Late afternoon light on the cottage.

The lights are up on the porch railings. It looks so pretty and sparkly out there!

We’re watching old movies every night and, boy, that’s a comfort! We love doing that anyway, but right now, it’s a necessity. Don is writing some new songs and playing his guitar. I’m doing some chores outside, thought it’s awfully cold out there right now, so I do a little bit each day. But it’s pretty bleak looking with frigid temperatures and gray skies. Sigh.

I assume we’ll go looking for our tree at the end of this week or the beginning of next week. We don’t go on the weekends because all the weekenders tend to mob our local nursery.

Can you tell I don’t have a lot to share at the moment? It feels like we’re deep into winter and yet it hasn’t even officially started yet! This does not bode well, does it?

Another day, another crown:

Yesterday was Ella’s day to be Queen.

I’m back to reading John Sandford and I’m not even trying to read his books in order because there are so many of them! There are several of his books on the shelf in my library, so I’ve started with them. Then, once I read them, I’ll start reserving his books through the library system. Louise Penny sits to my right, waiting to be read, but I think that will be on tap in January or February, right when I need the escape.

Stay safe.

Happy Wednesday.

Happy Thanksgiving!

I’m starting a gratitude list and I’m going to add to it throughout the day today and tomorrow. The first item? Social Security. It has been an extra long time between checks and we have been getting by on a wing and a prayer. But relief arrives today.

Item number 2: a glorious sunrise this morning. I could see it from my chair in the den as the sky over the back forty turned a beautiful and fiery orange. Magnificent.

Item number 3: Yesterday, we were at a local grocery store grabbing a few items and as we checked out, the cashier informed us that we qualified for one of their free Thanksgiving items. You know, a turkey, or some other Thanksgiving treat, one of which was a free “turkey” roast from Gardein. We love this roast and it’s what we have on Thanksgiving and Christmas. We already had one on hand for Thanksgiving, but now we have one for Christmas as well! A very nice surprise.

I’ll keep adding to the list as the day goes on.

It will be a quiet day and a thankful one.

I wish you all a wonderful Thanksgiving (if you celebrate.)

Stay safe.

Happy Wednesday.

The rain stopped overnight. We got a really good soaking, which was desperately needed. We even got some snow flurries yesterday. They didn’t last long, but it was a hint of things to come.

We plan on walking this morning, something that we’ve not been consistent with lately. I’ll drop off the book I just finished, Lone Wolf  by Gregg Hurwitz. I just finished a luxury read, straight through from 6 am to 8:30 am. This book is his latest and now I’ll have to wait, just like everyone else who has already discovered him, for his new book to come out next year. (I just checked: February 11th, 2025.) This may have been my favorite because it centers on AI – artificial intelligence – and its danger. Since this is a subject I think of quite often, it was timely. And chilling.

I’ll check out some John Sandford books when I stop at the library because he’s an author our tiny little library has on the shelf. And I’m still not ready to read Gray Wolf. It’s not time yet.

What else? Clean the bathroom. Wash the towels. Hang out with Don. Stay away from the news for my emotional well being.

Sometimes we’re sort of forced – or nudged – into doing something. With Jessie, when she was still a blank head with lovely little features, I sought out one of my favorite customizers to ask what she charged. She lives in Belgium. She is very kind and extremely talented. She customizes a lot of Little Keiko dolls and the results are beautiful. She was willing to adjust her price, given I already had the head and also had an OB22 body on hand. But she is a true artist, so she likes to supply the perfect wig and outfit, as well. Completely understandable. After dithering over the decision for a long time, I declined, because I didn’t really want to spend that much money. She understood and was lovely about the whole thing.

Then my friend recommended another customizer who had done one of her Little Keikos. I’ve spoken about her before. She finally responded to my friend’s request and contacted me saying she would be able to book me toward the end of November. I wrote her back asking about the price. No answer. Wrote again. No answer. The whole time this was going on – since September – I flirted with trying to do it myself. But I didn’t have much confidence. In the meantime, another friend gave me a list of the things I would need to buy to in order to do a face up. Very inexpensive, all of it, so I ordered what I needed and a stack of supplies sat on my desk for a month, Still no answer from the customizer, who I knew was having some personal problems.

I had already been watching lots of videos about the face up process. I had done a lot of research. And I won the head in a giveaway, so I hadn’t invested the kind of money that might make me fearful about screwing it up. I wrote the customizer and told her I was going to go for it and she was apologetic yet greatly relieved. She’s going through an awful divorce. It worked out for the best for both of us.

Sometimes, you need a nudge and the universe gives you one. You just have to pick up on those messages.

And now I’ve got little Jessie.

Stay safe.

Happy Saturday.