October Days- No sunshine as yet and 52 degrees and cloudy here in Maine.

 The tree across the street has colored and is dropping leaves... my trees are still green and dropping acorns.  No idea as yet if it is a mast year- the amount to acorns foretells the winter here in Maine. The guy with my leaf and acorn blower has not come by and taken care of things....I think he is having a bad year or he is waiting for the majority of stuff to land on the lawn before coming by.  Most likely waiting.

I am about to switch from Bran Flakes to hot oatmeal for breakfast....  depending on the temperature outdoors.  I also might go further and have Cream of Wheat.....my actual favorite cold weather cereal topped with butter, sugar and cinnamon like my grandmother fixed it for me as a single digit small child.

The things we hold dear in our hearts....

I have a new book to read.  I have a lap sized down comforter to keep me warm as I read.  I have on smart wool socks.....and a very nice cashmere men's sweater (Goodwill).   Football later in the day- I lose track of the when of the games.  I (for sure) will ignore the Patriots game.  They have lost most of the offensive line to injury. Any quarterback they find to play- will get slaughtered.  And yes, I have been watching the Sports Show..... it is very very bad.  Hockey seems like a possibility but they are having Goalie contract issues.  Boston Teams are not in a happy place this year.

The light here in Maine is not conducive to taking pictures of mended sweaters but I promise to get that done. Once the Sun returns...I love my mended sweaters...one has, possibly, more mending than original sweater at this point.

I watched four two hour episodes of Van derValt  (spelling might be off) on Masterpiece yesterday. My Tivo is going to be upgraded soon and I will lose what I have recorded... so I am watching them one more time...and also the new season which has just begun.  I visited Amsterdam once, I believe....with my husband when he was working there...early in his European travel career.  I recall standing on the beach looking at the vast ocean as the waves hit the shore and the clouds swirled overhead..  It was my very first European trip...

My daughter should be coming over to do laundry.  We are having pizza for sure...I can count on that.

So...Bran Flakes, Shredded Wheat OR Oatmeal......big decisions.

October Notes- Saturday the 5th. Quiet here in Maine. Clouds and 66 degrees

 Sourdough Bagels.

I was considering buying bagels yesterday when we visited the grocery store.  But I wanted this kind of bagel and not the soft ones the grocery bakery makes and sells.  I wanted the New York Style Bagels I used to get in Florida at this one grocery store.  My Southern friend- visiting- said they were so hard you could break your tooth on them.  Yes.....the way bagels should be.

When I started typing there was no sunshine outside my windows and now- it's everywhere.

I'm dressed for cold weather but- I may have to take the sweater off if it warms up.

My Library email says two more books have arrived for me.  Always the day after my weekly visit. I am reading a book I found a few years ago- perhaps not that long- Crashing the A-List by Summer Heacock.  I recalled all the plot details but not the title or author.  A good book.  I have to check to see if she wrote anything else.  Finding Romance while cleaning out storage lockers.

I have bite sized Shredded Wheat for my breakfast also my very large cup of tea.  With plenty of sugar.  The sun is getting brighter and brighter....going to be a lovely day here in Maine.  I might actually have to remove my sweater.

We got bumped up in the Generator line up....some things are going to be happening...Propane comes first. and then the Electrician doing a new Main Box and then the generator hook up.  January is when they say we will have a working generator. And the lights and heat will stay on...... no matter what. A few houses to go and then the entire street will have whole house generators.  I think only three of us.

Well, I have shredded wheat to eat and the newspaper to read...and perhaps one load of laundry to get going.  I am trying to eat at least two meals a day...plus a snack...I tend to forget to eat...My meals aren't actually meals- more like a Flour Tortilla wrapped around Swiss and Ham.  Or Yogurt and Bran Buds. Or a Banana and some walnuts. 

I wanted a Big Salad...but never actually buy the lettuce.  I do have Bananas and Pears for Fruit. And I have everything needed to make a Pot of Vegetable Soup.....sort of feeling "normal" at the almost one year as a widow marker.  Time went really slow and really fast at the same time.  

October Notes- Friday the 4th. Dismal Day with Dampness.

No idea what this is but I would guess powdered pigment for cloth.  I liked the arrangement and the colors on the mat gray black surface.

I have to eat and then be ready for Library- which doesn't open until 10.  Then grocery.

Generator People called.  We are being moved from March to January.  So I had phone calls to make and Propane to order etc.  He had employees needing work.

Lunch was out by the OCEAN.  So gorgeous on the coast yesterday.  We drove past all the old candy colored cottages on the winding roads, up and down over hills.......Maine as it should be.  As far as one could see- water.

I had French Onion Soup and regaled my neighbor with the saga of the refrigerator. Then I had ice cream with hot fudge sauce.  Lovely afternoon.  Got home to the Generator calls.

The skeleton I mentioned (in yesterday's post) is on the front door- daughter read the post and went shopping.  Plastic not paper but...that's a good thing as I can have it more than the once of paper.  Son says it makes an amusing rattle when the door is opened and shut.  Another good thing.

As for the mended sweaters- no time right now to get images but in the next day or so- I will take photos of the mending...and the yarn used is from Paula in Colorado...the endings of yarn used by her to knit socks. Actual socks.....  The Joy of knowing all of you from these meager little posts.....Friendship, scented shampoo, Jean's needles for the machine so I can mend pants, book recommendations, purple fabric I didn't have in my own fabric collection, hand dyed fabric off the Dye Deck in Georgia.....and so many more that will come to mind as I eat my breakfast and leave the house for Library and Grocery.

So many of you out there......taking care of me.  Thank you for being my Friends.

 

October News- Thursday the 3rd. 54 degrees and 99% humidity. Zero Sunshine.

 I selected a random image-  The Pile for Goodwill.  Pants, puzzles etc.  4 boxes.

I am going to lunch today and am reassessing my clothing choices....54 degrees - I think long pants? Socks?  Sweater?   It might warm up a bit in 3 hours.....or not.  I sort of like what I picked out and am wearing but......might need warmer clothing.... Soon I will be bundling up for Winter.

I need to turn on the houselights..very dark in here.

Yes, I need a sweater and socks and long pants.... my ankles are Cold. Can't wear the lovely red shirt.

Yesterday was nothing much to talk about.  I read my book.  Had a HOT Lunch.  (actually remembered to eat lunch), continued reading my book, Son went out for lunch, came back and I told him a bird had smacked into the window and was dead (unwelcome news).  I also inhaled water and that was unpleasant and is still causing me to cough.  Breathing was a bit of a problem for a few minutes.  Close call? No. Scared me more than anything as I was home alone.

Okay..... on with today- I might change out the Shredded Wheat for a bowl of hot oatmeal.  Change out the pants for corduroy and wool socks....change out the red shirt for something warmer or add a long sleeve thermal shirt under it.  Only ONE sweater is okay to wear out of the house minus a coat.  All the rest are heavily mended.......okay for at home but not public.  

Finding and buying a good sweater is difficult.  Most of the cashmere being sold is thin and has an odd odor.  I don't like either of those things.  My sweaters are heavily mended and ancient.  So thicker and softer and no odor.  The two I have came from a nice shop selling previously owned items. Decades Ago.

All my husband's sweaters were cotton or acrylic......and I don't like any of them.  My favorite sweater is 50% patches....well loved and worn....so breakfast and then out to lunch and then home again to finish my book and begin another.....  and perhaps turn UP the furnace.

Tomorrow is grocery and library day. No one cares what I wear to those two places.  My hair is nice.