Sad

This has been a sad weekend.  Our sweet kitty, Tyg, is no longer with us.  He did not show up yesterday morning as usual and then yesterday afternoon our neighbor found him on her front lawn.  He had been hit by a car Friday night or early Saturday morning.

I know that is a risk of having an outdoor cat, but I will say in all my years of having outdoor cats (decades), we have never had one hit by a car. 

We rescued him in May of 2013 when he was 5 months old.  8 years was not long enough with him. 

RIP sweet boy.  We miss you.

Friday Felines

 

Intently looking for a frog or toad!  Happy Weekend everyone - enjoy!!

Tiny Needle Tuesday 6-29-21

Good Morning!

Oh my!  What a good night's sleep I had last night.  Thank God!!  Honestly, I don't think I had much choice, but you never know.

And today, on this last Tiny Needle Tuesday of June 2021, I have a finished sampler to show!!

 Gosh I do love how this one turned out.  The design is called "How Does My Garden Grow?" by NeedleWork Press.  I stitched it on 36 count linen using one strand of Belle Soie Silk Thread over two linen threads.  The design is roughly 8.75" by 10.6".  I finished it on 6/23/21.

I have not yet started a new piece, but I've picked out the Pomegranate Bird Sampler by Heartstring Samplery.  Here is a picture of it:  

Love the birds and the colors in this sampler.  BUT...who knows?  When I go to pull things out a little later I could completely change my mind.  It would not be the first time - LOL.

Last year Fletch put a blueberry bush in our garden.  This year we have our first crop:

Barely enough for a taste, but I did try one and it was delicious!

Oh!  Fletch did get around to re-potting some of our houseplants yesterday.  When he took the lemon tree out of the pot he discovered a large ant nest and tons of eggs!  I'm not sure how they got there or if they came from the nursery where Colin & Mailing got the plant.  But YUCK!!!!  All new dirt and hopefully NO ants now.

I've another busy day ahead of me.  My end-of-month things still need to be done (work-wise) - I never got to them yesterday.  And, I have my pre-op appointment with my eye doctor.  Believe it or not, I've already received a bill from the facility where my cataract surgery will be done next week.  I'm just ignoring that piece of mail until I actually have the surgery.

Really though, all I'd like to do is curl up and knit, read, stitch, nap, etc.  This guy kept me company last night:

Trying to decide which thing to take over:  knitting or reading...or just succombing to sleeping - LOL.

TGIF

 Hello-Hello-Hello!

Abandoning my blog for a week was not my intention!  But life, or rather work, got in my way.  It has been a week folks!  I had to be in the office Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.  And each day I was there for at least 6 hours.  I have no idea how I used to work in the office 5 days a week for 8 hours plus each day.  It is exhausting!  And then I got roped into going to dinner with a group on Tuesday at the General Warren Inne an historic place in Chester County.  The food was good (but too much) and I haven't driven at night in over a year...my cataracts make night time driving not a good thing for moi (am thankful I will be having surgery this summer).  Because of that, I had NO alcohol with the meal - I stuck with seltzer water since I was worried enough about driving in diminishing daylight.  Luckily I was able to scoot out just before 8:00 and was home by 8:30 before it is really dark.  Whew!  

Most nights I've been too wiped out to stitch or knit.  Last night Colin was over for steaks on the grill and we sat around a fire after dinner which was so nice and relaxing.  Fletch and I are on cat feeding duty starting Saturday as Colin and Mailing are going away for the weekend.

So here is a quick wrap up of this past week with some pictures I had intended to post during the week...best laid plans and all that.

Last weekend was HOT.  Like 90+ degrees both days.  Dee came over Saturday morning for a little knitting/stitching time.  It had not gotten really hot yet by the time she arrived, but we stayed inside out of concern for ticks (which are everywhere this year).  I started a new dishcloth and working with cotton on larger needles is hard!

I like the colors, but it is slow knitting on this one (that's the 1st [STILL] Enthusiasm Speckle sock in the background).  Hoping to put in some more rows on this - maybe today?  And also the sock - toe decreases FTW!

Tyg was not pleased with the heat.

