Dusty’s Got a Bathroom Door.

Step 1: Cut hole

Our cat Dusty who is now 15 years old is getting lazy.  She has always been an outdoor cat and has never had any health problems.  She can still climb trees and is very good at catching mice and moles and sometimes chipmunks.  She would always go outside to “do her business” although she prefers it when I’m out there with her (especially in winter).  The only time we set out a litter box is when we go away for a few days and our neighbor Martha comes over to feed and check on Dusty.

Previously if Dusty wanted to “go” she would let me know because she can talk.  However this summer I would go downstairs in the morning and sometimes notice cat pee and perhaps more on the dining room floor.  It seems Dusty got the notion that this was the area to go even when the litter box was not here. We tried many things to break her of this newly formed habit.

First, I tried holding her nose close to the scene and yelling in a deep voice…bad, no, bad Dusty, I would tap her on the nose three times and put her outside.  This did not work.

Second, we have this plastic owl I traded for at a Yankee Swap Christmas party a few years ago. The owl has a motion detector so when someone walks by it the eyes flash bright green and it bleats out a rather loud WHO…WHO,  WHO…WHO, etcetera for 20 seconds or so.  It seems that the owl and the pussycat have a pact however.  Dusty would step in front of the owl, do her business and the owl never let out a peep until we would walk by it.  It didn’t matter what angle or position we put that owl it was not going to give her up.  

Third, Lauren read or heard that cats don’t like the sound or feel of Aluminum foil under their feet.  So we began to foil our floor in this area.  It was very shiny and… it didn’t work.  Dusty considered the foil a perfect spot to do her business.

We finally gave up and set up the litter box in the utility (furnace) room off of the kitchen.  Although it’s a fairly warm room because of the furnace we did not want to keep the door open all the time so it was time to install a “cat-door”.   This was relatively easy to do.  First, cut a hole the right size through the door and then install the door.  This particular cat door has a clear plastic flap with a magnet on the bottom that holds it in place until the cat pushes against it.  Dusty does not understand this concept yet.  Even though we would open the flap a bit for her she would not push against it to go through on her own.  I have seen her pull full size doors open with her paws but this plastic flap confounds her.  So I took off the flap (for now) and she jumps through the hole when she needs to.  For this I could have just left the first hole I cut in the door as is and saved $25.00

Next I should think about putting a door on our bathroom.  That’s a story for another day. 

Step 2: Install Cat Door

An Amber Visit in October

The Apple Cider Donut Machine at Russell Orchards

Amber was able to come visit us and stay a few days during her birthday month.  We picked her up in Boston last Saturday which was convenient because we were invited to a wedding that same day in Gloucester.  After spending the night in Magnolia we headed over to Essex Seafood Restaurant and met up with the Watson's for lunch.  This would be Don, Ada, Donnie, Kirsten and little Lexi.  Amber and I shared some steamers and fried calamari. Lauren had some fried shrimp. Amber and I have been sharing steamers ever since she was about 2 years old.  She loves lobsters and steamers.

We then headed over to Russel Orchards in Ipswich for the sole purpose of getting some Apple Cider Donuts. These donuts are addictive so we paid, went straight to the car, and starting driving north to Bethel while shoving donuts into our drooling mouths.  Our hope was to be far enough away by the time we finished the donuts where we didn't feel the need to return for more. We just made it.

Yesterday Amber and I walked into town to pay the real estate taxes and the water bill.  Paying bills isn't one of my favorite things to do however I enjoy paying these bills the most because I get to interact with the friendly people like Amy at the town hall and Cally at the water department. In this day of online bill paying and regular mail the face to face interaction is wonderful.  In the afternoon Lauren took Amber over to Jackie's used furniture shop and then over to Nabos which is owned and operated by Amanda who is always friendly and full of zest. After dinner we headed over to Gould Academy where we saw a performance by Burlington Taiko.  Sponsored by the Mahoosuc Arts Council this show was impressive. Taiko is Japanese for Big Drums and that's what this performance was all about. It's an artistic, physical and as you might imagine loud show of this group playing big drums.  Taiko has been used for many purposes in Japanese culture over the years including to dispel evil spirits, pray for rain, and the Samurai used them to instill fear in the enemy.  Sitting in the audience you feel these drums as well as hear them. Thumbs up on this show.

