Times change

The good news that Nicole and Pat are settled in their freshly painted house and she is at the end of her work week so we can celebrate Thanksgiving tomorrow. The bad news, I think the last 10 days just about did her in. Thankfully Pat's family came and helped with part of the move, I helped last Sunday and did my best to keep the two of them fed until their kitchen was set up.

I now remember why I haven't moved in 25 years! Not only do you have the mountain of boxes to pack and unpack, but all that hauling is hard on the body. Helping Nicole move has renewed my motivation to start sorting, selling and throwing some of our excess now. As I go through my day, I ask, "If I had to move this would I still have it?" It is surprising how often the answer is "NO".

It has been a relaxing weekend, after a busy month. Nicole was put on-call Thursday and wound up not having to work so the four of us watched football and movies, ate a delicious New York loin roast and enjoyed a fire in the fireplace. Friday I puttered around the house and today made a run to the mall to replace my 4 year old purse. When the leather has totally cracked off the handles, it starts looking pretty tacky.

Didn't hit the Black Friday sales this year as our family has agreed to keep Christmas very small. No one has a lot of extra cash and there isn't much we really need. The best gift of all is that we'll be together for at least a few days over Christmas. Getting to hug my grandson is way better than anything that comes from a store :-)

Time for bed so I can get up and start cooking in the morning. Hope you have a peaceful, relaxing Sunday.

Pippin and I are Watching TV

Back home, sitting on the couch being smothered in kitty love. Pippin was sooooo happy to see his mommy he has hardly left my side. Merry is still deciding whether I have done my penance and Icey is happy if her food dish is full.

We got back about 10 PM Sunday night after 9 hours of air/car time. I think my butt is till numb! I don't know how people do those long Trans Atlantic flights. I probably wouldn't be able to rise out of my chair.

Had a good visit with my in-laws but spent a good bit of time doing geriatric care management with them. My dad started receiving home health care and physical therapy this week to try to slow his decline. Old age truly is not for wimps.

Got part of one sock done (Pattern: Nemesis, Yarn - Sanguine Gryphon Little Traveler) I'll try to get pictures this weekend.

And now for something completely different - Florida!

I'm off on a jaunt again. This time we are headed to Florida to visit my in-laws for a few days. Neither of them are getting any younger or in any better health. My father-in-law had surgery yesterday for probable bladder cancer. We are keeping our fingers crossed for good news.

On the bright side, we are having lobster for dinner Friday night and my sis-in-law is going to mix yummy drinks. Perhaps I won't knit that night. I might just stab myself.

Nicole picks up keys to her new rental house in Monday and then the move in begins. Between work, school, moving and a friend's wedding, I think she's doing about 1500 miles next week alone. I anticipate a major energy crash about the 21st. If you hear a big thump it was her falling asleep while carrying a box.

Keep a good thought for the poor lonely cats who will only get wet food once a day. They are so spoiled!

Freezing my ass off

Iowa has turned from fall to winter while I'm visiting and I was not prepared. The chill winds that blew through the Midwest took most of the remaining leaves and dropped the overnight temps in to the 20's. I came prepared for the usual fall jacket weather and the heat of my dads apartment. This has made running errands a process of run and shiver. I now clearly remember why I live in Arizona!

One more day with Dad and then on to visit my son and Rowan. This trip he was unable to get out to the apartment to go to dinner or go to Walgreen's. The doctor is running some tests to see if the increased weakness is anything treatable. If not, it is just one more step in the aging process and we'll have to create a new plan for how to adapt.

Rowan's mommy is off in Portland doing a 1 month medical school rotation in Pediatrics ICU. She is lonely and missing her boy! We keep assuring her that time will go by quickly and she'll be home in 24 more days. Guitar Guy changed jobs when my son was about Rowan's age and I remember the time apart is being difficult for all of us.

Nicole is plugging away on packing and trying to get everything done for a mid-November move. Hopefully all will go smoothly and they'll be settled in by Thanksgiving. Being one of the newest nurses she has volunteered to work the holidays so people with young children can take the time off. I think that means Thanksgiving comes on Sunday at our house this year :-)

Have to go finish Rowan's newest socks before I get on the bus tomorrow. Got to keep his little feets warm this winter!

It is official

Yep, it is official, Nicole and Pat are moving here. They found a nice house that would accept all of the animals and will be here full time in about a month. She's working lots of overtime to get the move money so don't see a whole lot of her.

Not much new in my world - a little work, a little knitting, a little Buffy (on Season 6). Now I'm off to bed. Have a good week all.

Christmas Really?

I saw them yesterday. Christmas trees. In Kmart. Knitting panic set in as I realized that there are only 90 knitting days until Christmas. I meant to start early -honest I did. Behind again...sigh.

Busy, busy week between our business, my volunteer responsibilities and doing householdy things like cooking. Can you believe I'm actually using recipes and cooking after years of thawing and take out? I've discovered that if Nicole doesn't have dinner waiting when she walks in the door after a 12 hour shift she doesn't eat well. Guitar Guy is loving it - he gets real food (even though he has to wait until 8 PM or after to eat) I'm actually discovering I do like cooking, I just don't like the clean up :)

This may all change again soon as Nicole and her guy are considering a move to our community. It is a toss up whether she misses him or her cats more when they are separated, but being away from them seriously sucks. They did some looking at rental houses today that would accomodate them, the two cats and a 180 lb. English Mastiff. Keeping fingers crossed that a potential landlord will be impressed by the fact that the gigantic dog soon will complete her Canine Good Citizen and is not destructive. Now if she would just quit lavishing drool on the cats..

So a couple of weeks ago I took everything out of my bedroom except the basic furniture and cleaned the carpets. Since that time I have been enjoying the open space and relief from the odor of eau de cat vomit. Unfortunately, the enormous pull of stuff too valuable to throw away is still sitting in the middle of my living room floor. Who knew I had 20 years of photos I never put in albums and that they were all in my closet? This weekend I have to start sorting and finding homes for all of my memorabilia, Christmas books, decorative bric-a-brac I don't even remember buying and so much more. Can you say major garage sale?

I think I need a nice Friday afternoon nap to prepare. What do you have planned for the weekend?

Cat lovers unite!

Two weeks ago I posted this picture of Merry as my avatar in Facebook and on my page in FB's Fairyland game. Since that time, many total strangers have come out of the woodwork to share their cat pictures and stories.

I have talked with people in England, Australia, Indonesia and across the US about our spoiled felines . We all agree that we are excellent staff for the fur people who run our homes :-)

Merry has a very swelled head after receiving many compliments on his beauty. I have not shared with his adoring public that he finds the bathroom floor and tub equally as attractive for deposits as his cat pan!

Things are slowly moving in to a routine after the traumatic events of a few weeks ago. Nicole is making herself crazed trying to keep up with a full time college schedule online while working full time and commuting 3.5 hours from Phoenix. She'll soon be through orientation at the hospital and will have more control over scheduling her work around school requirements.

The summer heat is beginning to ease here in Arizona (at least in the evenings and mornings). That means that the activity level of the community has now kicked in to high gear. I've had events to attend every night this week which keeps life interesting. I'm always amazed when people say there is nothing to do in our community. We obviously aren't living in the same place!

Nothing new on the knitting front other than another pair of socks for Rowan. I'm being a knitting slacker these days. Hopefully the cooler weather will inspire me to get moving. Hope all is well in your worlds and you are looking forward to a wonderful weekend.