Rather ordinary days

It’s been a bit since I posted, but it hasn’t been very exciting around here.  I did have a doctor’s appointment on Monday for my shoulder which resulted in a cortisone shot.  It’s improved some, but certainly not back to normal yet.  I’ve been advised not to lift my right arm higher than my shoulder for two weeks to give it a rest.  I’ve found that easier said than done.  I have to consciously think about it all day since I’m right handed. 

Half of the RV volunteers left the refuge for the holiday to visit with friends and family.  That left five of us here, and I invited the two other couples to join me for a Christmas dinner at the bunk house at the Winnie facility.  Get a load of this refuge bunkhouse!  Bunkhouses are usually for college interns and visiting fire crews and other visiting staff.  This is the snazziest bunkhouse I’ve ever seen.  The kitchen is huge and has two ovens, two big refrigerators, two microwaves, and a dishwasher.  I was in a cook’s heaven.

The second floor of the bunkhouse has all the bedrooms, and a balcony that overlooks the ground floor.  After living in my motorhome for seven and a half years, I felt a little giddy with all the counter space available.   

I had a couple of ulterior motives in having the dinner here.  I was providing the ham and mashed potatoes.  That meant two things to me.  First, I got to keep most of the leftover ham to make some ham and bean soup, ham sandwiches, and a second ham and potato meal for tomorrow.  And then there was the gravy.  Whenever we baked a ham when I was growing up, my mother made raisin gravy.  I love it.  Because I was providing the ham, I made raisin gravy too. 

The other volunteers brought cranberry salad, green beans, rolls, a very tasty pineapple bread pudding type of dish, pumpkin bars, and Christmas cookies.  As always happens at these gatherings, there was really enough to feed an army.  It was all very delicious, and when I got back to the rig Emma was pleased to have some of the ham and gravy mixed into her dry food.  Another raisin gravy fan!

Today it was back to the grindstone, as I had to do this week’s waterbird surveys.  Most of the ducks, geese, and herons that I count are far off from the truck and I view them through my spotting scope.  However, I did find this juvenile black-crowned night heron lurking in the reeds close to the gravel road. 

I haven’t decided if I’ll ‘work’ tomorrow or not.  I really should force myself to do some vacuuming.  I hate housework!  I just don’t understand why Emma isn’t bald with all the black hair that accumulates on the floor.

Thanks for stopping by… talk to you later,  Judy