Julie hiding, Book on Kindle, and Happy Thanksgiving!

Julie hiding under chair at ear treatment time

I had to post this as she looked so funny. We've been treating her yeast infection in her ear for 5 days now. We put 6 drops in her left ear at 9am in the morning and 9pm at night. She really is good about it and doesn't fuss. But... after only 3 days she realized the time schedule... and while she spent most of Thursday evening laying on the sofa with us watching TV - at 9pm, she disappeared - to be found under the chair in the dining room looking apprehensive.

Her ear still looks pink, but she doesn't seem to be shaking or scratching at it anymore. (I did tell her that if she scratched at it, the 'cone of shame' would be put back on... and I think she understood as she's been really good about not scratching).

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On another short note:

"Time After Time"

by D'Arcy Regan Hart (pen name) 

Now available on Kindle!

I signed up to do this this afternoon and was told that it may take 24 hours for it to go "live". While the paperback is $15.99 at Amazon for those book lovers who refuse to go digital, the e-book is only $2.99.  I've had so many good responses from people who have read it, that I really wanted it to be available to more readers - and this seemed a good way to do it.
  

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With Thanksgiving coming up this Thursday we have a lot to do this week so this may be my one and only post.  So I'm going to say "Happy Thanksgiving" to every one now. I really hope that all of you enjoy the day with family and/or friends. 

DH will smoke a turkey, and there will be bourbon sweet potatoes, cranberry pecan stuffing, mashed potatoes, broccoli/cauliflower casserole, green bean casserole, cranberry sauce, hot rolls, and 2 desserts: Kentucky Derby pie, and a (family traditional) chocolate pudding with a cookie crust.

Thanksgiving day will also be our youngest grand daughter's 7th birthday... (which she is celebrating with her friends at the Zoo this weekend) but we will still have a small family celebration at the house Thursday (so add Birthday cake to that Thanksgiving menu).

Closing this with a picture of Julie checking out the dollhouse that we recently moved to the den for youngest grand daughter to put all her LOL dolls in. This dollhouse was originally bought for oldest grand daughter who is now 18. (I've been using it as a bookcase in our computer room). Time to get it out and use it properly.

Julie says "thanks, I can use this..."

Hugs,
Rian

Books, cats, and other critters...

This is me on days that I've finished all the books I've been reading simultaneously.  When I read the last page, I'm like... 'oh no!'

If I'm completely out of 'real' books, I'll either have to go reread one that I've read before and liked (some stories I find can be reread countless times), or find one from a huge selection downloaded on a friend's Kindle, or perhaps... just go write my own. 

Today I'm reading an old book written in the 40's that one of my pottery friends loved. She found it on Amazon and gave it to me to read. She read my book, "Time After Time" and decided that I'd enjoy this one. It's called "Mrs. Mike" by Benedict and Nancy Freedman. It's about a young 17 year old girl who leaves Boston to live with her uncle in Alberta. She marries a young sergeant in the Canadian Mounted Police and they manage a life in the harsh wilderness.

I've also been reading "Educated" by Tara Westover - but don't find it pulling me back.  I'm about halfway through both books. 

And I'm definitely interested in "Miss Hargreaves" by Frank Baker (that one of you bloggers mentioned in your post)!

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Update: 

Julie's ear continued to bother her even though I cleaned it and treated it for possible ear mites. So yesterday DH and I bit the bullet and took her to the Vet's to have it checked out. I was beginning to worry that perhaps it was an ear infection and might be causing her pain.

The Vet flushed it out, tested it for mites - found none, but did diagnose a yeast infection and sent her home with Rx Tresaderm ear drops and that dreaded cone of shame. So, we shall see what happens. The trip to the Vet's is enough to wear her out (she is 15), so she slept most of the day when we got home. 

The funny thing that DH and I had to laugh about was when Julie walked into the house with that 'cone' on her head, Ghost took off for the bedroom and Tux hid behind the sofa. Don't know if the cone itself on Julie scared them or if they thought they might be next. 

The unfunny thing is what such a quick Vet visit cost us ($$).

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Closing with 2 pics taken recently:

Ghost and Snuffy

Visiting possum this morning

Ghost looked so cute snuggling up with Snuffy on the bed. And our visiting possum was such a chubby healthy looking little critter that I had to take his pic.

Have a wonderful weekend! And as always, thanks for visiting!

Hugs,

Rian

Happy Veteran's Day... also grandson's B-day!!

November 11th is Veteran's Day


(love this song!)

God Bless the USA


If tomorrow all the things were gone I’d worked for all my life,

And I had to start again with just my children and my wife.

