AUTUMN RAMBLE

BACK TO IT.  We've had a few days off doing other things than work on the ATTIC out at the storage unit.  Back to it.  Hubs talked about it and I will follow.  

There's a stack of storage tubs that have a dish set in them waiting to journey to the cellar.  I had to find all the missing pieces and group them together so they can be together on the shelves. When you have three storage units, a garage, a she-shed and a cellar holding things that got separated from one another with a messy move, it takes longer getting organized.  Or at least it did in my case.

This move has been a nightmare.  Terribly messy.  The worst.  We relocated from our large house 3 years ago Halloween.  Here we be going through boxes making extremely slow progress.  Two storage units have been emptied since the Halloween MOVE took place.  It took us 2 1/2 years to be able to say that. 

The last unit is being kept so we can use it as an attic.  After the ATTIC is finished, then the cellar, garage and she-shed will be dealt with.  Crawling right along, I am in over my head with stuff.  Illnesses, challenging physical conditions, medical appointments, weather, etc. SLOWED us way down.  WAY, way down.  

Tis tempting to throw it in the trash or haul it all away to GOODWILL and be down with it.  For now, I go back and forth about it.  I've done both.  Still, if we can recoup some of the money that has been spent through the years, it will help the budget.  PTL.    

👚👚👚👚👚👖👖👖👖👖👕👕👕👕👕 Laundry got away from me again.  Seems too easy to let this happen.  Anywho, I have probably 6 loads to do of blue jeans that were boxed up hidden in storage.  I think I will just go to the launder-mat and place them in the oversized wash machines so I can get them taken care of quicker.  I can dry them at HOME, but using the larger machines to wash seems like a better option then using my HOME units which cannot handle the heavy loads.

🚼👶🍼A large trash bag sits on the utility room floor full of children's clothing.  Think I will do the same thing with them.  They'll be ready for next Spring's Yard Sales so I will be a head of the game if I don't donate them first.  They still need laundered.

🍁🍂🍃🍂🍁 The AUTUMN COLORS are more prominent showing up in nature and with decorating items in the stores.  Slowly the trees are changing their leaves into gorgeous oranges, yellows, browns and reds.  I think it is really beautiful this year.  Perhaps I will be ready for what is next.  Colder weather with sleet, rain and snow.  🌧⛄. The decorating makes the seasons more enjoyable to me.

The stores have completely ignored the PILGRIMS 🦃🦃🦃 of THANKSGIVING and have gone from Halloween 👻🎃 straight to 🎄🎅🤶 secular CHRISTMAS.  Sad.  Too busy to be thankful for our harvest and abundance we have received?  Not here.  Living a grateful and THANKFUL LIFE is the best yet.

There will be the Thanksgiving Parades and turkey dinners, but the decorating is a different story.  We can add Pilgrims and turkeys to the AUTUMN decor.  I have a complete set of dishes I could use for our Thanksgiving Meal that will probably remain in the boxes this year as this downsizing and organizing EVENT is a bit much.  Paper plate time.  I have no shame.  Being real. We may just eat a Community meal prepared by others.  Seems likely we may do this.  It will certainly be an economic way to eat.

We grocery shopped yesterday for meats.  STICKER SHOCK when the register hit $350.00.  Being frugal is so important.  

I have a few AUTUMN decorations in the house, but very little.  I'm still concentrating on the stuff that came out of the storage unit that need dealt with.  Lord, help.  It shouldn't take as long as it does for me.  TODAY, I plan to box up MORE glassware that I will turn loose of.  Clearing out the Living room will be my PLANS today.  

🍬🍫🍫🍫 🥨🥨🥨 I've got to get some Halloween goody bags made up for my Grandchildren as well.  I have luncheon bags to fill with some Hersey miniature nuggets and pretzels. I think this will be plenty for them.  I'll place the goods inside the bags and tie them shut with twine.  Should be alright.  

Up early today.  Best put some laundry in and round up some glassware to box up.  The quicker I get this done, the better.  Truly.

This is not what I want to consume my old age with.  Heavens.  It will be 10 years ago on the 25th that we had the house fire.  The shock of it all.  10 years.  We lost so much of our physical things that this contributed to going overboard on GETTING THINGS to replace what we lost.  I know now, I overdid it and am detoxing from this mindset.  I can relax about not having so much STUFF.  So that is what I am working at doing.

At 71 years of age...with a brother-in-law deathly ill and a Alaskan girlfriend's Hubby in the hospital with head injuries...I am convinced that we have to live a life that doesn't need so much stuff.  Life is short and eternity much longer. Knowing God, following the Lord and loving people is the most important thing of all.  Only through being BORN AGAIN through Jesus Christ and filled with the HOLY SPIRIT can I be who I am suppose to be.

Thank you for stopping by.  Hope you are well.

~d on the prairie

AUTUMN POT ROAST and Christmas Decor

AUTUMN is so very pretty here on the prairie especially when I drive the countryside looking at nature.  BRILLIANT YELLOWS AND ORANGES warm the scenery.  OH  how I love it on most days.  This time of year the color theme has completely changed from the SUMMER GREENS that I long for each year.  After a very long WINTER, I lust for SPRING which passes by quickly into SUMMER.  AUTUMN is like another SPRING with the gorgeous color variants except I'm not fooled that the seasons will changed again just as quickly into a WINTER WONDERLAND.  I know I need to sit quietly each day and take it all in as time seems to pass way too fast.

