Monday, October 08, 2018

10-8-2018 Monday-12:45pm

Good afternoon!
With no mail today I almost forgot--was thinking it was Sunday--LOL!
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Dark, drizzly day.  The predictions are highs between 38 to 46 degrees until next week and lows of 27 to 41.  At this rate the kids will be wearing winter coats under their Halloween costumes.  I remember a few times we went out with snowsuits under ours as kids in Minnesota, for sure. But right now it is 41 and raining lightly.  Not too windy, either.
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Since we have new management now, I plan to try hanging the bird feeder out again this fall and see if they complain.  Goldmark might not care.  I suppose it depends on how many residents complain.  ;)  And in a senior building you are bound to get a few complainers--LOL!  I hope they leave me alone this time.
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This month was cat and fish month.  Annie got stocked up on canned food on sale and a new container for her dry food from Amazon.
I took a chance on the size of this locking container and the whole large bag of cat food fit in there no problem!  Whoohoo! 
Bubbles has a new Betta Bites container of food coming this week.  Yes, Bubbles is still alive.  
He basically lays around sideways like this on the plants or at night he's on the bottom of the bowl laying on the rocks.  It's a huge effort for him to move around...but he's still hanging in there.  A few of my bettas over the many years I've had various "Bubbles" in bowls had lived like that for a long time, too.  Makes me wonder with the inbreeding if they get the fins so darn long and heavy that they actually have trouble swimming?!  Anyways, now that I bought a new container of food...I hope that doesn't jinx him, you know?  Murphy's Law and all that.  
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Annie is sticking pretty close to me since it was Gramma Day yesterday.  
I was feeling pretty decent so Ian and I did a lot of things again.  While he ate lunch I chopped celery for the freezer for soups and cut up a cantaloupe.  We got to talking about recycling and he didn't know what a dump was...so...I found him a YT video all about garbage that showed from our trash being picked up by the garbage trucks, going to the transfer station, and then in semis to the dump.  I do so love the internet!  So many things you can learn.  :)
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We gathered up Gramma's trash and broken down empty boxes, loaded them into the cart, and took them out to the dumpster.  Then we stopped at the garage to get more dirt for cat grass and so I could look for the wires for the bird feeder.  Found them!  :)
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When we got back inside Ian told me it was time to fill the humidifiers.  He noticed in the bedroom that we had forgotten to look at the musical treasures in my curio cabinet.  So we had to listen to (clockwise) the singing bowl, Tibetan bell, ting shaws, and chime.
I showed Ian my container of little rocks and crystals. 
Funny--I can't remember half of the names anymore.
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Ian found my loose sage in a box in there, too...so we had to take out the burning bowl...
 
