Well, hello friend.

It’s almost Hallowe’en and I am looking forward to it.  

this year we have a new addition to our family.  Well, actually, two new additions.  We have the octopus and tentacles and we have a skeleton who keeps the dragon in line.
We decorated our front window with witches and bats and ghosts (and skeleton lights).  In a week when the holiday is gone, we’ll take all of the specifically Hallowe’en decorations down and leave the leaves and plain pumpkins up until after Thanksgiving.  

We’ll go and get our tree the day after Thanksgiving and then have our family over for dinner (Chinese, not turkey!). My girls cook and eat with their inlaws.  If I want us to be together, we’ll have to do it the day after.  I don’t shop on Black Friday, except for our tree.

I like cooking dinner on Thanksgiving.  Nothing fancy, just the same foods lovingly prepared.  I once suggested a change in the menu and you’d have thought I’d suggested we run naked around the block.

Fortunately, if I use the oven on convection, the turkey will cook in a few hours and I can watch the parades.  I love to see marching bands (I was a majorette in high school.  I can still twirl somewhat) and I wait for them.

I voted a few weeks ago and now feel perfectly justified turning off the speeches and newscasters interpreting polls.  I don’t remember feeling as apprehensive for an election.  The last time Trump ran, I was sure he would lose.  It goes to show why I am not an election interpreter.  Now that I know it can happen, my anxiety goes up often.

I have been working on a scrap blanket.  I’m crocheting little granny squares with left over sock yarns.  It’s much better than any of the other attempts to use up bits and bobs of yarn.It’s a satisfying thing to work on.  Each little square is with a different yarn and the rows pile up slowly.

We went last weekend to Johnson’s farm for hay rides, corn mazes and pumpkin picking.  We had a good time!  We got there early and beat most of the crowds.  This coming weekend we’re planning to take a picnic lunch to Allaire state part and ride the Pine Creek RR.  They also have a flea market.  And I just found out James will be here with us so it will be extra fun.

Tomorrow is my regular work from home day.  I love it.  This week I can work from home on Wed and Thurs since my group is having a party and I don’t have to be there.  I can sleep almost an extra hour and not have to travel.  I do my laundry on Wed since I am home and working anyway.  I’ll also order our groceries for Thursday so we won’t have to do the putting away over the weekend.  I will be having a long weekend because I took off Monday for my 67th birthday.  This year I am giving myself the gift of a day off.  I feel like I could use it.

Well, time to sign off so I can hold the hand of the love of my life.  He says he falls asleep better (and who am I to argue?). I hope you are all doing well and are having a peaceful autumn.

See you soon.

Good morning!  Welcome to my Wednesday.  I like Wednesdays because I get to work from home.  I can have any distraction I want/need running in the background and still get my work done.

I started this blog, or re-started it to be more accurate, with the intention of writing at least once a week.   One month in and I’ve already fallen off the schedule.  No, I haven’t been super busy, just normal busy.  I think I am out of the habit of writing and need to get back to it.   I enjoy writing and sharing bits of my normal life.  There’s a vlogger I follow who shows the “messy sides of life” because as she says, “I’ve got nothing to lose and people need to be reminded that life is not perfectly organized shelves and spotless kitchens”

Hmm.  I’d settle for organized.  In that vein, it’s the time of year when I start to declutter cosets and drawers for the change in seasons.  I try to do this twice a year.  Last week I straightened out and cleaned my drawers and cabinets in the kitchen.  It took about half a day but I am happy with it.  Next week end I will be switching out our summer clothes for the winter ones.  I use that chore to clean out my drawers and closet and give away things that I do not wear.  I have a hard time letting things go.  My brain says, “but what if we want to wear that after we give it away?”.    I’ve been watching a few youtube videos about how we don’t need to feel bad if we don’t have all of the things that people show on the internet.  I think the important thing is to figure out what makes you happy and feel content and go for those things.

 I have a lot of bits and bobs of sock yarn in a container.  I saw this small granny square “scrap” blanket and thought I’d give it a try.  Mine looks wonky, I don’t crochet often and I’m not sure blocking will smooth this out.  I think I’ll put it aside and try a different hook size and maybe crochet a bit looser.  I like this method because you join the squares as you go along.  No sewing up.  It’s a bit fiddly and I think I need to practice a bit more to make it smoother.

I voted last week and am now giving myself permission not to pay attention to any more political ads, interviews, debates, news articles…..  It has become mentally exhausting.  The choice seems so clear and obvious to me.  One more month to go.

Speaking of time, 12 weeks from today is January 1, 2025.  There are only 12 weeks left in this year.  This year, like every year before it, has gone very fast.  You’d think we’d be used to it by now but no, we are not.  

There goes my dryer signal.  Time to move the clothes along.  Have a happy, peaceful and fulfilling week.