oh the chicken!

 Here in central New York, beef has gotten expensive.  I prefer it, actually love a good steak, who doesn't? Ground beef is still affordable, as is chicken breast, and I buy the occasional package of pork chops.  The question is always what to make with the chicken (or ground beef.). 

Lately I've been on a street taco kick, just grill or pan fry or oven roast that chicken breast, slice it up, and serve it on warm corn tortillas with chopped white onion, cilantro, and fresh salsa.  I like lime juice on it too, and lots of salt and pepper.

We make chicken soups too, and stir fry, and chicken and rice bowls.  But tonight, I wanted something different.  I marinated the chicken breasts in lime juice, salt and pepper after trimming them and slicing them in half, and left them in this for a few hours.  Then I made up a mixture of:  two eggs, three tablespoons of flour, some water, and some seasonings...garlic, onion, salt, pepper, cajun spices.  I dried off the chicken pieces, sprinkled them with baking powder, just a pinch, then dipped them in the egg...then into a mix of seasoned bread crumbs with some cayenne, and onion, garlic, ect.  Onto the parchment covered baking sheet, with avocado oil....I flipped them and added more oil...then into the 425 degree oven to get nice an crispy...it smells heavenly in here.

I'll let you know how they are!  Okay, dinner is over, they were good!  But I suggest you just look up a recipe if you want more exactness, because I am anything but.  

Yesterday, Sonja and Charlotte Claire and Camille and I worked on the house across from Sam.  I painted trim and the bathroom door, the girls cut in and painted two bedrooms.  On those home makeover shows, it all gets done so fast.  In real life, you have to find the paint can opener and mix it up and wipe up the drips and drops and wash the brushes afterwards.  The hours fly by with not much to show for it.  We did, however, have fun.  I let them choose something to eat after, they decided on a few Domino's pizzas, something we rarely have.  I did have two small slices, felt I had worked hard, and did not want to ride all the way home in that car with three girls eating pizza and not have any, it smelled so wonderful.  It wasn't the greatest, but I enjoyed it.

Camille and I went to Activity Club, and only had a few girls there, then a few of the younger kids who came over to play a bit too.  We brought Little Things, which are Calico Critters and Lil Woodzees...houses and markets and a food truck and tons of critters and bunnies and accessories.  We put roll out paper taped to the table, so they could make sidewalks and roads...I made a pond and a park.  

This fine morning, after the pool, it was out and about.  Miss Char found a dress in TJ Maxx for Evelyn's wedding.  We also went into Old Navy, where I got a little pair of overall shorts for Rhys' upcoming fourth birthday.  My knee was screaming by the time I got into Sonja's car...so hard to bend it to get in...dang.

Then to the little Mennonite store.  The girls go subs there, and I got raspberry jam, bacon, hot dogs, and butter ($3.29 a pound!).

Home....ahh, home.  I did laundry, vacuumed, and mopped the floors.  I made the dinner and cleaned it all up.  Paul went to work on the house and I did not accompany this time, so I was here by my lonesome.

It's cold here, I went out on the deck in bare feet to bring in my hanging begonias, and my feet were so cold!  It's going down to 35 tonight!

Tomorrow Jonathan Robert is coming over for a visit, we're going to take some things to the thrift store.  Then Suze is coming on Friday...

My house is quiet.  Paul is back, the doggies are here, and Old Kitty is washing her paws on the arm of my chair.  Suri went to the vet last night and had her stitches removed from her tumor removal surgery.  She's turning 13 in May, that is old for a Labrador retriever.  If her cancer has spread, we won't be testing to find out.  No lung X-rays or scans, she's too old and wobbly for those things.  She is a happy, waggy girl though, so I hope the vet got all the cancer out and it didn't spread and that she can at least have a nice long summer with us.  

Today is Jonny's birthday.  He is married and doesn't live here anymore, so it was like a normal day.  I do have some presents for him for tomorrow though, and am thinking to take him to lunch.  

One thing is, when you get older you see more clearly how unimportant those huge-0 crises really are.  I'm almost 60 years old, and yes, at one time I had a bed wetter and I worried...and a thumb sucker, and one who didn't want to give up the pacifier, and a late potty trainer, and one who learned to read at four, then one who struggled at seven.  I had a child who cut all the tags out of her clothes because they were "itchy", and one who could not go out and get on the bus if her socks were crooked in her shoes.  

