A Very Blustery Fall

As the maple trees' leaves turn brilliant gold and red colors here in Northeastern Ohio, it's been my mission to enjoy this beautiful Fall season while working hard to get everything important done in my stores. This is the retail holiday season now, when everyone is looking to buy and / or sell just about anything. It's time to hustle!

Stir into this, of course, the unhinged Presidential Election hype. I'm not going into my choice but will say that this fight has been stressful, entertaining and disturbing all at the same time. It all unfolds on the TV here in my office as I work. I liken the whole thing to Roman gladiator fighting. This has been the most vicious, knock down-drag out battle I've ever seen for the next leader of the free world. All I can hope for is that my candidate wins, and the other one slithers back under the rock from whence they came. Seriously.

My brain is a bit fried from mental overload. I get an occasional  nervous twitch in my eye at stressful times, telling me that I need to slow down. The best thing to do is to turn off the news, take a nap or walk outside in the yard and then start afresh. Seems to work pretty well. A new coffee shop opened up a few miles away, so that helps, too.

In addition to everything else, I found out recently that my faithful car is nearing the end of its car life. Seven fine years of little repair bills and no car payments has made it very trusty to me. But, the mechanic says the computer in it needs repair, one set of brakes replaced, along with the exhaust system, and a newly found oil leak. Time to get another car. I have a bad habit of keeping cars I really like too long past their safety limits, so this time, I'm listening. The car goes up for sale.

After my vacation, I'll continue my hunt for the right car. I'm picky and so it takes looking..lots of it. Considering the fact that a brand new car depreciates a large percentage when driven off of the dealer's lot, I like quality used cars. I might get an SUV this time around, because I hope to do some shows once I've got means to haul merchandise, etc. It's hard to break myself of the full-size luxury sedan tradition so I'm still hanging loose on what style to get. What matters most is how well it runs and how well it's been maintained. At this stage of my life, I'm going for what is most practical and comfortable.

There is tranquility in my house at all times. The cats are doing fine, spoiled as ever. Friends are doing well, I'm tired but ok. The business is doing fine. I've got a cup of cider next to me, as I sit ouside on my porch. Pretty soon it will be too cold to do that. With my highly wired Type-A personality, I need the peace of this beautiful countryside I live in. It brings me back to nature and keeps me grounded. 

Let's Try Peace, Not Killing

Rest in Peace to all victims of the tragedies in Florida. First there was the savage shooting of a young singer named Christina Grimm was killed by some crazed fan, and now, people in a nightclub. Senselessly gunned down by a terrorist. Young people with their whole lives in front of them, gone in the blink of an eye.
There's too much anger and hate in this world! And, there are too many guns, especially automatic assault weapons.

As I sit here watching CNN, as they talk about Orlando's tragedy, I think of the families of all the dead. They all have a long road of healing ahead, but no one can bring back their loved ones.

Life is fragile, and with crazed freaks out in the world, we all need to be vigilant of people around us when  in crowds. It's not the world I remember as a kid. Back then there were no fears of being hurt while in public. The government needs to do something and get this insanity to stop. Let's try peace and tolerance of people different from us to start.

Getting Ready to Garden

It feels SO good to be gardening again!  It's almost safe enough to plant tender flowers (annuals), but not quite. But I am into perennials mostly, like my mom. Last weekend we all went to our favorite greenhouse, Lowe's in Bainbridge. We were like kids in a candy store!

There was a decent plant sale going on, "Buy two, get one free". So, I got purple primroses  that look like roses,  alpine poppies and some cornflower blue and white columbine. Mom and dad got a bunch of gorgeous perennials, from a variegated euphoria to a large pink penstemon, and topsoil. We walked around, just enjoying the colors and textures of the leaves and flowers. Greenhouses are so relaxing to me. I'm glad dad went with us, he loves it, too, even if he doesn't garden anymore.

So now, mom is busy in her gardens, which are already colorful. I have been weeding and planting, along with some spring cleaning in the house. It feels good to see the yard alive with birds returning from warmer climates, an occasional butterfly or bees, and other signs of life. Well, except the rat who I found digging in one of my gardens. A few sprinkles of cayenne pepper powder around the plants he was digging up, and he hasn't been back since. Hehe. I'm sure he's long gone elsewhere by now.

The cats are plastered to the windows, excitedly watching all birds. Sometimes I hear a "hiss" or two, and I know they are getting annoyed with whoever got the best birdwatching spot. Beau loves the rainbows cast off by a faceted crystal sphere I have hanging in a window. I touch it, making the little rainbows dance all over,  and he dances, hops and pounces on them Not bad for a fourteen year old cat :)

Spring Has Sprung Again

Spring is here, and my daffodils are blooming! This is my favorite time of year.

Life is wonderful, despite being bedridden due to sciatica pain and the medications I've had to take for it that made me dizzy. I'm healing up and though not 100% yet, I'm getting out and even did a little gardening (weeding).

My stores are busy and I'm adding new products on a near daily basis. I work from my laptop from bed, cats piled around me, TV on in the background (oddly, it helps me work to have noise on in the background).  I've got new products galore so stop by my main store, Two Purring Cats Clothing & Gifts at:  http://www.zazzle.com/twopurringcats

The cats have been enjoying themselves, watching birds and TV (yes, they really watch it). I work so that they can live royal lives! :)

Pretty soon I'm going back to the drawing board, literally, to do more artwork in my office. Over the early winter I made my office more efficient, with shelves and other items to make working in there easier. It looks good, but there's always work to be done in there (more shelves and places to put stuff!!)

It, like me, is a work in progress. Anyways, life is peaceful, mom and dad are doing fine, and everyone is happy that the weather is warming up.

That's all for now, later!

 http://www.zazzle.com/twopurringcats