He was like this much of the weekend.  His lips are getting pink again and soon I will need to get his meds from the vet.  His lips swell and get pink every summer in the heat.  I think it might be a combination of allergies and the heat.  He has been scratching a lot lately too, though we see no signs of fleas.  We did put some "natural" flea and tick stuff on him (peppermint oil). but again I think it is allergies of some kind.  The pollen this year is crazy.

I did manage to get a little stitching in over the weekend and this is where the sampler stands as of right now.

I'm a bit tired of all the brown in this one, but I'm still enjoying it.  I'm hoping to be able to work on this over the weekend.

We have not really had much rain to speak of (some Wednesday night, but not much), though that will change starting today.  It does not look like a really nice weekend for us.  But things in the garden are flourishing.  The garlic is crazy high and we are hoping for scapes soon.  The salad we had last night was made with greens (chard, spinach and lettuce) from the garden.  Rhubarb is still producing (I did make rhubarb sorbet last weekend) and the figs are growing.  We also have our first sunflower open.

On the reading side of things I've started a new book:  Oil and Marble which so far (60+ pages into it) is very enjoyable.  I may even finish it over the weekend!!

I hope everyone has a wonderful long weekend!  I'm looking forward to getting together with Dee tomorrow morning and Monday is Fletch's and my 41st anniversary!!  Hard to believe it's been so many years.  Meanwhile, I have a conference call at 10 and another one at 12:30...but at least I'm home today and not in the office!

Friday Felines on a TGIF

 Good Morning!

I'm happy to report that our roof is still on the house and, in fact, the house is still standing.  I was wondering about that in the middle of the night when the wind was whipping around at a fierce level!  It is still windy this morning.  The good news is that the wind blew all the clouds away and the sky is a gorgeous blue.  It's a little cooler than previous days, so perhaps a walk this afternoon (I've got a conference call at 10).

This was the scene last night:

The kitchen table in all its messy glory.  Piles everywhere (including on the chairs).  I was working on the Beekeeper sock and Tyg jumped up to keep me company,  And then he took the DPN protector/cozy I had been using and tucked that right under his head like a little pillow!  The lilacs are droopy.  I cut them yesterday but they have not perked up in water.  They might just be too heavy.  The scent is divine though.

The silk threads I ordered for my next stitching project should arrive today!  I'm looking forward to getting started on that.  Once the threads arrive, I can pick out which fabric I want to use, get it ironed and then start in on the project!

My second Beekeeper sock is progressing nicely and I now have 200 stitches on the French Market Bag.  From here out (for a little bit anyway), it will be straight knitting around and around and around.  The thicker yarn and the #7 circular needle give my hands a workout and at times I need to put it down and just rest my fingers.

Bottom line:  there is no lack of projects on which to work - LOL.  Looking forward to a productive day and weekend.  Enjoy!!

What's for Dinner?

 Good Morning!

It's a bit grey out there this morning and almost a little foggy/misty (or it could be that the window upstairs I was looking out of is really, really filthy!).  The temperature climbed into the mid-eighties yesterday and it felt like summer.  In between bits of work yesterday I managed to change to a lighter color pocketbook (pale pink instead of winter brown) and moved my summer shoes into an easier place to grab them and shoved my winter boots into the nether reaches of my (very small) closet.  Still to be moved are my wool sweaters...didn't want to tempt fate too much...but I may tackle that project today and get out some shorts and summer shirts.

Meanwhile, it's Thursday, so lets talk food.  Here was dinner last night:

The first corn of the season (which was really, really good!!).  I don't know what you call the other things on my plate, but here is what I do.

• Asparagus - trim and steam or boil for only 2-3 minutes, then drain.
• Slices of Italian Bread - brush with EVOO and put under the broiler for a little bit
• Pull the bread out and layer on bruschetta (in the summer I might make my own, but yesterday I just bought it at the grocery store) and top with asparagus
• Fletcher's had parmesan cheese sprinkled on top...I wanted mine plain.
• Stick it back under the broiler (in this case till the cheese on F's was nice and melty...and you could use mozarella or provolone or even cheddar...they are all good!)

A quick, easy and delicious meal!

And, a bonus recipe for a chicken dish we had the other night - delicious!!

Another dish that is so easy to make and really tastes great.  We had this with steamed green beans, some cherry tomatoes roasted with EVOO and Agave Syrup on them (just threw them in a separate pan in the oven while the chicken baked) and some rice.

