Last Thursday in February

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The day started out a bit rainy, but it wasn't very far into the morning before it was over and the day ended up sunny and fairly mild.  Once again, when I needed to go to the mailbox or to put something in the garbage can no jacket was needed.  Nice to be able to go out and not freeze even with a coat!  

I have enjoyed a stay-at-home day.  Part of the day I just felt lazy and didn't feel like doing anything..maybe because that was because I woke up very early once again.  I will say waking up early is one way to end up with a day seeming quite long!  I have contacted my tax preparer to make an appointment.  I think that I have received everything and/or gathered what I need to take to her. I then went through some papers that had stacked up and got rid of some and filed others.  I have made a grocery list, as I plan to make a trip to Kroger in the morning.  I have been trying to figure out what sounds good to cook.  Today I did cook a pork roast…that tasted pretty good for supper tonight.  

Once again…I am clearing off my sewing cutting table which seems to be a magnet for things that I don't have a place for…it's not too bad this time.  I do want to do some sewing so will need the surface to cut all cleared.  I will be using a new pattern that I haven't made before so I plan to make a muslin first…I had bought some muslin fabric a while back.  Today washed it so it will be a little less stiff than it came from the fabric store.  I’m sure it will come out of the dryer in a wad since it is five yards!  It is drying now.  

Tonight I'm looking forward to stitching and watching Matlock and Elsbeth…their season is starting up again tonight.  I have taken a little time today, when I didn't feel like doing anything else, to do some stitching.  I continue to work on Christmas ornaments.  This one has more stitching on it than some of the others that I have planned for this year. Some I am doing on perforated paper which is higher count and I can actually stitch on it without any magnification other than my readers.  The one I am stitching on currently is on tiny count and readers and extra magnification and extra light is very necessary.  

To be continued! Be safe! be well! be cautious!

Wednesday

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I got home a little while ago from Wednesday night Bible study.  I ate supper before I came in here to blog. While eating, I checked my email and got the best news…my passport has been approved and I will have it in hand soon…maybe even as early as next week.  That clears the last hurdle, that I know of, for Melany's, Wade's, and my Alaska cruise!  Good news!  

Today I stayed at home except for this evening for Bible study,  I mainly did little things around the house…dried a load of clothes and got them put away.  Took things out to the trash…picked up a couple of pieces of cardboard that I had put out for recycle that ended up blowing back into the yard.  Later in the day I took the garbage can back to the house…just mundane tasks, as usual!  I did set aside some time to stitch.  Last night I finished another Christmas ornament.  Today I picked up a Christmas ornament that I had started but hadn't finished yet…so back on that one.  I even got in an afternoon nap…not exactly intentionally…but closed my eyes for a short period of time. As I put away clothes today, I was thinking what items will go with me to Alaska!  I guess I am in planning mode…have more time to plan this one than I did for my first cruise back in January…that one was a spur of the moment trip planned by Nathan and family. I guess I will see if more or less time to plan is better!  Now to get passport in hand…I’ll let you know when that significant event occurs! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

A Little Warmer Day

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Today was an example of the promise of Spring…yesterday very cold…the temperatures today started moderating and by the time that I took the garbage to the road, I didn't wear a jacket…yesterday, there wasn't a time to even think about going outside without a jacket.  We are in the see-saw time of year…back and forth…up and down!  I keep reminding myself when it is cold, that it won't be long till I am thinking about how hot it is!  

The first picture tonight is just a scene that includes a street sign…we take the street signs so when looking back at photos we know (sort of) where we went that barn trip.  Marie and I have gone on a couple trips that after the trip we couldn't figure out how to get back to a place that we wanted to take some more photos…so we now try to include some street signs.  The second photo is also in the first photo…if you look closely you can see these donkeys on the other side of the road resting.  

Today has been a fairly busy day.  I started doing wash this morning.  And, am about to get out the last load from the dryer and get them put away after I blog.  Donna and I did work in the library this afternoon…checking books in, shelving them and doing some other maintenance jobs, like straightening shelves and reshelving books that had gotten taken from the shelves and then not put back in the right place.  The library looked all neat and straight when we left.

I called Cheryl this afternoon to thank her for a birthday present that had arrived…a t-shirt for the cruise! A little while ago, I got a text from her thanking me for her birthday present that had arrived at her house this afternoon after we talked.  Our birthdays are 8 days apart…our ages are 7 years apart!  Besides birthday gifts, we talked about possible times for her to come here for a visit. Planning, planning, planning! 

