Eva’s Friends

[ksbkeys]

I was all fired up to do great things: clean the house from top to bottom, run two miles every day, and sew a Christmas present for everyone in my family...but then I got sick. Not badly, but I have had a dull headache and been sensitive to both light and noise for the last three days. Now post nasal drip is causing a cough. I hate coughing.

This week I resubmitted the background check for the USCG. Once it's approved my recruiter will put me on the early-ship list. That means I could be leaving earlier than April...it's really nerve-wracking to think about!

I seem to have an infection on the side of one finger. That makes it a little difficult to type.

A couple nights ago I came upstairs to find Con playing with a baby mouse! I managed to rescue it before the dogs got hold of it. Con has no claws and hardly any teeth, so she couldn't really hurt it, but he was awfully scared. Poor little mouse.

The moon is shining quite brightly through the trees. I have always associated the moon with stories of bravery and adventure. And cemeteries.

After an hour's intermission, I have returned to my computer here to see that the moon has disappeared and it's nearly 10:00.

Remembering Pearl Harbor today...it was a Sunday like this exactly eighty-four years ago. I wonder what people were doing when they heard? Did anyone sleep that night? Incidentally, there's only twelve survivors left.

Due to the cold weather, I was unable to take any pictures .

My favorite (and only) houseplant
View attachment 4262854

Sorry you got sick! I love how you are excited and eager to do so many things! Life is never boring as there are so many ways to use our time.

God bless you in your career in the USCG.

Speaking of Pearl Harbor day, that is the same day as my grandmother's birthday. She was born in 1915 and lived to be nearly 90. Pearl Harbor was something she used to tell me about. She had brothers serve in World War 2 and she would often tell me about ration cards and what it was like.

Your plant is beautiful.

 

[Callender Girl]

Sorry to hear that you're under the weather. BTW, I looked it up, and that phrase has a nautical origin as sick sailors were sent "under the weather deck" to recover inside the ship.

Anyway, I hope you're feeling better soon! Everything you described is unpleasant, but I agree with you about coughing! A couple of years ago, I came down with a virus (not Covid) that caused me to cough relentlessly for weeks. My stomach muscles and rib area hurt from the repeated contractions.

I was also dealing with mice this week, but mine had fatal endings. Dinah, who likes to sleep upstairs on my bed, refused to settle down a few nights ago. She was frantically running around, in and out of the bedroom, over to the guest room, down the hallway -- in short, making it impossible for me to fall asleep.

I finally got up, and she flushed a mouse out from behind the armoire; it ran into the guest room and under the short legs of a chest of drawers. I always keep mouse traps set in the winter, and one had already caught a mouse; I put a new trap under the chest, and resigned myself to sleeping downstairs on the couch. I knew Dinah wouldn't settle down, and I didn't want to hear if and when the trap worked.

In the morning, the second mouse was dead, and it seems there are no more. For now. Old farmhouses are prime winter locations for mice. I'm surprised the basement cats let any escape into my living quarters.

I discovered a less-successful escape this morning when I let Dinah and George out. She usually dashes back in when it's this cold (8 degrees), but dallied outside. I found much of the bloody remains of a rabbit, quite near the house. Based on tracks and direction, I think it's the bunny that lived under the old playhouse (where I store gardening stuff) and the most likely predator was a coyote. Before the newest snowfall, I saw coyote tracks at the end of the driveway.

In recent days, there have been two major snowstorms; last night there was just a dusting of snow. I can get the snowblower started, but it won't keep running. Consequently, I've gotten lots of exercise shoveling.

So, if you leave before April, how much notice do you get to get everything in order and prepare? I think you are very brave for taking on this new adventure, whether it's for a few years or a lifetime career.

Your lone houseplant is beautiful!

 

[Evadig]

By Sunday, I was feeling better. I took the dogs to the dog park after church and they got to play with a few other varmints. Annie was all "I'm so tough" barking and dancing when we were on the other side of the fence, but once I let them into the same pen, she hid behind me! Eventually she warmed up to one of the ladies there and even sniffed noses with the other dogs.

Monday I began to clean, but I didn't get very far. I'm working on a planner for my sister which is very time consuming. It is a yearly planner and I am creating a scene for each page. That is a lot of different scenes to come up with, and because I like mine to look realistic, it is hard to find the right "elements" or pictures.

Yesterday I spent all morning working on a piano version of John Philip Sousa's The Thunderer. It is beautiful when played by the Marine Band, but the piano hardly does it justice. Besides The Thunderer, I also know a basic version of his Semper Fidelis and a slightly more proper version of The Stars and Stripes Forever. These three are my favorite marches of his, and even though they don't sound the greatest on the piano, I still enjoy playing them.

