The Trip South

Saturday Morning, November 22, 2014

Here it is, Saturday morning. I am watching the road reports like a hawk circling prey. Right now ice pellets are pelting out of the sky, I can hear them hitting the chimneys. Attila is out there working in it, and will return home for lunch. After lunch we pack the car and leave for the little house in the city.

Everything has been gathered and placed near the back door, so that loading the car will merely involve carrying things out, and finding a place for them. I am bringing canning jars and the pressure canner and the hot water bath canner, hoping for an opportunity to put them all to use. I have all the discarded shirts ready to go, hoping for an opportunity to transform them into towels, hot pads, tote bags, and curtains. I have lots of warm clothes packed, a few books, and of course my computer!

The weather people keep saying, over and over again, that the ice pellets will turn to rain by this afternoon. The road reports indicate the roads are now completely clear, and wet. Since it is a smidgen above freezing now, the ice pellets should melt on contact with the road, so the roads should stay clear and wet. Clear and wet is not a problem!

There are flood warnings in this part of the world, over the next few days as the snow melts and the rains fall. We are high and dry, and barring anything unusual, we should be fine. There are a few dwellings on the waterfront near here, that may face some serious challenges though. One of our neighbours has just purchased a low-lying cottage, which was flooded a few years ago. One wonders if the new owner was filled in on this before the purchase, or if they are about to learn from experience. I wish them luck, whatever the case may be.

Saturday Night, November 22, 2014

We arrived at our destination just after 6:30 p.m., the roads were clear and wet the whole way down.

We let ourselves into the house, turned on the lights, the heat, the water, and the hot water tank. Then we went into the kitchen.

Mice!

Droppings on the counter, the kitchen table, in the cupboards, on some of the dishes, and one food container had been compromised, one that held macaroni. Sigh.

Out came the bleach and soap, and Attila and I went to work cleaning. It took only an hour to get everything clean!

I will have my work cut out for me while I am here, I am on mouse patrol! The traps were sprung but empty, the mice are getting smarter. Oh well, I will keep trying different things until I get all of them.

Time for a little rest, and then we unpack the car!

Worldly Distractions

Weather

0°C
Date: 11:37 AM EST Saturday 22 November 2014
Condition: Light Snow
Pressure: 101.5 kPa
Visibility: 10 km
Temperature: -0.2°C
Dewpoint: -1.5°C
Humidity: 91%
Wind: S 13 km/h
Wind Chill: -4

Quote

“Flowers never emit so sweet and strong a fragrance as before a storm. When a storm approaches thee, be as fragrant as a sweet-smelling flower.”
Jean Paul Richter
1763 – 1825

19 Comments
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WendyNC

Maggie, it seems that if it’s not one thing, it’s two. I was reading along and being glad the roads were okay and then–a big bit of work at the end of the drive and a battle ahead. If we had teleporter technology, I’d send our Jack up there to help. Some 15 pounds of mostly Maine Coon with a good record might be just the thing.

TopsyTurvy (Teri)

Oh, no! Must be that cold weather and snow that set those mice all to scurrying indoors. The only thing that will keep them out when it comes to storage is glass, I’m sorry to say.

It’s really a good thing that you came back when you did.

Glad you had a safe trip!

Irene Bean

Reclamation is speedy – whether it be animals or vegetation. I remember one summer I was away from the mountain for 2 weeks, When I returned there was discarded snake skin on my front porch. Mind you, a harmless snake… but EWWWWWW.

Am so happy with your report of a safe arrival. I’d fretted. xoxo

NORA

Maggie,
I was so glad you made it safely to the Little House. Then, ut oh, mice! When I was young I used to catch them and watch them for a day and then release them. One time I forgot to put the lid on the jar of seed I was baiting them with. I woke up the next day to a jar housing a mouse. The jar had been put close to something that the mouse stepped up on and then dropped down into the seed jar. After she/he ate the seed it could not get out of the jar. Now this may give you an idea for a trap.

I like your plans for the discarded shirts. I wish I was as resourceful as you are. I just visit the Dollar Store!

Reens, I would have been very happy to have taken that snake skin away. I had one Hubby found outside at a lumber store in the 80’s. I loved it and felt it a treasure. Last year it was so far gone I got rid of it.

Guess you will be on mouse duty for a bit Maggie. Hope Mist is a good mouser or at least can chase them away.

Bex

Eeeek! A Mouse? or two? or more? Heavenly days Magee… does it ever stop? The Universe slapping us all upside the head? Can’t we just be left to run along smoothly for even a day or a week or a month? Just when things seem resolved, whap! It’s something new.

I once had mice come into a kitchen drawer (in an old house/apartment) where I had stashed the Halloween candy bars, inside a tightly covered and sturdy plastic container… they ate right thru that thing and got the candy. I wonder what hard plastic does to the digestion of a mouse?

TopsyTurvy (Teri)

DH’s brother lives just outside of Toronto. When we were visiting them the other weekend he was telling us that they’d been having mice coming into their beautiful home for the last several weeks. Some of their surrounding area is farmland and some just open undeveloped land but they’re in the middle of a very large subdivision, so I was surprised that mice would make it all the way into them.

