11-19-2018 Monday-9:45am

Good Morning!

I worked all day on Thursday die cutting the three-tree die for the Christmas cards.  We're doing a two sets at once (opposite inlays).  The Vagabond on the cabinet there got a real workout as we make about 90-100 a set.

First I cut out all the white shimmer-sprayed card stock fronts.

We always seem to come up with these simple ideas that are quite time consuming--LOL! 

As I was cutting away we had another little snow storm blast through.

I moved in the laptop to watch a fun series I don't have to pay close attention to (Death in Paradise on Netflix).  Of course, my trusty red thermal coffee mug had to make an appearance, too.  ;) 

Once I finished off the white trees I started on the green plaid ones. 

I got nearly finished, but my body began protesting rather emphatically. 

I do love watching it snow.  Doesn't matter if it is the gently dancing flakes or the violent whipping ones.  

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It had been so windy it doesn't look like we had much but we did get a few inches that drifted up here and there.  The Girls were very glad to have me tossing out seed in the morning. 

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On Friday while Ian was in pre-school Leah, Liam, and her bother, Aaron, descended upon my place for some work on projects!!  Aaron was on Liam patrol.  (Gramma's place is filled with things he can't touch--LOL!)  Dagan has half days on Friday--he came with the tall ladder and Leah's drill.

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Remember the used Dyson Leah picked up for me from a friend who was selling hers?  Well, Leah installed a wall holder for me!!  

You can see we still needed an extension cord to run underneath the bottom shelf over to the outlet, but Leah said she'd bring one when she dropped Ian off for Gramma Day the next day (Sat).

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While she was doing that, Dagan shoveled off my patio and took the chairs and small tables to the garage since they become basically poop receptacles all winter, anyways--plus they make it harder to sweep or shovel the patio.  

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Dagan also brought in more bird seed for me.  He had to fill the big bird seed bin in the garage.  A discussion ensued about moving that bird seed bin into my pantry.  I do have room.  Bought an identical one for kitty litter that's in there right now.  

Could easily make room for it and it would save a lot of running back and forth to the garage.  My main concern was the dust, but they assured me there's a way to dump the bag upside down and slowly pull it up so there won't be a dust cloud.  I get dust from the kitty litter, in the first place.  So--next time the bin needs refilling...going to move it inside.  Dagan can use my cart to bring in the 40# bag.  Will be so much more convenient!  One of those things that you wonder why you didn't think of it before, you know?

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Then Dagan and Leah tackled hanging the bird feeder!

Yes, the bird feeder is back up for the winter... 

...and I hope nobody complains.  :)

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They all scooted off--time to pick up Ian from pre-school.  So wonderful to have all those things done!!  Thanks never seems enough.  

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 Annie has a fresh batch of cat grass.

Always a high spot in her life.  ;)

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On Saturday Leah brought Ian over after his swimming lesson.  She had a temporary extension cord--way longer than we needed--LOL!  But I can use my Dyson.  :) :) 

She uses the wonderful 3M wire holder clips.  Those things sure come in handy!

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And then!  Leah said she could stay for a while and show me the idea she had for revamping a set of the Christmas cards we made a few years ago that we weren't happy with because of ink pad bleed through.  Simple.  I loved it!  AND--she stayed and did all the trimming down of the old cards...

...and she cut down the blue card stock we had available and folded them to make card bases.  We'll just tape the trimmed down fronts and the insides on to the blue bases.  Done.  We have both not been feeling the greatest and she thought this would be much easier for this year.  Absolutely will!  Then can take our time with the two sets of tree cards--whoohoo! 

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To also make it even faster to put them together I'm going to use an actual tape runner instead of our usual rolls of double-sided tape.  Well, that's what we made those card sets up ahead a time for--in case we were having a bad year.  [I know.  I know.  If we weren't so fussy those were already done--LOL!  But we'll like them a lot better now.]

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Anyways, Leah left and then Ian and I had a very quiet afternoon watching TV.  (Gramma was shot!)

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We did find it amusing that The Girls and the sparrows preferred digging in the grass to search out the seed that had been shoveled off the patio by Dagan the day before rather than the easy meal on the patio--ROFL! 

They were so much fun to watch digging with their feet and beaks--snow flying. 

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Ian had a bento snack box.  Hard to get pictures when we spend time sitting together in my big chair, but I tried to get a few.  

Eating apple slices. 

This is blurry--but I loved that his eye was clear.  He was showing me how he could eat two slices at once. 

We watched a couple episodes of Mighty Machines.  

One was in the train yard.  

The other one was in an airport.  

I find them very interesting, myself.

I love that when Ian coughs he knows to cough into his elbow--and then tells me that is how you're supposed to do it.

Mama came to pick him up.  We discovered that Daddy had forgotten his Fargo hat the day before...so Ian wanted to wear it home.  He has his own hat underneath.  Been so cold!  It's 6 degrees and windy as I am writing this ( -14 C).

Time for hugs and the "bye-bye, I love you"s. 

Since I've been wanting to eat healthier come 2019 I've been using up things like box mixes I've had around that I got on sale a few months ago.  Sent home some brownies and spice cake with Mama.  Was another great day!

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Sadly--just a few days of being busy and a couple days of having company and I bottom out.  Slept 7 hours, up 2 hours, slept another 4 hours.  Happy.  Just crashed.  Was a total rest and recovery, noodle day yesterday--but feeling a bit more human today.

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 I watched the rest of season two of This Is Us (rented DVDs from Netflix) and found out how Jack died.  Finished reading Fear by Woodward.  Caught up on letters.  Have been making plans for 2019.  But today--going to be taping those cards together.  Well, at least some of them.  ;)

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To those in US--happy Thanksgiving.  

To everybody--have a delightful week!  

Until next Monday.  :) :)

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Every blade of grass has its angel that bends over it and whispers, "Grow, grow".

The Talmud