Happy Homemaker Monday, Hello November!

A quick post today. Another working day for me. Went from working 7:30 to 4 to not working back to working 8:30 to 5. And now in the preprimary class. Blah!

Time to just quickly plan the week. As always, joining up with Sandra over at Diary Of A Stay At Home Mom. See she added new categories for our new month. Second to last month of the year. Let’s hang in there.

The Weather

Just more Midwestern weirdness really. Cold this morning but supposed to warm up to low 70’s by the afternoon. A warm week with no rain. Above average temps in the mid 70’s predicted for the whole week. Hoping I get to soak in some sunshine!

On My Breakfast Plate

The usual. Flip yogurt, only kind left was a kid flavor of S’mores but I wanted the protein. Coffee. Vitamins.

Outside My Window

DAYLIGHT! I know I’m in the minority but I love when Daylight Savings turns off and we go back to normal light in the mornings. Let me just say this, listening in the back? The days get naturally shorter and longer.

Looking Around The House

Not even going to worry with this until Wednesday when I have a day off work (hopefully).

What I’m Wearing Today

Yellow work tee shirt, elephant pants, tennis shoes. I’ll add a green cardigan when I go to work (and a big coat for morning outdoor time).

To Do Today or This Week

Work today and tomorrow

Vote

Grocery store

Clean the house

Whatever I’m forgetting

Currently Reading

The Deepest South of All: True Stories From Natchez, Mississippi by Richard Grant. It’s very interesting and complex. Glad to be reading something with a bit of substance after a flurry of cozy mysteries. I enjoy them but sometimes I need some depth in my reading.

On My TV

Hooked on The Masked Singer. Watched a few movies over the weekend. Poltergeist still scares me though not as much since times have changed quite a bit. We watched an old, dumb and inappropriate but funny one on Halloween called Lone Star State of Mind. And I was pleasantly surprised to find Terminator: Dark Fate wasn’t all that bad.

On The Menu This Week

No idea.

MONDAY: Probably leftovers *I work 8:30-5* *J has a baritone lesson at 6:30*

TUESDAY: Maybe Homemade Chik-Fil-A depends on how long it takes me to vote. *I work 7:45-4:15* *Election Day!*

WEDNESDAY: Roast in the crock pot for BBQ sandwiches

THURSDAY: Pork chops?

FRIDAY: Pizza

Something Fun To Share

Not sure if it counts as “fun” but I’m making a second try at a wildflower garden. Some of you may remember my well intentioned neighbor weed eating all those “weeds” the last time I tried. This time I have some fencing up around the area.

From The Camera 

Did you see the full “blue” moon on Halloween night? A real treat!

Quote For The Week

Forgive the repeat of last week but I think it’s important enough of a thought to share twice (especially in an election week).

We don’t have to agree on anything to be kind to one another. (Unknown).

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I’m off to work. What kind of week do you have lined up?

Bird Watching Treat for Halloween Week

I ended up working a lot of this week. And the weather was weird.

The week started with snow! In October, not unheard of for around here but not the norm either. 

The lucky neighbors I don’t know (they posted video on the next door neighborhood site where people usually think dogs are wolves (yes, really) spotted a woodcock in their yard! Tried not to become too green with envy.

After the snow, we got rain. It melted the snow but didn’t make for great photo taking days. Somewhere in the week, I did take down the Hummingbird feeder and return a regular feeder in its place. Made the house finches happy. 

A Trick

Can any of you identify this bird eating from my suet feeder?

Thankfully, he left some for the red-bellied woodpecker. How about an in focus woodpecker photo this week?

And Then, A Treat

Worked a lot of full days this week but one day on my break I went over to the park. And to my surprise, I sat watching Cedar Waxwings eat berries right in front of me. Of course, I only had my cell phone and took the photos through the car windshield so not the best photos. These birds are supposedly year-round in our area but this marks only the third time I’ve ever been lucky enough to view them.

It really took a lot of self-control to return to work instead of driving furiously home for my “real” camera. However, I love my job enough I did return to work.

A Bit More Excitement at Home

Thought about returning to the park on my day off (Thursday) but feeling a bit lazy passed on the idea. Much to my surprise, it worked out in my favor. Glancing out the backdoor at the bird feeders something sitting on the wires above caught my eye.

Another treat for me. Rushed inside and grabbed the camera, ran outside (wishing I’d also grabbed a jacket) and saw the same bird I’d just seen sitting on the wire now in one of the backyard maple trees. Another Cedar waxwing!

(Pretty far up in the tree, so still not the most detailed photos but you can see the bright yellow on the tail feathers in these photos.)

Since it was an on-line school week for my youngest son, I went and grabbed him as well after taking a few photos. Sadly, the bird had already flown away.

Other Birds Spotted This Week

Now that we’ve waited our “five minutes” it’s 60 degrees and sunny today. I’m also just about out of bird seed (again) no thanks to too many squirrels and a multitude of house sparrows.

