Whatever weird thing attacked me the other day, and left as mysteriously as it had come, I’ll never know, but I’m still not out from under its influence.  I feel exhausted, slightly confused, and just not quite right.  I literally lost a day and am still catching up.  I hope it never revisits.  I’m so thankful for the presence, patience, and assistance of my brother, B-I-L, son, and E during that inopportune timing.  Somehow they bore with me when I suddenly became a helpless zombie.  It was like a living wake.

Happily, it’s raining, with more to come, while still in the 50s/60s out.  The leaves are seriously falling or fallen now.  I’m glad I live in a place where leaves are allowed to rest in place and improve the natural environment.  I’m also thankful for a quiet, non-eventful upcoming turkey day, the very best kind.  I’m a little sad my dwindling family won’t be  in-state for it, but they have their own families to be with, as it should be.  Some folks don’t have any such thing, as we know only too well.

I’ve been venturing back outside, since my recent horizontal state.  It seems to be back to “normal” seasonal conditions outdoors as well, which is pleasant, with falling leaves and occasional rain.  Misu continues to adjust to house arrest, entertaining herself with live-streaming squirrel tv.  Impeachment hearings continually play in the background.  One can dare to hope that justice and sanity will prevail after all.

I think I’m back after an eventful few days, during which a much-awaited (first) visit from my brother and brother-in-law (R&B) from CA happened, and (unrelated but inconveniently) I got deathly ill and couldn’t even get out of bed.  I don’t know what awful bomb hit me, but I’m still shellshocked from it!  I’m  very thankful for their and Avdi’s extreme thoughtfulness and help, and not least of all E, who lost much sleep to caregive both me and our guests.

I can’t leave out Misu, who faithfully stayed with me the whole time, knowing something was not right.  I did get some much-appreciated quality if not quantity time with all my favorite people under one roof.  I know I’m very privileged.  Misu took to The Bobs immediately and thoroughly, as I knew she would.  Just as with Avdi, she recognizes blood relations and senses cat people.  Here she is staking her claim.

We survived the Deep Freeze, and all the snow and icicles are finally melting.  Here’s how it looked pre-defrost.

We’re busily preparing for a very special guest appearance–my brother and brother-in-law (R&B) will be visiting us for the first time tomorrow!  E cleaned the whole house and baked challah, while I did other preps.  It smells pretty fragrant in here.  Misu galloped from room to room, supervising (when not watching “squirrel TV” out the window).  It takes our minds off the national news streaming in the background.

I harnessed up the sled dogs, stashed my whiskey, and slogged up through the wintry wilderness to the mailbox and back.  (The tracks are actually from the recycle bin.)  I brought back some snow for Misu, but she was not impressed.  She’s quite fine with being snowed in for the duration.  As are we.  Here are more scenes of autumn in the south.

This is what we woke up to this morning.  In the southeast.  It’s not even winter yet.  Insane.

These weather patterns are not normal, and are setting major historical records for extremes this time of year, all over the country. Right now here it’s in the 60s, but heading down to a low in the teens tomorrow, with 1-3″ of snow?!!  In the southeast in early November!?  It’s not right.

Yet here we are, mowing the lawn (one last time before the ice age) and photographing pretty leaves and flowers.  It’s enough to confuse anyone.

I still can’t get over smartphone cam technology.  I mean, look at some of the details and color!  Here is E mowing the acreage, fall colors, and the arctic front descending.

Finally, I can capture sunsets and moonrises.  Here are some of my attempts from yesterday evening.  (If you click on them, they’re more impressive.)

All that was missing was a hearth.  Avdi and his friend J, visiting from SL, joined us for a day of sharing the erev meal, working online from the office and kitchen table, and drinks.  It was freezing out, but cozy inside with familial warmth.  It sounds ordinary, but it happens so rarely these days, that it was a special event for me.  Also fun and educational!  Now they’re off to their next out-of-state projects, so I’ll take whatever I can get.

Some of these photos represent experimenting with my new phone camera settings, with lots of help from Avdi.  I’m clueless using my own devices, let alone trying to comprehend the esoteric, rarified tech heights of what he and J do for a living.  I’d be lost without tech support.  I’m glad they’re infinitely patient with me.

Misu was happy to have her boy and new friend here.  So many laps to occupy.  She’s been adjusting amazingly well to indoor life.  Her protests and mischief are becoming lamer, just going through the motions of voicing her protest.  Just as well, it’s so cold out, there’s ice on all her drinking water.  With climate change, we now have just two settings, broil and freeze.

These are–wait for it–lichen logs!  C’mon, you know it’s funny.  Also, E’s newer, better batch of challah, and a drink I call a “Silver Jamaican”.  (Instead of a White Russian, get it?)

It turned freezing, about 20 degrees below the average for here and now.  Not a fan.  Today was the first day of Misu’s indoor incarceration, and she’s taking it amazingly well.  Aside from every escape attempt in her playbook.  Resistance is futile.