Happy Thanksgiving 2009

Happy Thanksgiving - a refrain that will be heard by millions today.  It is a day that annually we gather to celebrate family, food, fun, and football.  My wish is that today everyone arrives at their destinations safely and that during the revelry of gluttony none of the 5th "F" (fights) rears its ugly head.

"The Pilgrims made seven times more graves than huts. No Americans have been more impoverished than these who, nevertheless, set aside a day of thanksgiving." ~H.U. Westermayer

Giving

I am not sure if "de-cluttering" is automatically linked to "giving," but today it was.  Yesterday I tackled the kitchen cabinets and part of the basement.  I sorted out duplicates and other miscellaneous "stuff."  I had intended to deliver to two locations.

When the rain started this afternoon I was ready.  I loaded my goods and went to town.  The first location took everything!  Coffee mugs, dishes, suitcases, a crepe pan (who has time to make them any more), and other finds.  After I brought in my last box and before I could get a receipt, someone picked up one of my offerings and made a purchase - a good deal for both of us, and the senior center.

The best part of the venture - when I segregated suitcases to be taken, I went through all the pockets.  I netted $43 and miscellaneous change! 

"One must be poor to know the luxury of giving!" ~George Eliot

Amazing Weather

Here we are - approaching the end of November.  Today the temperature hung around 61 degrees F for most of the afternoon.  The other morning (see photographs) the ambient temperature and the ground generated significant fog (enough to hide the deer even).

Now the first weekend of deer season (via shotguns) has officially ended.  I have not seen my babies all day.  I hope they were able to survive the hunter onslaught, but they are surely lying low for now.  Next week will bring another round of shotguns into the neighborhood. 

On the positive side of the hunting equation, a couple of my trees are now showing the effects of the local deer population.  The scrapes are really significant.  I sprayed them yesterday (better late than never) and can only hope for no additional damage.

As I said, maybe the fog will give them additional cover. The forecast is for flurries yet this week.  Crazy weather right now.  I am not a big proponent of "global climate change," and am willing to take this current mild weather as an opportunity to get outside more.  So, yesterday I took my books and sat in my chair, positioned in the sun and out of the wind.  Today I went for a 4-mile run outside - it was fabulous.  What a way to WARM up to the pending Thanksgiving gathering.

"The fascination of shooting as a sport depends almost wholly on whether you are at the right or wrong end of a gun." ~P.G. Wodehouse

Boiler UP!

"Across the clear November sky ... I am an American."  The tradition lives.  Nice to hear the same words starting the game on November 14, 2009, as were used during my tenure as a Purdue student. 

It was Granpy's idea for us to take the sojourn to West Lafayette.  Planning started during the Corn Festival weekend.  The Michigan cousins were included in the planning, but one excuse after another left them without tickets for this year's Purdue/MSU game.  It was their loss (not the game, but the hanging out with family).

Granpy made the arrangements and found us some terrific seats behind the Purdue band.  That gave us much to watch between plays and during the television-imposed commercial breaks (when the game is televised, it gets to be a much longer event then when it is merely played).

The weather was picture perfect - for a day in early October!  It was unbelievable weather.  No one could have imagined that sweatshirts would be the definition of "over dressed" and jackets and blankets would not be necessary. 

Ava got into the spirit of the day when she dressed as a "little" Purdue cheerleader.  Nathan and Dakota wore the gold and black - in opposing socks.  We were all in our festive Purdue-wear and even the ND fan put on a new t-shirt for the day.

Alright, only one more thing would have made it a perfect day.  Unfortunately, Purdue lacked the four points to cap the game off with a win.  But the weather, band, and others made the day at Ross-Ade absolutely suitable.  As I am fond of saying, it is nice to know that Purdue is focused on academics rather than sports. 

As a true Boilermaker, I am always proud of the band.  The best in the Big Ten (in my humble opinion), made more so without the advantage of a School of Music.

"College football is a sport that bears the same relation to education that bullfighting does to agriculture." ~Elbert Hubbard

Country Fall

The past several days have been FABULOUS.  Nothing like a kitty catching a few warm rays to make you smile.  Lucky Blondie - not a care in the world.  Her cat brain is focused on lying in the sun, eating, drinking out of the fish pond, eating, sitting on my lab, and eating (pretty much in that order, too).

