Random 5 for November 3 – Pond, substitutions, houses, Starbucks, clocks

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Pond with protective fencing

Goodbye for now, pond – Last winter a blue heron fished at my pond eating sushi much of the winter. This year I put a piece of link fence in the middle part so he (or she) couldn’t walk in or fish from the sides. Some people completely cover their pond but I prefer to allow the wildlife to get a drink. It doesn’t look as bad as I thought it would and I’m hoping it works.

Substitutions – This past week I developed a sore just under my lip. Dr. Google thought it might be leprosy but I persevered and determined that I wouldn’t die from it. The dang thing hurt. I hate buying expensive medication for a once and done thing so I looked at my stock for something soothing with a painkiller. I found a new tube of Preparation H. Yep, used it!

Disappointments – The beloved husband and I have been looking to downsize for about five years now. As time passes, it becomes clearer to me that the work involved in our property is beyond what I want to do (even though I love my pond and porch). As arthritis comes to visit along with its cousins “aches and pains” my vision of perfection has modified. There is one area nearby I would love to move to and I did a “drive-by” only to find a property for sale. It’s next to a wooded area and checks off a lot of boxes for us. I pulled it up on-line only to find out that a sale is pending. A day late and a dollar short. I have to believe the perfect house is out there waiting for us. Hopefully we will still be alive and kicking.

Hello Chestnut Praline lovers! – Although a Starbucks fan, I don’t like most of their fancy drinks. I’m not a fan of caramel (in coffee) or the super sweet drinks they do. There are two that I love. One is S’mores latte (sadly that season is over) and the other is chestnut praline latte (a winter holiday drink). Thursday starts the winter holiday season. Yay!

Meanwhile…at Stonehenge

Time change – There are lovers and haters but here is something to laugh at.

So how was your week?

53 thoughts on “Random 5 for November 3 – Pond, substitutions, houses, Starbucks, clocks”

  1. What a hysterical time change cartoon! Loved that.
    Downsizing is tricky. We left a big house and thought this one a one level with small yard in a walkable community would work, but no. Not to mention the coastal storms keep cranking up the insurance every year (soon only the very rich will be able to live here). So we’re looking, too – with a better idea of what we need ( a 3 car garage? really? Ok 2 cars – one for hauling mulch and one smaller sportier…and husband wants room for tools and stuff….personally I’d sell all the tools!)
    We know we need a view our something to look at out the back door when we’re not mobile – now I understand what my dad was saying!

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    • We love what we have and where we are which makes everything more complicated. I think my husband worries about regret if we make the wrong decision. We saw a lovely one. Slightly bigger yard than we want but flat and mowable — not a lot of high upkeep beds but the house needed major work. If we were 20 years younger we would have jumped on it as it was priced right to improve but only if you do most of the work youself. We don’t mind projects but this would be a killer project.

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  2. Your link fence over the pond is an innovative solution. I hope it works.

    You sound serious about your downsizing. It’s a big step. I’m thinking about thinking about downsizing or maybe moving closer to one of my daughters. It seems like a sensible thing to do. But my current house works fine for me and I like it a lot. So, I’ll think about it later.

    A chestnut praline latte sounds delicious. Maybe one day I’ll have to stray from my ordinary Americano.

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    • If our yard was smaller and our bedroom on the first floor, we would probably stay. The stepkids live across the country from us so I know what you mean. I would be great to have them nearby for a lot of reasons but at this point we are not moving there. We really like the coastal areas.

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  3. Hi Kate, Having been in the dental field a long time, the sore under you lip got my attention. Whatever the remedy, the sores should disappear within two weeks. Otherwise, have it checked out. First time I have heard about chestnut praline latte. I will see if they offer it here. Funny on the time change:)

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    • After being truly frustrated because it appeared to be getting worse (and I was starting to worry as it looked more like impetigo than my self diagnosed cold sore) I broke down and bought Abreva. That stuff works. Within a day it has gone down considerably. I now have two pin pricks instead of a big floppy lip.

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  4. PrepH on your face… thank goodness it was a new unused tube. Love the Stonehenge photo :). My week has consisted of fighting with WordPress to get the right domain name to link with my blog. It keeps telling me the domain name is unavailable and my blog has been deleted.. by me. Which it hasn’t. I’m on a break right now before I get really cross. Chestnut Praline Latte sounds lovely, as does having a visiting heron.

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  5. I hope this works on the pond to keep the heron from fishing in the pond like last year. The chestnut praline latte sounds wonderful – wonder what they’ll do for PC Christmas cups this year. I love the Stonehenge clock changing. Odd thing – I never had this post in Reader – looked last night as it was Sunday – nothing. Decided to go to your site and find it. Odd. I got last Friday’s? If I don’t get Wednesday’s I’ll try “re-upping”. 🙂

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    • The reader has been bizarre lately. I get an email notification for the blogs I follow and I always go through the reader, then back to delete the emails of those I know I read. Lately they drop some and I can’t figure out any reason for it as it may be there the next time.

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      • Well since you post on regular days, I noticed it Sunday – sometimes I think I should get posts by e-mail like you do and just have a separate folder, so they don’t get mixed up with regular e-mail (advertisements and everything under the sun). I’m glad I looked; WP is wonky sometimes isn’t it?

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  6. Are you looking for a place with a screened porch for the kitties?!!! I understand all the work. Our yard and even the house are too much work, and I keep urging the gardener we need to downsize, but he thinks he won’t have enough to do that interests him without the gardening. But he keeps getting hurt.

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  7. Moving has been on my agenda for a couple of years now. I’m just waiting for Husband to catch up with me, but I think he’s getting closer 🙂
    It’s not that I’m trying to downsize (our current house isn’t very big), but the yard is more than I like to manage and getting out of the city into a smaller community would be nice.

