Favorite Spot, at Night

Mike and I like to take rides, and Northport is one of our favorite destinations. Here are some night shots of the gazebo and the dock.

It's hard to tell, but in the second picture, that structure with the white posts is at the end of a long dock. When the nicer weather comes I will take some day or early evening pictures.

Almost spring

Well, okay, it's a month away. And the crazy wind outside today makes it seem colder than it really is. But the sun was shining, and Mike has already started with yard work!

And it really hasn't been much of a 'winter,' anyway.

Handsome in a tie

My gorgeous husband.

He's amused at me taking pictures every day.

Winter Barbecue

Mike had picked up some nice ribeyes last week  (on sale) so we had them today, despite the fact it is 28 degrees outside. It even started snowing partway through cooking. The steaks, of course, were out of this world. I made a macaroni salad to go with them. Michael came over as he usually does on Sunday, and we played a round of cribbage. Michael won this time around.

(No snow yet, but there will be!)

Company Gift

Mike has been working for the same company for 25 years now, and they gave him this bowl as a gift. It is from Tiffany's and weighs a ton, so it's probably worth something. But even if it isn't, it's very pretty! 

Get Well Basket

Mike's co-workers were nice enough to send him a gift basket of fruit, crackers and cheese. It was a pleasant surprise!

Oh, My God

Mike had a bandage on his shoulder about the size of a football shoulder pad. I swear they must have used super fricking glue on this because it was a horrible ordeal for Mike for me to help him get it off. I moved sloooowly but I could tell it was really torturing him, and my husband has a very, very high threshold for pain. I think it actually took the top layer of skin off, not to get too gross about it. Made me half sick to see him in pain like that. He actually had to lay down for a while and after his shower (the reason we took the bandage off in the first place) he took some oxycontin. Later he said, "if I told you how much that hurt, you wouldn't believe me."
Oh, hell yes, I would. I saw it in his face. I'm glad that is over!

Mike takes a walk

I don't know what my husband is going to do when he retires because he just can't stand sitting around the house too much. Two days after surgery and he's off to take a nice, long walk. He has his sling on under his jacket, which I helped him get into. I also helped him with his hat and gloves. He almost went out without a hat, because he doesn't feel cold all that much. But hey, it's 25 degrees outside and probably colder with the wind chill. He has his phone in case he wants me to come get him, but I know he'll do this on his own. He said he knows I can help him, but he prefers to do whatever he can for himself, no matter how awkward. My husband is just plain awesome.

Recuperating

Mike says he didn't sleep at all last night, even though he took the meds and was not really in any pain. He's in good spirits today and can do just about everything that doesn't involve lifting his arm up too high. He says there's a long recovery ahead, but I have a feeling he's going to be back to his old self much faster than anyone expects. He is, after all, in infinitely better shape than most men his age! 

Mike is home

Katherine brought Mike home earlier. He has a sore throat and a headache. Unfortunately, the shoulder repair was 'worst case scenario,' meaning a much longer recuperation time. He's resting now, watching TV. Has some good pain meds but has only taken OTC meds so far. He has his arm in a sling. I'm not sure what they did, but it sounds complicated as far as repairing the torn bicep. (He also had something done with the shoulder joint.)
I'm just glad to have him home.

Mike's surgery

I just got home from taking Mike over to a medical center. He's having surgery on his shoulder today, as well as having a torn bicep repaired. He was supposed to go at 8:30, then they switched it to 11, then asked if we could come in at 10:30. Mike is in good spirits, despite having to fast since midnight and being deprived of his cup of coffee! Me, I'd be a bear.
Katherine is going to pick him up later. He'll be there about 4 hours, too long to just sit and wait. Although I did offer! (I can keep busy with my crocheting and knitting, of course.)
Here is my daily picture, just a quickie of my crazy cat Melody:

I don't think she realizes how fat she is!

My smart kid

Yesterday, Mike had some computer problems. He could not open some files and it seemed that two years' worth of files had vanished! All told he spent about six hours working first with someone in India, then with some guys in Pennsylvania, and no one could figure out how to fix the problem.

Michael came over today for Sunday dinner and took a look at his father's computer. And he had the problem solved (and the files found!) in 20 minutes.

Just bragging a bit...

Compliment

It isn't very often that Mike compliments me without me fishing for it. I think it's just taken for granted that he likes certain things about me. But it's really nice to hear it. Today, without me asking, just out of the blue, he turns to me and says, "you know, I really like this haircut on you." Then he says later, "I don't know what it is. Maybe it's because you lost weight or you're in a good mood but you're looking really good these days."
Ha, ha, maybe this diet really IS working, despite the fact I've hit a plateau around the same 10 pounds. 

Getting Ready for Irene

 

Mike, the boys and I spent about an hour getting the outside of the house ready for the hurricane. Most of the stuff was either taken into the garage or carefully secured. I thought Mike's duct-taping of the grill was pretty funny.

I carried what I could lift and also took down the netting around the gazebo. I also helped Mike when he put extra screws into the gazebo frame and  did whatever else I could. Mike and the boys did the heavy stuff.

