Where's My Coffee Sunday.

Woke up a little after four this morning. Looked outside via the Kitty Cam and Honey Bun was perched on the porch rail. Gave him (and Little Bit) what was left of the chicken. He didn't want me touching him but Little Bit was her usual friendly self. 

As long as I was awake figured I would feed the rest of this furry family. Right now Trigger is napping in the bathroom closet, Bandit and Henrietta are both curled up on the bed with me. On Sunday the fur babies get canned cat food. One can split between three cats and the dog. 

I'm sipping a cuppa coffee while trying to figure out the days plan. Caught up on the laundry yesterday. Need to go to the spring for water. Ran out last night and had to drink tap water that smells of chemicals. Trying to decide if I want to get groceries today or tomorrow. Need to make a Wal-Mart run for pet pads, etc. 

Daughter mentioned prayer flags for the garden to act as a deer deterrent, so I went down the Pinterest rabbit hole and pinned a bunch of pictures. Am thinking that might be a good use for some of those ugly curtains taking up space in storage. Have actually had several creative ideas for artwork - both to gift and keep. St. Johns Wort seems to be helping with the seasonal depression.

Washed the fat quarters I got from Little Fabric Garden. Thought the mottled blue would look great as a backdrop for a mermaid and shells prayer flag for Connie. I owe her a mermaid anyway. Will try to remember to put a crab in the picture. Need to research fabric paint...it's quicker than sewing.

Have three column tags ready to print. Two other formats in development. Not sure where the scallop punch is. Probably the shed.

Wish I could wave a wand and make the rolltop desk disappear. Want to move the sewing machine cabinet into that space and make something with that beautiful cotton.

Time to get something accomplished besides daydreaming. See you later alligator.

Sleepy Saturday.

Benadryl again today because I woke up with swollen, itchy eyes.

TOPS Market ad shows bacon on sale buy two get three free. Five pounds of bacon for about twelve dollars. Have been waiting for this sale for a while. Still waiting for ham to go on sale. It's amazing how far those meats can be stretched.

Honey Bun didn't show up for either breakfast or dinner. I worried about him all day.

Kiki was here in the early evening when I went out to check on Honey Bun. Squeezed into Little Bit's heated house with her. Gave him some leftover chicken. Little Bit sure seemed happy to see him. Probably the warmest she's been all Winter what with his fluffy fur pelt. 

Friday Progress Report.

Where did the week go? Oh, yeah. Benadryl.

Fourteen degrees this morning and with the wind chill factored in it feels like minus seven. We're going to have to venture outside eventually. Not looking forward to it.

Very little progress was made this week. Cleaned up some of the stuff in the guest room. You can actually see the floor now. 

Researched how to make Roman blinds. Spoke with Sue twice. Wayne stopped by to pick up the rent check and plow the driveway. 

Was going to go grocery shopping but the only thing that was on sale that I need is 95% ground beef. Will look at the sale paper tomorrow and decide what to do.

Thursday Angel.

Looking out the window today, I noticed the snow remaining on one of the pines in the hedgerow is shaped like an angel. Reminds me that angels are watching over me. Hopefully, they're praying for me.

.

Wascally Wabbit.

Elmer Fudd would have loved the trail this morning; bunny tracks everywhere. Bandit could have sniffed for hours had I not urged him to do his duty (pronounced doo-dee).

'Twas a brisk  twenty-five outside with a thirteen mph breeze making it feel like ten degrees. Too cold for me. There is quite a bit of crust on the snow. Hard to walk where it's deep because you crunch through the top; rather jarring on the old bones.

Kiki is gone again. He's been coming later than I feed the feral kitties. Even though I fed late last night when I gave them breakfast I could tell he had been there overnight from the near empty kibble in the bowl. No sign of him anywhere. Apparently he has found a warm shelter. 

Today will be twenty-seven - the warmest until Monday when the thermometer breaks freezing by one degree. Am making a list of provisions needed, but it's so short I'm wondering if 33% off good ground beef is worth going to town.

Benadryl foggy, tired brain continues. Eczema is no fun.

Stormy Tuesday.

The Weather Service out of State College PA issued a storm warning yesterday from 2 a.m. until 4 p.m. today. 2-4 inches of snow with a topping of ice. Am grateful that I don't have to go anywhere.

Kiki is back and I've been noticing he shows up right before the weather turns bad. Guess he's got his own barometer.

