Today (and part of yesterday) I went ahead and put some more Xmas lights outside. Some solar snowmen on the side railing and some lighted miniature Xmas trees on the front lawn. Today I also draped some netted wire lights over the spruces out front, except that the spruces are a bit too large so we may need to get more netted lights to fill it in better, but it is a start. Today we went to a funeral service for a friend of ours whose wife recently passed away. It was in a very nice church in town. There was a also a little nice reception lunch in the café on site. Got to say they had the best Caesar salad I’ve had in a while. Seriously though, it was a very nice ceremony. This was in one of those more modern churches which I have to say, seems so much more welcoming and comfortable then the stogey old Catholic churches that I grew up with. Granted those churches are probably much older but still, change with the times. One of the things this woman loved to do was garden, and by all accounts, hers did look pretty amazing. They gave away seeds to everybody to be planted next spring which I thought was a cool gesture. We’ll find a place for these come springtime.
Month: November 2023
Quick News Bits
The Xmas tree is up. We put it together yesterday. We also tried out the new Kelly’s that opened up in Dedham. Not bad, but I still think you can’t beat the Revere location for the view, plus that one is the OG. I went and got LD’s car inspected today, passed no problem. I went back to Walmart today and waited again. This time it was only a twenty minute wait but probably won’t be doing that anymore. Not worth the hassle. I ran a couple of my own errands as well. Got some really exciting meetups and things coming up over the next few weeks that I’m really looking forward to.
Small Business Saturday with Goats!
We did a few things for Small Business Saturday. First we took a ride out to Holliston to this little farm that was doing some kind of SBS event. With a purchase you got to hang with the goats for free so that’s what we did. We also got some amazing catnip there that Carson really seems to enjoy. I don’t know what it is about this particular stuff but I’d never seen him go after catnip like he does when encountering this concoction. They also had this cool light up goat like the reindeers we have but it was a goat and large! Can’t seem to find it anywhere online – would definitely get one if we can find it. After looking around the town a little bit (truth to tell there really isn’t a heck of a lot there) we headed over to Salvage Angel’s pop up event. Salvage Angel is like a place that sells antique and kitschy type stuff but every so often they have other vendors come by and set up tents outside to sell their wares. Got some stuff there too.
After all that we had to pick up some stuff at Target and Wal-Mart. (I know, Small Business Saturday?) The Target pick up was uneventful. You just go into the spot, let them know on the app, and they bring it out to you. The Wal-Mart run was a different story. The same basic concept except they seemed to be overloaded and couldn’t run it effectively. After waiting for long after a half hour we finally bailed and may attempt it another day. There was one point where the Ladydoc in utter frustration yelled out “Where are the workers!?” in typical LD fashion. I thought it was pretty hilarious but she was right and had a right to be annoyed. By this point we were getting hangry so we hit the local deli and got a sandwich to nosh on and some stuff to make for dinner tonight.
Return of Peng
Had a great time yesterday. Everything went well, everyone had a good time, and there was enough food for everyone. Carson even said hello and got in on the fun at times.
Today I was tasked with beginning to set up the Xmas stuff. I got the reindeers out of storage and set them up this afternoon. These are the new ones that we got last year to replace the decade ones that we had before. I actually prefer these ones better – seem to be built better. Also brought out Peng, Carson’s Christmas buddy!
Happy Thanksgiving!
Thankful for the food before us, the friends beside us, and the love between us.
That time of year again! Just a little gratitude can unlock the great fullness of love. Wishing you a wonderful holiday full of love and plenty. Happy Thanksgiving!
Oh, and also, Happy National Jukebox Day! Maybe we’ll blast some tunes this weekend and wake up the neighbors!
Tuesday before the Turkey Day
Game time: Connect-4 game.
After work today I drove down to Marshfield to pick up some of Thursday’s delectables. I was a little concerned about how the traffic would be since I’d be going in the late afternoon, but aside from the usual Braintree split awfulness of Route 93, it wasn’t all that bad. I was really pleased to see that the place where I got the stuff didn’t appear all the busy. I remember when I went last year there was a line out the door and we all had to wait in the cold until we could get inside. That wasn’t the case this time – guess it was a good time to go after all! Then I came home and did laundry and cooked dinner. I still need to hit the grocery store tomorrow morning for some last minute ingredients for some other items we want to cook, but that should be no big deal. The real nice part is I’m booked a massage in the early evening, which is going to be great because I could use one.
