In Spring time, it’s SAP Time!

Jan 29, 2023

 

I am sooo out of shape, I’m only good for a couple of hours of physical work before I need to take break.  That’s what comes of 27 years of sitting at a desk for a living.  And frankly, I’m lazy.  Sitting with the computer is addictive.

It has been warm during the day and cold at night for at least the last week.  So, the sap is running and if I’m going to do syrup this year, I’d better get to it!!

I got out all the stuff for collecting sap.  The spiles, the hooks, wires, gallon jugs and hoses.  Then the hammer (to pound the spiles in) and drill and appropriate bit.  It took me over an hour to get all the taps in.  The sap is already running and it’s going into the jugs!!

I expect I’ll be boiling by Wednesday.  I spent another hour breaking up sticks for the fire.  It takes a lot of wood to keep the fire going, and it has to burn for a long time – goes for a day at a time to boil down maybe three or five gallons. 

I have 14 taps out there.  I don’t think I’ll get as much syrup as I did last year because the winter has been non-existent so far.  We’ve had almost no snow and mostly warm days and cool, not cold nights.  It dips below freezing most nights which is what the trees need to run the sap.

I have some syrup left over (!) from last years’ run, which I will probably blend into this year’s run.  YAY!   Sap Season!

BRAG:

Bison Tyson Cronin has achieved his Intermediate Trick Title!  We’re so proud,  He also passed his CGCA – Canine Good Citizen Advanced.  Again, so very proud of him.  He continues to work on his handler to correct her mistakes (that would be me) and make them a better team.  His tail never stops wagging on Thursday mornings!

In the meantime, Teeny Haven’s Long Tripp, aka Trippy continues to show off at his agility class.  It took a couple of months after the last trial to find his joy in agility but at last he is happy again, and telling me off in no uncertain barks when I goof up on course.  The tail cannot wag any faster.  I am so glad for him.  He was diagnosed with OCD (no surprise there) but the addition of a little gabapentin has him much more relaxed, at home and abroad.  No more licking incessantly.

Lastly, Blackie-Cat is indeed getting older.  I think he’s becoming hard of hearing as his vocalizations can wake the dead.  I also think he’s having some difficulty with his teeth as I hear him chewing the hard, dry food.  He’s getting more canned food and I’m about to start dampening his dry food to make it easier for him.  He’s such a love.  He sleeps on or near me at night!

 

 

A story

  

This morning I saw a homeless man begging by the exit of Shop Rite in Vernon.   It brought me back to a day 40 some years ago when I was sitting in the front seat of a car next to my Dad.  We were driving up Main St, by Center Springs park and homeless man was walking down the sidewalk.  He had a long, scraggly beard, stringy long hair and a generally disheveled appearance.  Dad pointed him out to me and said “You don’t recognize him, do you?”  “No.”  I probably sounded appalled that I should know this person.  My father then said quietly, “That’s Ray M.” After a moment he added “There but for the grace of God…” 

Ray had been voted most likely to succeed in high school.  Incredibly handsome, very popular; and sadly, an alcoholic.  Probably 15 years earlier, he and my Dad were drinking buddies. 

I turned and look at my Dad.  Clean shaven except for the meticulously kept narrow moustache, collared button-down shirt and pressed jeans.  Hair neatly combed, impeccably put together.  I could not imagine him as a disheveled homeless man.  How did he escape it?

Love.  Faith, AA.

He adored Mom, my sister and me.  He believed in God and Jesus.  He went for help to AA and found a path to sobriety.

We had bad years, tough years and a hard time getting through it all, but by my mid-twenties we had reached a point in our lives where we accepted each other and Dad realized that I wasn’t going to be the worst of him redux.  I wasn’t going to be his worst fears.  I forgave him the disease and doubt in me. 

I’m having a tough time with grief lately.  George’s death was the last straw and I’ve been struggling with a broken heart.  Too many losses in the last nine months have me hurting.  I go from being fine to crying in an instant. This is normal.  Part of the process.  

