Somehow it went from shorts and tee shirt weather to pants and long-sleeved shirts. There was not much space in between.
The leaves are still falling here.
My Japanese Maple in the big pot has leaves resembling arthritic fingers. I don’t recall it looking quite like this where I lived before. Maybe the fencing over at the other place protected it more from frost.
I’d sure hate to lose my Japanese Maple. I lost the Ginkgo Biloba butterfly tree after just a couple of years due to the cold.
Lunch Yesterday:
Yesterday was such a nice day. I don’t get to see both daughters at the same time very often anymore because of their schedules.
We ordered carry-out meals from Red Lobster. Red Lobster is only about two blocks away. One thing about where I now live is that everything seems to be a close distance to me.
So we had lunch and discussed the grandkids. Then I put the dishes in the sink and we sat down in the living room to chat a bit. Kendra is always cold, so she was in front of my little electric stove most of the time.
I cherish these days. Kasi is now 44 and Kendra will be 48 on the 28th of this month. They are so busy I don’t see them much. But when I do I count those as precious and memorable hours.
Ivy kept sticking her head in both of their purses. She loves purses.
Thinking About Christmas:
Last night I read for a bit and then thumbed through old Christmas decorating magazines I’ve kept. This always stirs the decorating pot.
I’ve got Christmas stuff stacked up in two corners of my living room ready for me to tackle soon. And a Christmas tree that’s still in an unopened box.
What I’m Watching:
I finished streaming “Orange Is The New Black.” And I even ordered the book to read as well. I want to see how close the story was on Netflix to the writer’s actual story.
One or several of you mentioned watching “Alaska Daily.” So I watched two and a half episodes of that on Hulu last night. There’s only one season (6 episodes).
I just read that Alaska Daily is going to be off until Thursday, February 23.
The show is fiction but based on real-life events in Alaska. It is about missing and murdered indigenous women in small-town Alaska.
While it is technically a fictional story, steps were taken to incorporate real-life stories and tie the show directly to the community it represents.
I read that the show came about after the ADN’s (Anchorage Daily News) “Lawless” series on sexual violence. As well as failures in Alaska’s criminal justice system. It went on to win a Pulitzer Prize.
The ADN’s lead reporter on the “Lawless” series, Kyle Hopkins, is an executive producer on the show.
If you don’t have access to watch this show, you can also get it on Amazon.
What I’m Currently Reading:
I’m reading a book called “A Perfect Marriage.”
Summary:
Sarah Morgan is a successful and powerful defense attorney in Washington D.C. At 33 years old, she is a named partner at her firm and life is going exactly how she planned.
The same cannot be said for her husband, Adam. He is a struggling writer who has had little success in his career. He begins to tire of his and Sarah’s relationship as she is constantly working.
Out in the secluded woods, at Adam and Sarah’s second home, Adam engages in a passionate affair with Kelly Summers.
Then, one morning everything changes. Adam is arrested for Kelly’s murder. She had been found stabbed to death in Adam and Sarah’s second home.
Sarah soon finds herself playing the defender for her own husband, a man accused of murdering his mistress.
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Glad your lunch went well. Yes, time with adult children is to be cherished! I’m intrigued by the Alaska Daily show!
We have a couple of Japanese Maples in front of our office here in OKC and they are also looking “arthritic” this year. So glad you had a lovely visit with your daughters. Ours are in their late 20s but also busy so I know how rare it is to get them together. Thanks for the book recommendation! I get so many good book lists from you as we have similar tastes. I’m currently reading the Kate Burkholder series by Linda Costillo. Love it.
Hi Brenda,
I’m happy you had a good visit and lunch with your daughters. It is so special to share and catch up with one another this time of year. My mother’s 98th birthday is tomorrow, I have bought her several outfits which will need to be altered because she is petite. She lives in San Diego and I’m in the Pacific Northwest. Normally I go down for a visit in the fall, but husband had a knee replacement, so have to wait for Christmas to see her and the rest of the family.
“Alaska Daily” is a great show, just watched the final episode last night. My husband found it and I have really gotten into the storylines. Last year, I watched several shows on a Canadian network, Ovation. I use my DVR and am able to record them, so I can watch on my schedule. I have enjoyed Doc Martin, Murdock Mysteries and Dr. Blake Murder Mysteries; they are British and Australian and SO different from what is on our networks. I also like the “Lost Kitchen” and other shows on the new “Magnolia ” network which used to be “DIY”. HGTV is also a fave.