The other day we noticed a hummingbird coming to our lilac bush and also to the petunias.  And now look what is beginning to bloom:

Wisteria!  It is so fragrant - really overpowering in scent.

The Towhee was back yesterday afternoon while Fletch and I were sitting on the patio.  And this guy kept us company:

A handsome fella for sure!  Have a great day!

Friday Felines

 Hello and Welcome to the Weekend!!

This is my "Friday From Hell" but today it is not.  Every other Friday I have 3 conference calls in the morning:  one at 8:30, one at 10 and one at 11.  But today both the 10 and 11 conference calls have been cancelled.

In the realm of stupid things, yesterday I received an Outlook invite for a conference call next Friday from 4-5 p.m.  I emailed the person setting up the call and basically said that was ridiculous!  Who sets a conference call for 4 p.m. on a Friday?  It has since been changed to Tuesday at 1:30 (and I was tempted to reply again saying 1:30 is my nap time, but then I thought better of it - lol).

We need a few groceries, so Fletch and I are going out after my 8:30 call to do that so that the weekend is free and open!  Hopefully with a tad bit warmer temps.  35 here this a.m.

Moving on to Friday Felines.  You may recall that I told you all that Tyg has been hanging out in the office with me, ever since Fletch put up a bird feeder at the front window.  Here is a White Crown Sparrow sitting in the lilac bush waiting to come in for a snack (sorry you get the benefit of the window screen...)

And here is a Purple Finch at the feeder:

And the sweet Tyg.  He was breathing heavily here:

And finally, hoping that the window would somehow open up:

And then, after pawing the window and the bird or birds scattering, poor Tyg looks so dejected.

His antics sure provide me with a lot of chuckles!

Have a great weekend everyone!!

Friday Felines and Other Miscellaneous Stuff

 Good Morning!

Thankfully it appears as though our rains have stopped.  Yesterday was a washout.  I never got dressed!  I did work and I did some domestic chores, but I stayed in PJ pants and a tee shirt and sweater ALL day.  Today I WILL get dressed.  And, hopefully, I'll receive a call that our taxes are ready to pick up.  Federal and State are e-filed, but local we have to mail.  And, of course, the firm will not e-file for us until we pay their bill.  And, I want to stop at the grocery store for a couple of things - home-made pizza for dinner tonight!

This was the way things looked last night:

Tyg on a messy table keeping me company.  Sock #2 started; spent tulips still in a vase and stuff EVERYWHERE.  A fresh tablecloth is on the agenda for today...along with general kitchen cleaning.  I have a conference call at 10, but that will be a quick one, so I should be able to get my chores done this morning.

I saw this mug on the internet somewhere and I need/want to get it.  I love crows, and this type of humor just appeals to me so much.

If you are looking for something new to watch, Fletch and I saw The Dig the other night and enjoyed it.  We both enjoy archaeology and this is based on a true story.

We don't have any plans for the weekend...yet...how about you?  Hope you enjoy.

Looking Forward to Weekending!

 Hello and Good Morning,

It's a little later than I normally post...the morning kind of got away from me.  But it is Friday and that's a very nice thing.  And my 8:30 a.m. conference call was cancelled.  I still have one at 10 and another at 11, but the sun is out and temps are on the rise again.

It has ended up being a busy week!  I have very limited cabinet space in the kitchen and no pantry at all.  Which is a shame.  Years ago Fletch built shelves for me in the basement and we store canned goods (soups, beans, tomatoes, etc.) down there.  I will also put bags of flour, sugar, corn meal, etc. down there - all secure in tough zip lock bags.  This winter, for the first time ever, mice have gotten into flour and corn meal.  So gross.  Yesterday we took everything off the shelves and Fletch used a shop vac to clean them up, then did some more cleaning.  I bought some plastic bins to store things in, so hopefully everything is mouse-proof now and will stay fresh.  I also discovered a number of canned goods we will never use (things I will say that Fletch bought at the beginning of the pandemic when he feared we might never get to a store again).  I now have two large Trader Joe's bags ready to donate to a food pantry.  That will hopefully happen later this afternoon.  It feels good to have gotten all that stuff organized.  Recently things had just been put on any shelf with no rhyme or reason to placement (I'm not going to name names, but if I had put things away that would not have happened - LOL).

