SAID THE CAT: Milk and Ladybugs

I am glad for my connections to people that have been evolving during the almost 2 1/2 years of living in PA. Not only for their generous responses that joined those from my old friends and family during my recent surprise health event, but for the lacework of social fabric that it grows. I know people's names and they know mine, or at least we recognize one another. Actually running into someone I know at a store is occasionally taking place.

Today, there is a young person that came up to the door. Kaitlyn (sp?), neighbor Joe's great-granddaughter, who got ready for school early this morning so she can come help Wendy milk the goats. Young Kaitlyn is a great lover of animals and good at the milking!

Wendy and Neighbor Kaitlyn after Kaitlyn helped milk Jasmine.

Katlyn returned a few days later to help some more before it was time for her to board the school bus. She is in the elementary school where Aidan spent his fifth grade during our first year here. The fridge fills with way more milk than we can all consume, so Wendy is making all sorts of cheese and just added a batch of yogurt. I can't scarf up all that bounty of cheese since I was put on the list to stay away from cholesterol or take statins. But, I've sampled, and it is truly the best she's ever made. I indulge with the yogurt and fruit. I think it's my favorite and not too naughty.

Hemming the trousers to Aidan's brand new, first-ever tuxedo occupied a little of my time. I'm the chief alterations/hemming person.

Here he is studs, cummerbund and all.

Pre-hemmed. New shoes are next. These of Keoni's are pretty worn.

Aidan's list for new shoes: They're too tight, they're too worn, they're hand-me-downs. Wendy started laughing and told him to reverse that order. They will shop on Saturday.

Last weekend Wendy, John and Aidan finished the last stretch of fencing. The pasture is ready for the goats and Austin in the springtime. The winter water there isn't resolved yet since the electric supply to run a de-icer doesn't reach that far.

The past week was fraught with this and that related to medical issues. The last visit to the ophthalmologist revealed him to be as obtuse as before leaving me to conclude his non-communication is a desperate attempt to not say anything that will implicate him in a lawsuit. I documented all I could remember of the appointments and today will see a totally different ophthalmologist for a second opinion. I hope I never see (!) the first guy again.

Like everyone else I've taken a flying leap into the Christmas fray. All praises for Amazon this time around. Though I love finding the local stuff, not too much was going to happen that way this year. I was hoping one of the little Amazon drones would drop off some packages on the stoop, but I guess Pennsylvania has too many trees for them. There'd be packages all over the woods, no doubt.

Mornings are best for energy from the other issue and I grow pretty tired in the afternoons. But on the whole am doing well, coughing less, and enjoying my walks on most days; even rainy ones...

...Austin didn't mind the rain either...

...me either in my waterproof, Helen Mirren hikers.

Last night, a non-tuxedo night, Aidan was invited to play with his middle school orchestra and chamber ensemble. He isn't in the actual orchestra there this year as the practices fall during his last classes one of which is the AP Algebra class.

After we got back home I was upstairs reading when Wendy and Aidan knocked on my door and showed me a little drama that played out on the kitchen table that they'd documented on Wendy's iPhone. She was good enough to share it with us as we learn more about the life of the Lady Bugs wintering all over the house...