Happy Friday. I was out early to shop for groceries then took Betty and George to the far moors for a long walk. It’s half term so lots of visitors but few go in the direction I do so both charged about getting plenty of exercise. It was beautiful sunshine when I first got up but clouds are now building even though the forecast didn’t predict them… the joys of living on the moors because I can see the coast has still got sunshine.
I think with a warm jacket on it will be comfortable enough to do some gardening and I also need to pot on an Italian golden thyme plant I bought at the supermarket.

Lin, your terracotta teapot reminds me I must tread carefully in the undergrowth where a huge toad lives and hopefully eats plenty of slugs and snails!

Everyone have a safe and enjoyable day. Count your blessings… I do!
Jackie 🥰

A beautiful cold but very nice sunny day! We are to start warming up today and tomorrow. We are to be back to season-normal temps….and rain, expected and since it is part of the usual pattern, we can deal with it just fine.

Daughters husband is home now after a month in hospital. His thinking is still jumbled and he seems to have lost some cognitive abilities. I think that is alarming but our daughter is relaxed about it. She is mothering him and her son is helping. That little family has so much adversity. I wonder at the causes and course of action. From here it looks like dementia or Alzheimer’s. God bless them all.

Hang in there my dear sneakers. I think we are so fortunate to be where we are. The gas prices will keep us home. Which is okay. I need to start washing curtains and windows as soon as the weather cooperates. There is always some task that needs doing and with that on my agenda, i have only to try to help those in greatest need in which ever way I can.

Sandy: take care dear. We are praying for your instant recovery. We want you healthy and ready to begin you big adventure.

Anne: thinking of you as well! Fingers crossed that you are on the mend. You are such a strong person, I feel certain you will be over shingles very soon. Anyone else would be reduced to a puddle of tears in middle of the living room floor. Not you!

Jackie: I had a short game of ball with Katie out in the cold. I think she was as glad as I was to come in out of the cold damp air. It was sunny out but very unpleasantly cold. You and your pups are very tough and strong. We wimp out at the least little change in the temperature.

Lin:I love frogs and toads. There is something so wonderfully strange about them. I have several little ceramic frogs sitting among my house plants, just to keep the company!

Cauliflower pizza night! Al Green singing “What becomes of a broken heart.”🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶
Patsy☘️🐕🎾

I had a pretty good night so I'm sure I'm on the mend.

Got a text from Derek saying he's stressed on moving day and a lovely photo of giant Puss Hobbes looking wide eyed and worried because he knows something is going on.

I don't know how he will adapt to a much smaller place because he had three storeys in a large house to roam in until just now. Plus a large garden to play wearing his leash and harness. Poor Hobbes. He's enormous and very fluffy and beautiful.

So all for now. Bean and me are having our break which involves 2 Jacobs cream crackers and peanut butter which we both love.

ANNE

Oh boy! Poor Babe, poor Sandy. Anne.

Cold and rainy here. I had one of my very ugly nights! No sleep for no good reason. I never understand why this happens. It is so annoying. I will be useless today. Just slogging around half awake and tired. Oh well. I am grateful I don’t live in that troubled part of the world. We have little troubles that could blossom but so far, things are under control.

Daughter and husband are home from hospital. Now begins a new kind of life for them. I hope they can work out a life that includes some joy and order. I can see such confusion and chaos it scares me, but they want to do things their own way, which I certainly understand.

Katie is stealing socks and running around with them in her mouth. I can’t catch her and that is the game. “I have your socks…you can’t catch me! I am too fast and you are too slow! Hahahaha”. I could yell in anger and demand she drop them but she knows I am laughing too hard.

Going to snuggle under a quilt and listen to some soft music and maybe doze a few minutes. Maybe…

Sandy: thoughts and prayer headed your way. Babe is still your hubby and I sense you still care for him deeply. We are wishing the best for him. Also no drama from his sad addicted son. You must keep your distance and realize this man is not going to act with reason or conscious. I think you have dealt with this before.

All my best best wishes and love,
Patsy☘️

Here is the Sandra Boynton puzzle I finished yesterday.

AWOL yesterday with lots going on. I apparently missed calls from Chrissie who phoned my neighbours to check if they knew where I was. They didn’t and Debs messaged me this morning to let me know. A pleasant day so I walked to the top of the moors then, when I got back to my car, phoned Chrissie to discover she is in bed with a kidney infection and taking hefty antibiotics so I agreed I would drop George and Betty back home then drive to collect Bella for a walk. She has a lovely young cleaning lady who does much more than clean and she was there organising a list of dog walkers for the coming week. I’ve agreed to go back tomorrow and also to make a lunch for her. I skipped breakfast first thing but have just enjoyed marmalade on toast with my coffee before a plan to finally finish tidying the flower beds at the top end of my garden. Rain on its way apparently!

Patsy, I do hope you had a better night and slept well. You must feel relieved your daughter’s husband is back home for all the extra stress she will be dealing with.

Sandy, that’s hopefully good news about Babe too. Hasn’t he suffered stress pain in the past? He’s got a lot to be worrying about right now. Take care of yourself and concentrate on your trip. ❤️

I love that jigsaw Lin, it’s hilarious! No puppies, no kitties with that funny little cat behind it… that made me laugh because it’s so true!

Anne, moving is apparently considered more stressful than divorce and even after only having done so 4 times in my life, I do feel for him. Cats are resilient so I expect Hobes will adjust although I remember when I moved here my cat Tricia came out of her carrier and immediately climbed up an open chimney. Sooty paw prints told me she was sneaking out at night but it took her a week to stay out of the chimney for good! I doubt Derek will have a chimney in a condo!

