Busy week

 Monday I had lunch with my Aunt Judy...she is a widow, her husband was my Uncle Dennis one of my Mother's brothers..  She has been on my list all Summer, we had a lovely visit!  She is one of the last three people on my Mother's side of the family/ brother, and two sisters in law from that generation.

I am slowly working on the Christmas cards...I am going to have to set some type of daily goal soon like maybe November 1st...so that will spur me on to get them done in November...I am thinking four cards a day should get me to my goal! 

I got a few Christmas Ornaments ready to deliver/mail...it is a project in progress. 

Laundry, cleaning and napping is important too! 

I finished this baby afghan recently.

It is a pattern called Granny Square Shell.  I really like the easy pattern that is a repeat so I don't have to think too much!   The yarn is Stylecraft Special DK the colors are Shrimp and Apricot. 

What's Cooking?  Gluten Free Apple Pancake

Minnesota Weather: Dreary  High 52F or 11C  Low 32F or 0C

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The Hills

 We took Ranger Blue for a ride up to Smoky Hills Tower.  You can see a long ways from up there. 

The leaves have all fallen off...

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Inside the red coffee can

 The most important part of the winter survival kit is the red coffee can. 

Here is ours refreshed.

The metal can on the left hold the tea lights...you would be surprised how much a tea light heats up a metal can!  (The pretty wrapped tea lights came from my parents 50th Anniversary in 2000) the lighter and matches also go into the metal can.  Then there are hand warmers and snacks. It all fits in the red coffee can nicely. 

Cross that project off my Fall project list!  Note that many people have shovels, bags of sand, jumper cables etc inside their vehicles all Winter. 

Years ago we had a friend who was stranded in a snowstorm...before cell phones were popular.  He burned newspapers and all kind of paper in his car to stay warm.  He was a salesman so he had lots of stuff to burn!

Minnesota weather:  Cooler   High was 44F or 7C   Low was 36F or 2C 

What's cooking?  Spaghetti and GF cheddar biscuits

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Happy Birthday Jody!

 It is my other baby brother's birthday today.   I was nine years old when he was born. 

Here he is sitting by his birthday cake when he was 2 years old back in 1962.  Others in the photo are maternal cousins  Dwight, Dean and Tim. 

Photo was taken at the farm...I still have that table in the garage...we found it at the dump one day many years ago and rescued it.  The table is grey as are the chairs.  The curtains our Mother sewed ...the fabric was yellow with shades of brown circles. 

We went out for a late lunch on Saturday to celebrate Jody's birthday!  

Happy Birthday Jody!

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Progress on Projects

 I finished painting the last of the Christmas ornaments and a few more have been delivered.  One of these days I will have a wrapping and packaging party!

I finalized the Christmas card design for this year.   I like it very much...but it will be time consuming.  I have been working on it while watching TV...it is a stamped watercolor card. 

Far Guy is wood carving roses...he may have to move from the garage into the greenhouse/woodshop where it is warmer. 

I updated the Winter Survival Tote in the car and got out the ice scrapers.  I have yet to refresh the snacks in the red coffee can in the tote...that will happen soon.  I need to buy some hand warmers.  We have extra mittens, a hooded sweatshirt and a quilt...and the red coffee can that I am updating.

Sadly I brought in the outdoor dog water dishes...probably no visiting dogs for a bit. 

Minnesota Weather: High 59F  or 15C   Low 31F or -1C  It rained.

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Books and a friend

Friday afternoon I met with long time friend Susie for lunch.  We try to get together twice a year for our birthdays and Christmas.    We had a great visit and then we played the slot machines.  I won a little and Susie won a lot!!  It was a fun afternoon!

I gained four books.  My total is now back up to 69 books waiting in the wings:(

I sent three books with Susie...The Midnight Library which I wrote about a few days ago. AND

Fighting Back by Deena Burnett a recommendation from Betty.   It was a faith filled book.  It was also sad in some parts...I gave it a 9 out of 10 stars.  I finished reading this book back in September.  

Foxfire Bride by Maggie Osborne.  Historical Romance at its finest that takes place out West during the Civil War.  I give it a 9.5 out of 10. 

Susie belongs to a book club that meets in person vs my virtual book club. We need to get together more so we can talk about books! 

Minnesota Weather...a cold front came through and it rained.  High 70F or 21C   Low 56F or 13C.  We will have a couple of days of highs in the 50's and then the 40's.  November is close to being upon us. 

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Mulching is over!

 I am declaring leaf mulching done for the year!  I was really lucky that my baby brother has a huge mulching mower and he came through our yard a couple of times. 

The mower was washed off and is drying overnight before Far Guy puts it away for the Winter.  My red boots were washed and my lawn mowing clothing is in the washer...so I am done. 

The weather was great yesterday as I made the rounds for the last time. 

Not sure when this Popple will lose its leaves but they can blow away!

My other baby brother has some trees that are still losing leaves...but I got what I could. 

Sounds like snow is in the forecast for next week.  Far Guy moved my regular snow shovel and my electric snow shovel to the front door. 

I mowed off the wild gardens West of the house, the ones East of the house are mowed in the Spring.

We still have a few things to do outside yet....but we are hopeful and will leave the patio table and chairs out for a few more days!

Minnesota Weather:  High 71F  or  22C  Low 55F or 13C  

What's Cooking: Eggs, sausages and potatoes:)

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In between

 I read The Midnight Library by Matt Haig.  I enjoyed it very much and give it a 9 out of a 10 on my reading scale...at Good Reads I gave it a 4.5 out of 5. 

The bookmark is a gift from Betty!  I love it...red is my favorite color!

Yesterday Far Guy got his stitches out...he had a basal cell carcinoma on his forehead and had a Moh's Surgery a week ago.  It is a good thing he sees the Dermatologist every six months.

