I had a truly WONDERFUL video conference call chat with our son, Brian, this morning. I just loved seeing his face and his great smile as we talked. I got to wish him a Happy Birthday almost in-person. He is well and happy, involved in all kinds of new music projects, starting another class in Thai next week, and generally loving his life. His newest goal is to try to start a meditation center for beginners so that he can work with them, sharing what has worked with him, helping them to be as content as he is. I love the idea.
Tricolor Heron_Green Cay Wetlands_Scott Helfrich_The National Wildlife Federation Blog
We got our mail, went for my husband’s haircut, then put the trash can in the back of the truck to bring it back up to the garage before the heavy rain started. I’m about to go shut the garage door now, as I’m hearing thunder and it’s gotten really dark outside. I’m HOPING that the fact the temperature is only 58 degrees will just keep this to heavy rain, rather than hail, wind, heavy rain, flying hair balls, and possible tornadoes that are forecast for the day.
It’s time for me to fix lunch, but I wanted to check in here first. We’ll batten down the hatches and be happy that we have a warm, dry place to weather the storm.
Tomorrow afternoon we’re due for probable severe weather, so the gray TODAY is looking pretty darned good. It’s too wet, still, to work in the yard, and tomorrow will, of course, bring lots MORE rain, plus hail, plus flying hairballs, so another inside day here.
Yesterday we bought a new leaf blower/vacuum. Most of the ones we saw seemed WAY too expensive, but we then lucked into this Craftsman 12.0. I probably won’t use the vacuum parts, but there’s a MAYBE to that. I’ll just store the bag and the vacuum attachments carefully until next time. For now, I’ll hope it works well if the leaves outside ever dry enough to blow. I’d like to blow the leaves one more time before I pronounce the front yard ‘ready for winter.’
Our son sent us this pic of a meal he received from a new service that delivers to his condo daily. It looks delicious, doesn’t it? This will allow him to eat a healthy variety of nicely cooked food without a lot of shopping, cooking, etc. I would love it it they would deliver to US, too, but it’s a bit out of their delivery zone, being across the world from us…
I called my friend Linda to see if this afternoon is a good time for me to come and see her new apartment and retirement facility. She seemed delighted that I called. I’ll take the jigsaw puzzle as a housewarming present.
The temperature is warm for December (56 degrees F.) but it’s gray, gloomy, and quite rainy this morning. I think the rain is supposed to ease off this afternoon, but remain cloudy. And that’s the weather forecast for Arkansas…
I’m going to use the ‘inside day’ to start my Christmas cards and get some presents ready to mail. That should help me get into the Christmas spirit finally.
My friend, Linda from Lunch Bunch has moved to the retirement place now. I’m going to call and get a tour from her next week with housewarming gifts in hand. She is a bit tentative about the move right now, talking about so many old people there, so I encouraged her to ‘dance down the halls and get people in trouble with her at the helm.’ We’ll see what she can stir up. :0)
My husband and I went to Walmart after Lunch Bunch yesterday, but didn’t find a leaf blower there. We’ll try Yeager’s next. I also want to see if I can find a reciprocating saw to add to my arsenal of ‘things-to-hack-or-cut-things-down.’
Mundane things like laundry will also fill the day. I’ll change the sheets on our bed and fix chili mac for our dinner on this chilly, wet day.
Just hanging around, trying to figure out what I’ll do with the day today. It’s pretty, so I should try to lop off more weed trees in the back this afternoon. We have Lunch Bunch this morning, in about an hour. I’m hoping we’ll have a full house today. It’s been awhile since we were all able to get there, so it would be great to be able to catch up. After we eat lunch, we’ll go grab some groceries, since rain is supposed to start overnight and last through the day tomorrow.
I’ll get presents ready to mail and try to get Christmas cards going. I always do the envelope addressing, signing the cards, etc. I’ll see if my husband wants to dictate the Christmas letter we enclose to people we don’t see during the year. If he doesn’t want to, I’ll think about what to write. I love hearing from people at this time of year. It’s a wonderful way to virtually hug someone you can’t travel to see.
I wish you the happiest of Fridays, good weather, good company, and lots of hugs and laughter.
I’m feeling pensive this morning, full of memories – swamped by them, actually – making it difficult to get much done yet. We’re having yet another gray day, but it’s already 55 degrees. Yesterday I was able to lop off some weed trees in the back. The loppers are heavy, though, so I can only spend a few minutes working each time. A good friend of mine suggested I get a small, battery-powered chainsaw. This is a great idea, except I’m a bit hesitant because all the weed trees are on a rocky slope and it’s easy to lose my footing. I really don’t want to fall with a chainsaw. So, I think I’ll continue doing what I can with the loppers for the time being, and then see if I can get my husband involved with the larger chainsaw we have. We’ll see.