...and burn a little sage for good energy.  
He just loved the smell!
Yes, Ian does some different things at Gramma's house--LOL!  ;)
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Then he wanted to do some more paper punching.  We decided to work on a card for Mama to cheer her up.  She is getting better...gradually.  Since we were running out of time before Daddy was coming to pick him up around 5pm, Ian picked out which punched shapes he wanted, told me where to put them on the card, and I took over gluing them down with a glue stick.  Ian had me write what he wanted to say.  When it came to signing it--well, I remembered we had also played with my old Underwood typewriter in the bedroom, too.  He had wanted to type Ian--and I told him the letters to find for McGregor.  Then he wanted to write something else and I gave him the letters to find.  So his card was from:
 "ian mcgregor  
thomas the tank engine"  
LOL!  
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Daddy came shortly after I found an envelope for Ian's card.  And--never fails--I didn't get any pictures while Ian was here--duh!  We are just too busy having a good time.  
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I didn't get a lot done in the studio this last week.  Did slowly get most of the paper supplies in the newly designated paper bookcase.
Hopefully I will get the other bookcase filled this week.  
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I rented the new documentary on Mr. Rogers...and cried a few times.  What a sweet, sincere, kind man.  I had forgotten he was a Presbyterian minister.   
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I also rented the new season of Masters of Sex.  Makes me want to read up on Masters and Johnson because it's based on their lives but I'm sure they've taken leeway in the series.  You probably have to have an open mind to watch the series...or at least a curious one--LOL!  I'd watch after the kids are in bed.  ;)
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I remember there was quite the hubbub about their book when it came out.  Even though I wasn't old enough to read it (I think I was about 15) information trickled through in magazine articles, etc.  I couldn't believe they got volunteers to hook themselves up to equipment and be observed having sex!  No wonder they had to start out with prostitutes.  I still have a hard time grasping that there are people who'd volunteer to do that.  What folks won't do for science, eh?  LOL!  Anyways, the series has more to do with their family lives and relationships.  I never thought about what it must have been like to be their children.  You know how mean kids and teens can be.  Whew!
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Anyways, after Masters of Sex I'll be back to finishing renting Billions, which has been really good.  I like a series where you can see good and bad in almost every character.  I like being surprised at turns of events, too.  Let's just say I was led down the garden path a couple times already--LOL!  Really good actors.
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On Netflix streaming I have been watching Heartland.  (Thanks, Linny!)  There are ten seasons so far--wow!  So I have a long way to go to catch up.  I'll probably watch other things in-between, but I will keep going back till I am up to date.  It's another series with interesting characters.  Basically--about a ranch that takes in horses with issues and behavior problems for healing, but so much more.  Am really enjoying it.
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I hadn't planned on show reviews--LOL!  Oh well. 
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Annie is softly snoring.  Sparrows are eating seed out there.  I think some of them are juncos.  The water dish has been frozen some mornings so it won't be long and I'll have to take that in, too.  But today--cold rain.  I think of how my mom will have a time adjusting to winters in Minnesota again after something like 35 years in Florida.  Mom finally decided a little while ago to move back to Minnesota to a big senior complex near Blaine and Kathy!!!  So glad I can't even tell you.  All the activities going on--she will LOVE it!!  Whenever an apartment opens up I'll let you know what's happening.
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On that happy note...shall chat again next week.  :) :)
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"If you restore balance in your own self, you will be contributing immensely to the healing of the world."
Deepak Chopra

18 comments:

Joy@aVintageGreen said...

A good week Rita. Ian is keen and learning so much. He had lots to see and talk about from the Curio Cabinet and what a great idea for him to use the typewriter to make words for his card to his Mom. It is always more fun to have a little friend help when you have jobs to do. You've done a lot of moving/sorting/storing. Annie looks very comfortable. You are feeling better I think.
Hugs.
Joy

DJan said...

It sounds like it was a fun Gramma Day, for everybody. And I love that quote, I believe that so much! :-)

Bleubeard and Elizabeth said...

What a fabulous, upbeat post, Rita. Lovely photos of what you did with Ian, even if it was after the event.

I LOVE Lock and Lock containers. I had no idea they had one that size. But my cat food wouldn't fit in there. It's great that Annie gets such great treats. My boys get wet food on their birthdays only.

Keep plugging away and that next bookcase will be finished in style. Have a super week and I can tell how happy you are about your mother.

Rita said...

Comment to get comments. :)

Far Side of Fifty said...

looks like you are stocking up for cold weather! What a fun day with Ian, I hope that Leah feels better soon. Good news about your Mom moving back it is good that she will be near relatives:)

Lady Fi said...

Lovely sky shot! We still have very mild weather over here.

jinxxxygirl said...

Hi Rita!!!
I just mailed a snail mail letter to you !!! So be on the lookout. Ian is so very lucky to have you for his grandma! Life is built on experiences and you are giving him plenty of new ones he might not otherwise be exposed to. I'm one of those believers that 'it takes a village'.. Jinx eats the same wet cat food.. one can a day and his dry is always available.. I keep his dry in empty Folgers coffee cans..lol works good though.. Its been warm and muggy here but expecting rain and a big cool down this week.. Trying to get out some Halloween decor.. Big hugs girlfriend! deb

Divers and Sundry said...

It's good to have a way to seal up pet foods. Finding right-size containers can be hard, but it looks like you hit the jackpot.

