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Archive for the ‘Other’ Category

This pandemic just keeps on keeping on, and while we are in a much better place than we were last year we’re not back to normal yet.

I watch my neighbors walk by, the teenager who gets off the school bus alone every day at 3:45, the man who drives a cab that may or may not be in demand, the new father who strolls up and down the street every afternoon, the older couple who always hold hands as they walk their dog, and the orange cat we are (almost) certain has a home.

I wave and say hello but mostly I want to ask, “Are you ok? Are your homes warm, your pantries full, your hearts whole?”

I know that in my neighborhood and others, the answers will not always be what I hope. And so I smile and wave and when I can, I help food pantries, animal rescues and other groups who do their best to keep our community strong. 

And that helps me be ok, too.

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Photo by Sonika Agarwal on Unsplash

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“Now and then it’s good to pause in our pursuit of happiness and just be happy.” 

― Guillaume Apollinaire

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I may have mentioned our adventures in kitten trapping over the past couple of years (short version: hard but rewarding, remote cameras for the win).

Here are two organizations that were great as we tried to keep the neighborhood from being overrun by adorable, yet vulnerable, kittens:

The good people in these groups have done an amazing job even under the stresses of the pandemic, which has increased demand for pets but also restricted a lot of shelters and the vet services they need.

Fortunately, we were able to help our local cat rescue groups get a lot of kittens off the street before winter. Just as an example, take a look at two of the kittens we saved: Comet and Dasher. So cute!

If you’re in the market for an adorable fur friend, check out the adoption pages at these or your local rescue groups. We’re not ready for a new cat just yet but when we are we’ll go through a group like this.

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Cuteness is our superpower. Photo by Ilse Orsel on Unsplash

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Did I make any progress on writing projects today? I did not. Today was about baking and Formula One (Team Hamilton!).

I tested the first of several batches of sugar cookies. Today, brown-edge cookies. Very good, especially with cinnamon on top. Up tomorrow, my sister-in-law’s favorite sugar cookie recipe. The dough is chilling in the fridge now, and I hope for great things!

In completely unrelated news, I learned a new word today: procrastibake. 🙂

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Photo by Tijana Drndarski on Unsplash

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We had snow this morning and now the sun is out, streets are white and skies are blue. It’s lovely. I have work to do but I’m grateful to be able to carve out a little time to drink tea and read by the fire.

Happy Saturday!

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Photo by Andreea Radu on Unsplash

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I’m heading into the workshop for the first time in ages. On the menu, bottle stoppers and finding the on switch for my lathe.

Later I’ll get back to reading The Man Who Died Twice by Richard Osman. Murder, mayhem and complicated septua- and octogenarians come together in a touching, humorous and well-written package. What’s not to love?

If you’re interested, start with book one in the series: The Thursday Murder Club.

Delightful!

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Photo by Austin Ramsey on Unsplash

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Love This

From Black Friday 2020, but still relevant. Here’s to staying positive!

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Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash

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Loss

My nephew’s grandfather passed recently. He loved the land and the life he made on it with his wife of 49 years. He was a farmer, a dedicated family man, a gentleman and a pillar of strength for both his family and his community.

His shadow was long and his roots deep. He will be sorely missed.

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Photo by Jennifer Chen on Unsplash

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“There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.” 

― Albert Einstein

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Photo by DESIGNECOLOGIST on Unsplash

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It’s Sunday. I had plans and a to-do list and I’m getting some things done, but today I’m cutting myself some slack.

Do I need a little break? I do. Will it help get me back into gear and enhance productivity later? Probably.

Or maybe not. I still need that break.

For the sake of happiness and productivity, our goal should not be to squeeze every second of distraction and leisure out of our days.  

— Arthur C. Brooks, The Best Ways to Waste Time – The Atlantic

So I’ll spend at least part of my afternoon reading, drinking a smoked yaupon tea with whole milk and maple syrup, maybe have a treat, like one of the donuts we picked up yesterday. I’ll also check every half hour to see if we’ve managed to trap that last kitten, and generally take things slow. 

Who am I kidding, of course I’ll have that donut!

Here’s hoping your day is good too.

“Trees that are slow to grow bear the best fruit.” 

— Moliere

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Photo by Red Zeppelin on Unsplash

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