Wednesday-1pm

No.  McBaby has not picked out a birthday yet.  ;)  Soon, though.  I'll let you know.

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I was sick again.  Felt like a relapse?  Almost the same as last time but milder.  So--haven't gotten much done.  But I did color up two of the five covers that came with the dot grid paper PDF I ordered from Boho Berry. 

I didn't even sew these together.  Just slid them under the elastic like I have seen other people do...

 ...and it worked like a charm.  

I may stitch them together later and maybe not.  

Depends on whether what ends up inside is worth keeping or not.  

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The biggest news over here was on Sunday night...Annie suddenly jumped up on the arm of my chair!  I put my arms around her, sweet talked, petted and scratched.  Let her move down on to the footrest...AND SHE STAYED!!!

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Here she was rubbing her face on the corner of the laptop table. 

I kept a hand on her for some time and talked to her so she'd know I wanted her there. 

SHE ACTUALLY FELL ASLEEP!! 

This was so shocking that I had to text a picture to Dagan and Leah...and they were as shocked as I was.  So NOT Annie.  How unexpectedly delightful!!

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I knew Annie was slowly trusting me more.  First she would go into the pantry to eat when I was still standing in the kitchen.  Then when I give her her canned food treat in the evening she would wait outside the pantry and be within a couple feet of me as I walked out before she scooted in to gobble down that yummy treat.  

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But something must have changed for her on Sunday because that was the first day she followed me INTO the pantry while I set down her plate--albeit against the wall as far away from me as she could get--LOL!

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You may remember I had picked her up that time and she wouldn't come near me even for drive-by pets while I sat in the kitchen chair (which was the only thing she ever had done voluntarily for contact) for weeks.  So I just gave her her space.  She finally came for drive-by pets again--if I didn't stand up or make any sudden moves.  I have invited her almost every night to come and sit with me...but she's never looked the least bit interested.  Suddenly on Sunday night she jumped up on the arm of the chair!!  

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ANNIE STAYED FOR OVER THREE HOURS!!!

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From some time before 7pm till 10pm I was afraid to get up to close the blinds, or get something to drink, or go to the bathroom...but finally I thought I was going to pee my pants and had to get out of the chair.  Annie jumped down and hid on a chair in the studio.  I wondered if that would be that?  Would she do it again?

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Monday night she showed no interest in visiting.  But after I had gotten up around 9pm...when I came back she laid herself down on the floor right in front of the chair.  I wondered if she wanted me to pick her up?  Yup--shock!  She didn't run away when I leaned over, let me pick her up, buried her head in the crook of my arm, and didn't run away as I settled into the chair.  Then she wanted to go lay on the footrest--OMGosh!  She stayed about an hour and then just suddenly left.

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Last night...Annie jumped right up on the footrest and settled right down.  She'd been there about an hour or more when I really had to go to the bathroom.  I went to put the footrest down and she tried to stay in the chair--LOL!  Backed up into my lap--ROFL!  I lifted her down and told her I'd be right back...figuring I had ruined the evening snuggle time.  But I came back, got settled in, and here she came back again!!  Stayed for quite a while and then took off.

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So--Annie McGregor must have decided I am a fairly safe human to live with--LOL!  I am over the moon!  I never honestly ever, ever expected her to sit with me.  She's around eight years old and has never been one to voluntarily do anything but her drive-by pets.  This is like a new Annie!  And I liked her fine before.  :)  Always said she was a gentle soul.  

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Annie and I are bonding.

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But something that didn't work out for me--LOL!  I was curious about these activity/sleep tracking bracelets and had been talking to Leah about buying a cheap one.  She had one that she hasn't worn for months and said I could borrow it to see if I liked them.  Hers is a Jawbone UP--and she set it up for me in my phone.

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But three out of seven days it didn't work or only recorded part of the day or night.  No clue why because I had it smashed down tight on my arm so it had contact all the time.  (In fact, I was getting a rash.)  It was fun when it was working, but tiresome when it wasn't.  

