More of the Same

 I'm still going nowhere and getting a lot of small things done around the house.  Lots of gifts wrapped and plans for a few more things.  Emily has given me the amazing task of finding a gift for the girls to give their parents.  After school, we're going to sift through our ideas and let them decide on something.  I'm introducing a memorial ornament for Griff and Jack before the new fellows take up residence.  They were two unique animals and so loved.  I've never seen a cat that welcomed babies rolling all over him and pulling him around.  Griff spent most of his time staying out of their way and not getting run over with baby cars.   I should have lots of pictures of them, but right now I have no idea where my pictures are on my phone.

Katherine is very serious about her choice, and it has to be really special.  I hope they like that one, but I'll do what I can to get the ones that THEY choose.  Kate whispered to me after school that she saw a really cute pair of Reeboks for her mom.  So cute.  That's the last thing I thought she would choose.  I'm not sure how much money she has in her piggy bank, but I'll try to keep it less expensive than that.  Gray doesn't have any ideas and will be easy to convince of anything.  Their dad is hard, like all men.  They got Griff and Jack as babies - before they had babies - so I know anything related to them would be welcomed.  Just a Christmas ornament that they decorate and put the date on it would be treasured.  With maybe a few jewels added.

Ryan and I miscommunicated about school pickup, and we both showed up to get them.  I was texting like crazy and trying to call, but I couldn't make calls, and Ryan wasn't seeing my texts.  I really wanted to find out about the sidewalks and see if he would bring them over, but as time got close, I had to make a decision to go.  The sidewalk was clear, but when I got to the corner, the snow was piled up to my knees, and I didn't even know where the curb was.  No way was I going to step blindly into stuff and take a chance on falling.  I felt like crying, but that would do no good, but I hated to think of them at the school waiting for me to get there.  I finally went out the garage door and walked up the alley until I reached the street.  The streets are perfectly clear, so I just avoided the sidewalks and kept to the middle of the street.  I met up with one of Emily's friends walking with her little boy and asked her to keep an eye on me, which she was sweet enough to do.  Going back, I just followed Ryan, but it was a little scary still.  People who are used to it and younger people just don't realize how serious one fall could be.  With my bird bones, I would probably break something more than my shoulder this time!

Just looking out the window, I can't see that much of the snow has melted even though it stayed above freezing last night.  I know what to do this time, even if it's not fun, so I'll report back after we get home and have our hot chocolate and wassail. 

 We have lots to do on our unbusy day!  Graysen started basketball on Mondays, but I think ice-skating lessons are over.  We need some time off to just relax and do Christmas!

Catch-up Monday

My phone is finally here and is almost like the old one, but there is some learning I have to do and organizing.  I just took a break and wiped out my first paragraph.  I had no idea what I just typed.   I certainly didn't do much except for keeping up with the packages arriving - from Amazon mainly and Target.  I opened them and wrapped a couple and hid a few away in the closet so prying eyes won't find them.  Lots of those are for stockings.  I ordered my last thing today, and I'm DONE.  Nothing hanging over my head this year but enjoying life.  

I did drink two cups of wassail and one cup of Peet's Holiday Blend coffee.  These holiday flavors aren't anything different, but subconsciously I think they are because of the packaging.

I didn't see the girls after school.  Graysen is starting basketball on Mondays, and they just picked Katherine up since the roads are still not completely clear.  I don't want to take any chances.

Tomorrow is garbage day - again.  I think it snowed last Monday night, so those cans have been full for two weeks.  I don't think I have room for the extra garbage bag and packing stuff that came.  I might have enough room for recycling the boxes and papers, but for some reason I'm not excited about going out and checking.

I got the stockings hung, so I did take one picture.  I made these a couple of years ago, and they were fun to make.  I think I did an okay job getting them fairly symmetrical, and I'll throw some fake greenery on the mantle to disguise the hooks.  Santa will not be filling them until Christmas Eve so they won't fall down.  The cats won't like it, but we're not going to have a fire this month unless it's just barely on.  It gets really hot in that area.  If I have candles up there, they might melt.  So tree is decorated as well as what I'm going to do in the rest of the apartment, and most of the gifts that have come are wrapped.  