🍁🍂🍁🍂🍁🍂🍁🍂🍁🍂🍁🍂🍁

I BREWED A CUP OF BLACK COFFEE to pour over the Chuck Roast that marinated over night before placing it in my crockpot.  Olive oil and chopped white onions went in first covering the bottom of the pot.  I skipped the browning of the roast in a skillet to lock the flavor in before cooking.  I poured the coffee into the pot as well.

The roast browned in the pot for an hour before adding spring water and spices.  I was concerned that the roast would be tough because it didn't cook as long as I think it should have.  It would have been ideal if it had been 9 in the morning instead of noon starting the meal.  The carrots and potatoes went in around 1.  Cooked until 6:30 then we dished it up.

It tasted good.  Company did not think it was too tough.  Miracle.  No left overs for stew.

                     🍁🍂🍁🍂🍁🍂🍁🍂🍁🍂🍁🍂🍁🍁🍂🍁🍂🍁🍂🍁🍂🍁🍂🍁🍂🍁

ON THE HOME FRONT.  CEDAR CHEST MOVED TO IT'S NEW LOCATION across the room. Worked on the front bedroom.  Every thing we get done makes a dent in this project.  Some heavy boxes and I do mean way too heavy of boxes had to be moved out of the room. Bedding that was on the cedar chest was moved to the living room.  FLOOR AREA SWEPT.  

The cedar chest was moved across the room and placed against a different wall to hold the oversize TV.  SURPRISE SURPRISE...while I went to the store for spinach, HUBBY placed the TV on top of the cedar chest and returned the boxes and bedding back into the room.  Put a smile on my face.  Fantastic.  The TV is in the TV ROOM!  How's 'bout dat?

TODAY, I will go through more boxes and do SOMETHING with the contents.  That's my hope. That will be all I get done for the day.  Slowly but surely it will get done.  For sure.  I have to be realistic about this project as this is far more difficult than I want it to be.  

SAW THIS AND THOUGHT GOSH THESE ARE NEAT and they don't look too difficult to make.

   Made out of wood.

~d 

🍁🍂🍁🍂🍁🍂🍁🍂🍁🍂🍁🍂🍁

JUNK FOOD HIGH and THE BEGINNING OF OCTOBER

WE MADE IT.  Finished the month of September with disbelief.  The month flew right on by.  This month may as well.  I have to make huge progress on the switching out of the bedrooms making the larger bedroom the TV/Family room.

This past week-end, huge progress took place with the following Monday pausing because of medical appointments.  MeDiCaL ApPoInTmEnTs.  Four medical appointments in Topeka. Morning appts. were labs for hubby and me then in the early afternoon we both had sonograms prepping for our yearly THYROID FOLLOW-UPS.  

Three vials of blood later we squeezed in BRUNCH at FIRST WATCH in Topeka.  I had a TRADITIONAL BREAKFAST with an Early Meditation beverage.  All the times I have been to FIRST WATCH they are extremely busy with their meals being served on pottery dishes.  Two eggs, toast, bacon and potatoes.  Their potatoes are quite tasty.  

With it being OCTOBER, I decided that I was going to return to mindful eating with some careful choices to take place.  I know I'll be fasting from caffeine, sweets, carbs and meats so I allowed a cake pop from Starbucks and late night licorice with a VIBE.  A JUNK FOOD HIGH.  The last day of September was taken into account before October 1st arrived.  You'd better splurge before the FAST.  I did.

I have three months until my A1c labs are taken.  I'm aiming for my numbers to be much lower than before.  In January, I will have been off the HCTZ for 6 months allowing my body some time to neutralize having a better blood glucose and cholesterol levels I PRAY.  HCTZ causes these to elevate.  

After having my eyes opened to what HCTZ does to long term users which I was, I have grown discontented and angry.  Saddened that I have caused injury to my own body without knowing. There is a LINK to skin cancer with HCTZ.  Either my doc did not know about this or he was playing dumb with me.  I developed type 2 diabetes while using it.  Very common with user as it causes INSULIN RESISTANCE as well which I have.  It messes with the pancreas which makes me uncomfortable.

Here I go again singing the discourse of using HCTZ.  I HOPE I NEVER FORGET WHAT HARM IT DOES TO PEEPS.  I should have had my electrolytes checked before going on it, but being the naive patient I was at the time, I followed the doctor's advice.  Yes, this medicine will cause the edema to disappear, but it also flushes out the electrolytes which would have been caught if I had been monitored.

I have questions for the ENDOCRINOLOGIST's APRN that will be seeing us next week for our Thyroid CANCER yearly follow-ups as to why certain things were not monitored along this 15 year journey I've been on with thyroid health.  I will not be shy this go round.  Bold as a lion.  I've asked questions before and got info such as why pregnant women have luscious hair.  pause. Really?  I hadn't been pregnant for over 40 years at the time I was told this tidbit of humor. 

NOW I know I am old as driving around town and going to the grocery store seems to be a highlight of the day.  grins.  When grocery shopping is fun, I must have a skew loose.  It seems like fun especially when I am not in a hurry.  The weather was gorgeous and I loved being out in it admiring the day. 

