Count down!

 I finally got my "Festivus" letter written, and cards sent out, this past week.

The tree isn't up yet, but that's mainly Dave's doing.  It's so hard for him to complete tasks sometimes.  Depression is a weight on him.  

He's always excited and satisfied when he gets up, and gets things done, but he has a very hard time with the getting up part.

I am so glad he is going to therapy, though, and have hopes that he will conquer certain aspects of his depression and anxiety through the hard work he is doing in therapy.

Anyway, he has promised to get out to the shed today, and to pull out the Yule boxes, and set up the tree for me.

I have my basic menu planned for my Yule feast. You may recall that I have a great deal of fun preparing a "medieval" style feast for Winter Solstice.  This year, I am going to be cooking quail, and HOPEFULLY using my new firepit.

However, the forecast keeps increasing chances for rain JUST ON THAT DAY, so I am not sure I will be able to do the outdoor cooking part.

I succeeded in getting the day off, and the day after that, though.  Since my office is then closed on Monday and Tuesday next week, I am looking at a "SIX day weekend" next week!

My brother has provided a full sized Virginia Ham, and our friends from Switzerland will be joining us on December 24th.  This will be the first full sized, bone in ham we have had since 2019.

Another friend and her significant other may join us as well.  I sure hope so, as we will have a LOT of ham to send home with everyone!

The kittens have been treated for fleas, now, and continue to thrive, and be happy.  Their appointment with the Humane Society is ten days from today.

Their fur is so lush and soft from being outside 100% of the time, and they RUN to us any time either of us goes outside.

One of the tasks Dave accomplished yesterday was to go out and get a fresh bale of straw, and to re-do the shelters that the kittens and their momma use at night.

The shelters are now full of fresh straw that they can burrow into to stay warm.  It was below freezing last night, so his timing on that task was good.

We have "regulars" who show up at meal time, now.  The male cat from across the street, who is definitely the daddy of the striped kittens, comes every day.  He hangs out with Sammie and the kids much of the day.  He MIGHT even be staying here at night... not sure.

He will be our next TNR, hopefully.

He's pretty tame around Dave, so he MIGHT allow himself to be picked up an put into a carrier... Not sure.  

AND, the best news, is that our eldest feral, Luke, has been coming around for breakfast.  We had not seen him all summer, and were afraid that he had met his demise elsewhere.  He is 10 years old, after all.

But this past week, he started showing up every morning, and hanging around for a while every day.

Next week, the only appointment I have is my bi-annual dental cleaning and check up.

Then, the week after Christmas, I see the PA (not the doctor--who may be gone now, who knows?) on Tuesday, and then my treatment is Thursday.

Hopefully, I will get them to fix the scheduling of my January treatment.  Maybe it's just best to do that sort of thing in person, since the phone calls obviously accomplished absolutely nothing.

Today, I have a gathering with my international spiritual community, and hope to get those festive decorations put up!  It should be a pretty lazy day, for the most part.

Have a good week!