Must get on. Happy Sunday one and all.
Jackie 🥰

Rainy Sunday. And rather chilly.

Both John and I have the old fashioned flu. I have had this before in my life but used one of our rapid Covid tests to check just to be sure. We are okay on that score but feeling cruddy. We don’t feel well enough to be nice to one another. We are hoping this gets better soon! Soon! Soone,

We are acting like kids home from school with a tummy ache. I am sipping camomile tea and nibbling crackers. John is growling over in the corner sucking on cough drops. We each have our method to knock this down. We will watch TV or a movie this afternoon instead of growling at each other. I hope!

Daughter’s family is now all under one very messy crowded roof. They are dealing with their various issues as best they can. I am helping by staying out of it and trying to say the right supportive things and not sound like a know-it-all. I don’t know if all but I want the best for them.

Sandy: this problem with Babe is very concerning. I could be wrong but I don’t think it will be a simple matter. Wishing you and Babe the best. I wish he could come with you to Jamaica and lie in the sun while he watching you swim and play beach volley ball. I know his health will not allow that.

More tea and another cracker…
Patsy and the flu bug☘️

That is very good news Sandy❤️❤️ I hope you will get some rest. It is very tiring to have a loved one in the hospital.

Patsy, your news is less so. Flu!?!?! My goodness, both of you sick at the same time. At least each of you has your own method to regain your health. ❤️❤️

Jackie, yipes, Chrissie does sound down for a while. So sorry. It is wonderful a calendar is being organized to take care of necessary tasks. It is great that people will help.

Anne, giant cat Hobbes will settle in when his people get all moved in I am sure. I hope they adore their new location.

Barbie, hello ❤️

I did laundry today, crushed some boxes, attended online church, worked on my Easter cards and found this design isn’t working. Looking to revamp and somehow save the work I have already completed.

Wishing for peace in the world. And good health.

Thinking of you my friends.

Lin🙋🏼‍♀️
❤️❤️

Oh my, lots of sickness in the news, i.e. PATSY and JOHN, Chrissie, but good news as well regarding SANDYs Babe. I'm not sleeping well JACKIE, why do these ailments strike the worst at night, but I'm not complaining because "one of these sunny days" something will come, but not my prince, lol. Great to read you are becoming Chrissies cook, will she feed you as well, hope so! At least LINs headache has departed and not much from BARBIE, so I hope she is full of good health.

Mike dodged snow showers and rolled up to leave 4 hours later to dodge snow showers. We had what he called a fabulous lunch! Really? I guess it suited the male. We had, and I must admit I'll buy them again, Honey, garlic sausages made by the grocery store my groceries come from. [An Italian family], accompanied with mushrooms, buttery mashed potatoes, asparagus and broccoli. Followed by frozen cappuccino yoghurt. I think it's time I stopped pampering myself and think about getting into my summer pants by spring. Bean got two walks and then the sky went that funny grey/green colour and Mike beatled home because he doesn't have snow tires and its more than a 3/4 hour journey. Meanwhile I received photos via mobile of Derek's new abode which although compact looks attractive and cozy. It's a newly built building. Back at the Ms homestead they tackled all the detritus left behind and are the owners of Hobbes for a further week. Hobbes looked worried throughout the move apparently. I received a photo and he does look worried. See above because I don't know how to bring it down. Me and Bean enjoyed a quiet afternoon in contrast!!!!

Washday here and the loads about done so I'll scratch my way downstairs.

Hugs to everyone especially the sufferers in our group!

ANNE

Good morning…almost noon! We have rain and a lot of wind. I am sure John is going to have to clear the road of limbs and twigs to get to the post office. I think we are both on the mend. After a dinner of scrambled egg whites and toast, I had no nausea. Wonderful! This morning I decided to be extra cautious. More camomile tea and crackers. But because I have not been eating much, my blood sugars reading was dangerously low. So along with my tea I had a couple of hard candies. Odd taste combination, I admit. I will need to retest soon. When this kind of thing happens, it is a real juggling act to get things back on a regular track.

It is so scary outside for dear Katie. She is really upset by the wind and there is thunder. She whines, barks, and worries as she paces and sometimes drools. I try to calm her by hugging her and talking calmly to her. It helps but I can tell she is barely able to keep still. I am going to look into some things to help her. She does not like her thunder jacket. She chews frantically at it. Sooooo! That is not going to work. She is a sweet but “ever so slightly neurotic” pampered pooch.

Jackie: if it were me, I would make up a couple of sandwiches and bring soup in pot to heat up on chrissys stove. Then transfer the soup to her pot, wash mine and home I would trot! Not exactly a great meal, but I would guess she would appreciate it. I would, if I was feeling bad and needed someone to help me. You are a good person, Jackie. The trellises are stunning by the way. Excellent design. I love the curved tops.

Anne: your sons are splendid young men! We moms do try to indulge our bachelor sons. I try to cook things Damon likes when he comes. I often feel guilty because I have this lovely relationship with our son. Our relationship with our daughter is not so lovely. We care deeply for them both. But our daughter lives a strange disjointed and chaotic life that is hard to be a part of. Speaking of poetry, Anne, I often quote (?). Mine is not to question why, mine is but to do or die!” The author and long poem is on the tip of my tongue, but……..

Barbie: how is your weather? The rain, I have learned to deal with. 5 different rain coats and jackets of different thickness. Cold and snow terrifies me! PNW weather is unique and takes some getting used to. Would you agree?

Need to retest, more tea, a cracker!
Patsy☘️☕️😵‍💫