Hello everyone! It is crazy weather here in the States isn’t it? I am worried about you all in the south! Stay safe and warm, wear layers, lots of natural fabrics that breathe, build your blanket forts and hunker down. We have been in this house for far too long here, and we just have a few more days of it, although I am taking Wyatt to therapy today at least. We will have a feels like above a negative number so I am going for it, because later tonight our temps really get bad, and we could reach temps of -35. Not fun!
While Billy has been out and about for work this week (poor guy), Wyatt and I have been inside. I did go to the pet store last night to just get out but that has been it. We have been really working hard at school, and Wyatt is doing fantastic. He is really coming along with reading and I am so proud of him. We are also covering the Lewis and Clark expedition in history, learning about boreal forests in science, and we are about to start a whole architecture unit for art, which I am super excited about. I just need to get to the library to pick up some books for it- maybe Saturday I can venture out.
I am having a lot of fun finding pen pals! Lol. When I was younger, I had a pen pal who lived in England and it was a lot of fun. I remember she mailed me the Adrian Mole books which were hilarious. It is sort of neat to revisit this as an adult. I shall call it my correspondence and pretend I am a Lady having my morning tea and writing my letters, when I will really be listening to Wyatt chattering on, the kittens running all over around me, Miso sleeping on my lap, etc. I have been browsing blank cards and stationery sets online, and can’t decide. There are so many different types and designs!
I also finished up my book, Stillmeadow and Sugarbridge, which was so quaint and lovely. It was a nice read for this time of year, slow and easy, and I miss their stories now. I will have to read the other books as well, if my library has them. When I was reading about the women themselves online, it seemed they had very fascinating lives!
In kitten news, we had a little surprise. Mabel is really a Max! Our two sisters are really sister and brother. It happens, kittens are so hard to tell when they are really little. And Max looks like he is going to be a big cat – his paws are enormous! They have been cracking us up. We have a new little routine: when I get up, I feed Miso, who is generally waiting next to me on the bed, or rather, pawing my face for her breakfast, then I get Wyatt’s breakfast, and fetch the kittens. Wyatt and I sit in my bedroom with the kittens while they play, and after an hour or so, I put them back into the office, feed them, and then they take a nap. Only a few more days or so and I should be able to just let them have free run of the house. Miso seems to be handling their presence ok – when Max escaped yesterday she found him and they gently sniffed each other’s faces. We are going slow because she is such a gentle animal and I don’t want to overwhelm her and the kittens are a lot.
I have also had a lot of time to plan things! I lined up a skating event for our Blackbirds at a place called the Ribbon in Toledo. We have a cabana, a fire pit, and skating aids at our disposal, including a sled with two runners that Wyatt can use on the ice. We rented the place for two hours, and even if our kids spend most of their time drinking hot chocolate by the fire, it is right by the ice and can be part of the scene in whatever way they choose and are comfortable. I am really excited.
I also formed a teeny book club for Wyatt and two of his friends! Our goals are pretty simple, just to have them say maybe what they liked and didn’t like at first, and then we will have a themed snack and craft, because that is how I roll and these three will love it. We are planning our first club meeting all the way out in March, which is crazy to think about. It’s hard to believe Christmas was already a month ago!
I have been doing a lot of journaling, list making, letter writing lately, and will probably start a sewing project or two this weekend. We have our first Crafternoon of the year Saturday and that will be a nice way to break up this inside time!
And that is it for me today – if you are in the States and in the path of this storm, stay safe and warm! I know that our Southern Hemisphere friends have been experiencing the opposite weather, very hot days, so I hope you are all staying cool! Wish me luck, I need to go snowblow so Wyatt can get to therapy!
Updated to add: I remembered while I was out snowblowing that we have also been watching the adventures of Josh and Jase, two Brits that are touring through Michigan right now. I was sorry to hear they had encountered mishaps on their visit here, but are on the mend and in the U.P. now! They are hilarious, and I love how they are representing my state! You can check them out here!
Still Life, With Cracker Crumbs.. 
That’s a fun catsurprise! XD
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Lol! We used to have three cats before, two girls and a boy. I guess that is what we are supposed to have. 🙂
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You’ve had one busy week! I don’t see how you do it — beyond amazing you are!
I’m not surprised Mabel is a Max. Most orange cats are — I think it’s something like 90 percent but don’t quote me. He will be a total love (because most orange boy-cats are!)
Lewis and Clark — you probably already know about this but on PBS.org you can find Ken Burns’ beautiful series on it. (Not super long like the Civil War or Revolution!) There might be bits of it that bring the history “to life.” It’s right here: https://www.pbs.org/kenburns/lewis-clark/
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Lol thanks! Sometimes things don’t get done…. like dishes or laundry. Lol.
I thought it was unusual too! Was your orange kitty a boy? He is the more cuddly of the two already!
