National Cat Day!!

 Happy National Cat Day, 

Miss Aja!!

Slipping

So much is slipping past me these days.

Imagine my shock when I discovered that time had slipped so far from my last post of August 31st.    We have also slipped into Fall in my little portion of the earth.  The colors aren't in full bloom yet, which seems odd as we are facing Halloween.  The weather has been so odd.  Guess Mother Nature is confused.  But the days are getting shorter - so there is no missing what is happening.  I like Fall, but my very favorite season is Winter.  

And I have totally slipped off my 'knitting mojo' this summer.  I blame it on the pandemic.  

The picture above shows my garter stitch blanket I started in March 2020 done in double worsted weight acrylic.  We finished I just couldn't keep it.  It was too heavy, too big, and filled with too many thoughts related to being Covid 19 home bound.  Just not happy thoughts.  It is now on it way to a thrift shop. 

As much as I like to think this world event hasn't impacted me all that much ... it has.  Something inside me has slipped and my focus on my usual passions like knitting has shifted to more pensive pursuits ... no deadlines to meet, no forced expectations.   

The picture above is a sport weight silk scarf for my daughter.  Very soft and squishy - and almost done.   

It is like I have given myself permission to back away from artificial structures like a to-do list and just go with the flow of doing what seems right at the moment.  Eventually I get around to doing things that actually needs doing (like laundry or vacuuming) - but the world doesn't end because I let something slip to several days later.  Is it the pandemic or just my age that makes me rebel against expectations.  Probably both.  

Taking time to just "be" has worked pretty well in noticing Aja's continued transition.  She is spreading her 'imaginary wings' and claiming her rightful place in our home - more and more every day.  

The picture below is proof positive Aja visits the living room - looking out the living room window at the night. 

When Milo comes for a visit, she makes a point several times of day of coming out of the bedroom - sort of a 'statement' that she is the rightful owner and Milo is the guest.  That is true, of course.  She runs  back to the bedroom if he starts to walk to her - but she continues to make the effort.  Maybe someday they will be friends.  

Here she sits on my lap - brief visits but frequent.  At some point she will relax, I am sure.

She gets on my lap almost every day - sometimes twice in the period of an hour.  She still struggles with feeling comfortable there, but just like everything else she will grow into it.  She has found her perfect hiding place in a plush little bed I put in the bottom of my husband's closet.  She still enjoys her sunny out-in-the-open bed by the window.  And just this week, I found her sitting by an open window enjoying the fresh air - I think she has finally adjusted to the outside neighborhood noise.  The biggest leap has been her adjustment to my husband.  She will always be a "woman's" cat, but she allows him to pet her as long as he doesn't extend that petting session for too long.  He is the 'cat feeder' and she loves her food - so as time goes on she will include him into her circle of trusted people.

She is kind of camera shy so getting good pictures of her is a challenge. 

My other priority during this time of Covid has been my grand daughter.  I see her less often now that she has returned to day-care, so when we finally get together I can readily notice how quickly she is advancing in her language skills, her imaginary play and her concept development.  And for some darn reason she looks forward to coming to my house - 'grandma's house!'  

Last time she visited she was scheduled to come to my house for a sleepover after her nap!  When she awoke she told her mother she would pee and have her apple juice at my house rather than doing it before she left.  hahaha! Love that kid.  It couldn't be that I have something new and different when she comes every time.  Last weekend, she got to be a "princess" in this dress I bought her - complete with a crown, long gloves, necklace and wand!  Best $25 I ever spent!!  

I love this picture of her in her princess regalia - holding an iPad! Sort of a mixture of two worlds!

I keep telling her to aim for Queen - don't mess with this princess stuff.  Be the one in charge!  She is only 2 so we have many molding years ahead of her! Time slips pretty darn fast, however, every time I see her and discover how quickly she grows and develops.  It is a joy to witness but also a sadness.  I want to hold her back just a little to enjoy the beauty and wonder of every stage.  Some day her grandma might be too old her for, not able to keep up with her, or her friends are more important that this old lady ... it is the way of things as they grow ... so these times now are precious in my heart.

Everything is not "sweetness and light."  I hate this new blogger platform.  Why can't they just leave it alone!! But I hate the thought of starting over on another blog system more than sticking with this one.  So I will soldier on ... complaining all the way.

And then I discovered today that about 50 emails in my gmail account were incorrectly directed to Spam.  That is where blog posts from others are directed - to my gmail account.  I thought my blog friends were particularly quiet recently, but I didn't wonder if it was an error.  I read many but too many to try and comment.  Can't help wondering if my computer has a bug of some sort. 

So that is my story here on the East Coast of the USA.  We are 2 weeks from our Presidential Election.  The heat of that has become as hot as the sun!  We need a change back to civility ... we need to return to Country First - not Party First!  I think we need new leadership to make that happen.  I am so tired of all the hate talk, the acts of violence and the insults.  We need to be civil - and we need a leader who at least knows the definition of that word.  I am tired of seeing out Democracy slipping away!  Hoping for a change at the top!