Yesterday we did another session on cutting evergreen branches that were encroaching on the driveway. We took Amber in the back when we drove down to get our mail and put the trash can in the back of the truck. We stopped on the way back up and let her out so she could play while we worked. We now have the worst of the branches cut off now. Anything more we do is wonderful, but not crucial to our being able to get down – and back up again. (One year it took us two weeks with our chain saw to clear the driveway enough to drive the truck down.)
Amber
Abby
Amber just made me laugh out loud. I heard a “Meow!” and said, “Abby, do you want to go out?” Amber came right over, walked up with her upper half in the chair with me, smiling and snuffling my ear. I told her that I KNEW she hadn’t meowed, and she just smiled more, if possible, trying to get up into the chair with me. I finally got up to let both Amber and Abby out, meeting my husband at the front door, who was there to do the same thing. Well-trained humans!
Today I’m planning to bring a couple of Christmas presents downstairs and get them ready to mail. The post office has said we need to mail even earlier than usual this year in order to be sure our stuff gets to the people we love in time for Christmas. Maybe this will help me get into the spirit of the holidays. I’ll also try to get started with Christmas cards.
A quick shout-out to Carol, a really nice, talented lady I met yesterday online through the blog. We’ve emailed back and forth a couple of times now and have a lot in common. It’s nice to know we’re not alone in our situations, and I look forward to getting to know her better. :0)
It’s sunny and supposed to get to 67 degrees F. today! I’m going to try to spend as much time outside today as I can, enjoying the glorious day and trying to get more accomplished in the yard. My plan to ‘chop-a-few-evergreen-branches-each-time-we-drive-up-the-driveway’ project is bringing success. We aren’t killing ourselves and the driveway is getting clearer. This is a several-days project because our driveway is 650+ feet long and steep. Hopefully, we won’t have to worry any more than usual about ice and snow storms this winter.
Blowing more leaves in the front yard will have to wait until we buy a new leaf blower, but I plan to cut down a bunch of weed trees across the back today. This will be a many-day project, since we have a LOT of weed trees and using the lopper gets to me pretty quickly, but I can get started with it today.
I’m
These weed trees are obscuring our view of the valley behind the house. I love to watch the seasons change, pretending that we own all we can see. :0) As you can see from these pics, I have my work cut out for me…
The morning fog has already cleared to a large extent, but I wanted to share the feeling with you. You can’t see the valley that we can usually enjoy behind our house. We can LOOK at it, so we consider it ‘ours.’ :0)
More fog, but this photo also gives you an idea of the ‘weed trees’ that I’m trying to cut down a few at at time. They’re taller than they look here, and when I lop one off, it falls on me no matter where I stand. Not heavy, though, just irritating, and a little of this work goes a long way.
This morning we’ll gather our trash and drive the humongous trash can down to the bottom of the driveway to leave it for emptying. We’ll get our mail, and then make a quick trip to town for some supplies and maybe look for a new leaf blower. On the way back up the driveway, we’ll try to get more evergreen branches cut down so they won’t encroach on the driveway so badly. (I don’t know how long it would take for things to grow back as they were before we built our home over 35 years ago, but I don’t think it would be long.)
Hida Tool
It looks like I have today and tomorrow before we’re due for heavy rain Wednesday and Thursday. I think I’ll tackle the weed trees and see if I can reopen our view a bit.
Cold, gray rainy Sunday here – 39 with a high of 42. Ugh. We’ll have ‘breakfast’ for dinner tonight and spaghetti tomorrow.
Suave Yards
Yesterday I did Pass #2 on blowing leaves from the front yard. I got almost finished and the leaf blower started making bad noises. I looked, but didn’t see anything caught anywhere, anything loose, etc. My husband came out and looked at it, saying it sounded like “bearings were giving up” and that we would probably need to buy another one. This one has lasted a long time. We’ll probably take a look tomorrow and see what we can find.
Yesterday was DAY 142 on my daily yoga practice. I have changed to multiple short plank poses, rather than trying to hold one longer pose. I did six 10-second holds yesterday. I can increase either the time, the repetitions, or both, trying to get the most benefit from the pose on trying to get stronger. My husband and I share the same exchange each day – When he says, “Are you going to ‘yoge’?, and I answer, “Yes,” – he says, “Good on ya.” (Still not a ‘habit,’ or something I feel I NEED to do, or an activity I would MISS if I didn’t do it, but it has definitely become a ‘determined effort’ each day.)
Scottsdale Pet Hotel
Other than cuddling, playing on the computer, listening to music on YouTube, reading, cooking, etc., my plan is to vacuum the first floor tiles and carpet. My husband did this in our truck the other day, replacing the seat cover with a new one, and says he vacuumed up the equivalent of two dogs. :0) I’ll probably do the same today. If there were an award for shedding, I think Amber would definitely be in the running.