AFTER our afternoon medical appointment, we went to GOD's STOREHOUSE.  I purchased some AUTUMN clothing for my little grandson.  I hit the jackpot.  I think this will help suit him for some AUTUMN CLOTHING.  One little knitted sweater looked brand new and I know he will be so handsome wearing this to church.  A pair of dark blue slacks from CHAPS still had the tags on them.  Hope they fit.

When I babysat him last, he pretended to be a ROBOT.  One shirt I got had robots on it.  He laughed when he saw this one.  Two shirts had dinosaurs which he loves, also a shirt with trucks, a plaid long sleeve dress shirt, a thermal top saying BEST BROTHER and I forget what else.  All for under $20.oo.

These days, you're doing well if one new shirt is $20.  THRIFTING is the way to go especially for growing boys.

Recalling the day.

Drive to Topeka.
Labs.
Brunch.
Dollar Tree.
Sonograms.
Starbucks.
God's Storehouse.
Dillons.
Hy-Vee.
Loews.
Menards.
Home Depot.
Arbys.
The drive HOME.
Clothing drop off.
Post Office.
Drive about town.

I was incredibly sore in my legs as I think the week-end furniture shuffling was telling on me. Imagine that.  Being SORE from moving furniture.

Taking into account that Wednesday is the first day of October, I started the day out with a hot Hibiscus tea and blogging.  A load of laundry.  Thinking about walking a mile at the track.  Best to do this, especially on the first day of the month with the weather in the high 60s.  A great way to start the month.

September did not see me walking as much as I should have.  The weather was stormy or too hot plus I was out of the state part of the time.  I will do better this month, I pray.

Getting back on track today as I work on the bedrooms, I will gather up the extra bedding and place it in the pink room.  My goal today with the switching of the bedrooms is to clear off the vanity, dust it, wheel it into the other bedroom and simply stack extra bedding on it until I have made a place for bulky quilts.  Anyways, I hope to move it all from the front bedroom into the other one.  

OCTOBER 1st.  Breakfast this morning is Hibiscus Tea and three scrambled eggs and that's it. Lunch will be a huge salad and supper...not sure yet.  I have left over water melon that needs to be used before it goes south of the border.

Bedroom swap will be worked on. 🪑 

Walking. 🥾

Laundry. 👗

General clean-up. 🧹

Devotions. 🙏

Work on THYROID questions. 🩺

I'd better telephone my mother. 📞

AND AWAY I GO.

Happy AUTUMN to you,

~d 🍂🩰🥾🍂🍂

AUTUMN HAS FALLEN

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AUTUMN HAS FALLEN.

MUMS CATCH MY EYE IN THE FALL.  The beautiful array of colors bedazzles the porches throughout communities, farmhouses and beyond.  I thought this image was gorgeous with the urns and containers holding the colorful blooms.  OH SO PRETTY.  Nature at her best.

I've noticed that I truly am a FAN of the variety of colors that plants and flowers have to offer.  They add such charm and interest that I can't help but want some on my porch.  I am one of those peeps that admires what they do to a HOME's entrance which is the first place that draws attention to the place.

AUTUMN HAS FALLEN FOR SURE.  As we drove to a community to watch a CROSS COUNTRY event, the landscape has changed from middle of the road greens to bright ones blended with oranges, yellows and browns.  We're having a beautiful FALL so far with the calendar AUTUMN in 6 days.  SO that's close enough to say it's AUTUMN.  

OUR AUTUMN has gracefully snuck up on me with SEPTEMBER half over.  HALF OVER!  I have to stay focused on our yard work and house repairs as the time slips right on by.  My Iced Tea breaks in the middle of the afternoon need to include sitting outside on the porch watching the world pass me right on by.  The mornings are cooler and the sounds of AUTUMN with gentle breezes feeds my soul with peace.  I so like this part of AUTUMN.

This week I plan to cut back the Coleus that is in the front porch urns and replace them with deep red Mums.  I'll see about keeping some starters from these plants to winter for next spring.  I have to figure where I will house them though.  This is a challenge in our small COTTAGE.  Perhaps in the SHE SHED on a rack?  

ON THE HOME FRONT:  Waiting for the vacuum cleaner part to come in the mail before I will know if I will be able to reclaim my Kenmore vacuum which is a beast of a cleaner.  The little BLACK AND DECKER I have has been thoroughly cleaned and I will vac the upholstered furniture this week to come and clean the house.  Eager to get this done with AUTUMN CLEANING before the HOLIDAYS come.  

There will hopefully be a deep cleaning to my satisfaction.  I have watched lots of videos about DECLUTTERING and cleaning to see how others do this task.  This is my HOMEWORK I do with coordinating actually cleaning.  HOMEWORK.  I've been at it for some time and yet I am still not to the place I want to be.  I keep on keeping on.

I have plans of BABY SITTING the youngest Grandchild this week over at his HOME while HUBBY will remain at the COTTAGE working on the Bathroom remodel.  When I return HOME, I'll pick up the vacuum and go to town as they say with cleaning the furniture.  Another Cross Country Meet will take place and I hope to watch it.   

Yesterday, we went to one with 132 High School girls on the Varsity Teams running 5k.  Very tough course.  GRAND placed second!  So proud of her.  Watching the students run the course is enjoyable to me.  Usually the runners are finishing up after 20 minutes and then we leave.  They put in the training and practices and we the spectators get the pleasure of cheering them on.   

