Crazy Wild

Ken comes home tonight after a week away for work. While I've enjoyed the solitude and the crazy wild schedule I've kept (i.e. naps at 4pm and dinner at 9), I'm really off my game when he's gone.

Lillie is hanging on. She's not worse for sure, but also not noticeably better either. Her appetite is still ferocious and her purr is loud, but her little frail body is still all skin and bones. I am relieved it looks like she'll be here for Ken's return. 


And what to do on a cold sunny November day? Why, hang kitchen towels on the line to photograph for Marmalade, make a big pot of soup for dinner, tidy up a bit and wonder how in the world it got to be 10 am already and I'm not even dressed. TGIF.

Milestone

Yesterday I took my first pain-free walk on hilly terrain, outside in the sunshine. Being outside never felt so good. 

It's been six months since surgery and I am feeling good. Feeling strong, feeling capable, feeling confident. 

The list of lessons learned from this experience continues to grow. 

Here are the latest in no particular order.

Do your homework. Work hard in PT and do those damn exercises at home every single day.
 
Don't overdo. If given the opportunity, I will overdo every time. Never intentionally of course, but almost always out of an abundance of joy at being able to do something physical and anything I haven't been able to do for a long time.

 
Don't wait. Don't wait to extricate yourself from situations and relationships you know are toxic. Trust your instincts. Go with your gut. Free yourself. Just do it. Don't wait. 

Ultra Sweet

Lillie had her ultra sound on Thursday and it definitely  showed us there's something going on in her intestines. Since we don't want to put her through a biopsy, we've decided to treat the symptoms in the hope that it is inflammation and not cancer. She continues to eat like a trooper and snuggle with the boys. We're hoping we can make whatever time she has left with us pleasant and pain free. She is pure sweetness.

Raked

Now that the garage is cleaned out and the cars are safely stowed, we're focusing our efforts on the last bit of winter prep in the garden. Fortunately today was insanely beautiful and warm, and we were able to get the job done!

The wood's all stacked, winter coat and boots have been procured. The heater's been serviced and the chimney is clean. I'd say we're almost ready for winter. Bring it on!

We did it!

Tah-dah!!

Feeling mighty proud I must say...

Losing Lillie

Our precious little Lillie girl is nearing the end of her life. 

She's lost a little bit of common sense and a lot of her good manners. Her vision is going and she can't jump like she used to. She eats like a lion all day long but weighs under six pounds. She's got a lot on her mind and and if you sit still long enough, she'll sit in your lap and tell you all about it.

Hanging out in the kitchen sink is one of her favorite pastimes these days, along with sleeping in a box and snuggling with her brothers who have taken over her grooming. 

She's only 15, which isn't that old by indoor kitty standards. We wish we could have her with us forever.

Hello, November

It's November! 

 

The sun is out, the weather is warm and our house is falling apart. Water is leaking from the boiler and the shower drain upstairs. All of a sudden we're a little too familiar with the insides of the walls. There are great handhewn beams in places we never expected. Old square nails and plaster lath, too. There is also mold and a lot of it. Oh well. Chalk it up to age. 150 years old this year. In some ways it's a miracle more doesn't go wrong...but let's not dwell on that right now.

The sugar maple that was on the property when I moved here was here was alive when the house was built. It didn't fare so well, succumbing to rot and critters more than a five years ago. 

A couple of years ago an oak seeding, long buried by a virtuous squirrel, sprouted up in its place. It's a tad too close to the house, but it's too big to move now. Guess we'll keep it.

More than ever I am grateful to be right here, right now. Working from this sweet home, growing the business we love. Tired. Yes, I'm tired. But happy. 

Content and ever thankful.