"Why Me" Is the Usual Complaint, I Believe

 Well, Sunday I flew out of the deck door to scare off the rapacious (love that word) squirrel who was eating a LOT of the $5.00 block of suet and seed for the birds. Pi$$sed me off.

Having done so, I returned to the deck door and I started to open the door to go back in.  The temp was 50, a cloudy day and the wind was blowing.  Don't want to calculate the wind chill but I was in thin pants and a thin t-shirt.  I don't wear shoes in the house so...bare feet.

 One of  Katie's favorite brothers was here at the time and he tried to get the door open from the inside.  We almost wrenched the door off the hinges.  No luck whatsoever.

This happened to me several years ago...same storm door.  It locked itself when I was out there in a night gown in January at 6 o'clock in the morning for a sunrise picture,.30 degrees and nothing else on me.  No slippers..just me and the phone because cloud configurations change by the second.  There was no time to spare. I called my neighbor who had just come home from work, and asked her to please get the hidden door key and open the door and let me in thru the window. She had a terrible time finding it. Finally she did.  I could not come in my living room windows that look onto the deck as they were locked.  So my neighbor unlocked and raised the window and after about 20-25 frozen minutes out there, I was in the house. I had face -booked about it.  

The husband of the other next door neighbor on my right side came over  later and pecked on the door asking if that was me out there talking  on the phone at 6 in the morning.  Told him yes, and what happened.  He is a construction man by trade.  He went back, got tools and took that lock completely off.  Three years have gone by and while there is no lock on the door...some incredibly rusty  something  is still attached to the outside  bottom of the door frame, and it decided to fall partially down.  Doing so, caused the door to jam shut.  Another favorite brother came from the Big City about 25 mi. away after I called and asked for help, and used his key to come in. He found the problem and got me in. 

Ladies and Germs..I was very very  very cold.  And equally grateful to be in the house again.  What next can that @*#! door do to me???  Its teeth are and have been pulled...it should not  have been able to bite me. 

Here comes a Holiday.

 I like Thanksgiving  only because we should and do give thanks, but because we get to see our relatives.  For me, as I have very few living relatives that I know of...it's a gathering of the nearest...the children.  I love that time.  As my DIL wishes to see her own family at her parents home, as do many, that son and DIL divide up their time between families.  That's perfectly alright with me though I'd love them to be with me.  That's selfish though.  All three boys are going to see their father and take him a plate. I'm making more of the sides hoping there will be enough. 

Anyone here who would prefer to have mashed potato without gravy on it?  I don't care for the gravy thing.  Smothers the taste of the potatoes. 

If you have a bowl of green beans, what do you do with them before serving?  Not referring to a green bean casserole..which we none of us care for.  I mean nekkid green beans.  For me, I'm happy with a  pat of butter..others I know like something different on or in them.  How about you??  

I have a breast of turkey this time.  Weighs about 15+ pounds.  I took it out of the freezer this early morning.  I will bet any one of you an entire dollar!!!  that it will still be frozen solid Thanksgiving morning at oven time after 4 days!! Never FAILS!  I am going to make candied carrots.  They aren't sweet sweet so to speak, but somewhat sweetened.  But yet are different and good too.  Gotta boil them first till just tender, then work some magic with them in a fry pan.  (no, not fried carrots...ewwww). 

Katie Isabella was honored as a guest Assistant Chef this past Saturday with a recipe she submitted. Thought you would like to see how Mom Pam and  Chef Teddy, a handsome Ginger boy  dressed her up!  

Whoa Nelly. Whew!

I was a busy bee this morning.  Did the usual before leaving. As in making the bed, getting myself in order...watching HER refuse her breakfast choice (mine) and doing dishes (my machine is my set of hands). Getting ready to do laundry. Making a list and checking it twice.  (I already know I'm both naughty and nice).  List and I got into the vehicle and went first to the grocery store.  Would you believe that yesterday that very store had NO bags! This Country has turned into a very different place- and I will stop right there.  

Anyway, got the groceries, (those that were available). I tried to get some "sundries" too.  A few were available.  Sigh.  Went to the Pet Food store and found a few things for Katie..got 2 cans of food from that grocery store as well I will add. *rolling my eyes* and headed off to get some gasoline.  Horrific amount $$$ for that, and then off to the back to "ATM out" some money.   Headed over to get two loaves of bread  next, away from the 4 main grocery stores, and saved as always.  The other smaller store I visited for the bread charges $2.17 whereas the same brand is $3.65 + in the other grocery stores.  I won't eat bread before I pay that much!  It only takes me a few days to get used to not eating bread.  My sandwiches, say a BLT, turn into a bowl of lettuce, tomato bacon pieces and some mayo salt and pepper.  Don't have to have bread.  Don't eat my so-called breadless sammies unless they can be decently made into a bowl prep.  In other words...no PBJ! 