I decided to send it back to Leah before I ruined it.  I remembered that I used to kill watches when I was young.  They would just stop working--no clue why.  To the point where for years I had to wear a pendant watch around my neck at jobs where I needed to keep track of time.  That seemed to get better years later--or my body energy approved of my cheap Mickey Mouse watch??  Just in case...since I seemed to be stopping the bracelet randomly...I have it ready to send back.

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Does anyone know if watches or these kind of devices can have magnets in them?  My body doesn't appreciate magnets, either...or copper.

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Anyways, just waiting to hear when Leah goes into labor.  Getting excited to hear that everyone is okay and if it is a boy or girl.  :) :)

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 Oh, and I was delighted to see a new flock of grouse show up a couple days ago!

Seven of them!   

I've missed them.  Haven't seen them all summer...or the jackrabbits...and the baby bunny hasn't been around for a couple weeks.  

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Ground squirrel is here every day.  I know there are two of them because one is quite a bit bigger.  Yesterday a different very skinny young thing tried to come and nibble there on the patio and--OMG!  There was a wild chase scene!!  Ground squirrels are territorial and obviously the big one that is here every day is the boss.  They raced with bouncing leaps across the grass--back and forth.  I know who won...even if they raced out of view--LOL!  My well-fed little pal is here every day.  Wonder why she let's the one smaller one eat here?  Mate?  I assume the bigger one is the female if they are a pair.  She looked pregnant in the spring...and possibly again now.  ;)

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So that's it from Fargo for now.  I'm on the upswing again.  Just taking it easy and waiting for McFamily news.  And hoping everyone will be okay down south with the hurricane flooding that is increasing now.  Be safe and well!  :)

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"Even in the mud and scum of things, something always, always sings."

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Sunday-12:30pm

Over two weeks again--good grief!  Let's just say I was very busy (sewing mostly), was stressed over the dentist appointment, had a family visit from Minneapolis, and more or less collapsed for a few days--LOL!  But here I am.  Sadly, was so shot that I forgot to take pictures of the family visit...but you know I have a few pics to share after two weeks.  ;)

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I have not made it down for the CCCgroup on Thursdays for three weeks (sewing and then dentist) but I did make it down for library day a couple weeks ago.  (Rented an audio book I could listen to while I sewed.)  Back then the goose with the bad foot was still here and being fed and given water down at the other building.  She had been almost healed the week before but then she was limping badly again.  I haven't seen her for almost two weeks OR found evidence left behind from visits for water.  When family was here we drove past the culverts a couple blocks away and the hundreds of geese were down to maybe 20-25--so maybe she took off with the rest of them?  I will probably find out more when I can finally make it down to library and possibly CCC this week (if it is still going).

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All the birds and critters were thrilled that the goose wasn't spending all that time down here anymore.

Don't they look happy?

I even caught a picture of Annie watching a ground squirrel, the baby bunny, and a sparrow all there at the same time.

Way back--three Saturdays ago--right after I posted last time--Annie jumped up and laid on the footrest of the big comfy chair right between my legs!  Shock!  She didn't stay but a few minutes and was quite ill at ease--but she did it once, so who knows?!!  I was shocked and delighted.  And I am patient.  ;)

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I've been away so long--these are the dangle doodling books I ordered the beginning of the month.  Haven't had a chance to try them yet, but hopefully pretty soon.  :)

I was mostly sewing...

...and sewing.  
Was determined to get all of Leah's pads and pantyliners finished before my dentist appointment on the 17th.  And I did--whoohoo!!  :) :)

Leah got all the snaps on them and took them home.  All 36 of them!!  
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I think I'll wait a while before I work on mine.  In the meantime, I have a few to try to see what size and fabrics I like the best.  Have one more to put together, actually, before I can put the sewing machine away for a while.  
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We've had some beautiful days...many cloudy, rainless days...some dribble days...a couple of steady rain days...days needing the AC on because it was so hot...days I relented and put the AC on when it wasn't that hot but the 90% humidity got to me...and gorgeously perfect days.  Can't complain.  

