the middle of the week....

 ...and it is so rainy and cozy.  I went to the pool this fine morning, then out to brekky with the swim class.  The little diner in town does a really nice job, home made bread...yeah, I had the raisin toast, with scrambled eggs and crispy hash browns.  Their coffee is top notch, and I ask for a bit of heavy cream to put in it, this time the waitress brought it over without me even asking!  They will be closing soon for the winter, and going to Florida with their food truck.  

We had a nice time over our coffee though.  A few of the ladies are quite old, one had fallen and really scraped up her legs so she wasn't able to go to class, but made it to breakfast.  They are all really nice, we get along just fine.  I've learned a few things along the way of life, and try to put them into practice:  I don't have to be right.  I don't have to get the last word, or even any word, of every conversation.  Sometimes it's nice to just listen.  I don't have to agree with everyone, or anyone, but I also don't have to say anything.  (if they all want to sing the praises of the Covid vaccine, let them!  Also, I don't care who you want for president, or whom you dislike, we can still be friends!).     

Tomorrow night, I am going out to dinner with some of my closest friends in the world, my sister's girls.  It's her birthday, and she's in heaven now, but we still want to get together and remember her.  Last year we took her out to lunch, not realizing it would be the last time.  

This fine morning, after breakfast, I came home and cleaned out some more things.  We don't need a toaster anymore as we toast our bread in the air fryer.  We never use our little coffee maker anymore as we have the espresso machine and some pour-overs.  There are pans and decorations and odds and ends that have been sitting on shelves...we simply don't need.  So two more bags are filled for tomorrow's thrift store drop off!

I do want to go through the cupboards again, but I don't think that will be next. Maybe my closet and dresser....hmmm.  

When I was finishing up weeding things out, Sonja called and was going to Aldi with Kaia, did I want to come?  Of course!  I didn't need anything because I was there yesterday, but I got to push the cart with Kaia in it, and show her all the stuff in the store...the scary mirror, which she thought was funny, a big skeleton sitting at one of the empty registers, which she also thought was funny...she's afraid of balloons, but likes skeletons:). 

Home again...I cut up chicken this morning, and Camille made the peanut chicken marinade, so we'll be having that for dinner, mmm.  

To all of my Florida friends:  sometimes I really envy your warmth and sunshine, but there is NOTHING like a New York autumn.  The dark rainy days, the crispness in the air, the leaves are starting to turn...right now it is absolutely lovely.  

You all have a really good afternoon!

thank you!

 I am very thankful for you all, and your prayers!  I am heading to Delaware this Friday to spend the weekend with Ab, we have big plans to do nothing but relax.  

This fine morning, I decided to clean the nice Weber grill I bought from Marketplace in the spring.  The grates and the metal tent things that go over the propane lines, I washed in the sink.  (It was a very messy job!).  Then I put a huge bowl lined with a trash bag on the shelf under and scraped all the debris down the center hole into there.  It was also a messy job.  Then Dawn Power Wash, some scrubbing with a big bowl of hot water, and it's much better.  I wiped it down on the outside, shined it all up, and it won't get that bad again. ha.

I've been sticking to my vow to bring at least a bag to donate every time Cam has class and we drive to the small city.  (ha, she's only been to two classes, but that's four bags out of the house!). Today, I have three.  Clothes I never wore this summer, and a whole bag of towels and dishcloths.  (I think the thrift stores can donate the cloth and get money for it...).  

I straightened shelves in the laundry room, did a load of random items, and vacuumed the living room.  I am sitting here in my comfy chair for a few minutes before I have to go get dressed and leave for Cam's class.  I will go to Aldi, I think.  Cam and I made a little meal plan, which includes that heavenly peanut chicken and her curry chicken.  

Yesterday, I puttered around and made a double batch of brownies.  Kathryn and Darius came over with Achilles, Rhys, Jamison, and Ellis.  (Ellis is just adorable, he's 18 months, he walks around and loves pushing a toy shopping cart or doll stroller, he comes over to me to sit with me, and grabs his nose, because he knows I ask him where it is.  He cuddles and endures a few songs and some this little piggy, then he scrambles down and gets busy again.  