But fall isn't only dazzeling sunshine and warm days.  In addition to the ubiquious Asina lady bettles, other insect life has shown itself.  For example, check out this "little" fellow that climbed on the guest room window Halloween Day.      Recognizing that there is a window and about and almost two inches between me and the screen, you can imagin the "surprised" reaction I had when I raised the venetian blinds and found this little chap.  He was quite content (a lot like Blondie) to catch the warm Indian summer rays.

Finally, most of the outside fall chores are coming to an end.  the final mowing of the season is complete (I mowed "short" to winter over), have cleaned the fountains in the fish ponds (removed a ton of moss from the filter material) so they flow freely again, and even trimmed some of the bushes (see last post for day's events).  I put off the bushes because of "Chuck," but I think he is sleeping now.  The bush that he has made his burrow under, however, is starting to show signs of stress.  Next year Chuck will have his own level of stress if I have anything to say about the situation.  No more living under the house!

Now for the rest of the Fall chorse - cleaning out closets (and getting stuff gathered up for donating to the local charities as well as placing on Freecycle), de-cluttering the office and desk in the living room, and completing the cleaning chorse (don't forget the BASEMENT!).  It seems that the work never ends, and "expands to fill the time available." 

All this said, there are books to be read as well.  Where to begin the prioritization process - work versus knowledge/learning.  My lazy self perfers the book options, but the practical side screams to get some housework completed.  I guess I will need to balance.

Contacted the school district to evaluate the option of getting on the substitute teacher roster.  They were not very encouraging:  college transcrpt in the "original unopened mailing envelop," a physical (yet to be defined) and TB test not more than 90 days old, and an application completed.  Then they finger print and do the background check.  After 8 weeks (probably) one can get on the roster.  I am weighing the option with serious intent.

"A clean house is the sign of a boring person." - Author Unknown

Busy Day

A quick infomrational note seems to be in order right now.  It seems to have been a banner day (without even discussing the plumbing situation).  Two phone interviews and a good hour of trimming the front bushes.  So much for making the most of the last really terrific (weather-wise) day (at least for this week).

Doesn't sound like much now that I have written it down, but believe me it has been a terrific day.  More later on these and other topics, but it is approching the "witching hour" and tomorrow will definitely be "another day."  Of course, I have plans (related to generation of at least "part-time" work), but the way things have been going lately even those could be subject to change. 

Plumbing problem "remains" need to be properly dealt with along with other "stuff" on today's (and earlier's) "to do" list(s)."  I hope to be caught up enough before the end of the week to have a vehicle into the shop for routine maintenance (just before the end of fall "sets in" with a vengence).

"The best laid schemes o' Mice and Men,

Gang aft agley,

An' lea'e us nought but grief an' pain,

For promise'd joy!" - Robert Burns (1759 - 1796)

Halloween

Before you say anything, I will freely admit I am a tad late with this post.  No good excuse either.  Perhaps it is a reaction to the news that I am no longer receiving an unemployment check.  No I am not employed - my benefits have been exhausted.  After a year and a half (has it been that long?), I am off the "dole."

Back to the theme of this post.  I thought I should share my views from Halloween night.  First, the sunset was spectacular.  Then the moon rise - what more could you ask for than a clear sky and an almost full moon floating over the tree tops. 

Pulling away a tad and the complete "show" can been seen over the back "forty" of the yard.  The only sad part was the sudden recognition that the leaves were almost gone from the trees.  Today I look out and only the Bradford pear has all its leaves (many of which are still green).  The past two mornings have shown white "stuff" on the grass - called frost for those of you too far south to have seen and/or enjoyed the change in this season.  Now the garden area is turning for its winter "sleep." 

This week (now that the pressure of sending out five applications each week has been removed - see beginning of post) will include a number of "getting ready for winter" tasks - cleaning out the front garden, cleaning the filters in the fish pond, and starting the task of sorting through closets and cupboards to clear out those items not used in the past year (or so).  Time to declutter!  I'll let you know later if I am successful in this objective.

"Never again clutter your days and nights with so many menial and unimportant things that you have no time to accept a real challenge when it comes along.  This applies to play as well as work.  A day merely survived is no cause for celebration.  You are not here to fritter away your precious hours when you have the ability to accomplish so much by making a slight change in your routine.  No more busy work.  No more hiding from success.  Leave time, leave space, to grow.  Now. Now! Not tomorrow!" - Augustine "Og" Mandino (1923 - 1996)