Constance is not doing well. Yesterday she hardly ate; today she ate a little more but still, scarcely anything. She just sleeps.

Eva is also not really eating. I don't understand why, because she's clearly starving. She wants to eat - everything but her own food. I don't know if she's just spoiled (when she's in heat or on a trip, I feed her canned food), or it's making her sick, or what?

Well, anyway. It has been cold except for today, which was just slightly warmer. I did not really take any pictures...

Sorry you got sick! I love how you are excited and eager to do so many things! Life is never boring as there are so many ways to use our time.

God bless you in your career in the USCG.

I think you are very brave for taking on this new adventure, whether it's for a few years or a lifetime career.

Thank you so much for your support. It means a lot to me .

Speaking of Pearl Harbor day, that is the same day as my grandmother's birthday. She was born in 1915 and lived to be nearly 90. Pearl Harbor was something she used to tell me about. She had brothers serve in World War 2 and she would often tell me about ration cards and what it was like.

Oh, wow! That must have been interesting. My grandma was born 1939, so she really didn't remember anything about the War.

Your plant is beautiful.

Your lone houseplant is beautiful!

Thank you!

Sorry to hear that you're under the weather. BTW, I looked it up, and that phrase has a nautical origin as sick sailors were sent "under the weather deck" to recover inside the ship.

You know, I never thought to look up the origin of that phrase, though I've wondered about it many times! That's real interesting!

In the morning, the second mouse was dead, and it seems there are no more. For now. Old farmhouses are prime winter locations for mice. I'm surprised the basement cats let any escape into my living quarters.

Poor mice . Mine is still living in a bucket and eating cheese. I named him Martin. I need to let him go but Finnegan got out and as long as he's up in the woods it's not safe for any mouse!

In recent days, there have been two major snowstorms; last night there was just a dusting of snow. I can get the snowblower started, but it won't keep running. Consequently, I've gotten lots of exercise shoveling.

Is it one of those push ones or a riding one? I think the push ones are almost as much work as shoveling! I haven't have to shovel that much snow for a while, though.

So, if you leave before April, how much notice do you get to get everything in order and prepare?

It kind of depends on how much notice the original recruit gives the recruiter that they won't be going to basic. I've heard you get as little as a few days' notice sometimes, but it's usually about a few weeks. And it's not mandatory, they just ask if you want to take that slot and if you can't or don't want to, they just move onto the next person and you keep your original ship date. That was a mouthful! Hopefully it's intelligible!

Spoiler: Martin the Mouse

Eva looking for Finnegan

Constance

Jane

 

[ksbkeys]

Yesterday I spent all morning working on a piano version of John Philip Sousa's The Thunderer. It is beautiful when played by the Marine Band, but the piano hardly does it justice. Besides The Thunderer, I also know a basic version of his Semper Fidelis and a slightly more proper version of The Stars and Stripes Forever. These three are my favorite marches of his, and even though they don't sound the greatest on the piano, I still enjoy playing them.

I have a degree in music and have been a piano teacher for over 30 years. My students are preparing for their Holiday Recital on the 20th. I am playing a very fun but difficult duet with a student on the Ukrainian Bell Carol. So glad you play piano! Is your family musical?

 

[Evadig]

I had a lot of trouble getting this post started, so I thought I’d write it like a story:

My dinner lay half-eaten beside me, an unappetizing stew without broth and a piece of dried out banana bread. I was hungry, but there were so many things to do that dinner was the least of my concerns. In fact, I had literally forgotten to eat. It had been a long day. I'd been up until the wee hours of the morning watching vintage films when I wasn't petting Constance. She had had a hard night - dry heaving, coughing, phlegm rattling in her throat. Now she was sleeping on her pillow, her body rising and falling irregularly. I sighed. It was hard caring for a cat caught between enjoying the sunshine and wracking her lungs out.

It was also hard to wait. Waiting for Christmas, for my sister to come home from California, for basic training. I just wanted the waiting to be over, but then you were promptly left waiting for something else. I tried to fill the time with cleaning the basement (yet again!!) and playing the piano, but you could only do either for so long, and there were four very long hours between darkness and bedtime. Some days were busier than others, but with the cold weather they were far and few between. One day when the high temperature had been forty-three, I'd taken advantage of the sun to put more plastic on the Muddy Run, hang the Christmas lights, and figure out why all the heated beds had stopped working. It took two days before I figured out the fuse had tripped.