I have adopted a wonderful woman as my daughter.  She has 3 beautiful, wonderful children that I claim as my grandchildren.  She's been very concerned for me, and today stopped by after work to "check up on me."   I am blessed.

When I am upset, Tyson and Blackie snuggle up close and Trippy comes to sit in front of me and stare at me, sometimes leaping into my lap to wrap his paws around my neck.  I am so lucky to have these wonderful fur babies.  

In time, I will be better.

Not so Merry Christmas, Not so Happy New Year

So, how do I remember this Christmas?  Another one for the books.

I sent this message out Christmas night to my trainers at Tails-U-Win:

Please pass along as you see fit.

Tripp, Tyson and I will not be in classes this week.  12/23 my sister, Darcie passed away.  This was a complete shock.  I am headed to Atlanta with my sister Melody to get things started.  I do not know if I will be back in time for our agility class on the 2^nd. 

The pups are staying with my friend Carol.  She doesn’t drive so no classes for them.

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Friday night my phone rang with a North Carolina number.  Since I don’t know anyone in NC, I didn’t pick up.  A few minutes later it rang again with an NC number.  Something said “pick it up” and I did.  It was a manager from the firm where Darcie worked.  He needed permission to break down the door to her condo as she wasn’t answering phone calls, texts or emails.  Dar had an incredible work ethic, as he spoke my stomach clenched and I new she was gone.  But I could not give permission so I gave him Melody’s number.  Over an hour later Mel confirmed it.  Darcie passed away sitting on her sofa with the computer and phone in front of her and her glasses beside her.  There were eggs and milk on the counter, so she was probably going to make breakfast, and then she wasn’t.  My wonderful “big sis” was gone.  Home to be with Mom and Dad Cyr.  She was only 66, and I had been pestering her to retire so we could play… 

I kept this news to myself, as my step-family didn’t know Darcie and I didn’t want to darken Betty’s Christmas by telling her that Melody’s sister had died.

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We had the usual gathering at Betty’s nephew’s house in New Britain for Christmas Eve.  I thought I was picking up Betty at Duncaster but when I got there she wasn’t there.  Eventually I got a hold of Daniel and discovered that he picked up both his dad (Ron) and Betty.  I managed to find my way to New Britain and was only a little late.

I had made 36 deviled eggs (18 hard boiled eggs) and bought a platter of shrimp for the hors d’oveurs and delivered them all.  I also had a number of things for Alex and Rachel and Rowan.  I had hoped to meet my grandnephew but they weren’t there.  So, I’ve yet to meet the boy.

As always, it was a very nice gathering.

Christmas day, Daniel, Betty, Ron and I had dinner at Duncaster.  I got the lobster and it was wonderful.  After lunch we went back to Betty’s and eventually I felt I had to tell Betty my sad news.  She looked almost angry with me for not telling her sooner, but I didn’t want a pity party nor be a drag on everyone else’s holiday. 

I got home around 3:30 and had the car packed and ready to go by 4.  Sadly, Carol wasn’t going to be home until later and I couldn’t leave the puppies off with out her being home.  I didn’t like leaving the boys as it was, but when you have to, you have to. 

I left Carol’s house around 6 p.m. and started the long drive to South Carolina.  I got to Exit 323 in VA around 1:30 a.m. and climbed into the back of the car to rest.  I did sleep for about 15 minutes, and stayed in the back for about 3 hours, but it was useless.  I was cold and uncomfortable. Normally, I’d be driving Rigbee with my own bathroom and bed on board.  But not this time.  This time I’m driving Figure, the Rogue with the necessities on board but no comfy bed and clean bathroom.  It is easier to drive the car, and I can go faster but I miss Rigbee and my pups.

