October Has Come

And with it at least a little cooler weather.  Here are some gleanings from the journal since my last journal post...

September 29, 2017

So hard to write
Feel tired so often
Just emotionally drained
Tired of being afraid of the future.

The little fun I have is painting my fingernails.

Also, I've been working out, but the weight I gained during recovery from eye surgery is leaving VERY SLOWLY.

So few rays of hope
In this nightmare
We are forced to live in.
The hateful and spiteful rule
 And the kind and loving
 Are crushed underfoot.
 No one is cared for
But the very wealthy
The rest of us
Are supposed to die,
I suppose.

October 5, 2017

The weather is wet and cloudy, but the air still far too warm.
I want my Autumn sunlight and cool, snappy air as well

Our nation's mood is like our President-
Old, grumpy, easily provoked.
We all need coffee, and/or a good, stiff drink, a big group hug, and a LARGE infusion of Common Sense.
Also possibly a nice nap.

On the desk, and life is busy.  Our library is hopping!
We are loved and needed!

October 8, 2017

At last the golden days return.
Nights are cooler
Days are still quite warm
a few trees, mostly the silver maples, are throwing leaves to the ground.
Though, not many have changed color yet.




 I look at my hand
Resting on the page
Holding my pen
And I see my mother's hand.
Veinier and bonier
With knobblier knuckles
Than I think I should have.
Yet the shape of it
Is still all me.
LONG fingers.
Deeper palm.
Painted nails.
Still me.
Older.
More mileage.
But still the
                                                                Same me.




I have a new Fit Bit.  It hasn't asked to be held yet.
It lives on my wrist
And measures my heart rate
As well as my steps.
After about 2 weeks, it seems to think I'm in excellent shape for my age group.
It reminds me to get up and move if I've logged less than 250 steps in an hour.
It buzzes 10 minutes before the hour to remind me, if I haven't had enough steps that hour.
I have set it up to only do this between 9am and 5pm. 
It's rather amazing how meetings can make holes in your daily accumulation of steps.

October 9, 2017

Today the wind has shifted
It is now from the North
It is cooling the air
Bringing thoughts of hearty stew
And good bread
And a cozy spot
And a good book.
I have the stew cooking
And the rolls reheating...


October 10, 2017

At last! A cool Autumn day!
Clouds and sun both, Cold north wind,
Perfect day to make muffins
To take to work, so I did!

Monarch butterfly photo by Gillian Lang 10/13/17

 October 13, 2017

Monarchs
By CK Armistead
2017

Sail on
Gentle soul
South
Against the wind
On to that place
Of rest and solace
Where all lives will soon be
Celebrated
And love remembered
For it isn't only
The one day
That we remember
Those we love
But no longer see
In this world
But every day
We love and we remember
Just on the one day
We celebrate
And remember
In public
With marigolds
And food, and drink,
And music,
And stories.
And we watch for you
Floating by, stopping
To rest your wings
On the marigolds
On the shrines to love.

-For a butterfly seen on my walk this morning, working its careful way South toward Mexico, even against the wind.
Dia de los Muertos happens soon-
All Hallows Even, All Saints Day
Samhain, to those of us with Celtic heritage.
The walls between the worlds grow thin,
And all sorts of wonderful things are possible.




 As always, I bid you peace.

Fall Has Fallen, Or Autumn Comes Tumbling In

There are a few sure signs that the seasons have changed around here.  Oh, yeah, the obvious ones like leaves turning colors and falling, and cooler nights, but there are other things that really mark the change for me.
This evening I put the heated mattress pad on the bed.  A major ordeal, and only undertaken after a night when crawling into bed was like getting into an icebox because of cold sheets.  (Our room is on the north end of the house, we really need to re-do the attic insulation.  SOON.)  Last night was one such night.  I was so cold at first, I couldn't get comfortable.  (Then, of course, the first hot flash of the night hit, and I threw all the covers off, but I digress...)
So, tonight, I decided I didn't want that shock when getting into bed.  The process of putting this mattress pad on the bed is not as straightforward as one might think.  It involves threading electrical cords under our bed, where some large flat items are stored, and always, without fail, I forget about the center support legs for the bed frame, and have to re-thread the cords around it or one of us won't be able to reach the controller on our side of the bed.
I managed to manhandle the mattress pad onto the bed itself, top it with another mattress pad to protect it, put the regular bedding back in place, and get the stupid thing all hooked up and working without resorting to any of my Pop's "magic words".  (Those that would work for him, but backfire bigtime if any of us kids used them. )
Doing this really made me miss our cat, Madame Skye.  She used to LOVE that heated mattress pad.  She'd crawl up on the bed as soon as I turned it on each evening, and snuggle between the pillows we pile on top of the bed to heat the top sheet as well. 

 

This is the sight I am missing tonight.  No Madame curled up on the foot of the bed, soaking in the warmth.  

I have also dug out the cold weather clothes, and wore my tweed coat for the first time today.  I have yet to haul out the big green wool coat that I have had since 1990, but the day isn't far off.  I've gotten the turtleneck sweaters out, and the sweats and warmup pants for my workouts.  Our electric bills will go down, and our gas bill is on the way up.  (Though we keep it about 66 in here during the day, 61 at night because we don't mind the cold when we're asleep.  Once we get warm, that is.) We wear sweaters and have lots of throws around the house to snuggle up in.  (And my Nook e-reader has the added bonus of producing a little bit of heat, so when I curl up to read, I stay warm and toasty!)

I love being able to wear my sweaters again.  Added bonus this year that since I have lost weight, the nice sweaters that were a little too tight last year fit really well this year.  I am afraid I do have Holiday sweaters, but most of them are not of the gaudy ugly variety.  I can't help myself, I think I taught in the primary grades too long.  

I also have a black and white Fair Isle type sweater that I wore today.  Nice and warm, and sometimes too warm.  Variations on a cardigan, and you know library ladies just can't resist cardigans.  We need them.  Too warm for a sweater in the back when moving books around, too cold without one when seated at a desk for a long time.  Yes, the cardigan is the library lady's best friend.

Just be glad I cut all my hair off.  I no longer put my braid up in a bun and stick a pencil in it.  (Oh, yes, I used to do that.  Thank God there are no pictures!)

The begonias on the front porch have finally been frost bit enough to wilt.  So soon the Autumn yard clean up will have to begin, and we'll let the oak and pecan leaves fill the herb and flower beds to provide free mulch.  Works every year so far.  

Time for me to end this post.  Another sign of cooler weather.  My body protests sitting still too long.  I get cold, joints get stiff and sore. Time for some herb tea before bed.