All over the place today

OK, I'm all over the place today. Many thoughts running through my head, so I'll try to capture a few and get them down.

Turkey, etc.
After cooking my turkey the other day, I let it cool enough to handle and began cutting it off the bone. Just before I made the first cut with the electric knife I had a thought .... "I'm not sure how to go about this. I've never carved a turkey!" Seriously! I've roasted a hundred or so of the big birds, but never, not once, did I carve one! There has always been someone else to carve while I finished up details to get everything on the table. This led to two other thoughts:

1. There has always been a man to carve the turkey. Why is that? Only men use big knives? Is there something Freudian in that? Big knives, phallic symbols? Interesting.
2. I couldn't remember which way the muscle structure runs through the turkey breast so I could cut it right to make it hold together for nice slices for my sandwiches. And I realized that I don't care! Turkey crumbles will make a fine sandwich, right? Right!!

I know, totally weird thoughts. But I own them. Yep, MY weird thought belong to ME!

Christmas/End of Year Letters
I'm thinking about a Year End Letter and deciding to do my email version again. With costs of printing and mailing them, I will save money and do as I did last year, I think. I'll mail a few because I actually do have a handful of friends who don't have email. Unbelievable, IMO, in this day of electronic communication.

Snow
It's snowing again. Very lightly, small flakes, a prelude of what's to come. The prediction is hard to pinpoint to my location because I'm rural, but after sorting out several surrounding areas, I'm expecting around another foot of snow between now and tomorrow morning. And, wow! The snowflakes just became HUGE and are coming down fast!

Yesterday I called a neighbor who was on a trip to Lake Havasu, unfortunately for a funeral, and asked her about her return plans, and she was on her way, planning to be home this afternoon. I told her about the winter storm and snow predictions, so she could plan, if necessary, to stay somewhere an extra night. Her car is older, a little thing, and I worry about her trying to negotiate the mountain highways with heavy snow. I knew she would have to get through several passes with altitudes high enough to be concerning. She called me a bit ago. She is home. She pushed herself to drive farther yesterday, then rose early and got herself home before the worst of the storm. I'm glad. She is timed, but better tired and home than sitting in a ditch somewhere in the cold!

Personally, I'm loving this! Tucked in and snug. I'll busy myself with inside tasks for a few days. Like last night when I made these earrings:

This pair was impossible to get a good picture for some reason. These are the glass beads I commissioned a couple months ago, rams for my birth sign (Aries), and rich blue to match the truck!!

These last three I bought several years ago, and I never put them together. While I had the makings out for the rams, I decided to do these, as well.

This is a marble-like stone. Not sure what it is, but I just loved the look and the pale green color of these pieces.

These are nacre, mother-of-pearl, very pretty pieces.

These rosettes are something like marble, as well. It may be a kind of lapis. I wish I could remember what I knew when I bought them! Can you tell I like a rich blue? ;D

I have stones and beads to make several .... no, make that "tons" .... of necklaces or bracelets, as well, and I scoped out several combinations I liked. Perhaps I'll do those over the next couple days. I may also work on scanning the family pictures. Lawdy, I could spend two months on that and still not be finished! Or I may clean house. No, never mind! I'll do the fun things, thank you very much!

Dogs
All is well with them. They are still loving the snow. In fact, Jazi is sitting on the deck and has been out there for over an hour (28°). In fact, she was rolling in the snow at the end of the deck and lying with her tummy in the snow. She loves cold weather! I also raised the thermostat a couple degrees, and I'm wondering if I drove her out. However, 68° isn't exactly a dangerously hot temp!

These Kids just crack me up. They have been in, then out, in, then out, in, then out! They are having so much fun in the snow. Thank goodness, today they are not staying out long enough to be miserable as Sammy and Lola did yesterday.

Birds
There must be 50 birds outside on and around my deck. I tried to take a picture, but they are hopping around too quickly for me to get a shot that shows you how many there are. I always put out birdseed, especially when there is snow. The feeders are all busy, and there are birds hopping around in the snow on the deck, picking up the spills from other birds at the feeders, as well as birds all over the driveway and in the bushes and trees outside. I wonder if I'm the only one in the neighborhood putting out seed for the little babies in this snow. Well, I'll keep the feeders filled just to be sure.

I've enjoyed watching them out my window today. They, like the deer, are just part of my neighbors, and delightful neighbors, all! Nicer than most two-legged kind, although I don't have any problems. The wildlife are just more quiet, don't infringe on my space. Well, except for those raccoons! They provide me entertainment and add to the beauty. With these creatures, I can never forget that all of us owe daily thanks for the beautiful world that is our home.

It's a good day. It's a good life! I think I'll go take a nap. Don't hate me. I earned this .... retirement, naps, and being lazy! Oh, yeah, and being happy!