Sending Warm Wishes

Wishing everyone, especially family and friends, a Happy Thanksgiving!

Enjoy the company of good friends and family!

Hug and kiss your loved ones too!

#blessed

They Sure Do!

#blessed

I'll Huff And I'll Puff...

A chilly Saturday is perfect for getting outside and doing some yard work, even if it's not at my place.

Gutters cleaned ✅

Front yard raked ✅

Driveway raked ✅

Back yard raked, some not all 🗹*

Well, not all leaves were raked and carted off, many were blown...

Before -

After -

Before -

After -

Still a lot more too do but I'll tackle that come spring time, as I have chores at my place that I need to take care of also.  There's always something that needs tending too.

Almost Like New

It was time, long overdue really.  I had enough and was tired of the old, yellow look of my dining room floor, so WAHLAH! 

Before -

After -

Before - 

After -

I really like the lighter look, it brightens the room up too!

In total it took a little less than a day to complete.

I couldn't be happier with the results.

#blessed

Tears Of Joy

The following quotes have been popping up in my Instagram and Facebook accounts over the last week.

See a trend here folks?!

I sure do!

No coincidence.  No reading into the messages.

I can confirm it's starting to happen AND they are most definitely tears of joy 💗!

Without A Doubt!

It was actually last night, Friday, but definitely the happiest I've felt in a very long time!

I wish it could have lasted longer.  Already looking forward to the next time.

#blessed

***UPDATE #1***

The 'next time' was last night, Sunday, and what a wonderful way to end the weekend!  Again, not long enough but thankful none the less, and what a nice surprise!

#BLESSED

***UPDATE #2***

The next next time was Monday night and just like Sunday night, it too was amazing!  What a way to start the week 😘. Counting the days...

#BLESSED

***UPDATE #3***

The next next next time was Wednesday night - incredible! Mid-week has never felt SO nice 😍!

#BLESSED

***UPDATE #4***

The next next next next time was yesterday and into last night - I'm speechless! On cloud 9 🥰

#BLESSED-BLESSED

Your Greatest Pains

Stupid Is As Stupid Does...

On my walk this afternoon (11/4) I noticed a car off in the distance pulled over against the sideway just sitting there with it's directional on and in the way of other passing cars. It was in an odd spot where it was parked I thought but whatever, people are weird.  The car had pulled away by the time I got to that spot and didn't notice anything unusual.  However, about a half mile down the road the car was pulled over again, this time on the opposite side of the street and facing the wrong direction but at least this time it was off the road.

As I was approaching, I noticed an older man, a senior, walking along the road but in the brush between the road and the woods.  Weird I thought but again, people are weird!  I realized as I walked past he was actually looking for bottles and cans; returnables.  He even had a special stick he was using to pull cans out of the underbrush, that had a screw or nail on the end of it, to insert into the can or bottle to make for easier pickup - wicked smaht!

Great I thought, at least he's picking up trash. I'm getting tired of doing it myself when I walk but when I do it, it all goes straight into the trash can, I'm not sorting trash looking for recyclables or looking to save cans.

What really struck me as ironic here was this old dude walking along the roadway to collect cans and bottles at .05 cents each, and he had a plastic bag full maybe 10-12 cans, and as I passed his car with Rhode Island plates mind you, it was running!  

At $3.80 or so for gas, wondering if it's really worth it for him.  Perhaps, it is otherwise he wouldn't be doing it, so good for him.

But as Jeff Foxworthy would say, "Here's Your Sign"!!!

Actual photo evidence...

Chainsaw Play Time!

Filled up my neighbors trailer again this past Saturday.  This time with branched and limbs. I cut down a couple older shrubs, a cedar tree and pruned a bunch of limbs from the trees in the front and side yard. Had been planning this work all summer and eyeing what needed attention and happy to finally have it completed.  Not sure if anyone could tell but I certainly can.  Hoping it will make a difference in the spring when the leaves comes out.

MANY thanks to my neighbor who loaned me his trailer to fill AND who then took it to the town recycle center on Sunday and disposed of it all and all by himself.

As you can see it was quite a heaping load, heavy too.  One more day of raking and all my outside chores will be done for the season.

What's Changed?