I thought for about 5 minutes about getting a full-sized tree, but I'm glad I didn't.  This one took long enough.  I don't think I have the energy - or the decorations any more to do a big one.  It's just perfect for me.

This is the reflection in the china cabinet door, and it makes it look like a big fancy tree.

Maybe the girls will be over to give the finishing touches to the other things.    

Soon the real world is going to be back, and I won't get to live entirely in my little Christmas state of contentment!  I had music at different times today and always candles that smell like evergreens.  

The real world is a slushy mess, and I's so happy not to have to be out there in it.

I just glanced at the weather app, and I feel like something's wrong.  On the 10-day forecast, I saw SNOW 10 times.  Surely that can't be right.  It's not even going to be freezing for a few days.  I don't want to think about it.  I just want to concentrate of getting all the garbage possible picked up tomorrow and going to the mailbox.  

Snow November 2022

 Emily finally sent me some pictures she took, and I'll just put them all here.  It was a pretty snow and never got really messy until today,   I ventured out, worrying constantly about ice and slipping and falling, but I made it with no problem.  We four girls went to Target to do a little shopping and had a lot of fun.  Then Emily had two or three more side trips where the girls and I sat in the car and waited for her.

The last stop was Snapdoodle, the most amazing toy store.  I had heard about it, but I had to see it to believe it.  I wanted everything, and I can just imagine how the kids felt.  It was packed with the most unusual things, and we spent way too long picking out some gifts for their friends and just looking.  Emily and I picked out a puzzle that I hope we will find time to do - 1500 pieces.  

The girls knew they were not in the store to shop for themselves, but it was hard!  Of all things that Graysen kept coming back to was a Barbie in a wheelchair.  She already has a wheelchair for her AG doll, so I'm not sure what the attraction is for another one.  Wheelchair races?  Katherine zeroed in on a round penguin suitcase, perfect for sleepover, and she rolled it around behind her until Emily had to almost physically separate her from it.  I hope that's one of her gifts!  And Graysen needs the "tiny hands."

I really didn't want to go today, because I do worry - snow, cold, icy sidewalks, breaking arms, driving - you name it, I'm going to worry about it.  But I shouldn't have.  It was one of the best shopping trips ever.  

We stopped at Starbucks, and the girls got Steamers and asked for vegan breakfasts, which they scarfed down like they were starved.  They insisted they were.  I was not really going to get anything since I had already had one cup of coffee, but Emily ordered a grande peppermint something with oat milk, blah blah, extra peppermint.  It sounded so good I told her to get me the same thing except no extra squirt of peppermint.  It was delicious and probably as much sugar as I usually eat in a day - or a week, but I drank every bit of it.  

We separated in the store so we could secretly figure out what gifts the girls wanted to give each other.  Graysen and I went to the toy section right away and Emily and Katherine went to the clothing section.  We went up and down the aisles and picked out several things and made some decisions on what Katherine would like, but they never came back there.  We went all over the store looking for them, and I got my few errands done.  I wanted to buy ingredients for wassail as well as little things like light bulbs and hooks for the stockings.  

We finally got together, finished up, and checked out.  Emily was gathering up a few things for donations and fell in love with a walking dog that she insisted on buying.  Katherine thought an 8-year-old girl would like a gymnastics Barbie instead of that, so they got both.  

I later followed the girls around in the toy store, and they were so sweet and so excited, saying, "This is what I REALLY want."  If I had double the money, I now know what they really want!  We had to pick up something for Ryan at Home Depot, and there was a lot of singing going on - LOTS of singing - on the way home.  The Drifters White Christmas was our favorite.  Emily knew every note and every move, and we all joined in on the background.  I just had a moment of pure happiness at getting to spend this time with my favorite people and have such a good time.  And, as always happens, then I got a little weepy thinking about how much Mike would have loved this day.  Not the shopping part but everything else.  Life just seems so unfair sometimes that we don't have him with us to make things that much more fun.  

