Emerging from the Fog

I feel like I've lost about two weeks' worth of time.  I cannot believe it's mid-April already.  I'm finally getting over this damn creepin' crud that has hung on for over a week.  Most of my friends that had it said it lasted almost two weeks.  Unfortunately I could no longer put off a rather expensive and important car repair so I feel better that it's taken care of, even though I had to drag myself to the shop feeling like crap.  We kept smelling antifreeze every time I turned the car off but the temperature was fine.  Took the car in for an oil change and mentioned it to them, and further testing revealed that my radiator was leaking bad.  So one new radiator, oil change, air filter and new wipers later, I have a fixed car that is running way better.  

Then I forced myself to go to urgent care one morning last week because I just couldn't take the coughing anymore and I was desperately hoping for a nebulizer breathing treatment.  Chest xrays revealed no pneumonia or bronchitus and I got the nebulizer, a couple prescriptions and sent on my way.  Then my poor hubs texts me that he was now sick, so I stopped off at the grocery store to pick up chicken soup fixins, and I couldn't resist treating myself to this adorable little owlie, that I named Ookpik.  

I also made him a shepherd's pie which he just loved too.  He seemed a little unsure about my using chili sauce with the meat but he absolutely devoured this.  Hadn't made this since I moved here and I think it'll end up in the regular rotation.  

I totally stalled out on this commissioned cross stitch piece of a Hummel design when I got sick, so I put in a couple of hours on it yesterday.  I would love to have this done by the summer.  

Oh yeah, I shot these a couple of weeks ago on a very frosty morning.  It was our last one.  It's frost on the glass chunks on the deck rail.

Speaking of emerging, here come the flowers and stuff!  Finally!  Very late this year but better late than never.

I absolutely hate yardwork but I had to do something about the area around the metal shed.  I should've taken a 'before' picture but it was so freakin white trash that I couldn't even bear to show anyone what it looked like.  There were tons of vines and stick-like trees and brambles all growing in front of the fence and all over the side of the shed.  This shed is badly damaged from the snow, so I wanted to get it cleaned up around it before we venture inside and see what is going to have to be thrown out.

I got some loppers and went to work and cut down everything in front of the fence and the side of the shed that I could reach.  Then I moved a bunch of stuff up to the really bad wooden shed on the hill, that already had gaping holes in the sides where the windows and door should be, but can still accommodate things like plastic totes, since the roof is not leaky.  We are going to clean off that futon frame and put it on the deck with new outdoor cushions. 

But before I could move the plastic stuff up to the wooden shed, I had to remove all the cardboard boxes that I stored from my move in 2011 and which have been soaked by rain/snow and chewed on by rodents.  I cannot believe how many boxes were up there.  I should've gotten rid of these ages ago but I let it go.  I sure hope the recycling people pick it up today.  There are also 3 large lawn bags full of filthy bubble wrap and styrofoam.  

In other news, we went couch shopping all day on Saturday in Stoughton where all the furniture stores are and it was just absolutely wretched.  Didn't see anything we liked at all.  We are looking for either a sleeper sofa or futon-type one, not necessarily a futon though.  The prices were outrageous and the cost for delivery was even worse, not to mention pushy salespeople.  Pull out beds suck....the mattresses are awful. I had a couch on order from BJ's Wholesale but they screwed me on the two day delivery so I told them to cancel the whole thing and return the couch to sender.  After two days they finally sent me confirmation of shipping, which was not going to be in two days.  I emailed them and they tell me that two day isn't available for large furniture, which is something they kinda need to put on the website.  I went back and forth with them on this screw up for days.  I'd ordered it for delivery when Russell would be home but was told it wouldn't come till Monday.  Therefore, I'd be stuck trying to maneuver a 150 lb couch into the house myself, and trying to get my old couch out the house by myself.  As it turned out, Russell was home till today so after shopping on Saturday to no avail, we decided to go ahead and accept the couch because it was going to be delivered anyway.  I was told that I'd have to tell the driver 'no we won't take it', so I figured fine, let them show up and we'll just accept it.  Time was marching on yesterday so I checked the delivery status and their website said they went ahead and processed the return without coming out to the house!  So back to square one.  I didn't think it'd be this hard to find a couch but apparently it is.  I guess I have no choice but to go to Hyannis.