Sam and Grace came with Grant, Ruth, Maeve, and baby Samantha, who is scooting all over on her tummy.  She isn't quite crawling yet, but she gets where she wants to.  

Mariel came over too, she brought a big bowl of fresh cut fruit.  I grilled burgers, hot sausage, and hot dogs, and put two big pans of fries in the oven.  Have I ever mentioned how thankful I am for paper plates?  Not the traditional white soggy ones, the better ones, which somehow I always have.  

Ah well.  I need to move it move it.  It's non negotiable to get out the door on time, she has to be on time for anatomy and physiology.  So off I go.  And again, thank you for all the love and good thoughts and prayers for Abigail and Derek and baby girl....(I see Ab sitting there rubbing her tummy as baby kicks and somersaults, and my soul!  I plead with God.  Deep in my heart, I know that He causes all things to work together for our good, and sends things for our very best, and that is comforting....). You all have a really good day, enjoy it and do all the good you can!

promises, promises...and some challenging things...

You know, I am working on getting pictures back on the blog.  Well, every time I sit down and write, I think, oh yeah, I need to ask Margaret how to get photos on here again!  I have googled and asked AI, but have gotten lost in the process of trying.  So you'll just have to bear with the writing, and use your imagination!

This fine day, this wonderful day, I had no plans.  The girls were gone for most of the day, and Paul was busy installing a new water softener.  Our water was shut off for a while, so I decided to stay out of the kitchen, I mean, who wants to bake when there's no water?  

I washed some windows and cleaned up the deck.  I bagged up some clothes I never wore this summer, to donate.  My rule:  at the end of the season, if I haven't worn something, it goes.  But sometimes, if I really like it, I'll give it a second chance.  :). I have so many clothes, but never ever anything to wear.  harrumph.

I vacuumed the floors and sorted various things, put autumn-y covers on the counter stool cushions.  Then Sonja and Oscar came over with Kaia.  Oscar had school work to do, as did Char and Cam when they came home.  Kaia likes wandering around and seeing if she can spill my seltzer or escape to the deck.  Orange Guy jumped on her, begging for food I think, because she was near the closet...he gave her a few scratches, and I was so mad at him.  (they weren't bleeding, and he wasn't attacking, he was just trying to get her attention, not realizing she is just one year old and isn't going to open the closet and scoop out cat food).  

Paul was going to make some smash burgers, and didn't have any cheese slices, so I drove to town in his new truck and got some, along with some burger buns.  Paul browns them up on the Blackstone, mmm, but I skipped one this time, have to watch those carbs.  Because, after dinner we went to get ice cream!

Our regular place was closed, so we drove to the new Byrne Dairy, and wow were we disappointed!  The ice creams were TINY!  They looked like little baby cones!  It was good, and I actually think it was enough for me, but still.  We won't be doing that again.  We did have fun though, with our two girls still at home in the back seat.  I think both Paul and I know that these little outings are numbered, with the girls being almost 19, and 20.  

The weather is absolutely glorious!  It's 58 degrees tonight, with sunny skies and 75 degrees forecast for tomorrow.  Beautiful sleeping weather!  It would be a wonderful night for a fire in the propane fire pit on the deck tonight, but alas, the girls are doing school work...

So there is a challenging situation I've been wanting to write about, but as with all trials my grown children experience, I'm not always sure what's my story to tell.  But here it is.  Abigail (our second oldest) and Derek are having their first baby this month, which is a joy and blessing.   Baby girl has some issues though.  She has skeletal dysplasia, which means her bones are not growing properly.  The concern is that her ribs are very small, making it hard for the lungs to develop.  It isn't clear if she has enough lung growth to breath on her own or survive outside the womb.  She is coming to join us in this world in a few weeks, and I plan to be there in Delaware, when she's born.  

We're not sure what to expect, but the God of miracles does have us in His hands, and not a sparrow falls without Him knowing.  I am praying for that baby girl to be born and be able to breathe.  But I don't know the big picture, and God does.  I pray for clarity for Ab and Derek, that they have wisdom and peace about whatever decisions they have to make.  I pray for strength for us to be able to bear whatever comes with this birth.  

