brrrrrr......

Cold weather happens, here in the northeast. Try as you may, you can't escape it, unless you actually escape it and head south. This fine morning, it's 30f. That's two degrees below freezing, so the precipitation is snowy/freezing rain stuff. There was new snow all over the deck and on the vehicles in the driveway this morning. It's overcast, and gloomy, and no one in their right mind would go for a walk in it. But here's the thing: I need to wrap my mind around the fact that those lovely autumn days are just about gone, summer is a distant memory, and I will not melt, nor will I freeze to death. I may not enjoy the pelting sting of freezing rain against my face, nor relish the cold wind, but. This is how it is, and I need to stop with the excuses.

Every morning, I declare that indeed, tomorrow I will take my walk.

This past weekend went by in a blur, but a good, happy blur. On Friday, we gave away kitten #6 to a nice lady who is a real estate agent and has two kids, and two dogs, and one cat. They had two cats, but one passed away and her dogs missed it. We messaged back and forth quite a bit, then agreed to meet at Target so she could take kitty. She sent me pics later of the kitten meeting her dogs, and they all liked each other, kitty didn't stop purring. I'm glad kitty found a good home. They are all rehomed now except for little orange guy, as we call him. He's staying, because we NEED three cats. I can't say I'm complaining, he loves me best. He's lying here on my lap right now, purring. He's really big and furry and sweet and very needy. He wants his mama all the time, and we are trying to keep them separated so she can stop nursing, and start drying up so she can be spayed.

After saying goodbye to the kitten, we went shopping for a bit. Kohl's had some good coupons and discounts, so we got a few things..the little girls had grown out of all their boots, so they found some that weren't too crazy-unreasonable. A few of the older girls found sweaters for seven dollars, the nice long ones with the hoods.

Yesterday, we went to Target...Margaret was with us, which was like the good old days. Margaret, Evelyn, Suzanne, Sonja, Charlotte Claire, Camille, and me. We bought bar-stools for the counter, which the kids have been wanting forever and ever. They don't match, one is black and the other is warm white. One is taller, and the styles are different. But they were $12 and $13, and Evelyn and Char assembled them as soon as we got home. Paul came in the door from hunting, and the kids were all excited, see the new stools, Daddy? He had no idea that we even needed them! Now of course, I am flitting through pintrest, trying to decide if I should Go For It, and spray paint them a nice matching gray or chalk paint them or just leave them and not risk ruining them. Can you spray paint in the house? I have the boxes they came in and could make a backdrop....hmmmm. What if I wreck them?

Thanksgiving is almost upon us, how did this happen? I tell you, time is on warp speed these days. School reports are due this week, already! Christmas is just around the corner! 41 days, not that I'm counting. It makes things seem frantic to see that number, but I have been stashing a few things away in my present closet. I like to give each of the kids lots of good stuff, but that's not really practical, nor do they need it, the older ones. The younger ones aren't so much into toys anymore, and the grandchildren don't need lots of stuff either. Anya is four now, and has a new baby sister, and for the time being, lives in a snuggly apartment, with not a lot of room for extras. She already has plenty of toys, too. Lydia is two, and she has LOADS of toys already. So Grandma can't just go crazy, their mamas wouldn't appreciated that. But with secret Santa gifts and girls' youth gift exchanges and and and, the fun is just starting.

I saw an article written by a mom of four boys, lamenting on how they already had all the toys. ALL OF THE TOYS, is what she said. So her younger kid didn't need anything but maybe some new jeans and sneakers. (she was suggesting that friends and relatives gift them with memberships to museums, ect, instead of toys because she was so stressed about having too much stuff). I get it, I really do. But, I have always believed that the younger kids deserve to know the joy of getting their OWN new doll, or new set of Lego. Just because MOM has been there done that, doesn't mean the child shouldn't get to experience the excess of Christmas, ha.

Anyway. Kids are up, the day is an empty slate, the floors need sweeping...and I am thinking about those stools...