the end of 2024...

I wanted to post something to mark the end of the year 2024... but not sure what to say. 

When I'm starting this (Sunday) I still haven't gotten the results of my tests. In one respect, I take that as good... no news is good news. In another, it is the holidays and doctors as well are busy with their own families. But in truth, it doesn't matter too much - for as far as I'm concerned life will go on as usual... until it doesn't, right?

The pandemic changed a lot of things... some good, some not... and in some respects, it continues to change things. 

The widening of the division between our country's 2 major parties and the recent election has changed things. 

Climate change (whether you believe it or not) is changing things.

I guess what I'm trying to communicate here is that I'm entering 2025 guardedly? Cautiously? Not sure what to expect. I know they say to not dwell on the past, not worry about the future... just live in the present. Easy to say, not so easy to do. But I'm trying. How about you?

Change has always been around. I was born in the summer of 1945 and yes, many of us have witnessed many many changes over the last 80 plus years. But these days (I guess because of technology) the changes seem to be happening expeditiously (is that the right word?). I wonder if they're happening faster than we can keep up? 

There's a book out that Bill Gates recommended called "The Coming Wave" by Mustafa Suleyman that I read a sample of and bought the book for DH. It talks about AI (it's benefits and risks). It's a warning about the risks that fast-developing technologies pose... 

So possibly more smart-minded people feel this uncertainly. And it's not just us 'aged out older ones' that feel this inability to keep up (although we try). So many things that have real potential to make this a better world - are hard to control. 

I'm a big believer in Science and I want all this research to continue... (stem cell research, cloning, AI, space travel, the Internet, etc.) But we've never been able to have complete control over these things. We've never even been able to have regulations that adequately control guns or immigration. IMO none of these things are bad, they just need to be regulated more efficiently.

But eventually all this uncertainty will fall into younger hands. Since this younger generation has been born into this technological world, perhaps they will be more knowledgeable as to how to control it. I sure hope so.

So I'm going into 2025 with hope... hope that we will weather the next few years well and that the younger generation will eventually take over the reins with confidence and the desire to keep our country united and strong. 

Merry Christmas and Happy 2025 to Everyone!

Hugs (virtual),

Rian

(And don't forget 'Rabbit Rabbit White Rabbit' on January 1st!)

Good Morning! This may be long... but Merry Christmas a day late

It's been an awfully busy last few weeks. Seems like there wasn't time to sit and think... just keep going. Most of it was family and Christmas related, but some had to do with tests that my doctors wanted run... that were stressful for me. I don't feel 'stressed' most of the time, but apparently my body feels otherwise and lets me know in weird ways (migraines, IBS, and recently waking up to headaches, chills, fast heartbeat, and breathing issues). 

I went to my 6 month Cardiologist appointment and EKG and told him what was happening. He said it was "stress"... and I thought, "no... you're wrong." But once home, I googled stress symptoms and all those things (even the chills) can be caused by stress. Maybe he was right.

I was stressed out over the MRI and the Petscan... not for the results (which I haven't gotten yet), but for the tests themselves. I can't lie on my back for any length of time without coughing (chronic radiation cough which I've had for 24 years) and I'm 'a bit' claustrophobic... so 30 -45 minutes lying still could be a problem. But I didn't realize that my body apparently was more stressed out than my mind. My mind always says, "just do it!" and I guess my body screams "NO!" in the middle of the night. (I'm such a weenie!)

Anyway, dealing with that as well as trying to get everything organized for Christmas, goodies all baked, gifts mailed out and/or delivered, etc. has kept me going non-stop. We didn't do a big Christmas dinner, but I did prepare dinner Christmas evening for six with dessert and coffee after opening gifts. It was fun, but what bothers me is that it's getting harder to do. 

Sharing these memes:

And here's a pic of one of the 'goodies cannister' I filled (filled 10).

and here's a pic of the delicious bread a neighbor brought over:

so-oo good!

and of course our ferals got new toys on the back porch... and the heat lamps have been on for them all week.

and I will leave you with a picture of my feet as I enjoy the fire these days...