So.  We did get home safely, and I got walked to the door with no slips or falls and lots of hugs and god-byes.  I came in and made my wassail, had a cup, and thoroughly enjoyed it.

The pictures of the snow and a few of the trip today.

I'm just including her whole album, because all of them are good with maybe a few duplicates.  This is the first time I've done pictures this way, so it might not work.  If not, I'll come back tomorrow and work on them.  Too sleepy now.

Snow Day 2

 While I'm glad I don't have to go out in the cold, it's so nice to enjoy this beautiful white landscape.  Sitting on my couch, I can look out the big front window across to the park where all the trees are perfectly white.  I don't have all the decorations (like almost none) on the little tree, but I can still enjoy the twinkling reflection in the window.  It's also reflected in Mama's china cabinet across the room, and with the fire, it gives the nicest feeling to the room.  The cats can't stay away from the fireplace, no matter how warm it gets.  They will just keep backing up until they're comfortable.  

I wish I could take some pictures but still no phone.  Maybe tomorrow.  Emily sent me only one:  Graysen sitting on her great-grandmother's chest looking at all the beauty.

I sure wish someone would bring them over, but I guess no one wants to get out, and they're getting to play video games at home. 

I was sorry Emily went to work yesterday and today.  She said the roads were clear, but I still worry.  Elise also has to work.  It may be that none of her clients will come in, but she still has to be prepared in case she's needed.  Someone took this scary picture of I-90 Tuesday night.

I also borrowed someone's photo from FB of the Y, which is one street over from mine.

Sometimes I let myself be a little wistful, but I'm not really sad or lonely by myself.  I am more and more glad of being able to do what I want to with no timetable.  I'd like for Mike to be sharing my space with no timetable either.  I wish we had been able to enjoy retirement a little bit more.  Both of us went to school until we started working.  Mike never got a break, and I only got breaks when I added babies.  There were times through the years when we never had enough time to do anything we wanted to, and I'm taking advantage of it.  If I want to just read blogs or the news or watch videos, I can do so without guilt.  My days of hosting and cooking for holidays is over (I hope), and I don't miss it a bit.  I want to spend as much time with the girls as I can, but I realize now that I need to be a grandmother and not spend all my spare time with them.  They are so precious to me, and the time with them is precious.  I feel lucky that I got to spend all this time up here with them.

I'm taking out the Christmas things piece by piece and deciding what I want to do with them.  Lots of memories of past Christmases, but I'm making them happy memories.  If I can get some wassail made and all my presents bought and wrapped, it will be such a peaceful time, and I can have the girls over a lot.  I can't wait to see them stand side by side in front of the manger arranging and re-arranging the figures and using their imaginations.  

I'm going to get a cup of coffee now and see if I wake up a little.  If not, I'll just lie down and take a nap and watch the big clumps of snow fall from the tree branches. 

First Snow

 I missed the start of the first snowfall of the season this morning.  I didn't wake up until 8:00 and noticed that it was pretty quiet to be garbage day but didn't think much about it.  I then went to the living room and got in touch with people by email since my phone is not able to be repaired.  The new one won't be here until Friday.

I got an email from Noreen mentioning vaguely some snow, but still I didn't pick up on it.  I'm used to getting the news capsules and weather report before I get up, so I was off schedule!  I finally raised the blinds, and there was a small blizzard going on.  The grass was already covered, and it was COLD.  School started as usual at 9:00 though, even though they let them go home an hour early.  

I had a pretty productive day, catching up on cleaning my emails and texts and redoing some passwords.  I also got out some Christmas decorations and gradually brought them in from the garage.  The table looks nice, but I didn't get much further than that.  

And I have no camera to take pictures of the snow or my festive table.  Oh well.  Let's hope it rains tonight and melts it all so I can get my hair cut tomorrow and bring in some groceries in case we have a bigger storm.  I love for it to snow at Christmas, but it is such a mess and so hard to get anything done.  For me, that is.  The whole town gets out and plays and has fun in it, but I don't dare walk out on the sidewalks unless someone is with me.  I don't plan to fall again!

A few more Yuletide Express pictures.