Stay warm, safe, and dry today with someone you love.
Yesterday we lopped off more branches in the driveway as we came up from Lunch Bunch. Later I brought in the deck chairs and tables from the deck to store on the porch for the winter. These two, plus yoga, were my exercise for the day.
I also ‘slow-rolled’ the heavy, tall green planter from the corner – where the wood isn’t as strong as it might be these days – to the middle of that side of the deck. I’m not sure what else I’ll do to get the deck ready for the winter – it’s too cold for pressure washing – and I’ll probably switch to something of higher priority first.
Honda UK
Since we’re going to get rain tomorrow (and several days next week) I may do the 2nd pass with the leaf blower in the front this afternoon. I would like to at least get things to look like a ‘nice scattering of leaves’ rather than ‘Mother Nature dumping on us.’ I would also like to start cutting down weed trees in the back, but that can be done a bit at a time, between bouts of rain.
The last day to order packages of 6 hand-painted Christmas cards is December 10th. Free shipping in the contiguous United States. Please click on the links to be taken to Etsy to order. Remember that the post office is urging us to mail early this year.
I’m looking forward to Lunch Bunch today even more than usual. Due to Thanksgiving last week, our restaurant wasn’t open for our lunch last Friday, so it’s been two weeks since we met. I want to find out if Linda has moved to the retirement place and what else is going on with everyone.
It’s actually warmer this morning than it has been. It’s 51 degrees F. already and is supposed to get to 60 this afternoon! Woo HOOO! I’m hoping to be able to continue my yard work, though I haven’t decided what I’ll tackle yet, if the weather is cooperative. We’re supposed to have light rain off and on during the day and a strong cold front coming through overnight, so it’s still a roller coaster here.
It’s funny. I’m reading After Sundown by Linda Howard and Linda Jones. It’s about a CME (cornonal mass ejection) bringing their world to a standstill with no electricity until further notice and all the things that derive from that. This morning I checked the news and read about solar storms possibly affecting our power grid in a minor way. Eerie.
And with that, I’ll wish you a happy, stress-free day.
We’re back on the roller coaster Mother Nature has set up. Yesterday it was windy and 75. Today is 36 with a high expected of 49, and sunny. No wind. I’m hoping to get outside this afternoon. We’ll see. I’m very thankful the wild weather last night bypassed us. I hope the front goes on past the east coast and dies without causing further havoc.
Lifestyle.livemint.com
Yesterday during my yoga practice (DAY 137) I could only hold the plank pose for 20 seconds without a lot of discomfort. I decided that I would do the pose multiple times, so repeated it 3 more times for a total count of 80. (I have no real idea of how long I’m holding the pose, other than counting while I hold it, so I would imagine that I’m being generous with myself, counting pretty fast.)
I wondered if holding the plank for multiple short amounts of time would be the equivalent of one longer hold. I researched the question, finding opinions vary all over the place. Some people say your goal should be to hold the pose 5 MINUTES. Since this is an impossible goal for me, I continued to research. I found –
Most experts suggest anywhere from 10 up to 30 seconds is plenty. “Focus on doing multiple sets of smaller amounts of time,” says L’Italien.Nov 13, 2019″
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Since I am 75, and there is no way in the world I’ll ever get to 5 MINUTES, I’ll go for this advice. If I do MULTIPLE repetitions of however long I can hold before I get really uncomfortable, I ought to be able to attain my goal of strengthening my core.
Bright Horizons
Our yard is finally starting to look as if someone cares. There is ALWAYS something more than we should or could do, but if I get the yard looking pretty civilized and the plants as protected as possible, I feel good.
Two days ago I finally got the planters on the deck cleaned out. There is still some stuff to do to prepare the deck for the winter, but the project is started.
I’m trying to tackle things of higher priority first. I’m going to put a set of loppers in the truck so that each time we come back from errands, we can stop on the way up the driveway and cut off some evergreen branches that are hanging out into the driveway. We don’t want these to be stretched across the driveway, blocking our way up and down after ice or snow storms.
I want to prune our rose bushes WAAAAAY down for the winter. I have two bushes left. Then there is one more planter that is totally overgrown, leaves to be blown from the front yard, weed trees to be cut down to open up our view in the back again …
I’ve finally lost a couple of pounds over the last few days. My scales are still smirking at me, but not so widely.
I’m fasting from dinner until lunch the next day. Typical lunches are a slice of turkey or ham, a piece of cheese, a hard-boiled egg, and some fruit. Sometimes we also eat a very small ramekin of potato salad.