I'll be heading down to Delaware this coming weekend to spend time with Abigail, then the next weekend for her baby shower, then I'll stay there until the birth.  Keep them in your prayers, please.  

I'll end here for tonight...you all have a good night.  :)

birthdays and boys and noise, oh my!

Well, we had a par-tay here yesterday!  Tennyson turned six years old.  He had 2 siblings, 8 cousins and four friends here, and it was wild.  The boys did go outside (water balloons!) (the woods!) (the swingset!) intermittently, but when they were in here, the volume was...what?  I cannot hear you?!  The little girls were loud too, but they had princess dresses on.  There weren't enough princess shoes though, so there were some fights.  

Margaret made the cake and cupcakes, and brought the decorations. I made pulled pork, peeled potatoes, and made mashies, as T. wanted them with his corndogs and fries.  The airfryer was humming as I made mini corn dogs, regular ones, fries, and chicken tenders.  Margaret decorated and set out plates, got out chips and dips and veggies, ect.  They ate, they watched as Tenny ripped open the gifts, so excited!  They had cake, and they ran around.

It was over too soon, and tired mamas herded tired children who did NOT want to leave, out the door.  Grandma here was sad when it was over, but, phew, the comfy chair with the feet up, yes mam.

It did take the better part of today to bring order back to the house, but I did do lots of laundry too.  There were still some camping blankets, and a pipe leak in the bathroom caused a load of towels.  (it's fixed, Paul is good at that!)

The crock pot soaked overnight, and is now all clean, the sink is empty, the floors cleaned and mopped.  I am leaving in a few minutes to go with Mariel to watch Boo Boo, which is what we have taken to call Miss Kaia Jean.  

I finished my book today too, The Daughters of Mars...it was heavy stuff, not a fluff book.  

The sun is shining but I have not been outside except for to hang up a comforter and bring in some dry stuff.  I have to bring Mr. Winnie out before I go with Mariel, he's a huge-0 Labrador, but very gentle (unless he finds a corn dog in the wrapping paper bag, don't try to take it from him!)

Ah well, have a really nice Saturday evening!

 

oooh stormy weather!

I love a dark and stormy day.  When the rain clears up and the sun comes out, ugh, no, go away!  This fine morning, it started to storm during our swim class.  The lightening bolts, the thunder, it got really dark out.  It was absolutely downpouring when I got out of the locker room, no cats or dogs, but yeah.

I got soaked.  No rain coat, or umbrella, I waited until it calmed a little, then just walked to my car.  I cannot run, nor gallop, but I did walk a bit briskly, for me.  

Home...ahh, home.  Oscar was here with little Kaia Jean.  She was here from around ten until 4:30, with no nap!  She didn't want to go to sleep, but she wasn't even fussy, she did well!  Oscar went to his class, Sonja was at work.  Kathryn came over with her kids, and we had a fun busy day.  I made some scrambled eggs and fed them to Kaia and Ellis, Jamie just wanted the sausages.  

This evening, I am tired enough. I don't know how I used to do it.  The kids are wonderful, and I enjoy the heck out of them, but the worn out grandparent idea is a real thing.  :). Dinner:  I made some taco meat, opened some black olives, and called it taco salad.  (We do have some wonderful thin tortilla chips...mmm).  

Another storm is coming through, with a tornado watch.  The thunder is booming in the distance, and Winnie doesn't like it.  (Suzanne and Zech are going on vacay, so we have their black Lab for a five day sleepover.  He is a bit nervous, probably the storm).

And, now it is Thursday, and I'm getting used to September.  Sometimes months blur by, and by the time I'm like oh, I love August!, it's over!  

I have some small goals.  On Tuesdays and Thursdays, Cam and I set out for the small city for her college classes, so I want to drop off at least one bag at the thrift store each time.  Today I have my eye on sorting through some toys...you know, all those little bits and pieces and things no one plays with...

