Much Mulch!

Woody got his six-mile walk in this morning before he had to watch for the mulch delivery. It got delivered and Woody has made a start at getting it spread...a bucket at a time. I just wish that the oak wasn't dropping its froo froos or blooms or whatever they are really called. We will be covered in them for a few weeks to come. There will be a point that these oak droppings will totally cover the driveway...they will have to be swept or shoveled away. Mulching all the gardens is quite a job. What Woody did today is only the tip of the proverbial iceburg! We didn't get quite as much mulch as we have at some times because we had to be sure that it didn't block the garage door. Woody expects that he will have to order another load before he is done. Woody also did some mowing today. I have cooked most of the day...for tomorrow. We are having a non-traditional Easter meal...pasta. I made two different sauces and will cook two different pastas tomorrow. We are eating next door. All we have to do is take our part of the meal over there. I am really glad that I waited till today to do the cooking as my gout is a lot better. I guess that the rescue gout drug did its job...or at least this bout didn't stick around very long. It no longer hurts to use my hand. It only hurts when I extend my arm or bend it a lot. The swelling on my elbow is going down. It does hurt to touch my elbow...just found out! Today I witnessed a truly miraculous event...the birth of a giraffe calf...truly amazing. Yes, I got pulled into the April Giraffe hype...and have been following her for a while...checking in on her daily since about the beginning of March. I have learned a lot about giraffes and their plight as an endangered species. This morning I happened upon a live feed of April and realized that the little one was finally going to make its appearance. They announced a few hours later that it was a boy. I looked a little while ago and he was up skipping around the area...amazing that he was standing less than an hour after he was born and already cavorting around this evening. I understand that our youngest grandchild (Joseph 3)was traumatized by his visit to WalMart today...by the Easter Bunny! Jospeh would not go into K-Mart till one of his family checked to make sure that there was no Easter Bunny! Wishing each of our readers Resurrection Sunday blessings.

Good Friday

Woody and I have both stayed pretty busy today. Woody walked six miles early this morning. Woody once again worked out in the yard quite a bit. He is getting ready for a load of mulch to be delivered tomorrow. I have done a little of this and a little of that in the house...some washing...some picking up...some cooking, etc. Woody made our lunch...tuna salad sandwiches...it's been a while since we have had tuna sandwiches and they really tasted good. He also made our supper...vegetable burritos. The cooking I did was a little preliminary cooking for our Easter lunch. I'm still using my right arm a bit gingerly...but I can do more with it than I could yesterday. Hoping that this bout with gout is working its way out of my system! Mid afternoon Woody and I went to WalMart. I needed to get a few things and he decided that he would do his usual Saturday shopping at WalMart today. I really can't drive with my bum right elbow...so that worked out...we killed two birds with one stone. This way he will be freed up to wait on his mulch delivery tomorrow morning. There is a delightful smell wafting its way up the stairs...Woody has a Sock-It-To-Me Cake in the oven. Our part of the dessert for Sunday.

It's a Two-Handed World

I'm finding out how hard it is to get along without one hand...especially if it is the right hand. Last night sometime after I blogged, I had another bout with gout "hit." This time it is my right elbow...and it is affecting me using my right hand. I am typing using both at the moment, but it is not without pain!!! I am blogging early tonight because the girls have a late ball game. Woody worked in the yard again today...just that time of the year...and when it is pretty...even quite warm...it is time to put in some hours out there. He made a bit of a different loop for his walk today as he stopped at one of his deacon family member's homes to drop off a magazine...visited for a while and then completed his walk. I didn't sleep very well last night...so some time after 2am I decided that I would hem my skirt while I could still use my hand. Then before school I deboned some chicken for the recipe that I am going to make for Sunday dinner...again, figuring that I should go on and do it while I could...with gout attacks I never know when it will get better or worse! I did decide to go on and take my gout rescue med...I hesitate because in the past it has made me very sick to my stomach...sometimes it is hard to decide where the trade-off is in feeling bad! Joseph didn't come for his school time because he fell and got a boo boo just before heading over. So Isaac came by himself. Then Elijah, Esther, and Joy each came over to read. I rested this afternoon...so guess I am good to go for a ball game...doubt that there will be any pictures tonight as I can't bend my arm to get the camera up to my eye...perhaps I will be able to use my point and shoot with just my left hand? I'll try but think that tonight will be a "just-watch-the-game" kind of night. We won't be settling in for a quiet evening quite as early tonight as we usually do! Don't know if Grammy and Goosey are up to these "late" night events or not!