The guy in the picture is the feral dubbed Honey Bun. He is the sweetest, friendliest kitty ever. He has the most beautiful greenish blue eyes. I tried to get a picture of them but he refuses to hold still for me. Of course, Bandit was with me so he wasn't exactly at ease.

This morning when I took the kitties their food, I had to call for him a bit. I think he has matured enough that Kiki sees him as competition. Poor little kitty. He was hiding  under the porch. At least it's a bit of shelter; just wish it was warm for him. Good thing he has a fur coat.

Monday Kinda-Miracle.

For the first time since the weather turned cold, I hit my exercise goals seven days in a row. Not exactly a miracle but I will take my wins where I can get them.

Made chicken with stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, and fresh carrots for dinner. Have five TV dinners in the fridge and enough chicken left to make a pot pie. Stretching food again. Can't think of a better way to do it, can you?

Sunday Funday.

The thermometer says 18 degrees. With the wind chill the outside temperature feels like  5 degrees. Bandit and I made the half mile loop from our house across the bridge and back in fifteen minutes. Rather quickly seeing he did his doo-doo duty.  Now that the sun is up there's a pretty pinkish cast to the sky. Gonna be another cold day; a predicted high of twenty-six.

Meant to get a chicken out of the freezer last night so it could thaw. Have been dreaming of another good meal with stuffing and mashed potatoes with gravy. It'll still be thawing tomorrow.

Am trying to use up the older meat in the freezer. Don't want to waste food. Crazy that after all these years I'm still food insecure. Still bundle up under a blanket in Winter rather than turn up the heat. Still try to stretch every dollar. Waste not want not.

By the way, finally decided what kind of crazy quilt to make. Hexagon with flowers and quotes that have meaning to me like "Therefore  encourage one another and build each other up..." 1 Thessalonians 5:11

Saved last year's calendar because I liked the inspirational sayings. Moved it to the computer where I can see it when I work the AARP morning crossword puzzle. These days I need all the inspiration and encouragement I can get. January's saying is Agatha Christie, "The secret to getting ahead is getting started." Perhaps it should be in a more prominent location.

I find myself afraid sometimes for no particular reason.  Is it a habit? From living so many years walking on eggshells? From being afraid to speak my mind and ask the hard questions? From hiding for fear of rejection or being punished?

PTSD is so much fun. Like being haunted by your past.

With that thought in mind I'm off to YouTube for some positive inspiration.

Blessed be.

OOPS!

 

OOPS!

In my rush to get all the leaves on the background, I tacked down the lower sepia on the fantasy flower.

Guess what I'll be doing today? 

Yup. Picking out those tiny little stitches.

Am hoping there won't be much damage on the felt and that it can be used. If not, there's plenty more felt where that came from. 

Later 'tater.

Here's a giggle if you need one. Warning: Adult language. They Call Me Tater Salad

Friday Progress Report.

Not a whole lot has been accomplished this week mostly due to the side effects of Benadryl. But, gosh. It works pretty good.

Six out of the past seven days I met my exercise goal of at least an hour a day... usually when Bandit and I take our morning and early evening walks. 

Sometimes I forget my phone, which is what I use to track my exercise. Thought if I got one of those smart watches folks talk about that I wouldn't have to worry about the phone being in my pocket. Ordered one and it arrived on Wednesday. Biggest, ugliest watch I ever saw. Plus, the software to connect it to the GPS in the phone wouldn't load. Got mailed back from the UPS Store when I made my rounds yesterday. I don't want to spend a bunch of money on something that is a "want" rather than a "need". Will do some more research into it, but I'm pretty sure I'll pass on it for now. There are better ways to spend my money.

Speaking of mail, was pleased to find an invitation to Carolyn's baby shower. It's not until March, so might be an option if I'm able to get vaccinated (twice) - which might not happen until later in the Spring.

Diet went better yesterday. By that I mean the night-time snack wasn't as full of calories as usual. 

Apparently peanuts, eggs, fish, wheat and milk can cause an allergic reaction in some people and may be a reason for this dang rash. Am going to hold off on eating peanutbutter and eggs (which bother me anyway) for a while. Milk is already barely used. 

Am pretty sure sourdough is exempt from that. STILL haven't re-started a batch, but I have to make bread today - so it might happen. Aunt Judies Oatmeal Batter Bread is on the slate. 

Perfect breadmaking weather. Will make the house smell glorious along with helping keep us all warm. Gonna be a cold one this weekend. Overnight lows in the teens with a high for the next few days below freezing. 

Federal Mask Mandate.