In keeping with the Asian theme we've decided to go out to dinner tonight at Cho Sun and get some Sushi.  Right now we're headed up to the gym and pool at the Bethel Inn to burn off some calories before our dinner.  It's also "dump day" so we need to, have to, must, go to the "transfer station" and see if any goodies await us.  Nothing but the best for Amber when she comes for a visit.

Amber at the Bethel Common

Gloucester Beauty

Sunset from Niles Beach

Half Moon from Half Moon Beach

Improving the Front Entry

Over the last month we have have been (and still are) working on improving the front entry.  That’s right….the entry which no one ever enters except when they delivered our washer and dryer a couple of years ago.  It was gross and needed love and attention.  You could see the window glazing falling out from the inside as well as the outside.  The first step was to remove the four aluminum storm windows which look like they may have been custom made for this entry.  The second step was to remove the old glazing compound which was pretty easy as most of it was falling out anyway.  They third step was to put in new glazing compound with a putty knife which came out okay but took a while because there are 10 panes of glass and I’m slow.  I then scraped all the loose paint around the entry, primed the area, caulked the holes and gaps, and painted it.  During this time Lauren painted those storm windows which I reinstalled on Friday.  It looks a lot better.  We still have to paint the exterior side of the front door itself.  I’m not sure when that will get done but getting this far as the leaves are past peak and with the hint of snow soon feels good. I relish the small steps forward. 

Sunset over Magnolia

Scenes of Summer 2012 - #3

Craft Fair on the Bethel Common

Sister in-law Amy with Lauren at the Covered Bridge - Andover, ME

Rachel and Logan all set to watch the Fireworks from our front yard

Early Morning Main Street - Bethel, ME

Swimming at Webb Lake - Mt. Blue State Park

Sunset over Webb Lake - Weld, ME

Scenes of Summer 2012 - #2

Moving Day for Tommie and Amber from Beverly, MA

Lauren, Amber, Susan, and Tommie in Smithsburg, MD

Cousin Susan and Penny

Helping Amber put together her new bed in her new home in North Carolina 

Tommie in his office at Student U

Scenes of Summer 2012 - #1

Lauren on Gloucester Harbor with Friends Mary, Cindy, Beth, and Mona

Lobsters and Garlic Bread on the Fire Pit with friend Merry  Moses

Having a nice day in Weld, Maine

Homemade Pizza on the Grill

My Shasta Daisies I planted from seed last year

The Mount Will Trail

 Sunday afternoon I took a hike around the Mount Will Trail in Bethel/Newry.  I had hiked up the trail to the South Cliffs last year but never completed the full loop until now.  The trail has a parking area for about 10 cars and is located right across the street from the Bethel Transfer and Recycling Station on Route 2.  I headed up the North Ledges Trail deciding to travel counter-clockwise.  The terrain is steep in some areas so you need to be in moderately good shape to tackle this.  The overall length of the trail is 3.25 miles and along parts of the trail you’ll see some Trilliums growing this time of year. 

 There are nice views from the North Ledges looking out to Hanover and the Bear River Valley but I think the view from the South Cliffs is the best.  Here you can see John and Tim Carter’s Farm (Middle Intervale Farm) just on the other side of the river, Mount Abram and downtown Bethel to the south and the Mahoosuc Range to the west.  I sat on this cliff for ½ an hour enjoying this view while the warm thermal updrafts blew in my face and kept the bugs away.  It was wonderful. Click here for some addtional information about the trail from the Town of Bethel.

Cancer

On April 25^th Lauren had a portion of her lung removed (a lobectomy) to remove a cancerous mass which was growing within.  After testing the mass it came back as related to the cancer which she had in her kidney that was removed just 13 months earlier. This means the cancer has travelled from her kidney to her lung and for us….it is scary. Although she was scanned from head to toe and is now clear of any cancer….it still makes us worried.   

