all ready to go, when 4 chickadees came flying in and peeped at me, significantly.  I went and filled the new feeder and hung it up while they watched and waited.  As soon as I stepped back, they came flying in and enjoyed their new food.  I hadn't fed them all summer, since they have their natural food in good supply, and I don't want to build up an area with germs and diseases for them.  Soon, I'll hang up the suet for them and the woodpeckers and nuthatches.  There has been a population explosion among woodpeckers this year, and a big pileated woodpecker flew right over me the other day in the garden, making quite a fuss.  I wonder what alarmed him out there in the woods. 

And the work continues in the house.  I cleaned up two corners yesterday.  Today, I'll be able to now rearrange furniture again (oh, my aching hands).  Yesterday, after cleaning out an area in my bedroom, I was able to move a shelving unit in on the wall, and got a lot of things put away on it.  Yes, things are opening up in here.  And all this extra was stuff that used to be in the attic where grandson's bedroom is now.  So at the end of this year, I will have paid for the bedroom (paneling and ceiling tiles, mostly) and I will have removed all the boxes that were stored there.  Giving quite a bit that was good stuff away, and incorporating good stuff I want to keep, and a lot was thrown away that was just crap anyway.  And the cardboard boxes have all been recycled.

I am at least halfway through writing chapter 5.  It's a difficult chapter, since I'm having to impersonate someone else to see how they might think or feel.  But I'll get through it and on to something else, soon. 

John cooked his wild plums into plum sauce - it was a behemoth task that I didn't help with, and then, last night, he had to make his egg rolls and I ate two of them, chicken and shrimp, delicious with the plum sauce.  He's the man, all right!

There's a woodpecker pecking on my house, that's cute, as long as he doesn't become too successful at it.  I have a lot to do today.  Yesterday, I readied myself, and tired as I was, I went to town and had another adjustment at the chiropractor.  He has done it!  Last night, I went to bed pain-free in every joint and bone.  Even the severe pain that cut across the middle of my back is gone.  I will return in two weeks for a readjustment, in case I've goofed anything up again.

Then I got dogfood and groceries, dividing my resources between Aldi's and Walmart, so as to get the best deals at each place.  I also purchased a timer to be used to bring light to my chickens, who have stopped laying.  Jill said that they will stop when the days grow shorter, as they have been, and the black hen is also molting.  So being tuned in with the sun is probably the reason for their "personality change" lately. 

Today, I'm going to set up the timer on an indoor plug-in, put a long outdoor extension cord on it, run that out to their house, plug in an LED night light, and fasten it inside their cage; probably put a wire protector around the light, so they can't peck it.  I'll set it up to go on at 5:00 a.m. and go off at 9:00 a.m.  That way, they'll have that early morning sun they used to have all summer.  Hope this brings them comfort and joy.  Today, I'm changing their bedding and letting their house air out for awhile in the sun, with the lid off.  I also want to make new watering devices that they can't tip over or throw straw into.  We'll see how successful these are; I intend to make them out of empty and washed out detergent bottles.  Hope they like bright blue. 

I have been re-reading The Kalevala.  It's the story of creation as sung/told by the Finns, way up there in Finland.  I read it before, and this second reading is even better, as I can understand more, now.  I had two copies of this book, and at my class reunion, I met an old school chum who has married a Finn, and she was very interested in this book, that neither of them had heard of.  So I mailed to her my extra copy; she called yesterday while I was gone to thank me for it. 

I got a nice comment from someone about my use of Swanson Vitamin products, which I have used for many years.  I can definitely feel, and even see, the positive effects of using supplements in my diet, as shown by my recent blood test work.  But I'm unable to reply to this person because they didn't leave me an email address.  Please do. (!?)  I have a new catalog, and my daughter and I are already planning our next order. 

