Welcoming the cool, crisp autumn

Finally, the Ottawa Valley is getting a taste of autumn weather, as it should! 

Fall Colours and blue sky

We are enjoying relief from the stifling humidity that was the summer of 2018. Things are getting back to normal three weeks since six tornadoes (!) came through the Ottawa-Gatineau region.  I am thankful that my area wasn’t severely damaged. The worst was losing power for 50 hours and having to toss out contents of the fridge.

This past week I enjoyed my Thanksgiving celebrations and vacation from the working world, plus received visits from a couple of my adult children. It has been a relaxing, manageable week of gratitude.

I pulled out the DayLight lamp to have on during the dark, early mornings after the boy wakes me up for breakfast service.

Early morning Cat on Lap with the DayLight Lamp

 

On the education front, I am one-third of the way through my online course titled Environmental Citizenship. The readings are sobering, especially since hearing about the recent report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.  It’s depressing when you think about the world we’re leaving for our children, our grandchildren and beyond.

It’s frustrating when recently-elected politicians deny climate change and cancel green energy projects approved by their predecessor. What a vindictive, uneducated act!

As for writing activities, they are mostly reserved for class assignments and drafting text with well-thought out content before posting to discussion forums or making meaningful comments on other students’ entries. It’s not as enjoyable as writing about life with my furry roommates.

The cats are enjoying the cooler temperatures too, conducive to snuggling, burrowing under bedspreads, or occupying a human’s lap.

Miss Geneva parks her lower half on my lap on the recliner

Miss Geneva is having a hard time jumping up onto higher surfaces, especially to look out the windows. We had to move some tables around to make it easier for the old gal.

I recently picked up Tri-Acta powder from the local pet shop, something to mix with her wet food that will eventually, hopefully repair cartilage and reduce inflammation in her joints.

Miss Geneva enjoys a lower window seat arrangement

I had to purchase another shallow litter pan since she was having a hard time getting in and out of the large one, making “mistakes” on the carpet or hardwood floor nearby.  It’s like they have a his and hers set to do their dooties in now.

His and Hers litter pans

So far, we have a 90% success rate.

The cat box Haiku still rings true after all these years

 

Cleaning up after them is still a labour of love. At least I’m not picking up poop after walking a dog three times a day then bringing the baggie back home to toss in the garbage or flush. That’s what responsible pet owners do, right? Well, not always in our neighbourhood! Don’t get me started on that…  

Thanks for dropping by and reading this far. Check out the links for my novel or deep blonde thoughts. I hope the next time I post something, I will have survived that course and not gotten too depressed about the state of our world.

So… what are you working on these days?

T