I have today and tomorrow left on my lovely week-long vacation. I've really enjoyed being home. The cats have too. They follow me everywhere and cuddle up on cold nights. I've been enjoying the peace and quiet. Today I made a huge batch of ratatouille, and a fresh fruit salad. I'm listening to discernment lessons, doing dishes, reading. My kitties love to have me at home. I am a celebrity, with an adoring fan base of two.
My car is under the weather so I have stayed home all week, except for church and one trip to the Dollar Store to get kitty litter. I have stayed busy by dong the above and also by watching Netflix. I'm not so enamored of the selections on the Netflix instant download, because it seems that every movie I type in is not available on instant download. Instant downer, if you ask me. But there's enough to keep me limping along with non-graphic content that is devoid of commercials.
I am daily getting more sick at watching television. Just the sheer number of commercials is outrageous, but the subject of them is atrocious. In attempting to watch even the most innocuous of shows, a quiet cooking show called Chopped, the ads in between the show segments made me sick. In successive turn, I saw an ad for vaginal mesh, male enhancement for more fun in the bedroom, and a housewife pole dancing around an upright vacuum. I turned the TV off.
Fortunately I have Netflix to watch Frasier, or Andy Griffith, or a fifties movie like Dial M For Murder. Sitting around the house all day watching movies or reading online can't be good for me physically. But it is oh, so good mentally and emotionally. And 2 out of 3 wins.
Saturday, November 24, 2012
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Ways to be happy
How many ways can a person describe happy?
I have time and energy to clean my apartment really good, and do laundry and to put it all away. I even spent time arranging all the coverlets so they are evenly hanging. (This is a comfort to an Asperger's person).
I miss a bloom or a blossom, and I scoured the yard for something alive I could bring into the house. I found one fading rose (or gardenia) and some morning glories. In the other bud vase I put holly leaves and berries.
The day is warm and sunny, hitting 63 degrees even so early. I turned off the heat. I am having tea and listening to a sermon. I am awake and not tired at all.
This alertness translates to being able to read a hard book, such as several chapters of John MacArthur's "Christ's Prophetic Plans". At night, I read Farley Mowat's "The Siberians." My eyes are not tired.
My laptop is fixed and so is the wireless.
I watched several episodes of Columbo. (His first name is Frank). I wrote a bunch of blogs on the other blog, and read the bible. It is quiet, and I cuddle with the cats.
Happy!
I have time and energy to clean my apartment really good, and do laundry and to put it all away. I even spent time arranging all the coverlets so they are evenly hanging. (This is a comfort to an Asperger's person).
I miss a bloom or a blossom, and I scoured the yard for something alive I could bring into the house. I found one fading rose (or gardenia) and some morning glories. In the other bud vase I put holly leaves and berries.
This alertness translates to being able to read a hard book, such as several chapters of John MacArthur's "Christ's Prophetic Plans". At night, I read Farley Mowat's "The Siberians." My eyes are not tired.
My laptop is fixed and so is the wireless.
I watched several episodes of Columbo. (His first name is Frank). I wrote a bunch of blogs on the other blog, and read the bible. It is quiet, and I cuddle with the cats.
Happy!
Sunday, November 18, 2012
Vacation and pictures of hay
I'm home for Thanksgiving break. It is such a relief! In our school District we have the week off. We do not go to school on Monday and Tuesday, so that's that.
I particularly like Sundays when we have a holiday weekend or vacation. On a regular weekend, Friday night feels great because work is furthest away. Saturday feels great because I have the whole day to myself. Sunday morning is for prayer and then Sunday School and then Worship service. When I get home I make a midday meal, and then usually conk out. So it is mid-afternoon when I come to and that is when I have to start getting ready for the week ahead. I cook meals for the week, do a load of laundry, pack a lunch. Then around 5pm I sit on the couch and watch a rerun of the police show The Closer, and before I know it, it is dark out and evening has arrived and in a few short hours I go to bed and then get up and go back to work.
Weekends go by fast.
But not the week-long vacations! Those are great!
