Monday, September 26, 2022

Is it me or has the pumpkin spice craze gone over the top? I love the taste and drink pumpkin spice coffee year round with pumpkin spice creamer for as long as I can get it, but it seems like the foods/drinks with that flavor are everywhere this year. Even an Oreo!

The mosquitoes and no-see-ums are truly eating us alive - we may replace the screens in the lanai this year as there are a few holes and the screens don't keep out no-see-ums. My current theory is that the redoing of the golf course here has made them much worse than usual as they have replanted 100% of the grass along the 18 hole course which wraps around everywhere. There is lots of extra irrigation going on which means much more standing water than usual.

Sounds like everyone had a good weekend or at least productive in DD's case. We did get our organizing of closets and the laundry done on Saturday and I cooked a meal which yields leftovers last night.

I booked youngest DD to visit for the first 4 days of next week! She is leaving her current job on Friday and has a week off before she starts her new one, so I got her a ticket to visit Monday to Thursday. Monday would have been eldest DD's 50th birthday so we can celebrate her together.

I have had a vague feeling of dread the last couple of days and wonder if it related to Elise's approaching birthday. I used to get really down for a couple of weeks around her birthdays and death day, but it has been almost 18 years now so maybe it has just turned into this subtle feeling. It was in this week just prior to her birthday when she was first diagnosed with cancer 19 years ago.

We also have a hurricane coming in but I usually don't get anxious feelings about things like that. We need to get more supplies at the store today though I went yesterday and could have done it then. Mike is such a last minute person! I don't think it will be that bad here. At most 40-50 MPH winds and a lot of rain, but we could lose power, so we need to prepare for that. Justice will have the toughest time as it is almost impossible to get him outside when there is driving rain.

Not much else to report on this side of the coast. Time to make a hurricane shopping list. Have a merry Monday!

In my cozy bed listening to the wind howling outside.

We had salmon fot dinner and I did roasted veggies cleaning out bits from the fridge. Rather tasty if I do so say myself! It's some thing I'm not good at, using up things I buy for one meal to create a totally different extra meal. So when it happens, it makes me feel cheffy.

I think we're going to Ludington today for lunch, to try out a new meat shop, and to see if we can talk my dad out of buying a chainsaw. Honestly, that just has injury written all over it! I also still need to make those brownies, but that's all that's planned.

I like pumpkin pie and pumpkin bread - things with actual pumpkin and accompanying spices, but I'm not a fan of the pumpkin spice flavoring trend. I often don't like imitations of really yummy things.

I hope you all have a great day! Liz, I hope your mosquito bites stop itching soon! I love this little device I got on Amazon to help stop the itching: https://a.co/d/7XwajJ0

Interesting device!

LOL on "cheffing" - I had to look up the meaning and laughed at myself when I saw it.

Good morning! I'm glad your daughter is coming to visit Liz. Always good to see the kiddos. It would make sense that this time of year leaves you unsettled. My MIL died very unexpectedly on October 1, 33 years ago. That night we had a hard frost. Every year this time, those feelings get stirred up. Things I didn't expect surface, like, DH struggled with turning 59, the age his father was when he was widowed... For us its been: some years it's a sad anniversary and reminder, and some years you've reached another stage in life where you have to reprocess it again...

Good Morning All,

AWOL Aussie peeking in - its been nothing short of a zoo over here! DH is now back in Brisbane for another 5 weeks after a brief 10 day stay at home. In that time we celebrated 2 family birthdays and did a huge amount of work at the farm. Long 12 hour days but Im well set up to manage it on my own now. Calves are in their own paddock being weaned and are none too pleased. Our poor neighbours. I sent off the breeding cows bloods yesterday to be tested to confirm they are pregnant. Should have the results by the end of the week. We will sell off 2 of our breeders as cow in calf in order to reduce numbers. All being well, we will have another 2 calves on the ground Feb 2023. Its spring here now albeit a very wet one but the grass has taken off so my weekends will be spent mowing - it takes me around 5-6 hours to get it all done on my own. Thankfully I dont mind mowing - its my thinking time.

I finally stopped avoiding my weight gain and stood on the scales. It was UGLY really ugly ! 185.24lbs which is the biggest gain I have had since my surgery and 9lbs over the weight I promised would be my limit. It was enough to shock me into starting to reign in the bad behaviours that I have allowed to creep up and take over. I weighed again this morning and thankful to see it down a little 183.04. I need to loose another 10lbs to be back in my comfort zone. I truely hate this constant battle with my weight. It leaves me weary.......

Liz - be safe with the hurricane xxx Will be thinking of you lots. SO glad your daughter is coming to visit.

Cec - are you in MI? Lovely :) enjoy the time and Im with you re the chainsaw. I refuse to touch one......

Hello to all who follow. I will try and pop in more I promise. Working 10-11 hr days as we ramp up to peak with work. We still cant get staff so its a constant juggle to keep clients happy and meet deadlines. I feel a lot like a clown ha ha ha

Have a wonderful evening and be safe all x

We lost the chainsaw fight! He got a little electric Ryobi 8" chainsaw - so a baby that can cut up to 6" diameter limbs. Given everyone was disappointed, it appears to be a good compromise!

Your life is somewhat exhausting to me, and always having to deal with weight issues never helps. I think we are all in the same place dealing with weight regain.

Greetings all

Its a foggy Monday here. I had to turn on the lights in my studio even though it has big south facing windows. Picked up some pieces from the kiln to take to the gallery. I stopped at the ceramic supply to buy another 25 pound bag of clay. Carrying it out reminds me of what I am doing with an extra 25 plus pounds. Crap.

Stay safe from the hurricane Liz. That would scare me. But I live in earthquake land and used to live in tornado land. Never suffered from it. knock wood.

It seems pretty natural to have some emotional reaction on anniversary of a death. Its been 20 years since my nephew died but I always remember it. Ditto my Dad. Less so my mom. It may be because my mom had a very long life but my nephew and dad did not.

Chain saw CC? Seriously? DH has a mini chain saw. I think it can also be used to carve turkey. (lol). Maybe you can do like my Dad did to my grandpa. Dad took the distributor out of his car to keep him from driving.

DH is raptly watching the rocket being sent to crash into the astroid. The commentators are hilarious, like a baseball game. Or a cosmic game of pool.

Sorry you have cranky calves Shirley. But I bet its fun to watch them grow.

No clue what's for dinner tonight.

I finally tried on the shirts given to me by a friend. 3 of 4 fit and are very nice. So yay, no shopping.

Not much else. Cheers all. Diane S

P.S.

I agree that pumpkin spice has metastasized. I like the smell but hate the taste. Smell reminds me of my grandpa who wore Old Spice after shave. I used to think of him as Grandpa punkin pie. ds

Grandpop - Old Spice

Granny - Yardley's English Lavender

I adore both smells!