And Then The Rain Fell... Coating Everything In Ice!

Shortly after I finished posting my blog yesterday,  it began to rain.   I ran outside to see if I could wipe down the Subie before realizing it was already freezing.  A thin layer of Ice was already forming on the cat doors.   I should have taken better steps after discovering that..

Cheryl and I went out for a walk in the rain... because,  Having a cold and being cooped up in the house is annoying!   Not to mention, how can we truly be miserable in a safe, warm, and comfortable Environment?  Besides,  we tend to like walking in the rain.... Sounds like one of those Romantic Love Songs....

But when we got up this morning, things had changed.  Subie was thoroughly encased in Ice!   I nearly broke a scrapper trying to clear the windows!  And the Ice had fully sealed the doors shut...  Looks like we had to rethink our plans.

For the first time ever,  I used Hot Water to defrost the car windows.  It worked so well, I can't believe I have not done it sooner.   I know why my hesitation:   Years ago in College,  we poured hot water on a "friends" car as a prank.  In Minnesota...  in -40 degree weather...  The water turned to Ice literally before our eyes!   Living in Alaska only cemented my view:  Never pour hot water on a car in freezing temps!

However, this is Iowa.   And even though it gets pretty cold here,  I think the temps were mid 20's this morning.   The hot water worked like a miracle!  Cheryl was able to scrap off any small bits that remained.

We did NOT go for a run today.   And luckily, the Salt Trucks were out and kept the roads mostly ice free.   However,  everywhere else, there was lots of Ice.   Sidewalks, fences, trees... Oh the trees!   Some were breaking due to the weight of the ice sheath.  Even here at home,  as the wind blows, the sounds of the cracking ice on the trees sounds like bags of Fritos being unwrapped.

Other than that,   Cheryl and I did not enjoy sleeping with our colds very much.  I think Cheryl is getting the symptoms faster and harder than I did.  I now have a cough, but my nose is clear.   We both ache all over.  I'm hoping it is a sign we are almost over it...

Update!  This post was supposed to be posted yesterday....  But the connection with the Internet was possibly compromised because of the ice.   Anyway,  The colds have gone from Bad to REALLY BAD.  Last night was an exercise in Misery!  We both woke up every two hours to drink water, add clothes,  Remove clothes, and toss and turn all night trying to get the joint pain to stop.   Ache-y joints and muscles,  hot flashes followed by chills.   It is pretty bad.   I am not looking forward to going to work tomorrow. With a little luck, the worst is past us and now we can start getting better.  I can't remember the last time I "enjoyed" such symptoms.  It was like getting hit by a truck!  Looks like I will not be taking down the tree this afternoon after all....  Wish us luck!

The Internet is BACK!

Now that the internet is back up ( for us, anyway)  I now have the agony of trying to remember what I wanted to blog about...  There were so many things!  And now... faded ghosts of a memory... Gone like smoke! (poof!)


So...  I guess I should write about the "hear and now"  as those topics are fresh in my mind.   Hmmm..  Cheryl and I both have a cold.   Lovely.

It's an odd  cold.   I got it first... because I'm older,  fat, in poor health, and do not enjoy being cold and miserable during the cold and flu season.   Obviously,  the virus saw a way "In" through me...

But now Cheryl has it.   Cheryl...  Younger,  slimmer,  More attractive, and in much better shape.   She naturally blames me for her current state.  I'm sure running 7 miles every day this month in the cold and wind had nothing to do with it.




The weather has been odd as well. It got up to 50 yesterday... But was in the 20's the day before!  Currently it is hovering around the mid 30's with a chance to freezing rain.  Tomorrow is it supposed to be miserable... perfect time for a run.

Speaking of running..   I have not taken many pictures while we prance around in the glum weather.   I could shoot an entire memory card of pictures just on the Eagles near the trail.   I still have hundreds on the computer that were a little too blurry to post.

