I’ve gotten into the habit of skipping over simple things… Like little journal entries in this blog… and I really don’t like it. 
Am I losing my knack for catching the small things in life? Gosh I hope not. There is something to be said for being able to absorb the little things in today’s society. Life for many is one giant blur of work and status achievements. People live to create a front to display the rest of the world and lack what I consider a major part of what it is to be alive.
I see things differently than others. I know it because people have told me throughout my life. Let’s all face the fact that I am strange. 
I am not ashamed of it and never desire to change it. I embrace it and find it to be a great distinguishing characteristic in a world of people who all want to look alike and dress the same.
I have frequently stopped in my day to take a detailed mental note of something small. The hallway outside our art department heads east and west. If you time it just right on a sunny day – the sun shines into MaryAnn’s office, through her tall plants and casts a glorious green fire onto the decorative etched glass window. I love it because it glows green life. I’ve stopped several times to just soak it up, consume it for what it was and marvel that so many others in the office haven’t noticed.
Work yesterday was rough for me. I wanted to be outside in the autumn sun, crunching through fallen leaves without deadline woes harassing my brain. Matt and I arrived at 6:10am and didn’t get home until after 9pm. It was along day full of delays and frustrations. But the magazine was finished and looked good… I can take pride in surviving another deadline and in overcoming all those obstacles.
My zoo has shrunk over the weeks. We lost our two fiddler crabs and our beloved lil mouse Pippen. Toby, Lavinia and Oliver are still our frisky feline family. Iggy Pup our boston terrier is wonderful and seems to have discovered cuddling with me is both warm and cozy. I don’t mind one bit. Seeley had an eye issue that has cleared up nicely – much to my relief. He is the most affectionate and sassy little mouse! Topanga, Po, Reese and Mia are chunky happy wonderful female mice… still lazy and defiant. They’d rather destroy cardboard climbing offerings that do the physical exercise gig. Our two male guppies – Limon and Cosmo – are doing well. Thurston Howell IV – my betta from Matt’s parents – is wonderful. He always builds such thick bubble nests. I hate to think how disappointed he would be to find out no female is ever going to select him despite his bubble building prowess.
My gardens are coming to the annual autumn conclusion of color. The asters are still colorful – rich vibrant purples. I have some mums still coming into bloom… but much of my sanctuary is dying or slowly revealing their skeletal forms. This time of year destroys me. I can feel myself lose ambition and energy as the days shorten. I want warm blankets and down time. Luckily I have Matt and the critters to keep me on my toes.
We enjoy getting Iggy Pup out and about to greet his fans. We have cars drive down our street shouting “HI IGGY” … there are more people that know our dog’s name than ours when we go for our regular walks at the marina. I adore it! I’ve always wanted a dog that was well socialized and just the best little canine ever – and we have him. He is friendly and eager to meet every dog and person we encounter. He doesn’t have a mean bone in his little body. There is nothing but unconditional love in his eyes.
Toby just climbed through the arm of my blanket wrap… making typing more difficult. I think I will bring this journal entry to a close. It feels good to sit and share… get out everything bubbling around in my busy lil brain. I hope I can get into the habit of doing this more often. I’ll leave you with the most recent shot of Toby. =^..^=
