I was sitting on the front veranda last night, waiting for Cindy to arrive so we could go visit with dad, and I could smell BBQ in the air. It smelled so good. I could even tell what was on the barbeque. Hot Dogs. I always loved Hot Dogs on the barbeque. So naughty, but so nice.
I sat there, watching and listening to the birds. There were a few Mourning Doves across the road. Three, which is unusual as they usually travel in pairs I thought. Crows flying over. A few other birds. A bumble bee was visiting the lemon balm. A few wasps exploring the hummingbird feeder. Change was in the air. We are going into a season of transition now, in between summer and autumn. The days are beginning to get noticeably shorter. It's dark now when I go to bed and dark when I wake up.
Air quality is still changeable with the fire still raging. I don't think it has gotten appreciably bigger, but it is still considered to be out of control. I am not quite ready to unpack my bag yet!
Dad seemed a bit low last night when we went in to see him. Not quite himself. It could just be that he was tired. I am sure he finds the time long. They had him up sitting in this large easy boy type of chair. Maryann and her daughter and son in law were in the visit him on Monday and had brought him some scratch cards. He had scratched them. I am not sure if he won anything or not. His vitals are all good, but he cannot walk very far at all. That is probably the main thing keeping them from letting him come home. He had a good lunch yesterday with some chicken, gravy, mashed potatoes and vegetables. He could not remember what he had for supper, but he has progressed to solid food now which is good. He had finished one book and was ready to start another.
He is doing well for the most part and that is a great blessing.
It is hard to believe that it has been 28 years now since Princess Diana passed away. I thought this was a particularly lovely photograph of her. Eternally young. I can still remember what I was doing when I got the news that she had been in the accident. We were living in Georgetown, Ontario at the time, and I was playing video games in the boy's bedroom with my two youngest sons. Yoshi's Island, which was a favorite game. My husband at the time was watching television in our bedroom and he called over to say that Diana had been in an accident. I stopped playing the game of course and went in to watch the news with him. I can remember that when I went to sleep about midnight, they were calling it the accident of Princess Diana and when I awoke the next morning, they were calling it the death of Princess Diana.
So much has been said about her and Charles's relationship/marriage. It was truly tragic any which way. I remember being very pleased that the two boys were allowed to marry for love rather than duty, and I believe both have been much happier for it.
I think she would have been proud of her boys and doted on her grandchildren. When all is said and done, I do believe that they are both very good men.
The gnats seem to have reduced a bit in number this morning. Yesterday they seemed worse. I have made baits (four in number and strategically placed) and have caught quite a few that way. I've been pouring boiling water down the drains periodically. The sinks are all stoppered. The cat dishes are emptied and washed promptly after feeding times, likewise the litter box. I am not sure what else I can do but persevere and hope that they soon disappear. I have had two of those bug lights in the house, with the sticky pads, for over a year now and have caught quite a few that way over the months.
I hate bugs. I don't keep fresh fruit in the house because of fruit flies. If I do bring it in, it is eaten right away. I keep my onions and potatoes out in the garage. Fruit flies, gnats, ants. Those are three things which I really abhor.
And mice.
oh, and rats.
Have you ever made pumpkin jam? I think I might have done so, many years ago. I think it was pumpkin butter actually and nobody was a huge fan. People in my family were not overly fond of pumpkin pie either, but they did enjoy pumpkin loaf and cake.
The winter squashes will soon start appearing in the farm markets. I do so love winter squash. it is not something which I enjoyed when I was growing up, but as an adult I have come to love all of it. There are so many different kinds, and each have their own delicious qualities and flavors.
Each year I have tried to seek out and experience a new one. Last year it was the Candy Roaster Squash. It kind of looked like a long and curved orange banana. It was quite delicious.
Squash, pumpkins, etc. They will all be appearing soon.
I think the children are all back to school today. Such an exciting day for them all. New teachers, new classrooms, etc. I think all except two of my grandchildren are in high school now and two have graduated. I am not sure what the two who are not will be doing this year. I hope it will be a good year for all of them no matter what.
I used to love the start of school in September. I was well bored from the summer and looked forward to the new school year. It was very much a social thing for me. I was never much of an intellectual, although I did not do poorly. (It would not have been acceptable to my parents for me to do otherwise.) I did like the social aspect of school very much. Funny that because now as an adult I am a bit anti-social. I don't like crowds in the least and only like to be around people I enjoy being around. I enjoy church and Relief Society. But I don't really like parties and things like that. Social gatherings. I much prefer small, intimate, family-style of gatherings. That is where I am most comfortable and feel I can really be myself. I find myself not able to really relax in other situations.
Looking at this September Bucket list, it contains a lot of things that I would enjoy doing. I loved collecting leaves when I was a child. Pressing them between sheets of wax paper.
It's time to break out the pumpkin spice candles!
And with that, I will leave you with a thought for the day!
A thought to carry with you . . .
•。★★ 。* 。
° 。 ° ˛˚˛ * _Π_____*。*˚
˚ ˛ •˛•˚ */______/~＼。˚ ˚ ˛
˚ ˛ •˛• ˚ ｜ 田田 ｜門 ★
to love everyone,
even when they do not love us.
~Pope Francis ° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •
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