Great weather and Christmas preparations

It was another warm day with cloud but little precipitation.  The weather cannot be faulted this fall.  Have you heard that Christmas is coming?  Our Ken is all about lights.  Like a squirrel, he stores them, admires them, ponders their application and potential.  Some are left (hidden) year round in strategic trees.  And each year, more appear.  One day, there will be a mad rush to apply lights to all vertical outside surfaces - and there are many surfaces at Regalridge.  That day has yet to come so the pondering continues.  Lee is more incremental in her application.  There are additions daily to various rooms.  Each will have a tree by the time it is all over.  On this day, it was the ceramic tree built by Lee's mother and gifted to her decades ago.  It has birds on branches, hearkens to another era and is valued.  A crisis occurred when a short surfaced and Our Ken spent the early evening in repair mode.  All is now well.   The den sports a small tree, a lighted ornament and 'the bear' decked in light and greenery.  The larger tree will appear on the week end and will center the thought processes in the living room.  There are, of course, regular comings and goings as well.  Lee managed to reprise the turkey - it is now the favourite casserole as well as soup-in-the-making   Lily helped.  There was some sorting in preparation for departure on the week end and there was correspondence.  There was also the addition of a new printer to the office.  A daunting task, at best, the mission was accomplished with much angst on Lee's part and a lot of crawling under the desk.  The floor is cleaner for the effort, the clothes may never be wearable again.  But the office is back in operation with a working scanner, fax, printer and copier.  Our Ken had a water event in the kennel - there was muttering, pacing and much looking up in the air.  Gutters appear to be the culprit.  Alex is in for some fun.  It was a quiet day for the birds.  With the warm weather, the pressure on the feeders is relieved somewhat.  Blue Jays abound, the Doves come and go, the Chickadees visit regularly, the Woodpeckers in both varieties are a constant and the Red winged blackbirds are occasionally present.  The pheasants are in residence as are the three crows - this group collegial and fond of the chestnut tree.  The only flock of the day was the Grosbeaks.  This crowd have discovered the window feeder and spent several hours jockeying for position.  One particularly enterprising fellow ate his fill then popped on top of the feeder, guarding his spot until he could stomach more food and in the interim suggesting to all comers that they find another area.  Not a very collegial fellow but magnificent in his bright yellow plumage. 

The kennel is well and bouncing along.  Little Bella is firmly in charge and the Airedales are entertained by her orders - repeatedly given.  Lola in particular is grinning and doing the opposite of Bella's pointing paw, just to get the little one going.  Works every time.  Barrett and his sweater departed.  Trebia is bereft. 

The house crew had a good day.  The turkey event is a busy time with dropping pieces abundantly distributed.  Lily has requested that turkey day occur in PEI on a weekly basis, please.  She is insatiable at this stage, hoping that there will be Lily-food at every turn.  At one point in the day, Lee noticed an Airedale exiting the pantry, a bag of carrots firmly clamped in her jaws and a plan apparently in mind.  It took some considerable discussion to unhinge those jaws and repatriate the carrots - Lily was quite sure Lee could find her own afternoon snack and didn't have to have hers.  She has also discovered that Lee is best managed by laying hard against her heels wherever she stops - fine if Lee remembers Lily is in place and fine if Lee is actually stopped.  A bit more of a challenge if Lee has only slowed and tries to change direction.  Kitchen directional signals will be needed soon.  The puppies started on solid food - a red letter day.  There was some interest but this too will build.  Goat's milk was not as palatable as mom according to this little crew.  They are solidly on their feet now, are trotting happily and the eyes are bright and Airedale-wise.  Piper would like Lily to find her own home - the sooner the better.  This business of trailing around after Lee does not sit well with princess Piper - keeper of all things Lee and not big on sharing.  Lily did look at Piper's bed next to Lee's chair in the den - Piper explained that was not on. 

Dinner included the turkey with a baked potato and fresh asparagus, cranberry et al.  Our Ken was happy.  Life unfolds.