And just like that.....

The week is at it's end just like that. Seems the days get lost and time just keeps moving ahead. Today is beginning cloudy again and cooler. The weather is suppose to be in the 70s all week but ending near 90 on Friday. Crazy temps..... lots of clouds but it is okay.

This is the new Dove couple that has been hanging around. Never see them except early morning and early evening. Guess they are still deciding whether to move in  or not. In the next day or two I will check the nest area.
I forgot to show you my Guardian Angel Bell

It hangs off the zipper of my handbag and tingles as I walk. My companion is the Garden Gnome. It is from the same company that the Buoy Bell is from. I plan on getting a few to give as gifts.
I sat outside having tea with Glenda yesterday. She and Don are truly dear friends..... I would be lost without them. these past  months have been made easier with their caring friendship.
I was out on the lanai most of the day reading.....

I am enjoying the Sherlock Holmes FAQ book. Leaning a lot about Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The other is my diary... book 2 for me. I jot my thoughts daily in it. I started just after loosing Denny and it does help me cope most of the time. Did you notice the book mark? It is a piece of raw hide with some beads and a feather. I love feathers so this is perfect. When The Brother Alan Lisa and I went to the Botanical Garden I came across

a soft bright white tiny feather clinging to a branch. To me it was a sign that Denny was with us that day as he loved going to the garden.
"Feathers appear when Angels are near...
Coming across a feather in your path, or finding a feather in an unexpected place is thought to be a message from the Angels. White: this is the most common Angel feather, and is thought to be a sign of faith and protection."
Did I ever tell you that I am very superstitious?
Well I do not hear the tumble of the dryer so my laundry is waiting for me ....once again the Faeries are not around. I think I better start looking for them! Glad to chat with you today and share my thoughts and doings. Thank you for the kind words and for your friendship.

A cloudy morning sky

A cloudy start to the day but the temperature is comfortable at around 70. The sun pops out every now and again but I do not mind the clouds. Maybe a splash of rain? The garden loves a cloudy day. Look what is doing well out there....

I just may have a strawberry or two to pick. I will get out the netting and cover it as I do not trust the birds. Speaking of birds, yesterday afternoon there was a pair of Doves hanging around the garden for a short time and I also saw a few Robins out in the courtyard.
Today I plan to pick up my shuttle and try some tatting. The hand swelling is almost gone but a little pain remains. More medicated gel and mo hard labor! I need to do some repair work and painting on the lanai but it will wait.  I am trying to remember my limits but it is oh so hard.
Yesterday I finally remembered to change my telephone number at the market (do not want to loose the discounts!) and then the pharmacy. I also reprinted my "calling cards" and sent out a few note cards to friends and my niece giving my new number. This is the cell number that we had for 12 years and I never remembered it but al of a sudden I am. It is a good thing.
Breakfast finished, bed made and garden tended to so now I can sit back and read and maybe tat. So glad you stopped by today. Thank you for your kind words and for your friendship.

“Never leave a friend behind. Friends are all we have to get us through this life--and they are the only things from this world that we could hope to see in the next.”
― Dean Koontz, Fear Nothing

Mid week doings

I have always liked Wednesdays..... the middle of the week. No particular reason except many years ago when I first started to work it was my day off and made the work week easier. Now being retired I still like Wednesdays. Just was in the garden

The alien Snail Vine continues to grow and bloom. The center is now almost 3 feet deep from the top of the arbor. It is beautiful.  The tomato plant is about ready to leave the garden. The new bush is blooming nicely

The petals of the blooms have a red hue to them. Inside are the seeds. I have added a little fencing around it for the time being to coral the spread and encourage it to grow upward stronger. Listen to me, I sound like I know what I am doing! Actually I am trying to give room to the plants around it.
I checked the "clock nest"

Not sure what these Doves are doing and it is obvious to me that they do not know what they are doing. I will remove it by the end of the week if there is no activity.
Today is re-arrange a few chairs...what is out front to the back and what is in the back to the front and then to wash the lanai floor ..... still have the corner computer desk unit to get out of the lanai.  I figured that I can safely move it out using the dolly that I have.  It is one of those flat bed type. Trash pick-up is Friday so if it is out there when people tend to check out what is being tossed, it may have a new home. Honey (AKA Keith) stopped by to adjust my computer settings. Every time there is an update things change.  I watch and learn and one of these days I will not have to bother him for help.
The Brother Alan is once again living with another winter storm along the East Coast. I have a package to mail to sis Lynowl but once again I will wait due to the storm and mail delivery issues that comes along with it. Keeping busy is essential for me today. Thank you dear friend Debbie for the special message this morning. Debbie and I email everyday---- long distance friendship.
Time to do the chores. The Fairy Maids are still missing and by the notes, many of your fairies are missing too! Thank you for stopping by and for your kind words and most of all your friendship.

