Can you believe it, the doggies didn't get up until quarter to five. I was ready to get up by then even. So now they are sleeping in the doggie beds and I am up writing here and have BB17 After Dark paused so I can do a little writing here. It is amazing when you get that one hour extra in bed. I feel almost ok in fact. Don't look a gift horse in the mouth, I think the saying goes. So I won't. Just glad for it.

I turned on the heat this morning, and I am wearing a sweater over my lounge wear. I look like an old granny.

Did I mention that some animal has been shredding the bark off the apple tree in the backyard. What is going on with all the wild creatures on the Island. My neighbor after seeing pics of the tree thought maybe a bear. Then we were wondering why the bear didn't push over the bird feeders in the front with the sunflowers or take down and drag away the suet feeders to the South. Now I am thinking if it was a bear it was just out and was walking the Island along the edge. We will see. I also spotted a raccoon the other early evening. So deer, badger, always wild turkies, otters in the channel, possibly a bear, and something else I can't recall are out and about. Oh, I recall now, I saw some animal moving on the East side along the deer path when I was in Laila's Woods waiting for Randy to bring the four wheeler and trailer over that one morning. Oh and remember I found a big rectangular hole dug when I was clearing to reach the fallen trees. Well I asked my neighbor if he dug it, he couldn't remember but his friend remembered that someone came in to do perk tests for a mound system. So mystery solved, now I just am planning to refill it. There is a pile next to it so I can just push it in and fill it back up.

It is getting dark outside again. Looks like we might get some more rain. OK we still can use some. I am probably going to stop watering the shade garden in the front and let the plants start to go dormant. They aren't producing any more blooms now. I think that Fall will arrive sooner this year because the hummingbird feeders are so busy. The Canadian hummers have arrived in route to fly farther South. The oak trees are dropping their acorns sooner it seems. Just a couple of earlier than usual signs of Fall approaching. So I will roll up the super long hose so the water can drain out of it. I will continue to water the flower pots I have and clean out and fill the bird bath and squirrel bowl until there is a film of ice on them. Oh, I bought a corn cob squirrel feeder chair for the squirrels from Plow & Hearth. The chair is like those old metal chairs my grandparents had only smaller. I will have to take some pics of it. Now only to figure out which pine tree to attach it too. It is supposed to take the interest away from the bird feeders for the squirrels. We will see. My husband thinks I am silly. I enjoy watching the squirrels also besides the birds.

My granddaughter will be here next Thursday. My husband will be going up to GB to get here. He starts his vacation next Monday so he should be somewhat rested for the drive to go get her. Then she will be here on vacation. She has already been doing some packing. She wants to be here now, don't you know. We are going to work on learning to brush her own hair and purr. She also requested alot of applesauce. She said I should write this down. Can't wait, she said we have so much to do and lots of playing, singing, and dancing. Oh, I bought a Mary Poppins CD for us to listen to. I also have been practicing the songs from it on the guitar. I love the song, "These are a Few of My Favorite Things." I want to get the DVD for Mary Poppins also. She is so into pretending that how can you not have loads of fun with Mary Poppins, don't you know.

Well this is about it from here for now. Long entry and somewhat more interesting then the last few.