November is also...

A time for cleaning. Like Spring Cleaning, but Fall Cleaning. 

Thursday was a get 'er done type of day. Now I am no fixer type person like Sandra is. But I'm in the same kind of mood for cleaning and organizing. I think many of the other Bloggers I follow [and some I just visit regularly when I can] are all doing the same sort of thing.

Sorting.
Cleaning.
Organizing.
Getting our indoor lives straightened out so when the frigid air comes, we can enjoy our comfy spaces.

I cleaned the walls, tore everything out of the closet of our bedroom and separated the clothes that would go to Bethel Buttik [they pronounce it Boutique!]. I donated the clothes in hopes that they will be used for those who need them.

So my mess looked something like this...

I took out the frame that was under our bed and replaced it with the original frame we've had for 30 years. The little frame was lower and easier for hubby to get in and out of until we swapped to a hospital bed.

And I flipped the bed position around. Hey, it makes sense for me and it feels right for now.

I had to prepare for the snow and rain event we are supposed to have tonight. So I cleaned Little Richard's stall and set things up for him.

Then I got with the program and finished the up with the chair. I sanded it and put the final coat of acrylic satin finish on it.
TA-DAH!

I'm sure someone could say that I mixed up all sorts of colors that may not really go together. However, the chair is full of whimsical colors. 

Whatever happened to make me happy at that moment was the color that went on the chair. I see that now...

I will have to work on those other two chairs! I won't know exactly what colors they will be until I start. The chair gives me an idea of what I should do.

You read that right. I don't plan, I just do what the chair seems to want. I imagine this one wants to be pretty. Don't you think?

I have begun to write a very detailed To Do List for each day so I can keep on track. I also make sure that I have adventure days. I have to equal adventures with work so I keep in balance.

My 'work' around the house and farm days do include an hour of walking the forest with Charlie. He needs to get out in the woods and so do I. 

How else would he be able to make sure that all creatures great and small know they are on his land???

I enjoyed the forest enough before it started raining to do some play time. My mind says that we are all on an epic journey of sorts. That journey is called Life.

We must give into it and live a life as we can and enjoy it.

I re-joined CrossFit --> Legends and am so happy for the movement and friendships I have in that class. I need to continue to work on my balance, strength, and friendships to continue to be healthy.

It is snowing now and we are expecting to have almost an inch of snow on the grasses by morning. I can't wait to wake up to a new day.

And to those that wonder. 

Yes. 

I miss HIM every single day. I still ask him questions and opinions on what I am doing. I see him laughing at me in a gentle way and telling me to 'Go ahead. Your going to do it anyway, no matter what I say!'

Success

Because I can, I am going to drop a few flower shots on here first.  My morning glories are starting to bloom. The flowers are so brilliant this one was partially open in the downpour we got on Wednesday. Thank goodness for long lenses.

I've planted morning glories in about 4 or 5 places and am enjoying their colors. 

The next two are Love in the Mist.

I really adore the odd shapes of these delicate flowers. The delicate fern like leaves

are just so beautiful.

Meanwhile the moss roses are doing so well. This is my first success at growing them. I spread the seeds in a very large container and waited.  They have not disappointed me at all this year.

Here is a young katydid, I think that was hiding in the moss roses! I almost didn't detect it as it was so well camouflaged.

Well, with the plumber coming any time on Friday, I stayed home for my 'Respite' time. It actually worked out well. When Tammy came [early!], we sat down at our table and we got to know each other for a bit. I told her about the hot water issue.

I decided to do a project that I couldn't do when she wasn't around, like cleaning in the basement. The shop vac makes a lot of noise and I couldn't hear if hubby needed help.

When hubby woke up, she took over and I headed to the basement to purge and clean. Tammy cared for Rich and made Snickerdoodle cookies. 

I helped her familiarize herself with where things were in my kitchen and any other questions she had about cleaning, the commode, laundry, etc. She changed the hospital bed for me and then I showed her how to operate our washing machine.

I lugged 'stuff' out of the basement and dumped it on the porch. More purging. I took out old beat up hunting boots that would never get worn again, cheap snow pants that hubby used ages ago with holes in them.

 
I finally got rid of the chunks of wood that hubby had been saving for 'something' too along with some odd cut small pieces of particle board and plywood. I tossed old hunting sweatshirts that had seen much better days.

 Things that were hanging on pegs in the basement that he'd never use again were purged. None of it was in any condition to be passed on.

I slayed cobwebs with the ShopVac and made sure the area around the questionable water heater was clean and accessible. It was quite the job. I had no interruptions and was able to get the work done efficiently with many trips up and down the stairs and to the back of my Subaru so I could take boxes of stuff to the dump.

Tammy made cookies and did all the things that I normally have to do. Get drinks of water, get a snack, help with this or that. It was like we were working as a team. She had the 'patient' and I had no interruptions.

Her snickerdoodles were amazing. She cleaned up as she went and even changed hubby's bed and made him lunch.  

I finally got to do some of the all the important things that I couldn't get done while caring for hubby.

After lunch, she helped Rich to bed and then asked what else she could do. It was almost her quitting time.

I asked if she could have a seat so we could visit and get to know each other. I had this feeling that she could have a lot of helpful things to share.

She and I are of the same generation. We both grew up in similar ways. We don't let things go to waste. 