Irene is supposed to be the worst hurricane we've had in decades. It's at 100 mph now and is supposed to hit late tomorrow, I believe. A lot of areas have been evacuated. We live on the North Shore so, happily, we can stay put. 

I usually do my weekly shopping on Friday when I drop Nick off for work. Frankly, I wouldn't have done it today but I realized we were out of cat food. And the kitties have to eat. So I picked up some fresh fruit, bologna and juice, too. We have plenty of food as I have a good stockpile (being a couponer). Good thing...the peanut butter shelf was empty. Honestly, you'd think it was the end of the world the way people were piling up their grocery carts. Me...just a few items. I'm proud of my stockpile! 

The only thing I don't have is D batteries. I usually buy AAAs and AAs because we use those the most. But at least my maglite takes AAs, so that's okay. I also have my mini fan in case we lose power. I hate heat. Hopefully, it will stay 'pleasant' as far as heat is concerned. It is so beautiful out today you'd never know what was coming up the coast!

A Day Out East

Every once in a while, Mike has a job site around the Hamptons or out East someplace. If I'm off from work and the weather is nice, I come along for the ride. Once the job is done, we have lunch and take a nice drive.
On Tuesday, after he did a site, we had lunch at this nice place called Hampton Coffee. My sandwich, which was ham, gruyere cheese and more on Tuscan toast, was unreal it was so yummy. The house dressing for the salad was to die for, as in: there was something in it I can't describe but I wanted MORE.

Afterwards we hit a few farmstands. There aren't many left here now. I bought 4 quarts of strawberries at one where they grow their own. Not all farmstands have local fruit or vegetables, yet. I made jam when I came home.

We drove on the South Shore and I saw the Shinnecock Canal. I'm not sure I've ever seen it before. I also some a place that sold life-size statues of horses and cows and things. And a dinosaur. I can only imagine what that would cost but wouldn't it be cool in our backyard?

Mike just brought home pizza so I'm off to eat Sicilian Pie.

Mike's birthday

My husband turned 57 on June 25th. He does not celebrate birthdays any more, he says. I still got him something--nice filet steaks that we made on the barbecue on Sunday. His birthday was Saturday, and John (his brother) took us all out to the diner. Mike had a souvlaki. Nobody sang "Happy Birthday" which was fine with Mike, LOL!

He actually spent his birthday morning clearing out half the garage so he can park the Camaro in there over the winter or in bad weather. It's a funny way to spend a special day but it made him happy. Jamie pitched in and I helped just a little. Nicky was at work, I think.

Father's Day

It has been a nice Father's Day. I gave Mike this cool folding chair that you can take to a park. It has these pockets and it also has a little 'table' on the side. Mike likes to hang out at a park near the water sometimes. He takes a book with him. Now he can have a place to put his cup, too!

The kids are going to get him a new lounge chair. He has picked one out at Big Lots that is leather, like mine. They also gave him one of those acrylic cups with a straw, some nuts and some protein bars. Michael even gave him a big can of San Marzano tomatoes!

John and Noreen put out a nice mid-day spread of clams, mussels, king crab legs (what a treat) and some other things. We pigged out, needless to say. So we're only eating very lightly for dinner.

There aren't very many pictures in this blog. I will take one of Mike in his new chair when he gets it.

Fence work

Mike wanted to change the fence so that it swings outward rather than into the yard. The trouble with the outward swing is that we're on a hill, and it leaves a gap big enough for Shadow to escape. So we have to put a piece of wood and some bricks in front of it to cover the gap.

By swinging outward, the fence is over flatter ground and the gap will be much smaller. Mike and Jamie are working hard today to also level the ground near the fence. I just brought them out big glasses of orange juice.

Speaking of Shadow, I took him out for a walk this morning. He is SO FAT that the harness was making him gag--that, along with the fact he wouldn't stop pulling. We both need to get in shape so I will be walking him a little for as often as I can. I might invest in a bigger harness until he loses weight. Half of this is from him being 'fixed.' I almost wish I hadn't had it done.

Roses

Mike and I planted 2 rose bushes this weekend. Well, he did 99.9% of the work, but I helped. We put them in front of the house where there is little competition from other plants (a tree had been cut down a few years ago in the area) and lots of sunlight. I hope they actually do grow.

This morning started with rain and now it is snowing. What the hell??? How do you go from the 70s to snow in a day?????

Good News Again

Mike had his annual interview with his boss recently. We are both really happy and surprised that not only did he get a 4% raise but will also be getting a very nice bonus. Things are really looking up for us financially. I will continue to clip coupons, etc. It's fun and I don't ever want to be in debt again, anyway.

Mike scored 'excellent' in all areas. This surprised him because he was just promoted and it usually takes a while to get to that point in a new level. I'm just glad they appreciate him. He's been at this company about 20 years now and has probably prevented them from losing a shipload of money over the years. If you know my family you know where he works. If you don't, suffice to say it's an insurance company and he's a loss control specialist.

Not that anyone reads this.

We have no plans for this except maybe a few home improvements that will make the house easier to sell. Maybe we'll take a hike down to Florida some time to check out living there. I don't want it to be my permanent home, but I'd love to be a snowbird!