Thursday's thoughts...

I put them up high in the closet.  It's October and I'm ready for the barrage of trick-or-treaters later this month.  But I keep hearing Snickers.  Sometimes it is so giddy it's like Laffy Taffy.  Or Almond Joy.  I'm not sure who is making the noise.  I reckon Mike and Ike.  The Three Musketeers.  Or even Baby Ruth.  But she's a bit little of a Runt to be laughing like that.  It could be the Air Heads.  Or even Nerds.  I think they are playing Twix on me though... because I keep them calling out my name.  I hope I keep up my resistance to not listen to those Smarties.

A new store opened closely to our home.  It's the grocery store that's bare-bones that you use a quarter to use the cart.  Grand Opening Day mind you.  I had a coupon and thought I'd have the original thought to go about an hour after the opening.  So did the other 7,457 homes that received the card.  The lot was jam-packed.  The inside was about the same.  I was fortunate.  Found a parking spot and got in and out of there in good time.  But... makes me a bit queasy about the big grand opening day that will be happening next week at the new Costco just five minutes from here.  I'm imagining it to be about a 1/2 a ring away from a full-blown circus.  I wish I could resist, but I won't.

People have given me verbal accolades of adoration for my diligence in walking daily.  I am going to have to fess up.  Some days I only walk because a big, brown-eyed thing stares me down until I succumb to her wishes.  Today was one of them.  My desire to walk was about 1%.  Hers was about 205%.  It is cold out.  It is gray.  There's a strong wind out of the northeast between 25-30 mph.  And on top of all that, the sky felt like it was spitting on me the whole way.  Mr. and Mrs. B. who live in our subdivision walk every day.  Without a dog.  Those kind of people I admire.  Not me.  I just look like I want to go.

But.  I would have missed a good 'tag game' with Lisi.  I would have missed a huge flock of bluebirds that were clumped on a tree (heading south like smart birds do).  I would have missed an incredibly huge raptor on a house that eventually flew off; revealing a wing span of nearly six feet (seriously!).  And I would have missed feeling refreshed.

Better go get some healthy nourishment ready for the starving MYP that will soon be here.  Lately, they've been clamoring for smoothies.  Here's what I've been doing in case you're remotely interested:

Get out blender.  Fill it up to 1/2 or 3/4 with frozen berries (strawberries, mixed berry blend).  I get them at Sam's (or soon Costco!).  Put in a banana.  A cup or more of vanilla yogurt.  A splash of vanilla.  A drizzle of honey.  And a scoop of ground flax (shhhh, don't tell them!).  Pour about 1/2 cup of milk over the whole mess of it and blend away.  Pour into glasses and serve with straws.  Yum.

I didn't take this picture, but this is what it looks like.  Really!