You think you have to figure everything out.  But you don't.  Sometimes you just have to go through the days.  You have to be patient, and gentle, because children are gifts!  But you don't always have to have answers, you just need to persevere...the long days and the long nights, but they're really speeding by and you don't realize it until woooooosh, where did the years go?  Now, I CAN find the hairbrush, and there's no hair to brush...the hampers are empty, and I look around for something to throw in the wash...the sink is empty, and there's no one here to finish up the cookies...

Ah well.  Have a good night.  :)

when spring really springs...

 Pictures don't do it justice, and my words won't either.  That brilliant blue sky framing the newborn baby leaves, with their fresh greenness...the smell of the air, the warm breeze, the daffodils and tulips and birds chirping...it's almost intoxicating.  

Sonja's stroller/pram arrived yesterday! 

Of course we had to open the boxes and see it!

She's more than halfway there!  (she may kill me for posting this pic, but she is so cute!)

We had a nice day at home, (after I got back from the pool!) then went to get ice cream, then went to Ben and Ashley's for a little visit.  It was the kind of day to dry things outside, so I washed my comforter.  

This fine morning, I washed the rest of the bedding, puttered around a bit, watered plants, and here I sit.  I'm gearing up for quite a day:  I'm heading south to the small city to pick up a coffee order at the roasters, then to bring someone their keys, then back north to Oswego to work on the house across the street from Sam's.  Camille and I have Activity Club tonight, so we need to get back here to get ready for that.  

Tomorrow is Jonathan's birthday, he's turning 21.  Can you even believe that?  Here he is with Abigail, just yesterday, I swear...

Anyway...time to get moving!  You have a good day, and enjoy the springtime!

happy wedding shower to dear Abigail...

 

Charlotte Claire, Emily, Abigail (the bride-to-be!), me, Evelyn, Camille.    Abigail is the sweetest, and we cannot NOT laugh when we're together.  We had a sleepover last night, and stayed up way too late.  It's sad for me that she moved away, but it's so nice to be with her, and I'm happy for her, of course.

Oh we had a good weekend!  Driving six hours together in the car was pleasant enough, even with the rain.  Evelyn is a good driver!  We drove through the Lehigh tunnel, under Blue Mountain.  We drove through fog, and in some heavy traffic.  Pennsylvania is a seemingly endless state to drive through, there is even a sign that says "Endless Mountain Region".  But we stopped at Chik-fil-A, and we didn't run out of things to talk about.

We arrived in the early afternoon, and helped get things decorated and ready for the shower.  We got to take a quick swim first, too, even though the water was quite chilly. 

Emily grilling in the outdoor kitchen...

Goals, their coffee bar...

It's a lovely house, and so nice of our friends to host!

This fine morning, we got up and had a wonderful brekky before hitting the road for a nice sunny drive home.  We had some good coffee, then later stopped at McDonalds.  A fountain Coke Zero is always good.  

Home...ahh, home.  I love going away, but I love coming home.  Have a good night!

well. it's Friday again...!

 This fine Friday, I went to the pool...I enjoy it so much!  You wouldn't know that if you were privy to my first morning thoughts upon realizing it's a Pool Morning, ugh...don't want to get ready and go out the door!  But I've learned not to listen to myself!

Then again, I am learning to listen to myself, to my body.  For so many years I've pressed on, pushed through, it's a real wake up that I have to actually sit down when my leg begs me to.   After the pool today, I went to Target with Kathryn.  It was a nice drive there, her kids are chatty and funny and I brought them some chocolate chip cookies.  I had two year old Jamie in my cart, and 3 year old Rhys holding on, and off we went.  Rhys was so good when I got coffee, I wanted to make it fun for her, so we went up and down the toy aisles.  Jamie knows how to talk now, just turned two last month, and he can say want it!  He also knows all his numbers and letters.  I knew about the letters, but when we were in the Easter clearance aisle and he saw the "30-70% off" sign, and he said Three.  Oh.  Seven.  , and was pointing at the sign, whoa, Jamie!  Yes!  So I was pointing out words and letters and numbers and colors to him.  Rhys likes scanning things with the price checker, so she had fun as we stocked up on 70% off Easter candy...five dollar bags for a buck and a half, yes, we do need it.

