Before The Storm

Another storm headed this way and is forecast to hit tomorrow. Supposed to be a very wet and warm storm so no chance of snow -- unlike yesterday's storm.

Another do nothing day. Actually that is not an accurate description -- I've done some putzing around the house, spend an hour on the phone catching up with a fellow blogger, and have kept the wood stove burning. More like a low energy day. The thermometer says it is 41 outside but there is a chill to the air that says it is colder than that.

Weather Service has issued a Special Weather Statement for the possibility of coastal flooding and high surf conditions due to the mix of high astronomical tides and winds from the storm.

Tonight's sunset -- love the way the sun is hiden behind the clouds and the sun's rays angle up between the layers of clouds.

Glad I'm Here Today

A wee bit of sun in between rain bands this afternoon. Did not know if I had gotten the eagles flying in this picture until I downloaded it -- they are easier to see if ya click on the picture. The big guys hung around the cove today. Tis nice to have the eagles back now the tourists have gone away.

Snowing in Portland this afternoon. By the time of the evening commute there was estimates of 3 to 5 inches of snow at various locations throughout the Portland Metro area. The local tv stations were making me glad I was watching rain at the coast. Traffic was ugly with a capitol ugh.

A day to enjoy inside with a blazing fire chasing the damp chill away. Has been 37 since sunset so it looks like it is not going to cool off a lot this evening. Another storm is headed this way -- a wetter and warmer storm -- expected to arrive New Years Eve and make for a soggy holiday.

Am glad that I'll be spending the holiday at home -- tis my favorite holiday pastime. Jen (the hired muscle) and Gary (the woodguy) stopped by yesterday afternoon and brought up and stacked up enough wood next to the stove to keep me warm for the rest of the week. Gary will be out later this week to deliver more.

Saw Dr A yesterday for upper plate tweaking -- he is pleased with my progress, made the adjustments I expected in the areas I expected and said I don't have to return for two weeks -- adding his usual please call if there are any problems in the meantime caveat.

Picked up a total of 0.28 inches so far. Annual rainfal total is 24.26 inches since October 1st.

Here Comes The Gray

To be truthful, it has been pretty gray here all day. Weather dood says it will be raining off and on most of this week and is forecasting a soggy New Years Eve and Day. This gray sunset is about the best I figure I'll get for a while. So far no rain -- just clouds but that will change.

Nothing really new -- a day spent kicking back enjoying the clouds coming up from the southwest and putzing around the flat. Have a pot of ham and beans that has been simmering all afternoon -- gonna be tasty over rice. Tis a mix of pintos and red beans and has ham from my Christmas spiral ham. Tomorrow the de-boned ham slices remaining go into the freezer for future meals. I picked up some yukon gold potatoes at the store earlier this week which will also go great with the beans at a later date.

Am looking forward to being able to eat regular food soon -- not that there is anything wrong with soft but I am getting tired of it. Will be a good thing to be able to eat without having to worry about a tooth breaking or how gum-able it is.

Have finally gotten over most of the gags with the upper plate. Am able to wear them longer -- long enough to get some sore spots. Have an appt tomorrow with Dr. A for tweaking. The good news is that it will be tweaking for fit and not gagging.

*Big Smile*

The hired girls didn't come by yesterday -- they let me know ahead of time that they would be spending the day celebrating with their grandma and was told to call when I was needed them to stop by to bring up wood. I've lugged up a couple loads of wood both yesterday and today and left them a message today. I figure they will stop by tomorrow after my tweak and stock me up with enough wood to last through the week.

Goggie Kwismus

see more dog and puppy pictures

hotDOGS roasting on an Open fire ~ lickING musturd offs yer noze…
cats outSIDE wit ther eyes all aGLOW ~GOGGIE Kwismus to yooooooo!!!

O Holy Night

Celtic Woman, featuring Chloe Agnew, performs O Holy Night from the Celtic Woman concert at Slane Castle, in Ireland.

A Christmas Prayer

Stephanie sent me this and said it was ok for me to post here:

Let me share a prayer that’s on my heart today.

Lord,

Help us to see you clearly in the midst of the flurry of activity associated with the remembrance of your son’s birth. Help us to make you seen in all we do and say during this season.

Use us–this Christmas–as instruments of love, joy, and peace.

Speaking of peace….Lord, please protect the men and women who are putting themselves in harm’s way to provide peace all around the world. May they know–this Christmas–that they are loved, valued, supported, appreciated, and remembered. May their families at home be blessed with fond memories of years gone by and dreams of blessed years to come once their loved ones return home.

And speaking of home…Lord, please bless our homes this Christmas season with countless joys, peaceful rest, and love upon love.