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! 

May your 2025 be happy, healthy 

and full of love, family, and friends!

(...and thank you for being there for me)

Hugs (virtual),

Rian

Life's little moments... Moose's passing and a post Thanksgiving note...and Rabbit! Rabbit! White Rabbit!

me and Moose 

This is a picture of me and Moose (daughter's Great Dane that passed recently). He was definitely a sweetheart. She took him in when a friend was moving and couldn't take him with her. He was 7 at the time... and quickly became a integral part of the family (so loving and appreciative of life in general). 

They only had him for 7 more years, but he went everywhere with them, traveling in their truck or car, visiting places, etc. He and my daughter were close. Animals tend to pick a person and my daughter was definitely 'his person'. They have and have had many animals (horses, alpaca, rabbits, turtles, chickens, dogs, and cats) on their 8 acres - but I have to say that Moose was 'special'.

He was such a gentle soul. Yet once when someone looked in their kitchen window when my daughter was home alone, he put up such a ruckus that she had to hold him back. Turns out it was a police officer looking for a missing child. But Moose was in 'protection' role. 

And as he aged, he was cold a lot (I'm that way too). Daughter once put him in a sweatshirt and sent me a pic.

And you can see the gray in his muzzle in this pic.

Daughter and Moose

**********************

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

Thanksgiving was good. We were 8. Lots of food (Turkey, Ham, jalapeno pecan stuffing, sausage stuffing, a veggie stuffing, garlic mashed potatoes, bourbon sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, cranberry sauce, and a cranberry pecan sourdough bread.) Desserts were a chocolate/vanilla cream cheese pudding with a cookie crust, peach pecan cobbler, and a white almond birthday cake (Youngest granddaughter's 12th birthday). Everything tasted wonderful!

Oldest granddaughter brought her 8 month old Burmese Mountain  'puppy'. He's huge, but adorable. Here's a pic:

Weather was cold (finally). It was in the 30's in the early morning, but in the 50's by afternoon. We were able to bundle up and go for a long walk to the stables after Thanksgiving dinner. Then come home to a warm fireplace. All in all, it was a good day. 

Hugs (virtual),

Rian

Sorry it's been a bit since I've posted. Going through some stuff here. Had an routine x-ray taken recently, and that warranted a cat scan. Now they want a MRI and a Pet scan. Trying to get it scheduled before the end of the year. But will keep you posted. 

On another note, Ancestry DNA has been updated recently. 

Most of this didn't surprise me as dad was an O'Regan (very Irish) and mom a D'Aquin (very French). But I had no idea that there was some Scotland in there. I really liked Scotland and the Scottish people when we visited in 1996 and 1998. I haven't done a lot of Ancestry (can be expensive), but do find it interesting. 

Guess I'm getting sentimental in my old age and wish I had known my grandparents and their families - that emigrated from Ireland to England to Canada and America. What stories they could tell...  

And although it's Saturday, November 30th when I'm writing this, I just realized that tomorrow was December 1st and White Rabbit Day! So I'm holding this off to post tomorrow.

Rabbit! Rabbit! White Rabbit!

💙

Working on acceptance...

Can't find the words to put here. Still unsettled, but working on accepting. Trying hard not to think of the scary possibilities...

So I will simply post some memes/posters that say inspiring things:

and...

That's the best I can do for now.  

(I did find this... and do find it helps some (may be psychological) but I'll take it)

Hugs (virtual),

Rian

November 1, 2024 Rabbit! Rabbit! White Rabbit!

... almost forgot

 

Rabbit! Rabbit! White Rabbit!

(between Halloween and the Election... I almost forgot)

Hugs (virtual),

Rian

Happy Halloween 2024!

Happy Halloween !