St. Louis Grandson has started Cross Country as well as a Freshman and he did well in his race as well.  Placed 7th in his race.  He grew up being a dedicated video game player so I am very pleased he has taken an interest in an out door sport where he is actually using his entire body to get some exercise instead of being semi-conscience in front of the computer screen.

MID-September.  I am needing to walk this week.  I'll be doing it like a SPORT, but at a slower pace and hopefully enjoying the scenery as I go.  The temps are where they should be to assist me in encouraging a pleasant walk.  I believe I will course a trail throughout town to where I change up the challenge some of walking a mile a day.  

NO DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENTS THIS WEEK.  PTL.  I hope it stays that way.  

So some planting of mums, transplanting Coleus, AUTUMN cleaning and general tidying.  I really need to continue clearing out the garage with this beautiful weather that we are blessed with and WALKING.  The car will get some more work done on it.  Shocks done and more to do.  New tires are in the future plus a wash.

AUTUMN HAS FALLEN and with that leaves will have to be racked and bagged.  That's pretty good exercise isn't it?

~d

COLORS OF AUTUMN

THIS SMALL BASKET SITS ON A SQUARE PARLOR TABLE on my front porch.  I picked this up at a thrift store not so long ago.  Perfect with its FALL colors.  Wanting to add some splashes of Autumn colors, this basket did the job.

A wreath on the door and a basket on the table are all the decorating I have done for this COTTAGE.

Oranges, greens, yellows, reds, golds and browns address the changing of the seasons.  The AUTUMN WREATH has been a favorite of mine for years.  Year after year, she has been used and I haven't tired of her.  

What little decorating I have done this Fall is on the front porch in the form of a wreath on the door and a basket on the table.  Inside the house is the reality of a move going on.  

Next year perhaps I will bring the faux pumpkins and gourds out, but not this year.

I'm busy getting settled after our exodus from the big house across the river that we are selling.  

SUNDAY MORNING has come to greet us.  I will spend some time in prayer today with basking in the reality of this life that GOD has given me.  Counting my blessings.  What shall I do to be a blessing to my Husband and others today?  What steps shall I take to get settled in at our COTTAGE?

AUTUMN COLORS will be fading away as we get into the CHRISTMAS SPIRIT.  For now, I will linger awhile longer in this season before rushing into the next.
~d

AWESOME AUTUMN

THIS IS ONE OF THE MORE COLORFUL AUTUMNS WE HAVE HAD IN A VERY LONG TIME.  Brilliant oranges, deep greens, sage greens, vibrant reds, burgundies, golds and yellows.  It's beautiful to see the colors mixed together.  The leaves are still hanging nicely on the tree branches so there is a fullness still present.

As I drive from our main house to the COTTAGE and back in the daylight, I am getting a chance to see this beautiful scenery.  I so HOPE it stays for a while as I am not ready for WINTER.  

I worked in the basement this morning boxing dishes as Hubby laid wood floor in our blue room. The previous owners of our 1883 house took what decent wood floor there was in one of the bedrooms leaving underlayment behind.  Not a nice look.  Several years ago, we bought the wood and are just now getting it put into place. Looking good.  

They did the same thing in the Living room and Dining room.  After a few months in the house, we'd have professionals lay wood floors.  Thinking back when we bought the house, we should have offered them way less than what we did with underlayment for floors.  There was a hole in the basement stairwell wall.  Hubby has repaired this.  In the entryway, the initial P was laid in the tile.  We joked and said, we need to make the P disappear.  Our Insurance agent had seen the P on the floor and had asked us what would we do with the P on the floor.  Hopefully clean it up! The P has disappeared.

During the day, I managed to repack the ARABIA FINLAND RUSKA China dishes we have that were stored in cardboard boxes.  The life of the cardboard has gone ka-put.  We bought plastic boxes with lids to replace the cardboard.  I bubble wrapped the China and placed the pieces into storage boxes.

Carrying these storage boxes was difficult as I placed them on the steps that lead out of the basement to the backyard.  We have quite a few large storage boxes for the dish sets that I cannot lift.  Thought it is best to buy smaller boxes and reuse these extra large ones for Christmas Garland and lights.  They are see through which will make them very handy being able to see the contends inside.

In the afternoon, I boxed up canned food, dishes, pot and pans, spices from the Kitchen. Carrying these to the car took some effort as they were heavier than I want to admit.  I loaded 4 potted Coleus plants in the front seat of the car for their trip to their new HOME.  I cleaned some on the interior of our oven.  About 4 in the afternoon, I drove over to unload the goods.

The Coleus plants are on the front porch for now while the weather is still tolerable.  I'll WINTER them in the Utility room or in the storage side of the garage when the weather turns colder. Same with the Geraniums on the porch.  The potted Mums will need planted in the ground soon in hopes they will come forth in the Spring.  There's a cellar door that could have Mum beds on the side.  That would like nice.

I folded a load of t-shirts and put some blue jeans into the wash machine.  This was going as I unloaded the back of the car.  First I carry the boxes to the porch, take a break then carry them into the Living room.  They will sit here until I have more time to distribute them into the Kitchen after we get over to live here.