The Spirit of Christmas kept these running smoothly.  I think her name was Peggy.  She seemed to be having such a good time.  Maybe when she retires, Emily could take the job!

Good-bye Phone

 I had become over-confident about watching my phone.  It's such a part of me that I stick it in every pocket and carry it around with me.  Sad!  This morning I was feeding the cats and had it in my pants pocket - the soft and baggy pants that are so nice to wear around the house.  Unfortunately, the pocket is not very secure, and it slipped out on the laundry room floor.  It made a louder sound than usual.  I have always trusted my cover.  I guess it is still the Otter - don't really know.  But I do know I've dropped my phones a LOT and never broken one.

I could still hear sound, but the screen was black.  I fiddled with it, thinking one of the buttons had jammed, but I could sometimes get a flash of light, others times blackness.  That meant no way to make phone calls or even answer them.  Lately, Emily has been getting impatient with my letting my battery die and her not being able to get in touch with me.  Even Noreen was worried one day when I didn't answer texts for a long time.  I'm not complaining.  I like to know people are looking after me, but I just get into my own little world and forget to charge that phone.

Of course, the first thing to do was call Ryan who stopped by and picked it up on the way home from taking the girls to school.  If he can't fix it, he'll see that I get a new one - or newer one.  I sure don't mind getting second-hand ones, as long as they are reliable.   Oh, I was able to call their house with the Duo thing - so nice.  Graysen answered - such a sweet big girl.  She went and told her dad about it and we talked a few minutes. 

I then had to figure out how to tell Noreen why I would be not sending texts or calling for a couple of days.  There is a Message deal on Facebook that I figured she would see, but on my new computer, it just didn't look the same.  I could find her name but not a place to write my message.  So frustrating.  I did manage to call her from my computer, but I have no idea what that looked or sounded like.  She wasn't able to answer but was aware I was alive.

I was about to get on my coat and head over to leave her a note on her door when she came walking past the window all ready for the day - on the way to PT.  We managed to exchange email addresses - can't believe we don't have those already - so we can keep up with each other.  It's not the same though.  I used to hate texting, but now I depend on it.

I decided not to get my hair cut, because you have to make the appointment and then check by phone to see when to head over there.  

I can't say what I did all day.  I started slowly on picking up all things orange and fall-themed and put them in the garage.  I just realized I still have my fall wreath on the door though.  I brought in a few things slowly and started thinking about where to put everything.  Then I wrapped a few gifts for the girls.  Books and games don't make very big or exciting-looking gifts.  Most of the other things are for their new American Girl dolls and will also be small and simple packages.  I guess the biggest boxes I'll have are for the kitten and puppy.

I got this for the kitten after studying a lot of cat toys on Amazon.

Sadly, I just noticed this pink one after I had ordered a green one.  It was hard to decide.  With a new puppy too, he'll be picking up and chewing things, so I wanted to avoid little things like the spirals that look like so much fun, and little mice and catnip things.  I'd hate to think what would happen if a puppy swallowed those.  Anyway, this runs on batteries, and there is a mouse that runs underneath and over the top at various speeds and should be fun.  Who knows though?  This baby kitten might never be left alone long enough to play by himself.

The puppy I haven't even seen a picture of, but he's going to be pretty big one day, I think. 

It's a French breed, Barbet.  I think all that hair is going to drive me crazy.  I chase the girls around with a hairbrush a lot, and I guess I'll do it with this puppy.  I'm not sure what color he is.  All I know is that he's very child friendly and doesn't shed.

 I found these chew toys without stuffing.  I know Darby loved to tear off a toy's ear or make a tear and pull out the stuffing.

I'm sure both babies will have tons of toys, but I thought these were just weird enough to be cute.  They also have embroidered eyes, so that's one more thing not to swallow.  I'm not sure about the squeakers.  What a madhouse Christmas is going to be.  I'm going to go over there and sit in the midst of it and just enjoy.  Until I can't any more, and then I'll come home!

I wanted to include the train ride in today's post, but it's not easy to get pictures without my little routine of getting them from the phone.  

