Burst of Winter

Daughter, her boyfriend and three huskies have come to visit from Minnesota for the week. I think they have brought the snow and cold with them.

My poor body is struggling to cope with the colder temperatures. It's currently 10am and it's -6C/21F and feels like -13C/9F. Maybe a little later in the winter I could deal with it but brrr… Thankfully I don't think it's supposed to last. It just had to be this week when they visited! We were hoping to go travel a couple of places, but I'm not sure with the snow as it is. Sigh. But it's great to see them and spend time with them!

Weather Moan & Gnomes

Brrr…. it's been cold today. I did bundle up and go for a walk. It was really quiet where I usually walk. I think most sensible people were staying indoors. It seems that overnight most of the leaves have fallen off the trees! The path was lined quite thickly with them and at home, in the garden, one tree had completely lost the leaves in one day!  Soon everything will be grey and dark to match the skies. Definitely not my most favourite time of year!

I did get up into my craft room for a bit and finished a couple of gnomes. I'm going to post a link to the YouTube video I watched to do these. They really are quite easy. Not my usual type of craft but really cute. After the fact I realised that the bells I got for the hats are really bit. I shall have to see if I have smaller ones. I liked that they were really cheap to make too - must of the supplies I got from the dollar shop. The only thing I got from the craft shop was the 'fur' to make the beard. I was watching another video though and they made (completely different gnomes) using a small mop head from the dollar store as the beard so I might see how big they actually are and if I could use that instead of the beard.

I quite like how they turned out. I was thinking about maybe making some smaller ones using children's socks instead so maybe there will be more to come!

How to Make Gnomes

Short Days

I'm really struggling with the shorter days now that our time has changed. It gets dark so early and the nights seem so long. When it's cloudy outside it seems the day never brightens up at all. Now that the temperature has dropped I'm struggling with the cold too. My hands have been absolutely freezing the past couple of days and no amount of turning up the heat seems to help. I always seem to struggle when the temperature changes.

That's the moaning for the day lol.

I ran errands today as it was cloudy and cold. I walked yesterday quite a bit while it was sunny so today I decided to give it a miss. I did ring mum and have a nice chat with her. It's back to our normal time - no worrying whether I get the time right or not lol.

I did go upstairs and craft for a while. I'm trying to make some gnomes with things I found at the dollar shop. We shall see how that goes. The YouTube video makes it look so easy. Hopefully I'll have something to share in a couple of days. I have been working on Mum's calendar too. I have to sort through some photos and get them printed. While I was thinking about crafts I realised that I didn't share the Halloween cards I made. The designs are simple, but I seem to go for that rather than a lot of fussy bits on them.  I put them in a collage.

I have started on Christmas cards so hopefully I'll have some of them to share - and before the holiday too lol. Is anyone else working on crafts? Do you give out homemade gifts?

November 5

Happy Guy Fawke's Day!

It's our wedding anniversary today. I chose today to get married so I would never forget the date lol. We've been married 31 years. Yikes. Time flies!

Yesterday I went for a quick walk and then went with MIL to Michael's. I had ordered some paper pads online. They have really good sales if you chose the order online pick up in store. The paper pads were already on sale and then there was another 20% off if you ordered them online. I was good and bought nothing else while I was there. I was tempted by their $4 grab bags. After each 'season' (Halloween was this one) the store bags up things and sells them for $4. I thought about getting one just to see what was in it but decided not to bring anything else into the house.

Today I went for really long walk. It was cold, but sunny so I thought I'd get out today as tomorrow I will probably take a break. I did some sorting that I'd been putting off. I also had to call my Amazon credit card as they kept sending emails saying that there had been a charge on my account and to call the number on the back of the card. I did that. The guy (obviously) had to confirm it was me, but I hadn't updated my cell phone number (from years ago) so he couldn't send a text, so instead he wanted to ask me questions. Yikes. I know they have to verify it's me but asking me what my address 20 years ago or what cars we've owned (I can't even tell you what we own now lol) is ridiculous. My brain is too full of other useless stuff to remember those details! He finally believed it was me and will be sending me a new card. I haven't used it for ages, so I'm not sure where they got it from. The charge didn't look like me so they didn't approve it.  Glad that's over with. I shall be updating the account so I won't have to look so stupid the next time.

Today's photos are a couple of pictures I took of the Fantasy Forest hubby and I went to on Sunday. There are some great carvings there. They used some diseased trees to create the wonderful carvings.

