Harper and her escape hole

Last night our daughter texted us that Harper ( her dog) had escaped  from her backyard... but had come in. Our daughter had meetings at work today so she asked if Bob could find out  how Harper had gotten out and do something about it.

Bob went to her house... tools  and wood in hand..

This is what he found... a hole under the gate and chewed  boards. ! Heaven knows how Harper who weighs about 70 lbs managed to get through the hole she made!

Bob blocked the hole with  large heavy concrete blocks and covered the chewed boards with wood screwed on ( on the other side).

Bet Harper was disappointed when she was let out when our daughter got home from work!! Plans being discussed for a more permanent solution!!

Harper as a puppy!

spam phone calls

 We have had a morning of spam phone calls...all "phoners" are English as a second language speakers.. all in a noisy room with other speakers and all asking whether we are having a good day ! At this point we hang up no matter why they are calling!  We wouldn't answer the "unavailable" callers but sometimes it's important.

Red and yellow flags have been posted all over the neighborhood... posting gas lines and another utility. Plus yellow spray paint from the street to the houses... No idea what is in store...

Bob went out to talk to one of the men...He said it is a difficult job. The computer print outs of the lines are not totally accurate and he has a "reader" to find the actual line. He was out last week when it was super cold and wasn't able to put the flags into the ground. At least today is warmer.

Fourth of July???

 Last night it sounded almost like the fourth of July...loud booms went off all around us... the cats were not happy. Then we realized the KC Chiefs must have won.! We were missing the game but were watching something we didn't want to miss.

Well... missed posting this yesterday!!

This morning we spent a long very involved time on the phone switching our Medicare Advantage plan... now to Signa. I now have a new Primary Care physician,,, the same one my daughter and grand daughter has. Wonder how she will like having three generations!! Our current cardiologist and hospital are in network which is a huge relief.

My teacher daughter and her school's principal are working on the rules/regulations for handling ICE... The school has a large per percentage of "brown" students so there is a concern over the ICE issue.... also of non-teaching personnel ( such as custodians, food workers etc.)

It was warmer today... tomorrow is supposed to be too!

 

borrowed picture

 "borrowed" this from another blog... but how true !

Switching Medicare Advantage plans

It looks like we will be switching to Signa ( Aetna doesn't have a plan for 2025 according to its website). We would rather keep our cardiologist and St Mary's Hospital than keep Humana...Bob discovered that if we have a plan we can switch providers until the end of March!! Hooray..

My hands hurt like "heck" this morning... could not make fists.. had trouble with silverware, holding a cup and so on. Took Tylenol and things are better tonight. Did I spend too much time hand sewing a bear yesterday?

One of my quilting/craft group friends has died from lung cancer She was 75...the group didn't even know she was ill .  The funeral will be in Jamesport... about 2 plus hours north.... So I doubt any of us will go. Bob found her obituary by googling her...It asked for no flowers but a donation to American Cancer Society. So that's what I did.

This made me worry about another friend. This one lives in Florida and we went to grammar school together. She is ill too .. goes to dialysis several times a week . We write letters but I haven't heard from her since Christmas. I wrote and am hoping to hear back soon.

I guess I am at the age where this is going to happen more and more often

 

hunting for a new cardiologist

 It seems like our ( Bob and I see the same cardiologist) doctors' office no longer accepts our Humana Advantage plan... we we are hunting one that will accept our insurance and new patients....rats!!

Bob is working on this using an "in network" list from Humana..

BTW.... we found this out when someone called. Bob had an appointment tomorrow which has now been cancelled. Our "old" office will do our prescriptions... for awhile..

It has been more difficult than we expected. Getting a person to answer the phone seems to be impossible.

We may have to go to the actual practice offices and inquire.

still "down"

still feeling "down"... nothing I can do about it ...

Nothing to say...

keeping busy

 I sent an email to the collector who wanted the tiny mouse. With the cold and snowy weather she hadn't been getting her mail... especially not boxes.. so we waited till things got back to normal.... her reply to my email said it was...

I boxed him up... added a USPS click and ship label and then realized ... no mail tomorrow. It's Martin Luther King Day, a Federal holiday. I can always drop the box off at the PO... or wait till Tuesday for my mail person to pick it up at my mailbox.

We won't be watching the 'un-auguration' ... but we will be wearing black. 

 

Out and about...

 Here's hoping today is as warm as yesterday! Our driveway is pretty much ice free and the ice/snow piles along side are melting. I am sure we will have ice again when the temps drop this weekend!

Bob had a dental check up this morning. The dental office was pretty empty when he got there at 11... but when he was done it was packed. His check up and cleaning  took only 15 minutes!!

When he returned I took off for the grocery store... list in hand. With the weather so cold, the list was long and the fridge was pretty empty. Now we are set again for the colder temps..

We decided to take advantage of Domino's Pizza's 50% off sale...We did a carryout... served it with a homemade green salad and a glass of white wine!!

