The End of Fall...Thanksgiving...Ringing Out...and Stuffed Cats

 

Ned Stark was right...

Winter is Coming!

After the small snowfall a week or so ago...the temps have hovered in the 20's to mid-50's range.

All of my colorful leaves are brown and scattered throughout the yard and drifted in corners and against my patio arbor and numerous flower-pots filled with crispy remains. All of which are headed for the compost box to return as thick black Spring soil.

Planning a Cinderella Day inside...a Buttoning Down Day outside...then a hot bubble bath with candles...and maybe some more of the leftover feast...because it is there.

So much to be thankful for this year...family & friends...ENOUGH (and knowing what enough is)...love....and good food...good health...and the cats.

My new mantra

"It is always okay...there is always enough...and there is always something to be thankful for..."

*I think I may simplify this into my next tattoo

...always...

And put it on my wrist where I see it every day.

This week one of the things we are MOST thankful for is the end of John's chemo and ringing out!

Only a few more days of radiation...and hopefully we will have beaten this thing!

Soon another CT Scan and then an appointment with the doctors...we've a celebratory steak dinner planned (also his birthday) and later a Christmas Getaway!

You gotta have a plan.

Enjoying this long long food filled weekend. Turkey/ham and dressing and green bean  casserole...and rolls....and pies and whipped cream...so much pie. The rest of the turkey now settled into a pot of egg noodles.

 The cats are in little ham or turkey comas...and don't even get me started about the whipped cream...which Sofi now demands...lol

"Ya got anymore of that whipped cream???"

                                                                     -Sofi

"Can't talk...napping..."

                                -Gadget

"I SMELL ham!!!"

                            -Mr. Wilson

Have a Wonderful Thanksgiving Weekend.

Love,

Carla and John

(and the cats!)

Thanksgiving

 

                                           https://youtu.be/BGFtV6-ALoQ

Happy Thanksgiving!

Love,

Carla and Sofi-Cat

Virtual China: Anhui Province

 

Pronounced Ahn'whey, Anhui is roughly 54,000 square miles and home to 64 million people.

Today's virtual adventure will take us here.

As well as being the birthplace of Chinese Opera

https://youtu.be/AMcPBW9_mxM

 It is known for its spectacular mountains and beautiful views.

 

 

Tour

https://youtu.be/rYSAbdrQD6U

and perhaps this is the China I have been looking for all along.

It is breathtaking.

Crossed by the Huai River and the Yangtze, Anhui is divided into three distinct regions.

The Yangtze being home to this guy...

Known as a muddy dragon...the Chinese Alligator.

Natural habitat is the Yangtze River...but this little guy has made quite a splash in the Anhui Province.

They have their own preserve.

Tour

https://youtu.be/ZEm0GxPdvio

Nest

https://youtu.be/cmNPUJFtmEE

Once on the endangered list...they are thriving.

The economy in this area is fueled by both tourism and metals/minerals. Mostly coal, iron and copper.

With three major coal mines in the area.

Recently, however, there has been a move toward greener energy...and some of the defunct mines are now being converted to solar farms.

Solar Conversion

https://youtu.be/uCSGw6TsEhU

Most of the population here is Han Chinese, speak Mandarin and are either Taoist or Buddhist.

Next time we will explore their cuisine.

 

Until then...

 

 

The Red Wave That Didn't Happen....Snow...and Catching Up

 

Slowly recovering from the election...where The House is STILL in play...but got to get on with life...cause I have shit to do.

                                                       Election Night
 

About the Red Wave...

Yeah...THAT didn't happen.

...who would have thought if you said disgusting things/hated about 75 percent of American Voters...they just might not vote for you, eh....

We've kept the Senate...got a lot of the Governorships....unloaded a lot of crazies and still stand a decent chance of getting the House.

Perhaps the BEST thing to come of this is how the GOP are all moving away from Trump and his MAGA zealots on the Group W Bench, there.

Like rats leaping from a sinking ship.

And he is angry about it.

So angry he has already attacked many of his own and threatens to reveal secrets about them.

To prove he meant business he blustered on Truth Social how he helped FIX DeSantis' win last time.

Face it...we are gonna need more popcorn...and it's going to get entertaining.

You know something else that has been entertaining?

Yeah...this guy.

Elon Musk bought Twitter.

And we knew because he immediately tweeted himself carrying a sink into the lobby.

And then it got...well...weird.

He threw around the "freedom" word a lot...it was a brand-new Twitter Day and you could say whatever you wanted.

Yeah...that worked out well.

A couple of posters used their newfound freedom to write Jew or the "N" word as many times as they could in 240 characters.