The big exciting thing I ordered this month--thanks to Dagan and Leah letting me skip a monthly payment (I'm always paying them back for things they pick up for me)--that really took my mind off the dentist stress...an A5 cover from ChicSparrow.com!!

Even engraved with "soulcomfort" on the front down in the bottom right hand corner.

My bullet fits inside...

...and there's room for three inserts, too.

I didn't like white elastic (gets dirty so fast) so I ordered some black from them.  Had to string the elastic through the back of the bullet (Leuchtturm1917) anyways.  I am loving the new weekly spread...

...and I LOVE the new cover!!!

It's a Mr. Darcy classic (no pockets) in Titanic color (turquoise).
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I was surprised that she sent along some little goodies, too.  This sticker with the flowers and bird (stuck in the front of the bullet--will probably write name and number inside).

Not a surprise--sticker with company name on, but also one with a beautifully drawn feather.  Stuck these on the back side of the bullet and dated so I'll remember when the cover came.

And she even sent a leather coaster!

This was a big purchase for me, but I figured that I have been using the bullet system for over 2 1/2 years now and love it more all the time so I will get years and years of use out of this.  And I wanted one because I can make inserts I can keep inside with my bullet (there are four elastic strands inside and I'm only using one for the bullet)...to keep more permanent lists, more transient lists, scribble notes, brain dumping, or even put in a drawing or watercolor insert if I wanted.  I can make inserts that have pockets, too, if I want to.
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It would be nice to have my list of baby steps for making pads permanently in an insert, for example.  I have had to re-write it already from bullet to bullet.  So for anything like that...now I will have inserts!  I know--love to be organized--LOL!  ;)
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Saturday the 12th my mom, brother Blaine and his wife Kathy drove up for their annual visit.  We had such a nice time.  Mom wanted to see my flowers--and approved.  (She's a flower lover from way back.) We drove over to McFamily's, had pizza, looked at pictures of Blaine and Kathy's travels, and old photos from the 1930s Mom brought with she borrowed from her cousin Carol.  Ian wanted Gramma to read him books and somehow an hour flew by before his bedtime.  Ian even wanted me to come up while he got ready for bed and to say goodnight, which he's never asked before.  We hadn't seen each other for quite a while.  So, got to see all kinds of family that day.  Sweet! 
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But did I remember to take any pictures?  Nope.  Darn it!
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Back to sewing...
I got all the red ones finished...       

...and really pushed it to get all the brown and red ones done, too, to surprise Leah when she came over for a craft night last Tuesday.

Three different sizes. 

 Leah got all the snaps on that night so she could take them home.

Leah, Ian and I went to PetSmart late on that same Tuesday afternoon--after Caroline was here to clean and Ian got up from his nap.  Ian was enthralled by all the fish, rodents, and birds.  We picked out a betta (mostly Gramma did because Ian was glued to the long row of fish tanks bubbling away).

By the time we got done it was time for Dagan to get off work so he met us at my place and we picked up Hardee's for dinner.  We ate while the betta floated for 15 minutes.  Ian was happy he got to help dump "Bubbles the 18th" into the bowl.  (I believe that is what number we are up to--LOL!)
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Then Dagan took Ian home and Leah stayed for craft night.  I wanted to know if it was possible to print vertical lines--you know, the long way on a piece of paper?  (Leah is familiar with the alien world of Excel.)  Yes!!!!
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So we printed off sheets of paper printed on both sides...

...that I can fold to use to make lined inserts!!! 

I was thrilled!!  We even made them with colored lines!  Blue, turquoise, brown, gray...so cool!!
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The next day--this was this last Wednesday--I totally collapsed.  Hadn't been sleeping very well...thinking about the dentist pulling the make-shift tooth out.  But the new bullet cover and all the sewing kept me very busy, thank goodness.