Tyg ended up on the patio roof again the other morning!  I refused to open the window for him - I don't want him getting used to climbing up there and then jumping in a window.  I ended up getting up and going downstairs, putting the coffee on and then opening the patio door and calling for him.  Very soon he had climbed back down and was coming inside.  He had a quick bite to eat and then wanted to go back out!  In and out and in and out.  Enough to make you crazy!

I'm now working the smocking stitch on my Heart Warmer cowl and it is such a fun stitch!  Pictures next week.  And, last night I did cast on using the Northern Lights yarn from Knitpicks for a new pair of socks.

Not much, but a start.  Five rows of 2x2 ribbing are complete.  I usually do 15 rows on the cuff.  I hope to work more on these this weekend and start the pattern I've chosen.

Tomorrow we are heading to Colin & Mailing's for dinner.  They have gone Vegan for Lent, so no meat or dairy in the meal.  I think Colin said he was going to make French Lentil Soup and bake a loaf of bread.  I'm sure it will be yummy.  He also suggested that we come over a little earlier than usual so we can all take a walk in the afternoon, and he told Fletch he may try to shovel a path out to the fire pit in their back yard.  That would be fun.  I had planned to walk yesterday with our warming temps, but the wind was still too much for me.  Even with an earband or hat on I tend to get ear aches when it is windy.

I've started reading Perestroika in Paris by Jane Smiley and am finding it so charming.  Thanks for the recommendation Kym!!

Well, that's a wrap for me.  I need to get another cup of coffee and get ready for my conference call at 10.  Wishing you all a wonderful weekend!  Enjoy!!

Weekending

 Good Morning!

It's early still and dark.  Looking at the weather and radar, looks like we will be having snow (again) starting by 11 a.m.  But, our temps are on the rise and I'm betting by 3 or thereabouts it will just be rain.  It's been a number of years since we've had snow on the ground for this long.

How was your weekend?  Mine was filled with more domestic duties than anything else, but I'm glad to have (finally) gotten to them.  The bathrooms are spotless.  The kitchen floor has been scrubbed.  Our bedroom has been thoroughly dusted and vacuumed, as has my office room.  Some laundry was accomplished - there is more to do today, and grocuries were procured yesterday.

A (very) little knitting was done.  For being in constant play, the Yule Wave socks have to be taking the longest time EVER!

So close!  Only 5 or so rows left on the toe decrease section and then I can Kitchener up the toe and weave in the ends.  I got this close last night and just could not finish!  Instead I watched the season finale on PBS of All Creatures Great and Small.

A little stitching and some reading was done as well.  In my deep cleaning on Saturday, I came across a little gem of a book in an upstairs bookcase.  Time for Outrage: Indignez-vous! by Stéphane Hessel.  My Dad had seen him on public TV and immediately bought the book.  Hessel was a member of the French Resistance, a diplomat, writer, etc.   So many wonderful quotes in this book which was written in 2010 when Hessel was 93.  One quote from the book:

It is the duty of us all to ensure that our society remain one of which we are proud, not a society wary of immigrants and intent on their expulsion or a society in which the media are controlled by the wealthy.  

An interesting and timely (still) book.  It is under 50 pages, so a very quick read.  Highly recommend.  The best part was finding a note from my Dad at the front of the book saying how he found this book so apropros of our times.  

The Tygus (as Colin calls him) is doing well and was a sweet companion most of the weekend.  He pretty much leaves my stitching or knitting things alone, but he likes to be close.

Today's plans include a conference call at 10 (hopefully a quick one) and some other bits and pieces of work.  Perhaps I will even arrange to finish the sock?

Have a great week!!

It's Friday!

 Good morning!

We are on the verge of the weekend which makes me happy.  I have a 10 a.m. conference call and I think that's it for the day (fingers crossed).  We ended up with about 5" of snow and then some sleet on top of that.  It could have been worse, so I'm grateful that's all we got and it ended sooner than predicted.

Still cooking and consuming food these days.  Last night's dinner was rainbow trout, Asian green beans (fresh beans done in a wok with sesame oil and soy sauce and plenty of garlic - YUM) and quinoa with sliced radishes, chopped scallions chopped grape tomatoes, pepitas and dried cranberries - all with a splash of EVOO and fresh lemon juice.  

