Thursday-10:30am

Back again, do you believe it?!

Fall weather--my favorite time of year.  The grouse are here every day again.  Here they are digging in the grass for who knows what.  I guess nobody really likes the cracked corn in the wild bird seed.

The sparrows are flocking up.  Usually 20-30 of them together now. 

You can tell Annie has street cred and used to have to kill her own food.  For days she's been hiding behind the end table, waits until the flock of sparrows is nibbling away, then she dive bombs the screen and they all fly away in a panic.  Annie slinks quickly back behind the end table (because she knows I don't really like her doing that--LOL!)  She and the sparrows do this all day long.  Annie wants to sink her teeth into one so badly.

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Annie must be a little intimidated by the bigger grouse, though, because she has never tried to lunge at the screen to scare them when they come to eat.  On the other hand, the ground squirrel will fill its pouches inches from Annie's face and look right at her--LOL!  Obviously smarter and has apparently figured out that the cat can't reach her so she seldom will be fooled into running away.       

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Been putting out food at least twice a day now that everybody is trying to fatten up or build up hibernation supplies.  I've seen ground squirrels gathering grass after they have mowed here.  So cute!!  They grab as much of the clippings as they can into their mouth and then race, head held high, off to line their dens.  Clipped grass is perfect!  I never thought of that.

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Been in the 50s at night!  Love it!  Snuggling up under the covers when it is nippy--ahhh!  I sleep a lot better than when it is hot.  Wonder how long the flowers will last as it gets colder at night?

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On Tuesday I got an invite to McFamily's for a visit.  Dagan had an eye doctor appointment and could come by and pick me up--well, you betcha!  This time I got to hold little Liam--who was awake the whole time this first time when Leah took some pictures.  Ian wanted to climb up and sit with us, of course.  :)

Ian had just gotten up from a nap and had wild curls on the back of his head. 

We chatted and I tickled Ian's neck and rubbed his shoulder.  Liam was quietly watching all he could take in. 

I stayed most of the day until after Ian went to bed.  Read to Ian for a long time, ate dinner there (Gramma being there at mealtime is very distracting for Ian--LOL!--not used to it), got to hold Liam again for a while, and give Ian a hug and kiss goodnight...was a wonderful visit.

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Ian will get more used to me being over there because I'll be going over to their place for visits for a while.  Dagan and Ian will come over here for visits, too, though.

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Oh, since Annie loves to scare the birds and spends her days stalking the patio, I thought I'd try buying a feathery toy for her.  

These came in a set of two.  I thought they were mice with feather tails, but I think they are supposed to be fish--LOL!  She plays with them!  I was so delighted to have an 8 year old cat leaping about the living room that I ordered a bunch of cat toys with feathers on (she had no interest in balls even though she loves her spinner ball thingie).  Petco had a Labor Day sale and since I needed kitty litter anyways...I ordered a whole bunch of feather toys for Annie.  

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Why so many?  

Well, there's a method to my madness, as they say.  It's because in no time they disappear under the furniture and I have a heck of a time getting them back out.  With the bad left hip and knees that are swollen all the time (arthritis)--getting down on the floor is quite a painful task.  Now I can put down a toy or two until I run out and they are all under the furniture--LOL!  When Dagan, Ian, or Caroline come over they will need to be Annie's toy hunters.  Then we'll start all over again.  ;)

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Dagan took two weeks off to be able to help Leah out for a while, like he did when Ian was born.  He and Ian are planning on coming over for some Gramma time soon.  We are going to start watching Sesame Street (Ian seemed to love that the time we watched an old one I found on youtube), and then after he can try to draw the numbers and letters or play with his toys or color or who knows what.  :)  We're playing it by ear.  

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We would like to try to get in some art & craft time...but if he's bursting with energy and wants to play with his cars and trucks, that's fine.  Kind of hoping to keep it up at least once a month and eventually it be a special Sesame Street and/or art & craft time at Gramma's.  I'll have to dig out my old notes for stuff to make and do when I was a day care teacher.  :)  We already know he loves play-dough--LOL!

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 Me--been having quiet days with Annie.  Only doing what I have to for a while--except for practicing my calligraphy drills.  Discovered I was two years behind on watching Shameless, so have slowly been catching up...interspersed with some BBC historical documentaries, PBS Endeavor, and youtube videos.  

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I wonder if my mom and Blaine will be able to fly Mom home to Florida as scheduled tomorrow?  I hope they can switch tickets and wait a week or so.  May be that the flights are all cancelled anyways.  Blaine is checking into it.  This hurricane sounds just deadly!  Mom lives in central Florida, Eileen (our old neighbor across the street when we were kids) lives on the east coast, and Mom's cousin, Carol, lives on the west coast--so Mom is watching the weather closely.  Prayers for everyone.  I don't have regular TV so I need to find a good weather source online, I guess, to keep track.  This sure looks to be a terrible hurricane season.  

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I feel guilty having these wonderful, fall days of peace and tranquility.  But I am extremely grateful for them.  :):)

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I hope everyone is well, safe, and happy.

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"It is a huge danger to pretend that awful things do not happen.  But you need enough hope to keep going.  I am trying to make hope.  Flowers grow out of darkness."

Corita Kent