President Biden issued a mandate today requiring masks in all Federal Buildings and airports. Am hoping that means the Post Office workers will start wearing masks.

Today was errand day and the first stop in the loop was the Post Office. Then Little Fabric Garden to see what she had in the way of wool and ended up purchasing a few fat quarters. The fabric was so beautiful I couldn't resist.

Next it was off to CVS to pick up another five days of prescription prednisone, more Benadryl and some Aveeno Eczema Therapy lotion. Spoke with Diana and she pointed me to nummular eczema. That might be what this rash is. Dr. is referring me to a dermatologist in Dubois, which will probably take two months to schedule because dermatologists are considered specialists. Insurance companies have specific rules about this and folks are at their mercy. Am really hoping this rash goes away before then. The itch is horrendous and this marks day five in a row of taking Benadryl... My nose is bleeding from it.

Picked up another Walmart order. Forgot a bunch of stuff, but nothing really necessary.

Then it was back home until time for our nightly walk. We walked a total of one and a half miles today between morning and night. Treacherous walking in three inches of fresh powder with ice underfoot.

Historical Wednesday, 21 January 2021. Joseph Biden and Kamala Harris Take Oath of Office.

Streamed this LIVE for most of the day. Lady Gaga, Jennifer Lopez and Garth Brooks sang. 

Our new President seems sincere. 

Praying for strength and unity to get us though these uncertain times.

Already over 400,000 Americans have died. 100,000 since Christmas.

Two-fer Tuesday.

Does anyone else remember when radio DJs played two songs by the same artist and called it a Two-fer?

Here's an example by one of my all-time favorite bands - Crosby Stills and Nash. With or without Neil Young these gents have brought lots of smiles through the years. 

Wasted On The Way

And here's a Beatles song they covered called Blackbird.

Rock-n-Roll.

MLK Monday.

Another Monday finds me sipping a cup of coffee, watching a steady, delicate snow cloaking the Thornapple, Pines and ground with a white mantle that makes the world look fresh and new. 

MSNBC's Morning Joe in the background filling the silent void in this house. There was a professor on when I powered it up. Didn't catch his name, but he was talking about the civil rights movement and I'm inspired to learn more about this great man. Will check the online library for biographies later today.

Three loads of laundry done yesterday. Still have floors to mop. 

Am thinking of renting a steam cleaner. This Winter has been pretty mild so far, but that means there is a lot of mud on the trails. Makes a mess of the floors and carpet even though I dry Bandit off when we come inside. He's such a good dog. He walks on the edge of the path in the snow so he doesn't get too dirty. He even goes around puddles without having to be told. His commands are Leave it, go around, cross over (to the other side of street or path), wait for me, up (the hill, into the car), up the stairs, heel, stay, drop it, and NO - which is used sparingly. He fetches his toys and knows the difference in shapes. He has a donut, squeaky snake, squeaky bone, squeaky hedgehog, elephant, frisbee and two different kongs. 

Snowy Sunday.

Today finds me completing yesterday's chores. Still feeling a twinge or two from hefting the tool boxes and that horrible shelving unit. I may have to invest in some better shelving. Have a bunch of "stuff" that needs to go to the shed. Holding off until the clothes are gone through for donations to the Salvation Army.

Not expecting much in the way of accomplishments today. Have had to take Benadryl. Allergies are having their way with me. Am looking for a dermatologist to see if I can get a diagnosis other than "it appears to be some kind of eczema" and, hopefully, a treatment plan.

First load of laundry moved to the dryer and second load put in washer. Had to soak the kitchen washcloths in bleach first.

One of the cats has been peeing on Bandit's bed and in the guest bath. Put an incontinence bed pad on it and so far so good. Put the childproof gate across the bathroom door and that appears to be working as well.

Trigger is still vomiting. The maple flavored hairball paste seems to be helping. Am going to sprout some cat grass for him. He seems to be feeling okay. He's actually playing more than he has for quite some time. He's nothing but skin and bones.

They all like to visit with me during the day. It's rather comforting.

Scenic Saturday.

Achey muscles and no motivation today. Read for the better part of the day. Napped part of it. Didn't get a whole lot accomplished.

Three o'clock in the afternoon rolled around and decided to go to Kinzua Bridge State Park. Takes a good twenty minutes to get there and it is always a lovely, lovely drive. The trees looked like someone had powdered them with confectioner's sugar. Simply magical.

Pictures from my cell phone don't do it justice, but here are a few anyway.

