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.

Brrrr....

I think I am going to have to give in and turn on the heat. I woke up this morning and it was only 36F/2C. I did turn on the little electric heater in the living room (1st time this season) but I don't think it's going to do the trick. Sigh. I was hoping to hold off a little longer lol. For today it's the small heater, a blanket and a cuppa soup.

This is a lovely ol' mug I've had a while. I got it in England. I think it came with an Easter Egg one year lol. 

I think I'm going to head upstairs where it is a little warmer and do some crafting. Over the weekend I finished my little bird mini-album and a chipmunk one too. Hopefully pics will soon follow!

Rainy Day

A cold front is apparently coming through and the rain has started. It's got worse throughout the day and now it's just constant. I ended up drawing the curtains and turning on the lights. Not the best use of electricity but I got tired of trying to struggle to read and looking out of the window just to see it pouring. The poor birds are outside looking rather drowned. There was one blue jay sitting outside squawking away. I think it was wondering where everyone else was as it kept looking around. I threw a couple of peanuts out for it and I think it took up - it's stopped making a racket anyway.

I went out with MIL today. We did a bit of shopping (epic fail on the craft items) but it was fun and it's been a long time since we've been out. Once home I did spend some time in my craft room working on my mini-albums.

Bless - they are 6x6 and are perfect for some 4x4 photos I have. You can add as many pages as you like and fold down pages. They would make perfect little gifts. I might try making some a little larger and I think I might do one for daughter with the dogs in it (I've done this before for her and Shasta).

Not sure what the weekend holds. It depends on the weather. I feel as though I've been saying that a lot. Hopefully at least one walk will be on the cards as I didn't walk today.

I was just about to wrap this post up when I remembered something that I've been meaning to ask and (of course) it always slips my mind. In your budget do you have a fund for 'fun' things? Do you allow a certain amount per month or pay period or week? I was thinking this might help with the spending rather than denying myself altogether (which doesn't appear to work!).

Today's photo - sunrise from last week. I absolutely wish I lived somewhere where I could see more of these sunrises. This was taken on our trip last week.

Ack!

I have having a heck of a time on here today. I accidentally completely deleted my last post. I meant to delete the one I'm working on as I messed up. Then I was halfway through writing this one and accidentally backspaced the whole thing and (even though I had saved it) ended up having to start again. Stupid of me, but I feel like crying (I think it's menopause) even though it's something so little to cry over. I shall try again. Maybe the third time will be the charm. Hopefully I'll remember something of what I wrote the first couple times.

Washing is all caught up. At least for now. It's one of the things I hate about going away. Yup, we had a long weekend away which you would have maybe read about if I hadn't deleted the post (banging my head against the wall). It was a lovely trip. I'd included a couple of photos. I shall have to pull them up again. It now looks as if I haven't posted since last Wednesday - I did!

The last couple of days have been quite sunny so I've managed to get out for a walk. It's been quite chilly in the mornings and I actually wore my gloves as they keep my fingers warm while taking photos. I haven't had to put the heat on yet. I talked to Mum today and she said she's put her heat on once. It scared her a little as she has one of those smart meters and it spiked up. I can imagine they can be quite scary to older people who are on a strict budget. I'm hoping Mum won't worry about it too much. I'd probably cover it up if I were her. When I was there it freaked out everytime you turned the kettle or the toaster on!

I have managed to get up into the craft room. It hasn't been sorted a lot yet but I have been working on projects including the albums I was working on last time. One now has papers and bird photos. I just have to add captions/quotes and embellishments.

This next one I'm not quite sure what I'm going to fill with. I love the paper pad that I used for this one. It's called Immortal Love.

I've started on another one, but have just managed to get it put together and am choosing papers to put inside. I'm going to put chipmunk photos in this one. I've been sorting through photos - I have a LOT of them!

I hope everyone is having a good week and am a lot less clumsy than I am!

Rainy Day

Another rainy day. I'm hoping it clears up before the weekend as husband and I are going away for a long weekend. I'm determined to make the best of it - rain or shine - but dry weather would be nice. No walk today as the weather just didn't cooperate. I had lunch with a friend. She brought along her wonderful granddaughter who is about a little over a year and a half. She is so delightful. We had a good natter. We hadn't been out since before I left for England so it's been a while.

Yesterday, when I realised it was October the 1st, I thought about blogging every day this month. Obviously that was an epic fail before it even got off the ground. I'm not sure what I would have said every day. Sometimes there isn't a lot happening.

I did do some crafting this morning and this evening as the weather has been so lousy out. I have been watching YouTube videos and found one that made a lovely little mini-album. I'm not sure exactly what I'm going to use them for, but I gave one a try and it was really easy! I have lots of small photos and lots of paper, so was thinking I'd make some up to use for photos. The video is Easy Mini-Album. This is the beginning of mine.

For this one I used 3 sheets of 12 x 12 paper

The little pieces are the hinges to attach the pages together.

A bit of ribbon for the closure - be sure to add this before putting decorative papers on top!

This is the paper pad I used on each page. I think I brought it back from my trip.

The front decorated. I have to do the inside pages and then add photos and embellishments. I was really surprised how easy it was!

For someone who is supposed to not be shopping I have been watching far too many 'haul' videos on YouTube. These are videos people post of the items they have purchased - in my case I'm watching crafty bargains. Going up in my craft room though reminds me that I have a lot of stuff to use!

Something that made me smile today (despite the rain). Autumn is coming. There isn't a lot of colour around, but I can see the changes coming. The greens are beginning to fade and in places the leaves are changing. I love Autumn with all the bright colours before the dark of winter sets in.