Jeans

 It was a day full of chores and I even got many of them done.  A few things I forgot to do until it was already dark, they will have to wait.  One of the hardest things to get used to every year is the darkness after the clocks fall back.  The mistake I think I am making is waiting for noon to be here-so it will be warmer outside-and then I am outside, busy, and it will start to get dark.  Here are some things I am happy for today:

• The ground isn't frozen and I worked in the garden area today.  
• At the end of October I planted some cereal rye seeds as a cover crop in the garden.  I have been checking and not noticing any growth.  Cereal rye is supposed to make a good cover crop and grow even when it is really cold, and we can either till it back in in the spring or let it grow and harvest the grain in the fall.  I had given up on it growing, until today, there are sprouts!

• Back in August I went to Pennsylvania to check on the storage unit.  Everything was fine and we had lots of extra time so we wandered around a plaza.  I tried on some jeans at a Levi's store but decided to wait and buy them online.  I took pictures of the tags and a month and a half later I ordered them.  When I tried them on, the pants were too big.  This didn't make any sense until I stepped on the scale and realized I had lost fifteen pounds.  I finally went to exchange them at the outlet stores with Zed, who wanted to visit a different store in the same plaza.  I had no problems with the exchange except that the jeans were on sale.  I returned one pair and came home with two.  I really hope I like these jeans as much as I think I will.
• A friend of Keziah and Zed's made dinner for us tonight.  He is a professional chef somewhere in England.  It was pasta with a homemade ragu.  I was skeptical about liking it because I am not a big meat eater.  It was delicious!
• 
  

  

  The moon behind a ripple of clouds.

  
  

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Currently reading: The Backyard Homestead Seasonal Planner, by Ann Larkin Hansen.

Thank you for being part of my happy things. Stay safe.

Hadestown

 This year as an early family Christmas gift we all got to see a show in Boston.  The show is Hadestown and we all enjoyed it.  

Keziah and Zed saw the show on Broadway prior to the pandemic because Keziah has been following the making of this musical since it was just a concept.  My understanding is that Keziah and Bel met the writer's brother at camp (not my story) and so they have known about this for about ten years.  Any how, here are some happy things for today:

• We went to Hadestown with friends and one of them made us masks to go with the show.

• One of my favorite parts of the show is when Euridice and Orpheus are falling in love.   I don't want to give much away, but if you, dear reader, are familiar with Greek Myths, you will have an idea of what happens in this musical adaptation.
• After the show we got dinner to-go at the Dumpling Cafe, during a rainstorm, and enjoyed it with our friends in the parking garage.

• It was a wonderful day out in the big city of Boston.  It was also wonderful to get home!  Getting out of the car after the long drive and stretching out the kinks was also something to be happy about.

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Currently reading: The Backyard Homestead Seasonal Planner, by Ann Larkin Hansen.

Thank you for being part of my happy things. Stay safe.

Rainy Day

 It was a rainy Friday.  For Keziah and I the first task of the day was to empty the septic in the RV.  Not the funnest of jobs, but I am happy that it is done and the biggest problem we had was getting the key to work unlock the drain.  Other happy things for today:

• When the rain wasn't heavy, I worked in the garden some.  I had a gentle (no injury/didn't fall) reminder that working in mud is slippery.  
• As the clouds started to break up tonight the sky turned orange.  I didn't end up with a picture that showed the color.

• For NaNoWriMo I have started another story.  Maybe if I could keep to one theme I would do better.  I got 411 words done and have a total of 4264 so far.  With a goal of 11,000 I think I am doing okay.
• It is Minecraft Friday!

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Currently reading: The Backyard Homestead Seasonal Planner, by Ann Larkin Hansen.

Thank you for being part of my happy things. Stay safe.

Veteran's Day

 There is a list at work for people who want to volunteer to go home early.  I added my name and only worked about an hour and a half.  I wanted to be able to visit with my friends before they left today.  As I walked into the parking lot I saw my chance to take a photo of the trees that line it.  They are a lovely color that the camera didn't quite capture.

When I got home I was going to try to write, instead I got almost four more hours of sleep!  That sleep helped me be more refreshed during the day.  Other happy things for today:

• My aunt came up from Massachusetts for a short visit.  It was great to see her.  Unfortunately I couldn't remember the mental list of family questions I have, maybe next time.
• We got the tour of the RV before our friends, Kimberly and Dennis, left with their son and his partner.  Tomorrow they board a train and head south.  