Friday Progress Report.

When I was a little kid there was a comedy team that aired on TV called Laurel and Hardy. One of their tag lines was "that's another fine mess you've gotten me into". That pretty much sums up how today has gone. No one to blame but myself.

A few months back I moved the cat litter boxes out of the bathtub in the guest bath and into the closet in my room. Today I decided to move the clothes hanging there into the office closet and to totally reorganize the house. *sigh* 

What was I thinking?! 

What I've finished so far looks great, but this project is gonna take days. 

In other news:

The diet and exercise is going okay. Portion control is better, snacking is still a nightly habit. 

Haven't gotten as far as desired on the Jacobean pillow. Progress is pictured.

Another Historical Day.

There's an old saying, "May you live in interesting times". It's both a blessing and a curse.  Well... These certainly are interesting times.

For the second time in is presidency, Donald John Trump has been impeached by the House of Representatives. I'll let the historians give the details once all the investigations have been completed.

I watched and listened to the speeches given by President Trump at his "Save the Steal" rally. I heard him tell his followers to walk up Pennsylvania Avenue and take back their house and country. This after he traveled the country for the last two months telling his followers that the election was stolen from him. He keeps saying there was no widespread fraud, although his team was unable to produce any evidence of voter fraud in any of the 60-some lawsuits he lost across the country. Facts matter. The truth matters.

In my opinion, he incited the riot that ensued.

So far 6 people have died as a direct result of the actions of the mob that descended on the capital. Right now it looks like some of the Republican Senators were giving tours to the insurrectionists the day before the Electoral Votes could be confirmed by the House and Senate. 

Where all this is going to end up I'm not sure. I don't know if the Senate is going to impeach the president or if they're going to let him off the hook again. The mob built a gallows and they were looking for Vice President Mike Pence to hang because he wouldn't do what Trump wanted. They were also looking to kill Speaker Pelosi. There are videos of a woman with a megaphone who had detailed information on the layout of the building and what windows to break and which doors to go through.

A week later and I am still in shock.

Weird Wednesday. Change Is Hard.

Raised Bed Greenhouse Topper

I come from a long line of worriers. We always expect the worst. Our "self talk" reflects negative words or actions that have been levied upon us by folks that mattered to us in the past - be they family members, co-workers, strangers or even inanimate objects. What's that adage? The beginning of change is an awareness that there's a problem?

Negative self-talk example: Now that I'm retired, I play online with my morning coffee. Many different games. I catch myself saying things like "well, that was a stupid move" and "I'm a f-n moron". 

But it's not just that. I say things like that to myself all day long. I call myself lazy and stupid. And I need to stop doing that. I need to start complimenting myself on actions I've completed. Change the negative to positive.

With that in mind...

After completing an inventory of the chest freezer and kitchen refridgerator, I popped down to TOPS and took advantage of their meat sale. I also did a curbside pickup order at Tractor Supply for a raised bed greenhouse topper. It fits the raised bed fabulously. I will need to pull out and sacrafice a couple tie-downs to more securely stake it to the ground; being January the ground is frozen enough that it's impermeable.

Inventoried pet supplies as well. Am trying to put off going to Walmart for those supplies as long as possible. Will need bird seed in another week, so that's my target.

Tired Tuesday.

Yesterday was the last day of a close to 3 week course of antibiotics and steroids. Of waking up in the middle of the night to take an antibiotic (every 6 hours) and having to sit up for 10 minutes after ingestion because of the meds or face the heartburn consequences. Don't know about you, but if I sit up that long I'm awake and having problems falling back asleep. 

It was also a bit of a stressful day what with Daughter being ill and me worrying about her. I keep trying to switch worried thinking over to "Three Little Birds" and look at the bright side. I've always been told that it only takes a couple weeks to change a habit. Looked it up because it's been a lot longer than that that I've actually been trying. Found out I'm doing OK. According to psychologists, it takes between 18 and 254 days for a new behavior to become a habit. Good reason to keep going. Would be great if I wasn't such a backslider.

Had to take Bandit Good Boy out three times before he'd do his duty. Dang. It's cold out there.

Kiki didn't show up for breakfast today, so he's probably taken off to a different feeding ground again. He did the same yesterday but Bandit and I saw him on our 6 a.m. stroll and he followed us home to get fed. Those feral cats are so well fed they're actually chubby.