John brought home 3 bags full of wild plums, which I believe are called sloes.  He got a lot of scratches getting them, too.  He laid plastic sheeting under the trees and had to climb up into them to shake them down from the branches, thus the many scratches.  It was a lot of work, but both of us really enjoy the wild plum sauce that he makes special for his Chinese (not any more) egg rolls.  Both of us like Chinese, and tinker often with the recipes to try to duplicate for ourselves.  I am currently in the process of trying to duplicate a dish called Sweet and Sour Garlic Pork that I've had several times at Chef Chou's in Waupaca.  I've got the pork cooked in lots of onion and garlic, waiting now for my attempt at the sauce that is so heavenly.

It is supposed to get into the 90's today, and I need to get out there and pick the ripe tomatoes before it gets too hot.  I need to do another tomato cookdown, I'm making spaghetti sauce with all the tomatoes this year, except for the ones eaten fresh everyday. 

Nah, this is just a nice, very nice summer, we've had these specially nice ones before.  But last night, I was remembering when I was a teenager, meeting my boyfriend at the county fair; it was August 5, 1955(?) and there was frost in the air.  We could see our breaths, and people were saying the corn would all freeze that night.  But I certainly remember August weather, where we camped and slept outdoors right until the end of August.  Then there are the Indian summers, where you have a freeze or cold snap in September, then summer-like weather all through October.

I get up in the morning, and just because I can, I go outside in my nightie to open the chicken's door and bring Arnie inside.  He usually stays outside all night to guard the garden in this fine weather, and a good job he's been doing.  I accidentally left the garden gate wide open the other night, and a deer came to the gate and ate some squash vines there, but didn't venture inside, where it looks more like a jungle.  A jungle that is gradually thinning down, as the plants are harvested.  I should go out there later today and get some more corn. 

I'm meeting my daughter for lunch today in Lake Tomahawk.  We love to get the chicken strip basket at the Dairy Dandee there, then go on over to the butcher shop and buy some meat.  It's an old-fashioned butcher shop, where the actual cuts of meat are lying in the glass case, and you talk to the butchers about what you want.  We both enjoy this experience, for some reason.  Right next door is a liquor store, and last time, I bought, or my daughter bought for me, a tiny bottle of pomegranate schnops.  It was delicious, and I would like to have a bigger bottle of that, if they are not sold out.

Well, it's Labor Day today, and the small town may be crowded with tourists; we'll see, we'll see.  I am enjoying my new extra space in the living room.  A room I never use - it's apparently been only for storing things that I don't want or need, so getting this room cleared out and cleaned thoroughly is lifting my spirits.  It now contains desk, computer desk and printer, bookcase, bookcase, bookcase, bookcase, end table, couch, fireplace stove, rocking chair and end table, sewing machine stand, and about 8 to 10 boxes of things I need to go through and dispose of.  By week's end, I should be completely through all of it.  All these boxes were ones I had cleared out of the attic to make room for my grandson's bedroom.  That room upstairs has become a mecca of tidiness and readiness to receive a weary visitor, just what I always wanted.

And my hand has magically stopped hurting.  I had so much pain with it over the past several days, that my use of it was severely limited.  But I used the icy hot gel I got as a free sample from the chiropractor and the pain has disappeared completely!  I'm definitely getting a big jar of this gel, called Bio-Freeze.  

Well, I'm taking Lipitor now to control my high cholesterol, only 10 mg daily.  But I'm also going to be modifying my diet to eliminate fats (don't I already do that?), and will continue to take my supplements that brought cholesterol down last year - the cardio health oils from Swanson's, the cinnamon, garlic, lecithin, etc.  And I found out that lentils are fantastic for lowering cholesterol and also for greatly reducing the risk of breast cancer.  Fortunately, I like lentils and have several kinds on hand.  I plan to incorporate more lentils into my diet from now on.  Let's see what kind of recipes I can come up with featuring lentils. 

I walked outside this morning, and had to exclaim about how beautiful the weather is, and has been, for most of this summer.  It's a joy to breathe deeply. 

I found a box of Grape Nuts at the back of my cupboard that was 4 years old; the chickens are lovin' it. 

I've made a solution of boric acid powder, warm water and a few drops of tea tree oil, and I've bathed Daphne's paws for her.  She is very cooperative, and seems to know it will do her good.  She has a tendency to have red, irritated paws; at least the original infection seems to have been cleared up.

