Friday, November 8, 2013

Falling leaves and random thoughts

Nancy at A Rural Journal has suspended the Random 5 Friday meme for now, but I can’t get out of the habit of sharing randoms on Friday. Nancy is sharing her Random 5 on her blog today, too, so be sure and visit her!


Leaves in the driveway.


Leaves in the yard.

Leaves on top of the car.

One
We have leaves. So many leaves. Something told the trees to let ‘em loose, and down they came and keep on coming. Larry has been busy blowing them to the curb for town pickup, but they are quickly replaced in the yard. It’s a weeks-long chore.


Two
Sweet Larry gave me flowers for our anniversary. I usually have Thursdays off, but I had to go in during the afternoon to do an assignment. He had the flowers sent to the office so I’d be surprised when I went in. Ten years equals 10 red roses and two pink ones to make a dozen.



Three
Notice the cat calendar beside the flowers? Every Christmas, Larry gives me the tabletop calendar that you “flip” halfway through the year. It features lovely photos of cats and tidbits, observations and quotes about felines.
I keep it on top of the filing cabinet in my office so I can look over from my work and see a pretty cat photo. I love it.


Four
It was on such a calendar that I first found this quote: "You will always be lucky if you know how to make friends with strange cats." (I’ve seen the source listed as anonymous and as Colonial proverb.)
I don’t know how lucky Larry and I are, but strange cats just seem to like us.
Thursday evening, Larry and I went to a local restaurant for our anniversary dinner. It’s the same restaurant where we saw a stray peacock back in the spring.
This time, a pretty gray and white cat walked up as we waited outside for the restaurant to open. She lay down on Larry’s feet, and then she came over to me and rubbed against my legs. I reached down to pet her, and she immediately jumped up with her front paws against my leg. I think she wanted me to pick her up.
The hostess told us she just showed up this week. I don’t know if she’s wandered permanently from home or what, but I worried about her being in a busy parking lot. It’s just not the time for us to bring home another cat, but I hope this little one will be OK.


Five
Considering my OCD used to manifest itself through extreme hand washing and fear of germs, it’s nothing short of a miracle—and I don’t use that word lightly—that I’m able to have a cat and make friends with new animals.
The love of my cats helped bring me out of a lot of my OCD fears. I am forever grateful for them.

Chase Bird in a bag.

25 comments:

  1. The flowers are so sweet. It's wonderful you're able to have cat friends, now - and that cats are drawn to you. I always feel that animals have a way of recognizing kind people.

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  2. Oh those flowers are beautiful that Larry is a wonderful husband but you already know that. Cats have the ability to make you forget what you were thinking and concentrate on what they are trying to give you:) Hug B

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  3. Happy Anniversary!

    Do all those leaves make you feel wealthy? I LOVE to rake them - and every single time, I feel as if God has made us all wealthy . . because leaves teach us abundance . . .

    Cats . . I really like this - you are a cat magnet - and, being a cat Magnet has brought about miracles in your life - and joy in mine as i read your stories.

    Happy Friday!

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  4. Beautiful flowers that Larry got. Happy anniversary to your both :)
    Me and my sister and her two children are going to our parent's house next Saturday and having a leaf-raking party :)

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  5. beautiful flowers. i prefer that filler over babys breath. has a purple hue to it.

    leaves every where. they luv us don't they? raking i must do. looks like u will 2. ( ;

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  6. Lsrry is so thoughtful! Love that the random cat loved on you! Cats know a cat person when they see one.

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  7. Your cat in the bag photo is adorable. Happy Anniversary!

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  8. Love the leaves and the cat in a bag! The flowers were sweet too. I give it no more than a week before you go back for that restaurant kitty,... ;)

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  9. No wonder I feel lucky. I love strange cats.

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  10. i like the roses with the 2 'bonus' ones. :) sweet chase bird. so cute.

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  11. My cats have all been "strangers" -- and I think that makes them the best! Congratulations on your anniversary -- the roses are lovely!

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  12. ahhhh to the 5, animals are said to be ideal healers and we too gather unknowns-it does seem to make them more special somehow...Larry the Romantic! ;-)

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  13. Oh, bummer! I didn't realize the Random 5 was gone. Boo, hiss!

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  14. gorgeous roses, from handsome larry!!

    we are just beginning to see our leaves turn and fall. we are way behind you here at the jersey shore!!!

    have a happy weekend....i so enjoyed all your images!!

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  15. Yeah, you've got leaves, all right! We don't and we live in an apartment so we wouldn't have to take care of them even if we did.

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  16. Happy anniversary... 10 years.... that was sweet of hubby to send you roses. Thumbs up from me, Larry.

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  17. Wow that is a lot of leaves! We have a few, mainly on our back driveway area but very few in our front yard. Most of the neighborhood leaves blow down the fence-line between our house and the next door neighbors so they end up having to rake them.
    What pretty flowers and what a wonderful surprise to get them at work. Hubby did good.
    Am so happy that cats have brought such joy into your life. They do in mine too!
    http://wishesdreamsandotherthings.blogspot.com/2013/11/random-5-friday-nancys-un-linky-version.html

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  18. ...you have leaves, I have pine needles. I keep saying I need to get out there and doing something with them, but it's been so darn windy -- just not in the mood to battle that this week.

    Happy Anniversary again and beautiful flowers. :)

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  19. Happy Anniversary, dear Tina. What more could one ask for? Beautiful leaves, a cat calendar and lovely flowers!

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  20. Beautiful flowers! And I love that calendar; what a nice gift that is. I laughed with the last photo. What is it with cats and bags? Mine really like them, too. We have weirdo cats. I think we make them that way because we're a little weird, too :)

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  21. Beautiful leaves, beautiful flowers, beautiful cat. Happy Anniversary!

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  22. First of all, congratulations on your tenth! Beautiful roses. Strange cats, and dogs, seem to like us, too. And I think animals are probably better for us than most people can imagine. In ways we don't even know or have a clue about.

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  23. It is pretty amazing what animals will do for us thru their love...I hear ya about the leaves. My front yard is a sea of gold!!

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  24. Happy Anniversary- beautiful roses- kudos to Larry for such a sweet gift!

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  25. Those leaves are intense!! Ours were one like that, but our tree had to be cut down ... and so no more leaves.

    Hoping you have a lovely week!

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