Ah well...I need to vacuum in here this fine morning too, with an additional Labrador, you can well imagine the doggy fur that floats underfoot....:). Have a good day!

settling in at home...

...after my shopping trip with Miss Kaia Jean and her mama.  We went to Hobby Lobby, which was really fun, because Sonja actually likes going there, so we didn't have to hurry through.  Although, one-year-olds are rather ticking time bombs. Kaia did NOT like the Christmas trees!  We thought she would, but she seemed scared of them!  She did like the stuffed animals, so her mama got her one.  

I bought a few little autumn espresso mugs, and some candles for Tennyson's birthday, we're having a party here for him on Friday.  We went to Target, I didn't get much...some half priced teriyaki steak for a stir fry (it was really good, I added frozen peppers and onions, then made some cauliflower stir fried rice).  (Camille made homemade tomato soup:  she roasted the tomatoes with garlic and onions, put it all in the food processor, added heavy cream, simmered....it was SO good!).

I've been plugging away at the bedding from the camper.  I took a few blankets from a bag and it left a pile of sand on the floor!  So I vacuumed the living room and the kitchen.  Exciting stuff, eh?

Here it is September 1st, and autumn is invading my house!  I lugged up bags, Cam carried up a few bins, and I sorted through all the fall decor, and have two big bags to donate.  Less is more, right?  Wow, writing this down makes it seem so easy...but it's taken half the day.  I had to put the throw pillows in the dryer with softener sheets to get the dust out, and wash all the throw blankets and seasonal hand towels.  I put flowers in vases, and of course had to pack away all the pretty pink summery stuff...wah.  I just remembered as I typed this that there is another whole box down there I forgot to bring up...oops.  

Anyway.  Camille started year two of college, she drove to class, then I went to Marshall's, after getting an Americano with one pump of pumpkin spice.  I found one sweet thing for baby Bridget, some shampoo and conditioner for me, one package of yummy looking cookies, and some body spray for the girls.  I picked up Cam, we dropped off two huge bags to the thrift store, then "ran" into Aldi.  One package of Waygu beef for 50% off, a basket that fits nicely under the table I redid, one of those little cinnamon brooms (they smell so good, only $1.99 at Aldi!), one big package of Oreos for one grandson who is having a birthday soon, one Roma tomato for the pizza Cam is making tonight (18 cents), and a package of arugula.

Tomorrow Miss Kaia Jean will be here for a few hours as her mama will be at work, and daddy is starting college.  I think Kathryn might come visit with Achilles, Rhys, Jamie, and Ellis.  I do not have time to get bored, do I?

You all have a really nice evening...:) 

here I am again...back from the beach!

 Oh, it's hard to wake up on the last day of camping and know you have to move it and pack it all up to go home.  If it were up to me, we would take it more leisurely, but Mr. Paul, well, he likes to get on home.  It didn't help that yesterday morning it was spitting rain, threatening a downpour.  We had Wulf and Tennyson in our camper with us (their mama and daddy were in their tent with little Blythe).   

I like to wake up on a camping morning, and have my coffee in bed, if Paul makes me one, and he always will.  My camping bed:  I have the whole foam mattress pad folded in half on my side because he doesn't like a squishy bed.  I bring nice crisp white sheets, and a duvet with a wonderful cotton cover.  Even if I get out of bed and have my coffee, I do enjoy it way more than anyplace else.  This campsite we had was right on the water, right in view of Lake America:).   

Being able to slip on the swimsuit and walk over for a swim anytime:  luxury.  I am SO thankful for state parks!  It's so affordable, so glad the land was sold to the state, it was set aside for regular people to enjoy.  We like to drive around and gawk at the rich people's houses and camps, in Henderson Harbor, for example.  Even forty or fifty years ago, regular people could have a camp there, but the taxes!  Around the Finger Lakes it's the same thing...rich people buy it all up.  So yay for the state parks!  (and don't get me started on the town boards across the country making it illegal for people to Airbnb their properties, trying to keep the riff raff out!  For some of us, it's a way to experience and area we wouldn't otherwise be able to!). Anyway.

