Here we are again, another Monday has rolled around. Dragging a bit here today after a busy week-end and this week will be just as busy. Thankfully nicer weather has arrived, and I am hoping the last of the snow will be gone by the end of the week.

I chose this song for Music Monday as it’s something a bit different. I hope you enjoy it. Feel free to join in and post your own tunes on your page to get this Music Monday off to a good start!

It’s another Monday! A busy day for me today and I am doing a quick posting for a song for this Music Monday. Feel free to join in and post a song on your own blog as well!

It’s been a week. Well actually the last couple of weeks have been a huge headache. Snow, wind, cold has led me to cancel my Dr’s appointment twice. It snowed, 8 inches the first time, then a couple of days of sun and the driveway finally got snowplowed out. Only to have it snow again another big snow the next day of an unmeasurable amount, because of the winds that blew for several days. Add in numerous below 0 nights and it was another few days before the drive got snowplowed again. As you would guess, it then snowed again that night, but thankfully only a couple of inches this time.

I felt bad, bad for the nurses, the aides, the Fed Ex drivers and whoever else had to trudge through the snow to the door. I tried my best to at least keep the steps clear, but it was hit or miss if they turned up on the day or days the driveway was actually clear.

With all of the horrible weather, a lot of concern was for “Big Kitty”. A very large, long haired feral cat that we have fed for years. He had been fixed, had his first shots and we had been treating him for fleas and ticks for months. I’m not really even sure if I could call him feral. He loves attention, wants to be petted, and will hop into your lap, that is provided he knows you. Otherwise, he runs and hides like the cowardly lion.

So when it hit 20 below 0 with winds making it feel even colder, we opened the door and let the cat in. Frankie, the Siamese cat we have, loved the idea of a friend. Or it seemed so at first. She tried desperately to get him to play but he would have none of it and would just sit and lounge around letting out a small hiss whenever Frankie got to be too much. They bat at each other, race down the hall, and have a bit of a love/hate relationship. It has definitely brought out the worst in Frankie, she is hyper, getting into mischief and getting a bit destructive.

Monday, Frankie somehow managed to get one of the register vent covers off the floor vent. And yes, you guessed it, she proceeded to hop into the vent and had quite the small adventure traveling the venting system til we got her out of a different vent after she traveled her own little “subway” thru a few rooms.

She has ripped the foam insulation on the door jamb out numerous times. She has opened the under-sink cabinet and drug out plastic shopping bags, boxes, anything light weight enough for her to nudge her way past. Last night I woke up to her having destroyed my clothes hamper. She had literally scratched a giant hole in the front of it with her clawing. (I’ll post a pic later in the comments if I get around to it.)

I’m not functioning on a whole lot of sleep this week. I’ve got a house that needs to be cleaned, three litter boxes (which Frankie has claimed all of them), shopping for a cat proof clothes hamper now, family coming tomorrow, family coming the end of the week, and a birthday dinner to plan.

I keep watching the weather like a hawk, warmer temps this week! Yeah! Freezing rain/drizzle forecast for tonight and possibly a couple other days this week…. boo-hiss. I might have to cancel my appointment for a third time.

I put the big yellow kitty out to do his business, I think I hear him already scratching at the door and wanting back in. Frankie has gone strangely quiet which has me worried that I need to go check on what she is up to. Mom is cat napping in the chair which is surprising with how loud she has the tv turned up.

Somehow, I don’t think this upcoming week is going to be much of an improvement over the last couple of weeks…

Decisions, decisions, what to tackle first? Maybe just crawl back in bed?

Forget the dog days of summer, it is the cat days of winter! All one can do is just look out the window and vow to not go out there in that snowy, cold madness.

It’s Monday again! Time for another Music Monday to get your day off to a good start, especially if you are cooped up because of the weather.

I’m feeling a bit nostalgic for the 80’s today so I picked this old Chicago song. Remember when the videos showcased models in all of them? I don’t know if those models ever got famous because of them, but I’m sure they enjoyed the exposure.

Feel free to join in with your own song of nostalgia, or whatever floats your boat!

I’m trying not to look down at them much while wearing them to prevent me from wanting to nibble my toes. The cat seems to be a bit enamored with them as well. Just the thing I need on this blustery, snowy day! You know who you are taco fairy, thank you so much!!!

