it's about time

Where to start when it's been seven weeks since I last posted? It's been a combination of things. Not in a blogging mood, having a busy (a "good" busy) fall, and feeling like I have nothing to say while at the same time, having too much to say. 

{my darling Clementine is still doing well!}

I at least wanted to say hello and check in with you all and see how you're doing. I know the world can be very heavy on our hearts at times. Personally, it's been a good fall for me except for September 25th, a day I always dread. That's the date of my oldest son, Philip's passing. It's been 14 years, which seems like forever ago. It's still a very difficult day for me and Brian and I know it will be until we take our last breath. It doesn't matter how many years have passed. When you lose a child, the jagged wound in your heart is irreparable. 

Otherwise, this fall has been full of farms and petting goats and walking along the beach (Lake Michigan); reconecting with my yoga and Reiki communities; trying new-to-me art mediums (watercolor); and lots of one-on-one time with my friends.

{rocks and beach glass found along the lake shore}

The absolute best thing this fall was Tim coming home for a visit! It had been a year since we'd seen our boy. His time was limited while he was home as he was standing up in a wedding, but we enjoyed a day in downtown Chicago; hanging out for a bit at a couple of his friend's houses (with one friend and his wife and kids, I'm like their bonus mom and grandma ~ and with Tim's other friends, I've known them since they were in their late teens); a visit with extended family; just hanging out together watching a couple of movies; and an evening where Tim made us carnitas for dinner. 

I haven't been reading as much as I'd like lately. (Goal: less time spent on social media!) How about you?

A trip to the library and the threat of cold weather moving in next week spurred me on. I'm nearing the end of Absolution by Alice McDermott. I have mixed feelings on this novel. McDermott is a wonderful storyteller and there's some compelling parts in this book, but it's also a bit dry. I'll take a break from fiction and dive into a non-fiction book next. 

Hard to believe Thanksgiving is only a week away. To my American friends, I hope your day is full of gratitude and love.

💓

totally random ~ catching up

First and foremost, the 13-year anniversary of my oldest son, Philip's passing was September 25th. When you're a parent, it doesn't matter how many years it's been since your child has died. The pain of that day will never fade. I had a headache and basically moped around the house all that day. I could finally exhale a bit on the 26th. 

I love this photo of Phil with his bedhead, unshaven face, wearing his comfy worn out hoodie. It was Christmas 2008 and he was 20 years old. It was his last Christmas with us. He's checking out his new phone with texting keyboard. Hard to grasp the reality that he's never seen a smartphone like we have now.

Fall is here in full force with a beautiful color change and leaves falling like mad. As I do every year, I'm documenting the color change of the gorgeous maple across the street.

The leaf blower can't keep up anymore. It's like shoveling during a snowstorm.

The patio table got taken apart today, covered with a tarp, and put up against the house. We left the two rockers out for now because we're hoping we can still sit outside on the patio at least a couple more times before the end of the month. We'll see. The weather here in Illinois can fluctuate anywhere between the 30's and 60's during the day. 

The glider finally bit the dust this year. It still works, but is falling apart, as you can see by all the wicker pieces that are falling off. We've had this set over 10 years and it was given to us by friends. I don't know how long they had it, so this set has seen good use. We'll possibly be in the market for a new patio set next spring unless we decide to stick with just the two rocking chairs for now.

Back in June, I wrote a post about stray cats that were hanging around our property. I'll update you about the female (Goldie) and her kitten another time. Spoiler alert: that news is all good but there was a little surprise. 

The feral male, Blanco, is still coming around. He's gotten friendlier towards me, though I still can't get within 10 feet of him. He shows up at my house most every evening for food now. 

Sometimes he doesn't show up 'til late at night and I see him out my front door, waiting patiently for me on my porch. He's such a beautiful kitty. The minute I open the door, he takes off. I then set a bowl of food for him on the porch and he eventually comes back to eat it. Long story short, I've been in contact with the county Trap, Neuter, Release program and I'm hoping to be able to trap him so he can at least get neutered. I'm sure he was the daddy of Goldie's kittens. Who knows how many more he's fathered around here. 

I also purchased an outdoor feral cat "house" from a local shelter this past weekend. Volunteers made them out of used ice chests and lined them with straw. They have a flap door where the cat can go in and out. I read online that it's to be put in more of a hiding spot and put up on bricks or pavers about 6" off the ground so that the "house" doesn't get wet from rain or snow. I hope Blanco ends up using it, especially in the winter. I worry about him.

My house is cozily decorated for fall and it'll stay that way til the end of November. You can see Clementine curled up on the throw on the sofa. She's is still hanging in there, though she's now in stage 4 of chronic kidney disease. She's showing more signs of decline with UTIs about once a month and now constipation (which is due to dehyrdration, even though we give her subcutaneous fluids). But she still eats all her food, uses the litter box, grooms herself, interacts with us, and plays with her toys. 

Little touches of autumn decor in the living room and "fauxyer"...

and in the kitchen...

Spent a day antiquing last weekend during the 2022 Midwest Shop Hop. Fun to look around, but only a couple of small things came home with me.

