Category: Life

Here we are, September first! Where did the time go? Where did the summer go?

The sun is setting earlier and soon the leaves will start to change color and true Autumn will be upon us.

I’ve been struggling with a cold the last few days. This morning after a rough night, I slept until 7:30. Even then I didn’t want to get up. But, I did, and while walking the dogs, I hung the bird feeders and then came in for my coffee.

I was feeling somewhat chilled and took my temperature. 100 degrees. No wonder I feel so listless.

I’m having a  challenge with my laptop. It’s almost like it is possessed. I am in the middle of typing when all of a sudden the cursor moves to a different paragraph, or in the case a few minutes ago, it simply took me to a new web page!

I am trying to figure out what is wrong, but I may need to clean my machine in hopes that this will help.

You know, at first I thought that perhaps I was bumping the touchpad with my fingers, but after carefully typing I realized that it is not me.

Did you watch the Coco Gauff and Naomi Osaka Match last night at the US OPEN? Not only was it a great game to watch, but at the end Naomi had Coco stay with her for the interview and she showed what a real champion does with a young girl. She was so kind and so gracious to Coco, that losing at such a high profile event was softened.

So, great match Coco, great match Naomi, and bravo to bringing back kindness and class to the game of tennis!

Friday afternoon some of our friends stopped by. Here in New England if you have fruits or vegetables to share, you share with your friends. Each year we share our apples and peaches with our friends. Today they came over with green beans, watermelon, and cucumbers from their garden.

We sat outside at our garden table talking and visiting. They all got to see my Christmas Cactuses and no one could believe how they have come alive!

While we sat there, the Downey Woodpecker came up to feed at the feeder near us, as did the Blue Jay and a Chickadee.

The weather was perfect. Sunny, blue skies, about 80 degrees, and a very light wind. It just doesn’t get much better than this!

On Saturday the driveway man came to add more stone and ledge pack to the upper part of the driveway. The nice man worked half the day yesterday and all day today getting the driveway just right.

The lower portion of the drive is paved, but the upper portion was not done due to frost heave possibilities and in the winter tar would ice up badly, where ledge pack (compressed dirt) gives you a better surface.

The last time we had this done was 2008. So actually the surface lasted a long time. Then, like everywhere in New Hampshire, we grew a boulder in our driveway. Below you will see Lili standing next to it. It’s amazingly huge! But as I have said before, we grow ’em big here in New Hampshire!

As you can see, that is one big rock! I also want to brag a little about Lili. As we walked up our 500-foot driveway, she was barking at a neighborhood dog (who was on a lead) I called to Lili, telling her to “Come Here” and shock up shock, she came right to my side! That is something new. How it happened I am not sure. Perhaps she finally understands what I am saying.

When I got back to the house I remembered talking about our rather dangerous wall and the drop. Below is a picture I took. Once again Lili is my model.

I’m still watching Downton Abbey and loving every minute. I was speaking to my sister today and I mentioned how much our mother would have loved this. Our grandmother too. So when I watch, I pretend they are watching with me.

Wonderful things have been happening in my little corner of the world. Lili had her day at the doggy spa and came home looking like this!

She looks like a new dog! She was soft and shiny and minus about 15 pounds worth of fur! Yay!

We’ve had several beautiful sunsets this week too. I managed to catch the best one the other night! And considering I used my cell phone, the picture came out very well.

I’ve been enjoying watching Wimbledon Tennis too! I get up very early to catch the early matches, and so I have seen many of them. I am so taken with Coco Gauff! At 15 years old she has the determination, concentration,  poise, and talent, and is a joy to watch!

We went to a small gathering, as my neighbor dedicated his beautiful garden to his late wife, Gail. It was such a beautiful thing to see all the work he has done and how much thought he put into the gathering. His wife was such a sweet and amazing woman and we all miss her and her beautiful smile.

I tried a new medication for Lili. The poor girl freaks out with fireworks and I thought she would have a heart attack. I called the Vet who prescribed Sileo Gel. You draw it up in the applicator and shoot it into her cheek.

I was not sure it would work, but for the first time ever, Lili went through fireworks without a problem. Best of all, it does not make her groggy. It is great stuff!

Did you see the pictures of Prince Harry and Meghan Markels baby boy’s Christening? Absolutely adorable! The baby is so cute and I think he looks a lot like his Daddy but has his Mama’s eyes. I’m so happy they released a picture of Archie where you could see his cute face.

Well, that’s the latest from here! Have a good Sunday everyone!

After several weeks of feeding the birds, and enjoying them more than I can tell you, there was a death on our yard.

Some of the larger birds at the feeder.

Yes, a cute little Starling flew into the sliding glass doors, more than likely to get away from a larger bird. But the end result was a thud on our sliding glass door.

I jumped to my feet and raced to the door and I could see the little birdie still alive. I grabbed my gloves and went out to see if I could save him the way I had to save Woody Woodpecker a few weeks before.

Unfortunately, Starling had broken her neck. As I carefully picked her up, she was struggling for breath. I carefully stroked her and spoke to her until she breathed her last.

Then I came inside and cried. I asked Jack to bury her little body. Which he did. While I went on the computer and ordered Bird Stickers for the windows.

Meanwhile, I have put stuff in the windows to prevent further deaths in my yard. But I am so sad to have lost little Starling.

Despite the weather (more rain), Jack and I managed to get all of our errands and meetings and appointments were taken care of on Tuesday. I meant we were up early (some of us earlier than others), wolfed down our breakfast and headed out to our various destinations.

Lili had been dosed with a strong tranquilizer, and she was amazingly good in the car. She was also easy to deal with in the Vet’s office and I am happy to announce that her ears are nearly healed! Yahoo! Finally! She has had these yeasty ears for years!

Next Anneliese had her stitches out. Her incision looks great. I asked this Vet what she thought of the pathology report  and she said this:

“Anneliese is nearly 13 years old. She has had a wonderful life with you and Jack. She has been well loved. She is remarkably healthy and if her cancer does not spread quickly, the chances are very good that she will live another 2+ years! Think positive!”

She’s right. We will enjoy her and spoil her and take her for rides in the car and everything will be what it is. If we do this, then Anneliese will enjoy her life and we will enjoy her!

Our other appointments were accomplished on time and we sat down to a dinner of Scallops and Broccoli by six thirty! It was the end of a pretty good day!

On Tuesday Jack and I had our 6-month exams at the Dermatologist. Both Jack and I are Skin Cancer Survivors and get checked frequently. You can read about my cancer surgery

My face is looking good, and so far I have not had a reoccurrence of my Invasive Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Jack has had Melanoma on his face (Thank you Agent Orange!) but now it’s just nuisance stuff.

Both of us had things frozen off with Liquid Nitrogen, and with a pat, on our backs, we are free for another six months.

After that, we did some shopping, and then I took Jack out for his favorite Chinese Buffet Lunch. Only today we found the food was exceptional! It’s always been good, but this was really good! We also did not see the owner of the restaurant, but suddenly noticed an all-new crew. So we both wondered if the place has been sold. If it has I will miss the original owner. He was such a nice man.

The pups were happy to see us when we got home, and I decided that since I’d been awake since 4:45 AM, I was going to get in a pair of loose pajamas and get comfortable!

And that’s the way I ended my day!