I didn’t know that! I will have to watch it with Wyatt!
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Yikes! -35?? And here I was complaining about zero or 1! My poor husband has been working outside all week (and all winter for that matter) and I feel so bad as I’m snuggled up next to our wood stove reading and working on puzzles. Those kitten photos are oh so cute– keep ’em coming please.
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Sitting next to a wood stove reading and working on puzzles sounds absolutely wonderful! Although yes, your poor husband! Hopefully he doesn’t have to go out in this arctic cold this weekend.
And they are so funny! Miso is tolerating them really well when we have them all together. She sort of looks bewildered but curious.
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Ah, we had a Louise who turned out to be a Louie! And, he was a ginger, too! We are on the border of the snow line. I’ve heard guesstimates of 4-14 inches. But, it will be the intense cold that will be bad. I’m closing all the drapes (oh, doesn’t that make me sound old) and planning to hunker down in one of the bedrooms if the heat goes off. I’m hoping all of my kids stay safe, too. They have a tendency to think they’re invincible…especially the boys.
Your week actually sounded quite lovely. I really do miss teaching and have just notified the woman at our church that I am going to skip the remainder of the semester for our Bible Study for adults with special needs. Something had to give, and that was it.
Have a safe and warm rest of the week and weekend!
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I agree, I am more worried about the cold! Are you still having your tour with this weather? Do you have to go out? 😦 We are closing up the house here too, with the curtains drawn. I grew up in a very dark house and I hate to close the curtains, and I even have windows without because I just want light all of the time. So I need to cover those with blankets today. It’ll make me sad but it will be warmer.
You are very busy. I think we all try to do it all and sometimes we have to realize that we have to let some things go once and awhile. It’s good that you realized that and took steps to make changes to help yourself!
Yes, I hope you stay safe and warm too! And I hope to see you at Crafternoon!
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Max! 😀 And I do love big paws on a kitten, and big orange boys ❤ hehe
Mum's last kitten (a rescue, similar situation actually), she thought she was getting a girl and ended up with a boy and he is now "Snoopy" 🙂
We're prepped about as good as we can be at this point, I think. I've got a straw bale wall for the chickens, to hopefully help block some wind/keep a dry spot for them. We are going to fill buckets with water for flushing + chicken watering, as needed. I made chocolate nut clusters yesterday, and am baking bread today – so we can have sandwiches and sweets if nothing else, LOL! We don't have backup heat source, so we're going to get ALLLLLL the blankets and make a cozy nest. Praying for sleet, so the power has a better chance of staying on (or, if that can't be, then let it be 33* so nothing freezes?!) … Eeek!
I hope y'all get a warmup soon! ❤ Sounds like it's been a good cozy week though, and huzzah for kitten antics to brighten the winter! 😀
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Lolol! It is so hard to tell when they are little. And Snoopy is such a cute name!!
It sounds like you are set up for this freeze and cold and snow. I hope though that the power does not go out on you guys!!! Or us. Lol. My geckos would not like that. And sandwiches and sweets is perfect.
I know next week is also supposed to be miserable cold too. This is awful!
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It’s so awful! Like I don’t mind winter but this is something else 🥶 And my chickens HATE it, especially the biggest one – and one really does not like dealing with a grumpy 15-pound rooster 🤣
Prayers we both stay warm and keep power on!!!
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Some great plans!! Stay warm this weekend: I am not sure what we will get here north of Atlanta, more than likely just rain but maybe some ice… you never know. The kittens are adorable! So fun!
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Thank you! I hope that you guys don’t get too much cold weather and can stay warm too!
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Stay safe and warm and cuddly, all of you!
Max made me laugh. When we picked up our Meffi, she was so wriggly that we thought we had a boy – Mephisto – and the next day she stubbornly refused to lift her little shoestring tail. The day after she did, the ex and I looked at each other … “Okay. Mephista then?” And Mephista it was. So funny how several people in the comments had a story like that.
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I did wonder as so many gingers are boys and we’ve had ginger boys in the past. Lovely kitty pics anyway of course. We’re inching towards spring here, I’ve seen snowdrops, croci and some daffodils!
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Yeah I was more surprised when they told us he was a girl. Lol. He is very sweet!
My bestie is in England right now! She arrived in London this morning and sent me a photo of an outside flower market! With flowers! Outside! I love winter but this is the time I am soooooo done with it. It can move on now.
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Ooh, was that Columbia Road? Is she touring the UK or just in London?
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I am not sure where she was. She is only in London this trip. It’s a whirlwind 4 day visit. She just went to Hatchards books though and had me quick pick a book. LOL
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Oh my goodness your kitties are SO cute! They are at that perfect kitten stage. And what a fun surprise to learn that Max is a he!
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Oh, the blue lindworm looks like Egobert the dragon from the execution tower.
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