Holiday Season coming along nicely

Some cheer from the tree.

Whole wheat from Panera bakery.

Of course our day included a long break at Starbucks.

Snow covers the ground as I turn out the lights and tuck in for bed.

Today ended up being Ladies Shopping Day for Ellie and I.  Julia isn't quite up to this yet so she stayed home with Dad and the pets. Ellie and I checked our way through the gift list. We did very well, only finding ourselves in one crowd all day, at the fabric shop of all places.  Who goes to a fabric shop during the holiday season?  Loads of people, that's who.  Anyhow it was a nice day of shopping and lunch, topped off with snowfall as we came home.  The snow continues to build, promising a "wow" morning.

Christmas season is underway

Here is Thomas, popping corn the rustic way.  I thought it was for a camp fire?

Ellie's toes in the bubble bath.  Happiness is a clean child.

Here I am in my new favorite hat.

Oh Christmas Tree, oh Christmas tree... how lovely are thy branches...

I've been celebrating Christmas since the end of October but now that Thanksgiving has past, my enjoyment of all things yule is now legitimate and shared by others.  Our day was not exactly smooth but we managed to get the tree eventually, and decorate it.  Tomorrow when we recover from the small trials and tribulations of today, the tree will grace us with its holiday glory.  The camera is never around for every meaningful visual moment of the day but here are some tidbits. We were especially surprised to see BlackJack the cat snuggle up against Miss Ubi, the Fox Terrier this afternoon.  Ubi felt uncertain but she was too sleepy to complain. 

First snowy day

Snow show outside this morning.  A welcome sight this time of year.

This afternoon I found time to sew a candy striped fleece hat with needle felted design.

BlackJack the cat is curious and alert. He only took one nap today.

Ubi spent much of the day being followed by the cat. She did manage a few brief naps.

How many gumdrops?

Thanksgiving Day

We enjoyed very nice company and an especially delicious meal with Tina and Kaz in Wellesley.  I had no intention of overeating but things got a bit out of control when I tasted the brandied, candied apple yams.  The great thing about Thanksgiving food is that it offers the familiar, comfort food appeal but also offers so many choices of combining flavors.  

The Day Before Thanksgiving

Ellie made art today.

Here is the rushing brook next to our house today.

The bird bath is iced over but it was warmish today, about 50 degrees.  I aired out the house while sweeping floors and washing the bed sheets and comforters.

BlackJack the cat loves his new perches in the tall cat tree.  I always wanted a cat in a tree.

BlackJack invites black and white photography.

Avocado and lettuce are like two of the Musketeers saying "where's tomato?"  

Gulls at the lake.

November November, on the way out...

I wish I had taken photos today.  New Hampshire is having quite a storm.  A bit north of us they got 10 inches of snow.  We fell on the side of rain.  Wind gusts blew ladies down the street passed the salon where I had my hair cut.  Power went off, then popped on again.  The brook that runs along side the house is a torrent.  Maybe I'll wake up to a winter scene for some pictures.

I was out most of the day without my camera.  It's nice to have a break from viewing everything as a possible photograph.

Arriving home, I discovered a very large box dropped inside by UPS.  Tom generously volunteered to assemble the very tall cat tree.  What excitement!  There is something especially satisfying with creating an ideal setting for a pet.  We all watched with amusement how the kitten instantly identified the cat tower as his own personal heaven on earth.  He scales the tall, sisal poles with bewildering speed.  Up to the 78 inch tall towering platform, he escalates himself, then curls into a half moon shape.  He gets a look on his face while he's purring that makes me think he would like to have room service delivered to the cat tree.   Photos will be forthcoming tomorrow after we come home from BlackJack's vet "new kitten" checkup.

Lastly on the list of "things I would have liked to photograph" today is my new hair cut.  I had a communication dilemma with my hair stylist because I used the wrong hair vocabulary to describe what I thought I wanted.  I said blunt but it turned out the shape I wanted is achieved with layers.  So she very kindly cut it a second time to get me the shape I wanted.  Hair is made for re-decorating.

The time is coming to set up an Etsy shop for things I can make.  I wonder if I can set up the details before placing any items.  It would be nice to iron out the details before selling the first thing.

Quiet day here on Moose Mountain.  Good day for felting and jogging and napping with the cat. 

Late November day

A turkey in the yard today.

Tea and goodnight.

BlackJack the Cat likes warm things. He has upgraded now, from his fleece bed in the sunroom, to upstairs in Ellie's bed.  He instantly approved of this move under the down comforter, next to the warm legs of a sleeping child.  His purr is loud like rumbling thunder. 

Ellie was very happy to eat popcorn from a big bowl and play Wii games with her mom.