We thank you for our families. Our kids, our spouses, our parents, our grand parents, our aunts, our uncles, our nieces and nephews and the opportunity we have during this time invest in each other. May we not take a single moment for granted. May each moment with our loved ones be but an earlier Heaven.

Thank you for the gift of great friends. Doing life with people of like minds, hearts, and souls is a blessing beyond words.

Lord, this Christmas, may we be grateful for each gift received and always remember that every gift pales in comparison to the gift of eternal life found only in Christ our Lord.

Thank you for the wonderful food we will enjoy over the next week. Thanks also for giving us taste buds so we can enjoy eating even more!

Humbly we ask you to use us to deliver the following gifts this season:

Heal the hurting.

Befriend the lonely.

Mend the broken.

Comfort the grieving.

Feed the hungry.

Clothe the naked.

Good news to the poor.

Release the captive.

Sight for the blind

Proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.

Lord, we pray for peace on earth and good will between all humans. We pray for your will to be done in our lives, in our homes, in our government, and in this world. Lord, we pray that you will go before us into the next year and that we will not fall too far behind you or take off too far beyond your will.

Lord, thank you for coming to this world and for providing a way for us to go with you to that land where there will be no more tears, divorce, cancer, taxes, AIDS, single moms, ulcers, debt, bankruptcy, foreclosures, heart-attacks, IRS, arthritis, lies, abuse, cats, tele-marketing, email spam, canned spam, migraines, flat tires, bald spots, sin, unsweet tea, MS, home-owners’ associations, anger, Snuggie commercials, stimulus packages, illness, calories, cholesterol, government bureaucracies, security systems, red lights, fear, rape, hopelessness, Alzheimer’s, night, death, and faith.

Yes Lord, we thank you for coming the first time and we long for you to come again.


In Jesus’ name,

Amen, Amen, and Amen.

Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me.

All Alone On Christmas

Darlene Love with The E Street Band and the Miami Horns - All Alone On Christmas

Token, Bailey Cat and I will be hanging out here for Christmas. Jen will be in CA and Stephanie is in KS. Home Alone is not necessarily a bad thing -- I can eat breakfast for dinner and put my feet up on the furniture and let the dishes sit in the sink overnight. Sounds like a dayam fine Christmas to me.

Hoping you and yours have the merriest of the merries.

Neon Sunset

Gorgeous sunset tonight. Picked up 0.18 inches of rain in showers since I last posted for a total rainfall of 23.98 inches since October 1st.

21

Twenty one years ago today, my youngest was born. She has grown into a woman that I am very proud of.

Happy birthday stepharoni pizza cheese and sauce.

Have Yourself...

Diana Krall -- Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas.

Picked up 1.54 inches of rain since I last updated. Total rainfall since October 1st is 23.80 inches.

Saw the dentist again today for another fit tweak. I think we have (hopefully) resolved the majority of the gagging problems I have been having with the new upper plate. Turns out I need to use that fixodent glue stuff at certain spots around the plate (and avoiding other spots) to hold it completely up against my palate. The slightest movement of the plate against the palate and I start gagging.

Wore the plate from the dds office to the Safeway across town where I shopped with teeth. I even had to talk to the cashier while wearing the teeth. Oh my, do I ever need to work on enunciation.

I just gotta figure out what it is that I do that causes me to start gagging as soon as my tushkie hits the seat in my car. It happened when I got in the car in the dds' parking lot -- had to do a lot of breathing and gagging spit into my hand full of Kleenex but I was able to work through it. Then it happened again as I got in the car in the grocery store parking lot. Sigh. I had no more Kleenex and the urge to get them out was incredibly strong. I removed them and drove home. Put away the groceries and have been trying to build up my tolerance wearing the plate tonight.

There is a huge improvement in my tolerance with the glue stuff holding them firmly in place. I've gotten some great tips from a buddy who recently went through this and will start trying to improve my speech by singing songs on the radio, reading emails out loud, etc.

Baby steps but still making progress. Tonight, I was singing along with Diana -- no where near being in tune, probably in the wrong forking key, and I bet no one could understand a word I was singing but... it didn't feel like I was working towards something. It was just fun.

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.

I Burnt My Keys In The Wood Stove

Yup, its been that kinda day today. Had my list of things to do and get in town written out ahead of time so I would be back before I started my shift at FireDogLake at 4pm. Got up sorta early (noonish) so I was well caffinated by 1pm when I grabbed the list and my purse. Reached in to grab my car keys. No keys.

