Cat vs. Tree

Well, the Christmas tree is up and I think I did better than usual this year. Went with a theme of all white lights, around doors, mantle, tree etc. I tried to use only clear or pale ornaments too. This year the tree is on the carpet so I felt safer to use the glass ones than in years past. Everything had been fine till we aquired the "cats". Now Sam was older when we got him and more settled, still he climbed the first real tree we had in years. Nowadays that's all beneath him. Then Tilly came in as a kitten. I can't remember her ever climbing the tree, though she might have at night. However, Luci? Whole nother story. Every year from the box coming out to it getting put away she is after the tree. Climbs in the box as we assemble the tree, in the lights, and ornaments...

Hmmm thought I could access the old Christmas pics but I can't. Oh well, take my word for it, she's in everything decorating based. This year has been no exception. She started getting in the tree as soon as the base layer of branches was in. Green tree has white fur all over it. However, I've been doing better with it and she's been staying out more. Garland is still in the same place as I put it. Yay! This morning there were a couple ornaments down but not too bad. Wonder who will win this year, cat or tree?

 

 

 

Merry Christmas to all!

Dear friends, I stink at this! I never feel like I have anything interesting to say, and if I say anything it's on facebook. Seems like more people like FB than blogs anymore. I can't blame them. It's easier to keep up a conversation with all your friends than rattle on a blog and carry on a one way conversation. Of course if you're a journaler then this is a great format. In any case I seem to be using it to review books I've read, the latest being All Things New by Lynn Austin. It was a freebie from Bethany house publishers to review online so here goes:

This is a stand alone story (as far as I know it's going to be) about the end of the civil war and how it affected a family and their slaves in the south. The characters were very real and I appreciated that although there was a love interest, it wasn't a sappy love story. It stayed interesting till 3/4 of the way through when it became intense. Maybe it was because I had invested in the characters but it was so good I stayed up till 12:15am to finish it last night.

What I found very interesting was something I hadn't thought of. Though the slaves were set free, the weren't really free from their masters and families. Legally yes, but realistically their day to say routines were so entwined that there was no difference. The real change took years I'm sure to seperate themselves from the plantations families. I had never thought of that.

So, I gave the book a 5 star rating, another thumbs up to Lynn Austin, whom I love all her work.

Have a great week blog, till I have another book to review. :)

How long has it been?

Wow, has it really been almost 2 yrs? I like the idea of blogging and love reading them but I guess I don't feel I have much to say about my life. Even on facebook I don't post much. Who cares if I'm drinking coffe at starbucks? (I'm not by the way- don't drink coffee and wouldn't pay for that if I did).

So, now what's interesting? Well, the real reason I'm back here (and might keep it up this time) is that the lovely people at Bethany House have given me a few books to read/ review. I'm to review on Amazon but also to my blog. So, to the 2 people out there who might read this... here goes.

The first book was called Over the Edge by Mary Connelly and was book 3 in a series of westerns. Normally I don't like reading the middle of a series first but hey, it was free. I'm a stickler for reading books in order. So, I started it and it seemed a bit hokey to me, a bit too Annie Oakley but I kept at it. Somehow by chapter 4 I still wasn't feeling it and felt it deserved a better chance than me. After all I'm not a historical romance kinda gal (what was I thinking anyway) more humor and memoirs. So I passed it for review to wonderful lady in my church who is an avid reader and likes that sort of thing.

She too felt it was a bit slow in the beginning but it all made sense to her (and me) that it was book #3 so they were trying to fill in the background in case you read it as a stand alone. Once she got past the background detail she felt it was exciting and a good read. She thought she would like to read them in order and could get a better feel for it. I will try to get the others in the series and include them all in our church library.

The other book was called "Unstuck" by Arnie Cole and Michael Ross. I admit to having that one a long time before this review. It is an excellent book for those of us (including me) who had a dry time in our spirituality. After all if you're further from God, Who moved? That'd be me. It has real life stories of dry times and what people tried to get "unstuck". Gives good thoughts and tips for reviving your walk with God and even has a website connected to it which gives among other things a quiz to help you find your difficult areas. Then you can get daily emails sent to you with help in those particular areas of struggle. Also little short bible studies that you can expand on if you wish. Altogether a nice book which I will also include in our church library.

Aside from all this reading I've been doing, I've kinda given up the spinning, slowed down the knitting and the past few days focused on getting the smell of a dead mouse outta my closet wall. Happy days are here again! Hope to be back soon!

Happy Turkey day!

Happy Thanksgiving wherever you are. No matter what country we should spend time being thankful for whatever we have. It can always be worse and there are always many people in this world who are worse off than you. I am so grateful for a loving Saviour, a loving family (even the 14 yr old who refuses to say that), a warm home, my pets, my job and my husbands job, and my church family. Even though any of these things can be taken away at a moments notice, (except for God), I still choose to be thankful for what I have now, even in the less than perfect times.

