Weekend wrap-up

Another weekend is drawing to a close … and as always too soon.  It was a weekend that got off to a rough start but a weekend that finished well.

This weekend I …

• spent Friday feeling too miserable to do little more than read and work a jigsaw puzzle 
• flung open the windows on Saturday and enjoyed the fresh, warm air blowing in
• spent Saturday evening at DD’s watching the Ts … by then I was actually starting to feel even better; unfortunately, the bronchitis/sinusitis/crud has hit them even harder than it did me
• spent Sunday morning with the toddlers … during Sunday School and worship (now, that was a test of how well I’m feeling! ha!) 
• attended my friend/neighbor’s daughter’s baby shower
• walked around the neighborhood, catching up with some of my neighbors who I hadn’t seen since last fall
• sat out on the deck with DH until it began to get dark

Tomorrow I get back into a normal routine … it looks to be a good week coming up.  This coming week is student worker appreciation week, so we’re going to have donuts and bagels for breakfast at work tomorrow to honor our student workers.  Works for me!    And if that isn’t enough, we’re going to honor them a little more with lunch on Thursday (pulled pork and all the sides).  Tuesday night is my quilt guild meeting.  Other than that, I don’t have a lot on my plate.  If the weather is nice, I hope to get some yard work done; if not, I hope to get some more work done on T#4’s big girl quilt … unless a better offer comes in!  ha!  Yep, a good week. 

Welcome to the Weekend

The storms I forecast here arrived overnight, but I expect more tomorrow night (upper 80’s the next two days with a cold front moving in tomorrow night = storms).

Each morning over the last 2-3 days, I’ve felt a little better, and although I’m a good ways from being back to 100%, at least I’m making improvement.  What’s really strange with this bronchitis is that I’ve got joint pain (shoulder, hands, feet). 

I’d really like to get out and work in the yard.  DH picked up the replacement plant for one of my azaleas that didn’t survive last summer … I’m anxious to get it planted.  The other isn’t in stock this spring, so I’d like to get to the nursery and find something else to plant.  I’m also anxious to spread more mulch as well as expand some of the landscaping along the east side of the house.  I love working out in the yard … getting my hands in the soil, soaking up the warm sunshine, enjoying the beautiful results.

Instead I’ll take it easy today … do some reading and work on the puzzle we’ve got going (it’s turning out to be quite a toughie!). 

Tomorrow I have church (I’m in the toddler nursery again) followed by a baby shower for my friend/neighbor Lois … her daughter is having Lois’ first grandchild.  What an exciting time for them!

Even though it’s not a terribly exciting weekend, it’s going to be a good one.  Hope yours is a good one, too.

Can it be spring?

Almost all my plants have shown new life (with the exception of a couple of azaleas which were dead before the first freeze last year).  DH has mowed the lawn 3 times already.  It got into the mid 80’s today (which means that we’ll be having major storms soon).  DH is out on the deck, grilling pork steaks for dinner. 

Now if I could just get rid of this miserable case of bronchitis, I could thoroughly enjoy the return of spring. 

Wednesday Hodgepodge

Joyce has come up with some diverse questions this week … I don’t know where she gets these questions, but I’m glad that she does.  As always, if you would like to play along or see how everyone else has answered these questions, just click on the button above.
1. National Read a Road Map Day falls on April 5th. Would people say you have a good sense of direction? Do you rely on a GPS when you drive somewhere new? When was the last time you used a map?
I think I have a good sense of direction.  I’ve always been the map reader, even when growing up (we didn’t take many family trips, but when we did, I was the one assigned to read the map and direct my dad).  We have a GPS … DH wanted one and I thought it would just be an expensive toy.  I have to tell you that I was wrong … it’s been extremely helpful. 

We use it whenever we’re on the road.  But I find myself still following along on our atlas … I’ve made notes in the margins (like where the Chick Fil A restaurants are – ha!), and I’ve used the atlas to direct DH (the time we got off I-75 to avoid a huge backup heading out of Atlanta)
2. What's your favorite cookbook?
The cookbook that I use the most is my Betty Crocker cookie cookbook.  I bought it in the early 1970’s.

 

But for the most part, I use the internet for recipes rather than a cookbook.  I’ve found a lot of my favorite recipes at Allrecipes, but I’ve had good luck with Food Network and Cooking Light.
3. What painting would you like to "walk into" and experience? Why?

My favorite style of art is impressionism, and my favorite artist is Mary Cassatt.  I’d love to “walk into” this painting … and why not, it looks like a lovely day at the beach, and what fun it would be to play in the sand with those 2 little girls.

4. What annoys you more- misspellings or mispronunciations?
Misspellings.  I have to confess that I’m a bit of a grammaticaster, so misspellings seem to catch my eye.  Something else that bugs me is the incorrect use of the apostrophe, particularly the use of “it’s” for “its”, “your” for “you’re”. 
5. What is something your mother or father considered important?
Hard work.   
6. Do you like or dislike schedules?
I like schedules, but I’m not so rigid that I’m upset if the schedule is tossed out or revised.  
7. Let's have some fun with National Poetry Month (that would be April)...write your own ending to this poem-
"Roses are Red
Violets are blue..."
…I’m ready for spring!
How about you?
Incidentally if you'd like to read the history behind that little ditty you'll find it here.
8. Insert your own random thought in this space.
Several of you wondered what I chose to do on Tuesday … I did some piecing of blocks for T#4’s big girl quilt and started the puzzle.  I might have worked outside, too, but the ground is still too wet from the rain we had Sunday night/Monday morning. 

