It was nice to be back on a schedule this morning. It was very cold and the pond had actually iced over. I was very careful on the boardwalk bridge over the edge of the marsh as well. That always freezes over first. I had let S sleep in so I had her in her chair for part of the walk. I dropped her off at school. I found a copper and plastic wall hanging of The Last Supper in the trash. Made me smile the rest of the walk. I also found a plastic planter that I can see three heads of butter lettuce in come summer, also some wire hangers, perfect for taking clothes to the Resale Shop. Someone had thrown out a flag and I was going to pick it up on my way back from the high school but the trash men got it first and had it in the cab of the truck as they went by. At least they had some respect. As we were walking by the small pond by the high school I saw lots of ducks swimming around with what looked like a piece of drift wood dragging behind. It turned out to be a muskrat that didn't like the ducks in his pond. By the time I got back out of the school the muskrat had given up the chase but here are some photos of the ducks in the pond. Also a photo of the copper masterpiece and a couple of photos of the new bird feeder my husband surprised me with. Of course no photo array would be complete without a picture of at least one of my cats.

I had announced months ago I was not cooking a Thanksgiving dinner. Most people seemed horrified. It has been the best decision I have made for Thanksgiving. No one in my family likes more than two of the traditional menu items anyway. It is an unpleasant menu to make all alone in the kitchen. My youngest daughter works retail. She was at work till three this morning and the store opens at the insane hour of four tomorrow morning so she has slept most of the day. My oldest daughter and her boyfriend have dropped their dog off with me for the afternoon while they go to his families house for dinner. My middle daughter (she is handicapped) has had a wonderful day watching ball games and movies with Daddy. The only ones not happy with the day are the cats.... They hate Sam, the dog. Anyway, I made a pasta salad, mashed potatoes and baked chicken for dinner. There are berries and heavy cream for desert. I think everyone did what they wanted and had a good holiday. I worked in both etsy stores all day and didn't even get dressed! It was too cold and damp to walk. Tomorrow I'll walk (if it isn't snowing) and get the laundry done and probably even get dressed! I hope everyone had the Thanksgiving they wanted this year. We did.

I took a walk this morning in the fog. That really reminded me of life in Pacific Grove! It was foggy on that part of the California Coast all the time. It is warm for November in Michigan. They are saying snow on Friday though. That's OK... It won't stick yet, the ground is too warm still. Anyway I took some photos of the fog on the trail today. I was eye level to a hawk on the path. He was on a tree branch that was growing in the gully, hence the eye to eye thing. He was fine with me but flew off when he heard the whir of the camera powering up. He was close enough to touch you'll just have to take my word for it.

Yesterday was a busy day and I ended up walking close to ten miles. First it was trash day so that means my Monday figure eight through two sub divisions. I found a pop bottle (10 cents) on the walk plus a globe. I got home and picked up the car because just around the corner were 3 mirrors, a table, 2 bedside tables, a large box filled with wrapping paper (some still in the wrappers!) and 2 chairs. Sadly the chairs were broken more than I can fix at this time, as were two of the mirrors. I wanted the table but it was too heavy for me to carry alone and it wouldn't fit in the car. The bedside tables were hideous!!! Black and gray laquer 1980's bachelor pad with missing drawers!!! My daughter and I are thrilled with the wrapping paper and the mirror with frame is very nice too. I then walked to the high school for my daughter's class's Thanksgiving Feast. I found 2 cents on that walk! Plus had a wonderful time with my daughter and her classmates and had a free lunch. Later I walked to the post office. I figure I walked enough to earn the extra large piece of pumpkin pie I had for dinner. I am back to really healthy eating today. The cats were posing so nicely I couldn't resist taking a few photos of them too. I may be turning into a crazy cat lady! Very few photos of my kids lots of the cats!!