To be continuedM Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Cold February Day

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What a brrrrrrrry day. I'm not sure if it ever got out of the upper 20s today, and, if it did get into the 30s, it didn't get very far into them!  It was also breezy so that made it feel much colder than it was.  I did brave the cold, as I got a haircut today.  Then I ran a couple of errands…made a stop at the Credit Union…I needed check registers for my checkbook.  The next stop was at the public library where I needed to return a book and renew my library card.  They check to make sure that all your information is current once a year.  So I’m good to check out books for another year…both real and virtual books!  Before I took off for a haircut and to run errands this morning, I had to made a couple of appointments which I accomplished.  So I am happy to say that I marked everything off my to-do list today.  I have returned from Monday night prayer meeting and am settling in for the evening…hoping to stitch some more.  I completed another Christmas ornament yesterday and got started on another one…Hope to stitch some more on it this evening…no Olympics…so maybe I will watch a sewing or cooking show…or watch a needlework YouTube (known in the stitching world as "FlossTube").  I'll end with a photo of the promises of Spring that we see all over town and in the country side.

 

Sunday Favorite

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Fun Saturday

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So, I bit the bullet and paid for the blog app…so here I go using it for photo and the blog for the first time. I do like typing on this…the old way was iffy at best.  This is like typing with Word on my laptop or Pages on my iPad. So much easier. I'm sure it will be worth the small pittance that I had to pay.

Today was very pretty after the rain stopped and the clouds cleared out.  It is getting cooler…dropping down into the upper 20s overnight. So once again we will be shivering!  We have been spoiled by the pretty weather.  But what we have had is a promise of what is to come! We are looking forward to Spring.  My miniature jonquils and crocus are also starting to bloom giving their promises of what is to come. It's so pretty to see the yellow and purple blooms peeking up through the ground.

Melany and Wade came today and raked the large garden that parallels the driveway…clearing the way for the irises to come up.  I fixed our lunch while they worked.  We ate lunch and then planned some excursions for our cruise. I think we are pretty much set except…my passport being in my hand…a rather important detail!  The good news on that is that the government has cashed that check so I know the application has been received…learned that two days ago.  Then today I received an email from the government saying what day the application was received and that it will be in my hands from 4-6 weeks from that date.  So sounds like I will have it in hand in plenty of time.  

I have gotten the kitchen cleaned up from the mess I made making lunch so now I am ready to sit down and relax, watch the Olympics, and paint my nails!  

To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

New Fodder!

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We found barns!  Perfect timing as I was running out of photos from my Bahamas cruise. 😁 It was a beautiful day for a barn trip.  We wanted to go out before all the leaves come back on the trees.  We really didn't go far…it was pretty much "just down the road from my neighborhood." Found a variety of barns and quite a few animals.  I spent time this afternoon putting the photos that I took today onto my iPad…one of the reasons that I removed a lot of photos last night.  I am very pleased with the ones that I have looked at so far.  I will be sharing them with over the next weeks.  Took quite a few pictures!

Before Marie and Carolyn picked me up, I made a quick trip to Kroger…mainly to get a couple of things for the meal I have planned for Melany and Wade tomorrow.  I managed to get what I needed and got them home and put away before I headed off for a couple of hours. When I got home, I made a new recipe for something that I had never made before…chutney, mango chutney…tastes pretty good.  It was suggested that mango chutney be served on the side with the Tahine-style chicken that I'm making for our lunch.  This is a recipe that I made several weeks ago and liked it and think that Melany and Wade will too.  This is a Mediterranean recipe…something totally different than what I usually make.

I have two things that I forgot to mention yesterday.  I was pleased to see the government check clear my account…that means that my paperwork for my passport got to the right place…now to wait for the passport and my original birth certificate to get to me!  

The other exciting thing is that Joy didn't forget how to juggle due to her concussion.  She hadn't been interested in trying up until yesterday and she and Nathan passed clubs together and she even did some extra tricks.  Definitely a good sign.  I think that was something that her daddy was really pleased that she could still do!  Joy is so much better…pretty much back to doing most things she did before.  But she still isn't over it completely.  She still has headaches…but is so much better…she is enjoying life once again!  

Note I can now write the blog in paragraphs…a much easier screen to type in…but still have to post the blog and then open it in my phone and add the photo.  I have come to the reality that that is the way I will have to do it until I break down and pay to upgrade the blog app.  I will…one of these days…but until then, if you see that the blog is published and there is no photo that I just haven't gotten a photo transferred over to my phone…like tonight…I found the one I plan to use…BUT…forgot that I needed to transfer it to my phone…so it will take a little longer to get the photo added.  

To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

I just subscribed to the Blogger App…hopefully no more hassles!

Here's a bonus photo!