We're still getting highs in the 90s, but it's supposed to cool off some later in the week. Not nearly as cool as you, though. I hope they let you have the bird feeder. They are so enjoyable :)

I remember how much fun the kids and I had exploring musical instruments of different kinds from different cultures. I've never burned sage, because burning herbs makes me cough. Sage might be different, I guess....

We've been watching Shetland. Season 4 just came out, so we're re-watching the first 3 seasons to work up to it. Mostly, though, I'm watching spooky movies ;) The juncos haven't gotten to us yet. It'll have to be a lot cooler before they come down this far south. I hope Leah feels better soon.

TammyVitale said...

So glad you did the movie reviews. I'm collecting names of series to try right now, so do it more!

I love to read of you and Ian and your day. I think it's perfect that you don't think to take pictures (tho I would have loved to see the card. :)

How cold you are! If I could find someplace between you and me (we're still in the mid 80s with humidity but they are promising that will change when we get the remnants of hurricane Michael later in the week). I am SO tired of hot and humid. Then again 40s isn't something I'm ready for either. Picky PIcky.

Hope you get to keep your birdfeeder up. Nothing like them. Our hummingbirds left around the 6th for good (I think). Haven't seen any but they say leave the feeders up for stragglers. So they're still up. What a delight they have been this year! It will be something to look forward to.

Love the picture of the sky - so moody and beautiful all at once. I think maybe our skies could match today - which is good. Clouds keep the heat contained (even tho the humidity is nasty).

Anonymous said...

Sounds like you had a good week (& Gramma Day)!

Jon said...

Wow, you're having a wonderfully chilly October. It's still in the 80's here in TN but supposed to get cooler by the end of the week. I can't wait for the first frost because then the pesky insects will go away.

I hope you don't get any complaints because of your bird feeder. Unfortunately some people love to complain about anything - it seems to be their profession.
That container for the dry cat food is wonderful - I've never seen one before and I'm tempted to get one. I am tired of having big, open bags of cat food around.

IntenseGuy said...

Looks like Annie is set for the winter. :)

I always enjoy hearing about your Gramma Days with Ian!

Serena Lewis said...

It's cooling down there and heating up here. We've already had a couple of thunderstorms in the region.

I hope the new management will be more flexible as far as your bird feeder. Yes, some seniors do like to complain but hopefully they will leave you alone.

Nicely stocked shelf for Annie and Bubbles.

The internet has solved so many problems for me....love it too....it's a wealth of knowledge!

Aaron loved all the little treasures when he was little. I miss those days when we would go for walks and look for things to sketch. Love your burning bowl!

Glad to hear Leah is doing a little better. She would have loved Ian's sign-off on his card. haha

The Mr Rogers documentary sounds lovely. I'd never heard of him until you mentioned him on your blog.

I don't think Masters of Sex will be my cup of tea so might give it a miss. Not sure if it was them but I know there was one controversial sexual experimentation program going on back then and it involved documenting the reactions of young children between 2 months and 15 years old to having sexual experiences forced on them. I felt sickened by some of the things I read. Those poor kids would have been traumatised for sure. All in the name of science. Actually, just checked, it was Alfred Kinsey and it was back in the 40's/50's.

I will check into Heartland on Netflix.

Fantastic news that your Mum will be moving back to Minnesota! I hope an apartment opens up soon for her. It's what you have all been hoping for. Yay!

I'm half way through a letter to you.

Love and hugs xo

Jo-Anne's Ramblings said...

You and Ian have such fun when you have Gramma days times spent with our grandchildren is always great time as they bring such joy to our lives.

Lady Fi said...

Lovely shot of the sky. Glad you've had a good week.

Dee said...

Dear Rita, what is the size of that container for dry food that you bought from Amazon. I think I'd like to order one also to keep the cat's dry food fresh.

Ian and you are so blessed to have one another and your days together. Peace.

froebelsternchen said...

What great thing to have grandchildren!
Happy weekend!

Hilary said...

I am watching “The Wire”
Originally on HBO, but available on Amazon Prime
Very good