Oh, and I saw a jar of Smuckers Cherry Preserves in one main grocery store for $4.19!!!!  Ain't NO way I would pay that much.  Walmart had it for $3.19. 

I am doing a bit of online Christmas shopping today.  I have been to busy to do any shopping.  Hopefully I will git 'er done this week. 

well...the laundry is dry...gotta get moving. 

Back Again...

 Things seem to have calmed down a bit since I last posted.  I even got to do my aerobics yesterday afternoon after three weeks of not being able to.  The difference in how I felt afterward and until I went to bed was huge!  SO much better and more energy.  It is an excellent reminder why one should keep moving.  Of course that is my everyday goal but circumstances work against that for quite a while,  I have to try to work it in and if that is within a tight time slot, I lose interest many times with available time slots when there were some.  Mornings, and early afternoon times that suit me better. That goes for the long walks too. No late afternoons or super early mornings or after supper.

I have two appointments pending that I need to help with, knocking out much of Wednesday and Friday. Maybe it can worked in somehow.  Sure feel like a million when I can.

Cold cold.  Two were just below freezing morning and several weeks of in the 30's...not quite freezing.  Three hard freezes in a row last weekend and Monday.

I was noticing that trolls are worse than ever on FB this morning.  No, not to me, but just in general.  There are nice topics in there sometimes (surprisingly) and someone posted in one about finding a Care Bear in a store.  A woman "started in" with her capital letters, that crappy shortcut for the word "you" where she had "U" instead...trying to shame and humiliate the finder of the bear- who turned it in.  That person needs psychiatric help.  For me, I asked on a local forum on FB here a few months ago if anyone knew what happened to the drive- by post box at the main  post office.  I was beat up thoroughly for asking, accused of a number of crimes like not walking as well as other stupid things... like...WHAT????? ...until someone said "she was only asking if anyone knew what happened to the drive- through box"! 

Very tired,  but trying to rest while I can.  If I can keep the aerobics going, I should be doing very well. 

I know this isn't a pet page but I loved this find today.  Thought I would share.  Maine Coon cat family.   LOOK at that Daddy cat. 

  

For now

 Taking a little break for now as I tend to matters here. ( I am OK). I will check by and see if anyone requests or needs anything...otherwise, I won't post for a few days.  

Be kind to one another.  That's your greatest good, you know. 

Don't they know that Thanksgiving is just days away? 

These fellows are local....

It's Only a Word...I Know

Suddenly Very Tired Of, Department:

 Tell ya what!  I would love for the latest word fad to disappear.  I think it was the British who started the word "jab" for inoculation or shot.  It spread everywhere, the word I mean, and I long to read the word inoculation or shot again, as of the "old times"several months ago.  Sheesh!  Enuff already. I guess eventually.  It's like the "gone missing" thing the British say.  The rest of the world took up that phrase and the word "missing" disappeared from the English language.  That phrase will stick here in the US until the end of time. 

Anyway, a few months ago in the blistering heat of the early afternoon, little did I know that as I got out of my vehicle at WallyWorld, my flap closure handbag was not secured with the strong magnetic closure.  It remained opened somewhat but I didn't see that as I exited the vehicle in there parking lot and started down to the store.

I was standing in line the usual seemingly 100 years for checkout when I thought I would see if I had email or texts.  Not finding the phone I assumed I uncharacteristically left it in the holder in the car.  

When I approached the car later, I saw something red colored on the ground next to the car.  It was my PHONE!  It had fallen out of my handbag and roasted on the blisteringly hot pavement a good 20+ minutes.  

I scooped it up to see a message on the screen that said to not use the phone and to cool it.  Scared me to death.  I called one of my sons  when I got home and used the landline, who said it would likely be all right.  Just let it cool a good hour or so and try.  It wasn't until later that I realized how amazing it was that the phone wasn't run over...and that it was still there and not picked up by someone.   Who ever would have imagined that stroke of good luck? 

Here's my Fall blooming Camellia: 

That was a week  earlier.  Now it is loaded with blossoms and buds.  Crammed.

Close Up...