Sunday-12:45pm

Good afternoon!  

I'm posting a day early because I'm having a Gramma Day tomorrow.  :)  Took this picture last night of the sunset's golden reflection in the clouds.  

****

Well, first of all--the wood pellets ended up being a big fail.  Annie would walk in, pee, turn around and leave...but there was no way she was going to poop in there because she couldn't stand to bury it. 

**** 

I know--cat logic.  

****

Annie absolutely hated to dig in those pellets.  I knew she was not fond of them.  The more I added to the old big litter box the less she buried anything...and Annie is an enthusiastic digger.  But I thought that as long as she went in the box it would be okay because I had to remove the poop (with Annie you can smell it a mile away) and the pee just made sawdust to shake and sift down.  I was so hopeful when she peed in there.

****

But poop--no way.

****

She left me gifts every morning. 

Annie was miserable.  

She held everything--pee and poop--as long as she could possible hold it (over 24 hours at a time--also probably not good for her).  Annie had relentless, toxic farting; was restless and jumpy; would forget, head for the pantry, stop in the doorway, stare inside, stare at me (if she could talk she would have said naughty things to me), decide she didn't have to go that badly yet and walk away; she started stress grooming...then she started to cry by the pantry door and stare at me.  

Annie was miserable.  

****

By Wednesday I couldn't bear watching her distress and was tired of washing the rug.  I cleaned out the new litter box...and discovered that tiny pieces of wood pellets get stuck in the grate.  Even after I wet them and let them sit a while they were stuck hard.  Had to poke them through with an old letter opener.

 If I had a place where I could have let them soak submerged in water they would have come loose.  Anyways, I cleaned it all up and sent it over for McFamily to try the wood pellets with Blink.

****

Annie has her big litter tub back and was quite relieved!  

****

Wednesday Leah picked me up.  She, the boys, and I went to JoAnn's to look for green card stock.  We didn't find a green that we liked to go with our plaid paper but we did find a dark red--so we'll have a red frame instead of a green one.  Was such a good day--no sciatica issues at all walking--only the usual back stuff.  :) :)

****

Then it was Ian's first time at this Wednesday Workout class Leah signed him up for. (Parks and Rec, I believe.)  We got there early.  Ian wanted to go around the walker's path up high.

I was downstairs in a folding chair. 

Leah (with Liam strapped to her) went around with Ian once and then he ran around up there about three more times by himself while Mama and Liam waited for him.

****

We were the first ones there.  The two young women in charge put out a big circle of colored plastic circles for the kids to sit on... 

...and laid out an obstacle course. 

When class started they were all called to sit in the circle.  Ian is the one with his back to me to the left of the blue line. 

All the while they did their exercises and movements Ian just observed. 

Ian hasn't been involved in group activities like this but Leah signed him up for a couple of things this summer.  He's had swimming, but Mama was in the pool with him, and general group gatherings like reading at the library, but nothing this structured where you had to follow directions in a group.  Ian was more interested in watching the other kids to see what they were doing--LOL!

****

  By the time they moved on to the obstacle course, though, he seemed to have gotten the hang of things and he did really well waiting his turn and going around the obstacle track in order.  Gramma didn't get any pictures of that because Liam was having a really cranky day (more teeth?) and Mama went to walk Liam about to keep him quiet so I watched Ian--and was so "in the moment", as usual, that I forgot to take any more pictures.  Ian went around the obstacle course about four times.  Then they had to all get in a line.  Ian was the last to leave the obstacle course (loved it!).  One by one they each got a coloring page with a frog on it and a couple of back-of-the-hand stamps.  Ian was all smiles!!  He is going to love these classes, I think.

****

Then, since I was having a good day, I decided to go home with them for a longer visit.  Dagan had to work late.  Liam was generally having a bad day half the time so I didn't get too much time with him, but I got a little.  :)  Ian and I had a great time watching Finding Nemo cuddled together on the couch.  Leah made a yummy dinner.  She later got the boys' pajamas on and then I put Ian to bed while she put Liam to bed.  Read a story, talked a little while, hugs and kisses...and by that time Gramma was ready for bed, too--LOL!  (I have been known to sleep 9-11 hours after Gramma Days.)

