so, results

They sedated her and medicated her for pain, and did x-rays and yes the ACL is torn away.

That will be $550.

The surgery to repair this busted up knee?

4k

Still stunned.  

Today we picked up a used dryer that matches the used washer and all is good out in the kitchen.

Looking good. Cost way less than $400, which is way less than 4k.

It's okay.  The dog will be cared for, and they have financing for those who don't want to front the cash.  

Onward, Elin, crazy sprinting girl who tore her knee to bits? 

We love you. 

Good night, love, Val, aka MOM, aka Grandma

 

a quiet week

It was very quiet, boring.  This made me laugh--to be a kid, on a random Thursday morning, in a pandemic, stuck at home.  That's the life we live.

This photo I call Spontaneous Napping.  Girl got tired.  Couch cushion in the sun felt divine.  I texted Joe and he came upstairs and plucked her from there and tossed her into bed.

The washer wore out, could not be repaired apparently. So we bought a used washer, no big deal. But when installed it looked like pure crap next to the old dryer.  I have located a matching dryer on Craigslist and this current dryer will be in the garage if anyone needs it.  It's a good dryer, was purchased shortly before Maria was born, with thanks to my parents.

And this girl-- a month ago she hurt her left back leg while running in the snow in the field at the cabin, must have slipped and twisted it.  She improved quite a bit the first week or two, but then after that, not really.

So we took her to the vet today and they sedated her so they could properly examine the leg and get good x-rays.  Torn ligament, and surgery is needed.  So unfortunate.

Last night before her vet appointment I wanted to give her a bath. Well, she was wise to my intentions and ran outside. We lured her back inside with buns, but then she plastered herself to the floor and would not get up. When we looked away, discussing, she jumped up and hid in the family room in the dark.

Okay, fine.  You win.  No bath.  It's been a month since her last bath and she could use one, but whatever.  We'll be more crafty and sly next time about this, not turn on the water until she's standing in the tub, not tip our hand like we managed to last night.

And that's the end. The pandemic is taking off again, virus everywhere.  I miss my grandchildren very much, though I appreciate the kids I do see, and the ones who live here.  Maybe we can figure something out that's safe so we can see each other outside.  This won't go on forever, but it sure feels like it is.

Much love, Val, aka Grandma, aka MOM
 

the last of the season

We're closing up the cabin this weekend, calling it good for the year.  There's some ambivalence, but also we're glad we were able to have a season up here at all, looked pretty dicey back in April with covid.

Elin was afraid of these noisy geese.

We had Chinese for supper, sesame chicken, and cream cheese won tons, and now the girls are enjoying a marathon of America's Top Model with their dad.  He's surprisingly into the plot twists and intrigue.

I bought that afghan at an estate sale a few weeks ago for five dollars or some other ridiculously small amount of money. Somebody spent many hours crocheting this and assembling it and we're pleased to have it here.

 2020?  I don't even have anything to say to you at this point, except we hope we all survive you.

Love, Val

fetching the trail cam

We took her along.  She had her nose right in the snow, breathing and puffing, smelling who knows what?  One looked liked rabbit footprints and she was fascinated.

There he is, grabbing the trail cam.  It was a gift from Kirsten, and he has struggled with it badly. It's been a love-hate relationship for the two of them.  He loves the pictures, but gets so aggravated by the technology. Today though, smooth.  Looked at the pictures, hardly any deer this time, just a very busy squirrel, a rabbit, and the wind blowing brush around.

 Love, Val

pretty day

 Love, Val

keeping on going

It was warm this weekend, so I put the Thompson's water seal on the deck. This is not any new deck. We put it on the cabin in 2011 after my parents removed it from their house in a remodel, and gave it to us. It was probably  ten years old then. 

My dad swears by Thompson's water seal.  He's a bit fanatical.  But here we are with a deck still in great shape all these years later.  He knows.

The dam was worked on this fall and opened up to permit a one foot drawdown to protect the shoreline from ice heaves and erosion.

A couple weeks ago, we were here in full snow gear. Today 70 degrees

When we got home, there was this beauty arrived in the mail and I set him up, and what a fine looking turkey this is.

Onward.  

Love, Val

halloween, 2020

We were not together for Halloween this year, trying to be responsible about the virus, no party.  They had to have their own Mummy Wrap Game at their own houses.  The pictures were fun.

We went to the lake for the weekend, and Kirsten was kind enough to have these two over for the weekend, so they could have a little fun and go trick or treating.  Only one lady told them they were too old, but she gave them candy anyway.
 

And that's the end of Halloween, 2020.   

Love you all, MOM, aka Grandma