All Tucked Up in Everyday Ramblings

Yesterday morning early, I knew the rain was coming back midday, so I went out and cleaned up all the leaves off my patio and was feeling all chuffed about getting that done. As I am teaching two guys show up, each with a leaf blower and they blew a bunch of leaves onto the patio. I am in the middle of class so I can’t stop and go out and wave them off. To avoid the rain, I had a trip to the store planned right after class.

It all worked out; I got the new leaves up when I got back before the rain started.

Thanksgiving Day was remarkably clear here, the mountains were sharply visible and beautiful with fresh snow. I know this because my Discussion Unit Coordinator, who is also a student, asked me at the end of the class if I wanted to go for a walk later.

We did. It was nice. We did a not too vigorous loop in which I showed her my garden plot, (she has one in a different garden) and wandered along the river and through the south end of downtown. I learned new details of her life. I love hearing people’s stories. She had lost her beloved dog just a few days before and I was concerned for her, but she was manifesting the stoic approach. Not that it didn’t come up briefly.

It is so sad. At least the whole thing happened fast, and her dog got the care he needed to make it all a bit easier. But still…

The dental surgery is now scheduled for mid-January. It is a relief to have a date. I am planning a brief trip up to Seattle to see Miss E. (for the first time in six years) and her mother just after Christmas. I am taking the last week of the year off from teaching, which I need to recharge my class planning batteries.

My baking mojo is coming back. After the lemon bars I made ginger molasses cookies that you roll in orange zest infused sugar. If you were here, I would share.

I am taking some down to share as I hang out with Aerial tomorrow. She said something about pumpkin pie. Next on the baking agenda are those pecan toffee Christmas bars with a chocolate drizzle on top.

It is going to be a low-key Christmas gift wise. I have my speech therapy sessions coming up and I don’t know what the copay will be on those and both cats are going to the vet in three weeks. And I haven’t paid for the surgery yet either.

The dryer guy is coming on Monday. I have no faith that he will be able to fix it Monday (ordering parts and all that) but I can’t wait. I am starting to need to be creative about what to wear and with the baking…having clean dish towels. If I get desperate, I can still use the washer and rack dry everything.

Like for many of you this next week is most likely going to bring ice into the picture. I always dread this but after the pandemic I have a lot more experience staying home and hanging out when it is treacherous outside. All this being home may have cured me of cabin fever.

The new Moonglow Café book by Deborah Garner just dropped. I have been a loyal fan of this light Christmas book series since Deborah Garner started publishing them. It is so great to see one of us go on to other artistic ventures and having read Forever in Motion’s pages on OD I feel a bit like I was there when… I believe there is a wedding in this one. “Joy at Moonglow”.

I finished reading “The Serpent in Heaven” by Charlaine Harris this week. She is so gifted in the mixed genre books she writes. I am not in the mood for anything serious though I did start watching “Andor” because who can resist a soliloquy by Stellen Skarsgård? I have a few episodes to go before I get to that.

25 days to the solstice! And really only 3 months until the early daffodils. It is extraordinary how the weather where we are affects us all. Particularly now.

Hope you are safe and able to sleep. I have been thinking a lot lately about those who don’t have that luxury.

Last updated November 28, 2022