Singing like it's Spring (and miscellany)

Every day on my early morning walks along one particular side street, I hear a robin singing his heart out like it's Spring. You know the song; I liken it to "here I am, ladies". I keep telling him he's got the wrong season, but so far he hasn't clued in. The other robins I hear aren't doing this; they seem to either know better or be less optimistic. (No pics from the walks, it's too dark.)

 

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Sunday the 23rd marked the 6th anniversary of Nicki's passing. I don't dwell on those hard days, as there's little point in focusing energy on the negative (there's enough of it in our world now as it is!). I believe Ann had made the collage below, along with his remembrance graphics. 

 

I had a love/hate relationship with Nicki, so I'd be lying if wrote that I miss all the constant trouble he got into for most of his life. But I do occasionally miss his energy (and he had a lot of energy!) as well as his happy purrs. He wasn't a lap cat, but liked to sit nearby and loved to give (very rough) head-bonks. I would have to get down on the floor, he'd be so demanding of them, and more than once he actually hurt me in his enthusiasm. 

 

 

No doubt his energy is still creating havoc on some other plane of existence. 😸

 

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I popped into Home Depot on the weekend for some holiday greenery for the front step. In our city, they have the best selection to be found, IMO. I also spied "Rudolph" and picked him up too. 

 

"Welcome"...but really, introvert in residence, so go away. LOL. 

 

 

I used to have a wooden reindeer, quite similar, but it's long gone, obviously didn't make it through one move or another. My father thought this was a wooden dog. Ha!

 

These two things, along with the wreath on my door, are the sum of my outdoor decorations this year. 

 

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Oh, my aunt, who had recently broken her collar bone, had surgery last Thursday to repair the break. All went well and she's home recovering. She'll need physio, of course, but she's determined to regain full use of her shoulder. She'll set off a metal detector if she ever flies anywhere again, though!

 

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I'm counting down the working days remaining in the year. I've decided to use up my remaining few vacation days, so will be off after December 19th and not back until January 7th. The university is closed from December 24th to January 5th anyway. I don't think many people will be working the 22nd and 23rd! I'm looking forward to the 18 days off and being able to walk a bit later later in the morning, not head out so early! (Barring icy sidewalks, of course, which might relegate me to becoming a mall walker for the duration.)

 

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One final note: My dad sent me this pic a couple of days ago, of his mother (left) and her sister (right), circa 1920. I've never seen the photo before, so it was fun to see. I'm sure life didn't turn out quite as either of these girls hoped for at the time....but whose life does?

 

 

I will say that as challenging as things are (globally) right now, on every level, I'm very grateful to live in a time and country where women can (at least in theory) support themselves and not be beholden to a spouse. Where we can choose. (And yes, that's a generalization, depending on culture, social/economic circumstances, etc., but you know what I mean.)

 

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I'll leave you with this, in anticipation of holiday preparations!