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Thursday.
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Dentist day.
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So many years ago that I can't remember (in the 80s I think) the tooth next to my front tooth had root canal work done and was capped.  Let's just say that I have had quite a few horrible experiences with dentists.  I do like the dentist I have had these past years--Dr. Coffey.  He's very nice, knows what he's doing, has a beautifully furnished waiting room, knows how to administer Novocaine properly and isn't reluctant to use it.  ;)
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But when I first moved up here from Minneapolis in 1999 to Moorhead, Minnesota across the river there was only one older dentist listed in the area who would take Medicaid...and he was HORRIBLE!!  He was the roughest, rudest, meanest dentist--well, person, for that matter--I have ever dealt with.  His wife was the only other person in the office.  She was the receptionist, dental assistant, and his all-around additional whipping boy.  (I would say scapegoat, but that's way to mild a description.)  I say "additional" because he treated all humans with equal disdain.  He appeared to treat no one but people on Medicaid (no surprise) and likely the only person who would work for him was his silent, defeated, hangdog wife.
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His tiny waiting room was dirty with worn plastic chairs, a dusty half destroyed plastic plant in the corner, and three bent wire hangers on a dented pole.  No one hung up anything.  People clung to their coats and purses.  I have never been in a waiting room where people scooted out in a panic before their names were called just listening to the dentist shout and berate...and people whose names were called volunteered to let anyone else go first.  I am not joking.  It freaked me out before I even met him.  Have you ever heard of such a thing?  Like a bad movie!
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The dentist complained the entire time you were in his chair...about the fact he was required by law to wear gloves now, the gloves made it hard for him to work properly, which was the fault of those people with aides and diseases...no one else will even work on you people, you should be glad you are even here, I'm not wasting any more Novocaine on you, they don't pay me enough to work on you people, open wider, I said open wider, I swear you people are so stupid you can't follow simple instructions, be glad I will deal with you at all, don't move, stop shaking, you people moving cause mistakes to happen, it's your own fault, quit drooling (he hated saliva but he hated his wife sucking it out of your mouth more and getting in his way so he stuck those cotton rolls up under your lips--thinking it absorbed saliva and--added bonus--made it harder for us to talk...not that anyone wanted to).  I don't know why I do this at all, you people don't appreciate anything...all the while barking orders and complaints at his wife.  He was rough--really rough.  Physically and verbally.
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After one time in his chair I understood why people chickened out before they were called.  I felt it down to my bones why people tried to trade away their time slot because they needed more time to get up their nerve to walk back there...and why this wasn't an unusual occurrence for his wife-receptionist who didn't bat an eye at the sudden appointment trades.  
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I had a couple of cavities and he made it very clear that he would only spend 15 minutes on each client (victim)--so I had to come back to get the second one filled.  (I'm sure he could collect more money that way.)  
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Second visit--he was filling that other cavity, pushing, bumping, banging against my teeth, as he had the time before...when he suddenly stopped talking.  (Let's be honest--it wasn't talking, it was bitching and verbal degradation.)  Anyways, the sudden silence made his wife lift her head...and that was also unusual.  He muttered something to her instead of barking it at full volume.  He drilled and messed with the cavity--grunting and sighing, but he was too quiet.  Next thing he was pushing up against my front teeth?  Complaining I had taken too long, I was rushed out of the room (nothing unusual there).  I'm thinking--with great relief--that I am done for now.  Cavities filled and had no intentions of going back for...years!