Today we had snow. I am not a fan, but am thankful for the photo op., and the fact we have a fireplace to keep us warm. Now it's raining and may come in the front door as usual, but hey, we HAVE a front door! Here's some pics...

This is our backyard pond and bird feeder. Doesn't snow look so pretty at the beginning? When it's white and fluffy and clean? This is also where Mr Squirrel comes and actually opens the snap lid plastic tub that we store the food in. Mr Chipmunk climbs the pole and gets inside the feeder (sometimes getting stuck) and makes a mess. I don't think the birds appreciate it.

On the knitting front, the hat and headband are done, one sleeve from the forever sweater is done, and the little felted tote bag is knitted. Maybe tomorrow I'll felt it. I am also working on a felted purse for a friends birthday. I'd "like" to finish up all my projects by the new year but.... this is what I end up doing. They have the right idea.

Tilly is the black and white on the left, sam is the orange tiger in the middle and our newest little gal is Luci, the white and grey on the right. Sam and Luci are great friends. Tilly holds much suspicion for this new intruder but is getting better. At least she'll be in the same room now.

May everyone have a wonderful thanksgiving!

It shouldn't be this hard

It's just a hat, it's just a headband... It shouldn't be this hard. It shouldn't take 15 starts to get going on either of these items yet it did. Hat too big, hat too small come on people! Finally get the gauge right, hat done and then the same darn thing happens with the headband. Changed the needles 5 times to find out the headband is just plain too wide, so I drop some stitches to accomadate and then it's too narrow, change needle size up, and then add some stitches back. Argh! But now it's setttled in and coming along so I am reasonably happy. Also happy that I'm on the sleeves of my sweater. I only started it in the spring. :<>

And Luci? Well no one told us she was addicted to the computer. I caught Luci doing some online shopping.. where's my wallet? I wanted to add an image here but now it won't do that. Blogs are so much better with pictures. Yay! I fixed it. Was a small oversight on my part, operator error. Sorry blogger that I besmirched your character.

Sam and Luci relax in front of the fire. Who can resist a crackling fire on a rainy day? Certinaly not us. My cats reflect my love of all things warm. Sam had been in the bed till it got too hot, but he still wants to be in the bed. Luci is still low man on the totem pole so she won't dare enter.

Well, enough of this fun. It's time to go paint more trim. This house will never be done.

There's a new sheriff in town

I know she looks tough, but in the shelter of 60 cats she was the low cat on the totem pole. Her name is Luci with an "I" and she would sign with a heart as the dot on the I if she could. She loves Sam, wants to be friends with the bunny (who wants no part of this touchy feely creature) and would like to be friends with Tilly (no dice).

"The Old Sheriff"

So, that was the big thing for the weekend. The other big thing I found out on Friday is I have a torn disk in my back. Yes! How exciting! 3 visits with the chiropractor in a week! Seriously, I have no idea how it happened, just one night it was there. Pain all the way down to my foot from my "behind" and sometimes a numbness. He's helped it some, but it needs to be iced alot. So of course now I want to do all the things around the yard which require lifting. Must Learn Patience.

A few random thoughts on blessings.

1. We have more than we realize. Even though there is pain and sickness we have Insurance.

2. Jerry has a good job so we can pay the insurance co pay.

3. Though we complain about the cost, we can pay the utilities.

4. There are 3 warm furry bodies in our bed at night to cuddle with.

5. I am no longer considered allergic to animals.

6. Our children and grandchildren are happy and healthy.

7. A fantastic church family to worship and play with.

8. Super great friends both near and far.

9. Salvation! Should be #1 Praise God for loving me with all my failures and insecurities.

The list could go on and on but it's time to ice my back again. Just want to introduce our newest little lady. Peace!

what IS going on??

Well, I usually like the idea of something interesting for you all (all 3 of you) to read but really, isn't there an easier way without making me nervous?

First the good part of my day, my friend Nancy Elizabeth came to visit with her two adorable baby girls. All the way from Colorado! Here are the two babies, who we lovingly call our fake grandchildren. This is Charlotte on left. She only stopped smiling when she took time to scream because something was not to her liking.

Then we have Maddy who was very talkative

about our fish. And ate lots of pasta. And talked

some more. According to her we have "balloon fish" and "those are quite some bubbles" (little glass balls in the bottom to look like bubbles). I swear this child talks like an adult. It's quite amazing. we really have to figure some way to go visit Boulder this summer. Aren't they beautiful?

So then they left and Hannah came home from school and a state police car arrived. Nothing weird, sometimes they sit next to our house and slow the speeders down. However, after about an hour Hannah and I hear a helicopter hovering. I finally got up to look and it seems to be landing behind our house just out of sight. Even the cop got out of his car and ran toward where it landed. All Very Interesting in the light of day. Now it's Dark, and he is still here and the helicopter keeps coming back and hovering from time to time. Now it is Not Interesting anymore but a bit Unnerving. This was my view from my living room window.

Almost time to go get Hannah from drama club at school. I will lock my doors. What a time for Jerry to be gone overnight...

Here's my watch cat however, but what is she watching for?