As I paused in the writing of this post, I noticed the stew and the hardened banana bread. Better eat it before my mom came in...she'd have a fit if I didn't. Sighing, I uploaded the photos for the day and hastily clicked "post reply" just as the podcast ended in the next room.

In other news...

I let Martin the Mouse go in our back woods with a stash of nuts to hopefully keep him away from the house. He’s grown quite a bit in that last week!

I went for a run Thursday, tripped on a rock, fell down and literally saw stars (I did not hit my head, thank goodness). I just thought it was interesting because you always hear of people “seeing stars” but I thought it was only a figure of speech.

It snowed last night but most of it’s melted; however, it’s now really windy out.

I have a degree in music and have been a piano teacher for over 30 years. My students are preparing for their Holiday Recital on the 20th. I am playing a very fun but difficult duet with a student on the Ukrainian Bell Carol. So glad you play piano! Is your family musical?

Oh, my! I’ve never heard the Ukrainian Bell Carol on the piano. I didn’t even know that was the name of it.

No, none of my family isn’t musical. I think my sister and I are the only ones who can even read music. I was going to get a music degree but the teacher wanted me to memorize a piece and then do a recital…not happening!

The Thunderer is coming along nicely, despite seeming overwhelming when I first looked at it! I've actually had the music about six months but it just looked too difficult. I've only had about 1.5 years of piano and 1 year of organ, so anything beyond four-part hymns is intimidating.

That reminds me, I forgot to say back in November, this year is my tenth of playing organ! I had been looking forward to that anniversary for a while.

Eva

Finnegan

Annie

Brianna

The new deck

Digging a hole...

 

[Callender Girl]

How is Constance doing? Sorry I haven't posted for a while. There has been so much going on here -- horrible weather, better weather (but with melting and refreezing), a scare with one of the ducks and my adventures with coyotes and an opossum.

I hope you've gotten your appetite back. I am good with eating breakfast, but I sometimes realize it's mid-afternoon and I still haven't had lunch. If I eat lunch late, then I don't think about dinner. But, boy, do I want a before-bedtime snack!

Thank goodness you didn't hit your head when you fell! I've had my first slip up of the winter. Mostly, it just hurt my pride.

During the bitter cold spell, one of my runner ducks, Blair, literally froze to the floor of the shelter. She had relieved herself and apparently not moved afterward. i panicked when Blair didn't come out of the shelter with the others and was flapping her wings frantically but getting nowhere. I massaged her feet and put a warmed microwavable medical wrap up against her. Her only "injury" was the loss of a few feathers that stayed stuck to the poop on the floor.

Glad to hear Martin the Mouse returned to the wild. I got to "relocate" an opossum, yesterday, although I suspect it will be back.

I had finished afternoon chores and was waiting to put them to bed when girls in two of the chicken coops went crazy. I ran out and looked everywhere for a coyote or an eagle. Nothing.

Then, I spotted a pair of beady little eyes peeking around the end of a coop. I hurried the girls inside, but the possum disappeared under the raised coop. I couldn't get it to come out, even when I pushed it with a shovel handle. So, I waited. On my stomach, lying in the snow.

Finally, it came out and, as I backed it toward a large frozen drift, it hissed viciously. But, I managed to grab its tail and carried it to the compost pile, where I hoped it would find something to eat that it liked more than spilled chicken feed! We'll see.

The coyotes have been particularly vocal lately, and I've been doing some research on how a single coyote can use its voice to sound like multiple coyotes at once. Night before last, one was clearly close; it sounded like a human scream, but I knew better.

The coyote was by my veggie garden when I surprised it. I knew coyotes have a great vertical jump, but this one demonstrated an incredible horizontal leap. In the morning, I checked out the tracks in the snow, and the critter easily jumped at least four or five feet. I find coyotes fascinating, but I'd like them much better at a distance.

I can get my snowblower to start, but it still won't run. Good thing it's warm enough the snow will be melting! I'm so tired of shoveling.

Hope you're making great progress with The Thunderer!

 

[Evadig]

Christmas comes but once a year,
Oh, how I wish you all were here
That joy abundant may appear.
The thought of Christmas brings a tear
For those who died, perhaps in fear
But they rest in peace, and now may hear
In silver tones the angels clear.
As Christmas Day draws ever near
I wish you all peace and good cheer.

Ok, now that's out of the way...I've been writing Christmas cards and it is so hard to think of anything to say, so I just make up poems. Is that immature? My family members kind of think so. But what else can you write, when the card has a preprinted message?