Here are a few pictures I snapped of the hayfield next door. For some reason I really like taking pictures of hay.
I particularly like Sundays when we have a holiday weekend or vacation. On a regular weekend, Friday night feels great because work is furthest away. Saturday feels great because I have the whole day to myself. Sunday morning is for prayer and then Sunday School and then Worship service. When I get home I make a midday meal, and then usually conk out. So it is mid-afternoon when I come to and that is when I have to start getting ready for the week ahead. I cook meals for the week, do a load of laundry, pack a lunch. Then around 5pm I sit on the couch and watch a rerun of the police show The Closer, and before I know it, it is dark out and evening has arrived and in a few short hours I go to bed and then get up and go back to work.
Weekends go by fast.
But not the week-long vacations! Those are great!
Here are a few pictures I snapped of the hayfield next door. For some reason I really like taking pictures of hay.
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Hay, a Hawk!
As I neared my driveway on the way home from school today, a huge hawk flew in front of my car, and landed on this hay roll. The pasture is next to my house. I lurched the car to a stop in the street and jumped out to snap it. I'm glad I did, when I drove into the driveway and jumped out again to look for him, he was gone.
Friday, November 09, 2012
A frosty morning
As I drove to work Thursday morning, we had our first frost. It was just a few days after the time change too, so there was sun glinting off the frost and bouncing off the changed leaves. It was spectacularly beautiful.
I only drive up one road, a straight shot that takes 10 minutes. There is no shoulder and no place to really stop to take a picture. So I just stuck up my camera and snapped, lol. This was the result.
At first, I almost deleted this photo. But I looked at the side mirror and decided I liked the contrast of the frost in front and the rising sun in the rear as reflected in the mirror. It was a golden, reddish sunrise that day. Pretty.
My school. On Tuesday there was a stiff wind storm and a large and colorful patio umbrella blew in and rolled around on the football field. On Thursday, a frost grew underneath it.
I only drive up one road, a straight shot that takes 10 minutes. There is no shoulder and no place to really stop to take a picture. So I just stuck up my camera and snapped, lol. This was the result.
Barns, pastures, and frost:
At first, I almost deleted this photo. But I looked at the side mirror and decided I liked the contrast of the frost in front and the rising sun in the rear as reflected in the mirror. It was a golden, reddish sunrise that day. Pretty.
The fields and woods across from my school
The sun reflected against the bricks of the adjoining High School with frost on the ground
My school. On Tuesday there was a stiff wind storm and a large and colorful patio umbrella blew in and rolled around on the football field. On Thursday, a frost grew underneath it.
The ground fog is lifting as the sun rises
I love where I live!
Friday, November 02, 2012
My day
My day:
7:00-3:00
Run, run, run. Work, work, work, Laugh, laugh, laugh.
3:10-3:30
Vote. Clothespin not included
3:50-5:30
NAP! EXHAUSTED!
5:45
Dinner, Mexican salad: black beans, Spanish rice, spicy tomatoes, Romaine lettuce, avocado, sour cream. V8 Punch for beverage and a macadamia nut cookie for dessert. Surf Twitter & Facebook while eating.
6:30-8:00
Study bible, write blog.
8:0009:30
Watch Columbo.
9:30
BED
Hey, it's a day. Could be worse, It's actually pretty good.
7:00-3:00
Run, run, run. Work, work, work, Laugh, laugh, laugh.
3:10-3:30
Vote. Clothespin not included
3:50-5:30
NAP! EXHAUSTED!
5:45
Dinner, Mexican salad: black beans, Spanish rice, spicy tomatoes, Romaine lettuce, avocado, sour cream. V8 Punch for beverage and a macadamia nut cookie for dessert. Surf Twitter & Facebook while eating.
6:30-8:00
Study bible, write blog.
8:0009:30
Watch Columbo.
9:30
BED
Hey, it's a day. Could be worse, It's actually pretty good.
Thursday, November 01, 2012
Oh, crap! I said crap again!