Milling about...

• Keziah and I had a nice walk with Aesop just after dark.  I'm happy he behaved well.  The last few walks I've had treats to help out and forgot them tonight.

☮

Thank you Veterans.

Currently reading: The Backyard Homestead Seasonal Planner, by Ann Larkin Hansen.

Thank you for being part of my happy things. Stay safe.

Work

 The work day today went really well.  Generally things flowed well and I felt 'in the zone.'  I was taught a new skill too.  Sometimes packages are missed in the scanning process and someone has to look for them.  It was like a little work scavenger hunt.  Yes, I'm weird.  Work has something called swag bucks that employees can get for doing things.  I was given some to hand out.  That was cool.  I started working there in June and I have had $10 worth of swag bucks that I have been holding onto, not sure what I wanted.  Today, in just this one day, I was given a total of $12.  I think they are just being a little more proactive in giving them out, but I think it is time I look at the swag a little closer.  Also, when the manager started an announcement with "Okay all guys, gals, and nonbinary pals," I just thought that was awesome.  So, work went well.  Other things I am happy for today:

• We had a consultation with the dog trainer.  She was very helpful and sent us away with homework.  Aesop has some anxiety issues and one of the things we will be doing is making sure he gets a nap/quiet time in his crate every day.  I'm happy we have plans going forward.
• Our friends, Kimberly and Dennis, gave us the outside tour of their RV.  We will have the option of using it while they are out of the country.  I suddenly feel like the world has opened up for me... or at least the country.  Funny thing is, I may not even use it.
•  Kimberly and I had a nice walk.  It is good to be able to catch up with her before they leave for Guatemala.  What an adventure it will be!
• There was rain this morning but it cleared up into a lovely day.

Leaves floating on the breeze.

☮

Currently reading: The Backyard Homestead Seasonal Planner, by Ann Larkin Hansen.


Thank you for being part of my happy things. Stay safe.

Nuts

 First, thank you -K, for letting me know the link wasn't working.  The setting for the YouTube video I tried to share yesterday is fixed.  Here is the link again for convenience.  Someday I hope to make less silly mistakes when posting things online.  🤪  Here are some happy things from today:

• For NaNoWriMo I wrote 701 words today.  That puts me really close to on track for my daily word count after missing last Saturday.  My total word count is 3244.  One of the short stories I was working on is basically finished.  I'm not editing at this point.
• The cats decided to sleep on the bed by me while I wrote.  

            At one point Winston, the orange tabby, reached out his paw in a long stretch and tapped on the             paw of Nanni, the brown tabby.  It was adorable but was not photographed.

• Aesop, the dog, has a new feeder cup.  It is supposed to make him have to think more to get at the food or treats.  He kept picking it onto the couch which we really don't want him to do.  I kept putting it back on the floor.  Aesop wanted both, to be on the couch and have the food so I got this picture...

• Just before dark I decided I needed to do something more productive and headed out to the back property to plant the four walnuts I was saving.  Considering my track record, I don't expect them to grow, but I have to try.  I used a yard flag and some tomato cages to mark them.  I expect that squirrels or chipmunks will enjoy them over the winter.  
• My timing was perfect as I came down the hill after planting the walnuts the sun had set with the sky still turning darker.  The moon had risen and seemed to be right between Jupiter and Venus.

Sun has set.

The planets are harder to see.
Jupiter is to the left and up a little from the moon.
Venus is to the right and down from the moon (much harder to see). 

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Currently reading: The Backyard Homestead Seasonal Planner, by Ann Larkin Hansen.
    This is the book I have been trying to read a chapter each month to follow along with the season and     forgot last month.

Thank you for being part of my happy things. Stay safe.

Friends are Here!

 While eagerly anticipating the arrival of friends from afar I found things to do.  Writing was one of those things, but I could have spent more time on that.  Still 379 words for NaNoWriMo today.  Here are today's happy things:

• There is a video from the wildlife cam that I posted on YouTube that is adorable.  It is just the first few seconds of the 18 second video.
• I did some digging in the garden with Aesop nearby on the leash.  Here is a picture of his dog paw print.

• Pretty crescent moon tonight.

• For the next few days we have friends visiting.  Soon they will be going to Guatemala!  This is all volunteer so I am including a link to their patreon.  I'm looking forward to spending time with them after work the next few days.

☮

Currently reading:  Mount Washington A Guide and Short History, by Peter E. Randall.

Thank you for being part of my happy things. Stay safe.