We also had some more of that decadent dark chocolate tart for dessert.  The scale was NOT my friend this morning - LOL.  Tonight I'm making home-made pizza.

A bit more knitting on the Yule Wave sock was completed.

The heel has been turned (in red), gusset stitches picked up and now the decreases are occurring.  It should be smooth sailing going into the weekend.

Finally, this guy says Thank You for all the well wishes.  We were able to get the de-worming med on him (administered similarly to Front Line...but liquid on the neck is not a pleasant thing for cats) and I have not been seeing the segments, so health is being restored.  He will get the second doses on 3/16.

Happy Weekend from all of us.  Enjoy!!

More Snow!

 Good Morning My Friends,

I'm a bit weary this a.m. which I will explain in a bit.

But, first, tell me how you are and how was your weekend?  I hope you carved out some time to enjoy those things that you do - knitting perhaps, reading, sewing, whatever.

Colin & Mailing came over Saturday for dinner.  I made red beans (a New Orleans/Creole dish) and rice, roasted Brussels sprouts and an apple crisp (with whipped cream of course).  The kids brought over frozen Palomas (Ina Garten recipe) and wow were they delicious!  Red grapefruit juice, tequila, lime = amazing!  The only picture I took was of the red beans in the morning when they were simmering away on the stove.

Aside from the kidney beans, the dish also has hot & sweet Italian sausage, onions, peppers, garlic, celery and a ton of spices.  So tasty.  (And pretty in my new Dutch oven!!)

Snow was forecast for Sunday and sure enough it started a little after I got up and continued all day.  At times the flakes were HUGE.  It was (thankfully) a light, fluffy snow - easy to clear from the cars and the drive.

It was very pretty out.  At one point I was sitting in the kitchen working on my stitching and I looked out the patio door and there were so many cardinals!

Cardinals always look so striking to me against snow.  What a sight!

I was also able to get a start on the second Yule Wave sock.  I cast on Friday night and got the ribbing finished.  Yesterday I finished up the colorwork and have started down the balance of the leg.

My sleep was broken Saturday night, so I was pretty tired and went to bed early last night - like 9 p.m.!  Tyg woke me at 12:15 to go out.  Mind you it was forecast to be bitter cold last night (and it is 11 degrees this a.m., so the temp did drop), but I figured he has a fur coat, he will be fine.  Well, I slept a bit fitfully after that and at 3 a.m. I heard a noise on the patio roof right off one of our bedroom windows.  I got up and looked out (it's almost like daylight at night because of all the snow) and that bugger of a cat was on the patio roof meowing to come in.  I can't believe he managed to climb up onto the roof with all the snow!  He saw me looking out, so I opened the window and before I had it fully opened Tyg had jumped up, pushed the screen in and was jumping from the windowsill onto the bed!  What a beast!!  Of course, he wanted a kitty treat after that episode, so I went downstairs with him, got him some treats and then went back to bed.  It took me some time to fall back asleep, so that is why I am a bit weary this a.m.  Luckily work (so far) is quiet.

Hopefully my peaceful morning will continue and I can just take it easy.  Wishing you all a wonderful week!

TGIF

Good Morning!

It is a very relaxed Friday for me.  No conference calls for a change and minimal emails flying about.  Earlier I looked out and it was snowing furiously!  But it only lasted a moment or two - nothing major thank goodness.

Since I knew it would be an easy Friday, I decided to make breakfast for Fletch and me.  Of course, I forgot to take a picture, but I made "Eggs & Shit" (my friend Leslie's name for this dish).  Basically scrambled eggs with whatever is in the frig that you want to toss in.  So, we had some leftover ham, broccoli, mushrooms, onions, tomato.  I forgot the peppers.  And we had toast.  It was very good, but now I am overly full and attempting to digest.

Here is the obligatory Friday Feline picture.

Such a sweet cat...who happened to wake me at 1:30 this morning to go outside!  What is up with that?  And, the picture above was taken after he usurped the chair I had been sitting in.  I sit at the end of the kitchen table to knit and stitch.  The light is good and it's a comfortable spot for me.  But...if Tyg is at the patio door wanting to come in, as soon as I open the door he runs in and jumps up in the chair!