Emptied out the purse. Checked the car, inside, outside and under, but no keys. Looked in the kitchen, the deck, the stairs between the car and the deck. No keys. Cleaned the kitchen -- no keys. Told people I had lost the keys (usually a sure fire way to find something I've lost). Still missing. Not downstairs where the spare wood is. Not in the bathroom. Not in the pockets of the clothes I wore Wednesday nor in the hamper.

Kept going back and forth over what I did Wed and the only conclusion I could reach was the keys were in the wood stove.

The wood stove that was lit and heating my flat.

I last drove the car Wednesday. Had my dentist appointment, stopped at the feed store and got cat food, milk and eggs (fresh from the local co-op) and drove home. Had two bags on the front seat and a large bag of cat food in the trunk when I pulled in. I remember putting the smaller of the two into the bigger bag while in the car, grabbing it and my coffee cup, the cat food bag, and my purse and headed upstairs. Went directly to the kitchen and put away the stuff. Wadded up and tossed the bags in the to burn box for starter for the wood stove.

Hindsight now reveals that is where things went wrong. Somehow, instead of putting my keys in my purse, they were in the bag. I did not realize they were in there when I grabbed the wadded up bags and used it to start the fire.

Grabbed the poker and started looking in the fire. Nothing.

Let the fire die down a little bit more and after saying several St. Anthony prayers, dug in again. This was shortly after 10 pm after triple checking every other place they could possibly be -- including the freezer and fridge.

There they were, buried in the ashes in the front of the stove. All i could see in the ashes was the metal ring - I snagged that with the tip of the poker and took them to the kitchen where they gently air cooled hanging over the sink.

The two padlock keys to the pod look to be ok. The little teddy bear is history. Both car keys are sorta bent -- one more than the other. I think tomorrow I'll go down and see if either one of them work. If not, I'll have to get a locksmith to make a new set.

I think I am the only person I know who has accidently burned their keys in a wood stove or fireplace.

Tweak #2

Saw Dr A again this afternoon. My owie is healing nicely (yay) and I have a new sore spot (laughing). The new one is up in the back along the gum line at the site of one of Friday's extractions. Tis a sharp edge on my gum that is common afterwards. I have had others like it after previous extractions and it usually goes away after a few days.

Dr. A adjusted the fit and I return for more tweaks Monday. I am hopeful that the rest of the swelling is gone by then and that I continue to heal at a good clip. Last night I was able to eat a slice of pie while wearing the teeth but today has not been a good day -- I've not been able to tolerate wearing them for longer than a few minutes. *Sigh*

Picked up 3.86 inches of rain since Monday (including that half inch I told ya about earlier), bringing the year to date rainfall total to 22.26 inches since October 1st. Picked up 3.52 inches of pretty steady rain between Monday and Tuesday afternoon with the rest falling as drizzle and/or showers last night and this morning. Got fairly breezy last night with gusts reported of 50 mph at Cape Meares, which is just north of the bay. Token continues to bark at the wind -- He. Does. Not. Like.

Today was overcast and windy but the heavy clouds thinned along the western horizon late this afternoon -- long enough for me to take this picture before the clouds closed in again. I love how this photo shows the layers upon layers upon layers of clouds. Click the photo to see it larger. The usual placid bay was gunmetal gray and choppy. Tonight the winds have died down -- for the time being. Another storm coming in tomorrow and the weather dood forecasts yet another arriving Sunday.

Tweak One

Saw Dr. A this afternoon for tweaking of the teeth. He removed the excess length in the back that was causing my gag reflex to trip and tweaked a few spots.

I have a sore spot behind where my front teeth used to be that he checked out -- it is definitely raw and irritated and is probably from the injections Friday. No wonder my mouth has been so stingy. It is on the curve behind the front teeth that goes up to the roof of the mouth. It hurts to put the teeth in but once they are seated, the plate does not irritate it.

He told me it will heal best without the plate in and that I had been doing all the right things to take care of it (whew). I figured he was going to be disappointed because I was walking in carrying the teeth instead of wearing them but he said to leave them out as much as possible while it heals. Said healing was more important at this stage than building tolerance -- which is going to take a while since I am a newbie to dentures.

I go back for more tweaking Wednesday afternoon. He really is a perfectionist about fit -- a very good thing.

The swelling is receding and the soreness is down to tolerable levels. Dr A said that the plate may even feel loose as my mouth returns to normal and showed me where (and where not) to use that glue stuff (if needed). I don't think I will need to use it -- the plate really fits the roof of my mouth well and creates a good suction.

