A Leaf Raking Kinda Day

Seems like I didn't stop all day but still didn't get anything done. Just one of those days. My friend Gerda came home from the hospital today. We took supper so she wouldn't have to cook and got some of her leaves bagged up. Her neighborhood watch complained about her yard being the only one in the neighborhood not raked. Not one of them or her neighbors volunteered to rake and bag them. She is a elderly lady with lots of medical problems. Her neighborhood is young families with a couple of middle aged families down the street. All able to help a elderly neighbor if they choose. Enough venting

. We got some of the leaves up and will try to finish tomorrow evening. My yard after the heavy rain is thick with leaves. Will get to it one day. Got 2 Christmas trees up. Up as in standing with lights on but that is it. Got some of the boxes of Christmas decorations out. Will go through them and try to downsize even more than I did last year. Really don't need all these decorations. Want to keep it simple. Tried to get all the rabbit cages filled with straw as cold weather is suppose to be here for a few days. Want the bunnies to stay warm. Also got the goat stalls and houses fixed with fresh bedding. Took some pictures so I could list some things on Craigs List and ebay. Hopefully will get to that tonight. Got some laundry done but still have a couple more loads. We finally ate the rest of Thanksgiving leftovers. Well except for the turkey and I put those leftovers in the freezer. Looking forward to having a meal tomorrow without turkey as part of the menu. I am planning on going to my daughters around the 16th so trying to get lots of things done around here. Also make lots of notes for William as he sometimes doesn't remember to do certain things. I will be leaving Rusty home this trip and know he will be sad. Made sure to leave notes on his treats, rides, walks, etc. He doesn't like getting his feet wet or cold. When it rains or snows you have to carry him to a dry spot to potty. Yeah, I know but what can I say. LOL I am sure William will do fine but just want to make sure the animals keep their routine and get lots of love.

The grands are already making plans for me and I am excited to spend time with them and my daughters. As some of you remember my daughters and I try to help a needy family each Christmas. This year we are helping a single mom who lost her job and has a set of 13 year old twins. If anyone would like to send a gift just leave a comment and I will email my daughters address to you. We will be delivering the gifts on Christmas Eve. I will post all about it when I get home but of course won't take any pictures. Don't want to embarrass the family in anyway. When ask what they wanted the mother didn't give a big or expensive list. The son wants pj bottoms (size men med), ankle socks size (men 8-10) anything Carolina Panther. Daughter likes "funky" socks (women 8-10) XL (womens) pj bottoms, VHS movies (sci fi, animal, disney) craft supplies, hair stuff, body spray.  Mom didn't ask for anything but could use Verizon  prepaid phone card as that is their only phone in home. They have a walmart, kmart, BiLo's, Ingles in their town if anyone wanted to send a gift card. I am taking a box of canned goods along with a gift for each child. We hope to help this family have a wonderful Christmas. That's what Christmas is all about... caring and helping others. 

William has plans to go back to Lexington, NC to help his son in law for a few days. My plans are to paint the diningroom while he is gone. Do more decluttering so he won't see what I get rid of. (smile) Do lots of yardwork and pack for my trip. We had Gerda's grandson staying with us for a few days while she was in hospital. He is 18 and has a fulltime job. He would love to stay here all the time but I am just too old. It is hard having a teenager in the house that thinks he is an adult and doesn't need rules. As my dad always said, as long as you are under my roof there will be rules. So tomorrow he will be going out on his own. He doesn't like his grandmother or anyone giving him rules. Will be keeping him in my prayers and hope he becomes the adult he thinks he already is. Learns he will always have rules wherever he goes.

I am enjoying a nice cup of hot chocolate, a nice fire in the stove, and the peace and quiet of the household. Late nights are peaceful and relaxing. Gives me time to think and also count my blessings..... have you counted yours today?

Nice Weekend

Thanksgiving is over. The guests have gone home. The fall decorations are being taken down and tomorrow Christmas decorations will go up. Had a nice 4 day visit with William's daughter Lisa, her husband and their two sons. William, Lisa and her oldest son W went out at midnight Thanksgiving to shop. The rest of us were smart and stayed home. I went out once on black Friday years ago and will never do that again. I cooked and baked  a lot while they were here so we ate way too much. They took us out to Red Robin's last night and we had fun. Now the house is clean, laundry done, we and the animals are all settled down for a nice quiet evening. As much as we enjoyed the company it is nice to get back to our normal. Getting excited as I will be going to the mountains and spending Christmas with my daughters and their families. Have a few weeks before I go and lots of things to get done but can't wait! Hope there is snow while I am there so I can go sledding with the grands and hope to catch a basketball game of Q's. I also hope to be there a day or so before the school's Christmas break to pay a visit to FHS and a certain teacher and then go up the ladder. Hope each of you had a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend and have so many blessings you can't count them all.

Happy Thanksgiving!

From our home to yours wishing you a very blessed Thanksgiving Day!

Got Your Turkey?

                                                       I am NOT a turkey! I am a pilgrim! 

Getting Ready For Turkey Day

New Faces Around The Homestead

 11 baby chicks

 This is Cheep. The chick hatched by a turkey and raised by me. He jumps on my hand everytime I open the door to his and Skates house.

 And this is Skate. He came to us from a lady on Craigs List. He was the only one to hatch out of her incubator.

 And these are the 8 ducklings. The one I dropped while still in the shell and then hatched under a heat lamp is now with its siblings and momma.

 And here are the 3 new goats William purchased in Virgina. Robby the buck

 Olivia and Sissy the doelings. They now act like they have lived here forever. They know how to give you nudges for treats and how to stand at the gate and cry at feeding times. They have the most pitiful cries. Sounds like they are so weak from starvation they can hardly cry. Yep, they fit right in with the rest of Hidden Haven Critters.

Not Looking Like Christmas Here

Though the weather is more like summer things are looking like fall around here. The pumpkins, mums, and cornstalks are showing a little wear from the frosts of last week but still looking good for Thanksgiving. I don't want to overlook a day of celebrating with family and friends all that we have to be thankful for. All too soon it will be time to hang the lights and decorate the trees but for now Hidden Haven is decorated for Thanksgiving.

The mums,cornstalks, and pumpkins came from my friends produce stand... FREE. The other things I already had so fall decorating cost me zero dollars. I did have all the leaves on the ground raked but we had a wind and rain storm that brought lots more down. Hope to get them raked before guests arrive for Thanksgiving dinner but if not I can always say its part of my fall decorations! Have a blessed night everyone.