Some knitting was accomplished:

Only 8 more rows or so till it will be time to Kichener up the toe.  I worked on it a little this a.m. with my first cup of coffee and then had to get busy cooking.  I will finish in a little bit.  No rush!  I would like to start the mate to this one sometime today.

Yesterday was a big errand day for me.  And an office day.  Not many in the office (I saw Bill and two others) and I was only there an hour or so.  Then I went to the liquor store where there was only one other customer!.  I needed some birthday cards, and I was the only customer in the Hallmark shop!  On to one grocery store to pick up bird seed and the library which was the busiest!  But, I called from my car and they brought out my book.  I dropped off 3 in their outside bin.

Meanwhile, Fletch has a doctor's appointment this morning and I am going to run to CVS and the grocery store for a few needed things.  Colin & Mailing are coming for dinner tomorrow and there are a few ingredients I am missing for the dish I'm making (red beans and rice - a New Orleans/Mardi Gras dish).  Also another stop at the library as I received notice that a book is in for me (Monogamy by Sue Miller).

So many folks out there have been working on puzzles...and we have been too!  We finished this one last night.  It's big (1,000 pieces and just about covers the card table).

All different patches/stamps of National Parks.  Fun to do.  This puzzle also had letters on the back - A through F - each letter representing a section of the puzzle...so if you got stuck you could look at the letter on the back and see if you were even trying to fit it in at the right place.  Sort of like cheating in my book!

And that's a wrap for my Friday.  Wishing you all a wonderful weekend - enjoy!

Friday Felines

 Good Morning!

This guy makes it a bit difficult to brush your teeth!

And, it's no wonder the sink gets dirty quickly!

Have a great weekend everyone.

Friday Felines

 

GOOD MORNING!!

HAPPY WEEKEND - ENJOY!

Friday Felines

 Good Morning!  

Another rainy day and the temps are dropping.  But, it's Friday and that, my friends, is a wonderful thing.  Work was long yesterday and my eyes were spinning from all the numbers, but I got through it (and early...my deadline was today).  Now I've a conference call at 10 and I think I should be able to knock off a bit early today.  Fingers crossed.

For your Friday Felines viewing pleasure:

The question is:  Is Tyg grooming?  Or just hiding his eyes from the camera?  (Just ignore the messy table, please...it is always like this...)

I'm looking forwqrd to meeting up with Dee tomorrow morning for some chatter knitting (Dee wrote that to me in an email and I love the phrase or description "chatter knitting" meaning something you can work on while talking).  We are going to check out a new Starbucks and I think we'd best have our woolens on - it is going to be a cold morning!

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!!

Unraveled Wednesday 10/07/20

 Hello and Good Morning!

It is a beautiful morning here.  Unfortunately I'm at my office rather than at home...and I think it will be a long day.  The guys (my 3 bosses) are all here today for a meeting and I've got a ton of stuff to do - more than normal since I am on vacation tomorrow, Friday and Monday.  Yay!  I'll put up with a very busy day in order to have three off.

First of all I'm happy to report that Tyg showed up for some food about 40 minutes before his scheduled vet appointment yesterday, so I was able to take him in for his shots.  I don't really like the curbside approach and I think animals (of any kind) are better off when "their people" are the ones to take them inside the vet facility.  It is traumatic enough without having a stranger take them.  But, anyway, he is caught up on his vaccinations.  He also lost 12 ounces (but he tends to eat much less when it is hot outside).  His lips are swollen from allergies, so once again I have steroids to give him.  Bottom line it's an expensive enterprise having a pet!

It is Unraveled Wednesday and I'm linking up with Kat to talk about knitting and reading.  I'm happy to report that the first Lava Sock is (finally) off the needles.  I actually met up with Dee Saturday morning (before the Tea Ceremony) for coffee and chit-chat and some knitting.  When I left Starbucks I was at the point to start the toe decreases, so it was easy enough to wrap that sock up on Sunday.  And the second one is started and on its way down the leg!!