Dinner is a frozen dinner or individual portions of leftovers from meals I’ve cooked, a side veggie or salad, and a roll.
steve cole images-Getty Images
My yoga practice is going well. I even forgot to give myself a glittery silver star on my desk calendar for yesterday until this morning. (I’m on DAY 137 of daily yoga practice, but I’m getting to the point I almost don’t need to keep track anymore. Yesterday, since my back was sore from working outside, I held the plank pose four times at a count of 15 each. I don’t know if that’s equivalent to one longer session, but I do what I can do each day and don’t worry about it.
123RF.com
I also worked in the yard, and that gave me more exercise for the day. I finally got the deck planters cleaned out for the winter. Since we have 8 or so planters out there, that was a good amount of work for the day. Today I plan to cut the rose bushes way back. I’m not sure what else I’ll do, but the weather will be 75 and quite breezy with lots of sun this afternoon.
We’ll leave for errands in a couple of minutes. We have our Christmas mailbox decoration in the back of the truck, ready for us to put it up as we leave. On the way back, we’ll put our trash can in the back to drive it back up.
“Foggy Morning Sun Rise” – photo by Warren Birge – FineArtAmerica.com
Fog lay like ribbons between the ridge lines when I looked out the window while dressing this morning. Surreal. Magical. It’s supposed to get WARM this afternoon – 65 degrees F. – and I should be able to get some things done outside. :0)
Yesterday was a lazy day for me, since the weather was yucky. About the only thing I did of any note was my yoga session and holding the plank pose for a quick count of 45. Today we have several errands, plus laundry, gathering and putting out the trash – all kinds of exciting stuff. As I rest between chores, I’ll enjoy more of my book.
Nice way to spend a Monday. I hope yours is good, too.
We had a challenging day here yesterday, so I’m hoping for a calm day today. The weather is still rainy and gray, encouraging quiet activities and maybe even a nap!
solorganix.com
I had a nice session of yoga yesterday (DAY 134) and I could FEEL some improvement in my ability to stretch into some of my poses. I decided to do my plank pose with 3 attempts, trying to hold each one as long as possible, since I had sore muscles and couldn’t hold for the quick-count-of-45 yesterday. It makes sense to me that several sessions holding the pose should be good for building strength, too.
Giphy
One Thanksgiving meal and the next day Turkey sandwiches meal have done their worst. Yesterday I got-back-on-the-horse of trying to eat right. Hopefully, the scales will start to notice a difference by the end of next week. Loss to Date: 23 pounds and 26 inches since my heaviest.
It’s quite dark outside this morning with Mother Nature preparing to rain on us in a most-of-the-day event. It isn’t particularly cold, though, which is nice. I’m thinking that if she is cooperative today, I’ll try to clean out the planters on the deck. If the rain is TOO hard, or is blowing, I’ll have to put it off until tomorrow.
Katz’s Delicatessen
We had MY favorite Thanksgiving dinner last night – turkey sandwiches. We still have a bit of turkey left over to eat with a couple of lunches, but the main splurge of the holiday is gone now.
UAB Medical West
Our son, and a friend and his wife did a big extra for Thanksgiving this year. They thought the Thai people might enjoy experiencing an American Thanksgiving dinner, and so served plates to people. Our son said they all had a wonderful time.
I’m not really sure what the day will bring. We don’t have any have-to’s today, and for that I’m grateful. I’m in the middle of a good book, and I don’t have to cook a lot today, so I’m a happy camper.
I hope that you are able to stay warm, dry, and happy today, too. :0)
I hope you had a nice Thanksgiving. We had a lazy happy day with football games, computers, reading, napping, and, of course, dinner. My husband complimented me on the dinner a couple of times last night and again this morning. I’m planning to fix turkey sandwiches (my favorite part of Thanksgiving) tonight. :0)
Today is warm (54 degrees F.) for this time of year, but it’s gray, wet, and misty. Things won’t dry out enough for me to do much in the yard today, and then we’re supposed to get rain tomorrow. UGH. I’ll never get the yard ready for winter at this rate. The weather makes me want to curl up under my throw.
The only constructive thing I’m planning for the day is vacuuming. I hope that your day is a fun one.
I hope you’re doing well this morning. I’m leaving in a minute to get a much-needed haircut. I look like a dandelion-gone-to-seed, but I’m confident that Michael can work his usual miracle, making it look like someone has a plan.
Yesterday I got the bricks moved. My husband came out to help me with the last two wheelbarrow loads, and then I raked leaves. I gathered several cloth leaf barrels full of leaves and carted them around to the back, filling up the two tomato planters and the new iris planter. If the rain holds off long enough today, I’m planning to use the leaf blower to clean up the area between the top of our driveway and the trio of planters. That will show if I need to weed whack. I’ll take pics later.