The deer seem to have moved on so I'm back to feeding the birds without having to worry about them raiding the feeders. Gets expensive after a while. Hung them back out a couple days ago and the Junco's and Black-Capped Chickadees found them today. The birds seem a bit skittish. Right now they scatter when they see me in the window. I usually only chase away the Grackels and Blue Jays because they are pigs. The mourning doves haven't been back yet. Once they find the food they'll alert the Jays and I'll have to start monitoring consumption.

Speaking of which, am headed to town tomorrow to pick up some groceries. TOPS is having a buy one, get one free meat sale. One of the sale is half pound ham steak buy two get three free. If the cost per pound isn't too high some of that's coming home with me. Have a coupon for two whole chickens at $1.29 per pound; a raincheck from a previous sale. Gonna cook one of them up. Am almost out of home-made TV dinners. Gonna try to wait to go to Walmart for the dog/cat supplies. 

Have to re-inventory the freezer because I've been eating out of it. Still probably have a couple months of food here. Three if I don't mind eating a lot of beans. This will give me a chance to rotate the older meats and what-not to the top so they get used before they go bad. 

I lead such an exciting life. Guess I'll go make that grocery list so I can be at the store first thing in the morning to avoid anti-maskers. Gonna have to take Bandit for another walk before it's lights out. Y'all take care.

Monday Mahem.

Today my baby girl turned 44 years old. What started out as a joyous occasion, as birthdays usually do, turned somber all too quickly. She has been ill for over a week and a whole slew of her symptoms point to COVID. She says she's barely been able to do anything except make dinner for "her fellas" as she calls them. With no insurance they cannot afford to get tested, but were worried because two of her husbands co-workers had contracted the virus, spread it to their families and one returned to work even though there are active cases in his household. One of those "damned if you do, damned if you don't" deals. She says she feels a little better, but she sure didn't sound like it. To top it off The Short One is diabetic and a bit on the spectrum. If you're the praying kind, prayers are most appreciated. Good vibes will work too. Thank you.

Blessing Jar

Photo of my Blessing Jar and a poem to brighter your Sunday.

Count Your Blessings

by Kelly Johnston

Count your blessings instead of your crosses.

Count your gains instead of your losses.

Count your friends instead of your foes;

Count your joys instead of your woes.

Count your smiles instead of your tears;

Count your courage instead of your fears.

Count your full years instead of your lean;

Count your good deeds instead of your mean.

Count your health instead of your wealth;

Love your neighbor as much as yourself.

 

 

Distraction Number Two: Wool Applique.

I have been admiring wool applique for years (as evidenced by my Pinterest board). Recently gave in and downloaded an ebook with patterns by Deborah Gale Tirico. 

There are several designs I will make including a nutcracker wall hanging (for grandson) and a pansy table topper (for daughter). With my love of folk art, it only stands to reason the Jacobsen pillow design I chose to work on first reflects that taste.

Although I have worked with wool before and even done some applique with cotton, I was a bit anxious about putting the two together. However, the instructions are very easy to understand and follow. I'm learning a lot about working with wool and now have some insight on pattern creation and transfer.

Here you can see the main stem pinned to the cotton background with the placement diagram atop. Measuring the border ensures the design is centered. 

Now I'm off to tack down the stem,  cut out the remaining design elements and sew away to my hearts content.

Hope y'all have a wonderful day.

Friday Progress Report.

The Sourdough Starter didn't fare well due to this weeks Political Circus which had me glued to the coup attempt in the capital. Restarting today.

Healthy eating restarted with a breakfast of mashed avocado with garlic and lemon juice on a whole wheat English muffin. Small orange juice and strong, black coffee to drink. Portion control and snacking remain biggest challenges.

In spite of snow and ice, Bandit and I it walking between one and two miles a day. Additional exercises also resumed today with simple, easy bends and stretches and a bit of light weight work.

Motivation is low. Using music to try to uplift spirits. YouTube, Bob Marley's Three Little Birds and Doc Watson's Ready For Things To Get Better.

Note: Am on the third round of steroids and antibiotics to clear an infection. Could be part of the reason I am tired.

Weight and Wait. Change Is Hard.

 On my birthday in December, I decided to make several lifestyle changes regarding both physical and mental health. 

Physical health for me means eating healthier, being more active and losing about 25 pounds. Mental health entails replacing negative thoughts with positive thoughts and actions. 

Although I have a clear idea of how to accomplish both goals, accomplishing them seems daunting. Changing lifelong habits. *sigh*

"Wait" in the post title refers to the Georgia Runoff Election results and the fact that nothing will be decided today.

