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I'm home. 

I'm sicker. 

Not sure if I'm going to run the Turkey Trot this year. Game day decision.

This might affect our plans on Friday with extended family too (my uncle is susceptible after a stroke).

Garden is hanging on. Peas are slowly growing and full of blooms. I'll pick a few today. Big frost this week though. I'll cover, but this might be the beginning of the end of the garden this year.

Picked before I went
to Asheville. Beauties
and delicious.

Here's the picture of the other painting I got in Asheville. It works so much better than the modern frame I had hanging. It also coordinates the colors with the very old painting over the bed. 

A little hard to see in
this picture. Fall trees
and a country church.

Lots of things on the calendar today. 

Errands out the wazoo, but most are quick. 

And, PLANT WATERING. Ugh, my least favorite thing about this house. I saved a favorite podcast to entertain and distract -- improves the process significantly. 

Short and sweet this morning. Heading out early for a bakery pickup (GF rolls) and grocery store before the crowds descend on Thanksgiving week Tuesday. 

Hope your week is going well. Later gators. 

New Wall Art

Got some Asheville shopping for the picture wall redo in the primary bedroom in GA.

Marketplace.

Two new shops.

Sadly, 2 other FB Marketplace pictures were available, but didn't respond until late last night and I'm leaving this morning.

Such good deals. 

Charles Dickens scene on tile.

Hand painting of mushrooms.

Loved the colors in this
old print ... and the frame.

Biggest score. $20
Tree of Life, signed, numbered.

And I bought 2 new pictures for here. Both original paintings. Didn't take a picture of the bedroom one yet.

Bottom oil painting.
Mountain, winter scene.

Decorated. 

Scaled back a bit because we won't be here much. 

(Didn't add lights to the fireplaces or mantels.)

It's still festive.

Christmas mugs
watching TV

On a timer so the house
looks nice from the street.

All the stockings.

Other fireplace

I'm bringing some decorations home. I like them too much and want to see them throughout December. Traveling by car makes swapping stuff easy. 

Disturbing news a the teahouse -- they discontinued the decaf version of chai -- what?!?! I hope the barista was wrong. Nothing was mentioned the day before. She said she would request it special for me anyway. Everything is made and brewed from scratch and individually. They'll have the tea available, but not brewed with spices (but it's all separate). I hope it's just an off-menu item now. I can't see why they can't continue to make it. It's loose tea steeped, removed, and then steeped again with spices. 

Anyway ...

I don't feel horrible today. The cold is holding steady and relatively mild with cold meds on board. 

I'll workout, but not sure if I'll run, walk the mountain, or ride the Peloton. Very indecisive this trip. 

I'd like to run ... might be too much with this cold (but I have a 5K on Thursday).

Mountain walk takes a couple of hours ... I need to get on the road (but the mountain is so healing).

I can ride the Peloton at home ... but I need to clock a workout for the new week.

I don't know. 

Decision for later this morning. 

Hope you are set for a good week. Thanksgiving is upon us -- lots to do, lots of everything (good and bad). I hope the week sticks the landing. Later gators.

A Different Visit

Hello, hello.

It's been a couple of days. 

I have a family situation that's upsetting and it's taken me out of sorts. I also have a cold -- dang. 

But, no need to go into either. Let's stick with the good stuff.

I volunteered on Friday in a refugee community with a lot of need.

Felt good.

Love visiting this community.

Lovely, friendly people.

Lots of hugs (probably where I got the cold).

I also coordinated a drop off of a never-used bike a friend was going to put in the trash --  no one wanted it. There are organizations that focus on specific donation items. I got the bike from the friend and delivered it to Global Spokes. GS will get this bike to a family that relies on bikes for transportation. They were thrilled with the bike she gave away.

I say this to remember it's worth effort. Maybe that's all someone can do (a bit of effort), but it makes a difference. Someone had mentioned this organization to me a few months ago. This friend texted to see if I knew anyone who wanted a bike. Then the coordination, effort, couple of weeks trying to get it to them. 

All worth it. 

Networking. 

Taking on an itty bitty project. 

It was a chain of moments that came together to get a bike to a person in need. 

Lots of hands. Community. Connection.

I'm in Asheville for a few days to decorate for Christmas. 

A bear got to the pumpkin before I could ... hah. This was the pumpkin a friend dropped off when she was in Asheville. Sat on our porch table. Luckily, he left the table alone. Cleanup on the agenda today.

This Asheville trip looks different ... my usual isn't happening. 

But ...

I unlocked a super fun Asheville thing. FB marketplace. Why haven't I thought of this before? This is an art town and I'm looking for used art for the bedroom redo. Hello. 

I have 2 meetups today (so far -- a number of inquiries pending). I'm so excited. I have to go find cash though. I didn't anticipate this kind of shopping. 

I started and finished the books for bookclub yesterday (quick reads). We have 2 book choices -- read 1, 2 or neither (low key stakes to attend). I bought one used (very good) and one library (didn't like it). That was lucky (library didn't have the other one).

Loved this sweet book.

Missed the mark for me.

