For me, it is challenging to live my life which is currently good and safe and relatively secure … while watching what is happening in Ukraine.
It is different [to me] than many of the climate and weather cataclysmic events. This is something that need not have happened. There is no good reason for this “war”. The devastation and life disruption is something that I thought we, as in humanity, was beyond.
It is not over.
It … as in devastation and life disruption … could come to us in the United States. And I wonder if we would respond with as much courage and unity as Ukraine seems to have.
Scenery-wise, it is not the most beautiful time around my property …
Not pretty, but VERY clear view of the melt down.
An atmospheric river has been giving us a lot of moisture. Temps have been above freezing day and night. There is not a lot of snow left.
Kind of blah out there…
Walking is now not too bad as in not a lot of ice on our paths.
But per NOAA’s advice … keeping the snow gear handy!! Last week, heading to Kalispell, I did see some baby cows and thought … OH!!, it could be difficult. I hope the new ones will do ok through this late Spring.
Oscar continues to be his normal self post op. Yes, nap time, but normal mid-late afternoon nap time and considering it is rainy-foggy outside … super normal.
Kind of ugly outside, but our view is clear through the lovely new windows.
***Ukraine. I have looked at International Red Cross, Doctors without Borders and other humanitarian sites. Also at the pleas from Ukraine for Cryptocurrency donations to help them fight. I am not sure yet what is the best thing to do so am holding for the moment. If anyone has insight, please comment!
I believe Emmett and I had more anxiety than Oscar!!
Per the paperwork sent home with me, Oscar might be lethargic for the next 48-72 hours … FAT CHANCE!!!
The carrier that he will normally have nothing to do with is suddenly a great toy: rug, zippers, handles … what fun!
I moved his bed into the office. This bed was his itty-bitty kitten bed in the crate, but it now resides in the bedroom closet. I keep the closet door open and typically, he will have a bit of a snuggle with Emmett and me, then play on his own and then sleep in the closet in his bed until 4:00 a.m. You can set time by Oscar. At 4:00 a.m. he gets into bed with us and snuggles down between us until we get up. Anyway, he found it … in and out and ….
Drink of water. Oscar has been a good drinker of water from the start! I am so happy about this as it is often a concern with cats, especially male cats, getting enough “water” or equivalent.
A towel on the floor became a “kill” and a toy. Oscar dragged it around … Yep, very lethargic.
Operation ??? What operation … I feel great!!
***He is on “pain killers” and I have 4 days doses so we will see :)
First a bit of blog PSA (public service announcement). I knew that the spot that hosts my blog was updating the code base that would affect my blog theme code. Bluehost (major kudos to www.bluehost.com BTW for flawless support of my small hobby blog site!) gave me a heads up to the change. But, like the shoemaker’s children … I, a coding professional, decided to wait and see if my site broke before spending time to do an anticipated fix. Well, it broke.
Thankfully, the fix was an update to the “theme code” for the blog. So, minimal $$ and minimal time and the blog is back albeit with some visual changes. At the moment I will live with the header and menu situation: side by side vs top over: work deadlines, house chores, my small business bookkeeping … and WALKS!!, belly rubs, etc.
Meanwhile, the posts and the Instagram sidebar look as they did and so onward.
New Windows.
Holy darn cow!! – what an improvement: appearance, function, clear look outside, insulation. I am beyond happy with the new windows in every way.
I would not have said that this little old house was draughty, but when I woke up after install to -4F outside, it felt extra cozy inside. My heat is by electric baseboard so there is no “furnace on” noise, but I noticed that I have not needed to adjust the thermostats in each room like I used to.
I also would not have said that much noise gets through, but it is noticeably quieter on weekday mornings when the school bus, logging trucks, etc. are on the road.
Visually – what an improvement! The new glass and screens are barely noticeable! Downside, is that the day after the install was sunny … gah!! re the dust that showed. I will need to step up my dusting routine!! That is not a complaint … mostly. I am thrilled with the clear views out of the new windows!
As to how it all happened…
Four good men plus trailer arrived at 8:45 ish. The trailer is set up as workshop as well as transport of product. But the big saw and table got set up outside in the 4F morning. Thankfully, the wind was mostly shadowed, but there was some breeze at ground level, i.e. IT.WAS.COLD!!
