Laundry.

 Just your usual day in December, but not quite as cool as usual. It has really been decent today! Thank God for weather that makes life reasonable! Even have laundry going in the washer and dryer. Took the covers off the couch because they really were beginning to smell like the dogs. Eventually the dogs, too, will have to have a bath. Tomorrow is supposed to be up to 65, so maybe sometime after coffee. It takes a lot of towels and bending to bathe them in the big bathtub. They don't ever seem to really appreciate baths at all. But such is life for dogs and those who live with them. Either stink or get a bath!

Finished watching River on BritBox today. Good series. It is hard to understand how schizophrenia affects people, but hallucinating has to be difficult. It's hardly anything one would want as a problem. Actually, can't think of any mental problem that anyone would want. So many people today have been diagnosed with Asperger's and assorted places on the scales of mental capacities of autism. One of Hanan's friends has Asperger's and has no clue how to relate to other people. For a long time, he was also OCD and kept everything in such neat order. Then suddenly he stopped doing things in any order and could not even work. Not sure whatever happened to him, but it was sad to think that only his brother could be around him for any time without upsetting him. Life is hard enough, but having mental issues makes life pretty unbearable for some folks. Whenever we think we have it rough, we need to think again. Grief is hard, but it is a sure thing that grief came after love. Some folks have never even been able to love.

Have been "watering" my eyes rather often today. Seems something is causing them to be drier than usual. Thought it was bad yesterday, but today is even worse. Have the back door open and the house has fresh air in it, so if it is the gas heater, then it should cease to be a problem soon. The "Refresh" drops really help, but sometimes wish it was a ointment rather than drops. Have these little plastic drop things to use, but really prefer the bottles. Always just a bit afraid to get these plastic droppers too close to my eyeball!

Had pumpkin for breakfast this morning. Baked some in the oven early on and then put a bunch in the little chopper thing with butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon. It was a bit like having pumpkin pie without the crust and whipped cream. The hens liked the rest of the part that was cooked. But then, they like the seeds, too. Sitting here wondering if Susan cooks pumpkin for Roger. It is a squash and has a certain number of carbs, but even so, it is also a veggie. When Roger was here delivering the pumpkins yesterday, he said he thought the dogs had gained weight. He very kindly did not say the same thing about me. ahem.

Well, it is Sunday and the mailman--not the regular one--just delivered my "home bed assist handle." This is to put in the side of my bed to prevent me from rolling out onto the floor. Been using a body pillow and woke up one morning on the edge of the bed with the pillow on the floor. Obviously some of us roll around more than others. Connie was telling me about her friend's husband falling out of bed and breaking his toe. Seemed like a good warning. Let's hope this works well, but it should. Probably the hardest part will be getting it under the mattress--that and getting it out of the way when making the bed. Ah well. Six of one and half a dozen of the other problems.

The new-ish neighbors over in Grumpy's house have been yelling at each other. Heard a squeal once and decided to go back inside so it would not bother me. Honestly, hope it was not a child, but it sounded more like a woman. Children usually don't quit yelling when they are hit. Hate to hear so much garbage rolling around over there, but it's not like all this neighborhood is going to ever be inhabited by people who are kind to one another. Of course, the price of a house or the upkeep do not necessarily mean that the people who live there are kind to anyone. Have seen beautiful homes that had a killer inside. 

Went outside and turned over a few spade forks of earth for the girls. They love fresh dirt--both for dusting and for scratching for worms. They lay out there in the sunshine on their sides and just stretch their necks out and kick with their legs--dusting and basting! Funny critters.

Read through the cookbook my daughter-in-law sent to me. Oh my! It is so very funny--in an erotic sort of chicken cooked way! The recipes actually sound pretty good, but doubt seriously if my spice tray will ever disclose that type of ingredients. Oriental spices are beyond my salt and pepper and Cajun spices. Have some fish and seafood spice, but this stuff calls for coconut curry, cucumber, sesame and ginger radish with tarragon. And what is mole sauce? Or prosciutto? Or Tandoori spices? SO glad that Lewis was a meat and 'tator type of guy.

Have a picture on my laptop of our trip to Scotland back in 2013. It makes me happy every time it comes up. We were both laughing or smiling happily. Wish we had taken more pictures, but that was not on my mind at the time. The picture of Jennifer in front of that pyramid thing in front of the Louvre museum was probably one of the best. Ah well. We will never get to do that kind of trip again, but can be happy that we got to do it the one time. 

Have some seeds given to me by BR that are lamb's ear. Will take the seeds out probably late December or early January so that they can get a good start. The pictures online show them to have a high rising purple bloom from the leaves that lie down on the ground. The leaves are silver and furry. The soldiers in the Civil War--and probably other wars--used them as bandages. They were soft, so they could be used as all sorts of things. They should make a good filler for the front flower bed this year. Don't think much of the stuff planted there before will be there this year except the bluebonnets and maybe the petunias. They are perennials. It takes so much energy and determination to dig out Bermuda and plant good seeds. Just wish sometimes that we did not have Bermuda out front. Ah well. For years we had absolutely NO grass under the old elm tree. It took every tiny bit of moisture from the ground and the sap killed everything it touched. Have no idea why the chemical companies don't use elm sap as a weed killer--but then, they would not make as much money off of something as natural as elm sap.

Don't really know anything to talk about this evening. Have sat outside and hand fed some of the hens. They did not seem to know much either, or if they did, they didn't tell me. May need to find a donkey so someone will be around to share opinions with me. ahem

May you all rest well this evening and awake with a happy attitude tomorrow. You are loved.