Can you spot the difference between the two pictures below?

This picture is from November 2021-

This picture is from November 2022 -

My neighbor finally took care of his leaning Beach tree this past Saturday.

Other than being unsightly, it was fine.  Believe it or not the tree was still very much alive.  It was just caught up in the larger Boxelder tree.  I was hoping it would take a few of the Boxelder limbs off when they were bringing it down but unfortunately only one of the lower limbs snapped.

Looks much better, to me anyway, and I suppose safer and won't now drop on me when mowing.

 

She Cleans Up Nicely and Smells SO Much Better

It was so warm and beautiful here yesterday that I had to wake Trixie from her nap -

And gave her a bath!  She was a bit stinky and a tubby was long overdue, so I took advantage of the 70 degree day and in she went.  She was ill effected since it was so warm and didn't take too long to dry - 

We sat in the front yard, Trixie enjoying the leaves and me a frosty cold brewski!

I Say NO Way!

I'm not a gambling man but I would put money, that the odds are pretty high, that my neighbors pool doesn't survive the upcoming winter, NO way!

As you can see it's already leaning and rickety. I'm not knocking the pool, it seemed to serve them well this summer and the kids enjoyed for sure, but it's an out-of-the-box pool with flimsy PVC tubing.  Certainly not designed to last for many season, especially a New England winter to boot.  

So, I say slim chances this is still standing after our first big, heavy snow storm, nope!

And you?!?!

YOU Lost It All!

Fluffy Butt

This young lady thought I wouldn't notice her, pfft!

Oh I saw her alright, and her friend too, but kept on walking.  I was at the school and about to turn around, so I readied my camera.

I stopped, as you can see in first pic, she saw me too.  Unfortunately, she didn't sit tight, nope.  Instead she turned and "high tailed" it off into the thick brush with her friend not far behind.

Any ideas on why these animals are called White Tailed Deer, hmmm?!

DIY Door Swags

I made some holiday door swag this past weekend.

I selected my targets along my walking route - bittersweet, white pine branches, cedar branches, red berries from thorn bushes and pine cones.

I'm no Martha Stewart but they'll do just fine and look pretty good.

I hope the birds stay away from eating the berries.  They are after all hustling to bulk up on all things berry this fall.

Suck It & Bag It & Dump It!

I borrowed and used this cool leaf picker-upper bag this past weekend.

You attach it to the grass catcher of a riding mower and off you go.  It holds an incredible amount of leaves and grass and sticks, whatever can be sucked up by the mower gets sucked into the bag.  Works great but gets super heavy, making it a challenge to maneuver and empty. 

I filled the bag three times; two I dumped out back behind my chicken coop and the other I left full in the driveway, which was then carted off to the town recycle center by my neighbor.

My neighbors trailer fully loaded and tied down. Ready for it's ride to the recycle center -

Unfortunately, with all the leaves that are still left and falling, I suspect I'll be able to fill at least three more bags, if not more, UGH.

Winter Rye Is A Popping!

The winter rye I planted is popping and doing great!

The warmer weather we've been having since I planted, along with plenty of rain has given the seeds the kick they needed to take off.

Winter rye grows fast and gets thick, so I don't want it going too gangbusters, as it will mean more work for me come spring time when I need to till the garden. UGH, my back aches already...

Salou!

So THIS happened and it was delicious!!

The things you can learn when traveling and conversing with wicked smaaaht people.

I added a cup of wine to the pot to give it a little zip and it was a good decision.  Loads of onions and fresh garlic too -

Of course carrots for my eye sight and color -

Couldn't let an open bottle of wine go to waste, so to your "health" - 

Enough for a couple nights of dinners and a couple lunches.

Next attempt will be similar but will include Bacon at the bottom of the crock pot!  Kudos for this delicious tip goes to my daughter, who's cooking for two now - hehehe!

Buyer Beware!

Um WTF?!?!

What kind of a dirty trick is Signature Select brands trying to pull here?

It's bad enough the cost of groceries keep rising and going through the roof without companies pulling stunts like this one.

Had I wanted a tiny pizza I would have bought the smaller, thin dough option.

Opening the tube and finding this when I was already in my PJs with a cold beer in my hands is just down right awful.