We wandered towards the front of the store, I got one package of chicken and some heavy cream.  An older woman was smiling at the kids and asked Rhys her name, she was very nice and even more hobbily than me....Rhys answered, then said, "I don't even know YOUR name!", her name was Cindy, and she was so pleased that Rhys had inquired.  She is a great grandmother, and a very nice lady.  

The sad thing:  My knee hurt so badly I couldn't even do the thing where I lift it and bend it a little, oh dear, the pain was shooting up my thigh and making my whole foot and ankle throb.  It was bad.  I didn't even go up and down all the aisles.  By the time we got to the car and I was climbing in, oh my dear goodness, it was hard...the knee did not want to bend.  I had to bend it, so I did, but it hurt so badly.  It was miles before the pain ebbed away, leaving just a doable ache.  

I'm not complaining (or am I?  hmmmm.). I don't mean to.  I know that everyone gets their trials and this is mine.  I don't want anyone to feel sorry for me.  God weighs and measures our days, and has so much to teach us in our situations.  

Not too long ago I was second guessing having the knee operation, I prayed about it, that God would give me a sign that it was the right thing to do, and I guess I've gotten that!  :). It's making me very thankful that it's looming, a little bit of YAY, it'll be getting better, mixed with the dread.  

Tomorrow morning as the sun is rising, I'll be making a coffee and going out the door with some of my daughters, to Delaware!  Abigail is getting married next month, so we're going to her bridal shower.  We'll stay overnight then come home Sunday evening.  

The next weekend, I'll be going to an overnight gathering with some of my dearest friends to a house right on the water, on one of the Finger Lakes.  

Camille came home from Norway with a bad cold/flu thing, with a fever.  Paul had it, was much better today but he had a rough few days.  I really hope I don't get it, as I want to go to Delaware!  :)

Ah well.  Kathryn came over today after Target, and I made us a nice dinner of soup and rice.  I was holding little baby Ellis, with Achilles sitting on the arm of my chair, talking and talking to that baby...then, he cracked the BIGGEST smile, lit up his whole face!  Achilles jumped down to go tell his mom, who was helping Rhys in the bathroom...he was SO excited.  Kathryn told me he smiled at her a few days ago, but Achilles thinks he saw the first one, and that's so much fun.  

Only read this next part if you understand that animals are animals.  The other night, there was a considerable amount of squeaking and squealing going on outside.  I opened the deck door, and Orange Guy had a dead bunny rabbit.  I closed the door again.  I texted Miss Char, who was on her way home, to watch out for it and not to step on it.  (She picked it up by the little hind legs and threw it off the deck towards the woods, but what was she supposed to do with it?).  Anyways, a little while later there was more squealing, this time the bunny Orange Guy had was still alive, and so cute.  We dragged his little butt into the house, and Miss Char begged to keep the baby...nope.  It belongs in the wild, we have no cage, the cat would stalk it, nope.  She carried it out to the woods and let it go, and we kept that meowing hunter cat in the house for several hours to give bunny a head start.  

I like to think he made it back to his mama, and will live happily ever after.  I would like to keep my Orange Guy in the house forever and ever too, but he is so insistent on going out...he does NOT stop meowing.   He usually gets mice, but bunnies, NO!

All right...time for bed, morning comes early, I hope I packed enough for tomorrow...have a good night!

just Monday...

 This fine morning after the pool, I came in and cleaned up the kitchen.  I never did it properly yesterday after having company.  One thing I have figured out is that if I stand in there cleaning up, then I miss everything, and next thing I know they're packing up to go, and I spent all that time doing what I could do later.  Don't get me wrong, they help me sometimes but they are pretty busy with little ones when they're here.  

So then I spent some time with Charlotte Claire and Camille...Cam has a fever and isn't feeling well.  Char and I decided to go out and about, because we needed some groceries and a gift for Abigail's wedding shower, which is coming up this Saturday, in Delaware.  