Funny how similar the subject matter, title, even author name. Two different experiences though.

I also picked the book(s) I'm giving for the book exchanged. Two short (and fabulous) young adult reads. Both came from the library, so I ordered used copies. Stay tuned. We're wrapping, writing clues and first sentences on the outside -- fun and creative. I chose these because this is such a well read group. How can I give a good book they haven't read?? No one reads young adult though. Perfect! Whoever gets my package will love these quick, happy, uplifting books. 

Today is a mystery day.

Going with the flow.

I decided to use this trip to take gentle care of myself. No pushing. No goals. Letting myself do whatever feels good as long as it's not something that will ultimately make me feel bad (stuffing my face with cake).

I'm not working out today and didn't yesterday either. 

I'm having as much decaf teahouse as I desire. 

I'm driving partially to the teahouse to avoid the big hill climb on the way back.

Reading. 

TV (if I want). 

Shopping for Christmas. 

This isn't my normal walking, nature focused trip. I don't have it in me -- physically or emotionally.

I want (and need) to fill up in a different way. That's starting with letting myself feel like crap. I'll get back to other things when I get home. 

I need to take some pressure off before a hard week ahead. 

Vet appointment on Tuesday to discuss end-of-life for Monti.

Tense volunteer visit on Wednesday with people going through a tough transition. 

Thanksgiving with our family upset. Not looking forward to pretending and possible worsening of the situation as we'll all be together with some in-laws.

Thanksgiving is an emotional time for me. I saw my dad for the last time on Thanksgiving (and that trip was almost postponed to the following year). He died unexpectedly 2 weeks later at age 53. I miss him a lot this time of year AND am eternally grateful for that visit. Melancholy time.

My mother used Thanksgiving over the years to be her worst self and caused a lot of strife around this holiday. She's at it again, but we don't speak ... grateful for small favors. 

This is the second year we've had our family dynamics at play that have caused hurt feelings, arguments, etc. It breaks my heart for all of us. We're working toward mending fences, but it's a slow go. Thanksgiving somehow is a marking point for tension between people in our family and the in-law sets. I have no idea why.

Holidays bring the best and the worst. 

Okay, enough for today. Have a good Sunday. Later gators.

A Cancel Day

Non-stop all day yesterday.

Calls.

Emails.

Errands.

Meetings. 

Home at 9:30 at NIGHT. What the what??

Then everything got canceled for today.  

I'm not complaining. It was good to get so much finished yesterday. I have plenty of things I need to do at home. Funny how one cancel tends to become the theme of the day. 

Tomorrow is a full day out of the house and I leave for Asheville on Saturday.

Happy to have a little time to get organized and such.

I'm going to keep this short and sweet this morning. What I have to chat about is a rabbit hole I don't need to go into today (yep, THAT "friend" again). I'll spare you this morning lol.

Have a good day. Later gators.

Home and Ground Running

We ended up ending our Hilton Head trip on a bit of a carseat "drama."

The semi-cleaned carseat wouldn't lock the headrest into position. 

So much barf still inside the seat. 

The hotel vacuum could only do so much.

Said good-byes, loaded up, and ... back to the room.

Another hour+ working on the carseat until, finally, success. 

We got home later than we planned (hit some afternoon rush hour since we left later), but everyone is home safely and that's what counts. 

Definitely hit the week running last night. 

So much.

Maybe too much. 

Of course a full week got some big add-ons (out of my control) yesterday. Scrambling to get that figured out today (volunteer position with a court hearing on the horizon). 

I'll spare you the details of my week (for now, lucky you lol). Got to get moving. 

Here's a HH squirrel being sassy. Have a good one. Later gators.

Stayed Put

Day at the resort yesterday.

Carseat is a work in progress and still STINKS to high heaven so we stayed put.

Aired it out.

Washed it again.

Sprayed it.

Fingers crossed for their car ride home today. 

Kids went out for lunch and the beach and we had some grandparent time :)

More playground.

Lots and lots of truck playing.

Some coloring.

A hug game (the best!).

Books. 

Sit by the fire pit. 

We got takeout for dinner because everyone was tired and the carseat was a mess.

Friend at the park.

We're all heading home today. It was a great little trip.

Hitting the ground running for the rest of the week. We actually have the reservation until Wednesday, but we've done all we came to do and the kids are leaving today (work tomorrow). We're ending on a fun note.

Later gators. 

Stinky, but Fun

It was a great day that ended with a less-good ending.

First, the ending:

Little guy puked his guts out on the way home from dinner at my cousin's house. 

Everything got covered. 

People.

Carseat.

Toys. 

EVERYTHING.

Total stink fest. 

Thankful for the washer and dryer. 

But we had a great time and so did our grandson ... totally at ease with the family.

Now the middle: 

Perfect beach day in November.

He was less thrilled with sand, but loved the water. 

Then the start:

Breakfast.

Playground.

Absolutely the best time ... loved every minute. 

Family filled day in a beautiful way.

I hear people awake, so I'll say good-bye this morning. Have a good start to the week. Later gators.