Happy Halloween

 Greetings from the resident princess. Mercy has all the right colors for this day in her lovely face and coat. Wishing everyone a happy day!

Beware the banana clip...

 Mercy and I have been up before the birds again and she has devised a new game based on an evolving fascination with Q tips. Mercy discovered one on the floor of our bathroom a few days ago and has been captivated ever since. She chases it, throws it into the air and as of early this morning, brought it back to me several times after I had tossed it for her. A game of fetch, anyone?

She also gave me bulging side eyes earlier this week. I could not initially figure out why her eyes grew big and she began staring at me until she sprang from her stroller to the top of the shelf and began touching the side of my head with her front paws and growling...

It seems Little Madam does not care for the banana clip used to keep my hair up...Who knew that would ever be an issue?

Whatever you may be up to today and this weekend, I wish you a sweet time!

New kitchen adventure

This is what I made today and as a non-skilled baker and someone who consumes no cane sugar, gluten or artificial sweeteners, I like the texture, taste and minimal skill needed to create a rare treat. The other mixes in this woman-owned and produced business include brownies, chocolate chip cookies and a protein pancake mix, All are gluten-free, and contain no cane sugar, artificial sweeteners or additives. This is the first I've tried and I also enjoyed   the blend of spices. As the baker, I had the choice of making either muffins or a single loaf and chose the latter. I like that the pumpkin bread is neither in-your-face sweet nor cloying.

As for the remainder of the day, I did a vegetable and tofu stir-fry as my main meal, cleared the trash and some recycling, did a bit more laundry and started a couple of new books. If any of you have any interest in horse-related reading, genealogy mysteries or Quaker research, let me know.

Mercy and I have become champion nappers.

Wishing you all a sweet evening.
 

Strange Night

 I did a lot around the place yesterday, including most of the laundry, recycling and getting trash out, putting things away that I'd stashed in the bathroom, getting groceries in and vacuuming. By afternoon I was tired. so after a cup of tea, I went for a nap, only awakening to Mercy's pleas for kibble about 7:30 PM which is way past her normal supper time.

After feeding her and playing for a bit, both Mercy and I fell asleep with me getting up at 2 AM to the call of nature. I was somewhat disoriented, checking the time and realizing that I'd had no supper myself. I settled on the leftover soup and was soon back to bed until Little Miss sat on my chest and purred loudly enough for me to emerge from a weird dream, fully awake and alert and disturbed by parts of a dream which thankfully are not real and have faded fast. It is unusual for me to recall dreams and even more unusual for them to be so vivid.

Life post-Milton is certainly not yet on an even keel here, though I'm grateful for the cool, clear quiet start to the day.

Wishing you all a good Friday and a happy weekend.

Good Morning

 I am once more up before the birds, awaiting a grocery order which should arrive in the next hour or so. Things are wonderfully peaceful this time of day. I am now going to bed a full ten hours or so before I arise and this is the first day I have begun to feel like myself since hurricane Milton. It is a good time to meditate and do the stretches and exercises I've done for years.

Mercy is blissfully asleep in her stroller and I've had the last of the hot food for breakfast with some hot tea and water. It has been five days since my last grocery order and I rather like knowing I've consumed the majority of perishable food before more arrives. There is less potential for waste. Many things are still low or out of stock, including basics like bread and eggs, which are in especially high demand right now as power is being restored. I am grateful for what I can get, and send silent thanks to the over 6000 lineman and women, some from as far away as Canada, who have worked tirelessly to help people here.

Housekeeping is on the agenda for today which includes laundry. I have been reading. getting extra sleep, paying bills and caring for Mercy who has gone back to playing and having the zoomies. The stress of this season will not abate until it is completely gone and while it is cool and beautiful at the moment, I refuse to be seduced by stories of paradise past. Climate change is upon us and climate refugees are a real and expanding phenomenon. I am continuing to learn about and research this topic, still working on my family tree and starting to look elsewhere for a potential new home.