We went to Target, got a few gifts and some shampoo and cleaning products, and a bag of Cadbury eggs.  Then to Aldi for chicken and hot sausage and salad mix, milk and cold brew and cream. 

I was super thankful that Char was doing the driving...my knee was a-killin' me.  Getting back into the car is a challenge, I have to physically, with my hands, bend the knee to get the leg in.  Then I sit there grimacing in pain.  Oh ho it hurts. 

Home...ahh, home.  Cam was awake and lying on the couch, so we watched an episode of a show, then I drove Char to a music practice.  She is hopefully getting her driver's license soon...

So Cam is sleeping, Paul is working on the house across from Sam's and here I am...in the quiet.  I just perused through some blogs, and a lot of us older ladies are in the same boat:  remembering with fondness the past, when our kids delighted in Easter baskets and egg hunts.  It goes by too fast. 

Okay...Miss Char is home now, and Paul is home, so off I go to talk to them...have a good night!

just some plans...

 This day went by so fast!  We had an Easter dinner at church, with Emily at the helm.  Evelyn decorated, with Annetta, and Paul helped in the kitchen too.  Nate was in there making some really good chicken, there was ham and rolls, and roasted Brussel sprouts and cauliflower, mashed potatoes with chopped green onion, and plenty of desserts.  We had an egg hunt for the kids, and then it was time to say goodbye to our friends and head home...

Margaret and Adrian came over with their kids, Kathryn and Darius and their kids, and Sam and Grace and their kids...the boys played in the woods all afternoon, and the little girls dressed up as princesses while the toddlers toddled and got in to things and were super cute.

We had hot sausages and hot dogs, tater tots and fries, chips and dip and carrots and celery.  The kids got to pick a bunny from my huge Easter basket, and a few other things too.

Cousins Blythe and Maeve

Ben and Ashley and Anya, Elise and Declan

Paul holding little Ellis

Jamie Jack

Maeve

Baby B

No pictures of the boys, or the girls dressed in their princess dresses...it all goes by too fast!

This week, we will be going to funeral services for our dear friend Keith who joined Jesus in heaven last week.  Then on the weekend, down to Delaware to Abigail's bridal shower.  The next weekend I'm going on a getaway with my sister and a few of our friends, then in a few weeks it will be Evelyn's wedding.  In the mean time, we're working on that house, and I'm trying to get in shape for surgery.  You know, lose fifty pounds, gain some muscle...ha.  You never know!

Around here, we have a few plans:  new butcher block countertops and bead board backsplash...but, we'll see.  We also are considering some air conditioning...I like open windows, but we want to have it for when it's REALLY hot.  We tend to talk about things for a while first. 

We need to wash the front of the house again, it faces north, so it gets a little mossy.    It really shows up on a white house.  We have to get the bleachy water with some Dawn power wash, and hose it off.  There's all the usual yard work, and the deck needs attention....we just recoated it last year, but it looks like it could use another coat.  There's the pool to uncover and get ready, and the camper.  (The camper!  I love it, I miss it, I can't wait to see it!) (Maybe I'll get the cushions covered and the inside painted and the nice tile backsplash put in...probably not though...)

Ah well.  It's quiet here tonight, although Cam is here on the couch, and I can hear Char unpacking and belting out a tune.  Paul is here too, and the pups...Jon is due back from his wedding/honeymoon tomorrow, but not here.    It hasn't really sunk in!  He isn't coming home.  He is married.  wow.

I'll be honest, candy-itis snuck up on me today.  I was good all day, then at some point, a few little Cadbury chocolate eggs happened...then a Robin's egg, the malted kind, which are decadent, happened, then a few more...then I stopped.    Oh, I also had a piece of Mariel's homemade carrot cake today.  Oh well.  Tomorrow is another day.  

(The trouble with candy is that it's delicious.  It's sneaky, because it is small, and you can eat like ten of something, and it doesn't seem like a lot, but it's so calorie dense it's not funny!  It gives such a dopamine hit!  Why does it have to be so good?!)

Ah well.  I'm certainly tired enough, it was a good day!  Tomorrow the pool...then, who knows?  Have a good evening! 

the fun part!

