Just another day...

So many folks are anxious for spring to arrive. I'm on the fence. I'm still enjoying the bare bones of winter.

My forest garden is asleep under the snow. I wonder what I'll find this spring? 
I know one thing, begonias loved it there and the deer didn't even eat them!
I stopped here yesterday to watch deer. 

There is my busted up old Christmas Chair. 

It is awaiting spring also I imagine.

I waited and waited for the Clerk of Courts to call me back after I'd handed them the letter from hubby's Palliative Care doctor. The original summons says that the jurors should assume that any request for delay of being a juror would be denied unless contacted specifically by the Clerk of Court or by the judge.

No return call! Why am I not surprised? 

I grumped about it to my son and he laughed and said there was always Malicious Compliance. 

I'm going to file the juror issue under -- forget it for now.

I finally put on my hiking boots and headed towards the valley. I was in search of blue ice. 

There is a deep ravine that runs from the south part of my neighbor's cropland down through tumbled boulders and trees to the bottom of the valley. There it joins the creek and runs out to what the locals call Black Bottom Creek. 

It has a spring that flows out of the boulders and rocks half way up the ravine. In wetter years the ice freezes in the bottom of the ravine and the fresh water keeps traveling over the ice making this incredible Ice River.

Here is Morris in 2015:

Here is Charlie in December 2020:

Getting there is a one mile hike. Getting in and out of the ravine can be tricky. 

I always make the hike, each year at least a few times. Sometimes I am disappointed and sometimes I am in awe.

The ice flow isn't apparent down near the valley and I had to walk up the side of the ravine towards the spring. I assume it is because of the dry year we've had.

It still is awe inspiring.

I climbed up to the spring and walked on top of the ice that was buried under the softening snow. In years past this area would be so slippery that one would need ice cleats. I remember my first venture along this ice. 

I crawled to avoid falling. 

The sides are so steep you can't walk on them.

I could hear the water flowing from under the ice, it reminded me of the slow drip drip of a leaky faucet.

After finding the spring, I considered hiking to the top of the ridge and then trying to cross through the upper ravine and the old barbed wire fence and end up on a the ridge/snowmobile/camp trail.

I headed back down into the valley and decided to walk along the creek.

I didn't take Charlie on this hike as we have to walk right past an active coyote den.

Coyotes are messy. They like to toss out the bones of their small meals and they don't use a service to pick up their trash.

Back home the 'guys' were taking a nap.

The Clerk of Courts never called back. I'll have to check and see if they issue a bench warrant for a homebound veteran.

It is irritating to me that they make the demands yet they cannot respond in matters like this.

Okay.

Off my high horse and back to the unreal world.

Today looks like a good day to practice some artful skills. 

CareGivers Nightmare!

We got a summons for Jury Duty for my husband with a note that said if there were concerns to call the clerk's office.

I'd filled out the form indicating my husband's health/memory/and mobility issues for them over a month or so ago. I talked to the clerk who rolled her eyes and took it from me. Her comment was "We'll look at it."

They didn't. So I called and she indicated that the only way they would accept the fact that a housebound veteran was unable to serve was with a doctor's note faxed to them.

Puuuuhhhhhleeeese. 

Roll my eyes. For real?

I consider this scenario. Bring hubby in with his 02.

I would hand over instructions asking for a nurse to be at his side to monitor his 02 levels and set up his nebulizer 3 times a day. I'd need a nurse or deputy to handle his medications that are taken every two to three hours. [Pain meds are in there so I'd need to know I could trust said nurse or deputy.]

I'd give instructions on getting him to the washroom right away and to have a nurse or deputy make sure he was able to finish. I'd provide them with clean clothes and adult diapers for accidents in case they take too long to get him to the washroom.

There would also need to be a person to help him understand the words people were saying because it doesn't always compute after his stroke.

By the way, do they have a cot for him to lay down on? He can generally stay awake for about 2 to 3 hours before he has to lay down. 

I'd have to bring his concentrator and CPAP and have someone familiar with Respiratory Therapy to set it up. 

If it would be disruptive to the court proceedings, I guess that would be their issue. 

They could call for a ride when he is finished and sit with him until I arrived to pick him up because he is unable to drive or find his way home [11 miles out of town]

Instead, I messaged the case worker on his Palliative Care Team and she informed me she'd ask for a letter and then email it to me to print out and give to the Clerk. They will not fax because of HIPPA, but I can take it to them as his health agent.

I imagine a lot of folks try to get out of Jury Duty. I enjoyed the two times I've done it over the years. And I get it. They have to be tough on asking for jurors and it is our job as citizens to serve. 

Our county is well known for not bending at all. I assume lots of people make up excuses. 

I am even wondering if the letter handed to them by ME would even suffice. 

As caring people, we are almost used to a problem coming out of blue to muck things up.  It isn't much different than being a mother, except we are a mother to another adult.

Roll with the flow they say.

Hopefully, this will deal with the Juror issue.