Messages from Tom Cat

[Earth Mother 2 Angels]

((((((Ralph)))))) ~

Thank you so much for your deepest thoughts for me, as I send the same for you. I send you healing energy, and prayers for peace and comfort and that you will always feel Ann's presence very near you.

With everything you do, Ralph, you keep Ann close to you ~ caring for the prairie, figuring out the Kindel situation, the flowers, the remembrances, your cats, all of it, is a continuing tribute to Ann. None of it is easy, but you persevere.

Please remember to take time to rest and care for yourself.

Lovely photo of your sweet cats. They understand what you're going through, even if they may not seem like they know. They do. Let them provide you with companionship.

Agate ~

Thank you so much for keeping us connected with Tom Cat. I imagine that Cat is quite pleased.

Love & Light,



Rose

*Virtual Hugs Are Germ-Free!

[agate]

From TomCat on Friday:

The temperature is still holding in the 20's by night & the high 30's by day. But the snow is gone, which makes me feel better. I just finished a morning walk to the post box & back. An 8-10 mile round trip. I call it my walk-about. I need to do it more often, to keep the legs in shape. Doing too much sitting around in the house. Maybe get a burn on my land today.

And this is from Saturday:

Another frosty morning. 25' out when I got up, but a hot 41' right now.

Oh, tell Virginia I well understand that most folks with MS probably wouldn't be chasing chipmunks around. A chipmunk did show up in the juniper bush in front of the kitchen window, a day ago. I swear he blinked & smiled at me. Or maybe I'm getting cabin fever early in the season.

Joe dropped me off some venison sausage sticks.

It should warm up into the 50's today. With 30 mph winds, there will be no prairie burns today. Maybe next week. Lots of prairie seed to get sorted out yet, & machinery moved around, to get ready for the winter snows. No plans to go anywhere this winter. It looks like a long lonely winter.





]Just a photo of the back yard prairie, & the 1200-foot driveway. Most of the hardwood trees have lost their leaves now. The yellow leaf tree is a birch. The prairie has a few blue English asters still holding their colors. The tall dried grasses are big blue stem & Indian grass.

[Earth Mother 2 Angels]

((((((Ralph)))))) ~

You walked 8-10 miles? Wow! It's all I can do to walk 2/3 mile. And I haven't for too long due to darkness and unhealthy air. With all of the work you've been doing, it doesn't seem to me that you've been "sitting around" very much.

I hope it isn't a long, lonely winter for you, but I can understand well how it might be. Just remember, we're here for you, even though we aren't there for you.

Take super good care of yourself.

Love & Light,



Rose

*Virtual Hugs Are Germ-Free!

[Virginia]

Ralph, if misery loves company then we are in the same boat. I am not planning any outings this winter even to eat with brother's family. So, yes it just might turn out to be a long lonely winter. Like Ann, I read a lot. It helps.

[agate]

Tom Cat replying to Rose (sent Tuesday):

Rose, the distance to the mail box and back is eight-tenths of a mile, not eight to ten miles. If I did that, I wouldn't be able to walk for a week. I may be in fair shape for my age, but I'm not 20 or even 30 anymore. I did do a prairie burn of about an acre with my neighbor Marty yesterday. We may do more prairie burns this week. The weather is dry, & warm this week. It may be the last chance for this year to do burns.

I need to take my walk through the woods, with the coffee thermos, for breakfast with my neighbor, Marty. Take care.




This has the note:

Coming through the woods, bringing morning coffee to the neighbor.

[Earth Mother 2 Angels]

((((((Ralph)))))) ~

Oops! I misunderstood your mail box distance. Eight tenths of a mile is still a very good distance. That's a great photo of you! Such a bucolic environment, and Autumn is certainly well represented.

What do you and Marty eat for breakfast? I'm so glad you have each other for companionship and conversation.

Stay well and be safe.

As always, thank you so much agate for coordinating our conversations with Ralph.

Love & Light,



Rose

*Virtual Hugs Are Germ-Free!

[agate]

TomCat replying to Virginia and others:

Yes, Virginia, it looks like this is going to be a long isolated winter. I look forward to seeing a vaccine coming out for the general public, by the beginning of next year. How long a vaccine will be effective is the next question. Let's hope it is for over 6 months. The characteristics of this virus are very different from most. Having it does not give long-term immunity. Also we need 2/3 or more of the population to take it to give us group immunity. As we have learned over this last year, we have a significant portion of the US population that are ignorant. If all goes well, I would hope we may be able to sit down for a meal with friends at a restaurant next year, & feel safe.

And today, I'm hoping to burn about an acre of pasture at my neighbor, to put in prairie, tomorrow. After that cool, wet weather will be coming in, & things may be done until spring. Wishing you the best.

[Sunshine 2]

Beautiful photos: What an idyllic area you live in. So close to and immersed in nature.

[agate]

From TomCat (yesterday):

Well, Rose, for breakfast with Marty we usually have pancakes or waffles. He makes the pancakes, & I bring over a thermos of coffee. Frequently I bring cut up apples & oranges. And if either of us went to the grocery in the early morning, we have sweet rolls of some kind. He's been making breakfast for his wife, who passed away a month ago, for years. They were married for 48 years. We & they went to college together.

Some mornings I make bacon, & we have it with eggs & toast. He's quite the breakfast cook. He had a church friend over yesterday, who brought homemade lefse. He wasn't familiar with it. I said heat it a bit in the microwave, put some butter & jam, or whatever on it , roll it up & eat away.

I think you saw the picture of me coming through the woods with the coffee. It's nice to have one old friend around. Keeps the day from being all alone. Take care.

Oh, are most of the folks on BT familiar with lefse? It's a Scandinavian potato flat bread. They make it by mashing potatoes into a batter, frying it in a pan, & spreading butter & jam on it, or fish, etc. Then you roll it up & eat it like a wrap. It's usually 8 to 10-inch plate size. It's time-consuming to make. When Ann & I were in Norway, they went to the store, & bought it in packages. So much for doing it the old-fashioned way, aye?

[Parsi]

Ralph, you look in good shape. Actually better than the last picture I saw.

You are fortunate to have a college friend to end up in the same place as you.

I also misunderstood the distance you walked. I barely make it to the end of the block. I'm guessing the walk to the neighbor is longer than the one to the mailbox.