Fall...Decorating...New Scents & More

The last Summer Brunch with Chris and my "Seasonal Buddy" this week.

A nice quiche, strawberry scones with butter, sliced watermelon and lots of political pontification (...he, a lapsed staunch Republican and I- an Independent turned firmly Democrat...)

Both the lapse and the turning have to do with this current Administration, I should add. 

Once during the conversation when we both agreed on the promise of a

"Biden-Kennedy III 2020"

run as possibly the best hope for the election-to-come outcome.

Time stood still for a Moment.

"Did we just agree on politics???"

"I think so." 

"Feels weird. I think I need a shower or something."


Yeah...that only took 30+ years.

~laughing~

But Summer is DONE here.
We parted with "See you in Fall"

Now dragging out the boxes and boxes of Fall Stuff and what shall I put up...and what gets left behind. Since I have decorated seasonally since 1978 with my first hole in the wall, half-double away from my parents...that covers a lot of stuff.

I REALLY THINK I HAVE TOO MUCH FALL DECOR

WE HAVE WAY TOO MANY SUNFLOWERS

I'M NOT GETTING PUMPKINS OR MUMS THIS YEAR

                                                                        -Said No Woman who Decorates
                                                                         for Fall...
                                                                                        EVER.



So, I've reboxed the driftwood and seashells. Closed NPB and stowed the summer sign. Removed the silk roses and hydrangeas. Used the last warm sunny day before the rains to deadhead the summer flowers and potted a few of the many mums to come.

The table is strewn with faux leaves and vines and baskets and sunflowers. Resin pumpkins and bare grapevine wreaths to be redecorated with an autumn motif. Some with make this year's cut. Some will be returned to my Fall box. Better luck next year.

My buffalo china cup is filled with orange spiced tea, and it's matching bread plate with crusty bread and fig jam. Fig jam is a newly acquired taste...and I quite like it!

Already Bath and Bodyworks has provided the bathroom scent du jour of "Falling Orchard Leaves" in liquid foaming soap, lotion and body spray. Very nice.

The nail polish has morphed to a metallic pumpkin shade LA Colors refers to as "Soulmate" .

A jarred candle compliments of Sprawlmart has home smelling a lot like Candied Caramel Pecan.

Yes. I take FALL very seriously. 


"Idgy" who also carries The Decorating Gene sent photos of the beginnings of autumnal decorations at her shop.

                                                           

And I am absolutely loving that wall of cast iron stuff!

It is looking wonderful, hon!


The store is doing well and she sounds very satisfied.  She also has some of her art on the walls now and has made space for local artists...and donated a booth to the local animal shelter!

(...all proceeds go directly toward the care/feeding of the animals...) 

From time to time she even "baby-sits" a rescue for a few hours.

It was good to have brunch with Chris this week...who has been slammed with work and the Cisco Course. He and Tina are fine and, of course, getting plans together for their Spring Wedding.

Lennon is busy with work and his grandmother and just saw a lot of heavy winds and rain from Gordon in the Gulf...the backwash we will be getting for the next few days.

James is busy being Mr. Mom this week.

Wrangling kids ready for school. Listening to Aiden (now 4) until his ears fall off....lol! Getting meals, homework and baths & bedtime.

Because...

Nicole's weight loss (size 24 to size 6) was such an inspiration to Nancy (her Mom) that she decided to go for the bariatric sleeve surgery as well!

Nicki has been camped at the hospital this week with her. The surgery now done and helping her Mom with laps around the nurses station and tips on eating/life post Sleeve Surgery.

"Welcome to the bright new beginning of the REST of your life!!!"

She is going to feel so much better once she has lost the weight.

And be so much healthier.

Oh, and my honorary great-grandson (and Nicole's grandson) Brantley (Brittany's son) who will be one soon...took his first step!!!

There will be no stopping him now!

John and I getting ready for another short getaway in days!

"Love in the Age of Arthritis"

And it is wonderful!

Like being 20 again.

Texting like kids. Afternoon phone calls just to say or hear

"I love you" (bigly or muchly)

or

"I'm thinking about you."

or

"I had to share this with you!" 

and sometimes

"I want you."

Which we both know...but it still feels nice to hear it.

The first "Good Morning" of the morning...if you don't count our cats...and the last "Goodnight" every night.

Both of us widowed for years...never looking/expecting to ever feel like this again.

