Monday-10:15am

I know--shock!  Only been five days--LOL!

Thought I'd show you how the flower planters are doing. 

This one front planter is the sparsest.  Lost a few plants on this one because it got the brunt of the wind in the storms, I think. 

But they're all looking good I think. 

I had problems getting my pics off the cell phone, as you know, and lost all my past pictures off of OneDrive.  I did it somehow.  Deleted them from cyberspace.  Probably right clicked by accident because I am always doing that on Mr. Rusty.

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So, I have a few older pics.  This was back when I was working on the color swatches for the bullet paper. 

Not that long ago...making rectangles. 

One day we had a good 25-30 geese come through.  Most of them were over on the lawn of the other apartments across the way, but a few of them passed by on our side.  (This will be important in a bit.) 

I finished all my testing of pens, pencils, crayons, and markers. 

The Leuchtturm paper did better than I expected! 

I trimmed them top and bottom a bit so that they fit nicely in the back pouch and so that I can transfer them from bullet to bullet. 

This is the new A5 size turquoise bullet I started in July.

I am loving my new weekly spread!! 

For those of you who weren't around a few years ago...this is the red leather fauxdori (half-page size) I made. 

The leather was pretty thin (bought on Amazon).  So thin I had to use an iron-on interfacing to try to stiffen it up a bit.  I made my own inserts for it--writing paper and drawing paper.  Haven't used it much, to be honest.

Also made this smaller fauxdori--which I use all the time.

This one is Field Note/Word notebook size and I use this one for financial stuff.  Budgeting, wish lists, etc. 

I actually bought this one--which is also kept next to my chair. 

Same small size for 5.5 X 3.5 notebooks.  I use this one to keep track of books and TV shows and movies.  (Hey--I can't always remember which season I am on--LOL!) 

My daily journals I have shown you not long ago...but I was taking pictures and thought I'd tell you about my morning routine. 

The five year "Some Lines A Day" journal is the first quick entry in the morning.  I draw in the weather I see out the window and keep track of the weather predictions (put in the day before) and the current temp.  Might be interesting to compare five years from now. 

The next thing is my writing journal.  Blank Nanami Paper "The Standard" A5 size 480 thin Tomoe River paper pages.  Love this notebook!!   

I use a writing guide and it is fountain pen friendly.  Started January first this year and I am about a third of the way through.  I rotate my fountain pens and use a different color ink every day.  Some days I barely write (sadly, I do have those quite often) and other days I write a page or two.

Love-love-love my Standard!!  Got the faux leather cover ($16) and just love that, too.  So soft!

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 When I am done with the writing journal it is time for the Bullet--where I review what I did the day before and plans for the day.  Finally--time to hit Mr. Rusty to check email, read blogs, and watch a few youtube videos.  That's my morning routine seven days a week.  

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Of course--that's once I get to the table.  Before that my routine has changed a bit this summer.  First I head outside to check the flowers and water if they need it.  I change the bird water dish every day.  Then an old familiar routine is back--scooping the litter box, adding dry food to the dish, and getting fresh water for Annie.  Getting my red thermos of coffee is last before I hit the books--LOL!

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Miss Annie is getting more comfortable.  She is out more now during the day.  Even catches a few rays now and then.

The enticement for being out during the day has not been my company.  It's been the birds on CatTV. 

And recently there's been a really big bird.

He's been around here since about Wednesday last week.  I have seen other residents feeding him something or other.  When he sees me come out on the patio to water he comes waddling up to see if I have anything to feed him.  One day I had old tortilla wraps that I cut into small squares and threw out there.  He ate some of them, but I think the grackles got the most of them--LOL!
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I spent one day searching through the yellow pages and online...but we don't have any wildlife rehab people up here.  Closest ones are down by Minneapolis or possibly St Cloud (they specialize--years ago I drove a baby red squirrel down to Mpls).  Anyways, I made up a list of places to ask for help.  I plan to bring it down to the office to Pam (our new activity lady) to see if she would call around and deal with it.  (I know Nazar wouldn't.)  Find out if anyone has called around or if I should try.  But I have to catch Pam when she's here.
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Meanwhile...back at the ranch.  I've been in a real fibro flare for a couple weeks now.  I hate to admit to myself when these flares take over.  I optimistically wake up every day expecting to have less pain and more energy.  :(  But when the days turn into weeks...well, there's no use fighting it.  It's just an internal battle, after all, that frustrates me...and I lose anyways.  Waste of emotional energy, right?  So I just get through the usual stuff one has to do each day...and if I do manage anything extra it has been very little.
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I did use the botanical line drawing book to draw and color a few flowers and leaves on writing tablets I use for letters.

One day I cleaned 10 fountain pens.  Went to fill them and discovered that I can't fill my new TWSBI ECO with a sample vial.  It doesn't come apart--so you have to fill it with the plunger--and that didn't work with a little sample vial.  Not for me anyways.  I learned I will have to use a bottle--a full enough bottle--to dip the nib in and suck up the ink.  I am used to using a syringe.  Clean and neat.
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This was only one of my turquoise stained hands AFTER I had scrubbed and scrubbed.

That is why I fill with syringes--LOL!  And I will only own the one TWSBI ECO.  ;)
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Once--a couple nights ago--I picked up Annie and brought her up on the chair with me--and she didn't jump off right away!!

She stayed for several minutes!!  Not that she was "comfortable".  Look at those ears--LOL!

Yes, I wear wild socks--LOL!
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So, there is hope that she might eventually sit with me on the chair sometimes.  I will probably have to pick her up and put her there--but she might stay longer after more time goes by.  She doesn't run under the bed when I stand up...well, not usually.  She jumps up and runs to a different part of the room or stands in the hallway till she sees what I am up to.  But that is progress, right?
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Annie leaps up when I stand up...scared of dangerous me...but she isn't afraid of the injured goose??  And he's huge!  

He comes by a few times a day for water.  This is Annie's favorite spot to wait and watch for birds.

She moved around..was staring so intently.

I got up to see what riveted her attention (notice Annie immediately ran away).

Our goose friend was parked by my planter--LOL!  He rested there for quite a while.

I've seen him stand up and flap his wings so he can lift it up...but it still drags terribly.

I'll let you know what I find out.

Meanwhile, maybe I should google what to feed Canadian geese...and if they can survive up here all winter?  Wish I wasn't feeling like such a noodle.
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Oh, I almost forgot!  (Fibro fog)  I will leave you with a video I finally got off my cellphone!!  Really entertainment for mama, daddy, and grandma--but you're welcome to join us.  :)

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Note: See that toy on the table?  Said three years and up--what a crock!  Ian was getting a little tired by the time they left, but he seemed to enjoy the day.  We visited, had a meal, and Ian opened presents before they left.  He loves water toys.
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Have a peaceful week.  :) :)
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"It is enough to be grateful for the next breath."
Br. David Steindl-Rast