I sent this picture to Emily last night, and it made us sad, but this girl is going to have to conquer her fears and bothers by herself in spite of our wanting to hover and make everything all better.  Her feelings are very real to her, not just a funny "scared of Santa Claus" things.

I don't think she was that worried about there being a Santa on the train at that point.  She was just extra aware of where he was and didn't want to get into a situation of having to have a conversation with him.  She has gotten quieter and more reflective lately.  I guess that comes with the age.  Her mother never got quiet and reflective much.  She was busy being festive in this picture - running around the train, laughing with people, singing along with Santa, and getting the most possible out of that outing.

Katherine was very interested in the decor, especially the stained glass windows.  She pointed those out in the old depot before we left and was thrilled to find them on the train windows.  They've done a great job preserving this train.

These are the people across the aisle, just to get a good view of the stained glass.  The Falls was there too, but I couldn't capture it.

I'll do some more tomorrow and maybe a video if I can figure it out.

Thanksgiving and Train Riding

 The Win-Bins had a packed week and weekend, and I managed to hang out on the edges just enough to get a good holiday vibe but not overdo it.  They had teacher conferences and doctor visits last week plus getting their Christmas tree up and running in a Turkey Trot in Issaquah.  I'm going to have to ask for pictures because Emily hasn't had time to send me enough.  

I did take some on Thanksgiving night though.  Emily and Ryan cooked throughout the day and enjoyed that about as much as eating, so the time for dinner kept getting put off.  I did some cooking the night before and that morning, so I had no duties except to be placed on the couch with a refreshing glass of Prosecco and cranberries and watch all that energy take place in front of me.  

The girls did their dress-up thing - without shoes, because you can't run and dance and slide and twirl with shoes on.  So sweet and so active.  They missed their hair-combing, but it was fine!

The table was pretty, as usual, with the 1967 wedding china.  I love to see it there in the candlelight.  The girls had added their decorations too - a bowl of perfect little acorns and a plate of crackers by Katherine.  She called our attention to it several times.

The new kitchen cabinets are all stacked up in the living room, ready to be put together soon.

The girls had their big glasses of Alabama Sweet Tea - decaf - and were thrilled with that.  I'm not sure which is worse, the sugar or the caffeine.

My contributions were vegan brown rice, two recipes of dressing and the lime congealed salad that only the females in the family - probably the only one in this town or maybe state - will eat, and we all love it.  The girls have their own bowl without pecans, and Emily and I take care of the rest.  Ryan's comment at the table - "Maybe we should move the salad just a little bit closer - to the garbage can."  It wasn't vegan, of course, but they allowed a little cheating for one meal.

I took two pans of dressing, one vegan and one regular.  I could hardly tell the difference.  There were eggs and sour cream in the cornbread, and I used real chicken broth for mine, but the vegan one got its flavor from some bouillon cubes called Better Than Bouillon by Swanson.  One teaspoon per cup of boiling water made something closely resembling chicken broth.  It was also seasoned with a teaspoon of mushroom seasoning - umami - I'm not sure what was in it, but all the dishes tasted great, so I might have to get some just for regular cooking.  

Dressing, stuffing, and Brussel's sprouts along with the lime salad and two kinds of gravy.  I didn't try the gravy, but everyone said it was good.

The meat has been a few years evolving.  I don't think I remember it being anything special, but this year Ryan managed not one, but two meats:  Ham and a roast.  In the past, he coated the outside of a "real" ham with a gingersnap mixture that made it amazing, and he did something similar to that this year with the fake meat.  If you take a bite without looking, you would swear it was the real thing.  The Celebration Meat - pork or beef, I'm not sure - was also good and a very good substitute.  I wish I could hear Mike's comments about all this!

There were mashed potatoes, dressing, Brussels sprouts, Emily's lovely cranberry-orange relish, and stuffing that they tried for the first time from Purple Carrot.  That was my least favorite.  It tasted just fine - actually pretty good - but it just had too much of a chopped vegetable look for me - and there were so many other things.  Oh, the rice was just the same except for the canned beef broth and bouillon.  I renamed it beige rice because the fake beef bouillon didn't give it much color.  It needed a little salt but was pretty close to the old favorite in taste.  