They seem to be enjoying the weather just fine.    We see them in the corn fields and along the roads... eating deer and other roadkill left in the fields.  Cheryl counted 8 birds on one tree just the other day.   And we have counted as many as 13 in one near the park. ( the "bird tree")  They are the only thing worth noting along the trails lately.

Other than that,  Work begins for me and possibly for Cheryl next week.  I'm not looking forward to it.   I just started folding again, and it is difficult to be motivated to tackle larger models when you know you have a project coming up.  ( I can't explain it... it just happens that way.)  I might have to take down the Christmas Tree this weekend before we start it.  Goodness knows I will not have the energy to do it after reading papers for 8 hours.    Perhaps that might be a later blog post.  We shall see.  In the Mean time...I can;t wait to be rid of this cold!

Leo Settles in to Life at Allenbrite Studio.

Leo the part time cat has been getting along nicely with Cheryl and Hiro.   I was a litle worried at first, but I guess his magnetic personality has won them over... for now. 

Cheryl is trying to decide if we can make any money off of him as an Instagram Cat.     It is true that he is rather photogenic,  and acually look at the camera instead of "Hiro The Blur."   But we have not had much luck making any money on Social Media.   Quite frankly, I'm  have no idea how how it is done!


But every night he has been showing up to be let in and eat Hiro's food.   And play.... He loves to play!   All of the unused cat Toys that Hiro has abandoned have now found new life.  He plays so hard, he pants from overheating!  ( Possibly because of that heavy fur coat he carries around.)   If he was a permanent indoor cat,  he would not have the need for such a thick coat. 

But alas,  the weather has been kind of nice lately and he heads out around 6-7 AM each morning.  I'm not sure where he goes,  but he seems to find burrs in his fur sometimes.   Hopefully,  he is finding shelter and maybe another kind family to feed him a treat.  Most of the other Neightborhood cats "work" two households or more at a time. Typical Iowa... Everyone has two or more jobs!

Well the internet should be up in  two days, and I will try to download the images I have of the cats.   I can't even load a MEME on facebook from my brother.  ( it is his Birthday today)  So I will hold my breath and see how long this takes.   Thanks for stopping in.

Replacing The Cat On The Subaru

With all the posts about Silver Bullet Subaru and how the neighborhood cats seem to love him,   You may be thinking that this post will be about that...  But sadly,  it is not.

From Black to Black and White. 

Just how many "Cat" puns are out there?

The Catalytic converter went bad somewhere between Christmas and  the New Years Day Dash.   Subie showed no signs of distress, other than a new code coming up on the reader.   We decided to have it checked out and the good fellows at Central Auto were trying to find  the problem.  They said the O2 sensor was fine, and that the Cat might be the problem.   Every time they turned on the A/C,  the code would trip...  How can the A/C effect the O2 sensor? 

New Cooling Fan.

Turns out, in addition to the Catalytic converter being bad,   there was an Exhaust fan that had burned out.   We had that replaced as well. 

We got the Catalytic Converter replaced after Cheryl Ran the Chicago Marathon.  Turns out,  That was 90,000 miles ago!   I guess having a Cat last that long is something to be proud of.  Perhaps they last longer in newer vehicles,  but I bet they cost a lot more.

You'll never find the Small Leak
in the Emissions system...  Hahah!

The Small Vacuum  Leak in the Emissions system is still a ghost to be found, but it does not effect the Subie's Performance, so it is an annoyance we deal with and tolerate.   The annoyance comes from the "Check Engine" light coming on all the time and it masks "Real" problems like the 02 sensor and the Catalytic Converter going bad.   I regularly check and clear  the "small leak" code every week.  That is how we were able to catch this problem right away.

And...Another one. 

Good thing I left it to the Pros!  This time....

As much as I love to work on Subie,  There are things I simply can not do.   And with the weather being cold and windy this time of year,  I'm more than happy to leave things to the professionals.  (Other than the hit to the pocket book!)

Nice to Know I can still
Upset the Greenies with a Subaru!