One of my favorite things about Christmas is buying gifts for everyone. I really don't care if I get anything or not, it's just fun seeing them open their gifts - especially my sister, she's still young enough to be excited.

It's been fairly warm out with two stormy days. I went for a run one such warm day and halfway through found myself sitting on the side of the road throwing up into the leaves and hoping no cars drove by. I guess the protein drink I had earlier made me sick. At any rate I managed to finish my run, still under the time limit (you have to run 1.5 miles in 15 minutes or less).

Thursday I took Finnegan and Brianna to the vet clinic at Tractor Supply to get their rabies booster. Both cats were not happy about the car ride (Finn yowled and Bri threw up) but seemed pretty calm while waiting in line, even when the puppy behind us wandered over to investigate.
But...Brianna went first and bit the vet, hissed and lashed at the assistant who had to use thick gloves to even zip the carrier back up, and so she did not get her rabies. She'll need to be sedated at her next appointment. Finnegan, on the other hand, was shockingly calm and even sniffed the vet. He is a very good boy.

I'm working in the basement again...no matter how much I clean and pack it seems there is always more to do. And so many things that have sentimental value but we'll never use...I just pack them away. Maybe some day my hypothetical children will want them.

I played organ for both Masses this Sunday. I'm happy because everything went well and I'll get a desperately needed $250.

How is Constance doing?

She's okay, not good nor bad. Still coughing a lot, and has been throwing up more frequently.

But, boy, do I want a before-bedtime snack!

Me too! No matter how much I eat in the daytime, I always want something before bed!

During the bitter cold spell, one of my runner ducks, Blair, literally froze to the floor of the shelter. She had relieved herself and apparently not moved afterward. i panicked when Blair didn't come out of the shelter with the others and was flapping her wings frantically but getting nowhere. I massaged her feet and put a warmed microwavable medical wrap up against her. Her only "injury" was the loss of a few feathers that stayed stuck to the poop on the floor.

Oh, dear! It must have been pretty cold then. Good thing you were there to help her get unstuck!

Then, I spotted a pair of beady little eyes peeking around the end of a coop. I hurried the girls inside, but the possum disappeared under the raised coop. I couldn't get it to come out, even when I pushed it with a shovel handle. So, I waited. On my stomach, lying in the snow.

Finally, it came out and, as I backed it toward a large frozen drift, it hissed viciously. But, I managed to grab its tail and carried it to the compost pile, where I hoped it would find something to eat that it liked more than spilled chicken feed! We'll see.

You what?! You are far braver than I! (or would it be me?) I like opossums but could not imagine picking one up by the tail. How long did you have to wait in the snow?

The coyotes have been particularly vocal lately, and I've been doing some research on how a single coyote can use its voice to sound like multiple coyotes at once.

Now I also have to go research this!

I can get my snowblower to start, but it still won't run. Good thing it's warm enough the snow will be melting! I'm so tired of shoveling.

Hope you're making great progress with The Thunderer!

Hopefully the snow has melted? Here it will be 50F for Christmas!

The Thunderer is coming along very well; now I'm just trying to get it up to speed.

I took a lot of pictures. Hopefully there are not too many.

The Muddy Run

This is an example of what I have to deal with - a whole lot of useful junk, never used but might be needed, and a sentimental bullet casing.

Some birds at the pet store

Sunset (yes, I stopped to take the picture).

Brianna

Finnegan at the vet

Close up of a rainbow the other day

What are you doing?! We want breakfast!

Double rainbow!

Con also wants breakfast...

Who that crazy lady running back and forth singing this song?

Eva

 

[Evadig]

Merry Christmas y’all!

 

[Callender Girl]

I hope you and your family enjoyed Christmas! I think my Christmas wore me out a bit; I spent hours yesterday trying to get rid of a headache. And, it's not like me to laze around on the sofa all day, which I did -- except, of course, when I had to get up to take care of critters.

My sister and brother-in-law came up on Christmas Eve and stayed overnight. We had planned to drive around to see Christmas lights, but it's been -- and still is -- so foggy that we skipped that idea. I like the warmer weather, but there's so much mud and it's mixed with some of the leftover ice, so walking around is messy and challenging.

I'm with you. Buying presents that people really like and seeing them open those gifts is better than me getting presents. However, my "big" gift from them this year was a pair of Muck chore boots, and I'm very happy about that. My "best" pair has splits down the backs of both and despite using a boot repair silicone, still leak a bit.