How is your ankle doing? Are you able to drive a little? I think of you often as I help my husband with his physical therapy and I installed a taller toilet (not hard at all) to better accommodate his progress.
My husband laughed when he saw you have back holiday issues! I have several tall Ikea bookcases with lots of different back issues of Victoria, Cottage Living (no longer published), Country Home, Country Living, Sunset, Better Homes and Gardens and many others. It’s fun to go back and reread them!
Even though I don’t always agree with you, your blog is a treasure!
I’m glad u had a fantastic day with your daughters Brenda! Yay!
Time is just flying by! Lol
I got to see 2 of my children this weekend as we gathered in the park with family to decorate a memory tree for my grandson…it was so good to see them…we talk often but it is not the same…it was so cold…we layered up good. But it was freezing.. my daughter is coming back tomorrow for Thanksgiving. She too has a new kitten …who will be coming along..we will go to my son’s for dinner on Thanksgiving…I am making the turkey and my son’s favorite corn dish..everyone brings something so no one is overwhelmed.. we stopped in at holiday art fairs…so much stuff …it is overwhelming. Life is so busy…time with family is precious…have a blessed Thanksgiving everyone 💞
What a nice visit w your daughters!That is the best holiday gift of all! And Ivy looking in their purses:) I may try watching Alaska Daily – I have heard from so many that it is well done, but the (crime) genre isn’t my favorite. That being said, I am always up for an old fashioned who dunnit, a la Agatha Christie, and I recently watched the 2 seasons of Miss Scarlet and the Duke on PBS Masterpiece. I thoroughly enjoyed it! PBS Masterpiece also has a new series called Magpie Murders but I have not seen it. The book you are reading sounds intriguing too! That would make a good movie!
I loved Alaska Daily as it was a show that opened my eyes and I learned. It gets better with each episode so I will be very excited to see it return In February. Million Little things resumes around then too so I will have tv time in evenings in winter to enjoy these two shows. I miss This is Us so much and wish that family were still around to watch.
It’s hard with our young families schedules to get them together anymore so I too take every bit of time they are free to come over and visit. Having a special meal together and share about their motherhood makes it even more special. My daughter recently said to me “ was it this hard when you raised us with all the turmoil and crazy things happening?” And I told her no, as we didn’t have to monitor social media nor worry about a gun brought to school. There just wasn’t any thing like that to upset their school days other than the friends who called them a name and we had to talk that through. Yes we raised them at a much better time even though it was hard not having enough money to buy all the things required but still easier than these moms and dads now.
I feel happy for your happy lunch with daughters, Brenda!!
It was a nice lunch.
It was great you and the girls could enjoy some time together. Life gets very hectic at this time of year and often feels
impossible to fit everything in.
I know you like the criminal stuff and we just finished watching I Am A Stalker series, real life stories. Fascinating how their minds work. I will have to check out Alaska Daily.
I’ve never heard of I Am A Stalker. I’ll check it out. Was it on Netflix?
A wonderful day with your daughters!!! I’m glad it happened for all three of you. Schedules with our children can be so difficult but when we meet it’s filled with fabulous memories.
I’m very intrigued by the book you’re reading. I’ve been watching Alaska Daily – great show.
I thought the show was intriguing too. Hilary Swank was really good.
Our weather went quickly from warm to cold like yours. Speaking of the weather I do understand why people decorate outside when they can before the weather turns cold. People who craft Christmas items need supplies which is why stores are stuffed with Christmas items so early. I would love to get a small 3’ to 4’ flocked natural looking tree to keep up all winter. I only have had a table top lit tree in a snowman painted metal bucket. It served it purpose since I gave our daughter most of our ornaments. I just haven’t had the urge to do a bigger tree in the past few years. I have never really liked shopping that much. I do get excited going to Trader Joe’s, thrift stores and greenhouses once in awhile to pick up odds and ends and seasonal offerings. Glad you could have a nice lunch with both girls yesterday. Seems like the world is moving faster these days and our children and grands are always so busy. I can just see Ivy snooping in the girl’s purses! Keep warm!
I saw a lot of small flocked (3-4 foot) trees at Amazon.