Wonderful Wednesday

Woody continues to work a lot out in the yard. Today he met his goal by getting the last of the leaves out of the long ornamental garden that runs along our driveway. I went out for inspection a little while ago and pronounced that it looked good! This morning I just had school with Isaac and Joseph as their parents had planned a surprise family picnic. Their whole family headed off to Tims Ford State Park (just down the road from us) and spent some time hiking, fishing, and picnicking. I saw some pictures on Facebook that showed the fish that Joy and Esther caught.Woody headed off mid morning to Kroger and Aldis to do our mid week shopping. I managed to get my skirt cut out before heading to the church to work in the library for a couple of hours. I came home and rested for a bit before going down and making a favorite recipe of my mother's...Baked Hominy Casserole. I also used my airfryer to cook a steak...it did a great job. I'm wondering why it took so long for me to "really" use the airfryer. Last night we had chicken tenders that I breaded and cooked in it...very good and crispy. So far the food that I have cooked in it has turned out quite good and it doesn't take very long. From what I read it cooks like a convection oven...with air moving around the food all through the cooking time. It has been a beautiful spring day. I even sat on the porch for a little while after supper. The birds have discovered the new feeder/wind chimes that Melany, Wade, Erin and Alex gave me for my birthday. I finally got it hung up the other day. I was glad to see a little bird eating from it this afternoon. We are now settling in for the evening...another typically quiet one for our household.

Too Many Places to be at One Time!

Elijah's team and Joy's and Esther's team played at the same time. I made the decision by which ball field we were playing on...the one with the higher stands so I can take some pictures above the fence rather than through it all the time. We also made the decision to go to Elijah's as the girls were playing the team that has so many older/bigger girls on it...the first team they played on Saturday. Tonight's photos show the sequence of Elijah's first triple! The boys put in a lot of effort again tonight, but tonight wasn't to be a win for them...but they had loads of fun and learned lots...win or lose. I just got the report on Joy and Esther's game...THEY WON!!!!!!! They beat the BIG team! Woo Hoo! I know that Joy had an RBI and Esther walked. So they both helped in the effort of their team to pull from behind and win. Good job girls...sorry that we weren't there to see the excitement! Woody once again worked a lot in the yard. He had a goal to finish getting the last of the leaves out of the side ornamental garden...this is a large garden that runs along the side of our driveway and almost to the property line of our neighbors (not Nathan and Kathy's side). It has lots of ground cover and bushes that he has to get them out from under...plus it is on a slope...just not the easiest garden to work in. Woody changed his goal as the day went by to just get the part next to the driveway done and work on the other side tomorrow. I actually got out this morning and ran a couple of errands...the first time that I have run errands THIS YEAR! I fixed an early supper...we ate before the 5pm game because Woody wanted to walk to the prayer room at church right after the game. That is where he is now. After I hit publish, I will head to my chair...my back is saying that it is time to rest. I did get some more sewing done last night after I blogged. I got my top done. Now I have the fabric for the skirt layed out on the cutting table...I don't think that any more sewing will happen today, though.

Magnificent Monday!

What a beautiful day! It got into the upper 70's...blue skies...just a beautiful spring day. Woody spent a lot of the day outside taking care of yards. He watered all the grass seed that he and Nathan and Kathy planted and worked in one of our large ornamental gardens...a big job getting all the leaves out from under bushes, plants, ground cover, etc. I didn't have school today so was on a different Monday schedule. I planned to sew, but decided that I should do a little cleaning before sewing. So I vacuumed and dusted the living room and dining room. Woody vacuumed the family room and I dusted in there. Woody went to Life Care and had Bible study with Jeff in the morning. I eventually got my pattern altered and have my top cut out. I experimented with our dinner tonight and cooked a meatloaf in our air fryer...worked quite well. In a little more than 30 minutes we had a meatloaf and some "fried" potatoes. Woody went to the Monday night prayer meeting and has just returned. So I guess we are settled in for another quiet evening per normal!

Palm Sunday Blessings