Minnesota weather: Beautiful for October!  High 67F or 19C    Low 39F or 4C. 

I wish this beautiful weather would stay all Winter!

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Large Cross Stitch

 Jen used yarn and a peg board to make a giant cross stitch piece of art!

 I helped with a few stitches... not many. 

Yesterday we crossed a bunch of Fall "stuff" off our list.  Leaf mulching is still happening...my baby brother came by with his huge mower/mulcher and that really helped out.  We blew the leaves out of the rocks on both sides of the house.  Of course more will collect there!  Hoses were disconnected and brought into the garage, the tomato plant was history so we clipped it down stem by stem and then pulled it out of the soil.  The deer will finish it off back in the woods. 

What's Cooking?  Walleye, baked potato and corn. 

Minnesota Weather:  Really nice for October!  High was 67F or 19C    Low was 43F or 6C 

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Land of

 Sky Blue Waters! (Hamm's...the beer refreshing)  If YKYK

My sister Julie sent a few photo of her plane ride on Sunday.  It gives you a beautiful view of Minnesota in the Fall.

The Tamaracks are just beginning to turn golden yellow.  I see a few Maples and probably some yellow Piss Popples (Aspen). 

Sunday Far Guy and I went and got our vaccinations at the corner of Happy and Healthy...Flu for me and both Flu and Covid for him...his arm was sore...I slept all afternoon on Monday and spent the day in jammies. 

We can cross something off of our "to do list"

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Pink Ribbons

 Far Guy is a Breast Cancer Survivor...in a few months it will be a year since his last radiation treatment.  His Breast Cancer was found by our Dermatologist...so far he is her one and only male breast cancer discovery.  

The local clinic had pink ribbons to sign and they are hung in the window. I signed one for Far Guy.

I also signed one for our sister in law who is a 20 year Breast Cancer survivor!

Breast Cancer is a struggle and everyones struggle and treatment are a bit different.  My hats off to them all as it is not a pleasant journey. 

Ladies remember to get your mammograms!  AND men can do a breast exam just like women can...I watched Far Guy's Oncologist do Far Guy's exam... men just do it!

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A gift

 Peach painted me a gift at daycare.

A gourd mostly covered in blue paint.  It is a work of art and I love it!!!

The craft sale was fine, I saw lots of friends and a couple of relatives...however I did not make enough to retire...oh wait I am already retired...I can buy more yarn!

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The Greats

 I had two appointments in Grand Forks on Friday...a recheck after my change in BP meds and an MRI of my Thoracic spine for the pain management Doctor. 

On Thursday night we had pizza with the Greats!

Baby K is getting her molars...hence the bright cheeks! 

Peach do you have your shoes on the right feet? 

They are a busy bunch of kids! 

We got home just in time for me to load up stuff for a craft sale on Saturday.   We shall see how it goes!

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Bloom

 Bloom where you are planted, and then bloom again! 

Miss Kim Lilac blooming October 2026.

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Lexie and Chase

 Our eldest daughter Trica and her beau have two dogs.   They are well behaved and very good therapy for Jerry who has suffered six strokes since early Summer.   The Doctors are not finding the cause very quickly.   Jerry talks slower, thinks a long time on some things and his sense of taste is whacky...he liked anything with peaches, sauerkraut, eggs and lemonade other than that all food tasted the same. 

Lexie and Chase patrolling the yard

Lexie and Fall color 

Chase 

Chase really like me...and I really liked him.   Lexie liked to be petted and liked treats...but was not as calm and chill as Chase. 

It was fun to have dogs to pet again. 

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The Pearls

 The pearls have some family history and it can be found here.  

On Adam and Courtney's wedding day Jen sent me a photo.

It should have dawned on me...but my thought was oh Courtney's hair is so beautiful.

Paige is the keeper of the pearls and she brought them so that Courtney could wear them...they must have been the something borrowed.   I gave her a hankie from my Grandmother/ Mother/Far Guy's Grandmother stash of hankies. Courtney's hankie was pink with a crochet edge.  

The pearls are 76 plus years old this year. 

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Cemetery Visit

 Far Guy and I made a cemetery visit a few weeks ago to change out the flowers from Summer to Fall.

It would have been my Mother's 97th birthday she died when she was 94 years and 121 days old. Mom picked out the gravestone after my Father died.   Having vases on each side of the headstone makes it easy to have flowers there year round....nothing to obstruct mowing or trimming grass. 

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Company

 We had good food, good conversation/discussions!

Trica, Far Guy and Savannah

We played a Murder Mystery Game on Sunday afternoon. 

Minnesota Weather: High 64F or 18C    Low 49F or 9C

What's Cooking?  Polish sausage, sauerkraut, potatoes and fruit.

Good to gather and hug each other!

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Book Club 2026: October

 The October Book club choice was The Savage, Noble Death of Babs Dionne by Ron Currie.

I give it a two on my scale of one to ten on Good Reads I gave it a one out of a five.   Not my kind of book...it was a struggle to get through. 

Minnesota Weather:  High 85F or  29C   Low 52F  or 11C. 

Our oldest daughter and her beau are here visiting.  Nice to have company!

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Sore Arm

I had my Covid Booster on Thursday...I have sort of a sore swollen arm and had a long afternoon nap on Friday....other than that I am ok.  I will get my flu shot when I am totally recovered. 

Smudge likes to play ball so she limbered up my arm nicely!

 

You can see her brother Baxter in the background...he does not play ball.

My sister in law spent a night in the hospital this week after three ER visits and one ambulance ride.  She has Myasthenia Gravis and getting meds to the right levels is a challenge.  Prayers for her are appreciated!

What's cooking?  Pork chops and wild rice. 

Minnesota weather:  High 69 F or 21 C   Low 56F or 13C

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