Surprise, it wasn't these cats!

It was almost this mirror, which I initially thought would look above my nightstand. But after taking measurements and also realizing it wouldn't go with the modern prints above our bed, I passed.

It wasn't this lovely chandelier either, as I have nowhere to hang it.

If I had a grandchild, I might've purchased this 1970's dollhouse. I had one just like it when I was growing up. I still have the plastic furniture that came with the dollhouse!

Sorry for the bad quality photo - I had to close the blinds on the kitchen door because the sunlight was so bright. See the two vintage wood pieces in the doorway? That's what I bought. I'm not sure I like these pieces here. I was trying to add some interest to the boring builder grade opening from the living room into the kitchen. No big deal if I decide to move them: they're attached to the wall with Command strips.

Here's where I tried the pieces at first. Big nope.

That's it in a nutshell. More I could talk about, but this post is already too long. Life is busy and it's hard to keep up with blogging sometimes. Other times, I'm simply not in the mood to post. Thanks for sticking with me.

💓

slowly transitioning decor towards fall

Anyone who knows me, knows I'm a summer lover. I crave warmth and sunshine (minus the humidity) and could easily live year-round in shorts and t-shirts. I try to enjoy summer as long as I can, especially since the season is short here in northeast Illinois. I officially have eight more days of summer to enjoy.

(My friend's beautiful back yard.)

As usual, all over social media I see people already decorating with pumpkins and scarecrows and other fall decor. I know ~ each to their own. But I never was one for rushing seasons. (Or holidays.) Except for winter. I totally understand rushing winter. 😜

I can't deny the season is changing. The late afternoon sun is dappled and softer, casting long shadows through my living room curtains. The neighbor's huge maple tree across the street is already tinged with red. Farmer's fields have a golden glow. Dried leaves litter the sidewalk. It gets dark just a few minutes past 7:00 p.m. now. 

Since I'm not dragging out my fall decor yet, I'm slowly transitioning my summer decor to softer, darker, and more natural colors.

If you're wondering what that honeycomb structure is in the plant, it's two trellises. I was using one to hold up one of my snake plants and wasn't using the other. I recently transplanted two dieffenbachia plants into this one plant pot and from the transplant shock, the plants were falling over. So I'm giving them a little help as they get used to their new home.

These trellises are sturdy, look nice and support the plant. I found them on Amazon. 

Bright colored summer couch pillows got packed away and fall ones took their place. 

Remember the lace piece I showed you in my August 23rd post ~ the one I ended up putting in my living room window? I moved it to the top wicker tray on the wall by the couch. I like the way the texture softens this corner.

I cut some of my last hydrangea blooms. They're beautiful even when dry and will look lovely in fall vignettes.

Found a new pillow for our bed at TJ Maxx. I never used to be a fan of yellows and golds but find I'm drawn to them lately.

 

Are you decorating for fall yet? 

a long overdue hello

Hey there, friends! I've missed the blogging community and writing and sharing photos, but sometimes life gets a little hectic and blogging falls to the back burner.

After being gone so long, it's hard to know where to start. I've been uploading photos and writing, but the post was too long. The delete key has been my friend and so I'm sticking with a generalization for now.

Clementine and Monkey news: Clem is still hanging in there with her CKD (Chronic Kidney Disease). You'd never know she's sick, as energetic and feisty as she still is. She eats well, too, especially for a tiny girl. I finally got brave enough to learn how to do her subcutaneous IV fluids at home, which I now do every other day. Brian and I make a good team: he sets everything up, and I'm the one who does the injection. We had a few mishaps the first few weeks; it was definitely a learning process. But so worth it in order not to be having to run to the vet all the time, not to mention the expense!

Unfortunately, Clem still has chronic skin chewing/barbering issues and they've gotten worse over time. She now has missing fur on her belly, legs and sides where she constantly chews. We have tried every medication possible for her, including ones from a vet dermatologist. We've changed her food, too. Nothing has helped. The vet is trying one last medication and then we're through with our options. 

In the meantime, I had Monkey at the vet this morning. He was born with the herpes virus and to-date, it's only shown up in his eyes...he gets eye "gunk" which flares up from time to time. About five days ago, I noticed he was congested and his purring sounds were coming from the sides of his mouth. The vet said even though my cats are indoor cats, Monkey can still get a cold since he has the herpes virus. So he's now on Amoxicillin and a probiotic. I'm telling you, sometimes having pets is like having little kids all over again!

This introvert has been quite social this summer and fall...seems I'm spending more time doing things with friends and family, and Brian and I have taken a few day trips. One positive thing about living in northeast Illinois is that we experience all four seasons. I know I complain about winter; it's my least-favorite season. And fall always makes me melancholy, though I try to find the beauty in the season through the beautiful colors and moody sky. Hope you don't mind a fall photo dump! This is what happens when I haven't talked to you all in a long time. 

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving and we'll gather at my mom's house. It's sounding like we'll have enough food to feed an army, but there's nothing better than Thanksgiving leftovers! Wishing you all a happy and blessed holiday and thanking you for your friendship and hanging in there with me. 💓