If you’re on your way to see family for the Thanksgiving holiday, I wish you a safe, smooth trip to and from, with lots of love and hugs in-between.
Good morning! I’m still trying to get my head on straight with a cup of coffee.
We have a quiet day today, with only getting the trash to the bottom of the driveway and going to our routine doctor appointment this afternoon. I’m hoping to get outside for some work in the yard when we get home.
gonedogmad.com
Today is DAY 130 of my daily yoga practice. I’m still giving myself a star on my desk calendar each day, encouraging me to keep this going. It’s still a matter of determination, rather than it being a ‘habit’ or a ‘need’, but I’m making some progress on the poses and I feel better after I do my session each afternoon. Yesterday I held the plank pose of a quick count of 40.
Giphy
Yesterday I talked to my husband AGAIN, asking for his help and encouragement in my efforts to lose the lard. Right now his help is sporadic, at best. He encourages me, and then, like last night, brings me a plate with a slab of his birthday cake with pineapple and ice cream on top…
He SAYS he’ll try to be supportive at least more of the time, ASKING me before he wants to bring me something. I’m hoping I’ll be strong enough to answer, “No, I’m fine, thanks.”
I’m armed with baby carrots ready to eat, and low fat cottage cheese for after yoga. Yesterday I cut the amount of cottage cheese I was eating by half and was fine with it. Hopefully, I can continue doing things like that, making tweaks or cutting things out. My immediate goal is to see a difference in 8 weeks, the time between my doc’s appt today and when I have to go back and get another blood test to see if the new dose of thyroid hormone is the right one for me now. I think that’s a good amount of time to establish some new good eating habits, or at least be on the road to that.
Google Play
My friend, Linda, is moving to a retirement place very soon. She likes to do jigsaw puzzles, but the huge ones are too much for her now. She does the real ones, not the ones on a computer. I’ll look today and see if I can find one with 250-500 pcs, so I can take it to her as a ‘retirement-place-apartment-warming’ gift.
Today will still be cold It’s 25 now) but help is on the way starting tomorrow. I’m really looking forward to being able to do a bit in the yard again in the afternoons before winter is upon us.
Doga
I did a lot better with yoga practice yesterday (DAY 128). I’m not sure what is happening, but it seemed that my body is finally able to stretch more in many of the poses. I won’t win any prizes, but comparably speaking, I’m making some sort of break-through – either in stretching farther or being able to hold the pose longer. My plank pose holding is now up to a quick count of 35 – much better than the quick count of 10 with which I started.
BBC Science Focus Magazine
I was a slug yesterday, so my to-do list is the same, and even longer today. I’ll try to do better, though I should win an award for procrastination. I SO enjoyed reading, napping under my throw, and even cooking our dinner yesterday, instead. First priority today is going through each of our medicines list to make sure they are up to date for our doctor tomorrow.
I WISH it looked like this outside today. It IS a cool, very crisp, fall sunny day here, but the main color is beige, rather than the glorious display above. It’s 28 degrees now, and the high is supposed to be a balmy 45 this afternoon. The coming days, though, are supposed to have highs in the 50s – MUCH more to my liking and my desire to get more yard work done.
My husband enjoyed his birthday dinner last night, remarking on it a couple of times. :0) We also had a celebratory piece of Mt. Dew cake, thanks to Kay from Lunch Bunch. The best part of the celebration, from my perspective, is the call from Thailand from our son, short though it was, and the fact that instead of being depressed about aging, my husband announced that he was looking forward to his NEXT birthday, because he thinks 80 is a much nicer number than 79….
He’s still in a birthday celebration frame of mind, and requested that I make soup and grilled cheese sandwiches for dinner. Birthday and cold weather comfort food, for sure.
Since it’s too cold to work outside, I’m going to concentrate on paperwork in the office and vacuuming today. I’ll pay bills, study our lab test results and make sure our meds lists are up to date for the doc appt Monday afternoon. Amber has left another dog’s worth of hair on the tiles and carpeting. It’s amazing how much more I have to vacuum on the first floor than the second. The second is what I would term ‘normal’ and the first needs a serious effort at LEAST twice as much. It’s truly amazing (and disgusting) how full the vacuum canister gets each time I vacuum the first floor.
And that’s it for the exciting life of the Lewises in Arkansas. I’m delighted I don’t live in Buffalo right now. I hope that everyone there is snuggled into their warm house and don’t have to get out until further notice.
It’s my husband’s 79th birthday today. On one hand, he doesn’t want to talk about it, celebrate or anything. On the other hand, he wants to be 80. He thinks THAT is a good age. Kay is bringing him a cake today at Lunch Bunch. I’m making him one of his favorite dinners – chicken chunks and soup with mushrooms and onions over rice – for dinner tonight. Our son just called from across the world (the middle of the night for him) to wish him a happy birthday and a happy day. I wish you could have seen the smile on my husband’s face and the light in his eyes.