Wishing all of you a sweet new day!

Is Nadine Next?

 Not for the moment, although the meteorologists are watching...

Around here, we have both been tired, and speaking for myself, extra hungry. I think I ate the equivalent of two meals at breakfast today. Last night was my first cooked, hot dinner in days. Salmon, mashed potatoes and kale. There are leftovers to eat tomorrow and a pot of homemade soup. 

Just past noon I went in to read, fell asleep and was awakened by my resident princess demanding her supper at 6:30 PM. Obviously, my "nap" was actually an extra bedtime! 

Mercy has become my shadow. According to her vet, it may take awhile for her to relax. I suspect the same holds true for me. 

Thanks again to all of my readers who left well wishes during and after the recent hurricanes.

Wishing you all a good week!

Life after Milton

 It took a friend of mine one and one half hours to drive less than two miles to wait over an hour for gas that she did not ultimately receive because there was no more when her turn came up. She lives in Dade City. Many are without power and clean up and restoration will be on-going for some time. We have been advised to boil water and stores are low on supplies. I was able to get a late morning grocery delivery for today though a lot of items are out of stock, so I'll be dipping further into my hurricane items. Hurricane season ends November 30 which means we may still have another or more at some point, so canned goods, water and other things are still important to stock. My porch screen will need replacement and some repair needs to be done where the floor of the porch meets the grass at the door. Neither Mercy nor I use that space, so it can wait. I did ask a contractor about re-screening in July but after repairing my bathroom ceiling, he has made himself scarce.

I spent Milton's visit in my small bathroom, pitch black dark, with Mercy in her closed stroller in my shower. She was stone silent for the several hours we were in there and is still not quite herself. I am very tired and right about now, Ohio sounds like a good idea. I would not be the sole climate refugee.

The flat is a mess but I am going to go to bed. My first microwave meal? Canned mac and cheese. It was my first hot food in days.

We were lucky. Thanks for your care and concern.

Mercy and I are okay

 We have been without power since the hurricane made landfall at 8:25 PM Wednesday. I was given a projected date of October 17 for restoration from our power company  which as you can tell is ahead of schedule. The fridge needs clearing and the bathroom is a mess but I am grateful that only minor damage occurred to my unit and the windows did not shatter. Mercy isn't herself and I am very tired so will post more when I can. Thanks to everyone for your kind thoughts and concern. Gratefully, E

Anxious

 It is 1 in the morning on Wednesday, October 9, and the ugliest and most frightening hurricane anyone has ever seen will be here in a matter of hours. I was unable to get any help in boarding my windows so I have made a safe room in my small bathroom, the only room without walls. Water, radio, batteries, flashlights, trash bags, snacks and my electronics will be stashed in there, along with my precious Mercy.

How we will emerge from this, I have no idea. The storm track has taken a slightly more southerly track but both the wind field and intensity increased with the change of eye. An update will be available at 5 AM.

If the power goes out as I anticipate, I will not be posting. I wish you all well and hope to see you again soon.

 

Milton is coming...

 At this point, Milton us forecast to be our next named hurricane which is not good news for Florida and possibly parts of Georgia. Landfall is projected for Wednesday of this coming week between Fort Myers and the Tampa area. All eyes will be on this to determine both intensity and path as Milton continues to form. This is the information as of this morning.

One of my readers asked when this would end. We have the entire month of October and all of November to get through as hurricane season runs from 1 June to 30 November.

Mercy and I plan to enjoy this cooler sunny day before the rains come tomorrow.

One year old...Happy Birthday Mercy

 

Disappointed...

 I guess doom and gloom wins out over a funny sketch featuring the now late and wonderfully talented Maggie Smith. I've never had a zero comment post. First time for everything, I guess...

Have a good night.

Rescue, Recovery Efforts Continue Across Southeast One Week After Helene

Her work will live on...