Saturday,October 5th, 2019

Good morning! Not much to report from the Bold North. I went to bed with a sharp sore throat last night, and woke up with a big ole stuffy head and cold. I had to skip Tai Chi. The glass half full side: I had no real plans this weekend (DH is working all weekend) so I'm free to rest. I guess there will be time for reading.

Hope everyone is off having a wonderful day! I hauled my dad and his wife up to Sleeping Bear Dunes to do the dune climb today. So. Much. Whining. from my dad. But he did it and I think was happy with himself for doing it. It's a lot of work! And it was cold, so I get it, but jeez. Buck up.

It's raining now and after a hot shower, I think everyone is feeling better.

I finally have a date to go home. I fly back next Saturday. Fergus is going to stay here and fly back with them on 10/24. I just couldn't get home then and turn around and fly to NZ on the 30th. There's too much to be done! So I'll be Fergless for nearly 2 weeks. It's going to feel so strange and empty in my house...

DD, I hope your cold passes quickly!

Ann, hope your flight is an easy one!

My Dad has taken to complaining/whining about things. The world might stop spinning if he is served regular peanut butter instead of natural peanut butter, he has become very rigid about "healthy food". When I was little, you could be spanked for "making a fuss". Sometimes I can derail the complaining by saying, Dad, are you making a fuss? Are we allowed to make fusses now? He might laugh ruefully. Or keep fussing, depending how far he's gotten into it. Sometimes I know his complaining is born from anxiety. He told me once that when you're old (he's in his 80s), you don't have enough energy anymore to cope with things the way you used to. I try to keep that in mind when he is trying me :)

I'm in Chicago. Strange, but good, start to this trip. I got to STL airport early and learned that due to bad weather my 6:55 pm flight had been cancelled, so they hustled me onto an earlier flight. Good news is I will make the flight tonight to Frankfurt.

Even better news would be that some poor folks who DON'T get to airports early and were booked in first class won't make it to Chicago tonight and I can upgrade.

A girl can dream!

IT WORKED!

Yeah!

Good Afternoon All

I did a post yesterday but somehow lost it ! Was too busy to type it all again. Got back from the farm late last night. Unpacked the bags and bags of fresh veggies and fruit I had bought. I am craving good food. Have all the family coming tonight - will be wonderful to see all our kids, their partners and our grandsons. We were going to do Pizza but are both sick of not eating well. So I popped to Costco this morning and grabbed 3 cooked chickens, a couscous salad and coleslaw. I will make a wombat and fried noodle salad and a green salad. I bought a whole watermelon yesterday so that will be desert - plus there are fresh mangoes. YUMMMM

Daylight saving started overnight so we lost an hour. Managing fine with jetlag but have barely stopped with all the catch up work at both properties. We didnt get to finish the brushcutting at the farm so will do that in a fortnight - likely a re-mow will be required too. Today at our city house we have mowed and swept and tidyed the back yard. Poisioned all the weeds. Washed n washed. Im about to start preparing the food for tonight but snuck here to have a peek at what everyone has been up too

Weighed this morning after a huge mug of tea and was 174.02 so I have definately lost a couple of kilos :) Wahooo who would have thought it - all that walking and exploring whilst eating what I wanted worked wonders.

Ann - Have a wonderful journey :) Look forward to reading your updates

Cec - Not long now before you head home to get ready for your trip to NZ

Liz - Thinking of you as always. Its good to see Paul has settled in well. Im also pleased to see you starting to do some things for your own self care x

Diane O - Hope you got the name change stuff sorted and girl you wield a leaf blower like a champion !

Diane S - Hello and thinking of your brother

Peps - Congratulations on your win - you breed stunning puppies. Majestic indeed

Leap - Hope you are continuing to heal well - thinking of you

BB- Pics on FB are gorgeous of you and the girls. My they are growing up so fast

DD- Sorry about the cold - sleep and heal

Miss 150 - Good to have you back - missed your input

Have I missed anyone - still a bit of a fuzzy head but managing better than I expected with the jetlag monster

Well I best go prepare food for the hoard that will descend in around 4 hrs - 11 I think but I always make enough to feed an army Im told.

Love to all and Im staying put at the city house for a week or so - back to work tommorrow which Im dreading. Think I will be drowning in catch up and a late month end closure, invoicing and other fun things - Wish me luck

S