Hanging out around our feeder earlier in the week, I did spot 8 cardinals at once one morning. A robin on the deck railing started the week on Sunday. The dark-eyed juncos and white-throated sparrows both returned to the yard, oddly, timing their arrival with the snow.

I’ve caught glimpses of some tiny yellow bird (dear Merlin bird ID, it’s NOT a goldfinch. UGH) hanging around the hydrangea and on the ground below it. Watched some sparrows chase it from the feeder one day. My guess is some type of warbler. Not sure I’ll see it again but maybe if I do, I’ll manage a photo.

Those along with our usual guests comprised of chickadees, tufted titmice, a pair of nuthatches, and the downy woodpeckers round out the birds I spotted this week. Not sure I want to count the gulls I saw fly over head as I was entering Target this morning. Heard a tale once they’re a sign of snow arriving. Had enough snow until Christmas.

What birds did you spot this week?

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Joining in with the Bird Depot hosted by Anni over at I’d Rather B Birdin’.

 

Another Work Day and Halloween Party Day

Another quick post this morning. Went from helping with the preschool party to going in for a full day of work. A work day starting at 7:30AM. Yawn. 

At least, it’s pajama day. No new Halloween pajamas for me. Went with a Halloween tee shirt and some plain gray pajama bottoms plus my fuzzy socks (and tennis shoes). Supposed to warm up to 50 degrees today. Perhaps I’ll search for some Halloween pajamas on sale after the Holiday. Can’t really have too many pajamas.

In case you’re curious, I didn’t get much of yesterday’s to do list accomplished. Read a book instead. Sometimes it’s more important to slow down than speed along. Seems a lot of items shifted to Saturday morning. (So much for this afternoon, I know I’ll be exhausted.)

Keeping my post super short today as it’s just about time to finish getting ready to go. 

Before I go, here’s to hoping the kids aren’t too squirrelly today! How are you planning to spend your last Friday of October?

 

 

Have a Rather Long To Do List Today

Since I didn’t plan to work the first three days of this week, my to-do list today is rather long. Means I’ll likely not get all that much accomplished in the end.

Yesterday was another busy workday with preschool kids super excited for Halloween and the upcoming class party. Made for a bit of a crazy and tiring day. All good though. Glad to have a day to rest and catch up on things here.

We’ll see which I end up doing more, resting or getting things done. It’s gloomy, windy, and cold outside so my motivation wanes a bit.

On Today’s To Do List:

A bit more laundry (had help with the loads so lots of folding awaits)

Get the house back in a bit of order, it’s on the edge again.

Trip to the Dollar Tree (I’ve decided to put the Halloween treats in paper lunch sacks we already have in the cabinet and decorate them with Halloween stickers, hope I can still find some!)

Get and hide some Halloween candy! Need to hide it from myself as well as the boys.

Finish up Halloween treat bags for the boys. I do this every year because I enjoy it. And even though they’re way past trick or treat age, they still like getting treats.  I’ve already bought bags for them (3/$1 at Hy-Vee, better than the Dollar Tree!). 

I’ll fill them with a few treats, not all sweet. Already added a bag of favorite snack mix to each bag. 

Sort and put November bills in order.

Clean up in the basement a bit, made a mess myself digging through the Fall decorating bin.

Take J to get his haircut, maybe later this afternoon.

A little on-line (or in person) Christmas shopping.

Figure out my work schedule for tomorrow (just need to confirm hours).

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I can’t believe it’s already Thursday! This week flew by for me. How about you? Is your week moving along at a record pace? What’s on your list for today?

 

Always Feel Like Somebody’s Watching Me

Putting this post together on Tuesday night. Spending 10 minutes on a post before work has consequences. One of them: forgetting trash day. My husband and I rarely both forget but we both forgot today. Here’s to hoping we don’t make too many messes in the next 7 days.

Turns out I’m working again tomorrow. Always nice knowing ahead of time rather than getting that 5:30 AM text. Of course, it’s a bit sad also as I’m working for a teacher who just lost her father.

A gift from today:

Made me recall the 80’s song I named in the post title.

Listening to the song as I type up my post.

Speaking of weird and unusual, our mail now arrives between 7:30 and 8:30 at night! G suggested maybe it was Covid related. Perhaps. Still a bit weird to see the mailman after dark complete with his headlamp as he makes his way to the mailbox. What time does your mail arrive?

Speaking of Covid related things, I’m able to work tomorrow because my hairdresser texted and rescheduled my appointment on Monday evening. She’s in quarantine after a Covid exposure (thankfully, she did test negative).

Although I’m scheduling this to post around breakfast time, it’s now time for me to go tackle the dinner dishes. And pick out clothes to wear in the morning. Probably going to watch Next if it’s on tonight. Not sure if the World Series is still going. Haven’t been following along with it this year. Of course, it’s football season around here.

Are you following the World Series? Guess it might be over by the time I post this…

 

 

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