Brushing the dogs now has become a big priority, as their winter coats are finally coming out now in big bunches.  Arnie's hair is short and he was brushed out weeks ago, but the girls' coats are just now letting go. 

I have moved the computer hutch and all computer stuff, including the printer and the paper shredder, across the room now that the television console is gone.  I have straightened and rearranged the books in the 2 bookcases on that wall.  I have pulled out and cleaned up the so-called end table on the far side of the couch.  It was very dirty and dusty and could hardly be seen at all because of the vases of artificial flowers that covered it.  This end table is ponderous but beautiful.  It is more like a 3 foot wide by 2 foot deep storage unit with beautiful carved wood and fancy door pulls.  I haven't even looked inside it yet, but I'm guessing it contains photographs of the old country.  For now, it's sitting where the computer was.  But it will have to be put someplace else before heating season arrives.  And I've pushed the big old couch down to the end of the room where the end table was, freeing up space  for my computer stuff.  John bought a new cable cord so as to be able to connect to my computer where it now sits, and boy, am I sore now.  It's like I haven't been going to the chiropractor at all.  I vaguely remember him telling me not to do anything extraordinary, just regular chores (I suppose he meant NOT moving furniture).  But I'm loving how much cleaner and spacier it seems in here.  I have two more bags of interesting things to take to the thrift store. 

I got a deep bucket full of warm, sudsy water, and put Mom's artificial flowers in it, upside down, bunch by bunch, and sudsed them up and down, then rinsed them under a faucet of cold water.  Vases were washed in the dishwasher or by hand, and now, most of these beautiful arrangements have found new homes throughout the house.  Of course, some of them are being taken to the thrift store, too.  What I was unprepared for was how black the water in the bucket had become by the time I was finished.  Who knew?  I bet they were never, ever washed before.      

And now, I've tackled mom's desk, the big, heavy rolltop desk that no one called about last time I advertised it for sale.  Once I get everything out of it and get it all shiny, I am going to advertise it again.  If I could just sell it!  I need the space desperately.  I wonder how many people had their mothers come to live with them, and when the moms passed on, they have all that extra furniture to deal with.  Much of it I needed myself, but some of it is just making life difficult, because it's too much furniture in a small house. 

My new doctor called with my test results from having my blood drawn last Monday.  She hurried through the results of my cholesterol test, then said "goodbye."  I had to beg her to continue, I was curious about the thyroid testing mostly.  And then she said, "what did you want to know about it?"  Like it was none of my business.  I still don't remember what, if anything, the restults were.  I guess I was so hurried to get my next question in, but she said "goodbye" again, so I had to yell, "wait a minute, what about renewing my prescription?  I just took the last pill this morning."  I still have trouble believing this, but she then asked, "what did you do with the prescription I gave you?  I see I have written here that I gave you a prescription on June 28, it's written right here.  What did you do with it?"  And of course, I had given it to the pharmacist to fill for me, and of course, it's all gone now (2 months later).  I was so astonished at her question that I must have blithered something, but I did manage to convey to her that I need another prescription.  After yet another goodbye, before I could even ask if she had received my medical history from the other clinic, we hung up, but I felt like crying....  Is there anywhere I can go to get a doctor? 

I would like to begin looking for an alternative medicine doctor.  Or maybe an Oriental doctor.  Anything other than this!!!  I immediately went to Swanson Vitamins on my computer, and found a whole bunch of natural remedies for high cholesterol (the new doc wants me to take Lipitor).  Swanson says that celery, cinnamon, nut oils, to name a few, can help lower high cholesterol, along with garlic, Vitamin C, and lecithin.  My daughter says Honey Nut Cheerios and evening primrose oil worked for her husband's high cholesterol, brought it right down; that, and cutting out fat from the diet.  Yeah, I think I'll go that way, but I might get the prescription for Lipitor filled, just to be on the safe side.  My cholesterol had been way down, but I stopped taking all supplements after the hospital stay, to avoid conflicting with the meds I was taking.