There are seven girls again!! :)
I don't think the six was a different group because my grouse are well-fed, big, fat...and quite territorial. I watched them chase off another group of smaller grouse this summer--more than once. So...where did that one go for several days? Off on a walkabout? LOL! Anyways, the seven are together again. I am so happy.
Winter seems to have descended early and aggressively this year as far as the temperatures go. We have two warmer days in the 40s (yesterday and today), so I swept the patio and washed down the patio door one last time while I had a chance.
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I have always loved this time of year the best...from the first falling leaves to that delightful blank slate of greeting a new year. Every year it lifts my heart and scatters my thoughts with warm memories like joy confetti!!
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The cold weather has Annie investigating the tan "baby recliner" (as 6 foot tall Dagan calls it) occasionally of an evening to get off the chilly floor when I am up and down too much for her--LOL!
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Oh, before I forget. I promised a picture of McFamily with Teal'c from Stargate SG-1 when he was at ValleyCon this year. The young man behind Leah is her brother, Aaron, who has been staying with them since he got out of the Navy. You may recall they visited Aaron when he was stationed in Japan when Ian was around 9 months old. :)
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Okay...supplements.
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Cayenne pepper and I didn't agree at all. Had almost instant heartburn that wouldn't let up so cayenne is definitely out. The Meadowsweet for pain--can't tell much of anything so I am going to stop taking it for a while and see if I notice a difference. (I tried that with the White Willow Bark and did not notice a thing.) I still have a list of more kinds of supplements I can gradually try but not till next year. Just sticking with the Turmeric for now, as that seemed to do a little something for my swollen knees. :)
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Something new!
I ran across the brochure for Senior Companions a few weeks ago that was handed out by a couple ladies who came to visit one day during the CCC group maybe last spring. I decided to actually call...and long story short...I had a visit from my new senior companion, Mary, last Wednesday. She'll come over every Wednesday from 3:30-5:30pm to shoot the breeze. So far, so good. I'll talk more about it later. Actually too sore to sit here for that chat this time...but I will fill you in. :)
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I have gotten a couple little projects checked off my to-do list, though.
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First, I have these two little boxes/satchels filled with pens.
One holds all my brush pens.
One holds all my drawing pens.
Have wanted to use index cards to make up samples...
...so I have a better idea of which pen is which when I am digging through them.
Now I can tell at a glance how fat the nibs are and, in the case of the brush pens, how easy they are to use. Helps when you are pawing through them.
While I was working on the second project...
...Annie played with her ball spinner toy.
She loves it so much that when she's too tired to stand up anymore she will lie down and spin the ball--LOL!
Anyways, you may recall weeks ago (or is it months?) I printed off all these sheets to be used in making journal inserts. Well, I never got around to finishing all the creasing...
...folding...
...and stacking together of the pages.
I did this while watching Time Team (British archaeologists) in case you are wondering what was on my laptop. ;)
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I had printed different colored lines...
...and dots on the pages.
These are insert covers printed on cardstock that you can color yourself. They came with the digital dotted page format I purchased from Boho Berry online.
You may be thinking--didn't you do something with these back when? Yup--started well--hehe! Colored two of them and put those together--one with dotted pages and one with lined.
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I am still LOVING my fancy journal cover from Chic Sparrow! I have the one insert in the front...
...and then my bullet journal in the middle--my hardbound Leuchtturm1917 dot grid that I also love.
Every day I am in these bullet journal pages...
...and have not tired of them in almost three years now.
I've changed the format several times, but I have never stopped using it. Love it more now than I did when I started because it has morphed into something that works well for me and my OCD, plain self--LOL! And I can shift and alter any way I wish in the future--if my journaling self changes. ;)
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In the back is the other insert. I really have it made!
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And will you look at this!
You may recall I had to pull a kitchen chair over next to me for Miss Karrma so she could be close enough for a pet or two when she wanted one. Well, Annie was beginning to kind of bug me to move over to the big comfy brown chair so she could sit with me...but I spend most of the day at the kitchen table doing my thing. ;) So I wondered if Annie might like to come sit next to me, too?
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This new development has been coming about for the last few weeks. At first, if I pulled a chair over Annie took at as a personal rejection, of course. She thought I was trying to block her from me and would get all wound up and race around the apartment--LOL! But I would sweet talk her and ask her up...like I did for months with the comfy recliner. This time it didn't take months. She seems much happier...although she found out it is not okay to jump on the table--LOL!
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I will sign off with some sweet pictures from Leah of little Liam!!
He's growing so fast!
Another face I love.
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So, that's it for this time from Fargo. Caroline comes to clean tomorrow and Mary comes to "companion" on Wednesday--LOL! Today is the warmest day in quite a while. Supposed to get up to 51 degrees!! Plan to open the place up for a while and get some fresh air this afternoon again. Annie will love that! Till next time!! :) :)
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I think I've posted this quote before, but I just LOVE it!!
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"As I walked down the avenue, the late afternoon sun was turning the lovely and dying sycamore leaves into fragments of brilliant stained glass, and I said to myself, 'This alone is worth the price of admission to our broken and glorious world'."