****

Dagan came home and we all visited for a while.  About 10pm--getting ready to leave--was soooo tired--hurtin' (back and knees from walking and uncomfortable seating)--feeling weak and noodle-y like I get--trying to bend over to strap my sandals standing up--lost my balance--and fell on my knees.  Dagan and Leah came to my rescue and helped me up.  Leah gave me a spray I could use on my knees for pain--pure magnesium oil.  I think it helped.  Hard to tell.

****

Anyways, it was an absolutely marvelous day, just had a painful ending--LOL!  I got probably a total of two hours sleep Wednesday night...then ~5, 7, and last night finally 9 decent hours.  So lots better than I was.  I sure have been wracking myself up lately!  Good grief!  I have to face the fact that I can't be lifting things willy nilly like I used to and that I need to sit down to fasten shoes (especially when very tired).  I already had learned the hard way not to lift the big Britta frig water container except in the morning on a good day--LOL!  The more I do the more pain--but also the more exhausted and weaker I get.  I have to remember that, too.  Duh!  

 ****

Anyways, Caroline came to clean on Thursday--had to switch from Tuesday because her little boy was sick.  She liked the new toilet brush for cleaning under the rim, but it is a different shape to get used to (simple human brand).  Thumbs up, though.  Funny how I put off replacing things like the toilet brush and plunger--but it is so nice to have a new set you wonder why you waited so long--LOL!  

****

I even feel better about Annie being huddled up next to these new ones during thunderstorms.  Hail cracking against the glass and air conditioner woke me up at 2am Friday morning.  I made a trip to the bathroom as long as I was up--and there was Annie next to the toilet.  Thunderstorm, but no hail, when I woke up on Saturday morning, too.  There was Annie next to the new toilet brush and plunger--LOL!  Seems odd to be able to reach down and pet your cat while on the porcelain throne--LOL!  Luckily, Annie isn't trembling.  She just wants to be someplace she considers safe and leave her h-e-double hockey sticks alone.  Once the storm has passed--she waits a while so as not to be tricked out of her place of safety--then she's fine and dandy.  Annie comes out and rolls happily on the rug--relieved the danger has passed.  Humans should recover so quickly--LOL!  :)

****

Okay--the reason I am posting a day early...

****

Saturday was going to be Gramma Day because Leah's friend, Amber, was moving back up to Fargo then.  But that got changed to Monday, so Leah asked if I would be okay to switch to Monday for Gramma Day.  Yes.  (I am just now feeling almost recovered from Wednesday--LOL!)  So, I figured I'd blog and do laundry today.  I'll be busy tomorrow and shot on Tuesday--hehe!  

****

While I've been typing I've been watching the red-winged blackbird, grouse, morning doves, sparrows, and grackles nibbling away on the seed.  A few have taken baths.  Many have sipped some water.  Baby sparrows cry and shake their wings for parents to feed them seeds...while they're standing right next to them--ROFL!  I love the cooing of the mourning doves, the contented clucking of the grouse, the trilling of the red-winged blackbird, and the happy cheeping of the sparrows.  I have put two loads of clothes away while we were chatting and made a hotdish.  That's all she wrote for today.  Feeling totally drained...but happy.  

****

Oh, I have a question for you.  

Have any of you left Facebook?  It takes 90 days after you say you want to delete your account before you are off--and you can't go near it--one accidental click and you have to start over.  I'm really only on there to post the blog because I was asked by some people to do that because it was easier for them.  But I do have a "follow by email" option on the upper side of the blog so it can be delivered to your inbox.  I am thinking of leaving Facebook and have heard of several others who are doing it.  Was wondering what those of you on Facebook thought about it?  Have you already left/are waiting an exit out right now or do you plan to stay?  If you follow me on Facebook would you use the "follow by email" if I left?  (BTW--I would have no idea if you do or don't because I receive no accounting of who follows by email.)  Just curious.  I would let you know ahead of time if I decide to quit.  

****

Well, till next week! 

Hope your week is absolutely marvelous...without a painful ending--LOL!  ;)

**** 

"Gratitude is exultation awaiting between the cracks of normalcy."

Frederic Potter