Time to greet the week with another Music Monday! I chose today’s song as much for the video as the song. It’s a song that is hugely popular and most of you have probably heard it before, but I came across this video, so I decided to post it.

Have a song to share? Feel free to join in and post it on your blog. I won’t be venturing far today as we have winter storm warnings for the next two days with snow and gusty winds predicted. It might be a good day to putter in the kitchen or clean out some cupboards or do one of my favorite things…nap!

Apples, who cannot help but love the versatile fruit? …(well besides Suzi)… Seeing how it’s National Trivia Day, a bit of trivia about the common place fruit.

Apples are a member of the rose family.

A bushel of apples can produce 20-24 quarts of applesauce.

They reduce the risk of stroke.

Apples are fat free and a great source of fiber.

To keep potatoes fresh and to prevent them from sprouting, add an apple to the bag.

The average person eats about 19 pounds of apples a year, which is roughly an apple a week.

The only apple native to North America is the crab apple.

There are over 7,000 varieties of apples worldwide. Approximately 2500 varieties exist in the US.

Washington is the number one producer of apples in the US. New York is second.

Apple trees can grow up to 40 feet tall.

An apple floats because 25% of its volume is air.

The largest apple ever picked tipped the scales at 3 pounds.

In ancient Greece, tossing an apple to a girl was a traditional proposal of marriage. Catching it was her acceptance.

Now all of this talk of apples has me thinking maybe I should plant another apple tree. The only problem is that I have found out the hard way, that Japanese beetles love them. A good source for older apple tree varieties is: Heirloom Fruit Trees for Home & Farm-Trees of Antiquity rooted organic

I now may have to go ditch my plans on housekeeping and consider making something appley with my last 6 apples in the crisper drawer. Unless something else distracts me and leads me in another direction. See what a bad influence you all can be? I know it certainly can’t be me!

I had planned to make these cookies at Christmas time but since we got together so early in December to celebrate, I ran out of time. Yesterday I whipped up a batch of them. They are a softer type of gingerbread cookie.

MOLASSES COOKIES

3/4 cup butter

1 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1/4 cup molasses

2 and 1/4 cups flour

2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. cloves

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. ginger

Cream together butter and brown sugar, add molasses and egg, beating well after each addition. Mix in the flour, soda, and spices thoroughly. Roll into balls and into granulated sugar and bake on greased cookie sheet at 350 degrees for approximately 10 minutes. Cool slightly and remove from cookie sheet.

If dough is too sticky, chill first before rolling into balls. Check oven after 8 minutes as all ovens bake differently. And if you are going to all of the trouble to make homemade cookies, go ahead and make a double batch!

Enjoy!

I had planned on posting a different song for today’s Music Monday. Being the start of the new year, I had thought about going with a song with a theme about time. But I changed my mind. I think as we age, time becomes more and more present in our consciousness. It passes by quicker, days turn to weeks, which turn to years, then decades and what seems like it what was just yesterday was actually eons ago. Everything seems to be measured in time, and today I am not going to go with those limitations.

Today’s Music Monday choice is a song by Imagine Dragons that came out several years ago. I hope you enjoy it. As always, feel free to join in with today’s Music Monday theme and post a song of your own choice on your blog. Let’s rock in the new year even if it’s only quietly humming along.

Well, here we are, the last day of 2023. For some, this evening will be a night of celebration, partying, and ringing in the new year with a bang. I don’t know if I have ever been all that excited about ringing it in. I remember as a kid feeling a bit more of the anticipation, but truth be told, I think it was more about the excitement of getting to stay up really late, watch tv, and eat popcorn and feeling rather indulgent and rebellious.

Funny how we age, and those intense feelings dim down dramatically. I don’t have any of those feelings or even desires to see or ring anything new in. It’s all another day, with nary a noticeable difference except the turning of the calendar page.

This coming year though will be different. A lot of changes, a lot of uncertainties, a lot of anxiousness. Actually, it has started already, and I am at the point of where looking to the New Year, I just hope to survive it mentally and physically.

I guess it’s just a case of hope for the best and expect the worst. Which really does sound like any other day doesn’t it?

Happy New Year a day early in case I party/nap too hard and miss it.