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The last few days the weather has been in a rinse cycle over and over with a little sun and snow tossed in.

One time late this morning...

One time this afternoon briefly...

Over and over the weather changed from rain, snow, sun, snow, rain, sun, snow, rain, etc.  Right now the snow pellets - graupel - are making a racket as they hit the house windows.


This afternoon's view of Big Mountain ski area.  The ski resort is closed for the season even though it looks like plenty of snow is still there.  Glacier Park has started to clear snow from the Going-to-the-Sun road and they report much more snow than usual.  It has been said that the mountains around here have 141% of snow than normal.

With this moisture the moss I had raked up, and which looked to be dying, is now back to bright green.  That moss doesn't seem to need anything to grow on.

I removed some extra pipe from my well as it had a slow drip from the extra valve.  I had no replacement washer and rather than replace the valve I removed it.  The extra valve is seen in the lower center of the first photo.

Thursday I took Jan to the hospital for the operation on her foot.  She was suppose to be home that night but she is still in the hospital. The operation was more extensive and painful than predicted. Apparently the medical staff is advising that she go to a transition unit for a few weeks to get the healing and therapy off to a good start.

As Bob has trouble getting around, and has health problems of his own, I go over to their house multiple times a day to take their dog out to go to the bathroom.  She also checks out the yard with her nose to the ground.  Mice are in a number of low thick evergreen type of bushes and she tries to get them to no avail.  I saw one mouse but in the thick tangle of branches couldn't step on it to good effect.  I did catch and kill a shrew in my house last night.  It had a light touch and earlier had licked the trap clean of peanut butter without triggering it.  This time it was not as lucky.

Chloe - the dog - and I are getting to be best buds as she has taken a shine to me.

I also try to let their cat in and out.  She must have gotten out last evening as this morning she showed up wanting back into the house.  She has spent all day in her cat bed sleeping soundly.

And I find and take to Bob some of the leftover food for him to eat, and also feed the dog and cat their food.

All that running back and forth to help out is keeping me busy.