Lauren did fantastic during and after the surgery and was back at home in just three days.  Of course she is still healing and runs short of breath quicker than before but all in all she is progressing well.

We know that with some cancers people go through radiation treatments or chemotherapy but so far we’re being told there is no other treatment for renal cancer other than removal.  On one side of the equation this sounds good because we know what some of the side effects are to these types of treatment but on the other side of the equation; we’re asking if nothing further is done, isn’t there a greater chance of it returning?  So we are confused and are hoping to get another opinion from an expert in the field as soon as we can. 

In the meantime we have experienced, yet again, the love and support of family and friends who were able to visit and send good wishes our way and even deliver us some home cooked meals during this time. Thank you. 

Mini-Greenhouse

Mini-Greenhouse

I was planning to build a raised bed or two for a larger vegetable garden this year but as we rounded the bend in the river of life certain events called for a change of course.  I’ll just be planting a few tomatoes, carrots, and lettuce this year in the same spot I did last year which is not very big and not raised.  However unlike last year I’m starting the seeds early. So last Friday the 13^th I planted some seeds in plain old paper cups. I poked a few holes in the bottom of each cup, slipped in a piece of coffee filter that I had cut to size for the bottom, filled it with potting soil, and stuck in a few seeds.  I borrowed an idea Lauren had showed to me from her Pinterest board where you use a clear plastic tote as a mini-greenhouse.  I think it’s a brilliant idea and I can take it with me easily if we go away for a few days.

Yes that is snow in the yard on April 13th

House Projects

A $3,000 bed for $60

 Last weekend I started working on our entry hallway in earnest. You would think they would call it the non-entry hallway because no one ever uses the front door. Anyway this required scraping paint and loose areas of plaster then refilling those cracks and holes with plaster patch and joint compound. I still have plenty more to do so instead of showing you a work in progress I'll let you view a few photos of the guest bedroom (now furnished) which is the only finished room in the house.

We know the hanging wicker/rattan lampshade (below) is anything but Colonial in style but Lauren's parents bought it when they lived in the Philippines and surviving many moves thereafter without being at all damaged is quite an accomplishment. So it seems that after 40 years somebody should hang it up and use it. Also Lauren showed me a bed that looks pretty much like the one above available from Horchow for $3,000. She bought this one for $60 at Jackie's Used Furniture Barn. 
By the way, if you are reading this on March 29th then wish me a Happy Birthday. Thanks for stopping by.

Now you Tree it….Now you don’t

Yesterday I cut down one of the maple trees in the yard.   There was really only one way it could fall without damaging the house, the branches of another tree, or the power lines.  Fortunately it fell exactly where I wanted it.  As you can see the tree was only a few feet from the house and it was leaning in towards it.  I first climbed up the tree to cut off many of the branches that were growing out towards the house.  I have to say it felt good climbing up the tree because it reminded me of being a kid when I would climb trees all the time. Then I fired up the chain saw, made my cuts, and with a little help from a steel wedge and a sledgehammer I pounded the wedge toward the desired direction of impact.  Mission accomplished.  Now at Shady Acre Farm I’ll have just a bit more sunshine to offer my garden. 

I'll miss this hang out spot

Perfect Landing

The Volcano in Bethel

The annual Bethel Winter Fest was this held this past weekend and the big event was the snow volcano eruption on Saturday night.  A good size crowd showed up to watch this eruption of fire burning brightly atop of our mini-Kilimanjaro. Fortunately there were no lava flows reported and no need for a human sacrifice to please the Gods.  Hats off to all of the people and businesses that made it happen.

Thinking about Spring

Dusty and I were looking out the window last night and I think we were both thinking the same thing….how much longer before we see green grass and feel some warm air?  We both like summer more than winter.  Of course 99% of most living beings probably do. 

Making the best of the season I went cross country skiing yesterday.  It was actually very nice…bright sun, blue sky, and about 18 degrees which is cold but when your XC skiing you don’t feel it.  I met one other couple on the trail who both were skiing with classic old school wooden skis.  She inherited her skis from her mom and they were made of hickory. The hubby had upgraded his wood skis by installing the new style bindings on them. I wish I had taken a picture of them with their wooden skis.

