Reconnaissance

Fall in Minnesota is goregous!

I'm still adjusting to the time difference (even though it's only 2 hours), and I'm still wearing out quickly after so much activity, but I'm happy as can be.  Mornings are typically pretty slow.

There are snuggles.

We look out the window.

We enjoy a hot water bottle with the view of our beautiful tree dropping her leaves one at a time.

We watch the beautiful leaves fall from the neighbor's red tree, too.

I've been enjoying doing laundry with a different machine (ours back in Arizona had some fine points, but it also had some negatives that this one here doesn't have) and I discovered that each machine has different lint traps!  New towels leave some residue for sure!

We also had a small leak because the lint sock that goes into the utility sink (which I've never had before!) was draining properly.  There was a small stream that flowed across our little rug (that protects the ethernet cable).

It made the GFCI flip and I had a stagnant load of towels until I figured it out.  Then the contractor came and took a peek at it.  He replaced the mesh sock filter and the GFCI and all has been well since then.

 Now that I live in a new state (well, I did grow up here, but it's been over 25 years since I've lived here!) and now that I'm (temporarily) located in a new neighborhood, I need to explore and get my bearings!

I have been trying to take a long walk every day because I LOOOOOOOOOVE being outside!  This is my very favorite weather, but I suspect I will appreciate all the types of weather now that we're living here.  I like Weather.  I like bundling up, I like getting rained on, I love snow, I like wind . . . I like needing special clothing for The Weather.  I'm excited about it all!

Here's my rainy day walking apparel:

beanie: Universal Thread (Target)

pink faux leather moto jacket: Levi's (Amazon)

blouse: A New Day (Target)

pants: 24th and Madison (Ross)

boots: Steve Madden (Macy's)

hair bow: J Crew Factory

Look at the fabulous beautiful leaves!

I walked the opposite way from the Target and Macy's I had seen on previous trips.

Then I decided I wanted to find the closest park, and it was back in that direction again, so I ended up walking in a big circle.

It was spitting rain and chilly - perfect weather!

I ran across 2 different mini libraries! 

Here's an Edina watertower!

I found the park!

There were squirrels!

And then I saw a lake!

Look at the pretty little dock!

There were pretty cattails.

All the autumn colors are delightful.

I came home and made my first homemade hot cocoa from scratch (served in a new mug from Target!)

The cats are always happy when I'm home.  They want more attention than usual, even (and they're very affectionate cats all the time).  Now that the house is chillier than they're used to, they have been enjoying tents and lots of fuzzy blankies. 

Sometimes I can tell where a cat has been even if the cat is no longer there!

My Mom and I did our first reconnaissance shopping trip, too!

I love how the huge flower pots have pumpkins added in for this harvest season!

Home Goods had some hilarious huge decor items we fully enjoyed.

Like skeleton Marilyn Monroe and Skeleton Elvis!

There was a huge moose, too!

We went to Target, also, and got a boot mat, and some other household necessities.

Then we picked up pizza for me, and went back to Mark and Jillian's (my brother and his wife).  They brought home pizza for the rest of the group.

I like how the logo is pizza slices in the shape of Minnesota!

Esme makes almost everything into a cat!

Even pumpkins.

Cora made me a word search!

Cora is a Reader.

When I got home later that evening, I was pretty tired, but I couldn't wait to set up my cute new entry table!  My Mom and I found it at TurnStyle, a consignment shop, and I also got a couple of cute baskets.  Allistair jumped in the basket right away.

I also found a wreath that's perfect! (Actually my Mom saw it first and she has very good taste.)

It looks like pretty fall grasses and I love it.

This little square mirror was perfect next to the door.  I felt very strange not having a mirror next to the door that was easy to quickly glance in and I'm happy we found this one!  

The living room is getting cuter and more homey all the time.

The next day, which was Saturday, I decided it was time to rake some leaves.  It was wonderful warm weather, and I enjoyed myself.  I raked up three huge compostable paper leaf bags full of leaves.  

I made a dent in the leaves for sure.

BUT . . . the leaves came right back!

That reminds me that I was talking to my niece Esme on Sunday.  Their backyard looked very nice and I asked her if she had helped rack up the leaves.  While sadly shaking her head and indicating the leaves still on the group, she said, "Yes, we tried, but it didn't work."  

And suddenly, thanks to our contractor Robby's hard work, we have carpet on the stairs! 

They're much quieter and comfier!  And the next day, we had a bannister!