Thursday check-in

I told a friend the other day that I should just quit making plans or goals for the day as it never seems to happen around here lately.  I may lay there in bed as I did this morning and tell myself---"Okay, finish clearing the closet.  Log in those quilts and get them put away in there!"  Day is more than half over and it still isn't a blip on the radar.

Yesterday, same thing.  Same goals really.  Closet, quilts, clean the bathrooms.  Well, the next door neighbor is done recuperating from his eye surgery is back on lawn and weed whacking patrols.  I was out walking Oscar for his afternoon trot up and down the lane and he hollered "I'm heading there next to mow (push mower) and will weed whack after that".  What he meant was for me to take Oscar in the house for awhile till he was finished up.  Since he was taking a break, I got out the rake and got the thatchy clippings removed as best I could from both sides of the fenced in back yard area filling up about half of my old garbage can.  I also hand pulled about half the yard's weeds from that back ledge area while I was out there.  About an hour outside in the sun between 2-3 and it is about 95 out, humid and no air moving at all, or so it felt.   Into the shower immediately after, and another load of wash when I had thought I was done with that job for a few days having done two loads earlier.  I was wrong and the day had gone off on another tangent.   I  cooked something for my lunch, played with both cats and the dog.  I stitched up the abandoned catnip toy that Oscar seemed quite taken with but he tore down the center seam-----and that is all the sewing that happened too. Think I could squeeze in 4 more little rail fence blocks?  Apparently not.

OH, you have to see how Aline's turned out!  Fiddlesticks pattern from Deidre K. Brown and The Teacher's Pet.  She tagged me on facebook so I can copy the link to share here.  Looks great with that chevron fabric.  Lot of movement in the strips.

That is not to say that I can't keep a to-do list.  I know that left to my own devices it is far easier and way more fun to do things like play on the computer, watch TV, sew or do something creative or read.  Who really yearns to do yard work or clean house, for heaven's sake?  Glutton for punishment, I say, LOL.

So far today Oscar and I walked this morning in the park and a bit ago, the lane.  Blessedly, I don't think the weather is near as oppressive.  Oh, it is hot temperature-wise and the a/c though set at 79 seems to be running a good bit and started running as early as 6:30 this morning. However, the humidity does not seem as bad.  There is a little breeze blowing that does not feel like a blast furnace.   I actually set outside on the carport with Oscar and read a bit, a prospect I would not have entertained yesterday.

Mr. Haynes had called to say that my machines were ready to be picked up so we arranged for me to run up to his home to get those.  A pleasant drive through the country.  I have not tried out either of the machines.  Wait till tomorrow.  Since it is a holiday, I am not doing housework or yardwork, other than possibly a little cooking.

 I already made the carrot raisin salad with cooked dressing  (with some variations of my own) I was craving and had just been thinking that I would make a red velvet poke cake and TRY to make the 4th seem a little festive.  Maybe get a couple ears of sweet corn & something to toss on the grill??  I was just about to dress the salad when the doorbell rang.  My sister Diane had messaged me a few days ago to say she had sent something but of course, I didn't remember that till I saw the mail lady holding a package.

BEFORE OPENING

 

AFTER OPENING

A festive container of cookies from Cheryl's!   What a sweet surprise from my sweet sister to let me know she was thinking of me.

Please don't think this is a pity party.  Just saying how I feel, like I do anything else.   I am finding the holidays to be a little rough this year.   DJ and I moved down here away from our family and friends in 1997, 17 years ago this month.  It has practically always been just the two of us.  We didn't travel in the winter, we didn't do holidays with family, he only went back every other year, etc. maybe the last 10.  We didn't have a lot of company drive all this way down to see us.  While I can ordinarily keep busy and have always been good at entertaining myself, without him, the holidays sort of emphasize that being alone thing.  It isn't just the two of us anymore, it is me, by myself, with the critters.  I don't expect others to entertain me either.  They have their own plans.  I get that.  Just get through the day and move on to the next.

Change the subject.

Remember me telling you about the mocking bird's nest in the gardenia bush I encountered?  I think that the parents have more or less abandoned the baby birds. Do they do that??? There were two left the last time I saw the mom feeding them, those wide gaping mouths.  I have barely seen them around and before you could hardly avoid them.  I let Oscar out the back door the other night, he let out one bark and one of them swooped down and tagged him on the back end.  He came back in until I realized that he did not have a rawhide bone anymore and there were two outside. He followed me back out. where he made a beeline for the base of the bush and what he had in his mouth was a baby bird tossed from the nest.   Someone recently pointed out to me that the dog had gotten short changed in the leg department so you know he didn't knock those birds out of the nest. Kit Kit has barely been down here, let alone hop my fence with the dog around.   Anyway, I made Oscar drop the poor little creature and go back in the house.  Then I got the shovel out to dispose of it and not give the dog a chance to grab it again on the next trip out the back door.  Today, I saw another one across the street---actually, Oscar sniffed it out and I pulled him off the body.  I may be back to cutting down more of that bush sooner than I though at this rate.

Feeding time for the dogger.  Skyler hears that refrigerator open and he thinks it is time for HIM to have another treat bite.  It isn't but the yowling/ tangling up in the legs will ensue;  Mr. Spoiled Rotten gets his way.  Because the ants invariably get in the food, I have Oscar come in to eat.  Play a bit too.

Closet?  I think I would rather see how that machine is working and finish up that little bag I started with it.  We'll see, LOL.