Emmett kept an eye on the action.
Emmett, Oscar and I were ensconced in the office with the doors to the kitchen and remainder of the house closed. The office has a slider to the outside, so Emmett and I were able to get out for walks without disturbing the work.
Above photo: they had floor to ceiling adjustable tension posts. They wrapped around the posts and to walls where windows were being replaced. That kept dust and some of the cold confined to the work area. You can also see that they laid floor coverings. Obviously, not their first rodeo!! But, it was my first and I was fascinated by the process as well as how well they worked together to get started and then for some of the prep to progress ahead.
They worked nearly non-stop … short break for lunch as in VERY short. They finished all about 5:30 which included removing all of the floor coverings, wraps, cleaning all windows to a miracle clear clean, vacuuming all of the work dust … AND going above and beyond with trim upgrades inside and outside.
This crew was stellar: professional, respectful, good communication, hardworking… I was very impressed and pleased. It was not an inexpensive thing for me, but I really feel like it was dollars well spent when all was done.
They moved all of the furniture (much to Oscar’s delight!) as well as removing window coverings. I had them leave all as it was as I decided that I wanted to do a thorough clean as long as the area was clear and I was not sure what I wanted to reinstall re window coverings.
The kitchen windows. The old windows were single pane, thin metal frames. I lost some “sill” in the install, but gained in frame and glass quality: fair trade! I love the black frames. The white trim seems garish. I am still thinking about it, but I am leaning toward replacing the white trim with a natural trim that matches the cupboards and no window covering. The expanded clear view is wonderful!
The “boys room”.
I put the swags back up but not the matchstick blinds. I had the matchstick blinds primarily to cover up the unattractive metal frames and bad glass. Now, with clear windows and attractive frames I am loving the light in this room. I kept the matchsticks … just in case I want them in summer.
The living room. Serious conundrum! I am really loving the look and light of no blinds … except for the window behind the woodstove.
Hee … sorry, this is a pre-put the furniture back photo.
But, that window behind the woodstove is directly opposite my bedroom door. At night, it feels a bit odd. Certainly no one should be anywhere near to see in, but …
I have ordered some insulated panels that would be easy to put up overnight on a tension rod and remove daytime … just to experiment. I have the roman shades that I could clean and reinstall, but I am resisting. I specifically ordered the window by the woodstove as a “double hung” but with a large upper panel so that I had the expanded view outside, but the ability to install the air conditioner hose for the unit I like in that window.
Experience has taught me to slow down and live with things before making final decisions, so … currently I am living with things! Feel free to comment, though. Experience has also taught me that in listening/responding/rebutting other’s thoughts, I often shake out what I want vs the continual loop of thoughts in my brain!
More fun … the morning after the install, I had some work to finish and then, having worked on our holiday Monday, I took some “time off” and started the cleaning and putting the house back to “normal”.
Oscar had the most fun. He LOVED the stacked-up furniture!
Kitten playground!
But, wait!!! I forgot the outside…
Casper, the expert installer, came to me as they installed the kitchen windows. He said that the existing trim was not really “outside” quality trim and he wanted to discuss replacing with clear cedar trim in a “square” pattern. I was onboard, but suggested a “western” take on that…
He was all for it and I am thrilled!
The cedar is fine until it is warm enough to do something … paint or … I am leaning toward a light gray stain vs painting so that the grain shows. Another thing that I am living with.
And now … a mix of trim. BUT, even though I cannot ($$$) replace the rest of the windows, I CAN replace the trim so that the trim matches.
So, kitchen trim inside, outside window trim … window coverings or not and paint or stain.
I met them, was invited into their home, viewed photos of their children and of their children’s weddings.
And I got dear Oscar.
Oscar’s first people remain in my heart. I heard the story of how the parents of his people were persecuted and the grandfather imprisoned for his Christianity.
I cannot begin to understand the current politics, but war is not ever the answer as far as I am concerned.
So.
I send my thoughts and prayers to the Ukraine people and also to the others … that they might consider the ramifications of their actions.