 

Only five of my daughters were able to make it yesterday...and I didn't get one good pic of Emily, but she was there!

Keuka Lake...

Miss Molly Rose, Suzanne Eleanor, and Evelyn Joy

Me with Ev

Kathryn and baby Ellis..

I actually managed to do one tasting, Evelyn has a membership there so tastings are free.  Shh, I passed the glass over to Suzanne, but I did get to sample some really nice wines.  The guy pouring kept asking questions, it's their job to be social, but he also seemed very curious.  He found out the girls were all sisters, he asked if they were all bridesmaids...no.  Evelyn said she couldn't have all her sisters, or she would have ten bridesmaids!  Of course at this point, the guy had a million questions...and there was some silliness, with Molly starting in with her Pride and Prejudice nonsense.  (Evelyn is in the middle of the five-girls-in-a-row, so she's having the other four as bridesmaids: Margaret, Kathryn, Suzanne, Sonja)

There is nothing in this world like spending time with your grown kids.  They have no idea how much it blesses.  Looking forward to Evelyn's wedding, and having all the kids there, it's just incredible.  

I got up bright and early this fine Easter morning, let two Labradors outside.  Miss Suri may be wobbly in body, but she's spunky in spirit.  She cannot get enough of the pats on the head, and rub her ears, she'll swoon.  She wags her whole entire body, she loves me so much.  

The days of filling sixteen baskets have gone with the wind.  The smaller bowl has Char and Cam's loot, the big wood bin is for the older kids and grandkids when they come to visit...

Have a really nice, day, Happy Easter!

well, what fun!

 So yesterday morning, I went to the pool.  The water was wonderful, and it feels good to be able to move!   Home, made a pan of brownies for Sunday (with chopped chocolate and peanut butter cup on top), did some laundry, sat in my comfy chair, then...up to work on the house across the street from Sam. 

Miss Char and Miss Cam are back from their trip, so they so nicely accompanied me.  Off we went in our painting clothes.  They got an entire room painted. I finished all the window frames upstairs, and most of the other trim up there.Then I helped Evelyn paint the cabinet doors.  

It's coming along....getting primed...

Evelyn...

We're redesigning the kitchen, and by "we" I mean Evelyn and Nate.  Some of the cabinets are still usable (good paint can do miracles!), but some are brand new.  A new butcher block countertop, and sink and faucet are being installed too.  

Real life renovations aren't like the tv shows.  We don't have a "crew" coming in to haul stuff away or do the sheetrock finishing.  Paul has been replacing glass panes which were shattered in a few windows, they put new sheetrock on the ceiling and have been patching up punch holes.  We work around each other, and there is stuff everywhere.  There is still sanding and painting to do, and lots of yard work, the front door and porch need some repair, but we're getting there.  It's isn't speedy or easy, but it's satisfying in it's own way.  Elbow grease.  Ha, I work like this:  stand and reach what I can on a window frame, then sit for some of it.  I alternate, so I don't have to kill my knee or lean over too much.  It's still tiring.

Nate made us dinner last night!  Oh dear, you would think you were at a restaurant having a Nashville chicken sandwich!  It was tender and juicy and with lettuce and tomato and pickles, and sweet potato fries, so good!  

This fine rainy day, is Evelyn's bachlorette party!  I get to go as a driver:).  I love spending time with my daughters, raining or now.  We are going to a few wineries, the Finger Lakes region has plenty, and they're beautiful.  Keuka Lake is gorgeous.  We're going to dinner later too, so it'll be a whole day of fun.  

If you ever want to experience ultimate coziness, come to my living room when it's raining out.  The roof is metal so the rain really drums down on it, and today it is very dark and dreary, and oh if I had a good book and a stack of cookies...well, I don't really want a stack of cookies...but it's super nice in here right now.  I do love a nice rainy day.  Going to wineries in the sunshine would be nicer, but since we can't choose, it'll be fine.  You all have a really nice day!

bad and bad....

...I just want to chime in here and say this:  my knees are bad.  What?!  You're tired of hearing about my knees?

I went to the tractor/agricultural museum with some of the kids and grandkids today.  That place is amazing, and today there was an Easter egg hunt!  