Driving HOME, I got to thinking about going to MENARDS to buy some smaller storage tubs for other dishes that are in large tubs.  When I got HOME, I told my Husband that I needed to go buy some tubs.  He needed some more supplies for the house so he came with me.  He is working so hard on the projects.

A quick trip to Manhattan and back again.  I took the storage tubs to the basement to repack the China.  Our Thanksgiving dishes were stored in very large tubs too heavy to lift easily.  I rewrapped these this evening in bubble wrapped and placed them in the smaller storage tubs. Needed to take break as I am out of gusto.

If I could work like I have been for a full year, I think some weight would physically come off of me as I have NEVER worked this hard before ever.  Not physically.  It has been a learning time for me.  Tomorrow, I will continue to rewrap Thanksgiving dishes into smaller tubs and take them to the storage unit.

The clothing rack that is in the Kitchen bump out must be hauled over to the COTTAGE tomorrow.  The rest of the Kitchen things plus the dishes in the basement.  The Basement is getting emptied.  That's exciting to me knowing how full it was a few months ago.

With so much chaos in the world, HOME LIFE is for me.  Praying for so many about much.

LIFE GOES ON and so must I.  We hope to have the house on the market next week.  
~d

Whispers of Autumn in the Air 🍂 Easy Hairstyle Ideas 💼 Back-to-School or...

EARLY SIGNS OF AUTUMN

EVEN THOUGH I WAS TOLD FROM MY CANCER DOCTOR THAT I COULD RESUME TO REGULAR ACTIVITY, I am dealing with fatigue.  SO I will pace myself and behave.  I told the doctor that I was coughing and he told me that anesthesia can make the lungs sticky for 3 months or so.  This was something I hadn't heard before.  This tid bit of info is helpful so I will go another 6 weeks and see if I am still coughing.  If so then I'll investigate some more and see what my general practitioner thinks.

AS WE DROVE the beautiful countryside, nature is showing the early signs of AUTUMN as the leaves on the trees are changing colors.  Blink and the season has changed.  I truly am not ready for AUTUMN which I know icy cold weather isn't far behind.  I'm looking forward to temps in the 70s, but not a full blown change of seasons.  There's nothing I can do to stop it.  Might as well accept it and say I'm one day closer to SPRING.  Grins.

The mums have come out at the stores.  I bought two more to plant in the backyard urns.  Purple this time.  Perhaps it's because I'm not ready for pumpkin colored mums representing AUTUMN although I had a Pumpkin Spice Almond MILK Steamer to sip as I drove to Kansas City.  It was tasty to say the least.  

The month of September came and I am stunned.  The days pass so quickly that I am not keeping up.  What is my lesson in all of this?  pause.

Hubby and I hauled two full car loads of boxes to the COTTAGE today.  That was a great feeling. This evening, I believe I will load some boxes in the car for another haul.  If I work on hauling boxes, the Living room will soon be empty.  Way to go, sweetheart.  Talking to myself.  

I am in agony for a loss of words as to what to call the emotions I am having during this time. This is a time that I am without words to describe how I feel about the huge numbers of boxes we have to deal with.  Moving and stacking.  After we get to where we are living in the COTTAGE, we will have to sort through the boxes again.  Boxes.  

I know that I do not want to have so much to tend to in the future, so I have to downsize even more.  Being neat requires organization.  I'm not there at the present.  In my thoughts I can see a very clean and orderly COTTAGE inside and out.  The reality of it will require time and muscle.

Still, there are so many boxes full of old papers that I will have to thin through next WINTER. Little by little I will get to the bottom of the boxes.  Such disarray.  I am not a prisoner to paper. All the order I had came undone after the 2016 house fire.  I had to have a break from the trauma and the paper was not properly filed away.  I have the courage and will power to pitch old cards and letters NOW.  How can something like this hold me prisoner?  Tis nonsense.  I will forge ahead and get settled into the COTTAGE, then sort through the papers.  Be gone.  DONE.  No need to keep it anymore.  

HAUL THOSE BOXES and be done with this part of the MOVE!

Hubby will be grouting the entryway tiles this week-end.  
Then he'll paint the hall walls in between the Living room and Dining room.
We want to decorate the upstairs hallway.
Some touch ups about the property will take place.
My part is painting when I can, packing and hauling boxes and going through the basement things.
Yardwork.
THEN the Carriage House will be emptied.  It is full of things that my Husband will have to deal with.  I cannot.
Clean-up of the entire house will take place.

Dear Lord, HELP US get this all done in a timely fashion.  In Jesus name I pray.  Amen.

~d

I'VE GOT MY EYE ON YOU...

GREY SKIES THIS MORNING with a chance of rain this evening.  Sounding like the WEATHERMAN. The early hours of the day have stayed above freezing this week so some house plants still remain outside.  Not sure where I will house my Coleus when the temps dip lower.  I'd like to winter these since I lost my Geraniums to last week's cold snap.  I repotted these Coleus from indoors and left them outside.

Perhaps I'll take them to the COTTAGE and leave them in the Kitchen or the Utility room.  Better do that before I lose them as well to Mother Nature moving toward WINTER.  This AUTUMN has been a beautiful one with so many brilliant colors.  Looking out the window, the skies have a great deal of pink to them.  

I think it would be magnificent to be able to wake in the early mornings and gaze out across a field to see skies like this without interference of buildings and telephone wires.  It's peaceful in the mornings.  