At the Half Time Show
At the half time show? Not really, but did spent a lot of time on the phone with insurance companies today. What a royal pain. Also picked up some home baked pies from a local place in town here for Thursday’s dessert festivities. This year we are having my family over so that should be interesting, to say the least. I had to run a bunch of errands today so I was a little busy. I did go out and buy some blue daisies for a vase in the kitchen. I thought the blue would match really nicely.
Busy Little Beaver
Today I took advantage of the wonderful weather to complete my winterizing duties and prepare for the season. After mowing the front and back lawns, I raked/bagged the leaves, cleaned out the shed and organized it a bit, switched out the tanks for the grill and the outdoor heater, got the grill put away for the season (probably won’t use the grill anymore, but we might use the outdoor heater! ), pulled the remaining flowerbeds from the raised boxes, they were done after the frost, stored away the power washer, brought out the shovels and roof rake for when it snows, put the patio umbrella away and reorganized the basement. Whew! Not sure why I’m telling all this, just proud of my accomplishments I guess.
Gas Guys Finally Show Up
The gas folks showed up this morning (unannounced, of course) to connect the old gas line to the new one they dug out in the front lawn a few weeks ago. I wish they could have done it while it was warmer, but I believe the most important thing is to have it done as soon as possible. Actually, it wasn’t all that horrible; it was only a couple of hours in the morning, from approximately 9 until around 11:30. The meter is now closer to the front of the home, which works out better than where it was previously, which was down around the side deck, where leaves always accumulated and had to be kept free. Basically, better access and fewer impediments. This should a;; make fall cleanup a bit easier as well. Also the chimney guys are supposed to arrive on Friday to inspect and get a cap on that. Might need some masonry touchup too but we’ll see what comes out of it.
Currently Watching: Quiz Lady on Hulu. Mr. Linguine was my favorite.
Our Happy Friendsgiving 2023
Had a nice time yesterday at our yearly little Friendsgiving get together. The food and company were superb. Good friends are where it’s at. Consider this our proof of life after today’s food coma.
Now today is the day to just sit back and relax and begin thinking about the actual Thanksgiving Day festivities planned!
Fall is Shot Time
Gametime: Fall? A nice little puzzlescript game to distract me as I recover from getting my Covid shot this afternoon. Took me a little while but I was able to beat the game. Now back to my reading….
I forgot to mention that yesterday I went and picked up some nice Dedham Pottery placements and pot holders from a local woman who was looking to part with them. They look so cute with the rest of the kitchen décor. And speaking of that we finally hooked up the new drapes against the picture window to the kitchen dining area and it matches perfectly. Everything looks really nice, if I do say so myself.
Currently watching: Daisy Jones and the Six, NYPD Blue Season 3.
Making the Urban Look Beautiful
And they say you can’t find anything beautiful in Somerville anymore…well, they’re wrong. I took this on Friday afternoon before heading back to Earth-2. Figured I’d take a walk around the old stomping grounds to see if I could get any good shots. I’m pretty pleased with how this one turned out. For those who don’t know it’s Powderhouse Park over by Tufts.
Currently Reading: Three books just came through on my docket: Eve, How the Female Body drove 200 million years of Human Evolution by Cat Bohannon, Making It So by Patrick Stewart, and Extremely Online by Taylor Lorenz.
Yesterday we went to the Sanctuary to drop off some food. I made a new goat friend. Her name is Dansa and she was very friendly. We then took a little jaunt to Jordan’s to look at chairs. Nothing really caught the eye although we did end up having some Jordan Marsh famous blueberry muffins. One home we cooked like mad people, a casserole, and two ground turkey dishes. I was prepping all the ingredients like crazy. It was a busy little afternoon.
Today’s Tears
Today’s tears water tomorrow’s gardens.”
Matshona Dhliwayo
Enjoying the Last of October
Last night, we must have had around 60 kids come to the door. Even though it was a touch chilly, there was a good turnout. Here are some more photos I’ve taken since the last update on what I’ve been up to. Overall, pretty typical stuff – yard work, people visiting, and taking advantage of the weather while I can.
Marigolds, also known as flor de muertos, are thought to help guide spirits home on el Dia de los Muertos, which is observed November 1-2. Ours grew like gangbusters this year. Grew like wildfire.