We all tried a little bit of everything and had seconds of things and declared it a delicious and satisfying meal.  I don't love turkey, so I didn't really miss anything.  No one left the table stuffed, and no one wanted dessert.  I think there was one somewhere, but I didn't have any - an apple crumble, i think.  Some friends brought over a few pies left over from their huge family celebration later, and I know those were good.  

It was a great Thanksgiving, full of lots of laughter and thankfulness and love.  Elise didn't make it this year but maybe will at Christmas.  

I've gotten too sleepy sitting here by the fire in the middle of the night to write anything about the train ride.  It deserves a whole entry anyway.  The wind is blowing and howling, and it's just so cozy inside with the cats for company.

Weekend Before Thanksgiving

Saturday was unremarkable.  If the kids are not involved, nothing much happens in my life.  Or I try to keep it that way!  I'm not sure how I passed my time, but I did just what I wanted to.  Emily and I texted back and forth about Christmas gifts.  I have somewhat of a list today.  

The next three days, I will pick them up from school at 12:30, and we'll have a nice long afternoon without interruption since ice-skating is cancelled this week and soccer is over for the year.  They want to learn to crochet, but I haven't found any yarn in the sewing room or garage.  I think Emily took a big bin of it to her house, so I'm asking her to send some back.  I'm a little worried that I can't teach Graysen since she is left-handed, but I'm sure there are videos on the computer that will help us.  

I'm sure we'll do a little school work - not much - and hopefully clean out a toy area and give away or throw away things.

I still don't hear anything about a Thanksgiving meal.  Maybe because Emily is sick today and can't think about it.  I think I enjoyed their Brussels sprouts last year.  I really, really tried to go the vegan or at least vegetarian route, but it was too hard for me.  I admire their family for sticking to it so long.  The girls don't seem to have any trouble now that they can have dairy and eggs.  Sometimes Katherine really wants a cheeseburger but not Gray.  Its hard to find things they like.  I got a grade of 2 on some dish I prepared for them last week.  Even the pineapple pizza they didn't like.  Good grief.  I'm going to have to find some better recipes.  The did love my cranberry bread, so I have a mini loaf apiece for them to eat tomorrow along with PB&J and mac & cheese and fruit.

Speaking of cranberry bread, I had an impromptu coffee visit from Noreen and Mary.  Mary was going to come over at 9:00, and I asked Noreen if she wanted to come too.  They know each other but don't get together much.  I usually see them separately.  They brought their own beverages, and I served a slice of cranberry bread, and it was so nice.  We laugh at ourselves for starting off with our various orthopedic surgeries and share various PT stories and exercises, then progress to grandchildren, especially the things they say about us:  "When I was 3, I used to think you were pretty."  "What do you think about me now."  Long pause.  "I like your earrings."  There are 8 of them, so we usually have some stories to tell.  Our oldest ones all know each other from school.  

I have one picture from today, or maybe yesterday because of the sweatshirt.  Katherine had another accident where she hit her new front teeth on a chair.  With all the blood and crying and panic, I figured Graysen had been upset too.  I asked her about it, and she said, "Katherine was trying to kick me.  That's why she fell off her desk chair."  K said, "Yeah, Graysen hit me, and I was trying to kick her, and my foot just slid out from under me, and I fell."  They love to tell stories of their battle scars.

This cuddly ball of fur is coming to Steller Way soon along with a puppy.  Happy days!

I can't wait to hold him, but I might not get a chance if Katherine is around.  I can't see her ever putting him down.  They didn't plan to get a kitten and puppy at the same time, but there kept being holdups on litters being born or other things, getting to know the breeders, and all of a sudden they're both going to be ready at the same time - two days before Christmas.  I can't even....  I don't have a picture of the puppy.  He's a breed I had never heard of, but I think he's one of the curly long-legged ones that are so cute.  