    Good luck with your house hunting. If it’s been on your wish list for 5 years, you sound like me 🙂

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  8. For the past 6 years that I’ve lived in my commercial/residential property I’ve had a service take care of the grass-cutting and the snow shovelling. The thought of taking that on when I move is not appealing (although there should be almost no snow shovelling where I’m going). So I am more and more comfortable with the idea of renting, at least short term, in part so those outside duties are not on the table. I hear you Kate, and my downsizing saga does not include taking on yardwork after all these years. I might feel different once I am retired and have more time but…probably not!

    Deb

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  9. The whole issue of downsizing hits many of us, and it’s not all that easy, is it? I feel for you. We aren’t there right now, but it’s a discussion. I like the way you’ve at least deterred the heron sushi bar! You have done what you can and I hope it works!

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    • It’s nature’s way (as I tell myself). I really had too many fish in my pond so the heron did me a favor but enough is enough! Downsizing is hard. Some houses we look at have very small rooms and too many of them. Maybe I would just prefer a more open concept. I want my room sizes but a lot less of them and on the same floor.

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  11. I think you are a whirling dervish of energy just to consider the ginormous project that is buying and moving into a new home. That leaves off the equally enormous project of selling current home. Because for some insane reason we seem to fix up houses to sell them, after having lived in the unfixed up mess for years. Just moving out of an apartment is appalling to me. I’m always convinced I will leave the apartment in better condition than I found it and inevitably leave by just vacuuming and cleaning the bathroom.
    Good Luck on the move. I hope you find your perfect fit.

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  13. Love the Stonehenge scene. Thanks for the smile.
    And speaking of smiles ~> Hope that PrepH has your smile back the way you want it to be! 😀

    Good luck with your downsizing plans. I love where we live ~ no yard to maintain, warm year round, close to the beach, one level, screened lanai overlooking a pond. And right now the weather is PERFECT! In the 70’s with low humidity. Bliss after 6 mos. of HOT. If only we weren’t in Evacuation Zone A when Hurricanes are swirling in the Gulf.

    Good luck with the pond ~ if the fish stay in the center, Mr. GBH may have to find his sushi elsewhere this winter.

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  14. I will resist making any punny jokes about using PrepH on your face… you are welcome 🙃. We’ve talked about downsizing too but haven’t gotten any further than that. We love our home and neighborhood but would love something smaller and easier to care for… and easier to leave when traveling. Good luck on your quest (and definitely call the realtor… you never know).

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  15. Oh, Kate… sigh. I have the perfect size Casa. East exposure for shaded wine time on the screened lanai/porch, three bedrooms 2 baths, tile throughout (I hate carpeting), a great laundry room with utility sink, a small tidy kitchen, just the right size gathering room, a beautiful view with beautiful birds BUT we are beginning to think it is in the wrong state!!!!!!!!!!!!! It is just too damn HOT here… I need some Fall and Winter, lower dew points and a fireplace. Currently perusing 1800 sq ft homes in Missouri with sunrooms and a view! I hope I have one more move in me. Tomorrow cooler air may move in and I will declare how much I love the little Casa, which I do, and my view… and I absolutely can’t leave my ocean! That has been my week. Fingers crossed the pesky heron stays away from your fish. We purchased a great house once when a pending sale fell through because of the buyer’s financing… a phone call would be worth the effort. Enjoy your lovely sunny 46 degrees!

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    • You indeed have a perfect casa at least for 6 months out of the year. (Here it is for 6 months too but a different 6 months!) Locally many of the homes are two story with 4 bedrooms. We do not need 4 brs. Many of the ranches were built in the 1950-60s and need extensive work. Unfortunately they are not priced for added work. This has been our dilemma. If we could find a convenient lot, we would build again.

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      • We will probably have to build for the reasons you bring up. I’d take two bedrooms with a flex room/office and 2.5 baths. SSNS is very picky about the lot… back of house facing east, a walk out basement… Missouri tornadoes!, one level living and an elevated sunroom, preserve, golf course, or wooded back with no homes backed up to us. A strong HOA with strict regulations. Our dilemmas are similar. We are lucky that we have done a lot of looking and that the area we a looking at is totally familiar… home. BUT the season is almost here in Floridadeeedoooo! Indeed a dilemma.

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  16. Love your Stonehenge clock change. Too funny. Kudos for thinking outside the box on your sore. Hope it provided some relief. And good luck thwarting the sushi hunter. It’s insult to injury when nature takes its cut out of the middle after you’ve worked so hard and suffered with A&P to make a nice feature. Nobody loves a freeloader, nobody! Here’s to a happy week and best of luck on finding that perfect new place.

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    • Planning to contact realtor tomorrow. You just never know. Having someone (like me) in the wings may be a good thing. You never know for sure until you go into a home but the pictures on-line look pretty much like what we would like.

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  20. We want to downsize too – but to WHAT? That is the question. I say small one story cottage with cozy and SMALL yard but HE wants a basement (for what????!!). Anyway, we’ll eventually have to move – three story home with big yard is not working for me – I’m working for IT ! Having a pond must be nice – some work for upkeep but pretty and “soothing”. Time change? I think it’s silly but as someone who gets up when they feel like it, and goes to bed when they’re tired, time is irrelevant (unless I miss a doctors appointment!).

    Hugs, Pam

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    • We have the same relocation issues you do. The beloved husband has strict needs that include a working basement. I want one floor living is a small yard. Seems likes the houses we have looked at don’t always check off the boxes. Some small homes have very small rooms or no basement. We’d also like to be able to add a screened porch if it doesn’t have one.

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