The house project for this weekend was painting a small bookcase Lauren picked up at the dump.  We took off the backing which was crappy fiberboard and I cut a bunch of tongue and groove pine planks to replace it with which will be white whereas the rest of the case is grey. Lauren wants to put one more coat of grey on before I put it back together. By this weekend that project should be done. 

Of course I watched our beloved New England Patriots lose to the New York Giants in the Super Bowl yesterday.  Sad for most us New England fans but I can hear the cheers from here of all the other team fans who just wanted New England to lose.  Yep I hear those San Diego Charger fans cheering for the loss.  Yeah, we lost the Super Bowl again but you know what, at least we got to play in it again and that means we have a great team.   

Winter Shots around the Homestead

Most of us in New England will agree that it has been a very mild winter this season. Of course as I say this it is 16 degrees here with a light snow falling. To put it in perspective though we have only had the driveway plowed three times this winter and tomorrow is February 1st. Here are some winter shots I took around the yard.

The Stonewall

Redosier Dogwood?

 I think this may be a Redosier Dogwood but I'm not sure.  According to Native Plants for your Maine Garden by Maureen Heffernan this native shrub is grown for its red stems which add a nice contrast to the winter landscape. It is supposed to have small white flowers in the spring followed by rounded clusters of white fruit.  We'll see if I have identified this correctly as spring rolls along. 

Birch and Pine

Backside of the Bethel Inn

I'm on one of twelve local dart teams in Bethel and last night we played our match in the Millbrook Tavern at the Bethel Inn.  From the dart board I could look down the hill and see the front light shining from my house. I like that. 

Two Year Check Up

It was two years ago yesterday when we arrived in Bethel to make it our new home address.  Since then all of the things that mean “life” have been happening.  We’re making friends, finding our niches in the community and enjoying what we have.  Desire is something that brought us here, with intention, to this little speck of land, on this little planet we all call home.  Appreciation is the other thing that needs to happen every day and often. To appreciate health, love, family, and a cat who wakes you up at 5 AM. To appreciate snow, cold, and crystal clear skies that shimmering back to acknowledge your view. To appreciate the opposing polar forces inherent on earth and perhaps realize that this is what holds us together. If I close one eye I can see a dozen things that need to be done.  If I close the other eye I can appreciate what is. Maybe the formula is Desire + Appreciation = Balance.

Thanks for stopping by. 

Tax Dollars at Work

Road side signs can be useful although it seems like there are just too many of them.  It was around April or May of last year (2011) that the Maine Department of Transportation installed a new yellow diamond shape warning sign at the end of our driveway.  They dug the hole, put in the steel sign post and fastened a brand new sign that read “HIDDEN DRIVE” with the symbol below that indicates a hidden drive.  I can’t say I was thrilled about this new sign being erected at the end of our driveway but we are located on a State road where the speed limit is posted at 45 miles per hour (which of course means people drive 55 mph and faster) and not too far beyond our home the road begins to curve and there are homes located on this curve.  So it is true these driveways are hidden until you come right up on them and if it at all helps to protect our neighbors from getting hit by a fast moving vehicle then I’m in favor of the sign. 

Today we saw a DOT truck and crew working on this sign.  The sign had not been damaged in any way and we noticed that they were taking down the “HIDDEN DRIVE” sign and installing another sign that read “HIDDEN DRIVE” with the symbol below it.  That’s right…they were replacing the sign with a new copy of the same sign that wasn’t even one year old yet?  I asked the guys jokingly if the old sign was spelled wrong.  The response was ….well it’s a long story.  I asked if it was a slightly different color although it looked the same.  One of the guys said it might have a different reflective design for higher visibility.  Then one of them said if the signs aren’t dated correctly they have to replace them to “meet the mandate.”  It seemed that they were trying to find something sensible to say to me about a very non-sensible event. 

I’m not sure how much one of these signs cost and I’m not sure how much each of these three gentleman earn but if you add it all up you’ll have to agree that it doesn’t add up.  There has to be better use of time and energy for our tax dollars.