Busy, busy, busy

I always feel that, now I'm home, I should have masses of time on my hands to get plenty of things done. It doesn't always seem like that though. Sometimes I feel the days slipping through my fingers and I feel as though I'm a hamster running around on one of those wheels. I am getting projects done - slowly but surely. I have two of my mum's albums done and I've started on hubby's. I still have at least three calendars to do and another album as well as Christmas cards. I keep telling myself that it is still November - but my Mum reminded me that the last day of November is tomorrow. Seems once we hit December time will just fly by.

The weather here is still pretty nice. Yesterday was pretty warm for us. It means the nature walk I go on was quite busy. I must admit to liking it a little quieter. Sometimes I just stand still and listen to the birds tweeting around me singing their songs. It's a lovely way to start the day. I need to make the most of it while I still can. Snow will be coming. Michigan never escapes the snow. It's then that I won't be able to get out so often and the winter will seem to drag by.

I hope everyone is having a good week and getting things done!

Black Friday Shopping Anyone?

I didn't. We ended up going on lovely walk up and down the sand dunes to end up along Lake Michigan. From there we took a drive up the lake shore to drop off middle son's Thanksgiving food as he had to work on the day. After that we visited the lighthouse as he lives pretty close to it. A lovely day out. Not a frenzied crowd in sight. Well, except at a place near the lighthouse where there were live reindeer that children could pet.

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

All is quiet...

It's quiet in the house. Hubby is all tucked up in bed and oldest son is playing video games downstairs. They are both glad to have a day off tomorrow. Hubby worked OT last week. He's getting older now so those 55+ hour weeks take a toll more easily. Son has been working 55+ hours for several weeks now so he's keeping his fingers crossed that he will have the whole weekend off. It depends on the jobs that have to get done - they might call him in. They will be off tomorrow and we'll be over at MIL for Thanksgiving.

The holidays always feel strange to me. I try to keep a cheery face but it's a little sad when I'm not actually spending time with the rest of my family. Daughter and middle son won't be around this year either so feeling a little more down than usual. I will enjoy spending time with MIL and chatting with her sister who always has good stories to tell.

I have finished putting photos in two albums now! So happy. I have to do embellishments and hopefully they won't take long. If I can work on Mum's calendar it will be all three of hers done and I can actually get them in the post early. My goal is to at least finish with the embellishments by next week.

I'm still getting out and about for walks. There has been a chill in the air, but no snow yet so I'm still getting out while I can. Saw this lovely stag/buck this morning. Truly a magnificent sight. I stood and watched him as long as I could until he ran off. I think he's the biggest one I've seen. It felt quite magical.

Back in Michigan and Catching up!

It's time to play catch-up! I landed late on Sunday night (almost Monday morning lol), hopped in to bed and got up early to make Sausage Rolls for hubby's Thanksgiving thing at work. I had to drop them off too. Unpacked, cleaned and that was Monday gone! I'm behind on reading comments and blogs. I was concentrating on spending time with daughter. We had a lot of fun!

Sunday was an ultra-busy day. We took Shasta for a walk along the Mississippi River so I could take photos, then we bundled up and went to a husky huddle (so much fun!), Minnehaha Falls, Ikea and finally The Mall of America before daughter dropped me off at the airport. Phew! I was glad to sit down.

Got a few photos to share. This first one is of Shasta - I took lots of photos of her as she is just so cute. This is one of the outtakes of our holiday photo shoot. Daughter signed up to exchange Christmas Cards on her Minnesota Husky group so we wanted some pictures of Shasta in a Christmas theme.

She was not amused. She isn't smiling in any of them. Not surprisingly she kept wanting to eat the dog biscuits!

The husky huddle was so much fun. I love taking photos at those things. The dogs are really expressive and have such personalities. I know that some people are afraid of them, but they were all so sweet. Yes, they bark and (some) howl and they groan and growl at one another, but they all played and ran so nicely and were really well behaved. Here are just a few of the (many) photos I took.

It will be Thanksgiving on Thursday over here in America. It's one of the few American only holidays that I participate in. I will be going over to MIL's with husband and oldest son. My middle son has to work and daughter will be in Minnesota (sniff sniff).

I have to work on Christmas gifts this week too. I have albums/calendars/cards to start and finish! Yikes!

Week Almost Gone!