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I get home and notice this thin gray line kind of oozing out from the gum on that next to the front capped tooth.  What the heck?!
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In a matter of hours the tooth fell out!!  You could tell it had broken off at the gum line and he'd tried to cement it back on.  I knew he had been rough and it hurt, but it had the time before, too.  This tooth had no nerve, so it hurt when he broke it off, but not like a good tooth would, you know?  
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I had to call his office back...he made me wait a week without a front tooth.  (I bought Polygrip and was very quiet that week at college--LOL!).  He tried to blame it on me for jerking my head around!  I calmly informed him that I had not moved...at all.  Asked him why he didn't tell me he'd broken the tooth off and had tried to hide it?  He grumbled and muttered, but never answered me.  (Might be the only reason he tried to do anything with it at all?)
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He took the capped tooth, drilled out the center of it as best he could (complaining the whole time how hard it was to do with gloves on), put cement inside the tooth, cut a post (didn't want to waste much wire on me because other dentists told me it was too short of a post), stuck the post inside the broken off tooth, impatiently waited for it to set (hated to wait for Novocaine to work, either, and started too soon), and then pushed the tooth up in there...and rushed me out.  All the while telling me how grateful I should be that he was even doing this at all because the state wouldn't pay for a tooth to be replaced and he could have left me toothless.
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It fell out--can't remember how long it took--a couple weeks?
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He was really angry that I was back.  Kind of pounded it back in, reminded me how grateful I should be that he bothered with me at all, told me not to use that tooth, and not to come back if it did fall out because he wasn't going to deal with it again.  
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I thought I had been babying it, but now I did even more so.  By the time it fell out again they had opened a new family clinic that took Medicaid in Fargo that had rotating dentists.  Hallelujah!!  I got a nice young dentist who did a much better job of pounding it back in (probably because he gave me Novocaine).  He seemed worried it would just fall right out again and said I probably couldn't get a tooth if it wouldn't stay in.  Let's just say he didn't seem confident I would have the tooth for long.  I think this was somewhere around 2001-2002? 
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I have obviously been babying it for many years.  Dr. Coffey thought I must have hit it or done something to cause it to come loose after all this time when I haven't done anything different, you know?  Truth is, Ian bonked me right in the teeth when I was picking him up one day sitting in the kitchen chair here and I think that might have been what knocked it loose.  I couldn't think of anything at the time, but later I remembered the hard tooth bang from Ian a couple weeks before I felt it was really loose.  Not his fault, regardless.  It was amazing that tooth has stayed in all these years.
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So, Thursday was T-Day.  
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It didn't take much to pull it right out.  He couldn't drill the tooth/cap out to replace the short peg wire.  Not sure if the root has a fracture or not--couldn't tell by the x-ray.  So what he did was drill around the peg to make the surface rough, cleaned up around the gum line, roughed up the root around the gum , and used a tooth bonding material to attach the make-shift tooth back up on to the root and cleaned it all up afterwards.  Dr. Coffey didn't seem any more confident afterwards than the other nice rotating dentist did.  Told me--"Remember, this is for show not go...baby it...baby it".  I told him I have been babying it for about fifteen years, so I am used to doing that.  Hopefully it will last a long, long time.   
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So, I have my make-shift tooth back.      