Had some drizzle start last night that continued today. Changed to rain while I was at the dentist -- not a heavy downpour but a steady gentle rain. Picked up almost half an inch so far. Weather dood's forecast is for rain for most of the week but that it should taper off by the weekend. Am under another High Wind Warning which means I'll have to bring in the bird feeder (once the birds quit feeding for the afternoon). The winds haven't kicked up -- yet.

Teeth

Proof -- yes those are mine. They are now back in the container (with water). My mouth is still swollen and oozing from the five extractions today. I go back Monday afternoon to have the fit tweaked -- thinning above the front teeth so my upper lip doesn't look (and feel) 'fat' -- the left side is a little long and needs to be reduced in back so it doesn't trip my gag reflex. Going to take some time to get used to them.

All in all, I'm doing ok. Taking it easy and taking my pain pills.

Am all set to hunker down for the freezing rain expected to hit tonight. Portland and the entire Willamette Valley is going to get hammered worse than I will. Tis warmer than it has been. Got up to 44 today and it is only 30 outside at the moment. This was tonight's sunset.

Those clouds coming up from the south (the left side of the picture) are the leading edge of that warm moist air coming up from California.

T Minus One

T minus one -- this time tomorrow my butt will be planted in a dental chair -- the 5 remaining upper teeth will be pulled by Dr T and Dr A will fit the upper plate.

I will walk out with more teeth than I walked in with.

Thank goodness all that cold has distracted me from my usual pre-dental worrying. Finally up to 40 today -- ice is starting to crack on the creek bank and around the bay edges. Only two layers today -- but still have a cap on and a really bad case of hat hair.

13.3

That was the low last night. Brrrr doesn't even begin to cover it. Has warmed up to 37.4 but there is still ice on the banks of the bay and creek.

Woke up at 10am and have been watching the live coverage of the memorial service for the 4 fallen Lakewood Police Department officers. The procession started from McCord Air Force Base at 10am and vehicles are still leaving the base headed to the Tacoma Dome. Over 2,000 emergency vehicles in the procession with their emergency lights silently flashing.

The memorial service has been delayed from a 1pm start to 1:45 so the estimated 20,000 officers who have traveled from all across the land can get to the Tacoma Dome. Tis a 10 mile drive and the streets are lined with people standing silently watching, saluting, hand over heart, showing their support for them.

A very very sad day.

The cold seems fitting for such a somber day. Brings back memories of driving in sad silent processions for other fallen officers. Memories of tears shed as the bagpipe plays Amazing Grace.

18.9

It is currently 18.9 degrees outside. Last night, the low was 20.8. The weather dood said tonight will be the coldest night so far in 2009. The high today was 37. Brrr. The Weather Service has issued a Special Weather Statement which includes:

Coastal areas will also be very cold tonight with low temperatures in the upper teens to lower 20s... and low to mid 20s Tuesday night. A slow warming is expected beginning Wednesday. Daytime high temperatures should climb above freezing Wednesday but will remain colder than normal through Friday.

Dood, it is already in the upper teens and it is only 9pm. Brrr. I'm thinking tonight is going to be a 4 layer night.

Had a bunch of birds trying to stay warm in the cove today. Here is a closeup of some of them:

It was 34 degrees outside when I took these.

Blergh

It is cold. 1pm and it is 41 degrees outside. Tis a cold that goes right to my bones and takes a long soak in a hot bath before I feel warm again. Got down to 28 last nite and tonight promises to be even colder.

The Arctic Express is blowing (brrrr). The sunshine outside is just an illusion -- there is no warmth in its rays. Token was fooled -- he went outside to lay in the sun on the deck as he likes to do after waking up -- and he quickly came back inside to curl up in the fuzzy blanket on the sofa.

I've got no energy. My get up and go got up and went.

Oh great -- now it is 40 degrees. 1:30 in the afternoon and the temperature is already falling. Got down to 28 last night -- I fear tonight will be even colder.

Blergh.

Smokey Sunset

Tuesday's sunset was particularly colorful -- due to particulates in the air. Debris piles were being burnt all over and with no wind, the smoke driftes and hang around. Tis quite common this time of year to burn. We've had 18.40 inches of rain since October 1st so fire dangers are very low and we've had no wind to worry about whipping up embers. That, however, is about to change. Winds are starting to come east down the Columbia Gorge along with even colder air visiting from Canada.

Been cold. Got down to 31 last night and it is already 33 outside (and it is only 9pm). Brrr. Weather dood said the really cold air isn't gonna get here until the wind blows it in starting tomorrow. Tis projected to get really cold this weekend with high's only in the 30's. Brrr. Glad I picked up a new thermal and some warm socks earlier this week. I'm gonna be bundled up in more layers than Randy, Ralphie's younger brother in A Christmas Story.