I had a good time at recess today. I had the duty, along with another teacher and we stand out there and watch so they don't get hurt, or wander off, or that unauthorized people don't walk onto the playground etc. The biggest portion of our duty is that we mediate their squabbles.
So two boys come running up. One of them is a quiet man type and another is all boy. Boy, is he all boy. So the quiet man is about to tell me what terrible deed all-boy did but all-boy gets a word in first. He yells, "I SAID I was sorry!"
I said, "What did you do?"
"I said crap. I didn't mean to say it, but I said crap."
I looked at quiet man and asked if he wanted me to pursue it or if he was cool. He said he was cool, and ran off.
All boy turned to me, now all smiles, and said,
"There's a big doo-doo over there. A huge turd!"
I am dying laughing inside myself because now he's actually said crap four times in the space of 30 seconds. I said,
"Ok, thanks for letting me know."
"When they get old they turn black. Want to see?"
"No thanks. I know what they look like."
"Okay," he said, giving me a look like I was crazy to pass this up. "Bye!" He ran off.
So two boys come running up. One of them is a quiet man type and another is all boy. Boy, is he all boy. So the quiet man is about to tell me what terrible deed all-boy did but all-boy gets a word in first. He yells, "I SAID I was sorry!"
I said, "What did you do?"
"I said crap. I didn't mean to say it, but I said crap."
I looked at quiet man and asked if he wanted me to pursue it or if he was cool. He said he was cool, and ran off.
All boy turned to me, now all smiles, and said,
"There's a big doo-doo over there. A huge turd!"
I am dying laughing inside myself because now he's actually said crap four times in the space of 30 seconds. I said,
"Ok, thanks for letting me know."
"When they get old they turn black. Want to see?"
"No thanks. I know what they look like."
"Okay," he said, giving me a look like I was crazy to pass this up. "Bye!" He ran off.
Friday, October 26, 2012
College football and changing leaves
We have fall break now. This vacation is a mini-vacation, being a Friday and Monday off on either side of this regular weekend. This fall break is on the weekend of the extremely-taken seriously Florida-Georgia college football game. This is an intense rivalry between University of Georgia Bullgogs and Florida Gators. A LOT of people drive to Jacksonville to watch the game in person and root for the home team. The Florida Gators and Georgia Bulldogs - both ranked in the top ten - meet in their annual rivalry but this year the outcome determines if Florida will proceed to the SEC championships or if FL will knock UGA out of contention. If GA wins they have to win the next three games to clinch the SEC East title and then go on to fight for SEC winner at the championship game.
Or something like that.
I could care less.
But saying that around here is akin to heresy and I could be run out of town on a rail. I told you they take the game extremely seriously, lol!
I'm just as happy to have four days off. The weather this week has been spectacular. We've enjoyed vivid sunrises, clear and sunny days, warm temperatures and thankfully no more humidity. All this will change as Hurricane Sandy passes. By Monday the night temps will be in the thirties and the daytimes will have said goodbye to the seventies. September and October are glorious here.
If it is going to be cool Monday then I plan to bake some bread in the bread machine. I also plan to make black bean salad, cream of mushroom soup, and granola bars.
Oh yes, and somewhere along the way I'll vacuum and do the dishes. But not yet.
The big news around here is that I changed the cat food. I noticed that the cats had been picking at their food, and some days refusing outright to eat it. My cat Bert has gained a lot of weight lately, too. He struggles to jump aboard the bed. They seemed a little sad too. I can't explain it. They just seemed down. I've fed them the same food since I brought them home from the shelter five years ago: Everpet cat food. It is the Dollar Store brand. But when they began to balk, and also to throw up more often. After all these years, I looked into the cat food reviews and apparently Everpet is the evil Hitler of cat foods. There was not one good rating anywhere, there have actually been recalls, and anyone adding their own review to a website always used a plethora of exclamation marks!!!!!