After the dentist Leah treated us to Dairy Queen ice cream (me and Ian).  I  was on soft food, no chewing, and warm salt water rinses for a few days.  We went out in the garage to re-pot Baby Phil and Ivy.

 Ivy is temporarily over on Ian's toy shelves.

Baby Phil had lost so many leaves he was 3/4 just stems and he needed some fertilizer, too.  Normally I would have chopped him up but Leah said we could wrap all the stems around and around and bury them under the dirt. 

I'd never done that before, so she helped me with that.  He's looking pretty good! 

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So, that's the last couple weeks.

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I have a tooth--for however long.  Done with Leah's sewing and got the plants re-potted.  All the "time sensitive" projects are done!!  Was super sore--therefore not sleeping well and super tired--but some R&R days are beginning to work their magic.  It feels so good that I don't have anything that has to be done--tada!  Not that I don't have a ton of plans, of course, for when I am feeling my oats again...but it is just the usual daily stuff and R&R for now.  I'm glad I have finally blogged!!  I've had to take breaks and it is now almost 5pm--but I am done and you are all caught up.

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Leah is due one week from today!!!!

The new baby sibling has dropped.  Locked and loaded.  Any time now.  I will let you know when the baby decides it is time to join McFamily.  Oh, and this time Leah is going to the hospital right off because she has a midwife who also delivers--best of both worlds.  :)

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And Miss Annie...I think she likes it here.  She doesn't run as far away when I stand up.  She seems to miss me when I am gone (although that could be wishful thinking--LOL!).  One day I had to laugh...Annie will sit right by the open patio screen door and isn't bothered at all by a big goose, the riding lawn mower, people walking dogs--big or small...but one day she heard little kids laughing and squealing...and she was under the bed in a flash--ROFL!!  So I know she'll be happier here with me.  ;)

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I hope none of you have horrible dentist stories (that was only one of mine).  I wouldn't wish them on anyone.  And I am sooooo grateful that Dr. Coffey still takes Medicaid because since Trump got into office I was told by my worker that "North Dakota lost a whole bunch of dentists who decided not to take Medicaid anymore".  Thank you, Dr. Coffey!!  

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Have a wonderful week!

Count your blessings!!

Big smile!!!!

Much love from Fargo.  :) :)

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"When you do things from your soul, the river itself moves through you.  Freshness and a deep joy are signs of the current."

Rumi

Saturday-12:45pm

I was sick for about a week and still not quite back to my normal, but wanted to pop in and fill you in on what's been happening around here before I have a zillion pictures and too much to tell--LOL!  This is not all of the pictures I actually took, by any means--(I just pick the best ones)--but grab a cup or glass of something delicious and here we go...

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No this is not the goose with the hurt wing.  He's safely off at a farm somewhere.  This is a new young goose who showed up.  Seemed like she had a bad foot or leg.  

She couldn't stand very long at all... 

...slept a lot... 

...walked very slowly... 

...and was shaky on her feet. 

But she LOVED my patio because I had the water dish. 

As you can see, Annie wasn't afraid of her. 

[Sure, Annie!  Run away if I even stand up or clear my throat, but let a huge goose walk right up to you?  Cats!  Go figure!]

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This new goose hung around my patio for days and days--more so than the other one!  He liked it, too--but she'd stay here most of the day into the evening---sleeping, drinking, and pooping. 

She got so she'd efficiently sit, eat grass, drink, and poop all at the same time. 

She'd leave and slowly make her way down the apartment building to where there were people feeding her bread, cinnamon rolls, bird seed, and who knows what all every day. 

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Annie would wait for her. 

 The goose would come back here to sleep and drink.

All this Wild Kingdom Goose TV did cause Annie to spend a whole LOT more time out and not under the bed, though--LOL!  

But after a week or so Miss Goose was much better.   

She could walk faster, stand a long time... 

 ...and was really used to being hand fed.  She'd follow me around as I watered the flowers and even tried to peck at my cream colored shoes that must have looked like bread to her.  The only thing I had put out was some oatmeal she didn't want--and yet she always expected a handout every time she saw me outside.  I'd try to shoo her away--she'd back away, but come right back.  Not the least bit afraid of me, really.

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Okay--two Wednesdays ago Leah brought me to that dentist appointment.  The drilling went well, but I brought up that my make-shift peg tooth seemed to have kind of twisted a little bit and I was afraid it was loose.  Several years ago this dentist had put some kind of filler along the gum line to try to keep it anchored for a while.  I was hoping maybe he could do that again.  (He was not the dentist that did this in the first place must have been in 2001-2002 maybe--can't remember now--has fallen out before but it has been years ago now.)

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Well, I ended up with an x-ray and a kind of basic diagnosis (which wasn't conclusive--he's afraid I might have a fractured root).  But that peg tooth is definitely loose, he can't do that temporary repair again, he couldn't just leave it and send me off in good conscience because I could swallow it or inhale it or lose it (and hopefully that won't happen before I go back on the 17th).  Deep breath!  

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He needs to pull it out to see what he's dealing with.  

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Deeper breath!

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Options:

1. He may or may not be able to figure out a way to adjust or kind of redo the makeshift peg tooth and replace it solidly somehow so that it is anchored (especially if the root has cracked sideways, which doesn't always show up on an x-ray.  If he possibly can manage it I will leave with a front tooth.