November

I survived my dentist appointment. I was really anxious and there was a point where I didn't think I could do it, but I took a deep breath, forced myself to relax and listen to the dentist and her assistant chat. It certainly helped. The appointment took an hour and a half, but it went fairly quickly. I was certainly glad when it was over! The rest of Thursday was horrible and rainy. There was even some snow in the evening!

Friday dawned cold, but bright and sunny. I made the most of it and spent a lot of the day walking around different parks, enjoying the beautiful colours enhanced by the sunlight. It's been such a dull week that it made quite a change. I obviously didn't get a lot done at home, but you have to enjoy it while you can!

Husband worked again Saturday so I went out by myself. I managed to go somewhere new with no road closures this time!

I have been managing to get some crafty things done. Now that November has started I can certainly feel time slipping away. I hate to mention the 'c' word but I need to start thinking about things. Sigh.

I have blog posts to catch up on. I hope everyone had a good weekend. Our clocks changed here in the US last night - good thing too as I was really confused calling Mum - but this day seems to have dragged!

Photo today from a lovely covered bridge. It's one of the few left in Michigan. It's from my adventure yesterday

Rainy Days

Well, I'm glad I made the most of the sunshine on Sunday afternoon and Monday. Tuesday was cloudy and drizzly and today is cold, wet, rainy and icy. I'm planning on staying inside today. I ran errands yesterday while it was drizzly so I don't have to go out today. The forecast doesn't look good for tomorrow either - there is even the threat of the dreaded 's' word. I have a dentist appointment tomorrow so hopefully it won't be too bad. I get anxiety for the appointment, don't need it for the weather either!

I can't believe tomorrow is the last of the month! Yikes. I haven't done so good this month on the crafty items. Sigh. I shall try to do better. I have done pretty well on the book end. I haven't brought a lot of new books into the house but got rid of 43+ books! That beats my 31 goal. I am quite proud, though there are a lot more books to get rid of. I still have trouble sorting the ones I want to read and those I can do without. It's a path of progression! Today I'm doing some sorting so hopefully there will be more books to add before I drop them off at the donation place.

Today's photo is one of my chipmunk ones. Just in case I don't post tomorrow Happy Halloween/Samhain everyone!

The Weekend That Was

Husband worked on Saturday so I was on my own. I actually drove myself out to see a covered bridge and to take some photos. Husband had drawn me a map (so I could avoid a rather unnecessary motorway) but I also had my phone give me directions (which didn't end up being the same as husband's). I did get there, took some photos and then headed out to the park I had been to the week before. Unfortunately it was a rather cloudy day. Sigh. It's that time of year where the cloudy days seem to outnumber the sunny ones. 

When I got back I Skyped with Mum. It actually went well. Sometimes it's a little iffy but (crossed fingers) lately it's been working out. By the time we'd finished talking it was raining - it didn't stop until Sunday morning. I had been expecting Sunday to be a little brighter, but it wasn't to be. Husband and I went out anyway. I had resolved myself to no sunshine, but later in the afternoon, when we were almost home it came out! I was a little upset. Instead of moping around the house I decided to pack myself into my car and go back to the park I had been at the day before in hopes of some sunny photos. Husband stayed home so he could at least have a few hours to rest up. It was beautiful out. I was only planning on stopping quickly, but it was so lovely I ended up taking a walk as well. 

Look at those lovely clouds! And that reflection! Husband said he wished he had gone. 

So now it's the start of another week. I have a dreaded dentist appointment on Thursday that is making me wish the days away so I can get it over. It's occupying far too many of my thoughts. I've thought about cancelling it but then I would just be putting it off so I shall just have to put up with the anxiety that comes with the appointment and suck it up!

Friday

Wow, that's another week almost gone. I'm struggling with the dark mornings, nights and the cloudiness. I love Autumn, but I don't like winter. I really seem to struggle then. The days we have sun seem to get less and less and there seems to be so much more cloud around. I miss being able to get out walking and taking photos. It isn't quite the same when it's cloudy. I really need to find more indoor photography projects as taking photos keeps me sane and happy.

Work seems to be picking up for husband and the son that's still here at home. It always seems to do that at this time of year. Son had to work last weekend, is on 9 hour days and probably has to work this weekend too. It makes him (understandably) a little cranky. Husband is working 9+ hour days and won't know until today whether he has to work this weekend. If he works we will have to miss our weekend walk - though the weather (surprise?) doesn't look too promising anyway.

