Newsflash for Autumn

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I hadn't realised that the last time I did a NEWSFLASH was September! So I'm calling this one "for Autumn", since it'll be for both October and November.

NATURE

Nature has been preparing for winter here. Bunny is still eating our garden, but he comes around less often now. The geese have been trickling in from further North to spend the winter here. A field mouse is busy hiding peanuts in an old folded up mat in the garage. My dad found that out accidentally when he moved it and peanuts fell out! We've had field mice winter with us before at other houses. They're not a problem as they'll be off back into the wild in Spring. Yesterday we had a snow goose in the field in front of our house. I've never seen one before. He was beautiful, but too far away to take a decent photo. :-(

ENTERTAINMENT

We went to the Continental market last weekend, but we didn't stay long. The temperature was below freezing and too windy to be fun. We bought some French cheese and then dashed for the warm car! I felt sorry for the store holders, standing outside in that weather must have been awful.

WISE WORDS
My favourite quote for the month, with one important twist - they have to be words from a fellow blogger! My Wise Words choice for Autumn:

"I think I know what I need to find. What I'm lacking. Inner peace. I need to honestly ask myself what it is that makes me happy. What I'd like to do. Where I'd like my life to go. I'm not sure how to find that answer, but my gut tells me I need to be quiet, not worry, don't think, just listen. I'll tell myself, when I can hear."

Beautiful words from Pete at Finding Me.

SPIRIT

It's been a busy time for me - a time of realising a few things. They're a bit long and I really should post them separately. For now I'll say I've realised I always was who I was meant to be and I've discovered Grace goes further than I thought. Come back to find out more. ;-)

FAMILY
Family... the best family news is that my cousin, who's ex hauled him back from his new life in Australia, is back in Australia from this week. The court case was last week and the judge threw it out of court. She said his ex had clearly done nothing but tell lie upon lie and the whole case was ridiculous. It is OVER - once and for all. My cousin is free to live his new life at last. :-)

LOVE
This week I bumped into two sisters we know from the first place we ever rented. They were so delighted to see me again and demanded that hubby and I come visit some time. These sisters are in their eighties, but so young at heart that you forget that once you're talking to them. I realised, as we stood there talking, that anyone watching us would have thought they were family, like aunts, given how they reacted on seeing me... and it reminded me of Mr K, who was my "uncle" in South Africa.


Why do we think our only family has to be genetic? We forget love is a stronger link than blood. Which brings me to a favourite quote of mine from "Illusions" by Richard Bach:

The bond that links your true family is not one of blood, but of respect and joy in each other's life. Rarely do members of one family grow up under the same roof.

ANXIETY
Not exactly anxiety, but dad's still looking for a new job. Otherwise the only other anxiousness is a good kind - I'm waiting for word on when my book gets printed. As soon as I know - you'll know, I promise! :-D

SMILES
Smile of the month has got to be this joke that reminds me so much of Bunny Boy, the wild rabbit who lives in our garden.

HOME
At the moment home is filling up with packets and parcels - yes, we've already started Christmas shopping! Since dad's home (retrenched early this month) it made sense to use the time to go browsing for bargains at some of the pre-Christmas sales. We've done pretty good and have almost everyone done AND my mom and I have baked two fruit cakes and two Christmas puddings.

For the first time in a long time we're not in a mad panic and actually enjoying the pre-Christmas build-up. :-)