NORA

Maggie,
How is the mouse population? I hope this invasion is brief. When we lived in an old school house upstate, NY (80’s) we had mice visiting. It was not fun. We also had hornets drop from the ceiling during the January thaw. Oh, there is a January thaw! That and our hot water running icy cold without warning in the shower. Very chilling!!!

The January thaw also made the creek run under the house….

There’s a creek under the house?

We were sleeping on an elevated floor but our futon was on the floor. It was almost like sleeping on a stage but with the thaw we soon learned that the mattress was wet on the bottom. Never a dull moment with country living. I can’t recall how many times we got snowed in during our brief stay.

We lasted the winter and then left because across the street in the heavenly fields monster trucks started to show. I can’t imagine what it must look like now. The school house was adorable too. I’m sure that is gone. I loved the huge windows that let in so much light. Oh, they were incredible. I’m rambling.

Salvaged from shirts…do you mean yours or someone else’s? I often want to seize an item of clothing before I donate it but then feel like someone could wear it so I don’t most times. I have a few times. I like to save fabric too. I have a brand new sewing machine sis gave me for my birthday three years ago sitting in a box. It is digital. It is Greek to me. Maybe I can get her to help me when she returns in Jan. I do miss sewing.

My mom sewed (knitted and crocheted) too. She got me involved in it as well. My first sewing machine was a little plastic number. I still remember turning the wheel. I loved it.

I think my mother sewed about 70% of my clothing at one time which was a lot of fun for me.

I really like how your mother included you and your siblings in a creative way for the new arrival. That is beautiful.

I like to embroider too. I used to do a lot of it way back when. I still have so much floss. I donated a lot of my supplies when we moved last year but held on to my best. I’m in the market for a mannequin. I used to have a good one that was my mother’s. I would really like to design some clothes for summer next year. Just a few. I am surprised how much everything has gone up in price. I remember years ago going to buy a pattern and being surprised at even the cost of a pattern!

TopsyTurvy (Teri)

Maggie, your talk of the quilt made for your little sister reminded me of the quilt my great-grandmother made for me when I was quite young. I still have it, it’s been stored in a plastic container and hasn’t been taken out since we moved to this house. The small quilt is a patchwork made up of fabrics from my mother’s, grandmother’s, and great-grandmothers dress and apron fabrics, as well as some fabrics that were apparently from clothing when I was an infant. I look at that quilt and I can actually remember my mother or grandmother wearing some of the fabrics that are in that quilt. Love that quilt, just looking at it makes me feel cozy.

I was smiling at you and Nora talking of embroidery and flosses. I’ve given away large amounts of floss from when I designed cross stitch and I still have a full and complete set of DMC, as well as a number of hand-dyed floss from various companies and a number of metallics. If you’re curious about my designs, look at the pic I posted of our fireplace. The two framed pieces on the fireplace are two of my own designs where I stitched the originals prior to their being offered as leaflets.

NORA

Maggie, For some reason I am faceless.

Sounds like your Granny, two Grand Aunties and Grand Auntie knew all about one room school houses. I’m glad the one got turned into a community center and not destroyed. Pie social….this made me smile. I am assuming that people bring pies to share and stories to hear. It sounds so country so warm.

I see you got to ‘save’ those shirts and recycle them into new life. That was a good catch.

Do you have a family quilt? I don’t remember anyone in our family quilting which is a shame.

I had a Singer treadle machine which I loved. A few Singer regulars too. But digital is leaving me at a loss. We’ll see. Some times I feel so tech challenged. I hear people talking or writing about their new such in such and I don’t even know what it is. I still do not know all the features on my cell phone because I do not use it. I inherited it when it did not work in Arkansas last year and hubby had to buy a stronger one.

Your idea for stylish clothing for older women a good one. I think things like your flare skirt sound comfy. I used to know an older woman when I was a lot younger who wore clothes that were very stylish and they tended to have a Greek flare about them. She always looked so nice.

I no longer enjoy shopping for clothes because it is just too busy. I buy most of my clothes at a very nice thrift store in town. Clothes I could not afford if new. Good clothes and I am happy with them. Mostly tops and dresses. Pants I have to buy new and that is a chore. But that is not going to happen until I gain weight.

Tops, Your quilt is nothing short of a precious treasure. Lucky you!

TopsyTurvy (Teri)

Maggie, the picture of the firplace is in the Comments for November 22nd.

NORA

Maggie, I am so glad you have that quilt! It is also a treasure. I don’t have anything like that from my Grandparents. I do have things my mother made though but that’s different.

Clothes have become a concern for me because I am so under weight. I have to ‘disguise’ my bones. I can’t wear so many things now. Skinny is not fun. In summer I live in long rayon dresses. When I go out it is a balancing act with stretch pants (nothing else fits) and tops that hide skeleton arms (that believe it or not still have time for chicken skin!). I’m always over dressed!!