Leap Day, bird watching, and a color scheme

Jacob, distracted from his book, by
the birds overhead

I seem to forget every four years that Leap Day is a big deal. I read posts today from people who were going to make it a day for good deeds (applaud that one) and folks who were going to count it as an extra free day with no obligation to work. I fit into the latter category, because I did a lot of this and that and not much else today. Cleaned up odds and ends on my desk, which included going through three cooking magazines to be sure I had culled all the recipes I wanted. Also tried to deal with my late cousin’s estate—almost two years after her death I find she owes 2015 taxes on $228. Long story. I have written to a CPA in Canada because I know zilch about filing a Canadian income tax…and I doubt my accountant wants to take it on.

Jacob took his book out on the deck to read this afternoon—a book he’s really liking about a boy with a disfigured face. But he was distracted by the birds—from his description I suspect they were crows. No wonder my deck table needs cleaning so badly.

For those of you who’ve seen the cover of The Gilded Cage on the net, I discovered something horrible today—it doesn’t say Gilded; it says Guilded. Yikes. Trying to repair damage now, but I guess since no one else has mentioned it, it’s not a huge catastrophe.

The weaving that will set the cottage color scheme.
Uncle Bob would be so pleased if he were here.

Almost every weekday afternoon Jordan and I plot and plan about our upcoming moves…and the focus of her attention is on getting my cottage arranged to my satisfaction. Tonight we resolved on a color scheme that will go with the rug I want to take. I have put off having a badly worn couch and wing chair (my mom’s) reupholstered because I was unsure of fabric. So now that’s solved. And Jordan figured out that the colors were perfectly picked up by a weaving done by a late and dear friend. A productive day.

Tonight, serious reading.

 

 

 

I seem to forget every four years that Leap Day is a big deal. I read posts today from people who were going to make it a day for good deeds (applaud that one) and folks who were going to count it as an extra free day with no obligation to work. I fit into the latter category, because I did a lot of this and that and not much else today. Cleaned up odds and ends on my desk, which included going through three cooking magazines to be sure I had culled all the recipes I wanted. Also tried to deal with my late cousin’s estate—almost two years after her death I find she owes 2015 taxes on $228. Long story. I have written to a CPA in Canada because I know zilch about filing a Canadian income tax…and I doubt my accountant wants to take it on.

Jacob took his book out on the deck to read this afternoon—a book he’s really liking about a boy with a disfigured face. But he was distracted by the birds—from his description I suspect they were crows. No wonder my deck table needs cleaning so badly.

For those of you who’ve seen the cover of The Gilded Cage on the net, I discovered something horrible today—it doesn’t say Gilded; it says Guilded. Yikes. Trying to repair damage now, but I guess since no one else has mentioned it, it’s not a huge catastrophe.

Almost every weekday afternoon Jordan and I plot and plan about our upcoming moves…and the focus of her attention is on getting my cottage arranged to my satisfaction. Tonight we resolved on a color scheme that will go with the rug I want to take. I have put off having a badly worn couch and wing chair (my mom’s) reupholstered because I was unsure of fabric. So now that’s solved. And Jordan figured out that the colors were perfectly picked up by a weaving done by a late and dear friend. A productive day.

Tonight, serious reading.

The geese are getting fat--and it's not even Thanksgiving yet!

I see all those cautions about not putting up Christmas decorations until after Thanksgiving, and this year I can only laugh apologetically. I have felt so rushed, ever since I found out that most but not all of my family will be here the weekend of Dec. 6. We may do Alter Alternative Christmas--at the least I'll send their presents home with them. So I've been in a frenzy of baking, wrapping and decorating--far earlier than I normally would have, though I'm pretty compulsive about getting things done ahead of time.
One morning last week I wrapped a lot of presents, and Friday night I baked a Bundt cake to freeze. Saturday I went to the grocery, came home and made two pans of Toll House bars--it wore me out. The batter is stiff and hard to work with and though I softened the butter, blending four sticks of butter into three cups of sugar (brown and white) with a hand mixer is a challenge at best--I had dough bits all over the kitchen. I told Jordan next time she orders those she'll have to do the mixing. After I got them made and baked--with one pan not done in the middle, no matter that I left it almost twice as long and the edges were getting crisp--I was exhausted.
I spent the rest of yesterday being lazy. Cool, grey day, comfortably warm house, good book to read--Maya Corrigan's By Cook or By Crook, which I thoroughly enjoyed--and a long nap. It ended up a self-indulgent day and did wonders for my soul.
But of course I woke at four in the morning with thoughts of all I had to do. So today I almost finished decorating the house, separated out things that didn't need to be done by Dec. 6 (principally gifts wrapped) and made cookie dough, though I just didn't have the oomph to roll out the cookies--the dough is in the fridge for tomorrow. I realized I needed to pay attention to the writing end of my life. So I sorted through chili pictures and worked on the neighborhood newsletter. Once again ready for a nap, though Sophie decided to bark frantically at the rats in the attic during my nap--not restful.
Jordan is in Italy on a business trip (poor girl) so Christian and Jacob came for supper. I made hamburger Stroganoff, which wasn't as good as it sounded, and a good salad plus broccoli for Jacob because he loves it and won't eat salad. Christian worked on the greens and lights for over the door, and we sat and visited by the fire. Pleasant evening.
I've about given up on the novel I'm working on until I get this Christmas thing--and all those fat geese--in hand. But tonight I will go back and correct one scene. Where was my brain when I had a man, two days post-op from being shot in the belly, demand chicken fried steak? Rethink that one!
Have a good week everyone.