End of February

The weather continues to be a top story. Our sympathies to all our Midwest and East Coast friends who are suffering through this height of winter with all the cold and snow.

We are expecting snow from the latest storm that is going to blow in later today. While 3 – 5 inches of powder is in the forecast, the big issue, as in many other places, is the possibility of freezing rain. Our daily high temps are supposed to get slightly above freezing which means the morning and evening commutes will probably be on very slick roads. We are already planning to delay Monday’s morning commute (or maybe Snow Day!) based on expected conditions. We have to take into account that our destination is around 700 feet higher in elevation than we where we live; this climate zone change is enough to create different conditions at either end of the drive. All I can do is keep the car prepared and hope for the best.

We found a replacement for the old wicker sideboard; Pam had been looking for about a year for a unit of the right size. The wicker unit has seen better days; 15 years of service with cats and dogs around the house have taken their toll. The Habitat for Humanity store had a dresser Pam liked so we bought it and brought it home this past Friday. Pam will clean it with furniture soap (after a few minor repairs) before it goes into service as sideboard storage, and she will have another furniture update completed.

New sideboard

Curved front dresser was made in Italy

We continue to listen to old cassette tapes including artists George Winston (solo piano) and Simon and Garfunkle’s Concert in the Park. I dug out my old Bose 301 Mk III speakers and put them up in my garage but am waiting on speaker cable to hook them into the garage stereo system. The garage system does have an existing pair of bookshelf speakers; with the addition of the old Bose units it should sound pretty good. Wiring the speakers will be a next weekend’s project.

The Honda rolled over 355,000 miles last week. I don’t know how many more miles it has left in it; lately there has been an occasional  clunk coming from the front on left-hand turns and the SRS warning light (Side Restraint System)  has come on a couple times indicating a sensor or wiring problem may be developing. We really don’t want to take on a new car payment but may not have much of a choice.

KitKat is now (almost) a garage cat; Pam moved the cat pen out to the garage to get KitKat used to garage sights, sounds, smells, and other cats. I don’t think KitKat was pleased at this move but it will give her a lot more activity to observe and perhaps she will be less bored than she was in the house.

I don’t post a lot about politics as there are many forums for those discussions, but will say I am already tired of speculation about the 2016 elections. It looks to me that big money will determine who the candidates will be from both parties — not who has the best ideas. I did see this bit about Wisconsin’s Scott Walker (courtesy Pam’s sister Becky):

Scott Walker button

For those not in on the joke, Wisconsin residents Gein and Dahmer were both cannibals and are somewhat infamous criminals in Wisconsin circles. The comparison to Walker is unflattering to say the least (and I am greatly amused by it).

Colorado has it’s own cannibal story centered around a guy by the name of Alferd Packer. While not convicted of cannibalism, only murder (the conviction was later overturned), everyone, including Alferd, acknowledged he ate his companions in order to survive being trapped in the mountains by a winter storm.  The student cafeteria on the CU Boulder campus is named after him.

Anyway, life and work go on. March is not that far away and we hope real spring arrives on time and with appropriate weather. I finished updating my web pages, added a few files to the videos page, added a few photos to some galleries, and generally  tinkered with the site. Now entering year #5, keeping this going has been fun and quite a learning experience.

That’s it for now. Thanks for looking in!

Pam’s Two Cents Worth:

I don’t know who signed me up for a monthly “Bark Box” delivery, thanks whomever, the dogs and I are enjoying our third one.  Look up Bark Box on-line, great idea, wish I’d thought of it.  I think they need to develop a Purr Parcel (Purr Package?) as well.

Happy Trails.