Immediately I felt awful, guilty, and terrible that I'd been feeding them this food. I changed right away to a Purina brand. But in my defense, they had never balked that much before and seemed to thrive. Now though they actually seem happy. The run to the bowl right away in the morning and they eat all of the measured-out portion I give them, with no leftovers. And no one has thrown up. I can't explain it but they do seem happier and more content. Calmer too.
I'm so glad I have cats. They bring me lots of joy and are great companions. I'd do anything for them. Far from being the stereotypical aloof cats, they are loving and constant companions. And they don't ask for much in return, just for me to give them cuddles, which I'm always happy to do.
This Fall Break is the first hop in the hop-skip- and jump trio of vacations we get from school. When we return to school it's just a few weeks until the week off for Thanksgiving, and then another few weeks until the big two-weeks off at Christmas. Between the change in the weather from summer oppression, the glorious landscape painting each day at sunrise of during the bright day as the sun sines through the colorful leaves, the anticipation of the holiday season...it is a great time to be in Georgia. Especially if the Bulldogs beat the Gators.
Or something like that.
I could care less.
But saying that around here is akin to heresy and I could be run out of town on a rail. I told you they take the game extremely seriously, lol!
I'm just as happy to have four days off. The weather this week has been spectacular. We've enjoyed vivid sunrises, clear and sunny days, warm temperatures and thankfully no more humidity. All this will change as Hurricane Sandy passes. By Monday the night temps will be in the thirties and the daytimes will have said goodbye to the seventies. September and October are glorious here.
If it is going to be cool Monday then I plan to bake some bread in the bread machine. I also plan to make black bean salad, cream of mushroom soup, and granola bars.
Oh yes, and somewhere along the way I'll vacuum and do the dishes. But not yet.
The big news around here is that I changed the cat food. I noticed that the cats had been picking at their food, and some days refusing outright to eat it. My cat Bert has gained a lot of weight lately, too. He struggles to jump aboard the bed. They seemed a little sad too. I can't explain it. They just seemed down. I've fed them the same food since I brought them home from the shelter five years ago: Everpet cat food. It is the Dollar Store brand. But when they began to balk, and also to throw up more often. After all these years, I looked into the cat food reviews and apparently Everpet is the evil Hitler of cat foods. There was not one good rating anywhere, there have actually been recalls, and anyone adding their own review to a website always used a plethora of exclamation marks!!!!!
Immediately I felt awful, guilty, and terrible that I'd been feeding them this food. I changed right away to a Purina brand. But in my defense, they had never balked that much before and seemed to thrive. Now though they actually seem happy. The run to the bowl right away in the morning and they eat all of the measured-out portion I give them, with no leftovers. And no one has thrown up. I can't explain it but they do seem happier and more content. Calmer too.
I'm so glad I have cats. They bring me lots of joy and are great companions. I'd do anything for them. Far from being the stereotypical aloof cats, they are loving and constant companions. And they don't ask for much in return, just for me to give them cuddles, which I'm always happy to do.
This Fall Break is the first hop in the hop-skip- and jump trio of vacations we get from school. When we return to school it's just a few weeks until the week off for Thanksgiving, and then another few weeks until the big two-weeks off at Christmas. Between the change in the weather from summer oppression, the glorious landscape painting each day at sunrise of during the bright day as the sun sines through the colorful leaves, the anticipation of the holiday season...it is a great time to be in Georgia. Especially if the Bulldogs beat the Gators.
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Pretty photos for you
Bird in a pear tree
Blue doors
Lichen
Magnolia growing
New England cemetery in snow
Boy choosing heavy pumpkin
High hanging fruit- out of reach
I didn't know the hay turns fall colors too
Waiting at a stop sign, photographed the trees.
On another day waiting at the same stop sign, photographed the water tank
Thursday, October 18, 2012
The life of a cat lady
So it's fall and the leaves are turning though the days are still a delightful low 70s and the sun is still warm. But because the temps are not extreme the colors of the turning leaves aren't as vibrant as they were up north.
Leaving school today I saw a small maple leaf on the pavement, brilliantly red.