Wow, can't believe my week with daughter is almost done. We do have the weekend to look forward to as I don't leave until late Sunday night. Tomorrow we're taking a long walk at a state park and then, when the doggy is all tired out, going out to eat. Sunday we are going to a husky huddle and then daughter and I are going to go do something in the twin cities while her boyfriend takes the dogs home. I love those husky huddles. It's a lot of fun to watch the dogs running around. Shasta is older and doesn't participate much but she does love running around for a little while.

We went to a smaller huddle on Wednesday night. It was quote dark and the dogs wear collars that are lit up. It's really funny to watch the lights fly around the dog park. From the road it looks really strange.

Hope everyone is having a good week!

Minnesota

I arrived safely. The flight was straight through from Kalamazoo to Minneapolis and took about an hour and a half. A really sorry flight compared to I usually take from the US to England. As we came in to land there was snow on the ground but the main roads were thankfully clear.

Despite the cold we managed to get out for a walk.

Shasta loves the snow!

Hope everyone had a good start to the week. I don't think mine will be very productive bit it will be fun!

Time to dig out the long undies!

It was SO cold this morning when I went for my walk! I bundled up in winter coat, scarf and clothes, but forgot the long underwear. My legs felt the worst. Ouch! They got really numb from the cold. It was -7C!!! Ice was forming on the pond - very pretty but amazingly cold.

I'm all packed and ready to go. I'm off early in the morning - flight leaves just after seven - to visit daughter until next Sunday night. I'm really looking forward to it. It will be lovely to see her again.

Time Flying By!

I know I say this all the time - but I can't believe it's Wednesday again. The days are just flying by. I should have plenty of time to get things done but it never seems to be that way. It's almost the middle of November and the holidays are rushing closer. I thought I was ahead of the game, but somehow time got away from me. I'm off to visit daughter on Saturday for a week so I won't be getting any photo projects done while I'm gone. It will be Thanksgiving week when I get back so a busy week there. Grrr....

I will be taking a cross stitch project with me. Another one for my Mum. I should have plenty of time to work on it while daughter is at work. It's going to be a winter design. Maybe I'll even have it finished when I get back!

I've still been getting out walking. I think that's where a lot of my time goes - sometimes I've gone for a few hours. I probably should cut the walks shorter but I know that soon I won't be going out as much so I'm making the most of it for now.

So pretty out! Today when I was walking it sounded like it was raining leaves. They were falling like crazy so I'm pretty sure that when I get back there won't be many left. Hope everyone is getting more done than I am!

Saturday - dull, dreary, rainy

I should have known that the sunshine from yesterday was too good to last! It was actually pretty clear last night so I decided to go out and try to take photos of the moon. I managed to work out how to put together my tripod (though I apparently didn't raise it as high as it could go) and ventured outside to give it a go. It didn't go too well. Sigh. Apparently I still have a lot to learn!

The sunrise this morning was quite beautiful, but of course it's Saturday and I don't rush out to walk early so no sunrise photos. It was such a stunning colour. We did manage to get in a walk and got back just as it started to rain. It hasn't stopped raining since about eleven this morning!

We ended up doing a five mile walk - mainly because hubby misplaced his directional skills. I have none so I really shouldn't make too much fun of him lol. Skyped with Mum, talked with daughter and then settled in with a blanket to cross stitch. It's at a funny temperature today - one where I can't seem to get warm. I had to dip into my cup-a-soup limited stash and have a cup to warm me up!

Hopefully the rain will stop so we can walk tomorrow!

November Already!

This week has just flown by. I feel as though I haven't done much of anything at all! It's now November and the holidays are creeping ever closer. I have one more week at home before going to visit daughter in Minnesota for a week. When I get back it will be Thanksgiving week! Yikes! I wanted to have Mum's albums done by the beginning of December so I could get them in the post. One is just about finished, the other I'm still deciding on photos. Sigh. I thought I was doing so well.

The sun has finally come out today. It's been dull all week long. I haven't enjoyed the weather at all. I don't like the cold but could handle it better if there was sunshine along with it. Last winter seems so long when we went days without sun.

I've been going for long walks each day - maybe that's what's been taking up a lot of the day lol - but I know that winter is coming and I won't get out so much. Asylum Lake is hopping still. The leaves are mostly changed and a lot fallen off the trees, but there are still some animals around. The deer are pretty jumpy but I did see a few this week.

I think they know when hunting season is coming. Poor things. They'll be safe at Asylum Lake - no hunting allowed.

The weather this weekend doesn't look to be too good, but we're hoping to get out and about. We'll have to see.