Yesterday was a busy one as I woke early doing some household chores then going to Manhattan to Menards to get some trim for the COTTAGE SHED.  Hubby is working away and making progress on finishing out the shed.  I didn't make it to the DOLLAR STORE as after we bought the trim and placed it in our car, it was sticking out the window which frequently acts as a pick-up for us so off to the COTTAGE we went.  Traveling across the Prairie, I drove to the COTTAGE and he unloaded the trim into the shed.

He'd work at hanging it up as I worked inside the COTTAGE.  Turning on the TV broke the silence in the room.  I went through a box of costume jewelry that I had not worn in 6 years since the fire.  The jewelry had been stored in the shed after the house fire.  As I went through it this brought back some memories of when I wore these particular necklaces and earrings.  Some I have owned 40 years.  Didn't lose them in the fire.  Instead they need cleaned.

It took longer than I thought it would so I listened to the television as I went through the jewelry. Since we moved the TV from one room to its present location, we get 4 different channels then we did in the bedroom without cable or antennae.  I think I like the channels we got before moving the TV set, but for now I actually have TV.  I don't get to watch THE CLOSER now. Instead ABC comes in as does a sit-com channel, COURT shows and house hunting in the country.

In the evening at the main house, we watched a movie called THE DUKE which is based off a true story.  A Goya Masterpiece of the Duke of Wellington is stolen.  There is one sex scene that should have been left out of the movie and it wouldn't have hurt the story at all.  In fact, it would have enhanced it.   

Sixty-year-old self-educated working class Kempton Bunton appears in Court Number 1 at the Old Bailey, pleading not guilty to charges of stealing Goya's portrait of the Duke of Wellington and its frame from the National Gallery in London. Six months earlier, in spring 1961, he sends a script to the BBC from his native Newcastle upon Tyne. Soon afterwards he is jailed at Durham for thirteen days for watching TV without a licence. Although he can afford one, he refuses to do so as part of his campaign against pensioners having to pay for it, part of his wider strong beliefs about supporting the common man.

Based off a true story, I learned that in England people have to have a license to watch live television programs or record live programs.  I had no idea England did this.  umm.

PLANS TODAY are to return to Manhattan to purchase some organic avocados and berries.  I'll visit the DOLLAR STORE for greeting cards and cleaning products.  I want to get some DAWN Dish Detergent so I can mix the DAWN with some white vinegar for a cleaning agent in the toilet.  It's a HACK that I want to try out.  Hope it works at getting the ring out of my two toilets in this house.  The water here is quite hard and rings have appeared.  Scrubbing hasn't worked.

I scrubbed the tank of our KERIG.  My hand could feel some scales on the inside of the tank.  I managed to get this out of there.  Clean water to make coffee and hot tea!  Who'd have THUNK IT?  Scales in the tank.  Not I, but then I iz a hick. 

 

After watching so many Korean cleaning videos, I have a new respect for these gals that clean the way they do.  Even the American Homemakers that clean, clean, clean seem to have a knack for cleaning the way I have never had the desire to do.  I have enjoyed a clean living environment...true, but I cannot clean the way these gals do for their videos.  Like I have said before, when the camera is running that's one thing.  Behind the scenes is another.  Who actually lives like this?  I suppose there are so many people I couldn't count them all.

Which reminds me, my cars need baths.  I'd like to take them to this one place that does detail cleaning.  I'll check into this.  There is always something to clean around here.  

Hubs is off to work on hanging more trim in the shed.  I'm so proud of him how hard he works.  We are wanting to have the COTTAGE property up and going by SPRING 2023.  I have packing to do today.  I bought 6 more small boxes from MENARDS to help me out.  First thing to box up will be photographs...snapshots that reside in the closet.  Packing up things a little each day then the boxes will rest until they are moved to our RETIREMENT COTTAGE.  

HOLIDAY DECOR items are already boxed in vinyl storage tubs, but need carried from the basement to the Carriage House.  That means stairs to climb one at a time carrying tubs to the carriage house.  I might use that little wagon I have to help with this chore.  

Out of the Main House's basement and Carriage House taking them from this property to the COTTAGE across the river.  When the COTTAGE SHED is completed, they will migrate to the shed over there which means loading them into the car taking them over to the COTTAGE to unload and carry into the shed to stack.  MOVERS deserve every penny they make as it is harder to gyrate all of this when the body is older.  This task will be our aerobic exercise and weight training for days.

THIS SLOW PROCESS AGREES with our old lives as we can handle this speed of morphing into retired folk downsizing and relocating into a tiny COTTAGE to call our HOME.  It'll be a fine day when I get to this place.

Before  I go to all this trouble, I seriously need to look everything over in the tubs AGAIN and possibly downsize my stash.  Donate.

SO......today, I'll go to Manhattan to purchase some things, tweak around in the upstairs JUNK ROOM, AND do a Castor Oil Treatment for 90 minutes across my abdomen to help lower my cholesterol and shrink fibroid tumors.  Go through some photos to pack up.  I'll need to shampoo my hair and curl it.  Tidy on the Dining room.  

I suppose this will be my day as I will probably need a NAP in the afternoon to help me get through the rest of the day.  TIS THURSDAY.  I need to drink an abundance of WATER to flush the sugar out of my system as I ate Krispy Kreme DONUTS and ate Gambino's Spaghetti with meat balls with garlic toast last night.  OVERLOAD ON CARBS AND SUGARS.  