We don't do a lot for Halloween. We do put out a pumpkin or pumpkins out front and a few crows... and I make bat and pumpkin cookies for our granddaughter and the twin girls next door. But that's about it. (On occasion I have made a custard pumpkin pie... but not this year)

Here's a pic of my bat cookies... same as last year, same as every year!

and our pumpkin(s) out front:

 and...

Our happy pumpkin and Tom & Jerry (fake crows)

Have a happy safe fun Halloween!

Hugs (virtual),

Rian

An assortment of subjects...

love these little anoles

Was giving my plants a watering inside the house when this little fella jumped out at me. I was like... "where did you come from?" as he hopped all over the sink trying to avoid being captured.  I water my plants in the laundry room sink so it was filled with about an inch or two of water and he kept falling into it. Finally I caught him and took him outside and put him on our Hatch Pepper plant. I'm guessing that he came in on the large Fiddle Leaf Fig that DH takes outside to water... and then hopped onto the smaller plants? He had nothing to fear from me.

A friend (bff of my sister's) had her 90th birthday last week. She is amazing... certainly doesn't look 90... maybe 65 or so. To be honest, I generally can't tell a person's age once they hit 70. They just look 'old'... but this lady definitely doesn't look 90. She was my sister's best friend from school age till my sister passed at 51. Both were very talented. My sister was an architect and her friend was a designer and artist... still is. It's good being in touch again.

I did get a few responses on Senior Living options. Nothing that I didn't know already, but it's interesting to see what works for some. We will 'age in place' for now. We own our home, get social security, and have some savings... so for the moment, we're ok. Senior Living communities are expensive, we're happy where we are, and we do have 3 adult kids who we could 'visit'... if necessary.

And I will leave you with some memes (with the election around the corner, some things to think about):

and...

Wishing you a restful relaxing weekend. If you haven't voted yet, please vote. All elections are important, but this one seems especially so. 

Hugs (virtual),

Rian 

a different taste of senior living...

DH and I were invited to eat out with friends last week who recently moved into a Senior Living Community. They are very good friends and made the decision this summer to sell their house and move. They did a lot of research on the different 'Senior Living' available and came to the conclusion that this one was best due to location and amenities.

Apparently there are 4 restaurants on the premises and we met and had dinner at one. The food was very good. I had filet mignon which I hadn't had in a very long time - as well as garlic mashed potatoes and spinach. It seems you can pick a salad or soup, entree with 2 sides, as well as a drink and dessert.

After dinner we went to their apartment. It also was very nice... not large when compared to their house, but had all the necessary rooms (2 bedrooms, 2 baths, kitchen, nook, and living room). 

I guess some of the advantages of going this route is there is no lawn upkeep, no pool upkeep (they did have a pool at their house - now one is available without the upkeep), lunch and supper is available if desired, activities and doctors on site also... kind of a little village in itself... although the place itself is huge. 

Made me think. Could we do this? Would we want to? At the moment, I have to say no. I like my house. Next year we will have been here for 40 years. And I like my yard.  I'd miss the 'critters'... and we (so far) can still take care of our yard and house. But we're both 79... and I wonder sometimes if we shouldn't wait too late to downsize or whatever. 

Anyway, it gave us something to think about.  Maybe some of you have thought about it or possibly made the move yourself. Any advice or thoughts would be appreciated.

 

And here's some pics of what the boys had for supper last night here at home:

put ham, turkey, cheese and bacon on croissant

rollup! (I put hot dog on some)

Finished sandwiches!

The guys really like them! (I can't eat them as the croissants aren't GF - but it doesn't matter as they are easy peasy to make)  

***

Early voting has begun... we voted by mail and tracked our ballots to make sure they were received. They were. Now it's just a matter of waiting to see how this (dare I say unprecedented - or just plain strange?) election turns out. I tend to feel that this one is going to be extremely important in determining how things go in the next 4 years. Never before have I felt both hope and fear in my heart for this event.

