November Life -- A Concert, Antique Finds and Fun with Little Boys!

Is anyone else a little freaked out that we are well into November? Less than two months till Christmas? There was a time when I was more or less done with Christmas shopping by the first of November. This year I haven't even started. 

The bird feeders are back. I don't fill them in the summer because I'm north and not able to keep them up. And, they probably have plenty of options. But it's time. The first day (as usual) no one came. The second day? It was practically a food fight out there. The third day Bushy the Squirrel came and knocked one of the feeders on the ground. It's always something. I'll need to stock up! Lizzie, of course, is thrilled! (The price of birdseed is up this year, too. I wish they ate leftovers.)

We've had some (not much, but some) sunny weather as October closed and November began. I enjoyed some lovely walks, including a beauty on the Michigan State, where the fall photos in this post were taken. The Covid shot is done and flu as well, so now I'm triple vaccinated (I had RSV vax first).

Halloween was quiet. I bought one bag of 20 little Snickers bars and gave Rick three. We went through exactly 17 bars with the kids. The rain and snow didn't help. Or the temperature, in the 30s. The next morning, snow was on the ground and the garden.

I've been going through old photos, a project I returned to when gathering pictures for the Roomie Reunion last month. I found one I'd never seen before (or noticed) of my mom and dad. It was taken before they were married up at the family cottage. I am so touched by this. They are so young. And it strikes me as almost unbelievably tender, my mom stroking my dad's head as they sat on the beach. It makes me smile

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Rick and I enjoyed a fun evening with our friend Mark and his cousin when we went to see Randy Rainbow's stage show in Ann Arbor. We drove through the early November countryside with its fields largely bare and the colors muted. 

After dinner at Knight's restaurant we saw the "Randy Rainbow for President" tour. It was a pretty full house at the beautiful Michigan Theatre and Randy Rainbow was in full satirical gear with a three-piece combo to accompany him through many of the favorite song parodies he has done on YouTube. His wardrobe brought new  meaning to the word sparkle. Are there any sequins left? Could they have added one more? Nope! We loved it!

The audience went wild and everyone loved the show. It was time (and money) well spent!

And for yet another bit of happy, I won one of Carole's Autumn Jubilee drawings at "From My Carolina Home." (This is an annual fall event of crafting and cooking posts and it's wonderful.) The prize arrived and it was the newest edition of the terrific Better Homes and Garden Cookbook and six magazines -- two quilting, four for the holidays -- in a handy tote bag. Thanks, Carole!

And, at a recent estate sale I was lucky to find three more Quimper or Quimper-style pieces to add to my small but loved collection. (I know. Don't start collecting something new when you are trying to part with other things!) 

I found the two little sauce dishes in the front and the small plate  that's mostly hidden behind the two "pet ladies" for a pretty  good price (I love half-off day!)

And at long last, I have a new ceiling over the fireplace. Last year for Christmas, Kevin and Molly gave me home repair on my ceiling that had significant water damage. They would come and do it one weekend -- basically replacing the dry wall. (There was a reason that whenever I showed a photo of my mantel it never went as far as the ceiling!) 

Kevin did such a great job! YAY! (We still need to repaint, reattach trim, and such,  but that's the easy part.) I am so grateful!

Best of all, they brought these two non-helpers with them. Molly and I lucked out -- we had a play-date with these two little guys, and it was such fun! I hadn't seen them since  the first of July so that was an extra delight!

We had the best time -- we headed to the children's garden at Michigan State where they played in the maze, the musical tiles, rolled on the hill and had loads of fun. 

 

How could you resist faces like these?

Then off to the park for some swinging and jungle gym, and down to Lansing's capitol. By the time we got back it was time to make dinner!

They even helped clean up some of the reno-mess! Can't beat that!

It was a perfect day! Now, onward to the art sale!

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