They tried getting a kitten for the girls a couple of years ago from a shelter, but they picked wrong. Luna means well, but she doesn't like children!  She doesn't even like to be in the house with their noise and shrieks and running.  She allows herself to be picked up outside and petted some but much prefers being a loner.  She has a heated little igloo-like cave, and most of the winter is spent curled up in there or growling at the next-door cats and stalking bunnies.  She seems content, and I hope she is.  My cats don't like the girls either, so Emily and Ryan decided to invest in a known "sweet and patient" breed, the Ragdoll.  I know this one is cute and bouncy and cuddly from his videos.  Keeping our fingers crossed he gets along with his new puppy brother.  

I get nothing done when I start writing here.  I had planned to do several things when I sat down with the computer, but now I can't remember any of them.  

One Cold Week Almost Over

 It's hard not to want to just mark off the days of winter lately.  I've done plenty, but I just haven't been in the best of moods.  The sun will be shining all day, but as soon as I step outside to go to the school, that wind starts blowing around the corner to freeze my face, and clouds all of a sudden appear.  The snow on the mountains doesn't help the feeling of being frigid. 

I would enjoy cooking if I didn't have to go to the grocery store.  I would enjoy walking if the wind would die down.  I would enjoy visiting with friends if I didn't have to get dressed and go out.  Noreen and I did have such a fun visit the other day.  I'm not sure if I mentioned it here, but just walking next door with a cup of coffee and getting greeted with a smile was enough to make the rest of my day good.  It wasn't enough to make me want to go with her different places this week.  I know I would enjoy these little trips out, but somehow I can't muster up the energy.  Nothing seems to be wrong with my labs, and I'm taking my meds and eating fairly well. Nothing suits me better than checking out all the things I like to read on the computer, playing a game of Scrabble with the computer, having that one good cup of coffee every morning, doing minimal housework.  Then I just want to close my eyes and drift away.  Definitely something wrong there, but no one seems to know the answer.

On Fridays, school is early release at 1:30, but for the next 4 school days, we're having early, early release at 12:30 for teacher conferences.  On Friday mornings, Graysen has recorder lessons 30 minutes before school starts.  I can hear those recorders in my mind right now!  Ryan drops Katherine off at my house, and I walk her to school 25 minutes later for breakfast, a real treat for them on those Fridays.  This morning he texted and said there was something they needed to do at home, and he would take her to school.  Somehow it made me sad, because what could be so serious that it had to be done before school?  Cleaning her room?  Hardly!  It makes me feel bad when they do, so I don't like to know about it!  Thank goodness they're usually happy kids.

I found out later that there was a unicorn emergency to be fixed.  Katherine won a trio of unicorns, which were llamas with glued-on glittery horns, for getting a Cub Card for outstanding kindness/ responsibility/helping, etc.  You'd think they were the best thing EVER.

I'm not sure if she was going to give some to friends or just have them admire them, but it was a major setback when one of the horns fell off.  Ryan took her back home for 20 minutes where she made a unicorn horn from clay, rolled it in glitter, and glued it back on.  Good as new!  From this picture, it looks like the blue one had the accident, but it looks better than ever.  They're crafty people over there! I'm so glad Ryan understand how important it was for that unicorn to have his horn today.

The three girls walked home and then had a couple of hours to play before Emily and Ryan came to get them to go pick out their Christmas tree.  Graysen told me later when she called me about some matter that the tree was outside because, with all the remodeling they're doing, there is no place to put it this year.  I wonder what they expected!  It will be fun to get all involved in their Christmas celebrations.  

I was asleep early, and Graysen called me about an embroidery I had done on Fourth of July shirts at least two years ago.  She remembered that I had printed out the design on paper, and that's what she wanted - the design.  I have no idea why, but I'll do my best.  My designs are on my old computer, so I'll be keeping my fingers crossed.  The things they store up inside their little minds!  I hope prime and composite numbers stick during our week off.  

I'm not sure what the weekend will bring.  Or what we'll do for Thanksgiving.  I'll make anything I'm asked - within reason - but there won't be a turkey for sure.  Or any meat.  And very little dairy.  I'll sneak some dressing into my home menu.  I don't think we liked the vegan version last year.  Who knows what we'll decide on, but I know it will be good - and fun.  