She is a grandma that legally adopted her grandkids. She cared for her 'kids' and her husband while he was in Hospice. She had been certified as a Caregiver and has worked in different areas as well as a local Senior Assisted Living place not far from her home. 

We talked a lot about Hospice and our shared experience, also of what she had gone through. We ended up feeling more like kindred spirits. What a relief to know that my feelings, my experiences, my doubts, angst, frustrations, and emotional ups and downs are very normal. We found a sister like bond in our lives.

We had a very interesting conversation that I'll write about later. 

As she was leaving and the Plumber was arriving, I said to her that the most important part of our Respite time together was her support, her experiences and our talk. I didn't feel alone in this journey any more.

It is one thing to read about or share experiences virtually, but to sit down face to face with someone else who has been there and has gone through it is much more valuable.

Paul the Plumber came and tested the heater. He measured the water temp still in the heater at 140 F! That after it being turned off for 24 hours.
He changed the thermostats on the elements and emptied out the scalding water so we could make sure that the water heated to the right temperature.

Charlie adores Paul and sits in the basement to watch Paul work. 

By 2pm, my day was done and I was ready to sit down and read a book. The yard mowing could wait another day.

I considered yesterday as a good day.

Thanksgiving Day....

Here is what I dreamt it would look like!

I decided to do my first ever Turkey for Thanksgiving supper. 

I chose the Jennie-O breast that looked like even an idiot like myself... who can make Rubber Chicken.....

could successfully cook in the oven. 

Step 1: Take it out of the outer bag
Step 2: Slit the inner bag
Step 3: Put in in the oven and bake for two hours until it is done.

Stove top stuffing. Easy peasy!
Cornbread! Yup, I made it too!

Veggies from the garden....

and our feast was complete. 

 Meanwhile my woodland critters gathered for their little get together:

The neighbors to the east of us are hunting the meadow relentlessly for a very large buck. I hope the monster buck makes it through this season. I'd like to find his sheds.

[This shot was taken two days ago on our land by our trail camera. The fence can be seen behind the buck that separates our land from the neighbors]

I'm still stuck indoors. Grounded because the guys in the meadow are hunting and hubby doesn't want me anywhere in our woods. 

I carried on a Thanksgiving tradition of my own. 

Purging, vacuuming and cleaning the little basement. It is a job I won't do unless I am forced indoors. 

Success! I cleaned out 3 large totes! Hubby would have a fit, but I cleaned out all of the old hunting clothes that were merely blood stained rags and light overcoats of blaze orange.

They were full of holes from 40 years of hunting. Many of the jackets had rips all over them and were passed down from the days his father hunted. 
I save the good jacket but bundled up all the old stuff.

My motto is that if it hasn't been used in years? Well ... it is gone! None of these items have been used in over 7 years. 

Let's just say that I filled the back of the Subaru Outback with old items that even wouldn't make good hand-me-downs.

I vacuumed up and swept and purged and cleaned.

The past few mornings and evenings have been amazing as far as color. The shots below were taken from my porch or through the windows. 

Last night as I finished doing dishes, hubby's daughter called and they had a nice chat. It is good to see my husband smile.

Whew. So far I've survived deer hunting season and Thanksgiving. 

Next up....

Cleaning and Building

 What better way to fight off the hunter's blues than to engage in something totally different. You all know that my husband fights depression and has had it for all the years we've been together.

Physically he cannot hunt any more. It used to be the 9 days of the year that he'd go off into the woods and sit quietly by himself. He'd come back tired or cold, but always in good spirits. Often he'd tell me in great detail of all the things he saw while in his place of wonder.

2013 Photo:

I pulled out the Holiday Main Street Set set and started to sort items. After breakfast, while I was doing the chores, ....some one....
starting sorting pieces on his own.

He loves to find the Minifigures right away and try to put them together. His hands shake a lot, so sometimes he gets it and sometimes I return to find a Minifig with no head or wig laid out on the table.

He laughs, he smiles, he grins, and even participates in the silliness.

Ask him if he does it? He will emphatically deny everything. It is childish and beneath his Warrior Mind.

Yet, he delights in adding to the his own narrative to the story unfolding in front of us.

"That shop keeper lady, she looks grumpy. Why is she so grumpy?"

I don't think she is grumpy, she is smiling but her glasses may make her look grumpy?

"No, she doesn't have any customers. That is why she is Grumpy."

Oh...of course!

"What if that train thing had a run away? The conductor guy isn't looking!"
Hubby reaches over and gives it a little push. The trolley runs into some Lego people. 

"Uh OH!"

No Lego minifigs were hurt in this dramatic scene....

I went upstairs to put something away and ended up working in the spare rooms to unclutter my self made messes. I sorted out old clothes I hadn't worn in ages, got rid of an old tattered blanket[s]. Disposed of junk I was saving to make junk dioramas. Who needs extra bottle caps when I am always getting them? Sorted the action figures, some Legos, arranged the Teddy Bears, dusted,...

and filled a huge contractor bag full of stuff I needed to get rid of. There is so much more to do both upstairs and in the tiny basement. 

The basement project will start after Thanksgiving when I start sorting things out for the Christmas Chair.

Meanwhile, on the table it seems that Santa is anxious to get started on his own projects. Looks like he hired the Construction worker to help build a tree.

I'm not sure why he is using a wrench though.

Hubby really had a joyful day and we topped it off with Homemade Lasagna.