Bogieblog

WS's Pain in the Nose

WS finally got his allergy testing done. He has allergies to dust mites, mold and pine pollen. To a lighter degree he is allergic to dogs.

Nope, none of that stuff around here or anywhere else he has ever lived [/sarcasm]. Anyway, there is a whole bunch of stuff that we have to do to reduce the allergens in the house:

• Get dust mite proof mattress and pillow case enclosures. Our main pillows are already dust mite proof since they are waterpillows. However, there are 3 pillows on the headboard for use on nights that a little extra something is needed to get comfortable (for WS's back).
• Wash bedding once a week - including blankets. The sheets already get washed that often, and without a drier, the blankets aren't going to be getting washed that much (and no, I'm not getting a drier). So, once a month I will be trecking to the laundry mat to wash the blankets. Actually I think during the long weekend next week, I will probably be washing every piece of bedding in the house (we have amassed a huge collection of blankets, quilts and comforters).
• Do all laundry in 140 degree water to kill dust mites. Our hot water isn't even set at that, and I refuse to waste the energy to do so. So, I am getting a laundry detergent additive that is supposed to do the trick.
• Rip up the carpeting. That isn't happening since the bedroom and den floors would then be concrete. So, we have to treat the carpet (area rugs and curtains too) with dust mite killer. Then we have to treat all those areas with  an allergen reducer. I am unsure how often we have to do this, but expect every month or so.
• Control mold. Of course, WS's bathroom has mold on the ceiling (we've never found anyone that will do the small job and not drag it out for weeks, so we will have to pretty much deal with it ourselves). We may try painting with Kilz first. Then if that doesn't work, we will have to rip out the drywall and do the work ourselves.

Then there are things we can't do:

• Use a humidifier. This is a killer since we have the wood stove. Dust mites apparently aren't capable of surviving in low humidity areas. Then there is also the possibility of mold growing within the humidifier and being spewed into the air.
• Have the windows open during the summer. Well, that is still going to continue since we don't have air conditioning, nor is any of the house set up to put air conditioning in.
• Keep the dogs in the house. This is something else that is going to continue. Fortunately, WS is only slightly reactive to dogs, so it's not a huge deal. I will be getting some wipes to help keep the dander under control.
• Live around pine trees (or cut them all down). Considering we live right beside the Audubon Society, and every lot around here are wooded acres, I don't think that is happening. And no, we aren't moving.

Next stop is the specialist (again), which will do another MRI to see if the medication has helped shrink the polyps. If so, then surgery may not be recommended. If not, it will be up to WS whether he goes under the knife.

Ship Wreck

I have always been touched by the haunting Gordon Lightfoot song Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald. Someone has made a touching YouTube presentation out of it.

The part that always gets me: "and all that remains are the faces and names of the wives and the sons and the daughters."

Thanks to the Weekend Pundit for bringing this to my attention.

Reading Level

At least I beat out Parkway Reststop. Must be the mention of pre-calc and circuit analysis!

Snow In NH

Cop Car - Mount Washington now has snow 910.7" on Wednesday). I never did figure out what ad you were talking about, but most likely it was taped last year, or maybe even years before that.

Last of Film Rose Pics

I finally got the last of the film developed and came out with a couple of good rose pictures.

The first two pics are of Chicago Peace. I find it interesting that one of the blooms is split almost directly down the middle; one 1/2 with normal coloring and 1/2 cream:

The next picture is of Moondance. This rose really outdid itself as a first year plant; sending out blooms galore. This picture will look odd until you realize I was laying on my back because the blooms were so heavy they weighed down the cane until it almost reached the ground (the ground being the driveway which is about 2 feet lower than ground level of the rose). All the blooms are off of one stem, which after this picture was taken was immediatly cut and put in a vase. There are buds you can't see in the picture, so this one stem gave me over a week of blooms:

I can't wait until next year to see what these plants can do!

Winter's A-Coming

Sunday I filled the wood rack on the deck and performed a "burn-in" run on the stove (a short warm up to drive moisture out of the soapstone). We have had the stove going every night this week and will have it going during the weekend. Nights have been down in the low 20's and days have stayed in the 30's.

Winter is definitely trying to make its presence felt and the ski areas are responding by making snow. I believe one ski area opened yesterday with limited trails. We haven't seen any natural snow, but that is because we haven't seen any moisture (except the heavy frost on windshields).

Here is what the animals think of the cold weather:

Cat Math

Have I told you lately how much I like the new digital camera? After all, I took about 6 pictures to get one of Fuzzy that wasn't too bad, but didn't waste any film AND no wait time. I know, I know, I was kind of late getting to the scene of the digital camera party, but now I'm a believer.

Fuzzy has become very friendly. A couple of years ago he was very skittish, running of if anyone got so much within 30 feet of him. As time went on, he got so he wouldn't run until we got within feet of him (usually we didn't see him until he moved as he likes to lay on things that he blends into). He has disappeared a couple of times - sometimes as much as for several months. The last time he disappeared, I quit putting food out in the cat house because ours were spending more time in the house, so I didn't have to worry about them going hungry.

About 2 months ago I saw him at the door to the cat house. He was in horrible shape; very thin and bedraggled. I know as a feral cat he has a tough living, but I had never seen him look so bad and he has always kept his coat very clean. As I opened the door to take him some food, he darted off to just in front of the gate to the deck stairs. as I bent down to put the food dish in the cat house, I was startled because he almost ran into me to get to the food.

Obviously, I have been feeding him since and he is in much better shape. He has been hanging around more and more, not bothering to move even if he is on the railing right next to the stairs. I got home the other day and WS informed me that if I hurried I could go pet Fuzzy. I had him repeat that sentence because I was sure I had heard wrong. Nope, that is what he had said. So I went out and Fuzzy was sitting on top of the cat house (a new favorite haunt for him). I stretched out my hand for him. He flinched, then stretched his nose and took a sniff. Much to my amazement he then put his head under my hand for a scratch. I obliged (of course), then not wanting to push mu luck, or his nerves, backed off. He looked at me and started meowing at me. So I scratched him a couple more times, then left him alone.

When I got home yesterday, he was out on the cat house and I went out to give him some food (I Had been thinking on my way home how I hadn't set any out that morning). As I was kneeled down, he rubbed against me on his way in the cat house door. I went outside several times after that, and each time he would meow at me then come over and rub against me (and get a pat on the head). He didn't even move from the top of the cat house when I brought the dogs in from the pen, nor when I let Shadow and Tory out (Tory isn't thrilled with Fuzzy hanging around, but doesn't confront him and Shadow pretty much ignores the feral cat)