I'm reading a book, The Daughters of Mars, by Thomas Keneally (he wrote Schindler's List), about Australian sisters in World War One, who were nurses...Emily read it first and let me borrow it, there's nothing like reading a good book and having someone to talk to about it.  So when we had rainy weather camping, I couldn't be happier, sitting on my comfy bed with my book.

Now we're home, the washing machine is humming.  All of our bedding is in from the camper for the season, taking turns going through.  Then a certain yellow Lab decided to nap on our bed while I was at the pool this morning, and she piddled!  So my big nice comforter and sheets:  into the washing machine, it got ahead of the other loads, skipped the line.  The bedroom door is closed now, bad doggie.  :)

The pool was wonderful.  We're scrambling now for a class leader, now that Rich is gone.  Three of us are going to take turns, and I don't want a turn, but no one else wants to do it.  I know I'll get yakking and lose track, so I'll have to issue a disclaimer, and ask for help to keep on track.  As long as we're moving, it's all good, but it is nice to do all the different exercises.  

Camille and I looked at house plans last evening...trying to plan our little in-law house, if it actually happens.  The thought of selling this huge place pains me, it's home, and I've had so many dreams through the years of moving away, and missing this house.  I do feel comfortable and at home in Emily's house, so I think living in their back yard will be warm and homey, but it'll still be hard.  

It's cool and rainy today, very cozy and seriously autumn-like, it was only 67 when I got in my car after the pool.  Of course I didn't bring a rain coat, and got soaked, turned the heat on!  

My plan is to get the house cleaned out little by little.  Then, whatever we decide to do, at least that will be done.  It's easier to plan than to actually do, but I saw a video of someone doing a clean out, and they used dark trash bags for donations, and light ones for garbage, I thought that was a great idea.  

We have SO many books in this house.  I grew up with:  books are sacred, to be revered, and treated with respect.  I have come to understand that we do not have to own all the books.  There are libraries.  I will ask the kids to come and take whatever books they want, as they are the ones who owned most of them, but the rest will be donated to the thrift stores.  Children's books are different, it's nice to have a lot of really good ones.  

I am more of a buyer than a seller, on Marketplace, so ha, I have too much stuff.  It's not like hoarding or anything, but there are a lot of toys that I've held on to because:  I love toys.  I got rid of all the Fisher Price Little People sets, but still have the Loving Family dollhouses and bins of dollhouse stuff.  We have Waffleblocks, and toy strollers and shopping carts, and Legos and Duplos and race car tracks and Barbie bins....ride ons and trucks and tractors...the toy kitchen and all the stuff with that...I will be going through it and downsizing it all. 

My plan for holiday decorations:  when I put the summer stuff away and bring out the autumn stuff, I'll get rid of some of it...then same with the autumn...Christmas stuff I need to be radical with, there is too much of it.  

Baby stuff:  I have an Emmaljunga carriage, an Emmaljunga double stroller, a high chair (which I'm always pushing, can't wrap my head around not using it when feeding a busy crawler or new toddler!), booster seats, walker, baby seat, plug in cradle bed, pack and play...it's all useful for when the grandkids need it, and I won't hurry to downsize those things, but there might come a time...

Less is more.  Too bad whenever I get rid of things, next thing I know I need them.  :)

Also too bad I like to go shopping.  

Today, for example, I was trying really hard to psyche myself out to clean out the laundry room.  I'm thinking to go room by room and get rid of stuff.  Well, good thing for me, saved by the bell, Sonja texted and asked if I want to do anything.  Yes, I'll do anything!  :). 

I love organization, I adore it, admire it, long for it.  I clean things out and love it, but I can't seem to keep it organized.  Good thing I never give up trying, I will always vow it's gonna stay nice like this forever!  If it weren't for that very likely false optimism, what kind of gosh-forsaken heck hole (Marge Simpson) would I be living in?  

So my washer and dryer are humming, the sink is cleared of dishes, I have puttered and here I am in my chair, waiting to decide what to do with Sonja and little Miss Kaia....you all have a good day!