Linda Larsson
21 comments:
Such a wonderful, uplifting post! I love the picture of the family portrait with Teal'c and of course Annie looking so content. And yes, Liam is growing very fast! Have a blessed and enjoyable holiday week, Rita! :-)
Our _lows_ are in the 40s, so not nearly as cold here as there. I love your birds. We have mourning doves, which is as close as we get to grouse ;) and I love watching them :)
Your kitty has really come around, won over by you patience and the safe environment you provide. I've never heard of a senior companion. Sounds like a nice program. Almost like an in-person blogging buddy ;) It's nice to have visitors in person sometimes.
Annie seems to have settled in nicely, hasn't she? It's good to have a friend and companion with an animal. And I love seeing all your calligraphy and art work. You have a nice little pen collection, which you are putting to good use. Hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving Rita. Hugs-Erika
I am anxious to hear how the Senior Companion person works out. You have won Annie over for sure!! I bet she will hid when you get company. I am glad your flock is complete again and they are doing okay. Your little Liam is just precious...and still has lots of hair! :)
My keyboard is having a PMS hissy fit today, and refuses to work much of the time. I would LOVE to leave you a personal message like you are used to from me, but it took nearly 30 minutes to write my last "real" message. Fortunately, my mouse still works well, so I can copy and paste this generic message to you. So, I will just wish you a very happy Thanksgiving and please be aware I have seen and appreciate your post.
Awww - isn't Annie sweet?
That Senior Companion thing sounds nice. WARMING up to the 40's? Much too cold for me!! I think I forgot to send you yesterday's post so I'll be sending you yesterday's & today's as soon as I post this.
I'm so glad #7 has returned. Annie has turned out to be so funny and such a good friend for you. I love it that she'll lie down to keep playing.
Love,
Janie
Liam like his big brother Ian is so adorable and the photo of McFamily is lovely just saying.
The senior companion sounds like a nice idea and would benefit so many people
You are so neat and organized. I'd love to be that way but lately everything around here is messy and chaotic. All the photos are great - especially the grouse, Annie, and your cute McFamily. My cats would go nuts with that ball spinner toy.
I also like those insert covers printed on stockcard. They would be fun to color.
My cat Scratch just jumped on my lap - making it difficult for me to type.
Never heard of the senior companion program. You're so wise to know that was something you needed at this time. Several women I follow on YouTube and Instagram had babies in the last few months. Because they post regularly, it's so easy and astonishing to watch how quickly humans grow. Of course I realized that with my children and grands, but it's different to watch the growth in daily snippets when you're not actively involved. Amazing! Happy Thanksgiving, friend!
The senior companion program sounds like a good idea, I hope you and Mary enjoy it together ! I was interested in what you said about preferring this time of year to all others. It is a very "glass half full" way to consider it, that it's waiting for the whole new year to begin. I think I'll try to do that too, thank you for the idea Rita. I often find this time of year a bit dispiriting. Little Liam is already coming along. I can't have been looking at blogs for a while, I still think of him as newborn!
what a glorious quoe at the end of your glorious post. Glad all 7 of your birds are back and love the idea of one going on a walkabout. I have 10 regular wild kitties that I feed. One of them regularly goes away and comes back. There is a #11 but I only see that one, I call it Scruffy Kitty because it is, occasionally. It is good to know that our wild friends are safe! And wow, Liam is indeed growing fast (but they do that - turn into teenagers if you don't watch closely). Hope you have a lovely Thanksgiving. Looking forward to hearing about your companion - that sounds like fun! An oh, the bullet journal. I just cannot get into them, tho I see they make wonderful sense to those who use them regularly. Maybe I just haven't found a pattern that actually works for me. Seems like added work at this point. But you are inspiring. 3 years! And a nice thing to look back with, too, I can imagine!
Awesome quote and such a sweet photo.
Wishing a happy thanksgiving to you and yours!
Look at little Liam! What a doll he is! You have been so busy with Annie and all of your journaling Rita. What a beautiful family you have.
Wow, fun and fabulous post! gorgeous family pics, so lovely! and that sweet cat always charms my heart! Loving all of your amazing supplies and pens, looks like a treasure trove of goodies! Beautiful quote...
Wishing you a magical wkd and sparkles always!
I love seeing Annie curled up on that chair - so good that she wants to be near you! Well done for finishing those journal inserts! I love how you have sorted your pens (going to show hubby) and that you can see at a glance which pen will be best to use! Great to see the family photos too! Little Liam looks so strong! It's turned cold here - although not as cold as you will have it! I am not enjoying it all as it comes with grey days and very little sun! We are still enjoying our scrabble evenings (when we are here!)
Hope the Turmeric continues to do it's work! Take care, hugs, Chrisx
Lovely Annie and fabulous journal inserts. Super pen organization. Those baby boy is really strong - super!
Take good care of you Rita!
♥♥♥
Susi
You have so many grouse at your feeder! How neat to be able to see them up close like that. Liam is getting to be so big! Your bullet journal is so creative and beautiful!
This post just makes me smile. I do hope you find the magic supplement sometime soon!
Hope you had a good Christmas, Rita.
The boys are just gorgeous!
Hope the new year brings you good health and lots of visits with those lovely boys.
Best wishes
Sue x
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