...at the library...

 ...Achilles and Rhys enjoyed the library...Achilles wasn't shy at all in the play area, he befriended a little girl in pigtails, but I didn't want to take pictures of someone else's child...so I just took a few of Rhys...Rhys who liked running around....and wanted to take books off the shelves...

It was a lovely morning...

...fog on the river...we had a few other places to go...Target, to return something that arrived broken, then Aldi because...well, Aldi.  Then home....ah, home. Kathryn brought the kids in for a cozy afternoon.  Rhys took a nice nap in Jonny's room, then Grace came over with Grant and Ruth...

Grant, Rhys, Ruth, Kathryn, and Achilles...

Suri and Sunny...they are SO good with the kids.  

Orange Guy is NOT so good...he's rather unpredictable. He'll just purr and purr, but if he feels threatened, he'll just take a swipe, maybe a little bite...usually he'll just run away, but he has been known to lash out.

Little Miss Ruth Eleanor...so cute!

Old Kitty, aka Kettler.  She's the same, doesn't care much about the kids, but if they bother and bug, she'll take a little swipe.  Not a major attack, just a warning, a leave me alone scratch.  She actually hasn't done it in a while, but the kids don't tend to bother her very much.

We had a fantastic dinner...I had bought some strip steaks buy-one-get-one-free, and Kathryn had two also, which she brought over...we seasoned them and let them come to room temp, and Kathryn so expertly pan fried them, basted with butter and rosemary at the end, oh dear, so good!  I put fries in the oven, and we also roasted Brussel sprouts.  There was a baguette, sliced and warmed in the air fryer...best hack ever, just dump the sliced bread in there and turn it on for a few minutes, all warm and toasty!  

For some reason, I decided to bake pies yesterday.  One pumpkin, and one sugar-free pumpkin...I did add Swerve to it, but the other ingredients are the same...not saying it's a healthy pie, but probably healthier.  I do LOVE pumpkin pie.  Walmart sells sugar-free whipped cream in the can...oh, so yummy.

We are planning and preparing for our Christmas Eve celebration here.  We have to batten down the hatches and move some furniture around, as I believe 31 will be here.  The ride-ons will disappear, and the big trucks, and we'll move the kitchen tables...put one bench in the living room, just clear things out a bit.  I was thinking to make lasagna, and meatballs.  Not 100% on that yet...then a ham on Christmas Day...less will be coming over then, but it still could get busy in here.  

This fine morning, it's quiet in here.  Sonja left for college, Charlotte Claire got on the school bus, Camille is still sleeping, the animals are all sleeping...the fake fireplace is humming away...and here I am in the comfy chair.  Tomorrow, I have to bring Camille to the orthopedic dr. again, to discuss the results of the MRI, and decide how to move forward with the former "good" knee, that dislocated in the summer.  Then in the evening, a trip to the airport to pick up Paul!  Then on Saturday, a gathering with our over fifty friends...then a meeting on Sunday.  

Today, maybe I'll finish wrapping what I have, and sort them out...

Ah well...have a really good day!