A cold front came through last night, bringing cooler temperatures. No ice or snow, though, thank goodness, but the HIGH will only be 38 today. We’re not finished with warmer temperatures yet, but today will probably not be one where I work outside this afternoon.
metro.co.uk
Today is DAY 126 of my efforts to make daily yoga practice a habit/routine, and I held the plank pose for a quick count of 30 yesterday. I’m not sure whether the practice is becoming a habit or just a part of the day I’m determined to keep doing, but both Amber (our yellow lab) and Abby (our fat cat) seem to think that my getting on the floor is a signal it’s time to nuzzle and play. I hardly get my mat spread out and pillows down before both of them are there waiting for me to join them. :0)
My husband and I went for lab work yesterday in preparation for our routine appointments Monday afternoon. The clinic called me today to tell me I need to change my thyroid dosage, so we’ll be picking up a new trial prescription from the pharmacy after Lunch Bunch today, with another test in 8 weeks to see if the new dosage is correct. (Kind of like trying to regrow a nerve – slow and tedious until the correct dosage is found.)
My husband has declared our driveway pad detector dead and is in the process of ordering a new one. I found the paperwork, so we’re pretty sure we can get the same thing, or an updated version of the same thing, making the replacement pretty easy.
We have NOT found any evidence that any more critters are coming into the garage to get our cat’s food, so for the time being, we’re not having to set our humane trap. Here’s hoping the raccoon we caught recently didn’t have a big family who kept track of where he was going.
Right now I’m trying to hold onto my sanity because our driveway pad detector keeps going off and there is no one out there. There is one good thing about it – when there is an actual vehicle, the alarms are more frequent and longer than the one at a time beeps we’re getting now. It gets on your nerves, though, kind of like water dripping on your head, one drip at a time, but relentlessly.
iStock
We were out first thing this morning to get lab work done for our routine doctor appts Monday. Hopefully, our health will be such that we won’t have to go back for six months. To give ourselves something nice after being good little people and getting the work done, we went to The Dari for a sumptuous breakfast before coming home. I had a really nice veggie omelette. YUM.
There was frost on everything this morning, but the sun was shining, so it seemed things were sparkling. It’s 38 degrees now, and it’s supposed to get to 49 this afternoon. If it actually DOES get that warm, I’ll try to get outside and get something done in the yard.
Santa Cruz Sentinel
As we approached the top of the driveway, a couple of deer leaped across in front of us. Such a beautiful sight!
We got rain overnight and a freeze. I’m not sure about the freezing rain or sleet, but I can’t see any ice yet. No snow. So it’s gray, gloomy, and cold now, but we sure could have worse.
Amber started to bark last night – not a usual occurrence for her. We ignored her. This morning we found a raccoon in the humane trap we set INSIDE THE GARAGE. We had set the trap because we found evidence ‘something’ was bothering the cat dish, the small piece of carpet under the cat dish, the water bowl, etc.
We’ll leave in a bit for my husband’s haircut and errands, relocate the raccoon on the way home, and hope the trash can at the bottom of the driveway is empty and can be brought back up. I’m hoping this is the last of the raccoons for the year. We’ve had more than our share – this is #10.
Since the high for the day is supposed to be in the mid 40s, I’m not at all sure I’ll try to work outside this afternoon. I’ll see how it feels and make a decision later.
This is the forecast for Greenwood, Arkansas this afternoon. Since I’m trying to work in the yard, I’m frustrated.
Trio Planters
Yesterday I went out to survey the damage of the freezes and found my sweet elephant ear leaves hanging dolefully down around the bricks of the planter. I spent a long time cutting each of the leaves down with a sharp knife either at the surface, or below, if I could. When I finished that, I raked up some leaves and put them in the planter. I’ll continue to do that, putting as many leaves as I can cram into it, trying to protect the elephant ear roots as much as possible for the winter. (I tried digging up the bulbs and storing them in peat moss in the garage as suggested one winter and ended up having to pitch the yucky, slime-covered bulbs in the spring. Ever since, I just cut them off and leave them in the planter, hoping to see spears shooting up in the spring.)
Elephant Ear Planter
It’s too cold right now to work outside. If it warms up between now and mid afternoon when the rain is supposed to start, maybe I can get more done outside.
I don’t think we’ll get ‘snowed in’ as such, but I really don’t want to be trying to horse the humongous trash container out of the back of the truck and getting it into place at the bottom of the driveway in the rain/freezing rain/sleet/snow this afternoon and evening, so we’ll gather our stuff early, leave it for pick up and get our mail mid morning, and then ‘hole in’ to see what the weather does. I’m especially thankful we have a warm, dry home on days like this.