I stopped at the North Carolina welcome center and got the directions to Little River.  I also stopped at a McDonalds and slept in the parking lot for about an hour.  I don’t remember what time I got to Mel’s but then we immediately had to go out and get gas and snacks for the next day’s drive to Atlanta.

My alarm was set on the cell phone but I didn’t have the volume up and did not hear it so overslept by 2 ½ hours!  So we were late leaving.  We got to Atlanta around 3 or 4 p.m. and went directly to the condo.  Johnna got there an hour or so later. 

The players in this drama:  Raelene, the (not legally) adopted sister

Melody:  now the eldest sibling; and the reason I was adopted in the first place; one of my best friends.

George:  1 year younger than me, brilliant musician. 

Johnna:  5 years younger than me.  Smart, beautiful, musical.  “little sis”

Chris:  10 years younger, adored little brother (he’s 6’2”!), brilliant computer guru

 

Darcie was immensely talented with music and crafts.  She created wonderful craft items, repurposing things and creating beauty.

Johnna, Melody and I spent the next several days hunting for a will or any other info that’s needed – like Darcie’s social security number, where her storage container is, her bank, lawyer, etc.

Meanwhile, Johnna’s getting text messages from George that we should be doing this that and the other thing…  I really wanted to grab the phone and tell him to get his ass down here and help with the hunting.  I didn’t, but by God, I wanted to.  Thankfully in all of this Chris did come.  He used his Hilton points to get a room for Mel and I and then for him and helped out by taking Darcie’s computer and electronics and searching out her SSN and hunting for a will.  And any other info he could find.  Then Friday night, Johnna’s rental car was stolen.  I called 911 around 11:15p.m. and was put on HOLD!!!  Don’t ask what else can go wrong, or it will.  The Atlanta police screwed up completely and Mel and Johnna got NO SLEEP waiting in the lobby of Darcie’s building ALL NIGHT for them to show up.  They never did.  Chris drove us (me and him) back to the hotel around 2:30 and I got some sleep, but Mel and Johnna didn’t get in until after 4 a.m. and still had not talked to the police.  OMG.

They (Mel, Johnna and Chris) decided that Chris would rent Mel a car and I could go home.  He was leaving that afternoon, too.  It was Saturday.  I did not get on the road until after 12:30 p.m., leaving Mel at the Condo.  Johnna was going to her friend Marty’s house to try to rent a car outside of Atlanta – with the Peach Bowl Saturday night, hotel rooms and cars were in short supply.

I got home Sunday afternoon and picked up my dogs on the way.  I’ve hated being without them.  Blackie was delighted when we came in and has been close by ever since. 

Last Thursday night, Don Sineti, shantyman extraordinaire passed away.  I’ve been crushing on him since I was 17 and illegally in a bar, enjoying The Morgans every Sunday night.  For years, Sunday nights were reserved for Mad Murphy’s and The Morgans, singing Irish songs, folk songs and sea shanties.  Until Covid, I was going over to the Main Pub here in town to see (and hear) Don with his “Americana” group on occasional Sundays.  I had been thinking of going all fall but never got there, now he’s gone, too.

Today I got a message from my former manager, George Moran’s wife, Virginia.  It seems George has left this world, too.  George was a wonderful manager and just a special, special person. 

In the last nine months, in order, these are significant losses:

Mom (Jackie) Cyr

Kathleen Jarrard

J. Helene Blakeslee

Nancy Yungk

Ronnie Schoelzen

Darcie Spruance

Don Sineti

George Moran

 

I am NOT looking for sympathy, I just want to record why I’ve not been blogging regularly and why I’m just not goofy these days.  It’s hard to blog when you’re struggling to find the light.

Tripp and I did NOT make it class 1/2, I was too tired and upset to go; Tyson and I did make it last Thursday, 1/5.  My classmates were absolutely wonderful.  I wasn't going to go, but Ty deserved it, and after going I know that I needed it.  These people are wonderful, supportive friends and I am very grateful for them.

Happy FUCKING New Year.