Tu Me Manques

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xkA-64dDC7w

"Tell me right away if I’m disturbing you,” he said as he stepped inside my door, “and I’ll leave at once.”“You not only disturb me,” I said, “you shatter my entire existence. Welcome.”

Do I Look Like a Plumber?

It fell to me to once again put on my plumber's hat and unclog a drain.  This was .... awful.  The shower in the main bathroom was beginning to drain very slowly and what's a lone lady to do? Grab the rubber gloves, the red bucket, a screwdriver, baking soda, vinegar, and a Turbo Snake.  That's right, a Turbo Snake.  

My daughter-in-law heard that I'd be digging in and removing loads of nastiness out of the shower drain and she brought this handy little tool over.  

It worked very well.  The Velcro end attaches itself to the great big globs of greasy, grimy (gopher guts, mutilated monkey meat, chopped up baby birdie feet) hair and "soot".  The stiff wire feeds well through the drain pipe; I think I need to invest the $3.95 in my own little Turbo Snake.  

I finished off with lots of baking soda and vinegar, followed by a hot water chaser.  The smell, though, is burned on my brain, stamped forever in my olfactory system.  Yuck.  

God bless all plumbers every where.  

Penn Sings It Best

Winter Storm Titan

6pm Eastern Standard Time

Double darn it.  Big fat flakes have started pouring from the sky once again.  I drove to six places before finding any salt for the driveway.  Most people prepare when they have ten days notice that a major snowstorm is headed their way.  Me?  Well, I'll believe when I see it.  I'm believing it now.  

My favorite variety of flakes are falling - the ginormous fluffy ones that quickly build up.  The kind that makes you feel all Narnia-like and you expect that Mr. Tumnus will pop around the corner with his many packages, inviting you in for tea and biscuits - only to lure you to sleep....guess I'll make that cup of tea for myself.

 

Sisu

Sisu - A Finnish Character Trait

I really don't know if it is me that won't give up or this eternal winter that just keeps lingering.  Maybe both.  Again, I grabbed my trusty shovel and just cleared inches of snow off the three-car-wide driveway into piles feet high....well, at least a foot high!

Sisu is a Finnish word generally meaning determination, bravery, and resilience. However, the word is widely considered to lack a proper translation into any other language. Sisu is about taking action against the odds and displaying courage and resoluteness in the face of adversity.

It's my darned pride that keeps me going.  The guys from the city who clear the snow from the roads just smile and wave and for the life of me I can't stand it.  Do they pity me?  Ugh, I hope not. Are they laughing?  No problem. Whatever they do, I hope they're not looking at my backside while I work.  

There's a part of me that wants someone else to clear the driveway.  The women in my life are not clearing their driveways of all this snow.  There's a tiny spark of jealousy that burns inside that I really wish I could extinguish.  Why should I resent shoveling snow?  I actually enjoy it while I'm out there alone...as long as no one is watching, smiling, and waving.  

The thought hit me that no one in this neighborhood helps anyone else.  That's quite sad.  Not that I want any of these neighborhood fellas to look at me as some damsel in distress who needs help - I don't.  But if I was the one with a fancy snow blower, I'd be out clearing driveways for the sheer joy of helping someone else and making their day a little brighter in the land of Ohio winters.  Next year; I'll look for a snow blower in the spring and make plans for next year.  I contemplated taking my trusty shovel and helping someone clear their driveway; but who would it be?  Mike had shoveled his, Dave had his fancy snow blower out earlier, Jack had all his adult kids visiting, the other Mike (no, he mocked my organic dandelion yard at the associational meeting), the pastor wouldn't like that, Bill is in Florida with his snowbird wife, the others either have snow blowers or they pay $50 for a service to remove it....fifty dollars.

The crisp winter air helped clear my head and the workout was actually exhilarating as I sang this old tune:   

Tuff Enough

Living Well

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdB-8eLEW8g&feature=related

Little Man in Training

Love my family.  The littlest man in the group did not shirk the task of clearing the ice and snow from the drive way.  He insisted on being outside with the men, as well as bringing his own helmet to get the job done.  

Ivan - 3 year old little man.

Learning from Daddy and Poppi
how to get the job done!

Bonfire in Ohio Tonight

I Could Not Ask For More

Look who popped in for just a few days....