My only event today at home was that my coffeemaker refused to work, and my little kitchen counter  lamp was dark.  I went and poked around the breaker box for a couple of minutes with no results and then put in a maintenance request.  We have a wonderful young maintenance manager, Chris, and he called within an hour and said he was putting me first on his list.  I walk along with his wife and little girl and dog Xerxes some days to and from school.  Such a sweet family.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed that he stays long term.  He's knowledgeable about the repairs and as cheerful as can be.  That helps a lot and makes me realize this is the place for me where I can just pretty much snap my fingers and have someone show up and fix what's bothering me.  Most things.  I'm too embarrassed to tell him about my vacuum cleaner clog.  That's going to take a little maintenance on my part to find the problem.

That's about all the boring stuff I can find to write about.  I see a couple of 60-degree days around Thanksgiving so that should cheer me up!  I slept from around 5 pm to 9:30 with only  3 disruptions.  I've gotten used to sleeping with my bedroom door closed since Elise moved, and the cats can't stand for there to be a closed door in the house.  Layla was lying on the cat tower watching me get in bed, find just the right pillow and covers, and close my eyes.  Then she decided it was time to yell for me to open the door and let her out in case she needed to eat something.  Then Elise came by to borrow something.  Then finally Graysen called from her phone and woke me up for the third time.  I think I slept another few hours, but now I'm up at 3:30, my usual time, with plenty of time to do what I want to.  It's my new normal.  I'm working on it, but it's going to take staying up a little later!

Week Before Thanksgiving

 I didn't even realize Thanksgiving was coming up next week until we got the girls' schedule from the school.  They are out only two whole days, the Thursday and Friday of Thanksgiving and, of course, Saturday and Sunday.  Starting tomorrow, they will go from 9:00 until 12:15 the next four days.  That's not bad.  The afternoons after school are so short, and they're always having to run off somewhere - soccer, ice-skating, etc, so it will be good to come home and relax.  

We have one more book to go in the Clementine series by Sara Pennypacker.  Graysen is now old enough to start the Babysitter's Club, and she's really excited about that.  If Emily doesn't get her a bunch of them for Christmas, we need to start putting some on hold for the holidays.  They have a lot of Christmas books already, but I like to get them a new special one every year.  

I found their ornament for 2022 at Target online and quickly ordered them.  Katherine's was a no-brainer, if quite silly compared to her other tasteful and original gifts through the years, but it's here, and we knew she would flip out over anything with cats.  What is more Christmas-y than a cat nutcracker.

I was disappointed they didn't offer any other cute animals Graysen would be interested in, like hedgehogs or woodland creatures.  There is a penguin that I think she'll like.

I've stayed up too late finding these images and downloading and cropping them.  Emily is also texting me and receiving texts about various Christmas gifts each one is responsible for.  We love loading them down with books and crafty things and games, and they had probably rather have their own phone and video games.  That day will come, I'm sure, but right now we can control it, and they'll get those books and games and love them!

Carly and Katherine came in after school and immediately started crafting.  I didn't pay much attention to what they were doing.  They pretty much know where all the craft supplies are, so I let them have their fun.  They amazed me at the cute little hearts they made for their friends.

She had a collision with some piece of play equipment on the "optical" (obstacle) course and had to have three Band-Aids on her shin.

They didn't even bother to move the placemats out of the way.

I think Carly already had hers in the envelope they created.

Lots of cat faces all over the envelopes.  All you really have to do it give them a pile of odds and ends and stickers and markers, and they'll do the rest.  I've had those wooden hearts in my craft area for years and never used them, but they became gifts for friends this afternoon.

So it's really too cold to enjoy being outside, but i did sweep the porch and try to neaten up a little.  The wind is howling at night and in the early mornings  I think I would have been one of those prairie women who went crazy after listening to it day after day.   

I moved the little cabbages into the pot with my tiny little tree.  I guess I should put some lights and ornaments on it this year.  It would have only about 5 ornaments.  

I've requested a sleepover on one of these school days off, so that should be fun.  It's been a little while.