When getting the oil changed...and

tires rotated feels like a wonderful outing.

I like the place I go to for service on our Subaru. They are pretty nice even if it is a dealership. They have a doggy play yard, a kids' room with toys and a nice waiting area for those who decide to sit and wait for their Subarus to be serviced. There is a shuttle that will take you places in LaCrosse and pick you up if you wish.

I prefer to take Charlie on nice days were he can enjoy the doggy park and sniff out every other dog smell. He enjoys visiting with the staff who go overboard to welcome him. Other times, if the vehicle is going to take a long time, I walk half a mile to the Riverside Park in LaCrosse and enjoy the views along the Mississippi River. 
I love to walk through the International Friendship Garden and enjoy all of the wonderful plants they have growing there along with the little waterfalls and ponds. The Riverside Park is free as well as the gardens.

The drive into LaCrosse was horrible on Wednesday. I ran into a sleet storm which pelted the 'Ru and covered the road in melting ice. Three miles later I got into a huge downpour that ponded on the roads. I took my usual route into LaCrosse and found that the 4 lane road was now 2 lanes with half of the road dug up down to the sewer lines. Highway 35 through LaCrosse was getting a face lift in sections at a time. The pot holes in the construction area would shake your teeth and eyeballs out of your head.

While waiting I looked out the window at my dream Subaru and pretended the new shiny one was mine. I didn't bother going to look at it because I figured a salesperson would be right next to me in an instant. 
I took out a book and proceeded to get lost in a 'who dunnit' novel. When I finished the book, I stuck it in my backpack. The sun had come out and was shining with a promise of things to come.

The service person found me and let me know that the oil change/tire rotation was done and let me know that I needed new rear brakes. I knew that was coming and asked if we could just make another appointment next week for that.

When I left, I decided to take another way home to avoid all the downtown traffic and construction with car eating potholes.
I took  Highway 33 that went on top of the ridge by Grand Dad's bluff [mental note--stop next week to see it again!]. 33 serpentines along the top of the ridge with grand views of the LaCrosse  County Coulees. 

I listened to music and enjoyed the drive. The clouds were scuttling along the sky and promising more rain, but I was content. 
I felt I was able to breath in deep and chill.

Yes, even going for an oil change and tire rotation somehow feels like a mini vacation from home. I plead guilty to that. 

Catching up busy...

Some infrared photos from this past week

This past week has been a busy one. Appointments at the VA and an appointment for the Subaru.
Struggling to mow the yard on the days when I won't float the mower.
Changing the oil and doing maintenance on the 4 wheeler, the zero turn mower, and working on the tiller. All jobs I that were deferred before to 'the boss'.

Thankfully, my neighbor was been kind enough to spend most of Sunday afternoon showing me how to go through these engines. I learned new terms.
Two cycle and 4 cycle engines. He even found an adjustment on my little mower and it mows better!

Now the yard is shaggy again, but I have my flowers all in and the flowers I wanted seeded...are seeded.
There are family 'things' going on but I choose not to address them on a public blog of course.

 The hill that we normally let the pony graze and keep trimmed. It has

been too wet for that this year. I 

had to hand mow it this last weekend. 

I think it looks nicer mowed than pony

mowed.

 West side of the house. I have some very hardy

plants in here,

and I moved the hosta as it 

never does well in the heat

of the summer.

I added mulch to keep

the moisture in during 

the dry spells.

Not showy flowers, but some interesting

colorful herbs.

One day I may actually put a border

around the edge.

The innards of the 4 wheeler.

It was cutting out so we took it 

apart.

I think it should be okay after

all the work we did.

I put up a hummingbird feeder next to the east window in the eating area. The Hummers are plentiful. Today I'm going to grab an Oriole feeder and put it up as well. They are trying to get into the hummer's feeder and keep landing on the porch and singing to me.

They will only be around until late June, but I would like to enjoy seeing them close up. Besides Rich enjoys seeing them also.

I've been visiting my MIL in the Nursing Home and some days she is really not very with it. Her dementia has progressed or she is confused as she is in the 'home' for now. They ... the care team is considering returning her to her apartment with more help.

Two nurses stopped me yesterday to ask if I could help them come up with an idea to keep her feet up because of her edema.

Such the rebel. MIL puts her feet down as soon as PT/OT leaves the room or one of the nurses or aids. She needs to have them up so that the edema can be controlled. I guess she has trouble figuring out night and day also. 

All this is expected going forward with dementia and her kidney failure. MIL is rather unconcerned about anything other than getting back to her own bed.

On the days I visit, I always call home on my cell phone and let mother and son talk for a while.

I did take some time for myself yesterday and managed to take a nice quiet walk in the dreary weather. I even found more morels!

I'm looking forward to a few more fun things coming up at the end of the month....