The doctors visits were good yesterday but the waiting kept S and me from Zingermans for lunch. We are good to go for another month. After my husband got home G and I went to the mall. I had gotten a coupon in the mail for a free pair of pearl earrings. I wanted to be sure and get them since it is a perfect stocking stuffer and the price sure was right. We walked around the mall and looked at stuff. Then we went to the fabric store and looked at things there. Then to Target for Buffalo Chicken Wing flavored chips. I am sure they are horrible for you but they sure are tasty! Today is buckle down and get some work done around here. First though is a walk.

As odd as this sounds I love days when my daughter and I have medical appointments all day. It forces me to stay focused on one thing and sit still. No getting up to switch laundry loads or flit from one project to another and most importantly no going to the kitchen for a snack! Today I am taking a book, a crocheted Christmas stocking project that I should be able to complete and a crocheted blanket project in case I do get the stockings completed. I am putting a chicken in the crock pot so that when we get home dinner will be ready. In between everything hopefully we'll have time to stop by Zingermans for lunch and a trip down to the Treasure Mart and over to Found as well. Trying to pack so much into one day but I like to make the most of my gas money and do as much as I can in Ann Arbor when I am there! Enjoy the day!

I had a lovely walk this morning. It is a tad on the cool side but no ice patches yet to slip on! No good trash either..... But I found a dollar bill! Yesterday all I found was a penny so I got a raise today. I will spend the dollar at the hospital parking lot tomorrow. My daughter and I have appointments and need to pick up meds there. Last week trash day netted me two empty pots with trays for next years tomato plants, a pot with hens and chicks all ready planted in it that is now brightening the front window and a quilt that turned out to have a few minor stains and color fading after a spin in the washer at extra hot. It is really new so not even worth cutting up for country chic pillows or "whatevers" but it is pretty and will go to Salvation Army and will keep someone warm. Yesterday my daughter was complaining she didn't have any comfy pants, for working floor sets, that were long enough and had pockets. I searched through patterns and found a couple of stretch fabrics for her to choose from and ran up a pair of pants in no time with the pockets she wanted, in a soft stretch fabric sadly in a yucky color. The pattern is right, she had pants for work and even if she never wears them again it was worth it. I have far too many started projects and not enough finished ones so to finish something was a real motivational boost! I am off to run errands. And just maybe I'll get another project done today.

While my youngest daughter was gone on a road trip my husband and I got a glimpse of our future with only our handicapped daughter and the cats at home. I do believe after this incident we will need to get a few new hobbies. I heard my daughter laughing and found her in the Florida room watching the cat go crazy at the window. It turns out there is a mouse in between the glass and the screen safe from the cat and not budging. I got the one cat out of the room and found the other cat napping so things were safe but the mouse was not coming out of the window. We continued on with our day and soon the mouse came out and sat on top of the mini blinds. When my husband got home from work we went on a mouse hunt. We are apparently not great mousers. It took two adults with two oatmeal containers and an orange juice can a long time and a race through the house to not only keep the mouse away from the cats but catch it too all with my daughter following us giggling. The good news is we did catch the mouse unharmed and he was put outside, my daughter had a few laughs and that is worth the world to us and the cats got some exercise. Also all though the containers we used were for projects of mine they went immediately into the recycle bin. I took some similar pictures with my phone and sent them to my wandering daughter who wanted us to get a cage so we could keep the mouse as a pet. I think not.

Yesterday was trash day and it was a fruitful walk. Not only was the weather perfect for me to walk in we also saw a herd of deer in the woods behind us. Many does and fawns eating and keeping an eye on my daughter and me. The squeaky wheel on the wheelchair certainly kept their ears pricked! I wish I had had my camera with me then. I have to start remembering the camera every time I go out. Anyway, here is a picture of our haul from yesterday. There is a nice hard side Samsonite suitcase, a lamp and 2 shades, a really nice coat hook, and my favorite a rusted bird cage shaped like a church. There was also a styrofoam skull in the front yard. A good Monday all the way around.