Me, remembering when his hair was all there, and beard was still black.

Him, remembering when I was a size 5 and could STILL walk.

Inside, we are still the same as the day we first met in 1982.

Silly, smart-asses, romantics and snuggle-bugs.

 and maybe Football.

Actually going to follow The Colts together this year.  Sorry, New Orleans Saints...I'll be back...really. 

First game of this season tomorrow at 1:00.

Go LUCK!

John turned me onto Andrew Luck's  Twitter Account

Capt. Andrew Luck

Written in Civil War Letters Style from Pre-Season and continuing through the Season Games.

Hilarious!

Dearest mother — And so ends our exercises. The unit bested the Tiger men, but the damage is not permanent. Now, the hour upon us. Our true campaign begins. Where it shall take us, I know not. But I believe in my men. I believe in Gen. Reich. And I believe in my sidearm. — Andrew

Dearest mother — The unit has returned home, but we have no time to relax. The Tiger men are looking for another battle — and this time, the stakes are real. Scouts report their unit marches our way, guided in the night by the glow of Capt. Dalton’s fiery crown. Anxious. — Andrew

Dearest mother — The Tiger men have reached the outskirts of town. We hear growls in the distance, see the faint glow of Capt. Dalton’s crown. There is no mistaking it now: battle draws near. The men are confident. I am ready. My resolve is as strong as my sidearm. — Andrew

 This Week's Book:

 I may even become adventurous and try Orchids, Succulents and Bromeliads next year!

Very good read and nice to see container gardens, succulents, air plants and terrariums making a comeback.

Informational, inspiring and well written.

This Week's Movie:

Another film I had actively avoided for a while, actually.

I don't know. I was fearing another version of Deep Water I guess. Didn't want to spend another night waiting (hopefully) for sharks (Meg or otherwise) to eat the cast and end the damned thing.

Boy, was I EVER wrong.

A beautiful love story, and a story of survival. Of doing what you KNOW needs to be done...even though you never thought you could.

A true story about a couple whose sailing vessel is badly damaged in a storm at sea and 41 days on the open ocean...alone.

I loved the way they intertwined the story of their meeting and love affair with the boat wreck and afterward...giving you a sense of the couple they once were. Invests you in the love they shared.

No spoilers here...but see this film.

You'll be glad you did. 

Shelby and Sofi doing well together now. Shel will even sit still and let her play pounce the tail game...twitching it back and forth for her to pounce and watching her all the while.

"OMG...a tail...must pounce it!" ~Sofi

"Fine...but if you bite it...I WILL eat you."  ~Shelby

Sofi growing a bit. Almost completely litter-box trained (thankfully) and more bunny-like every day.  Manx are very un-cat-like I've found.

She loves water and will play with bubbles in her bath.

The bigger she gets the more she boings around the house...just like a rabbit...hopping.

She is so smart. Remembers things. Fetches things like a dog.

When I call her now she immediately hops as fast as she can to me...and when she gets there she turns (stand sideways) to be petted...just like a dog.

It is weird.

The only Manx drawback I can see is that having no tail at all

(she is a rumpy...with only a bit of fur...not even a stub)

she tends to not recognize having a butt at all.

In short...I have to use wet-wipes on the kitten.

Hoping this resolves itself as she grows...because...yeah it is a bit disgusting.

But not so much that the rest of her Manx Cuteness doesn't counter-balance it.

Researched the breed a bit since I have had her. Extremely interesting.

All of the Manx that were...are..or will ever be, are genetically linked to the Isle of Man where they originated. 

Any cat that has any percentage of Manx genetically will give rise to some Manx kittens in a litter (...this applies both to male and female...) the gene is very strong and dominate.

Although I am going to finish Virtual Australia first (still have the rest of Western and 2 more states) afterward I am definitely going to explore the Isle of Man (off the coastline of Ireland) and learn more about the origin of my "cabbit".

Making progress on finishing the last room of my Apartment the way I have always wanted. Should have it together by the end of December.

Montgomery Ward has provided a thick mattress topper, new pillows, a complete bed set with sheets, cases, comforter and decorator pillow...and soon a large piece of wall art.

It is a work in progress!

Still want the freestanding oval walnut jewelry box/mirror combo...and another silk tree or faux palm.

But this weekend...

It's all about Fall.

More Anon...