There it is: practice yarn. It wants me to pick it up and learn more kntting. And there, under it, is the computer, equally tempting to lull me towards bedtime. 

An examined life

Lately I ask myself, "What is it that makes family life enjoyable?" What should get my attention as mom?  How can everyone in the household move through the day in harmony rather than feel forced from one chaotic activity to the next? How do other moms do things in ways I admire or appreciate?

Home cooked foods.  Meaty lasagne and veggie too.  This is something to do with it.

A day into cat adjustments.

BlackJack is doing very well.  He loves his giant fleece snuggle bed made out of a big blanket on top of a quilt.  We tried to make him a little nest.  He didn't seem to mind having to sleep on his own in his safe room.  I guess he's never slept in a human bed before so he doesn't know what he is missing.  He hasn't mewed to want out at all yet.  He loves to peer out through the giant glass doors to see what's going on in the big room.  It's a nice set up, conveniently.  It is a lot like the humane society set up where his big walk in kitten cage was in the main lobby.  

Ellie is the cat's biggest fan.  She has forgotten all other interests and spent hours in the room with BlackJack.  She has learned proper petting technique and how to invite the cat over by staying still.  She mostly plays with him nonstop but today she did finally get him to come nap right next to her while she layed still.  

Ubi the dog is trying to adapt but she feels left out.  She wants to play and has a long way to go to understand cats.  It's strange to see her interest because if I thought she wanted a buddy, I might have gotten a puppy.  I think her interest will wane after a while.  

BlackJack has started to calm down at the sight of Ubi.  He understands the glass walls keep her out.  So now he goes right up to the glass and they look at each other, nose to nose through the glass.  That's a good step.  We don't plan anymore direct interaction than that until he gets his cat tree and has a vertical spot to perch.  I think he will figure out that Ubi is ground-ridden very quickly and that will help ease their relationship space-issues.

I have gotten a few minutes of petting the cat too, now.  His fur could use some freshening.  I don't want to wash it but I wonder what I might do to shed that "lived with 13 other cats in a cage for 3 months" look to him.  Maybe he will freshen himself as he settles into his new, larger life style.

He is curious to come out soon too, and see more of the house.  Maybe later.  Maybe tomorrow.  We're going with the flow.

Of course I really wish I had the other cat too so this could all be happening at the same time.  

Arrival of BlackJack the Cat

Here he is, BlackJack the cat.  He is a 3 month old kitten we adopted from the Humane Society today.  He will start off his home life in our heated, sunroom with all the things he'll need.  This is for safety of course, so he doesn't need to fend for himself against the resident dog, Ubi.  She is very eager to sniff BlackJack and learn all about him.  BlackJack the cat says he is not ready for this.  That's fine. No rush.  He seems happy to have his safe haven and doesn't mind us coming in and out to visit him.

Here is Julia offering BlackJack one of her goldfish crackers.  I suspect BlackJack has not seen this type of fish shaped cracker before.

We managed to sit at the dining room table for a family dinner (instead of the usual routine of feeding the kids first and catching our own dinner who knows when).  Julia finished her meal first and then offered the rest of us a little show of entertainment.

Ok Time for bed.  Got to read some stories to get this kid to bed.  Ellie snuggles up to hear as many stories as we will read.

Looks like I haven't been posting on my blog for a while.  Sometimes it doesn't seem to be meaningful, especially when I feel family and friends are updated through other sources.

Fall was nice as usual. We're wrapping up the season of wonderful weather now, looking the cold wind in the face.  Tom and the kids are doing pretty well.  We've had our share of ups and downs this year but it seems more valuable to grab ahold of the good times and plan for future joys and successes.

I've really felt like change is happening for me personally.  I come on the two year mark of living here in "the country".  I feel my life is less influenced by television and commercial influences.  I feel I have come around to value my purpose of a mother more than I did the first several years in this role.  

Lately I am contemplating a further re-evaluation of my priorities.  I've decided that my kids, and yes the husband too... and my relationship with my pet(s) is very central to my idea of personal success now.  I've really come a long ways from the career-minded notions I had in my 20s.  I look to wind down my 30s with some degree less self-centeredness.  

Perhaps my love of tennis will be going on the back shelf for a while.  I look to the home front more, to nurturing the home, and to a small home business possibility. 

Sports are still very important to me also.  Tennis may be on the out due to the imbalance of time, money, fitness and happiness paybacks.  But I miss running, which I was doing 5 days a week most of the summer.  I look forward to skiing with huge excitement this year.  I feel I am a seasonal personality.

Seasons, family, pets, local environs, small business...  these are my directions this winter.