You may be out of sight but not out of my mind.

I hold you tightly in my heart.

Starting the day

Some days are just a slow start. Today is feeling like one of those. I woke at 6 AM and still feel tired. Finally had a cup of coffee and would like another. This is shaping up to be "one of those days". I can just feel it. My hand is less swollen and the redness all about gone but it is still sore so I will continue the medicated gel and try to rest it. This is always hard for me. I want to do this or that..... should do this and that but I know if I do not rest the hand it will only take longer for it to feel better.
I mentioned to The Brother Alan that I wanted to change the furniture on the lanai. So we did order a grouping from Lowes.

The settee and table along with a pair of chairs. When it was delivered all but one of the back cushions were messed up. They were pack so tightly that they were misshaped. After a few calls a delivery to my home from Lowes with 3 new cushions.  Great customer service. The lanai is due for a change and this is the start. I would like to remove a few other things form the lanai but definitely need help. I would like to move the shelves but Buddy the Hummer (Dennis named him that ) likes to sit on the branch in one of the vases.....need to think about this.  I have a corner unit that needs to go and chairs from the front that need to come to the back and chairs form the back that need to go to the front....I am exhausted thinking about it! For now this will do.
Also while The Brother Alan was here we changed out the Cox cable boxes....something else for me to adjust to. Really, I have talked out loud to the TV before but now it does what I ask!  The phone so far has been easier than I thought. Not having a house phone is easier than I thought. I only looked for it twice. Now I need to remember to give me new phone number to various people and change it at the medical offices. So far these past few months I have moved forward with Skyping, talking to the TV remote, now texting...what next??? I feel that I have been adjusting fairly well. I know that I still have a way to go. I am doing the best that I can and as I feel I can.
I have sent a message to Honey (AKA Keith) my computer is a bit off kilter....photos, the mouse and a few other things. He is such an angel. He is a gentle soul who always has a smile.
Well friends, I think I should at least get a couple of things done around here. The House Fairy did not show up today. Thank you for your kind words and for your friendship. Have a great day.

Sunday morning

 Here it is Sunday, the sun is bright and there is a definite cool breeze out there. Today will be an errand to Lowes, and also to Walmart for paper supplies and not much else. Grocery shopping will have to be another day. My hand is swollen again and very painful so I will of course wear my brace and use topical medication. Are you asking why the hand .....well I knew I could do something yesterday so I did it and now I pay the consequences. I still have that I can do this and I am independent thing going on....sadly I then pay for it one way or another. Believe me, I am not trying to prove to anyone but myself. I finally do not think about what others may think. Living alone is still new and hard to adjust to. I broke a promise that I made to my friends....

the Buoy Bell arrived last night and when I opened it this morning I just had to hang it.....up high of course so that meant the ----step ladder!. I was slow and very careful. Now that it is up it needs to be adjusted !...not today though. While on the ladder I found that there is a Dove egg on the clock! I shall watch it and let you know if we have a nesting pair.
You all know that The Brother Alan and Lisa left yesterday morning after being here two weeks. The house is once again just me. Before leaving The Brother Alan filled the car with gas and even went through a car wash. An email confirmed that it was cold back in Rhode Island. I do believe this will be a long week for them! It was a good visit and we kept busy but also made time to relax and we did laugh ... we did laugh.  Lisa and I made a memory box for their room.

It was my pleasure to make this for her. She choose the items and I assembled.  I love using shadow boxes.
Right now I need the brace on my hand, medication on it and a cup of fresh brewed coffee. Thank you for visiting with me and for your kind words and for you valued friendship. Over the next week I will share some pictures and stories of The Brother Alan's visit. We did have a good time.