Baby B, Miss Blythe, aka Ms. Blythington...anyone else have tons of nicknames in their families?

Ellis

Wulf

Some of the cookies I made with the Handle The Heat recipe for sugar cookies...I flipped them over on the cookie sheet because the bottoms looked done and the tops didn't.  Some I added Reese's Pieces to, and a few chocolate chips.  I broke a piece off and: divine.  I made these this morning before going out the door.

The museum was so much fun, but I had to find places to sit down.  I've been there before, and there are plenty of benches placed throughout, which is perfect.  (Once I've walked/stood too much, sitting down is extremely painful.  The knees don't want to bend, and when I insist, they scream at me.)  Stores should have benches too.  Walmart used to have them at the pharmacy, and at the deli counter, and in the back.  I remember my mother sitting down a few times while we Walmarted.  

Home...a rainy day...toys scattered around, Sunny resting peacefully...

Four year old Tenny is adorable, he was delighted to hold his baby cousin Ellis.

That's me in my comfy chair, with Tennyson, Achilles, Blythe, and Rhys.

I made burgers for dinner.  I mixed up some minced onions, onion powder, garlic, salt and pepper, and sprinkled it on.  The iron frying pan had to do, because I wasn't about to grill in the rain today.  I made fries and onion rings in the air fryer, and also cooked up five hot dogs.  The kids ate really well, it was a good dinner.  I scarfed mine down really fast so I could hold baby Ellis so Kathryn could eat.  She was already ringmaster of the three ring circus of the other kids, ha, it was the least I could do.  

Oscar was here for dinner too, the kids love their Uncle Oscar.  It was chaotic at times, sometimes a bit loud, but it went by too fast and now the house is quiet again.  

Paul and I cleaned up and washed the dishes, wiped down the table and counters, he washed up the stove top, and ahhh, into my comfy chair.  Tomorrow I'm going to the pool, then having my friend Annetta over for a few hours while her car gets fixed in the shop down the road...sounds blissful.  

You all have a good night!

happiness, sadness, and decisions...

Happiness first!  Congratulations to Jonathan and Rosi, Mr. and Mrs. W!  They got married on the beach in Miami!

Her dress is perfect, and looks lovely on the beach...

They are so happy!  So young and in love and hopeful.  My little boy, all grown up!  And Rosi, so radiant!

(can I just mention, because it is my blog, that this is a wonderful occasion, and also a sad one for mama?  Sad, in that he's moving on.  His room is half cleared out, and he'll get the rest of his things squared away, but he doesn't live here anymore.  It's the goal, isn't it?  To raise them up to stand on their own two feet?  Then to cry about it?  Because you want them to stay little?  :) )

The sadness...well, we'll try to be hopeful, won't we?  Miss Suri Dum-Dum, aka Tubby Tubster, had surgery today for a sore that wouldn't heal.  She was on antibiotics, but it just grew and grew and got worse.  

Soft tissue sarcoma.  Yes, that is cancer.  

She's thirteen years old next month.  She is wobbly already, and now this.  If this has spread, oh my goodness, I don't even want to know.   We'll talk to the vet again when she goes in to get the sutures removed.  Right now we're not letting ourselves think the worst, but are concentrating on getting her pain pills and antibiotics down her hatch.  Paul had to carry her down the stairs to go outside.  It's SO sad.  I know she'll feel better, she just had the surgery today, but it's so hard.  

And...the decisions:  well, the insurance company gets to make the final decision whether I can have a knee replacement.  So far they have said NO, but they want more proof that I need it.  So, into the ortho dr I went today, half thinking I can still change my mind.  I got more xrays , then saw the doctor.  He came in the room and said, "Well, you had x-rays and you had really bad, awful knees.  So you came in and had another x-ray, and...you have really bad awful knees.  You got a little more radiation, and had to come back in..."  Tell me about it.  Thank you, insurance company.  