Freedom Tuesday

I’ve got today off from work, and I have to say that having a nice block of time ahead of me to do whatever I’d like to do is feeling pretty luxurious. 

I had thought about getting out into the yard … I’ve got a couple of azaleas that need to be replaced. 

Or I could find something to do inside.  A few days ago, I brought up from the basement a few puzzles for DD to work … and a couple of new ones that DH & I haven’t worked.  They’re sitting on the side table, calling my name. 

Or I could get back to work on T#4’s big girl quilt.  I haven’t had time to be able to work on it for three weeks now … and I’ve been missing it.

Or I could quit blogging about how to use this block of time and get up and actually use it! 

Weekend wrap-up

It’s hard to believe that it’s Sunday already.  It’s been a very busy weekend, full of fun activities and time with people I love.   

Friday night, I spent the evening at DD’s, watching the Ts while Mama & Daddy got an unexpected opportunity to go to the hockey game. 

Saturday morning, I went shop hopping at the area quilt shops with my friend (neighbor) Lois.  I was looking for some pink for binding for T#4’s big girl quilt; I had planned to bind it in one of the brown fabrics, but since the pinks (which were to have been the dominant color) pale in comparison to the browns, I want to bind it in a pink in hopes of giving the pinks a little more “presence”.

Saturday evening, DH & I spent the evening at DD’s; we had carry out BBQ from Captain Hog’s (yummy!) and a nice visit. 

Sunday morning, I was in Sunday School and then spent the worship hour in the toddler nursery. 

Sunday afternoon, I got caught up on laundry, did some tidying up around the house, worked outside in the yard (I’d forgotten how relaxing and enjoyable it is to work out in the yard), enjoyed having windows open (this is the first time it’s gotten warm enough for me to be comfortable in short sleeves) while watching the Cardinals and Blues win their games. 

Sunday evening, I’m going to relax … a wonderful ending to a wonderful weekend!

It’s Friday

And that means that the weekend is near!  Who doesn’t look forward to the weekend … even those of us who are retired still find ourselves looking forward to the weekend!
Since Kim suggested stealing copying her A to Z theme today, I’ve decided to take her up on that!
A. Age: 60

B. Bed size: Queen … we bought our mattress and frame just a few years ago when we were living at our previous house (the MBR was barely big enough for a queen-sized bed), so it’s too early to replace it, but when we do, it’ll be with a KING sized bed!

C. Chore you dislike: Cleaning the bathroom.

D. Dogs: Love almost all dogs, but if we get another one, it’ll definitely be a Golden Retriever.

E. Essential start to your day: checking e-mail/facebook/blog reader.  Even though I get up plenty early even though I’m retired, I’m still not a morning person and move slowly, so I waste spend time on the computer while I “wake up.”

F. Favorite color: blue.

G. Gold or silver: Gold – like Kim, I own nothing silver.

H. Height: 5′ 2”

I. Instruments you play(ed): Nothing.
J. Job title: Nana
K. Kids: DD
L. Live for ______: Family … and our trips.
M. Most embarrassing moment: I’m drawing a blank, although I know I’ve embarrassed myself more times than I could possibly count.  Maybe this means that I’ve successfully repressed those memories.  ha!
N. Nicknames: Smargo (I can’t even remember how this started – my sister started that one), Helen.
O. Overnight hospital stays: tonsillectomy as a child, c-sections in the 70’s, gall bladder removal in the 90’s.
P. Pet peeves: People who dawdle through traffic lights so not all of us can get through on a green.
Q. Quote from a movie: I remember every detail, the Germans wore gray, you wore blue (Casablanca)
R. Road Trip: Yes … we both hate flying.  And when driving, we can pack as much as we want/need, stop when we want/need, have transportation at our destination.  No baggage charges.
S. Siblings: I have two younger sisters, one a year and half younger and one eight years younger.
T. Time you wake up: Usually at 6:30am.
U. University attended: SIU Edwardsville
V. Vegetables: Green beans.
W. What makes you run late: One last trip to the bathroom.
X. X-rays you’ve had: Enough.  Pneumonia as a child, all my dental x-rays, an x-ray when pregnant (they were afraid that the baby would be too big for a vaginal delivery - no ultrasound back in those days – they went with a vaginal delivery only to have to switch to an emergency c-section; thankfully with DD we did a planned c-section –> much easier recovery!), x-rays for back pain, and probably a few more that I can’t remember.
Y. Yummy food you make: DH likes my chicken picatta, I like my chicken marsala, my monster cookies are always a hit, and I get good “reviews” on my carrot cake.
Z. Zoo animal favorites: Penguins.

Have a wonderful weekend!