2. If he can't replace the tooth, then I would need the cheapest alternative which would be a one-tooth-partial.  They would have to send a request in to Medicare/Medicaid to see if either of them would cover it.  (Aside: the dental assistant told me they usually won't cover a partial unless it's at least two teeth--even in the front...but who knows, she said with a smile...and all her teeth--LOL!)  I would go home without a tooth right next to a very front tooth and have to wait for the government to decide my tooth fate.

3. If I ended up being denied...let's just say my hillbilly days would begin--LOL!

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  This is the kind of stuff that can keep a person up in the dead of night--for no good reason.  Worrying about it won't change a thing.  I try not to think about it...as I continue to eat my soft foods, toast cut into bite-sized pieces, and remember not to bite down on anything whatsoever.  (Which I have been doing for about a month or two now--and have had to bite on that other side for like 15 years.)

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I was going to explain the background story on the tooth...but not today.  Maybe next time.  This will be long and full of photos...and I am too tired still after being sick.  Got to use my energy for sewing since I am now behind.  (We all know what they say about plans, eh?)  So after I post this you likely won't hear from me again until the sewing project is finished or nearly so.  :)

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Anyways, the next day (two Thursdays ago) Leah was here for a craft night.  I hadn't seen her for over a month so it was basically a gab fest and she dealt with my few techie questions.  I had already--before the dentist--been in a bad fibro flare for a week or so that I couldn't shake.  So I wasn't feeling the greatest that night--but that wasn't unexpected, of course, so I just tried to ignore it, as usual.

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The next day I was getting even worse than my usual worse.  Ached all over to the point it felt like my insides ached.  I was in my comfy chair all day.  My view through the cracked blinds (had jammies on). 

Since the goose didn't care for oatmeal and the little 13-striped ground squirrel was absolutely delighted--along with all the birds, of course--I enjoyed some CatTV myself in my misery.  :) 

By that evening I hurt so badly I could hardly hobble about and realized I might actually be sick-sick.  Took my temp.  101.2.  Went to bed and slept 15 hours.  

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The temp gradually went down over the next three days...I slept a lot...and we had a new visitor! 

What a little cutie pie! 

I saw it was nibbling on some oatmeal that was wind-caught in some spider webs under the door frame. 

Sick or not, I had to throw on clothes long enough to water the flowers, right?

Can you see the baby bunny down there searching for oatmeal? 

Well, Caroline was going to be bringing me groceries on the 3rd...so I added some raw sunflower seeds, no mess bird seed, and some more oatmeal.   

Sick as I was--I stayed dressed after I hosed the plants and put out oatmeal so that I could have the blinds open for a while and Annie and I could watch CatTV.  :) 

I just adore the little ground squirrels!   

And this is the best pic of Annie and the baby bunny! 

But then--here comes Miss Goose.  She was feeling much better and is so used to being fed that she has gotten a bit forward, shall we say. 

She was still spending time at my patio... 

...even though she doesn't like oatmeal. 

But I had about had it with her! 

Marching up and pecking on my screen. 

Attempting to eat my shoes while I am trying to water the flowers. 

Totally ignoring my derogatory remarks on her personal hygiene...  

...her manners...and I even stooped to personal attacks on her behavior.  She could have cared less. 

Look at my patio!! 

That day this was what she had done in a few hours just since I scrubbed it down in the morning with the deck brush/broom thingie.  I was crubbing down the patio a couple times a day and I was running a fever, for goodness sakes.  Can you blame me for not talking nice to her?!

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 I took away the water dish for days, we also had storms for a couple days (apparently geese don't like rain--or being sprayed with a hose shower).   

Oh, Monday night we even had a hailstorm.

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I walked down to pay my rent on my first "well" day (the 4th) and ran into Pam, the activity director.  I told her about how I wished they'd stop feeding the goose because she's better now--and how she poops so much on my patio that it's just gross and stained--and how she's trying to come into the apartment even!  Pam said she suspects that somebody HAS let the goose into their apartment.  (Bet the quit the first time she left a nice juicy poop to clean out of their rug!)  

