Ukraine could be any of us, as long as dangerous criminal dictator-wannabes like Putin and Trump get their way. It’s not so remote anymore in this small world. This time around, may saner minds of the world unite to crush this injustice before it turns into another world war. I feel fortunate to still have my boring, mundane life to report on, not destruction and devastation.
On that note, here are: icing on the tree out front, and some lovely birthday flowers from my lovely brother.
It was deceptively springlike, after a long bout of Ice Age, so we thought a hike would be pleasant. HA!
Glen Helen was closed due to ice, so we tried John Bryan. We crossed the beautiful rebuilt bridge, and all was going well, until we hit the iceskating rink! The whole path was like a frozen stream, but starting to melt in the 60º temps, so doubly treacherous. We made a brave effort to reach the second bridge, but could barely stay upright, so we had to turn around and slide all the way back!
Other brave souls were out there slipping around, too. One young guy with a huge black sheep dog offered to help us and promptly almost slid down the bank into the river, dog and all! It was kind of hilarious, but hair-raising, too. Somehow we made it back in one piece. It was a relief to reach solid ground again. I did manage to take a few photos of wildlife trying to figure out which season this is.
We recovered our equilibrium at the Emporium in YS for lunch, where everyone was venturing out of their winter dens to enjoy the weather. I was happy to go back into hibernation myself, and have a stiff drink.
Well, I’m officially at death’s door. Not to be too morbid or anything. Naturally we celebrated at HQ, The Tavern. We also dropped in on Spooky the bookstore cat, and other usual YS haunts. I got some good bourbon. E baked me this fabulous coconut cake. I got to talk to my brother and my son. I received some lovely gifts. So, not bad for an old decrepit corpse.
This will be one of my last posts as a sexagenarian. It sounds a lot sexier than it is! Any doubts as to my state of decrepitude will be laid to rest (hopefully not literally) in a few days. I feel like I should be putting my affairs in order as they used to say, but instead I’m just killing time as usual. What else can one do, besides accept it and drink to it? Cheers. Don’t expect any selfies, other than of Misu The Adorable, who has perfected the art of aging photogenically.
Today’s medical accomplishment (one of many we had put off) was ordering prescription glasses (distance and reading) for both of us. Yes, the exciting life of falling-apart oldsters. Fortunately at least one of us can afford all the procedures and prescriptions, thanks to being old enough for Medicare Advantage. That’s the only advantage to aging I can see.
Here are two views from my office.
Even this Aquarian has a hard time appreciating water in its frozen forms. We’re still surrounded by blinding snow and ice, with no thaw(or plow trucks) in sight. The trash collectors couldn’t even brave it this week.
I feel like a popsicle in suspended animation. I don’t need a weather-groundhog to know which way the arctic wind blows. “Milltown Mel” actually dropped dead before his forecast–no doubt from shock or freezing to death.
And yet–this crazy robin has been perching in the hawthorn (?) tree out front–does s/he know something we don’t, or is it brain freeze? And my frosty salad bar on the freezing porch somehow manages to thaw now and then.
The good news is, I’ve started reading again, making up for lost time by devouring books I buy used at our local indie bookstore. Trying to keep my own brain freeze at bay.
We may have dodged the worst of these winter storms, but what we got was fairly formidable–a thick layer of frozen sleet, then snow for what seems like days, with temps sinking into single digits and a wind chill of negatives.
Wouldn’t you know it, we had to drive to a medical appointment at the crack of dawn, scheduled a while back. Fortunately, not many people were on the roads, including snowplows, and some cars had gone off-roading into snowdrifts, so we were able to safely test-drive the new Subaru in deep icy snow. We made it, unlike many of the staff and patients. Long story short, we finally got our eyes checked and eyeglasses prescribed, before we lose our sight altogether and can’t drive at all! And yay, we don’t need any surgery…yet!
Here are some icy scenes from last night and this morning. The fenced-in area is Wright-Patterson AFB, with huge military aircraft parked near hangars. Later, a nice neighbor came by with his big snow machine and insisted on clearing our driveway and sidewalks for free. We were appreciative.
It’s been freakishly cold here, with a big winter storm supposedly on the way, yet today was 55º, go figure, so we took advantage of our balmy reprieve, and walked Charleston Falls, home of Thorny Badlands.
It was worth it. The frozen waterfalls were so magnificent, it took our breath away. We’ve never seen them quite so spectacular. Note the ice cave formed by the dazzling ice stalactites.
Elsewhere in the park, snow was starting to melt on the prairie paths, as were the frozen streams and pond. Notice the big warning sign not to walk out on the unsafe icy pond, and all the human tracks ignoring it! Dumb humans.
