.
In case licking toads wasn’t a disgusting and disturbing enough way for you to get a buzz…
This.
.
.
I can honestly say I’ve never been that desperate for a cocktail.
.
.
Nope. Doesn’t even come close to the beauty of a perfect margarita.
.
.
Wow.
.
.
Just when I thought our nightmare with the IRS was over?
This….
.
.
My husband’s annual social security benefit statement came the other day but something was off. It showed an IRMAA deduction and results in his check being $76 less than it is now. Since there’s supposed to be a large increase in Social Security next year… that made no sense.
.
.
The calculations were made on our 2020 tax form? Of course they were! That’s the year the friggin’ IRS screwed up and moved a decimal point on my husband’s Marine Corps retirement income. It took me 6 months to clear up that mess and get them to correct the form.. but apparently they didn’t do it in time for Social Security to make their calculations.
.
.
Yeah. I wish!
So…. thanks to the *%#<!*%* IRS, I have to gather proof they screwed up and file an appeal with Social Security to correct their numbers and get them to reset the benefit amount.
One tiny decimal point. It’s the gift that keeps on giving.
😠
.
.
I have absolutely no idea what this is.
.
.
Nope. That’s a 10 on my creepy doll scale.
.
.
A pink flamingo Christmas tree for Mark. The ultimate in flocking.
.
.
This sounds entirely too easy. Has anyone ever tried it?
.
.
Another Spam abomination for my taste bud addled blog friend.
.
.
Porktastic? I beg to differ.
Meanwhile back at the ranch..
.
.
The good news? Lord Dudley Mountcatten has not knocked down the tree.
The bad news? My husband broke the we don’t need any more stuff so let’s not exchange gifts paradigm we’ve been clinging to for the past 6 years and put something big under the tree. Since my beloved has two gift giving modes… expensive jewelry I rarely like and wish he wouldn’t buy or appliances I neither want nor need… I’m going to guess the latter.
.
.
I’ve been married 38 years and no matter how many times I tell my husband appliances are not a welcome Christmas gift, to date I’ve received an upright freezer, a toaster, a washer and dryer, a blender, a convection oven and oh yes, let’s not forget that ever so thoughtful dehumidifier.
I have yet to receive a vacuum, but there’s always next year.
.
.
For a place we never knew existed and just happily stumbled upon, it was more than a pleasant surprise.
.
.
Lake Willoughby, 5 miles long with a max depth of 325 feet. A glacial lake parked between two fjord like mountains in Westmore Vermont.
.
.
The path around the south end was easy walking and well marked.
.
.
With some seriously beautiful views.
.
.
The little beach was tiny, but I imagine it’s packed with swimmers in the summer.
.
.
The boardwalk was a nice addition as the ground was a bit soggy.
.
.
Shame it was so cold and windy, I could easily have pulled up a stump and relaxed here for hours.
.
.
Even the stairs were kind.
.
.
.
If you’re ever in the area check it out.
.
.
And don’t forget your camera.
.
.
You can’t use it, but you can laugh… and that’s always better.
.
.
That’s what I call payback.
.
.
You heard it here first Mark.
.
.
I don’t care if you liked Barack or not, you can’t beat that for cool.
.
.
Yes, there really are sneakers for horses now.
.
.
It’s hard to argue with that logic.
.
.
Proof positive there is such a thing as too much tech.
.
.
The undiscovered country is always the best.. and when we travel, we love nothing more than stumbling upon a place we never knew existed.
Enter Lake Willoughby in Vermont.
.
.
Imagine randomly picking a road to travel home and finding this.
.
.
Not being in any hurry, we stopped.
.
.
And groaned at the bad grammar.
.
.
But bad spelling aside…. wow.
.
.
There was a path that ran alongside part of the lake and though I wasn’t dressed for hiking, I happily headed out.
.
.
This is a glacial lake and every part of it was glorious.
.
.
My pictures don’t really do it justice, but in spots the colors were positively surreal.
.
.
The wind was ripping and I couldn’t feel my nose, but we pressed on.
.
.
Being careful not to trample any seedlings.
.
.
Mountains, rocks and a glacial lake.
Yes please.
To be continued…
.
.
Our backyard herd is finally starting to assemble.
.
.
Only five right now, but winter is here. Though you wouldn’t know it from our still green grass. (Photo taken last week. There’s an inch of wet snow right now)
.
.
We have a beautiful buck again this year.
.
.
He’s firm, fit and keeps a close eye on his harem. As well as our bird feeders which he loves to empty.
In other news a small miracle happened the other day. While working on his project down in the cellar my husband decided he would throw a few things out and headed to the dump.
I was happy! I was surprised! I was beyond thrilled!
.
.
Until I realized 95% of what he threw out was mine. Hope springs eternal…. but rarely turns out the way I like.
.
.
I honestly can’t think of a single person to whom I would gift these awful socks… or a single female friend of mine who would wear them.
And for that, I’m thankful.
Lastly, I saw this.
.
.
Uh oh.
.
.
All good things must end and after a wonderful 5 days in Vermont our mini vacation did.
.
.
Vermont. The state where even private driveways have covered bridges.
As we left the resort and headed for the Northern Kingdom, I found proof it does exist.
.
.
If only I could have found the garden.
.
.
A lonely cemetery.
.
.
The Kingdom is another world. Rugged, mountainous and sparsely populated.
.
.
With some rather odd inhabitants.
.
.
And as we were heading home, we discovered a hidden, and heretofore unknown to us, gem.
.
.
Lake Willoughby.
To be continued…
.
I was told in no uncertain terms not to string lighted garland in the man cave or bedeck it’s sacred male space with red Christmas bows… so I didn’t.
But I wasn’t told anything about wreaths.
.
.
Or Santas and stars.
.
.
Or pinecone reindeer with shiny ornaments hanging from their antlers.
.
.
Or festive bar placemats.
.
.
Or winterberry trees with bundled up birdies.
.
.
Or glass jars of sparklies with mini glitter trees.
.
.
And speaking of trees…
.
.
I wasn’t prohibited from those either.
.
.
Silly man. He really should learn to be more specific.
.
.
On one of our random scenic drives around Vermont we stopped at a diner for lunch. Wondering if there were any points of interest nearby, we asked the locals who promptly sent us to Huntington Gorge.
.
.
At first glance it didn’t look promising.
.
.
And to be honest, the second and third glances weren’t any better.
.
.
Everywhere we looked there were warnings.
.
.
And while I’m not normally obtuse, I was beginning to get the feeling we weren’t wanted.
.
.
So of course… after all the Danger Will Robinson! signs?
.
.
My mountain goat husband had to investigate.
.
.
Right at the very edge they warned us about.
.
.
Please note yours truly listened to robot and was well out of danger range.
.
.
Yeah. That limb will hold you honey, no problem.
.
.
Needless to say he survived. But it wasn’t for lack of trying.
😉
.
River's world..... 