The end of a long and wonderful weekend

 The pumpkin carving brigade, hard at work...


  My 9 year old niece was here for the weekend, and we did all the fun stuff that 9 year olds like to do, including making jack-o-lanterns, watching a Halloween movie at the theater, and eating tacos in a Mexican restaurant.  Her mom and dad came to get her this afternoon and by the time they all left, I was plumb tuckered out.  She plays so hard that she was asleep both nights by 9:30 or 10....thank goodness. And of course, she slept on the couch (didn't even make out the hide-a-bed) so that she could sleep with her pups. And sure enough, in the morning (Sat and Sun) when I came out into the living room, there they all were, rolled up in the big fleece blanket like a kid and dogs burrito.  lol


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 Being around a young child like that really makes me feel my years.  Her energy level is amazing and I can barely keep up.  My son was here today too, and she loves wrestling around with him and they tease each other mercilessly.  As I watched them, I was dragged back into my youth, when that boy was her age...over 30 years ago.  And then I REALLY felt old. lol


 We been covering the garden plants the past 3 nights...the temps at night are hovering around freezing, and so far it's only been grazing it. Probably won't be much garden left much longer, though we're trying to extend the season on a few things as long as we can.  The daytime temps are making it into the 50's, and it looks like it's gonna stay this way. The earthquake in BC caused a tsunami that hit Hawaii  (I guess it actually hit--haven't really seen any tv today)...I know they were evacuating folks. And now Sandy is headed for the east coast and they are evacuating people there too.  And all the rest of the country is getting weird weather, with even Florida temps being in the 30's.  

  And the Giants are trying to win the pennant and the voters are worried about the effect of the weather on the polls and I am thinking we are going to have to get the heat lamps on in the chicken house if the weather is going to stay this cold.  And I have a surplus of eggs right now and am thinking I need to get busy storing some of them using the crisco coating method. I haven't done that before but they tell me it is an old fashioned method of preserving eggs that is tried and true. SO--I shall give it a go. In the past week I have canned green beans, jarred up dried seeds that I am saving for next year, roasted pumpkin seeds and watched my snow peas finally flower.  My life is pretty simple. 

  I am concerned about the elections. And I am debating whether or not I want to vote early.  I can vote tomorrow here in my town if I want to. But the place where we can vote is currently embroiled in a controversy from the last local election, and I am not sure I trust that my vote will be handled the way it is supposed to.  Sigh....I cannot imagine that the Republicans will capture the Presidency.  I can only hope that people will shift the balance of power in Congress.  I cannot imagine, again, that things can ever go back to the way they were, that we could lose the womens and human rights we have fought so hard for.  These are crazy times we live in...and there are crazy people out there espousing all kinds of crazy things.  And I shall batten down my hatches,. make sure that I vote, and pray that things will unfold exactly as they are meant to.

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  I took a long hot shower this evening after everyone was gone, and after we had our second meal of chicken noodle soup.  I made a big pot of soup today for lunch, with wide egg noodles...a very simple soup of carrots and celery and onion and chicken and egg noodles. And it was delicious.  And I didn't have to cook supper tonight, we just had soup and bread.  Tomorrow a friend is coming over and I will make salads and cups of soup (there's probably about a gallon left, so the Irishman can have some in his lunch too) and we will nosh and chat.  And I did a bit of house keeping this morning, so I won't have to do much of anything before she comes.  That's a good thing--I'm not feeling like doing much of anything.  In fact, I've got my knickers in a bit of a wad, and so am particularly snotty.   It looks like I am not going to be able to make my trip to NC in a couple of weeks...the Irishman came home Thursday and said he had put in for time off at Thanksgiving to go to his parents.  I just looked at him. We cannot afford to take two trips anywhere...so that means that my trip is off, I guess.  I said I guess that means my trip is cancelled ? And he looked at me perplexed and said "why? Are they the same weekend?"   I swear to God.   I feel like he lives on another planet.  I said--we cannot afford 2 trips in one month anywhere ! And ...oh hell.  On some level, I knew this was going to happen. Something was going to happen and I wouldn't get to go.  And I am having a tantrum like a kid.  His dad is getting older and I know it's important for him to get as much time as he can with him. And originally, he thought his niece was having her (late) wedding reception in November, but she's not and I thought that quashed the idea of going up there.  AARRRGGGHHHHHH !!!!!!!  I haven't been able to get out of here for a long time...and I just wanted a break. I just need to get away for a little while.  He has been going away a lot the last few years.  I don't have a problem with him going, but I need it too. I need a break from the constant work, the animals, the day in and day out  EVERYTHING. Or I am going to blow a gasket.


  So whether or not I go or stay, I don't know. I do not relish the idea of going up there mostly. I cannot seem to not take my MIL personally, as she attacks me in her little passive aggressive ways constantly.  When we do go, we get a motel, because I cannot/will not subject myself to her 24/7 while we are in Wisconsin. I have done it too many times and it ends badly. So much so that I absolutely refused to even go there for several years.   And I hate that...it's crazy...I swear I can get along with almost anyone in the world...  At any rate, that makes the cost of going there even steeper. His brother and sisters live in Minnesota, which is too far to make staying with them  a viable option. Sigh.....if he just goes by himself, he can stay at dads and there is no problem.  I hate being apart during the holidays, and it seems like every time he goes up there, it's one holiday or another. They always have their family reunion on the 4th of July weekend. Thanksgiving is the other time. And Fathers Day, which is not really a big deal to me, as my father has been gone for a long long time.

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  Enough.  I really didn't mean for this post to turn into this, but it's good to get it out and look at it...rather than having it bottled up inside my brain. And maybe I'll figure something out...something that's good for ME.


  Anyway, it's getting late and I'm tired and maybe a good nights sleep will sort me out.

  Can't hurt, right ??





Namaste.