I got out yesterday for a walk despite the cloudiness, but I'm not sure about today. I was hoping to go to photograph colours, but they just aren't done justice when it's dull and cloudy so that might have to wait. I did get a start on Christmas shopping yesterday - just a couple of bits - some bags at the $ store and an item for daughter. It will be November next week and I don't want to leave it all until the last minute. We are going to visit daughter mid-December so will be taking gifts with us then as we won't see her at Christmas. It's so expensive to post things! Speaking of which - I looked at how much it would be to send a box to Mum at Christmas when I was at the post office the other week. I was so shocked! I know postage has gone up, but the increase in these boxes is just ridiculous and they don't seem to do slow package mail internationally anymore. For a large box they want $94.25. YIKES!!! Even for the flat rate envelope they want $36. Not too long ago it was about $15. No wonder people aren't using the post office!!! I try to send her things for Christmas which would almost mean shopping locally, but I don't know if I can afford it. Seems easier (and cheaper) just to order things from England and have them shipped to her for nothing. I'll have to seriously think on it. I will send the calendar which in itself would be quite expensive as it's handmade and has embellishments on it, but I shall try to watch the weight.

Sorry for the moan.

I seem to have been up forever. I couldn't sleep any longer and was having bad leg/feet cramps and got tired of jumping out of bed so I just got up. First load of wash is in, I've actually had breakfast and done a bit of tidying up. This is going to be a loooong day!

Photo of the day - I got sidetracked watching these little birds pinch peanuts I had up on the deck to give to the chipmunks when they came up to where I was sitting. They are usually quite shy, but once they found where I was keeping the peanuts they kept coming really close. Some of the peanuts are almost as big as they are! What's he thinking?

Another Day Dawns

Yikes, I just realised that it's been a few days since I posted. Time does seem to be flying by. It's a good thing I didn't decide that I would blog daily in October. It would be another thing I massively failed at.

On Friday the dawn dawned and it looked beautiful - chilly - but the sun was shining, so I decided to brave another drive. Guess what? Another road closed. Seems to be the story of my life. Anyway, at least this time there was a diversion in place and it was pretty short. I made it to the park I was going to. The colours weren't quite as spectacular as I thought they would be. It seems to be pretty hit and miss here still. I shall try to do another trip this week and get some colours. The winds have been pretty strong here lately though so the odds are the leaves will be falling rather than changing. Mmmm… perhaps that's why Americans call it fall rather than autumn?

The view was really beautiful though. There weren't many birds on the lake, only a couple of swans but they were nice to see as I haven't seem swans there before when I've been with husband.

I've been doing some crafting - I have a couple of Halloween cards to show too. I shall hopefully get those photographed today and maybe posted tomorrow. They are pretty simple ones, but I like them. I have been working on Mum's calendar too. I can't believe it will be November soon and then I will start to panic that it's getting closer to Christmas.

Hope everyone is well. I have some blogs to catch up on later today after my morning walk. It's pretty windy today and I thought I might go to the lake, but the winds seem to be in the wrong direction to hit the lighthouse. We always check on their YouTube channel before heading out as it is quite a drive!

Out and About

It's been a blustery, wet couple of days here. Even today, now that the wind has died down, it's quite gloomy. I took a leaf out of http://sybilwitterson.blogspot.com/ and took a drive by myself to somewhere I don't usually drive. As the winds were blowing I thought I'd take a drive to the lakeshore to try to get some photos. I've been there plenty of times with husband but not by myself (for a couple of years at least). It's not too difficult a drive but along with lacking self-confidence for other things I don't like driving places too far away. Anyway it started off okay, though it was raining when I left. However about half way there the road was closed due to an accident!!! I followed the directions on my Sat Nav/GPS but it took me around a long way. I was quite nervous, but I did make it! The drive back was a little better as the accident had been mostly cleared and the road was down to one lane.

I was glad I went. The waves were just wild. It always amazes me that a lake can create such waves! I would never believe it if I didn't see it for myself. Here's one of the photos I took. I was really carefully, standing back in these little concrete circles that were off the beach as the waves were coming up completely on the beach - even the playground was under water! There were people from the coast guard watching to make sure people weren't stupid enough to go onto the pier.

I managed to drive there and back, do some shopping I had on my list and get back in time to ring Mum. Today I'm trying to get ahead on the washing as tomorrow (fingers crossed) is supposed to be sunny and I might go hunting some Autumn colours to photograph.