Dog Toys.

 Dog Toys.

 

Sister-in-law suggested that we meet for lunch at Hunan’s today, and it really was enjoyable. She has to MAKE herself get out and about right now. Well, actually, she is that way quite often, not just right now. It is amazing to me sometimes how introverts would simply rather not be around other folks. Not that extroverts can’t feel that way as well. Sometimes it just feels good to keep to one’s self. And really, who could be better company than with our own thoughts and ways? We all need some quiet time and room to think. Too much noise or chatter can just be enough to make a person feel ill. Even if one’s job is being on the phone all day—in fact, maybe more so if one’s job is talking or listening to people on the phone—it is good to just get quiet and sit with thoughts that are comfortable. Anyway, we had a good lunch and visit. She needed to go to Aldi’s to shop for groceries and fill up her pantry. She said she was just eating things that were there in the house and not planning any meals. That has been happening around here some, but getting my groceries delivered has meant that different kinds of foods or meals happen more often than not.

 

Anne also brought my dogs a toy each. They are/were rubber squeaky toys. Now both toys have lost the top of the “bottle” that they were supposed to resemble. Think that Sylvia ate most of both of them. Only one little tiny piece of bottle was on the floor, so it makes me believe that some, if not all, of the other pieces are in her stomach. Certainly hope it goes right on through! One of our dogs kept eating some plastic rope toy one time. The piles of you-know-what were all decorated with little red pieces of twine looking stuff. Dogs, cows, donkeys: they all eat just about anything they can get in their mouths. Mom said that her daddy had an old Ford that had a rag top on it. The danged goats got on top of it and ate the entire top! Granddad Kennedy got rid of the goats because he didn’t want to just kill them. The price of goats would not have replaced that “rag top,” however.

 

Thompson did not want anything to eat this morning, but he finally ate some this afternoon. Just because Sylvia was eating was not enough reason to join her. He definitely has his own ideas about when and what to eat.

 

Talked to Lance today who was working away on his computer while he talked to me. He was at home with Rachel. She had to go see the doctor yesterday, but it was not the covid mess. She has an upper respiratory infection that has included her ears. They have a soccer tournament this weekend, but she will be unable to attend. Can’t imagine running around out in this cold weather. It’s all some of us can do to go outside during the really hard winds. My hens are close to the ground, but even they hide behind a shed door or somewhere not to get blown sideways! At least they are still laying eggs.

 

Years ago, we bought a humidifier to keep the air in the house from getting too dry during the winter. When we had a wood burning stove, we always kept a big pot of water on its top to put off steam, but ordinary heaters are not exactly the best place for a pot of water. It dawned on me this morning that my nose was dry on the inside. Time to haul out the humidifier again. Saline solution helps with that dryness, too. Just a little reminder to anyone who has forgotten the things we learned years ago. Funny how that happens.

 

No one is going to believe this, but yesterday a large eagle was out on a post in Jerry’s yard. Not a hawk. An eagle. Hawks are not that large and owls don’t have that body look to them. He or she may have been just passing through, but it was neat to watch it anyway. Have seen three hawks ganging up on an entire flock of pigeons, but this was just one eagle. Have no idea if it planned to hang around, but we surely have plenty of critters for it to snag for lunch. My hens are not stupid, however. They were hiding under the deck.

 

Just put some tea on to steep. What is it about winter that makes tea so tasty? Had hot tea with lunch while Anne had iced tea. Iced anything has never been all that appealing to me unless it was really hot. One year when my grandparents needed their house trim painted, Granddad came walking around to my ladder and held up a big glass of lemon iced tea. Never have tasted anything so good in my life! Did not even realize that thirsty was on my mind! Lewis was like that all year. He liked iced tea with LOTS of ice—even in winter. He never did really like coffee. But his parents liked the stuff when he was growing up. My parents mostly drank coffee. Guess it is a family thing.

 

All fourteen hens are out in the side lot enjoying scratching around in the grass. Other than having to hide out from bigger birds—and how often does that happen?—they have it pretty good. Eat, scratch around, lay an egg every 26 hours, and then eat some more. They have shade in the summer and a heated roost in the winter, so it’s not too bad a life for a feathered fowl. Well, except for molting. That would not be any fun whatsoever! So very glad we don’t have to molt! Can you imagine? We really would all be known as flakes instead of humans, huh?

 

Dumber than dirt today. Know nothing and don’t even really care. And my blog is not nearly as lovely as some of the pictures that Keith posts. Such is life.

 

Be happy with your life no matter what. We are so very blessed. And we have His promises for more than anything we could ever consider possible. Rest and rejoice. You are loved.