I did see this... and thought...  OK

And that's it for now... 

Hugs (virtual),

Rian

Kittens and Crows!

I'm so excited! 

On Sunday we were surprised to find two new kittens on our back porch with their feral mom. Posting a video I captured of them. She may have more, but for now she has brought these two. They look about 6-7 weeks old.

(Remember to click on the small square on the right to enlarge video)

And that same evening (about 5 pm) we had about six crows picking up the peanuts and bread we put out for them on the front lawn. I couldn't get a good pic of them without scaring them off... but I got a few through the front room window. Tom and Jerry (our fake crows) did their job well!

This is just a short post as I needed to share these exciting events with you (I know, not so exciting to all of you - as several have mentioned "Why attract crows?") But as those of you know who follow my blog, I have a undeniable love for all critters. Some seem to fascinate me more than others (cats and crows for instance), but all need nurturing. 

Crows are smart. They learn fast. And I think they send out scouts. The funny thing is that each time they have come by - a skinny little squirrel comes with them and feeds among them... and leaves as soon as they leave (a curiousity).

Also yesterday evening DH was in the laundry room and I was in the kitchen when a crow started cawing so loud that we both jumped and said, "what in the world?" It sounded like he/she was right there in the house. We looked into the backyard, but didn't see anything. But still wonder what that was about.

Closing with a pic of some blueberry mini-muffins I made this week. They are gluten free mix by Krusteaz and very good!

Have a great week! 

Just saw this and thought I'd add it here:

...just 4 years?

Hugs (virtual),

Rian

a non-productive week...

It's been a non-productive week. Started off fine on Monday and DH and I walked at the mall to get a little exercise and pick up some 'coffee scented' candles that were on sale at the Bath & Body shop. We even stopped for coffee and hot chocolate at Eataly's while there. 

And Tuesday we headed out to Central Market to get our weekly groceries... all was fine. But by Tuesday afternoon while I was in the middle of making some home-made nutty granola to send to our granddaughter, I suddenly felt very tired. I finished the granola and then went to lie down. Told DH that I wasn't feeling very well... 

and that has continued through Wednesday and Thursday. My stomach has been queasy, so I haven't eaten much... just some toast and chicken soup here and there. Today I do feel a bit better. Don't know what causes these little setbacks... a bug? my mild IBS issue (haven't had an episode in a long time), or just old age? 

Anyway, since I'm feeling better, I'm trying today to make up for my days of doing nothing by getting to a bit of cleaning. Dusted the bedroom, mopped the kitchen, and will do a load of wash... that may be it (not a lot, but better than nothing).  

something to think about...

For those of you who are following my "crow attraction" plan - we've had a few crows stop by on several days... I saw them once, DH saw them twice. Yesterday as he was driving up to the house, he said there were 2 on the front lawn. He tried to phone me to look out the window, but the car scared them and they flew off. But hey, I'm happy some are getting the idea.

As for my sketching, I tried to do some yesterday, but apparently the muse has left me as I couldn't get into it (perhaps he/she isn't feeling well either).

Closing with a few memes: (Forgive me if they're ones I've sent before... hard to keep track)

and just a few of our feral cats:

Lastly:

and 

...and they do know. I sit outside in the back sometimes and one of them may be laying in the bushes about 3 feet away. I talk to her and she lays there and listens. Today I told her that I'd leave a treat out there and if she wants it, to come and get it after I leave. I left. As soon as I closed the French doors, she waited for a minute (thinking it over I guess) then came and got it. 

OK, enough for today. Hope you all have a great weekend! Fall is here!  Although we haven't gotten too much cooler yet - but early in the morning, you can feel it in the air.

Hugs (virtual),

Rian

Can't close without mentioning the awful hurricanes (Helene and Milton) and how much damage and loss of life they have caused. I believe in climate change and know that the climate will change with or without our doing anything. But like so many things, if we can do anything to help... why not try?