Catching Up

This is what greeted me when I got to the old place Friday with the dogs. 

Bone-dry. 

I worried about this, it was expensive.  

However, friend Jill suggested some animal may be jumping around in it. 

Because... 

Today, when we got there... 

There was still some water in it.  I had not been able to get out there yesterday, as 

we were getting ready to have four of our little grands over to make gifts for their parents this morning. 

There were a lot of hijinks!  

(Jax and Jace) 

Some serious rainbow painting 

(took over an hour to do hers... Paiton) 

Some fast dabbing of brushes... (Brynn)

And some serious "Don't Look at me, Mommie"!  from Jace. 

Littlest one Hailey was there, too, 

As was one year old Carson. 

It was a fun two hours! 

I took this of our friend on the way out to the old place with the dogs.  I stopped too long on the street though, and he took off.  He's such a beauty! 

You can see it was windy, and the cold wind was cutting.  We only stayed out for about 30 minutes. 

Lilly generally does not like Jester around her when she is investigating things in the pasture. 

He is tentative when he approaches her...

He got a little too close, and she drove on him just after this. 

But, smart dog... he waited for her to go down to the bottom of the 

pasture, and then he went to see what she was looking at. 

But he also sticks pretty close to mom 

We had a great Thanksgiving, and I was able to 

get to Liberty and help my brother eat his Thanksgiving lunch. 

My brother is slowly fading... and he is my last sibling.  74 years old, 

his dementia has progressed over the last two months, we are not sure why.  His 

hands have become palsied, and his left arm is still in a sling so the broken bone can set. 

He is not able to feed himself... but, as you see, when he takes the fork, anything can happen. 

He had almost overturned his plate into his lap... until I confiscated the fork again. 

He laughed at me, the stinker!  

The residents at the Manor had a regular Thanksgiving dinner of turkey, dressing, gravy, cranberries, potatoes, green beans and sweet potatoes.  They had a mixed fruit crumble for dessert, and 

it all looked good.  

His wife and I are going to sit down Thursday with the Assistant Director of Nursing and see if we can get some prognosis, and why they think he has regressed so far in two months.  At mid-summer, he was able to recognize me and give me a big hug, and now, I am not sure he knows who I am.  I don't play the "Who am I?" game with him, it's not fair. 

I usually say (in a silly tone)  "It is I, Mary Ann, your favorite sister!" and that will usually bring a little smile. 

Keith and I had a quiet dinner at 5:30, and a peaceful evening. 

I have discovered a pond near us where hundreds of geese are staying.  I only had the little camera with me when I went by there yesterday, but I'm purposely going to drive over and get some pictures this week. 

I think it's so neat that the people in the houses on either side of the pond are letting the geese stay there.  You see it's in a natural bowl, and they are protected from the wind. 

I'll try to get more pictures this week. 

Another short video of the crazy Jester, as we got ready to go today. 

He knew we were headed for the warm car, and he got 'cited! 

Enjoy! 

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving (if you were in the States) and a great weekend, for those of you outside!  

Today is the first Sunday of Advent, and 

our parish has asked us to sign up for adoration again.  Last year, the first year, I did 9 to 10 AM ... it is Mondays, only, for the next four weeks.  I can't tell you how peaceful it was to go into the empty church and just sit and talk to God for an hour... to slow down... let the spirit rest from all the running and gathering... and 

just ... be at peace.  I'm so glad we are doing it again this year, and I signed up for 9 to 10 AM again, because no one had chosen that slot. 

What a great way to start my week!