I’d thank my lucky stars to be living here today,

‘Cause the flag still stands for freedom and they can’t take that away.


And I’m proud to be an American where at least I know I’m free.

And I won’t forget the men who died, who gave that right to me.

And I’d gladly stand up next to you and defend her still today.

‘Cause there ain’t no doubt I love this land 

God bless the U.S.A.


From the lakes of Minnesota, to the hills of Tennessee,

across the plains of Texas, from sea to shining sea,


From Detroit down to Houston and New York to LA,

Well, there’s pride in every American heart,

and it’s time to stand and say:


I’m proud to be an American where at least I know I’m free.

And I won’t forget the men who died, who gave that right to me.

And I’d gladly stand up next to you and defend her still today.

‘Cause there ain’t no doubt I love this land 

God bless the U.S.A.

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(and love this kid!)

Nov. 11, 2019 is also our oldest Grandson's 21st Birthday!

Time sure flies...

Hugs,
Rian

"Dear Lord, Lest I continue

My complacent way,

Help me to remember,

Somehow out there 

A man died for me today.

As long as there be war,

I then must ask and answer

Am I worth dying for?"

a new addition...

Snuffy on bed with Tux

Recently fell in love with this little guy while walking at the mall with DH. Originally planned to give it to grand daughter (since her birthday and Christmas are both coming up) - but soon realized that I didn't want to part with him. He now sits (along with cats) on top of our bed!

I have always been interested in elephants (and crows) and have an elephant picture that I inherited from my brother in our bedroom. See below.

They are such majestic animals... as is our Tux.

The weather this week is cold and rainy... so the cats and I are spending our days by the fireplace. 

It seems the smartest thing to do. And DH and I both got our flu shots this week... so taking it easy and out of the weather seems like a good idea.

A few more pics here at the end that I took at Neiman Marcus when DH and I were walking at the mall Monday. Christmas is everywhere already... (abeit a bit early)!

    Love the bear tree best!











By the way, I named the elephant Snuffy for Snuffaluffagus...

I should be wishing everyone a Happy Thanksgiving instead of posting Christmas decorations, but we seem to go right from Halloween into Christmas these days. And besides, I don't really have much in the way of Thanksgiving decorations.  It seems to be more about family and food (which is always fun -although sometimes a lot of work).

But I guess we're now on the big countdown from Halloween to Thanksgiving to Christmas. Always lots to do (hope I'm still up to it).  But as the mantra goes, "Breathe in, breathe out, move on!"

Hugs,
Rian

Halloween cat/bat?

Halloween cat/bat?

Neighbor's Halloween decoration (The Flying Frenchman)

I had to send you a pic of our neighbor's Halloween lawn decoration this year. If you enlarge it, you can see all the skeletons manning the deck. He calls it "The Flying Frenchman"  (he is French and just moved here a few years ago). He always goes all out for the holidays and the neighborhood loves it.

We actually had a busy night of 'trick or treat' -ers. Didn't expect it as it was cold (30 F) and had been raining earlier in the day. But by evening, it was probably in the 40-50 F's and the rain had stopped. So despite it being cold, we had a fair number of door bell ringers.... (maybe about 30+ ?). 

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Unless things change next week, it seems like the weather here in North Texas skipped Fall this year. We went from the 90's to the 30's already. Fireplaces on - the cats and I are ready to hibernate until spring.

Tux and I under a blanket on the sofa.  

And taken just this morning, the 3 cats waiting by the Aga for a treat... (I must have taken 6 shots and in each one of the cats would turn his head - this one is the best of the lot. Julie was not looking up, but at least she didn't turn away).

The outside ferals already have their new beds out and heat lamps on. And they are definitely using them. One of the feral cats is a handsome black with only one eye. He tends to use the catbed on the front porch a lot. We call him "One eyed Jack" - 'the cat who lived' - as he was in very poor shape a few months back... beat up badly and right eye/side of face all red and swollen. DH and I knew we couldn't get near him to take him anywhere for treatment, so we watched him and waited - expecting any morning to find him dead in the cat bed.

But... he would get up and eat, then sleep the days away in that bed. One day he was gone - and we wondered if he had gone off to die. But tho and behold, he showed up a few weeks later, healed and looking fit. He is definitely blind in that eye, but seems to do well otherwise. Still comes back on cold nights to sleep in that bed. For us he'll always be 'the cat that lived'.

Hope you had a fun Halloween and as always thanks for coming by to visit. Enjoy all that left-over Halloween candy! 

Hugs,

Rian