Our weather here has been mild---above freezing and only a bit of drizzle. I have the clothing for it. I have been getting up early so I can walk by myself in the dark for an hour or more. The dogs will go out in the dark only as long as they need to do their business and then come back to the warm house. Between the furnace, heat pump, and wood stove, it is always comfy in the house.

Jake has had two lengthy and expensive dentist appointments this week. Since he can't drive himself, we put Annie in the car and drive him then Annie and I wait in the car. Annie will relax and sleep if I play music from my phone. The music is quiet enough that I can read while she sleeps so I was able to finish the Louise Penny book I was reading. Jake suggested getting take out food for lunch today and I refused because I'd like a day where I don't have to drive anywhere.

Sandy, Jake's daughter sends him gifts all the time from Amazon and there is never any info about who sent the gift. At first we were confused, now we know that if we didn't order it, it must have come from her. The last gift was a 50 dollar gift card for Netflix. I enjoyed it because I got to watch the most recent season of the Great British Baking Show. We gave up Netflix when they cracked down on having people outside your household on your account. We had been watching Netflix for a few years free courtesy of Jake's friend in Southern California. We decided that we didn't watch enough on it to warrant the expense. We watch a lot of Amazon and Brit Box and PBS Masterpiece.

Barbie

A quiet day for me after another short walk with George and Betty. It is supposed to get milder next week so I can enjoy a walk on the moors but at the moment the wind is too cold to go climbing hills. I’ve finished writing cards and wrapped a couple of packages to be posted so after lunch I drove into town to visit the post office and send everything off. Misty spent the day in my greenhouse with bowls of drinking water and corn and when I moved her back to the hen house she seemed a bit brighter so I will do the same tomorrow. It is a shame we haven’t seen sunshine for a week because I know that would help her. My head cold is still making me feel blah so taking paracetamol and trying to rest.

Take care and keep warm.
Jackie 🤧

It’s been another quiet day and I must say I’m enjoying not having to rush anywhere. Once again I set Misty up in my greenhouse having made a bed with a plastic fruit tray and some fleece normally used to protect fruit bushes from wild birds or frost. Annoyingly, having followed online instructions to reset the hen house automatic door opener to factory settings, it still won’t work! I will give it one last shot tomorrow and see if I can use a screwdriver to look inside. That was my day apart from a couple of phone calls with friends. Linda is back from her African adventures and we will meet Tuesday for one of our coffee mornings.

Battery down to 3% so better finish.
Take care everyone.
Jackie 🥰

Happy Monday. I’m sorry I didn’t post yesterday but the head cold had me sniffing and sneezing so after a very short walk because both pooches acted as if they didn’t want to go, I managed some hoovering, then changed my bedding because today looked dry, before collapsing in a heap! Of course, I fell asleep so had a restless night.
I have a theory about Misty’s condition. She seems unable to stand upright and when I first found her a few days ago, crouched by the entrance to her house, that was when the door stopped working, so I think it might have closed on her back trapping her. This morning I’ve sat her back in the greenhouse where it is bright, and she drank water from a spoon I held in front of her beak, but I’m worrying she isn’t improving. There’s no way I can end her life and vets aren’t interested in poultry these days so I’ll continue to keep her comfy with palliative care!
I had to give up on repairing th automatic door and ordered a new one online. Twice the price I paid about 4 years ago! 😳
It was sunny when I got up so my bedding is washed and hanging outside. George and Betty enjoyed a walk on the moors, although it was chilly and after coffee I will cut up some wood for kindling.

Sandy, that’s good news about the shots in your back. It must be such a relief. Ice hockey was never a sport I enjoyed when living in Toronto but I was good at school in field hockey and still watch matches on tv when shown.

Lin, the ice melted! Whoopee! The latest tea pot looks similar to Portmerian pottery although I don’t recognise the pattern. Very attractive!

Clouds are drifting in so I’m not sure my bedding will dry. I’ll have to drape it over an airer! 🤔

Take care.
Jackie 🥰

Hello, it wasn’t a bad weather day today. Sunshine and warmer temperatures. Tomorrow is another day. Another overcast day apparently. Hope we don’t have any rain/freezing rain again. I picked up my prescription refill today. I gave her my name and the name of the drug being refilled. She came back and started to feed all the information onto a form for me to sign. Once again, my double surfaced. My name but not my date of birth. Off she went hunting for my prescription. Came back with a different envelope. I repeated all the information and this time, we had a match. I paid the exorbitant fee and left. The person with the same name is a patient at the same clinic I go to. Lots of matching up needed all the time to get to my own records. Odd.

I did some laundry today and now it is put away again. I love the smell of freshly laundered towels.

Nothing else interesting I guess. Yes, did my cardio classes and tomorrow I plan to do several errands first thing in the morning.

Jackie, I hope you feel better and also glad you got some rest. That helps you get over the nasty bugs. I am not surprised the cost of the replacement door is twice the cost of the original. I hope this one installs easily and works well.

Sandy, on the run all week long. I hope you have lots of fun. I love Dexter wearing his new scarf. Adorable little fluffy guy.

Take care everyone. Cannot believe Christmas is round the corner.

