At Panera - Fast Internet connection - Last day of the year
Entry for: Wednesday, 31 December 2008
It’s been too long since the last entry, and for this I am sorry. I was on call for the group from 24 December through Mondy the 29th - A LONG time to be on call. It also meant going into work each day to make sure that all was well with hospital folks and their patients (Yes). It still meant driving through “Interesting Weather” to get there. I am happier to be off call and in a warm place with pastries and such readily to hand. This is not to say that regular coffee and pastries are NOT at home, it’s just a chance to be off the farm for other reasons beside work. I’m a happier lad.
Speaking of “Interesting Weather:” We’ve had one of each - you name the percipitation name and we’ve had it. Okay, no dust/sand storm and NO hail this week, but Fog, falling fog, rain, dirzzle, snow, sleet, freezing rain, and overcast verging on falling - YES. The deep snow is not so deep, but it is saturated with the rain and then crusted by the freezing fog. The lawn’s trails have become skating rink trails. The dogs (principal users) are NOT pleased with slipping and sliding while trying to engage in more important duties than simply walking on all four paws.
The Kids are home for the season. This is a WONDERFUL gift. Christopher made it in via “Red Eye.” He did NOT catch a cold in his flight and so has been healthy and happy for nearly all his visit. Taking over the duties of “Best Man” at a friend’s wedding - elevated from mear Groomsman - was a bit of a strain, as was the return trip in the cold, dark hours of early morning. He is seated across the table from me, our mac laps nearly screen back to screen back.
Daughter has been in and out seeing friends and trying to stay warm. She has been sharing horse chores with our tenant while Spouse recovers from shoulder surgery. The two younger women move through stalls and barn aisle with speed and - yes - grace. They get the work done and then repair to the house to warm up in preparation for the next tasks.
The coldest farm task of late was the horse blanket drying rods installation. We bought enough closet rods to suspend from the rafters 25 feet above the aisle. The ladder up and down with some lateral adjustments by me when above the floor were met with some admonitions to “KNOCK IT OFF DAD and I MEAN IT!!” rising from the far distant floor. I am still impressed with the difference in distance FROM Ladder Top Rung TO Earth when compared with the distance FROM Earth TO Ladder Top Rung (sigh). After installing four hooks and pulleys in the rafters and tying many knots in ropes and then attaching cleats to the talls posts, I found myself very tired. Old Men get tired too.
I went to see the Panera manager - Greg (as it turns out) and after asking to be sure that he was the responsible person, I shook his hand. This place is just fine by me. Warm, clean, dry, safe and with pretty good coffee, it has made me an even happier lad. It is not as special as the coffee shops with internet that Christopher has taken me to on my visits, but good enough for me while watching snow fall outside the windows blown by a stiff wind into the pedestrians struggling to get into the café.
The November novel might not even know what it it when I start editing. It’s about time to take on that task and January is a fine time to start the task. I find that I really like Kaitlin (her current name - though it has been many others). The Secret Service agents are likeable or are at least becoming a bit more realistic and three-dimensional. The aliens need some work to become a bit more alien.
The radios and newspapers are all providing “Year in Review” in one form or another. I’m going to wait for a few days let the dust settle and then put my hand to a similar chore.
More later,
Doc
It’s been too long since the last entry, and for this I am sorry. I was on call for the group from 24 December through Mondy the 29th - A LONG time to be on call. It also meant going into work each day to make sure that all was well with hospital folks and their patients (Yes). It still meant driving through “Interesting Weather” to get there. I am happier to be off call and in a warm place with pastries and such readily to hand. This is not to say that regular coffee and pastries are NOT at home, it’s just a chance to be off the farm for other reasons beside work. I’m a happier lad.
Speaking of “Interesting Weather:” We’ve had one of each - you name the percipitation name and we’ve had it. Okay, no dust/sand storm and NO hail this week, but Fog, falling fog, rain, dirzzle, snow, sleet, freezing rain, and overcast verging on falling - YES. The deep snow is not so deep, but it is saturated with the rain and then crusted by the freezing fog. The lawn’s trails have become skating rink trails. The dogs (principal users) are NOT pleased with slipping and sliding while trying to engage in more important duties than simply walking on all four paws.
The Kids are home for the season. This is a WONDERFUL gift. Christopher made it in via “Red Eye.” He did NOT catch a cold in his flight and so has been healthy and happy for nearly all his visit. Taking over the duties of “Best Man” at a friend’s wedding - elevated from mear Groomsman - was a bit of a strain, as was the return trip in the cold, dark hours of early morning. He is seated across the table from me, our mac laps nearly screen back to screen back.
Daughter has been in and out seeing friends and trying to stay warm. She has been sharing horse chores with our tenant while Spouse recovers from shoulder surgery. The two younger women move through stalls and barn aisle with speed and - yes - grace. They get the work done and then repair to the house to warm up in preparation for the next tasks.
The coldest farm task of late was the horse blanket drying rods installation. We bought enough closet rods to suspend from the rafters 25 feet above the aisle. The ladder up and down with some lateral adjustments by me when above the floor were met with some admonitions to “KNOCK IT OFF DAD and I MEAN IT!!” rising from the far distant floor. I am still impressed with the difference in distance FROM Ladder Top Rung TO Earth when compared with the distance FROM Earth TO Ladder Top Rung (sigh). After installing four hooks and pulleys in the rafters and tying many knots in ropes and then attaching cleats to the talls posts, I found myself very tired. Old Men get tired too.
I went to see the Panera manager - Greg (as it turns out) and after asking to be sure that he was the responsible person, I shook his hand. This place is just fine by me. Warm, clean, dry, safe and with pretty good coffee, it has made me an even happier lad. It is not as special as the coffee shops with internet that Christopher has taken me to on my visits, but good enough for me while watching snow fall outside the windows blown by a stiff wind into the pedestrians struggling to get into the café.
The November novel might not even know what it it when I start editing. It’s about time to take on that task and January is a fine time to start the task. I find that I really like Kaitlin (her current name - though it has been many others). The Secret Service agents are likeable or are at least becoming a bit more realistic and three-dimensional. The aliens need some work to become a bit more alien.
The radios and newspapers are all providing “Year in Review” in one form or another. I’m going to wait for a few days let the dust settle and then put my hand to a similar chore.
More later,
Doc