On the reading front, Fletch and I finished South Moon Under the other night.  We both thoroughly enjoyed it (and, if any of you are interested, it is only $0.99 on Amazon for the Kindle version!).  Tonight we will start This Book which I've wanted to read for some time.  On my own I am still reading The Door which is an interesting read.  I'm not sure I'm really enjoying it, but I also don't want to stop reading it.  It is different for sure!

That's a wrap for me.  Time to get back to work!  Make it a good Wednesday everyone!!

TGIF

 Good Morning!

Yes it is TGIF!!  And it's a grey, rainy one.  I woke in the night (what's new??) and heard rain around 2 a.m.  Usually I toss and turn, but last night I turned on my Kindle and read for about an hour.  My hope was it would make me tired enough to fall asleep quickly but that didn't happen - it was after 4 before I got back to sleep.  Oh well...

Meanwhile, I was supposed to take Tyg to the vet late morning yesterday for his annual well check (cracks me up that the vet calls it that - just like a baby) and annual shots.  But...he went out after having breakfast and was no where to be found.  The new appointment is next Tuesday at 4 p.m.  Hopefully he will be somewhere I can find him!  I think he was feeling smart about avoiding the vet for a bit!

Last night I made a batch of toffee pecan cookies...except that there are no pecans in them.

I'm not sure how long the pecans had been in the kitchen drawer (in a zip lock bag) - probably a couple of months.  While breaking some up in my hands, I (thank God) noticed a flying insect in the bag...and worse than that, I then saw a worm crawling in the bag.  It was enough to almost do me in.  But, I found a bag of walnuts (with no creatures) and used them instead.  Hopefully they are good - I haven't tried them yet.  I'm fixing dinner tonight for neighbors, so we will find out then.

Yesterday afternoon Fletch and I went to Otts - a fabulous greenhouse/nursery nearby and got some mums and asters to put around.  (the link will take you to a slide show of pictures at Otts - worth looking at, and Dee, if you have not been there, we should go some Saturday)  They had some giant pumpkins, but we'll look at the grocery store where they are a lot cheaper.  I did, however, buy myself a beautiful African Violet.

Love the shade of blue in this.  I used to have several African Violets, but I have not had any for years.  Hopefully this one will do well.

And that's a wrap for me.  Hope you all have a fabulous weekend!

Friday Felines

 

That was yesterday's cat nap!  It's pretty rare for Tyg to be in during the day - unless he comes in for a bite of food and then goes right back out.  But yesterday, late afternoon I ran upstairs to get something and there he was, all stretched out.  Apparently he had been up there for some time and he stayed up for another hour or so!

Thank you all for the birthday wishes for Fletch.  He had requested BBQ shrimp (New Orleans style) for dinner which is one of my favorite meals, so that was good.  And I did manage to bake and frost a cake (his request - chocolate cake with chocolate frosting).  My day was very busy though work-wise and, in fact, I didn't shut down the computer until after 9 p.m.  Now I'm back at it and it will be another crazy day.  TGIF!!

Here's to a great weekend ahead.  Enjoy.

More Trail Pictures and a Friday Feline!

 Good Morning!

Another grey morning and a little nip in the air.  Lots of rain around us, but we didn't get any.  In fact, Fletch and I sat around a fire last night for a little bit.  No conference calls today!  But, I have a rather large spreadsheet I need to work on, so I will be busy.  I'll try to walk a little later.  First I need to go back to feed Talbot & Marcel (Colin and Mailing will get back tomorrow).  C&M had a rainy time in Richmond, but were able to meet up with Fletcher's cousin for dinner.  I believe they are heading to Washington today to see a friend.

I did get out to walk yesterday (5 miles) in Oaks.  This trail is paved and easy to walk on.  I looked out at the Schuylkill River and saw a Blue Heron hanging with some ducks.

Herons always look so regal to me.  Then I came upon this EVIL SERPENT and almost screamed out loud (well, I kind of did...)

Yes, I know it's a harmless garter snake, but still...an EVIL SERPENT to me.  Just about scared the sh*t out of me!

On to nicer things.  Just because it's Friday, here is a picture of Tyg (and yours truly).

He doesn't look happy in the picture, but he was purring up a storm.  Tyg is not fond of the fires we have in the pit, but last night he actually came around and hung with us for awhile.  Maybe he is getting used to them?

Well, cheers to the weekend!  Hope you all have a wonderful one.  Enjoy!