Horrible me.  I ate like there was no tomorrow especially the DONUTS.  They were so good I cannot describe the sweetness with raspberry filling.

This is the worst I have done in two years.  I hit the wall and fell off the wagon.  

Now to climb back on and continue the ride of counting calories and avoiding sweets, breads, potatoes, rice and pasta.  

I have no one to blame but myself.  This was a BIG CHEAT DAY and I wasn't going to do this until after my November blood work.  Why did I overeat?  OUR 6th anniversary of the house fire took place and I was overly emotional.  Looking for some comfort FOOD and boy did I ever find it in the donuts and the bread.  Poor excuse.  Dust myself off and continue onward.  Pass the water bottle and drink away. 

Tis Thursday and I have plenty to do,

~d 

AUTUMN IS ON MY MIND AND SO IS CROSS COUNTRY, SOCCER, DISC GOLF

 

LIKE SOMEONE FLIPPED A SWITCH, Autumn appeared with many varying colors.  As I drove to a Cross Country Meet yesterday, I couldn't help but notice the changing colors not only in the trees, but also the vast landscape.  TWAS very noticeable the colors showing up in the foliage.  Awe struck and beautiful to see with the weather being mild.  I had a very pleasant drive across the Kansas landscape. 

About a mile ahead of me as I drove, I saw a couple of deer running across the highway leaping onto the other side of the countryside.  Where there is one, there's always more.  Slowing down the driving speed looking out for BAMBI, I tooled along whispering a prayer for safety.  

A beautiful day for a Kansas race.  Lil Miss ran the 5K and placed first.  She's a runner for sure.  I usually walk a ways away from the start line so I can better see where she is in the group.  They run 3.2 miles so as they run, I walk from certain standing points and cheer.  At one time I yelled so loud it hurt my side.  I walk about and head toward the finish line.  Again aways out, I stand waiting for her so I can scream words of encouragement.  Away she runs with ambition to cross the line in record time.  She's determined to run.

It is enjoyable to see the kids run the course.  Such enthusiasm and perseverance they exhibit.  No matter where they are in the race, they run the course until they finish it.  It's a tough sport requiring endurance and energy.  Not only is it an individual sport, but it's also a team sport as they tally up points with their wins.    

Walking across the fields as the kids run allows me to get my week-end walk in.  That's a bonus.  After this season of Cross Country, I'll be on the look-out for slip on loafers.  My poor 'ole walking shoes are aging fast.  I love slip-ons the best.  Afterwards my feet and back hurt required a couple of pain patches from DOLLAR TREE.  I never know 'bout which part of my back is going to throw a fit and hurt.  It was across the shoulder blades this time and my right foot screamed for attention.  

VERY PROUD of my Lil Miss.  Watching the grandkids be active in life adds to the JOY of LIFE.  Very proud of all my grandchildren and hope to go watch in person my Oklahoma Grandsons play Soccer before their season runs out.  Before the snow blows, I hope to make it to St. Louis as well to spend some time with another Grandson.    

Following the big event, Hubby and I drove to Manhattan then decided to go eat LUNCH at the Mexican Restaurant where I could get a oversized amount of vegetables in their Vegetarian Fajita.  Asking for a box to take HOME, I'll eat the rest of the veggies tomorrow.  They taste even better after a day as the flavors improve if that's possible.

ONTO THE COTTAGE TO WORK.  Hubby had a pleasant day to continue clearing out the shed making room for hanging paneling which I kind of get giddy thinking about the shed being finished so we can get decorations in there to get them out of the COTTAGE as a holding tank.  Later when the cellar is completely cleaned, the decor may go down there so the storage side of the shed becomes an exercise room.  We keep morphing along.  We don't want to crowd the cellar just yet as Hubby needs to be able to freely move about as he works at leveling the COTTAGE which when this begins will take approximately a month as each day is needed to jack it up until level.  When he is completed with this then the cellar can have shelves put in it to hold food, paper products and decor.  

THE CHURCH PEW was oiled.  The wood was so dry it quickly drank up the oil.  Another round of furniture oil will be applied today then I'll move on to oil the corner cabinet bracing myself to where it doesn't fall over on me again.  Surprise...you've been knighted Queen of this mess.  Laundry will be folded.  Wasp nest knocked down off the ceiling of the porch.  Some shuffling done.  Resting in here somewhere and of course another tub of old papers to go through.

Can you believe it...another tub of paper.  I just about fell over when I opened this tub and staring back at me was all this paper.  How on earth did this happen?  I made headway last night.  Kept telling myself I'm making headway.  This task is like trying to herd a bunch of cats.  When I think I'm about done, one wonders off getting off course.  A twist happens and there is more to do.  SO I have to take a deep breath to carry on.  Not fun, but necessary.  With time perhaps I can just go through the motions and forget about being emotionally involved with each piece of paper.  Old snap-shots, love letters, handwritten notes, newspaper clippings, cards, awards, etc. has pulled at the heart strings a tad.  Carry on.  I can't slow down time as it passes right on by.  Am I using my time wisely? 

TODAY IS THE DAY THAT THE LORD HAS MADE.  I WILL REJOICE AND BE GLAD IN IT!  Moving right along.  I hope to one day very soon look back at this time and be thankful I stuck with it and made it through this laborious endeavor.  It will be done.  