I thought maybe he was going to say that the 'nother x-ray showed my knees are fine.  Nope.  He mentioned I have the surgery scheduled for June.  I told him yes, and I am terrified.   Why?  Because, I said, 4 out of 5 people are happy with the outcome, and I really want to be one of those four.    He assured me that the percentage is more like 93-97% happy with the outcome.  He then said, "You are the perfect candidate for this procedure.  You will do fine."  (When I told him the horrid issues I had with the left knee, and how it simply wouldn't straighten, and that I wondered how on earth my good knee was going to be any help...he mentioned I could get both done at the same time.  Um.  I think I had a look of horror on my face.  He said nah, one at a time is good.  

Anyway, I thanked him for the encouragement, he set my mind at ease.  He has not pushed this procedure at all, he is very hands off, and does not like to replace body parts unless he has to. So I was really unsure if I was doing the right thing.  He said there is never a good time to do it, but summer is better because you aren't slipping on ice.  Also:  he said I could get back in the water at two weeks post op, three weeks tops.  Now THAT sounds good!  

My next project is to find some of those cake steps for the pool, so I can step in more gingerly than the old straight up ladder heave, which is a wee bit challenging on my best days.  

I know, I'm yapping on and on about it.  I'll stop. No, I won't  ha. 

I went to the pool this morning...then came home for a bit, then left again and picked up my freshly roasted coffee, my paint from Sherwin-Williams (another project is coming up one of these days!), then went in Aldi quick.  I got a cauliflower crust pizza, some burger buns, onion rings, and fries.  Then to the dr., then to Starbucks for an iced Americano, then to BJ's for burger, a bathing suit, a new shirt (clearance!),  Easter candy, heavy cream, and some barbecue sauce.  Don't you love a warehouse shopping trip, a little bit of everything?  

I called my sister on the way home, and then sat in the driveway for another half hour, we hadn't talked in a while.  Once we solved all the world's problems and laughed about some things, we could almost hang up.  I think we could talk all day long.  She's the funniest person I know.  

I took two trips in with groceries, got things put away, then called the vet and confirmed it was time to get Suri...got home from that and made scrambled eggs, maple sausages, and the caulflower pizza.  Paul left to help Emily fix her sink, so it was super quiet here.  

Tomorrow I'm going to the tractor museum, then having kids and grandkids here for dinner, hence the burger, buns, fries, onion rings.

Ah well, it was a good day.  Going out and about all by my lonesome is different.  Times are a-changing, that's for sure.  Since Jonny is a married man, we now officially have only two kids at home.  wah.    

 

a sunny Sunday in April....

 Yesterday was a rainy Saturday in April.  I headed out the door quite early, was on the road just past seven thirty, with Evelyn and Nate to visit their wedding venue.  So many huge windows looking out on the rolling hills of rural upstate New York, it's sparking clean, spacious, and there's a big warm fireplace.  

We went to Target afterward so Evelyn could see the new Kate Spade line, then to Wegmans (their brand Concord grape seltzer, so good!), then to work on the house across the street from Sam and Grace.  I painted trim and a door, for three hours.  Then home....ahh, home.  I changed out of my painting clothes, and into comfy sweatpants, and puttered around doing things while two seasoned NY strip steaks came to room temp.  Paul grilled them while I made salads, easy with the Aldi Asian salad mix for two, then added  some craisins to mine.  I don't like salad dressing, but a splash of lime juice, salt and pepper, and some olive oil, yum.  Then I peeled and sliced some apples, added in a baking dish with a jar of sugarless applesauce, then added my own sugar, mixed with brown sugar and cinnamon.  

This fine morning, I vacuumed, made brownies, did some laundry, then peeled five pounds of potatoes.  The ham and applesauce went into the ovens, and I made the fresh green beans later.  Evelyn mashed and seasoned the potatoes, and finished up the green beans, while Nate cut up the ham.  The Hawaiin rolls went into the oven for just a few minutes to get toasty, and we had a nice dinner.  Benjamin came over with Anya and Elise, Oscar was here (Sonja is in Norway with Charlotte Claire, Camille, and Margaret), Adrian came with Wulf, Tennyson, and Blythe, Darius and Kathryn came with Achilles, Rhys, Jamie, and baby Ellis.  Sam came by himself because Grace and the kids went to visit her parents.

Paul turned on the deck fireplace and brought out s'mores stuff for the kids, and Sam and Oscar played Yugio with the boys.

