Not quite Christmas...Yet!

OK Campers, we're getting closer to that big day, you know, Christmas! Where we celebrate the Birth of Our Lord, first and foremost. Then we open presents and have a big dinner with all the fixins and Friends and Family gather...to celebrate the Birth of our Lord. Right? Actual Christmas celebration this year will be Mrs J and I and my Brother (Note to self: Need to come up with a blog nickname for Brother. While "Hey Punk" has a history in our relationship, something tells me it won't work nowadays. Suggestions appreciated.)

MBD, The Rev and the rest of the Gang are celebrating Christmas with his family. The gang from the 'Burg will arrive at CStat on the 26th. Gift exchanging will take place at some point during the ensuing 3 days. Not quite the same, but pretty darn close. I guess we're kinda like the Three Magi, late to the party, but still remembered. 

Looking forward to the visit...A lot!

 

Source

On the "WhatCha doin on the keeping busy" side of things, Mrs J determined that the temperature sine wave was going a little too much below the "comfortable" range.  That range is about 40 degrees here, much below that and the dogs get pretty vocal. (Yes, Beans, I know Sarge regularly goes sunbathing at -40 degrees.  What can I say?)

In any case, they like their role as guard dogs, hence they bark at the slightest strange sound.  Which, if they're in the house, means we get no sleep either.  So...

Mrs J determined that an investment in a canine apartment complex constructed on the back porch was a worthwhile expenditure of Benjamins.

So let it be written, so let it be done.

 

Oops, Typo, Sorry. A little Charlton Heston and Yul Brynner is good for the Christmas Cheer, No? 

So ...

Hardest part of the project was moving the two boxes (1 each) from outside the gate to the back porch, very bulky and heavy.  It is a two person job in putting them together, one to hold the pieces in position. The other to screw the bolts in.

First night trial, Atticus, the leader of the pack, slept on the patio couch.  Gryndll, however, was nowhere in sight.  There also was no barking in the yard, so the assumption is he was in his nice, warm, quiet bedroom.

Or at least we hope so. Maybe he'll convince Atticus that he can fulfill his guard dog duties and keep warm at the same time. 

Again, we hope so.

Mrs J also took the opportunity to  straighten up our patio, got a trip to the dump scheduled for today.  But the back yard looks a heck of a lot better.  My back and the words "lot better" are not orbiting in the same universe however.

Learned something else new.  I mentioned a while ago that I had purchased a MacPro laptop.  Well, this post is being written on my 10 year old PC.  Seems Apple didn't mention that my version of the MacPro laptop has a battery problem.  Went to write last week's posting and the laptop wouldn't power on.  Tried hooking it up to electric power, no change.  Took it to the local computer dude, he said he'd heard of the problem and I needed a new battery.

No, Beans, it's not covered by warranty.  It's a refurbished computer.  Looks like I"m gonna be out $250, plus labor to get back in the saddle.  Just when I was getting used to Mac peccadilloes and forgetting those of a PC.

Ahh, Well! To end on a rather humorous note, I saw this sign this morning as we were walking back to our truck after a brunch downtown.

The sign was on the other side of the sidewalk and therefore the street, the difference between the two walls is less than 4 feet, so if a car could cross the sidewalk, well, I guess the car could serve as their BnB cause they ain't gonna be able to open the doors.

I gotta chuckle about it though.

Peace out, y'all!

Roller Coasters

 So...It's been a roller coaster ride over the last couple of months.  Unfortunately, it ain't over yet.  There's been absolutely no progress on settling my sister's estate.  As far as I know, the judge (deliberately lower case as a representation of my respect for the man) hasn't signed the papers to appoint anyone to handle what little "estate" she had.

Our intention is to renovate our mobile home that she lived in for several years.  To do so would mean moving her "things" out. Our attorney says that's probably not a wise idea, until the judge signs the papers.

So,  been twiddling my thumbs on that front for a while.

Speaking thereof...I got some good news this past week at my weekly wound care appointment.  Frequent readers of this blog will remember that I fought "the saw and the saw won".  

Yes, Beans, you may want to close your eyes.

That was in the ER at my second wound cleanup from excessive bleeding.

As of  yesterday morning and Mrs J's daily wound cleanup and bandage change (she's much better at it than I, only partially because I'm right handed and that's the right hand), it looks quite a bit better.

The wound clinic staff also said that it was "unlikely" that I'd picked up an infection in the bone.  They said had I done so, the consequences would be "Bad!"

I elected not to pursue that conversation for any further details.

So...Good News.

Also, some Good News from another major situation in the Family's life.  

Miss B's pulmonologist has removed her requirement for supplemental O2.  She's been off of it completely for a couple of weeks and had been weaning off it for about 6 weeks.  This is the most major impediment and the last one in effect that's preventing her and Mom from rejoining Little J in HK.

Well...that last isn't quite true.  All the paperwork has to be submitted to State, who will ponder it over (and over, and over) and reach a decision...sometime...soon...perhaps....please?

But, prayers up.

On a down note, the introduction of Lisa's 3 dogs to our 3 dogs isn't going well.  For the most part, they're all getting along, but, the puppy (5 months old) is the second largest of the 6.  Suffice it to say the old Fighter Pilot saying of "All Balls, D**k and no Forehead" definitely applies to him.  He's a Great Pyrenees, so is only going to get bigger.  

Oh sure, NOW he's calm, cool and collected

 

His primary trick is to hang out in the kitchen  and wait til my back is turned before standing on his back legs and chowing down on the food being prepared.  He's quite adept at it.  He can consume a boneless chicken breast in under 5 seconds.  Timing started when I opened the oven door, grabbed the bake potato therein, and turned back around to put it on the plate.  

"Hmmm, coulda swore I had a chicken breast on that plate...."

His Uncle, the largest of the 6, is (to quote Trump) "Yuuuggge!".  His primary attribute is barking.  A lot, especially in the wee hours of the  morning, for an extensive time, and for no apparent reason.

Sleep? We don't need no steenking sleep!

Who me? Bark? Not while I'm sleeping, only when YOU are, juvat!

 

The third one is the eldest of the three, and a golden retriever.  As long as he has one of his stuffed animals in his mouth, he's good to go. If not, we have a very short window of opportunity to replace it before he suffers an anxiety attack. 

Ahh, yes! My Christmas Elf! All is right in the world!

So...Peace and quiet.  I get that in my workshop (even with my table saw). 

Mrs J and I have high hopes (low expectations) that things will sort themselves out soon.  We'll see.

Peace out y'all!