Lin 🙋🏼‍♀️
❤️❤️

Hello. Sandy, that is way too exciting. I am so sorry to her of her illness. I hope she is still feeling better. You had a busy week planned, that didn’t help you. I hope you get as much rest as possible as you go through the week.

I woke up at 4:30am and couldn’t go back to sleep. I finally got up and went to Walmart to pick up my little order. I was surprised that they are allowing pickups at 7am now….it used to be 8:00am was the start time. Maybe it is because Christmas is on the way. After that, I drove over to a store that sells my favorite frozen veggie combo and wahoo, it was in stock and I picked up a couple of other things. Then I went to Whole Foods for fresh veggies and one last stop to pick up a Lottery ticket. Why does it always take so long to put things away? Took a number of classes this afternoon. I already made supper and will join in the usual Tuesday evening live class. I think I will sleep better tonight.

Jackie, hello, hope everyone at your house is feeling okay.

Hello to Anne, Diane, Barbie, Jeri and our other Sneakers. Be safe.

Lin 🙋🏼‍♀️
❤️❤️

Hello, overcast and cold day here with a skiff of snow. Spent a lot of time attending Zoom classes today. Lots of cardio and there was a healthy cookie class. The recipes were not for me. I spoke with several friends on the phone today. My friend with the flu is still very ill. She has been waking up at night unable to breathe well so she struggles into the shower and runs lots of hot water until she can breathe better. Her doctor put her on antibiotics for the flu. I didn’t know that was done. Talked to a lady from church for a little while. They rescheduled the caroling to this evening. She said it would probably be a short session of caroling due to the cold. They were going to have a soup supper and desserts afterwards.

Sandy, that rescheduling sounds like a break for you. Laurie probably doesn’t need odd food at this point. I am sure they will make the best decision.

Jackie, I am sorry that little Misty passed away. And also sorry that Betty is still having gastrointestinal issues. I hope that recommended paste helps. George is all tidied up for Christmas now. He does have a very thick coat doesn’t he? I hope you did get to turn in early and thy you keep well.

Be safe everyone.

Lin 🙋🏼‍♀️
❤️❤️

This is quite a display of teapots and maybe one cookie jar…..

A few minutes into Friday! My Thursday was busy with driving to the next town for my hair appointment and I am happy with the way it has been cut because it was becoming straggly. On my way home I stopped at an Aldi store for groceries and saw they were offering lots of vegetables at extremely low prices, probably the equivalent of 10 cents for large packs of carrots, parsnips, potatoes and broccoli. I phoned David to ask if he needed any but he had already arranged for the other dog walking friend to buy groceries elsewhere but I picked up some bargains for myself! I also stopped at the pet store to buy the probiotic paste for Betty and added some to this evenings chicken meal.
By the time I put my shopping away and snacked on a late lunch it had become wet and cold outside so I will continue to manually open and shut the hen house door for now. Sandy, Misty has been wrapped in the piece of fleece she was sitting on, then placed in a thick plastic bag and placed in the refuse wheelie bin for collection in the morning. She will go into landfill! I’m sorry you had a bad turn and hope it was nothing serious. Maybe your body is telling you to pause and take a breath because you are always on the go. Take care of yourself because everyone loves and needs you.

Lin, your friend’s flu seems to have very similar symptoms to whatever laid Anne low when in that care facility. I’m no expert but perhaps she has developed a lung infection that would require antibiotics. I heard on our news today that our hospitals are filling with flu victims so a nasty strain is out there,

Late to bed again and dear little George just woke himself up crying in his sleep. Must have been a bad dream so I talked to him quietly and he’s curled up again. Now I’ll have to disturb him to go into the garden with Betty before bed.

Take care and keep warm.
Jackie 🥰

Hello. Late again! Yesterday’s Christmas meal at the local pub with David was a delicious 3 courses that we spent a couple of hours eating our way through and he got to take home leftover Turkey for Hattie! The weather was blustery and wet but that made the pub feel cosy. His walking has improved considerably since I saw him last week so definitely on the mend. It was dark by the time I had driven him home and returned to mine and I felt so full I did no more than light the fire and collapse on the sofa with the pooches.
This morning I visited friends to deliver a card and also took half a bag of the cheap carrots I had bought Thursday for their horses. They have the large black Labrador called Bonny who is still crazy so when she saw me arrive, threw herself at me as I tried to get out of my car and almost knocked me over! Every time I visit I question “training still in progress?” because she totally ignores commands but is still adorable. After that it was a quiet afternoon. I continue to cook chicken for Betty but George is fine now and back on his raw food.

Lin, cold callers are a taboo around here these days because in the past vulnerable people have been scammed. If you’ve never heard of his outfit that could be an immediate red flag. I would remain a skeptic

Another busy weekend Sandy! At least a movie and McDonalds gives you some sitting time!

No news from Anne but probably busy with family enjoying her clear vision.

Bedtime for me. I might take tomorrow off although David has asked me to buy him a fresh supply of food for his wild birds because he will have run out by Christmas. The road to his cottage is deteriorating with all the rain we’re getting so I will probably leave that journey until Monday.
Take care.
Jackie 🥰