Well, it snowed again. Over a foot of the despicable stuff. Less than 1 week from the first official day of Spring, and the weather is mocking us. And it isn’t over yet. Every other day for the next 2 weeks, there is at least an inch of “snow shower” accumulation in the forecast. Every time I pass a mirror, I expect to see my face contorted into an Edward Munch “silent scream”. 😫 Yeah, kinda like that.
The good news is that I leave here on April 3rd. Going home. Outta here. The bad news is that I haven’t made quite as much progress as I hoped. The ultimate goal was to walk onto the airplane without assistance. Not going to happen. Since I have been sitting down for such a long time, my leg muscles have atrophied. My sister has me going to her physical therapist for the next several weeks. Hope that pays dividends.
A really good outcome (trying to be positive) is weight loss. I have gone from a size 16 to a size 10. And I am healthier! Coloring & energy are so much better. That’s what a diet without wine, M&Ms, & crunchy Cheetos will do for a body. Truthfully, I have no desire to eat. Salads  have lost their appeal. Eating used to be fun; now it’s a means for self-preservation. 😧
There is so much to look forward to about going home. I miss Greg so much! And my puppy Bear! And my daughter’s family! Riley & Reese will have to put up with LOTS of Grammy kisses.
Also, we have just undergone a major remodel. Actually, construction began the Monday after Thanksgiving, with the interior stairs being reconfigured, along with a new flagstone walkway & entrance stairway. Work continued right after I left for Connecticut, with the creation of a newly configured master suite (Dad’s former abode). I picked out all of the pieces before I departed. Since everything was ordered online (vanity, mirrors, paint, 3 types of tile, lighting, etc.), there was no ability to “line up” my choices to make sure the colors worked, and verify that none of the patterns/materials clashed. Greg sends pics, but it isn’t the same as physically experiencing the space.
Then, at the last minute, we also decided to widen the living room! After taking down the Christmas tree, and thinking about how frustrating the existing skinny space was when another entity (the tree!) was added to the mix, we took the leap (no net!) The expansion required that we lose the right side of the front porch. We were all (including Tony, who was doing the work) very concerned about how that would affect the exterior profile of the house. Interestingly, according to the pics, and based on the opinion of others, it minimizes the huge roofline. Hooray!
Of course, I will share pictures of the new spaces. Am considering doing that on the old blog site, mtnhomeblog.com, since decorating and changes to the house were the themes of that site.
The last reason I can’t wait to get home is to meet the newest member of the family zoo! Our rat terrier, Pip, passed away in early January, right before I left. He suffered from diabetes, which caused him to be almost totally blind. Bear and he co-existed. Pip was never a playful soul. Lacking much personality, he was just “there”. Even so, his disappearance from the household, along with my departure in the same timeframe, really affected Bear. Bear had been a homebody, preferring to spend his days in the yard, primarily laying on the welcome mat by the front door. Lately, he has been wandering away, looking for companionship (even though Greg walks him 4 times a day!)
I have spent so much time looking for a puppy companion for Bear. My experience is that the world is being over-run with abandoned pit bull pups. Don’t get me wrong. I am not disparaging the breed, nor is it a fear issue. It is more of an aesthetic preference. The few dogs I found that seemed to fit the bill, were held by adoption agencies that never replied to our queries and/or applications to adopt. Sadly, pics of the same dogs sit out on the internet month after month. At any rate, over the weekend, I came across a litter of pups that was rescued by a Petco about an hour away from home. The adoption manager was approachable. She approved my application immediately, but told me my choice of pups (the only male) had just been adopted!  Greg was adamant about not wanting a female, but…you know how that goes. 🤗 Bottom line: Bella is coming home on Saturday.
She is a boxer/Great Dane/Australian sheep dog mix. We think she will match Bear in size. Thinking a queen size bed will no longer suffice. Hopefully, she will keep goofy Bear in line, & give him a reason to stay home. Fingers crossed!
Mountain Musings 