A most Uncommon Visitor

I haven't been feeling so well the past few days. Not sure about what it was, but it just made me ache here and there, with a headache and a bit of a cough. When Husband asked if I wanted to take Daughter to college today, I declined, saying I should stay home and rest.

Did I mention that I was out in the woodshed at 5:30 stacking a wagonload of wood onto the woodpile? Oh, yes I was! Of course, when I came back in, I remembered the laundry sitting at the bottom of the basement stairs. It was calling out to me....how could I resist? I did manage to get two loads washed, dried, and folded before the family left at 8:40. (I finished the third load in between tasks, later....)

As everyone headed out the door, I felt tired from the work I had accomplished, so I headed upstairs. That was when I saw a pile of receipts that needed to be reconciled, so I sat down and did that little task.

I had the radio on and when I heard the forecast calling for rain tomorrow, I thought about how we had previously planned to (finally!) close the pool. Thinking about this, I was unable to rest. I trudged downstairs and before leaving to head out the door, pulled out some chicken to thaw for dinner.

Once outside, I pulled the solar cover that was plastered with leaves off the pool. Oh my....there was a huge cluster of leaves in the center of the pool! I would scoop some out with the skimmer on a long pole, then allow about half an hour to get the remaining leaves to settle down again so I could repeat the process.

By noon, the pool was looking pretty spiffy. The leaves were completely gone and I had shocked the pool and raised the alkaliity, which the pool store advised when we had taken in a sample last week. I draped the solar cover over a railing, hoping it would dry enough to shake the leaves off.

In the meantime, I started dinner in the Crockpot and thought I might like to rest a bit. Of course, I needed to deliver a package down to a local store. I thought while I was out, I might like to take some photos of the lake with its colorful hillsides. I drove to the overlook, and the sky was so dismal, the colors looked totally washed out.

By this time, it was after 3 o'clock. Daughter's day ends at 4 on Tuesday, so I got to thinking everyone would be home before too long. I came home and shook some leaves off the solar cover, then decided to sweep the sidewalk a bit.

That was when I discovered this strange little critter. The antennae were the only thing that gave away the front of this guy. It had legs like a grasshopper and a strange pointed little "addendum" on its behind that resembled a curved upholstery sewing needle. I thought perhaps it had been injured, as it looked like it was folded in half, but it hopped just like a grasshopper!

Well, the family was home shortly after 5 and they had already eaten. I put the chicken away for lunch tomorrow and was glad I had not made the entire meal. As it was, I made a spicy Buffalo-style recipe that I was afraid would give me heartburn, so I had made myself a tasty grilled cheese sandwich with tomato and onion on it.

It is now after 11:30 and I am still awake! There was no opportunity for a nap today. Thankfully, the kids helped me place the winter cover on the pool when they got home. Daughter vacuumed the pool and we removed the ladder. Son helped me fold the solar cover and put it away. Tomorrow, we will complete the winterization.

Perhaps tomorrow I will get a chance to catch my breath!!! And, by the way, there is some awesome thunder off in the distance.....