Most of us just blocked them...but Twitter's advertisers ($$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$) were shocked and stunned and started pulling their adverts.

Now a normal person might think twice.

Not Elon.

He doubled down.

Threatening to create a wall of shame and expose those (advertisers) who walked away from him.

Yes...really.

And he had already fired a lot of the original staff so nobody was speaking up to stop him.

And he decided that anyone with 20 bucks a month could have a blue verified check mark...but Stephen King called him on it...and then he graciously dropped it to $8 a month...and there was no verification...

OMFG...how could THAT possibly go wrong???

Well..let me tell you.

In 24 hours there were George Bush Accounts...and George Washington...and people were imitating corporations complete with logos posting all kinds of false crap...and even 6 or 8 Elon Musk accounts.

It was pandemonium. 

Complete chaos.

...it was also the funniest shit to hit Twitter...maybe ever...

The tipping point seemed to be the Musk Accounts.

Sir Muskiness was NOT amused.

Now he of the liberator of speech decreed that if you did not put "parody" in the header...you were banned from Twitter forever.

LIFE.

So now we watch and wait...until the wheels fall off...

Or the bird dies.

 

Or whatever.

We're here for it.

John is starting the 5th week of treatment today! Nearly done!!!!!

By Thanksgiving or shortly after we are hoping to have something truly thankful for this year.

He is doing well...still eating, exercising, throwing snowballs, playing Euchre and winning, biking...and sent me photos of that beautiful full moon recently...

And also more hornets nests in the neighborhood that were revealed after the leaves fell.

What the hell????

And WHY have hornets taken over your neighborhood?

This makes 4 now!!!

Kaleb and Nancy and I enjoyed a Chinese Brunch together recently.

Don and I had our Fall Brunch together...discussing politics, football, vacations and...well life.

And Diane and I are planning a get together this week before the holidays arrive.

Woke Saturday to the first snowfall of the year!

Also laughed until I cried at the spectacle of the neighbor's poor Charlie cat who had obviously spent the night outside and was waiting to be let back in...with snow on his back...his tail thrashing from side to side...and the look on his face...a glare in his eyes...

"This is BULLSHIT..."

Back and forth from my patio to their door...picking up his paws and shaking the snow off them...

Poor Charlie.

We watched Kansas and The Colts win their games yesterday...and Jeff Saturday coach his very first NFL Game...kind of both hope he will be the coach for the rest of the season.

More snow on the way tomorrow...and off for provisions...today being the only day suppose to be in the 40's all week!

 

Have a Great One!

Love,

Carla

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

k

 

 

It's Today!!!!

 

November

 Halloween is officially over...the candy is gone.

sigh

So are most of the leaves. My black locust is bare now and through it peeps the bright orange of a Maple that is fading more every day. This morning's rains and heavy winds have them blowing like so many Monarch butterflies across the yard and some even reaching my patio.

Most of the outside buttoned down now with the exception of a few Fall decorations that will be left out until after Thanksgiving.

Huge week for John and I.  This is the midway of his chemo and radiation. Aside from some mild symptoms he has been tolerating everything really really well.

Only 3 weeks left.

Appetite is still good. No sickness from the chemo. No radiation rash. Exercising 3x a week and still riding his bike most days.

I think it is going to be okay!

Rides vary from 5 to 11 miles now.

The falling leaves are now scattered on the bike path and have totally carpeted his (and the neighbors)  yards.

Lisa is back home from surgery and rehab...and she and Tina & I are coordinating our November Sisters Day to encompass Tina's Birthday and have a Thanksgiving Pitch-in.

Looking forward to that!

Today is a huge Cinderella Day here...wash..launder..scrub...even me.

All in preparation for tomorrow's Football and Food.

The Colt's are playing at 1:00, I think.

Kansas plays at 8:20 (Titans) which should be an excellent game.

Putting soup beans on to soak tonight...and making cornbread and custard tomorrow.

Have a Wonderful Weekend!

Love,

Carla and the Sofi-Cat

 

 

 

 

Gadget...waiting for Game Time

Update:

I think the Colts Game was best described as unwatchable...because it was.

The Titans/Chiefs Game was amazing...anybody's game up to the last 2 minutes of OT...with Mahomes and team emerging victorious.  

The rookie QB Willis was impressive and immediately formed a strong working relationship with Henry.

In short..well worth staying up to nearly midnight to watch these two teams do their thing!

 Updated Update:

OMG...it is official...Irsay has fired Frank Reich.

It is too late for this season...but gives me hope for the next one.

Yeah...if anyone wants me I'll be over here doing the Happy Dance!