D O N E done.  I pray that I never have to be in charge of this kind of job again because hopefully there will never be this kind of a job that needs done.  Grins and best wishes as I plug away.

~d

AUTUMN IN OUR PRAIRIE HOME

WHEN I LOOKED OUT THE WINDOW ONTO THE LAWN, I counted a number of leaves that had fallen to the ground.  It's a sign that more will follow.  In the cool of the morning I am typing my post, the fresh air is wafting inside.  I love this crisp air.  With the sound of chirping birds singing while sitting in the branches of the mature Locus tree in the side yard, my soul is nourished by God's creations.  It truly brings refreshment to my weary body. Guessing the tree is 70 or 80 years old.  Beside this tree  a small off shoot sprouted in the yard over the SUMMER.  We may try to transplant it to the COTTAGE this FALL.

Squirrels and birds often frequent this tree.  Baby squirrels have found their way to the tree carrying acorns in their mouths.  They seem to like playing hide and seek with people as they move in a lightening fast speed hiding behind the tree startled by humans.  Incredibly fast they streak across the width of the tree darting upwards disappearing.   It's not uncommon to see them dart across the yard venturing to another tree destined to get away from the onlooker.

A tune comes to mind about AUTUMN..."you can call it Fall if that's what you please, but I say I like AUTUMN.  Apples you know we've got 'em."  

Came from a Barney video that I watched with LIL MISS when I was babysitting her as a youngster.  She's 15 now so that means this tune has been in my head over a decade.  Ever so often it comes to mind.  My husband and I are at an age that when we hear a word we break out into song and dance with a song.  You know we're showing our age when this happens.    

On this beautiful morning, the sun has begun shinning which brightens the atmosphere.  Fresh air coming inside brings with it a smell so sweet and fragrant.  Looks to be a gorgeous AUTUMN day today.  Cooler temps with blue skies.  No rain in the forecast.  Today, I hope to simply polish up some COTTAGE furniture that needs some tender loving care.  Add some potting soil to the newly repotted geraniums.  Dishes were put away already.  No laundry today.  Paperwork...yes. Sweep the COTTAGE's front porch off.  This time next year, I hope the porch will have been rebuilt.  As I gather pictures of other porches to get ideas for our sweet COTTAGE, my imagination takes flight.  It's entertaining to allow the imagination to create ideas for the house remodel.  Smiling.         

TIME SEEMS TO PASS BY SO QUICKLY THESE DAYS AS I AM A OLDER WOMAN.  Made my way to the basement last night to dig out some AUTUMN decorating items.  Going up an down the stairs gets more challenging as I age.  I can still do this, but I really hang on tight to the railing as I don't want to fall or slip. 

POWDER ROOM MIRROR

Knowing where the boxes of AUTUMN decorations were made it easier to quickly find items so I could take out a few pumpkins and AUTUMN garland to spruce up our HOME. Adding some FALL DECOR items to our HOME adds some warmth helping to make a HOME a HOME.  Seems like it's appropriate to decorate some.  

The fire place mantle and Victorian desk were already decked out.  Front doors have wreaths hanging on them.  I added some garland around the POWDER ROOM's mirror.  Faux pumpkins in the ENTRYWAY brightened up the small space.  Mums on the front porch.  That's probably all the decorating I will do this season before Christmas comes to sparkle.    

I will miss this house, but will continue to decorate at the COTTAGE when we finally get there. Spirits high and determination intact, I carry on.  Creating a HOME is blessing.  The downsizing continues and the decluttering is a must.  It all has to take place.  It's just so slow and I guess I had better be alright with it as I can only move slowly these days.

With AUTUMN thoughts,
~d

AUTUMN IS SHOWING UP IN OUR HOME

I STARTED DECORATING FOR AUTUMN IN LATE AUGUST with wreaths on the front doors then the baskets went up on the fireplace mantel.  Some pumpkins will begin to show up during this month if I'm lucky.  

THE AUTUMN METAL BASKETS were a find from a THRIFT STORE umpteen years ago and I still use them.  

Beautiful blue skies and fluffy clouds grace the heavens.  

SO pleasant on a Summer day turning into AUTUMN.

SIMPLE AUTUMN DOOR WREATHS

Think I'll put some pumpkins in the flower urns meaning I will need to repot the geraniums to winter indoors.  Splashes of oranges, greens and browns will highlight the house at the front door.

It's a beautiful Sunday and I wish you well.

Blessings to you,

d on the Kansas prairie

AUTUMN TREES IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD

BEFORE THE COLORFUL LEAVES IN AUTUMN HAVE ALL DISAPPEARED, we went for a drive to unwind from the horrific week we had experienced.  We were out and about admiring the colors in the leaves without the camera.  Back we went to get the camera before it was totally dark outside.

Quickly we snapped some pics and thought what a beautiful day it was.

A little wet outside didn't matter.

I wish I could just sit out on the patio with a HOT CHOCOLATE admiring God's NATURE without a care in the world like a little child that has contentment playing with their toys all alone abandoned to the art of recreational imagination.

I miss those care free days.

Perhaps after this week I will just take up the ART of painting 

pretty memories in my head.

What a wonderful skill this will be to develop.

Midway through AUTUMN.

Say it's not so.

So.

~d