Monday.

Ya know, I always thought when I retired Mondays would stop being such a PITA. Boy was I ever wrong! Mostly because it's garbage day and this is one of the first streets gathered. That in itself wouldn't be so bad if the cat litter didn't have to get cleaned so early (before coffee). Cleaning the litter box is a daily chore normally saved until right before showering. 

Ah, well. If that's the worst thing about Monday then I guess I'm pretty lucky.

Crazy news item today. Apparently, the President tried talking the Governor of Georgia into "finding" votes cast for him... Attempting to change the election results. There are also several Republicans in the Senate that are refusing to confirm the electoral college votes. 

You can't make this stuff up. Will be glad when the new President is sworn in and the circus that this country's politics has become gets tamped back a bit.

***********

Later in the day...

Stopped at the Post Office on the way home from Doctors office and got a couple surprises from friends. My friend, Elaine sent this pair of earrings that she made. Aren't they gorgeous!?

If you like these, check out her online shop. Adiantum.

My friend, Diana sent along this Prayer Rock Angel. Isn't it adorable!

Feeling lucky to have friends who make and send things like that. It's like getting an envelope full of sunshine.

Maybe Mondays aren't so bad after all.

Pretty Posies

Moved the African Violets from bathroom to the kitchen window and they started blooming again. 

The Christmas Cactus has three visible buds and several little tiny buds. Hopefully a few more will bloom now that we're a couple weeks past Winter Solstice and the days are getting longer.

Have a Happy Sunday!

Distraction Number One: Sourdough Bread

Fresh Baked Bread *

Mmmmm.... Is there anything more comforting than the aroma of baking bread? 

Back in October, I decided to try making sourdough bread from a starter called Herman. The recipe calls for the addition of milk, sugar and flour every 5 days to keep the yeast alive and "discarding" a portion of the starter to ensure the natural yeast flourishes. Because I am frugal, I used the starter "discard" to bake with. 

So every five days I was baking.  Can you say, "hello bigger thighs and belly and buttocks"? The neighbors next door and down the street sure did enjoy sharing in the fruit of my labor and I was always happy to brighten their day with fresh baked goods. I simply got tired of baking all the time and let the starter die. 

This time the discard will more than likely be discarded. Perhaps not all the time, but enough that no more weight is gained by yours truly.

One of the great things about sourdough is its versatility. Bread. Cookies. Rolls pizza crust. Crackers. Etc. Am personally looking forward to sourdough pancakes.

Did a lot of research on sourdough starters and this time will use whole wheat flour and water for the base. Mostly because I thought the whole purpose of sourdough was that you didn't need yeast. Silly me. Will be using the Sourdough Starter recipe from  the website for King Arthur Flour. It's a great resource for recipes and baking education.

First bake will be  in a couple weeks. 

* Fresh baked from frozen, store-bought dough. Still good bread.

Happy 2021!

Fell asleep last night around 10:30ish so never got to see the ball drop in Times Square. Woke up around 3:30a.m.... Strolled through the house and opened the kitchen and living room curtains on the back side if the house. The moon was just shy of full, so  the bunnies saw me watching from the window and quickly put the butterfly bush between us. Glanced at the "kitty cam" and there sat Kiki. No doubt surveying his kingdom now that Oreo is gone.

For those of you not in the know, Kiki is an abandoned cat that I have been feeding off and on for a few years now. (He's a typical wandering tomcat.) Oreo was a neighbor's cat and has been wandering the neighborhood since his owner passed away. Yesterday I captured him and took him to the SPCA. Knowing he was inside and warm last night eased my mind. I can't save them all, but I can help when presented with an opportunity.

Today I'm finishing cleaning the house, burning a bit of sage, cooking up a batch of pork and sauerkraut for a no-contact meal  share with nephew and will have my first visitor since the beginning of November... All masked, of course.

Decided to make myself a Blessing Jar. The plan is to write what makes me smile or laugh or when something good happens on a scrap of paper and put the scrap in the jar. Then, whenever I get sad I can read one of the scraps (or several). Wonder how full the jar will be by the end of the year.

Later on in the afternoon...

The cold, rainy morning turned into a freezing rain afternoon and the dinner-share was postponed. Travelling is hazardous and folks are warning others to stay home after witnessing the slip-and-slide happening on the highways.

Nice to be home safe, warm and fed. Praying for those who aren't as blessed tonight. 

Here's to a happy and prosperous new year.  May your Blessing Jar overflow.