Another lazy day

 Well... here it is, just past 11 am and I am still in my pj's. Haven't been feeling too well so it will be another lazy day!

I have been talking about retiring from bear making when I get to 7,000 bears or bear friends. That gets closer every day. So I have been going through my material stash and cutting out bears ( and mice). 

Last night I cut out two mice... I think I will cut out a bear later today when I "manage" to get dressed....These latest are fairly small so I can sit in my recliner and hand sew them with a cup of coffee , hot chai tea or hot cider by my side!!

Later... did finally get dressed. Then I boiled eggs for egg and black olive sandwiches ( dinner)... peeled and chopped them and put them in a covered container to cool in the fridge. Don't want to add mayo to hot eggs!

With a green salad, egg salad on toast made a fine dinner!

 I have started sewing the mouse... he is going to be a gray/brown with pale gold Ultrasuede paw pads etc... and a pink nose! The mohair fabric is very distressed and I think he will be cute!!

My grand daughter stopped by on her way home from buying art supplies and regular supplies for the semester that starts next week... her all A's put her on the dean's list!! 

My computer says it is 6F outside....cold! We put on our gas insert fireplace this evening... felt really good! 

PS Bob got all the Christmas storage containers back up in the attic

Nothing much ...

I haven't posted because nothing new has happened...we don't need anything from the grocery store. We have enough books to keep us busy and Bob did enough to the snow covered driveway that we could get out if we needed to.

Bob borrowed our grand daughter's guitar and he borrowed some library books about guitars. With Lili's permission he is going to "lower the bridge" and make it a more playable guitar.

If finished a tiny mouse... 3.5 inched seated...a  request from a collector of mine. I will pack him up and put it out in the mailbox tomorrow ( USPS Click and Ship).

Today looks like some of the snow will melt. It's currently 35 F. Fingers crossed that the ice at the end of the driveway by the garage will be crack-able and re-moveable.. I worry about falling every time I go out!!

 

 Saw this on a blog... it was for a phone... but I liked it!!

 Later...

Won't be mailing the mouse for awhile... the collector said St. Louis mail is having delivery problems. Lazy day for us.

Made it out!

 Bob worked clearing our driveway is smallish bits... he has had a heart attack plus it is quite cold. But he succeeded and we were able to go and get our prescriptions, cat food and groceries!!

Our Market Walmart was missing things... no bananas, celery, grapes, large peppers. But did have most everything else! So we have stocked up and will see if we have more snow tomorrow evening.

Our snow total was about 12 inches. Blue Springs did plow our cul de sac in the middle of the night and didn't pile snow at the end of the driveways!  Smaller residential streets are plowed under private contractors...city plows do the big streets.

The mailman made it... even got out of his vehicle  to put mail in our boxes. Trash was postponed a day but they came today.

Being housebound I have already finished the required number of books for the Library reading challenge... will turn in my sheet tomorrow or Friday.

No mail tomorrow... federal and gov't offices closed for Jimmy Carter's funeral.

Not too much so far

 I woke up this morning with a couple of inches of snow ( on top of a coating of ice)...so our decision to stay home is still in effect!!

We have about 6 inches of snow now and looking out of the office window we are in a white out. Not sure whether that's snow or wind and snow!!

It IS cold... my computer says 15 degrees.

Lots of closings... churches, businesses, schools (tomorrow) .. no Kansas City Star paper this morning. I won't miss lots of the political or sports stuff but today is the day for Sunday Funnies which I will miss!!

Bob opened the heat vents in the garage... that will make sure the pipes don't freeze in my bathroom which is just above. I will also keep the cupboard doors open to keep things warmer for the  bathroom sink pipes!! Things will be colder tonight!!

Not sure how much snow we've gotten... it has been too windy ( over 35mph)  and the snow is all over. A meteorologist wrote on FB that winds over 35 mph for 3 plus hours is a blizzard... with snow of course!

I've been cooking cold weather food... chicken soup/stew yesterday... today was a quiche from a nice hot oven!!

waiting and watching...

 A nasty storm is predicted for all of our area. I even saw a map predicting snow from Western Kansas to the East coast!! 

We will not be going out... our "larder" and fridge are pretty well stocked. Gas heat, gas stove and a gas fireplace.... our utilities are underground and we do not loose electricity very often...

So I 've spent almost the whole day working on a big bear. I just need  the legs - sew and stuff and attach - finished and then stuff the body and he will be done. Someone wants a tiny mouse so that will be next. 

I signed up to the Mid-Continent Library's reading challenge and have two books read and on the list. Downloaded several books for my Kindle... when read they will go on the list too. So even if we are house bound with snow and ice I won't be bored!!

LATER... reading on FB about all the accidents around here. One picture showed a semi-truck across all the lanes on I 70 just west of Blue Springs... another report was a 200 vehicle accident. Highways are closed.  KCI airport closed for awhile...

NOT GOING OUT...staying home!!