My husband saw snowflakes when he took Amber out for the last time last night! It’s 37 degrees with bright sunshine right now, with more snow possibly Monday. Ooh. NOOOO! I’m not ready for this! I’m still trying to get the yard cleaned up!
Diet and Exercise –
I’ve lost 2 lbs this week. I’m really trying not to stuff my face between meals, after dinner, in the middle of the night…. DAY 120 on my yoga practice. It’s still quite difficult for me to hold the plank pose. I made it to 21 seconds yesterday. Pathetic, but progress.
Ham Radio Tower –
It’s gone! George and a friend came at about 1:30 yesterday afternoon. They were able to get the tower lying on it’s side on the ground without problem (amazing) and then proceeded to take it apart. While they were doing that, I helped my husband get the antenna controller unattached from the shelf in the office where it has lived for umpteen years. It did NOT want to come out of the sturdy metal bracket my husband built for it, but FINALLY he was able to get it down. He also decided to give George a signal analyzer. I found the paperwork and we bundled those together. George was thrilled with his ‘goodies’ and we were happy that the stuff has obviously found a good home.
Lunch Bunch –
It was great yesterday. Kay’s husband, Bud, wasn’t working because it was rainy (he works a backhoe). He greeted me with, “I thought it was time for you to enjoy my smiling face again.” :0) He, Kay, and Linda were there. Linda is moving to a retirement place in Greenwood and may actually be moved by next Friday, or soon thereafter. She is looking forward to a more active social life than she has now. I’m really happy for her. She meets people easily and should be happy there. If not, we’ll help her move again.
Supplies –
Since the forecast is possibly snow Monday, we’ll probably get out today or tomorrow to replenish supplies so we can hole in up here, if needed. I’m planning to wait until it warms up as much as it’s going to if we go today. The sun is shining, but it’s COLD out there!
It apparently rained overnight, but we didn’t get the forecast freeze, so that’s good. We might get some rain this evening, but otherwise, it’s just a gray, cloudy day today, on Veterans’ Day.
Final Fantasy XIV.
Since I haven’t gotten calls or messages on my phone, it looks like Lunch Bunch is on. The only other things on our schedule today are 1) that Fedex should come to deliver an order, and 2) that George, the man who came and wanted to adopt our 40 foot ham radio tower and antenna, called last night to ask if it was okay if he came today. He’ll be here around 1pm (hopefully with lots of help) to dismantle the tower and antenna and take them away. (I love it that my husband phrased our offer, “Ham Radio Tower Free to Good Home.”
Columbia Distributing
It’s cool and gray outside now, making me feel lazy and contemplative. I just want to curl up in my recliner under my throw, read and nap. Yesterday I finished the biography of Johnny Carson. Today I’m starting the last one I got from the library fundraising sale about Rush Limbaugh.
I guess I’m contemplative because I wrote the post about Veterans Day, and my husband being adamant about refusing to allow me to honor his service in the park in town. It also made me think about my dad. He was always embarrassed when talk turned to military service. He wanted to serve, and went to sign up for WWII. They rejected him and referred to him as a ‘cripple.’ He fell off a horse when he was 3 years old, breaking his arm in several places. They were able to save his arm, but it was touch and go on whether they could save his hand. They saved it, but his left arm was much shorter than his right and his hand was almost useless. He handled this so well that many times I forgot that he had more challenges than others, but the military made HIM feel useless as a man. If they had hurt ME, I would have gotten over it years and years ago. I guess I’ll never forgive them for hurting my dad and making him feel ‘less.’ They’re lucky they are all gone now, because I would still bite them in the legs, and I haven’t had my rabies shot…
I’m looking forward to George coming this afternoon to take the ham radio tower away. He’s a big man, young, with a can-do feel about him. He was like a little kid, thrilled that he will get the tower. It makes me happy to meet him, and have a very small part in giving him something that will bring him hours and hours of fun and excitement.
Mother Nature is testing our mettle this week, with sunny and 81 today, and rain, a freeze, and high of 53 tomorrow. I have enjoyed roller coasters in the past, but I prefer them in an amusement park…
Shout-out to Marsha – continue to stay safe and dry from the hurricane today.
Shout-out to Cathy – I hope you’re recovering well and will feel sassy soon.
Shout-out to Susy – Thinking of you and Bobby, and hope things are going well.
Shangarey Julia
I’m continuing to try to neaten up the yard, but I’m taking it easy a bit after all the potting soil I moved recently. Making sure we’re ready for the freezes starting tonight and then weed whacking are the priorities for the day.