Your work in the basement sounds like my work in the garage -- never-ending. When Jim was alive, he was known for collecting tools and gadgets. He often had multiples of whatever: hammers, wrench sets, chain saws, hand saws, whatever. I'm sure there are still at least a half dozen metal tape measures in the garage -- and at least four in the house. I think when Jim couldn't immediately find something, he just bought another. Me? I'll scour the whole property before I break down and spend money on something I'm sure I already have -- somewhere!

I like that you write poems in cards. My mom used to write silly little poems for us. Back when I was a kid and things you ordered through the Sears or Penney's catalogs took days or weeks to arrive, one year I opened a Christmas present to only find a poem explaining why there was nothing else in the box. My mom died in 1987 and I still have that little piece of paper with her poem written on it.

If you decide to do a little research into coyote vocalizations, they use what's called the "Beau Geste effect," referring to a novel in which dead soldiers were propped up to appear to be a much larger defense force. From what I've read, two coyotes can sound like as many as seven or eight. Even two is undesirable!!

I'm happy to report that the relocated opossum has not resurfaced here. Although I only had to lay in the snow for several minutes to catch it, I don't enjoy having my face that close to an opossum's little grinning, hissing face. Because their eyesight is so poor, generally they're catchable as long as you are down wind and make small movements. I briefly thought it had come back yesterday, but it turned out to just be a bunny under one of the coops that was making some chickens fussy.

Hope you, your family and all the critters are doing well as we head toward 2026!

 

[Evadig]

I almost forgot to write. I hope you all had a Merry Christmas!

Mine was pretty quiet. We drove up into western Pennsylvania to look at churches/towns again. I think it would have been a nice place to live back when the mines were open but now all the towns are very sleepy little hamlets, mostly rundown. The churches still stand proud but it seems the congregation skews to the older side, though there are two universities! I don't know where all the students are coming from!

My sister sent me a mouse pad she made off Canva. I forgot to take a picture this time.

Friday and Saturday I worked in the basement opening, condensing, and repacking boxes again. Then I got sidetracked with my sister's dolls and spent the rest of the day using them as models for photography practice.

I have to take Finnegan back to the vet because the rescue wants a stool sample and more shots. I wish they would have told me that earlier.

Constance is meowing from her cat tower, making it really hard to think. She's been batting me when I pet her as of late - don't know if she's trying to get treats or just doesn't want to be petted.

Eva still refuses to eat until she's literally starving, and is now guarding all the bones in the house; Annie's too afraid to touch any of them now. I got the vet to give me a different prescription for Eva; maybe a change of food will help.

Today being Sunday we went to church and also picked up my new glasses. I was glad to get them because my old pair are scratched, but the prescription in one set seems to be off. I don't know how that's possible! The other set has transitions which I really do not like but I was told I need to wear sunglasses when outside.

My sister and brother-in-law came up on Christmas Eve and stayed overnight. We had planned to drive around to see Christmas lights, but it's been -- and still is -- so foggy that we skipped that idea.

I'm glad you weren't alone for Christmas! Do a lot of people put up lights there? Not many people have decorated where we are.

Your work in the basement sounds like my work in the garage -- never-ending. When Jim was alive, he was known for collecting tools and gadgets. He often had multiples of whatever: hammers, wrench sets, chain saws, hand saws, whatever. I'm sure there are still at least a half dozen metal tape measures in the garage -- and at least four in the house. I think when Jim couldn't immediately find something, he just bought another. Me? I'll scour the whole property before I break down and spend money on something I'm sure I already have -- somewhere!

Oh, dear! What did you end up doing with all the extras? And why do tools, of all things, have the knack for disappearing? My dad has gone through at least three sets of knee pads in four years. Despite cleaning the basement multiple times, we have never been able to find them.

If you decide to do a little research into coyote vocalizations, they use what's called the "Beau Geste effect," referring to a novel in which dead soldiers were propped up to appear to be a much larger defense force. From what I've read, two coyotes can sound like as many as seven or eight. Even two is undesirable!!

I did research it, and it is fascinating! I feel like I had read of the dead soldiers idea somewhere, too...

I'm happy to report that the relocated opossum has not resurfaced here. Although I only had to lay in the snow for several minutes to catch it, I don't enjoy having my face that close to an opossum's little grinning, hissing face. Because their eyesight is so poor, generally they're catchable as long as you are down wind and make small movements.

Couldn't they just charge and bite you? Or they're too blind to see what's actually in front of them?

Hope you, your family and all the critters are doing well as we head toward 2026!

You as well!

Beautiful Blue Jay

Barbara got out while I was putting a new toy in the cage...

One of the pictures I did with some of her dolls:

@ksbkeys I thought you might like this - it's the Carol of the Bells (sort of) set to police lights! Starts around 0:40.