So Subie Soldiers onward!   With a New Catalytic Converter in place, he can now save the Polar bears right here from Wellman, Iowa!

"Thanks for saving me..  Now I'm
gonna Eat you!"

Fixing the Subaru AND saving the planet not only makes me feel better at night,  I also feel MORE virtuous than the Ford and Chevy Truck people around here.   Unless I get attacked by a Polar Bear someday....

When You Used Up The Internet, The Blogging Suffers!

How do you "Use Up The Internet?"  I thought the Internet was a vast endless expanse of Knowledge and Porn.  But alas!   With a limit on the number of Gigabytes you can use each month,  Cheryl and I have reached out 20 Gig limit.  I guess the stockings and Etsy conversations were a little taxing on the memory exchange.    Not to mention the number of pictures I posted on Etsy AND this blog.  I could add in all those video's I watch.   But na...  I'm sure it is a business use thing.

There is light at the end of the tunnel, though.   Our limits will renew on the 8th of this month. ( only 4 more days!)  and then we will be back to being able to blog and shop all the time again.  Mostly I watch Political videos... Because I don't follow Sports or Dancing with the Stars. ( Even Those have become political lately...)    Hey!  Gotta have some form of entertainment, right?   I view the Democrat vs Republican as a "Head to Head Rivalry"  in the Arena of Politically motivated Ideas and posturing.  They move the ball one way or the other on the field of America...  Trying desperately to get somewhere past the 50 Yard line.   Seems none of them can actually score a field goal anymore.

Wonder my political Affiliation?   I'll give you a hint:  Limited government,  Rights given to us by  God and No One Else,  Maximum freedom to make my own decisions and mistakes...  and the ability to learn from those mistakes.   Family, Guns,  Nature,  And Fair/low taxes.  Limited use of The Army except to defend our borders from a Foreign Threat.   Live and let live.   And Don't kill me or steal my stuff.

My Inner Gramma Nazi...  Should me
:AN all around good person.
Like my grammar is so much better...

If you said,  "That doesn't sound like Republican OR Democrat."   You are right!     Sounds like a Libertarian to me.

Things are getting interesting now that the Election season is upon us.   I can't wait to see how the games play out.  ( So exciting!)

4 days and counting.   And then I will be able to Blog to my Heart's Content!  There is much to blog about in the coming days.  And not all of it about Politics.    Hopefully I will not forget them all and end up posting junk filler like this page.  We shall see.

Thanks for stoppping in and enduring my political humor. ( Hopefully you will have found it at least a little funny....  There were Memes and stuff!)

Happy New Years Day Dash! We Begin The year Running... Again.

Cheryl ran the New Year's Day Dash today in Madison Wisconsin.  I think we have run this 4 years in a row now.  It is a low expectation race, but it is how we like to start our year... With the best of Intentions.

Not much really to blog about here.   There was more snow in Wisconsin than in Iowa.   And it was much colder!  Even so, it was not the coldest or the snowy-est New Year's day Dash she has run. 

At least her outfit allowed me to  single her out.  Even so,  she is much shorter than the men she runs with...  You have to keep an eye out.

There was cheese fish crackers, and beer at the finish line.  The entire post race "party" was inside a sports arena where at least it was warm.  None of the racers seemed to mind.  Cheryl said she was actually too hot out there around mile three.   But the wind and the 20 degree temps kept me chilly the entire time.

I should point out that we have used up the Internet and, with a little luck,  our limits will refresh on the 8th.   I will see how many pictures I can download  in the mean time.

Other than that,  we are home now and resting with the cat.   The new year came in so quietly, we hardly even noticed!   We did not watch any ball drop or any football or parade.   Just a pleasant ride in the Subaru all the way back to slightly warmer and snow free  lands.   Cheryl is already hinting we should run tomorrow.  We shall see how things go.  I do know that the day goes by better if we start it off with a run and a bike ride.  Fingers crossed. 

Happy New Year everyone.