Author Archives: Joel

Wet and heavy, already sagging off any slanting surface. Just when the mud was starting to dry…

I pull out the trashcan and the undercoat rake, he’s right there. “Brush me more, Uncle Joel.” As long, you know, as I keep it away from his butt. Hey, I sympathize. But he knows that little tub of ear … Continue reading →

7:30 and the sky was so dark it took that long before there was enough light for a walkie. At least the mud was mostly frozen, so we got in a good if rather gloomy walkie. The forecast promised more … Continue reading →

Mornings like this I think heretical thoughts: “If I hadn’t gotten this big dog, I could have stayed in bed.” And have I mentioned lately how much I hate mud? I have a scraper and a rough mat down below … Continue reading →

Went to town briefly with Neighbor L this morning. Neighbor D is still in the hospital but reportedly improving. In among the conversation, she complained that her telephone kept going into Airplane Mode on its own. Me: “Y’know, I don’t … Continue reading →

After nearly a week of springlike weather – without the bad parts of spring like obnoxious wind – I’m told we’re in for a week of winter. It’s starting rather mildly… …with overnight rain. Liquid precipitation is not that common … Continue reading →

Probably because it was in all the cop movies when I was a kid, right? I didn’t know they were called J-frames, I didn’t know anything about S&W revolvers, but Chief’s Specials just always seemed so very cool. So I’m … Continue reading →

Is a dream about work. Not working, I don’t mind that, but being at a workplace. The usual version of this dream is where I’m technically employed there but I don’t seem to have an actual job – or maybe … Continue reading →

I keep finding more reasons to hate wood pellet stoves, and I don’t even own one. Neighbor D is back in the hospital, more infection trouble AND somehow he managed to catch the flu, and Neighbor L is on her … Continue reading →

Joel faces the world through his laptop screen, and gets it wrong again…

Woke up this morning, stumbled into the main room, and saw that the outside temperature read 34o. Technically above freezing. At six ayem. I had to go see this for myself: Must have really clouded up overnight. Nope. It’s mid-January, … Continue reading →

It got cold last night… Nowhere near a record, but it did manage to freeze the toilet pipe again. Which means I should be crawling under the cabin to see what the problem with the insulation is. Rats, I have … Continue reading →

The wind blew hard all night… …covering the snow that was still on the ground with a layer of sand. Kind of reminded me of Detroit when I was a kid, when the decaying snow drifts were covered with black … Continue reading →

I got the Jeep’s new rear window hinges yesterday and we’re due for another snowstorm tomorrow, so… …my window of procrastination on this chore was brief. Temperature’s up to 44o this afternoon, so although the mud was annoying at least … Continue reading →

All else is illusion. Also: The things I see when I’m not holding a camera, if you only knew… So it’s post-walkie and Tobie is playing with the remnant of his knuckle bone before the morning nap. It takes a … Continue reading →

It actually stayed sunny all day with just a little afternoon haze, but it never got nearly above freezing and so promised a nice cold night. Could have been worse but I’m pretty sure my pipes are trying to freeze. … Continue reading →

Have I mentioned that I hate winter? Felt like I barely slept at all last night. At a minimum I was up at eleven, quarter to two, and a little after four and each time doubted I was going to … Continue reading →

So early yesterday we had that snowstorm and then it was gloomy all day. Ran the Honda to charge the batteries up to full, so I didn’t have to worry about hauling my old bones up a scary slippery ladder … Continue reading →

…and it arrived exactly on schedule. Which is to say in the wee hours. I woke at three to the sound of wind in the eaves, and was not altogether surprised to find that I had to shovel my way … Continue reading →

…and all the sourdoughs come out to stock up on food, freak out at the crowd and hurry back home where it’s quiet. Or at least that’s what I always end up doing. I almost always see a bunch of … Continue reading →