Manus Manum Lavat

This family of eagles with two juveniles and two baldies are still hanging out around our place. I guess I don't mind at all because they are such incredible looking birds.

I have to scan the trees each day before Charlie gets to go out and do his thing. 

Mica has improved immensely with her diaper padded/booted foot. She was trotting around in the farthest part of the pasture at feeding time last night. It doesn't seem to me that there is an abscess, but what exactly do I know? Perhaps she bruised her foot or something. All I know is that it makes me happy to see the old girl happy again.

I got Rich in for an eye appointment finally! He normally goes to the VA for his eye appointments, but getting anything done through their vision department is at best a bit difficult. I imagine it relates to staffing shortages. And who wants to drive 5 hours for an eye exam anyway? [Especially since I have limited distance vision now!]

Today is my consult with the cataract surgeon. While at the appointment yesterday for Rich I asked if they would be dilating my eyes at the consult/exam. The answer was yes. 

Oh. Crap.
When Olive came over to help me with Mica and do a quick walk before she went to pick up her son, she decided that she would drive me to the appointment. I was shocked but pleased at her offer.

I figured I'd have to sit in the waiting room for hours to get some eyesight back from being dilated.

I told her I wouldn't want to impose on her. She laughed. Of course just this week she announced that she was pregnant and I offered my services to help out with anything she might need. Someone to play with her 2 year old if she was tired, or whatever I could do.

She quipped, "Don't worry! There will be times I call on you to come keep an eye on Aiden while we go for baby scans!"

Yep, that sure sounds reasonable!

I got a text from my neighbors at the top of the hill. Would I feed and walk their dogs this weekend when they went out of town? They hated to impose...but they would compensate me.
I replied that there would be no compensation, I'd be thrilled to do it.

There is an old Latin saying that I learned in my first year of  High School Latin.

Manus Manum lavat.
"One hand washes the other."

It certainly works in rural areas with good neighbors.

This has to be the best response from USPS

I reported a missing package containing medicine for me to the USPS Customer Service department. The site recommended using an email inquiry as phone inquiries have long wait times.

My nano needles were on my 'Dashboard' to be delivered on Saturday, then a notice to be delivered on Monday. By Tuesday, all evidence of the package disappeared. I'd saved the tracking number to look for it. The last scan of the package was still in the facility it arrived in on the 21st in Tennessee.

Yikes.
Starting and stopping meds like this kinda sucks, you know? So I filled out the info and checked that it had medical supplies. 

Thank you for taking the time to notify us of your experience. Your USPS® Service Request 38186095 has been marked as resolved.

Please accept our sincerest apology for any trouble this may have caused you. We appreciate your business and look forward to serving you again in the future.

Yes, that was the reply. Your inquiry is closed and we hope to serve you. Our facilities have a high volume and are experiences delays for service.
Um yeah. Like have a nice day.

Their customer service person asks that I continue to monitor the package's progress. Um. It hasn't moved in 6 days. What progress is that?

Sigh. 90% of the time our local post office loses packages or leaves a comment that I am not home. Sometimes the postal person may not have enough room in their delivery vehicle for the amount of packages they have to deliver. Rural routes like mine have drivers using private vehicles for delivery.

It is not an easy job, but sometimes I have to laugh at the reasons I'm given for non delivery. 

Once it was because there was two cows in the road, another time it was a goat was near the mailbox. Another time the mail person said he couldn't find my house. Um. OMG....

I get it. The postal service, like everyone else is shorthanded. 

Sigh. 

I would have worded their automated response a bit differently though:

Something more like ~ we are so sorry for the trouble and we are thoroughly investigating it. Even if it were a lie, it would make me feel better about it.

~~~

The USPS issue wasn't resolved, but I will be able to pick up the nano needles through a local pharmacy. Which worked out just fine.

Still awaiting any sign of the package from TN.

~~ Update 4-28 early morning: the package has been scanned and found. Still another 24 to 48 hrs away! ~~

Idle day

Rich didn't feel great in the morning, so I hung around close by. I told him that he had 'morning sickness'.
His eyes got wide and he gave me a strange look then said, "I'm not pregnant!" It got him to laugh and I like it when he laughs.
I explained that I thought he was allergic to mornings.

Well.
He doesn't like them. And Friday morning he said he just couldn't do Pulmonary Therapy and he went back to bed. Fighting with depression is tiring and we may be dipping or plateauing right now.
I do what I can.

So, Rabbit and Bear are on my mind again.

So are little things.
Bugs, flowers, seeds...and whatnot.
In our photography group we are playing a game of 'Guess What?'

We post a photo of something close up or a part of something and then take guesses as to what it is.

And I thought I'd pick some spices and sun dry them along with some sunflower heads...

I will open a jar of this thyme and oregano this winter....and smell summer!

Tomorrow is Sunday and I am going to take on some trails at Kickapoo Valley Reserve, that was the plan for Saturday. But since Rich didn't feel well in the morning [he feels better now], I thought I'd stay at home.

I helped the neighbors pick rocks out of the space they are creating to make a soccer practice area.

I took a walk and found Indian Pipes but didn't stay long in the woods. The mosquitoes were vicious.

And if I say they are bad, they are really bad.
I was severely disappointed in our mail system this afternoon. I'd been tracking my converted camera's progress back to me.
That was another reason I waited until Sunday to go to KVR.

My Infrared converted camera was to be returned today. I watched and waited for the postal carrier on the porch.
I checked my email and text messages at 4pm wondering where it was.

The tracking number revealed that the carrier tried to deliver it at 3:07pm but no one was there to sign for it.
This is the 3rd time this year that this carrier simply skips coming to the house. Twice with meds and now this.

I get excuses from the post master. She explained that the carrier had a problem with goats in the road. However she was still able to write a unable to deliver note and drop it in the box. Once it was a cow on the ridge.
I was nice to the post master and simply asked if the rural carrier knew she was in a Rural Area.

Goodness. The UPS guy never has any issues with deliveries. All Rich's overnighted meds now come by UPS as USPS is not very dependable.

I notified the local post office that I'd be in on Monday to get my package. I'm sure IF I let her try again, she'd leave another note.

Well.
Off I go with my Tremor Bright Green Helmet and speedy mountain bike for a new adventure.
Unless my bike spooks, I should be just fine.

Seriously, I can't wait!

Soft Pastel Mornings

It has gotten to be a routine the last month or so. I check the weather before going to bed to see if we will have skies worth looking at during the night hours or at dawn.

I would like to get a shot the works out of the Milky Way before it leaves the hemisphere this year. However I find that it is awful hard to get up and go look on the clear nights.

I got a free app for my Smart Phone that lets me know where the moon will rise and set from wherever I am at, the same with the sun. I find it quite handy! When I start going to Jersey Valley or Sidie Hollow for fall sunrises or sunsets I'll know the exact place and time for them!

So I got up on the morning of August 2nd and glanced outside. The morning didn't look like it would be a spectacular sunrise, however I was awake and the weather for the rest of the week predicted clouds and rain.

At 5:15 am, I left with my travel cup of coffee and started up the driveway. As I passed my neighbor's house, I glanced at her office window. She was up and at work as she is every day. She teaches English to Chinese students on line. She adores her job. The time difference between our countries can be a challenge, but she has worked that out.

I've gotten used to seeing that light on in the mornings when I go for my excursions. I lift my hand in a wave that I am pretty sure she couldn't see anyway.

When I got to the ridge I was sort of surprised by the fog I could see way off in the distance. I shouldn't have been. It hovers over the Kickapoo River Valley and from my high spot on the ridge, I can see pretty far.

I pulled over and parked on our little gravel road. There was not going to be a spectacular blaze of colors this morning. I was a bit disappointing but thought perhaps this would be a challenge to come up with something more interesting.

I included our road with the cropland. Getting the focus and the light right was a huge challenge. But I liked the way it came out.

The skies gave off a beautiful pastel glow.

And then, in just a few moments, it was gone.

I swatted the bugs and watched the fog in the distance. Then I drove over to 'fog' island and got a quick shot.

I took the gravel road down into the valley and got surrounded by fog. The sky turned gray and everything was steeped in murky fog.
I thought about taking a shot of Black Bottom but the fog was so dense, I didn't feel like the effort would be worth it, so I turned around and headed back home.

I went past the Harless place and snapped a quick shot of some of his latest acquisitions. Not sure why he bought them or why he moved all of these broken down mobile homes onto his land, but there you go. He had old cars and other items he is collecting also.

With my coffee finished and the fog moving in, I headed home. I'd put a fresh pot of coffee to brew on when I left.

The pastel morning and fog had been worth it.
Mornings are definitely my time of day.

I had stood alone next to my Subaru on the ridge watching the sun glow on the horizon while coyotes barked and sang their farewells to the night. I'd witnessed night turn to day in that magical time of twilight.
I was refreshed and ready to go start my day.

Friends in all places

I'd lamented while at work that I needed small square bales of hay and that my schedule of driving to MAD City and back wasn't going to allow me to get the hay I needed.

I purchase small bales from one co-worker.  Another offered to take HIS truck over to the other co-worker's place and deliver hay.
If I could arrange it, that is.
I called the Hay Man and he said "Oh no, let me bring it to your place!" 

The second co-worker mentioned that he would like to help me in any way...could he come out and help me move animals to the summer pasture?

Was there some electrical fencing that needed done?  Indeed there is.

When we got home from MAD City yesterday a fresh load of hay was being stacked in my shed.  I helped by tossing the rest of the bales off the truck.

When we tried to pay extra for the delivery, Hay Man waved it off.  Then hubby pulled out a 10 spot and shoved it in Hay Man's hands.

"Please," he said, "Treat your son to Dairy Queen on me if you won't take money for delivery."

Hay Man nodded and his young son agreed ... DQ would be their next stop.

My belief in good people in rural areas is boundless.

I have one Farm Lady who offered to help chore if we got stuck in Madison overnight.

She would come with her niece and take care of watering and checking on critters.

An Investigator from the Local Law Enforcement Agency asked if he could help in any way.  Offered to help with anything.
Another Investigator that we worked with last summer, said that if we notified him of when we would be out of town, he would put our place AND
Mules on the 'Property Watch List'.

That means a deputy will come and make sure things look good and the house has not been broken into while we are absent.

Small acts of kindness to our neighbors over the years seems to be coming back 'at us'.

I feel quite ... I don't know.  Blessed?  Honored?

People are good.

It is well appreciated in The Long Road.

Tomorrow is another day.