Sam and Ben, Elise, Jamie and Rhys, Achilles and Ten, and in the foreground, Mr. Wulf set his marshmallows aflame....I blew them out for him.

Nate with Newton, Evelyn with Blythe, Darius with baby Ellis

Sunny and Newton

Emily, Jamie, Anya, Wulf, then Evelyn across

Kathryn with Ellis, and Elise

Elise, Anya holding cousin Blythe

Tennyson with deer jaws, but he didn't have it in his mouth, it just looks that way.

It was sunny today, but chilly.  It's nice for the kids to be able to be outside.  The day went by way too fast, before we knew it, it was Break-Down O'clock, and families were packing up and leaving.  I picked up some toys, put the tables back, and phew, sat down with Paul and picked out some things for the house we are fixing up.  

We have some plans for here too, the bathroom we are going to fix up, and the kitchen countertops!  We have a backsplash planned too.  Not imminent, but at some point in the future.  We already have the sinks/countertop for the main bathroom, and the vanity, and the flooring...just need to get faucets, and start the work.  

Anyway.   Tomorrow morning Suri has to be at the vet bright and early for her surgery.  She has a really bad sore on her hip, we took her in for it a few weeks ago and got a long course of antibiotics, with advice to call if it didn't heal up, to schedue a surgery...well, it didn't heal up, so that's what's happening.  She got in early because of a cancellation.  She's turning 13 next month, for a Labrador, that's old...so I hope she does okay.

So tomorrow I'm going to the pool, then to pick up some fresh locally roasted coffee, then to pick up a quart of paint (I get nary a dime for saying that I love Sherwin-Williams paint, especially the Urethane Trim Enamel in satin finish.  We painted the coffee table and cabinets in it, then the table in the kitchen with the baskets under it, then the end tables in the green...so I bought another quart in white for when we do the backsplash, we're doing beadboard, and putting in butcher block countertops.  I don't hate our blue countertops, I love the wood trim, but they're old, and laminate, and well....

Anyway, after I do my errands, I have a dr. appointment because my insurance company denied coverage of the total knee replacement.  They want further documentation of medical necessity.  Apparently End Stage, advanced osteoarthritis with pain isn't enough, they want another x-ray.  So I get to pay for that, and have a little extra radiation because the AI program for the insurance deems it necessary.  

I'm having second thoughts anyway, so maybe they'll be firm in their decision.  Aye say, she can still walk, can she not?  (in their finest British accent...). And that will be that.

The week is shaping up to be a busy one.  On Tuesday I'm going to the Tractor Museum with some of the grandkids, then having some here for dinner.  I'm hoping to do some fun things with a few other grandkids on Thursday, then the girls will be home from Norway at the end of the week.  Easter is coming up,  a lot of busy stuff with that too. 

We had a good friend pass away early this morning.  Our kids grew up with their kids, and Benjamin stopped in to visit them and to give his friend a big hug this morning.  He told us they are extremely thankful their dad/husband has passed on to be with Jesus, and there's nothing sad about it, except for how much they will miss him.  It's a good perspective, and we will miss Keith dearly, but he has finished his race, and has entered into rest.  

It's sobering to think about, but each one of us will be standing before God one of these days, and it's up to us how that will go.  We will reap what we sow, and if we spend our lives judging others, we will be judged too.  I can't do anything about what I've done in my past except pray for forgiveness, but the future is a blank and hopeful slate.  I can choose to do the good and be patient and listen and be faithful to that still small voice, that nudges me and reminds me and rebukes me.  I can say NO when I'm tempted to judge someone, I certainly can.  God gives grace to the humble, I've experienced that.  He wants us to live a rich and happy life.  

I have experienced this, that oil of gladness...what could be better?  I hate my sin, hate how I want to get back at someone, or have bitter thoughts, or complain about my lot in life...all that wickedness....and that gladness comes.  It's a good life, God is good, and I am very thankful.  

And...it's late, I'm tired, plenty tired enough.  We used real dishes today and Evelyn and Nate cleaned up, washed up all those plates.  I had hardly anything to clean up, but it was still quite a day.  The kind of day you think about and say, "That was a really good day."    You have a good night, and a happy Monday.