Housewife, 54

According to the meteorogical calendar, spring began on March 1, but not here... We have had considerable snow: According to the vernal calendar, spring begins on March 21... Maybe... At least the snow is melting, the temperatures are rising, and the sump pump in our basement is running again - after a rest of about 9 months! Vegetable garden planting has started, at least indoors and in the solar shed that we had built late last spring (too late to really use). So far, the few things that I have put out in the shed are all cold-hardy and doing fine. I have a new hi-low thermometer and it shows that it has been as low as 30* overnight, and all the little seedlings are looking good! I am using a doubled thick frost blanket to give a little shade, as on sunny days it gets really HOT out there! So far I have not put anything in the ground, but the garlic that I planted last fall is up and looking good. I do want to make a low tunnel and have the ground warmed up to move the bras...

 Oh. My Goodness! We have had almost 2 weeks of sub 0*(degree) temperatures and it felt like there was no end in sight! We also got a bit of snow here and there, but not a lot.  Just a skiff to a couple of inches... But there was NO going out for a walk - going out at ALL was highly undesirable!  DH had very few working days, so that was good.This past week the kids were out of school a couple of days, so that reduced the number of times this old granny had to wait out in the deep chill for school pick-up! We have a new toy for the kids here at granny's house.  I am picking up Brio train and track sets second-hand and they are quite popular.  Just takes a little help to get them started, but it is something new and Grandson #1 likes to know what he's doing... I have had The Littles a couple of times.  It is a long day, but they are so much fun. Two babies in a boat. This is why there is no dust under their sofa...   I loved watching her figure this out...

    WoW!  I wasn't sure exactly when this would open up, but here it is today, February 1st! This amaryllis is one that we bought at Costco a year ago last ..November (2019)?  It bloomed during the holiday season last Christmas, and I carefully followed instructions that I found online to nurture it and get it to bloom again.  Guess I didn't bring it in soon enough to get it going for this past (2020) holiday season, but nevermind.  What a lovely sight in this dreary February.   Winter is finally kicking into gear.  We still have not had a lot of snow, and the temperatures dip really low only occasionally, with an average near our normal of 20F.  This week is going to be another odd ball...  27F today and tomorrow a bit warmer, then Wednesday will be 40F!  ~And then the bottom drops out and we will possibly get some of a big snow storm that is going to sweep across the country - or not.  The last couple of major storms hav...

 But you would never know it from the weather!  We are having an unseasonably warm winter, with temperatures hovering around freezing for our Highs.  Daytimes sometimes down into the 20's*F and this week we are supposed to get up to 50*F!  Not unheard of for a day, but to have consistent temperatures so warm is unreal!  We had snow last week but it still was not too cold, and it has been just cold enough that it is melting slowly.  That's OK with me as I hate a brown winter.  Some snow on the ground for insulation is good. At least I have an amaryllis that wants to bloom! I have only the Nativity to put away as far as Holiday decorations are concerned, and we still have the outdoor lights up but I don't turn them on anymore.  I detest seeing holiday lights after Epiphany!  As far as our health goes, DH is fully recovered and back to work.  I have had symptoms lingering so a week ago I went to the Dr. and had a bevy of tests done.  I...

 I might not have had Covid, but I am still battling ~whatever virus~ and I am pretty darn sick of it!  Hubby came down with it too, but not as severe and he has recovered more quickly.  His Covid test was negative as well, so we are pretty sure it was a flu virus. Lots of coughing and blowing and generally feeling rough.   Christmas was pretty boring.  I did manage to get all of my gifts made and bought, but just.... Christmas morning I ran our gifts over to the Grandkids (wearing my mask and washing hands thoroughly) but hubby was feeling too bad.  I just stayed a little while and then came home to make a hot dinner for us.  We have watched a lot of TV and on my good days I could read or knit. But the worst thing about this germ for me is that I feel better one day, and the next I feel badly again! With my high cholesterol I dared not make any special yummy baked goods, so I am feeling quite deprived... As planned, I had to care for Grandson the...

 Bummer. Being sick the couple of weeks before Christmas is enough to make anyone feel worse than the virus they might have.  I know this for sure! I started having a morning sore throat about 10 days ago, but it disappeared as the day went on, so I figured I was just sleeping badly (like with my mouth open).  I had had 'the Littles' all that week as DiL's fahter had died and she had gone to help her Mom.  So I was tired too....  But Sunday I actually got the aches and started to feel like I was "coming down with something".  It HIT BIG TIME on Monday, and I was in bed all day with aches, chills, sore throat, headache.... total; BLAH! Tuesday the chills were gone and the aches were much better, so I thought I must have a 'flu virus and my vaccine was going to kick it out for me.  But DIL wanted me to get a Covid test, so I ordered one online.  I also made a stab at ordering groceries online and picking them up curbside.  The grocery store has...

 Well, as I look at that last post, I am a bit surprised to see snow.  I mean, I know we HAD snow, but it melted within a week and we have had none since.  As a matter of fact, it has been unseasonably warm and dry.  I have done all kinds of end-of-the-season projects outside that I never seem to get done in a normal year.  We have even put up some Christmas decorations in very mild weather - so it still does not feel like Christmas! No one's fingers even got cold. Thanksgiving has come and gone and we did miss having DS the Younger with us (Damn Covid!).  It was another lovely day full of food and local family.  We watched the modified version of Macy's Parade, which was a bit sad, but still there was Santa, so the day was saved!  DIL and I shared the cooking of the feast and no one went hungry!  I do have to add that the pumpkin pie made from pumpkin grown right in my own back yard was absolutely delicious!  I might have to bake anothe...