I carefully picked it up and noticed it was fresh. Lovingly holding it all the way to the car, I placed it on the beverage cup, intending to scan it when I got home and make something online with it. Maybe change the banner photo, maybe posterize it in Photoshop and make a greeting card...something.
I zipped to the grocery store and the Dollar Store to buy the week's stuff. Boy, milk went up thirty cents. That was a huge disappointment. A half gallon is $2.99 now.
Anyway, I got the food and drove home. I was worried that the heat inside the car had curled my leaf. It hadn't.
I got to the door holding all my groceries, with the leaf's stem in my mouth and the keys dangling from my pinkie. As I set the groceries down by the door I noticed a stream on small red ants traveling at full speed to the threshold and disappearing en masse inside the wall. Uh-oh. Visions of empires of fire ants building continent-sized cities inside my wall was too much to bear, so I jammed the keys in the lock, threw open the door and set all the bags down on the kitchen floor, while carefully laying the leaf down on the bookcase next to the door.
I grabbed the ant spray and used a third of a bottle spraying the ant line, the doorstep, and the walkway.
Then I put away the groceries, got dinner on the stove, and sat down to attend to email.
It was a hour later when I finished emails and replying to comments from the other blog, when I got ready to have some art fun and scan my leaf. I looked around. No leaf.
Hm. I know I brought it inside. I looked at the red rug on the kitchen, thinking the leaf had fluttered off in the frenzy to spray the ants. Was it on the rug, camouflaged but otherwise untouched? Nope. I looked at the bookcase and behind the bookcase. No leaf.
Uh-oh. Cat. The cat must have gotten it.
I went into the bedroom and saw the two of them curled up there on the bed in the waning sun patch. And on the rug next to the bed was a regurgitated leaf. My nice rug. My formerly nice leaf.
Such is life of an old cat lady. Apparently unbeknownst to me, what I had really been doing when I had cradled, shepherded and delivered a snippet of the outdoors, was not to scan and make art for myself, but to give a taste of the outdoors to my cat.
Leaving school today I saw a small maple leaf on the pavement, brilliantly red.
I carefully picked it up and noticed it was fresh. Lovingly holding it all the way to the car, I placed it on the beverage cup, intending to scan it when I got home and make something online with it. Maybe change the banner photo, maybe posterize it in Photoshop and make a greeting card...something.
I zipped to the grocery store and the Dollar Store to buy the week's stuff. Boy, milk went up thirty cents. That was a huge disappointment. A half gallon is $2.99 now.
Anyway, I got the food and drove home. I was worried that the heat inside the car had curled my leaf. It hadn't.
I got to the door holding all my groceries, with the leaf's stem in my mouth and the keys dangling from my pinkie. As I set the groceries down by the door I noticed a stream on small red ants traveling at full speed to the threshold and disappearing en masse inside the wall. Uh-oh. Visions of empires of fire ants building continent-sized cities inside my wall was too much to bear, so I jammed the keys in the lock, threw open the door and set all the bags down on the kitchen floor, while carefully laying the leaf down on the bookcase next to the door.
I grabbed the ant spray and used a third of a bottle spraying the ant line, the doorstep, and the walkway.
Then I put away the groceries, got dinner on the stove, and sat down to attend to email.
It was a hour later when I finished emails and replying to comments from the other blog, when I got ready to have some art fun and scan my leaf. I looked around. No leaf.
Hm. I know I brought it inside. I looked at the red rug on the kitchen, thinking the leaf had fluttered off in the frenzy to spray the ants. Was it on the rug, camouflaged but otherwise untouched? Nope. I looked at the bookcase and behind the bookcase. No leaf.
Uh-oh. Cat. The cat must have gotten it.
I went into the bedroom and saw the two of them curled up there on the bed in the waning sun patch. And on the rug next to the bed was a regurgitated leaf. My nice rug. My formerly nice leaf.
Such is life of an old cat lady. Apparently unbeknownst to me, what I had really been doing when I had cradled, shepherded and delivered a snippet of the outdoors, was not to scan and make art for myself, but to give a taste of the outdoors to my cat.
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