First (real) thing on today's agenda was to start a load of laundry and then sweep.  Tom wanted to skip the cleaners (scheduled for every other Friday) the day after I left, so it's been quite a while.  And while he "probably" knows where the broom is, from the pile of dirt/dust/dog hair that I swept up just from the kitchen and entry ways it appears that it never moved from its parking spot.  

I didn't get too wild and crazy since the cleaners will be here this Friday.  And in his defense he's still dragging from the flu he had, and spent what energy he did have trying to whip the yard into shape.

I swept all the porches and pulled some dandelions before I got too hot.  Took care of making appts for the pool repair (motor leaking water) and the inside finishing work for the new windows.  Checked with the tax guy, and then the bank about a missing form.  Tracked down some feed for Alex's quail (he zoomed into town from work in CA and then left to work Country Thunder the same day) who has almost run out.  By 10:30 I was showered and got ready to head to the chiropractor.

I wore a mask (didn't want to share my cold) and ran all my errands, including gassing up the car, but was feeling really crappy by the time I got home.    

Not sure if it's still "just a bad cold" or trying to turn into something more flu-like.  I drank some Emergen-C (never really ate today) and spent the rest of the afternoon horizontal.  I had hoped I'd drift off to sleep listening to my book - but that's hard to do when all stuffed up, so I ended up watching a movie, Penguin Bloom, based on a true story.

 Cameron Bloom, his wife Sam and their three boys were a normal, happy family - until a near-fatal fall left Sam paralysed and she sank into a deep depression. But in the darkest days of Sam's struggle a new and unexpected member of the family came into their lives: an injured magpie chick abandoned after she fell from her nest, who became known as Penguin Bloom.

The Blooms rescued Penguin, and in return she saved them in ways they could not have imagined. As her damaged little chick grew into a strong and beautiful bird, Sam found a joy and strength of her own.

Penguin Bloom is a story of how compassion, friendship and family can come from unexpected places. This plucky little magpie reminds us all that, no matter how lost, fragile or damaged we feel, accepting the love of others and loving them in return will help to make us whole.