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Pam was wistfully hoping they could catch her and bring her to that farm, too.  But I told her this one would be impossible to catch because she CAN fly and run and she's fine now.  She's just human-spoiled.  Pam joked about me having a craft group to sew goose diapers--ROFL!!  (So she was listening from the kitchen in the community room when I was explaining about sewing cloth pads and panty liners--LOL!)

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Pam mentioned the "gophers".  So I also explained that the 13-striped ground squirrels are not "gophers" and do not dig up the yard like our pocket gophers do up here.  Yet they are not like a "squirrel", either, because they don't climb trees, get into houses, etc.  They are prairie critters who have small little holes.  I grew up around them.  Was really hard to even find a hole.  So, I hope they don't trap and kill them anymore.  Maybe she'll google them like I suggested?

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And maybe they either stopped feeding the goose or they decided to feed the heck out of her while she still thought there was no water at my place anymore--because I haven't seen her now for like three days!!!  I put the water dish back out, the bird seed and sunflower seeds arrived with my soft groceries.  Gooseless!  Been wonderful!  So that is why I have so many pictures of the bunny and ground squirrel!  I didn't mind helping the goose out when it was in trouble--but she's fine now.  They are just soooo messy.  About 2-3 blocks from here is a culvert--and an absolute horde of geese.  The sidewalks and grass and street are just thick with poop.  I sure don't want that here!  (Told Pam that, too.)  Could easily happen if they are feeding one, you know?

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Anyways, I hope that's it with the injured geese.  I am thrilled--and so is Annie--to have the regular bird and critter crew back.  :)

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I got a few pics back from McFamily.  (You may remember I lost all my pictures.)  Here's Ian in the back yard with his water table, lawnmower, and other toys.  Busy boy!

  

This was from back at his birthday party in June...eating his cake. 

Haven't seen him for a while.  Grandma needs an Ian fix here pretty soon.  ;) 

I can't remember where Dagan told me they were when Ian saw this old upright manual typewriter... 

...but he was fascinated. 

Funny--he's never noticed the one in my bedroom...that I know of--LOL!  ;)  Might have to get some paper out and show him how it works, eh?  Mine is an Underwood.

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Oh, and I almost forgot.  Since I was mentioning Medicare and Medicaid.  Got a bill from the eye doctor and they sent the bills through both Medicare (fed) and Medicaid (state) and out of $270.00 I owe $207.82.  They covered $62.18 between them, I guess.  I called his office to double check.  :(  Oh well.  Another place I will make payments to.

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Oh! (still quite foggy brained)--Leah came this last Thursday, too--and we did no crafts again--LOL!  (I still felt too crummy to go to CCC Group--stayed home and sewed.)  Leah and Dagan decided I am going to be the guinea pig to try out an Amazon Fire Stick so we spent the evening setting that up--well, Leah did.  ;)  It's kind of similar to Chromecast but has a remote control I need to figure out how to use.  I can get anything online you already pay for--Amazon Prime videos (& music, I guess, but I have never used that before), HBO Now, Netflix, etc.  More narrow with the services, but I like that it has a remote...once I figure it out--LOL!  At the moment I am watching Netflix DVDs, anyways.  Catching up on Outlander.

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Well, that's it.  Right now--I need a good long break for my cranky body (has taken me three hours to write this) and then back to sewing.  You are all caught up.  Cross your fingers Miss Goose went back with her poopy friends--LOL!  We've had wonderful cooler weather for days!!!  I have been loving having the place opened up.  Annie does, too.  As I look out right now the ground squirrel is filling his pouches with seeds, birds are pecking away around him, Annie has her eyes on everybody, I have a fan on me, and it is a cloudy 79 degrees.  Warmer than it has been for a few days.  But we're supposed to stay with upper 70s for highs for the next week, it looks like.  I'll take it!  

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Be back when I have at least a huge dent taken out of the sewing project...I hope.  :) :)

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"Even if I should be locked up in a narrow cell and a cloud should drift past my small barred window, then I shall bring you that cloud.  Oh God, while there is still the strength in me to do so."

Etty Hillesum