We stayed up watching the election returns, finally giving up and going to bed around midnight. I’m happy about the results in Arkansas, but frustrated that we won’t know the national results for awhile yet, and what they will mean for the country. Another character-building exercise.
We’re experiencing low 80s for a high today and tomorrow followed by low 50s and below, plus FREEZES, starting Friday morning. I’m trying to make sure we’ve disconnected the hoses, put the freeze protection on the faucets, closed house vents, gotten the water to the irrigation system turned off, etc. before the freezes come. Today’s yard work is weed whacking at least in the front yard to neaten up for the winter. When the weed whacking is done around the house, I’ll see if I can plant more iris.
I wish I thought we would have definitive answers about election results tonight, but I really doubt it. We’ll have delays, run-offs, ‘too-close-to-calls’ etc. We’ll probably tune in to see what we can see, but to say I feel tense is an understatement.
I emptied and spread nine 40-pound bags of potting soil in the trio of brick planters yesterday. Today I’ll continue my efforts, starting in the side yard with one bag each to the two tomato planters and one to the new iris planter. Not sure if I’ll do more.
We’re going to make a run to town to replenish supplies. Hopefully, the trash people have done their thing – if not already – then by the time we come home, so we can put the can in the back of the truck and take it back up. Fingers crossed.
Yesterday we offered our 40 foot ham radio tower ‘free to a good home.’ We had several emails responding and three people who came to the house. One is coming Saturday to dismantle it and take it home. My husband is still able to use an antenna on top of our well house, so he doesn’t have to give his ham radio communications up.
We have no big plans for the day, but the day is beautiful, so it’ll be nice to spend time outside in the sun. Freezes by the end of the week, so I’ll soak up what I can of the nice weather until then.
I hope you have a terrific Tuesday. If you haven’t voted yet, please let your voice be heard today.
I pooped out yesterday and didn’t move ANY potting soil into planters. I got the rest of my list done, though, so I feel pretty good about that.
Right now it’s cloudy (but not raining) and 66 degrees F. – almost perfect weather for trying to get 40 pound bags of potting soil into the brick planters.
We just finished gathering trash, and my husband shocked me by wanting to go ahead and get the huge company trash can into the back of the truck, AND wanting to go ahead and take it down to the bottom of the driveway! I think he’s gaining confidence that the critters are less likely to mess with these huge cans, and that, even if it rains, the lids are heavy enough they tend to stay put, rather than blowing up and letting the rain into the can. I’m delighted about the change in his attitude and not having to worry about not getting the trash where it needs to be for pickup in time. :0)
On the way back up the driveway, we noticed that a branch of the tree to one side of the driveway is horizontal in the tree now. It’s too heavy for us to be able to handle it easily, so we’re hoping it’ll just stay where it is, rather than coming down farther. Fingers crossed.
My plan for the day is to work on the bags of potting soil a bit at a time, doing what I can to get them in the planters and the soil distributed. There are 15 bags, so it’ll take a bit of time and effort.
Bulldogology – Pet Solutions
Today is DAY 115 of my daily yoga practice. I’m still at 20 seconds on my ability to hold the Plank pose, and that’s really working at it. I prefer to think of it as “twice as long as I was able to do when I started” rather than simply, “Pathetic.” :0) I’m now using SILVER sparkly stars on my desk calendar as a reward. They’re really pretty.
eBay
These look similar to the ones I’m using.
The Cut
I’m really ready for the election to be over. I’m at the point where I hate EVERYONE. The simplistic arguments and mud-slinging on both sides is exasperating and embarrassing. I will deal with whatever happens, even if I need to crawl under my blankie. Just stop.
I’m NOT a bazillionaire this morning after winning the lottery. Bah. Humbug. Whine. (just a bit.) I told the nice cashier at the Casey station yesterday that she was selling hope. :0) Maybe NEXT time… Otherwise, a happy day ahead.
I have a busy day ahead of me. It’s all at home. We don’t have any errands that I know of today.
I’ll try to get as much potting soil into the planters as possible today, though I’m not in a rush to beat rain today. I’ll just do what I can and see how it goes.
Today is DAY 114 of my yoga practice. (I was able to hold the plank pose (barely) for 20 seconds yesterday!) I know, it’s pathetic, but TWICE as long as I was able when I started.
Laundry, changing sheets, switching to electric blanket. I love snuggling under pre-warmed sheets and blankets.
I have all our clocks changed except for upstairs and our truck. I’ll do both later. Did you remember? (I’m HOPING that Congress will finally vote to keep the time at one hour or the other all year long. The bill has passed the Senate and is sitting, being ignored, in the House. Fingers crossed.)
I’ll try to order books, warm socks, and food storage containers online today.
creativeartworksblog 