....doesn't EVERYONE?

 ...have their end tables on their coffee table on a Friday night?  

It all started the other day when Sonja decided to repaint the top of a table in her room...I started looking critically at my end tables....so out came the chalk paint this fine afternoon.  These tables are old, like me.  I bought them when I was a senior in high school, with my babysitting money.  By the time we were married, we also had classic 80's floral couch and loveseat, bought on payment plan, with babysitting money...all paid off by the time I graduated.  Yup, always me with the lofty goals.

The tables are pine, and were stained and polyurethaned, for years.  Then I discovered chalk paint.  They're gray for a while, but I like them white better.  They were getting stained, dingy, and needed refreshing...I was only going to do the tops, but...why not do the whole things?  They need a coat of varnish or wax when they dry all the way.

I decided in for a penny, in for a pound, may as well paint the lamps.

This is a "before". I found the pair of lamps a few years ago, wood and unfinished, brand new, at the thrift store for just a few dollars.  I haven't liked the gray chalk paint look for a while now...so I opened up the black chalk paint, and, oh no!  It was solidified.  So I cracked open the Sherwin Williams Urbane bronze in satin finish.  

Propped up on cans of crushed tomatoes, classy all the way.  They need another coat, but I like them.

Chocolate covered strawberries!  The chocolate has a few of the after-Christmas discounted chocolate Santas I bought for 32 cents each from Aldi, along with some white almond bark.   I did sample, and oh dear, yum.  

I went to the pool this morning, in the snow, and it was lovely.  I realized that my left hip hasn't been acting up at night the last few nights, hopefully the swimming is helping.  Sometimes just getting the blood moving, the muscles moving...it feels fantastic to go.

My son Joseph lives in a little house in town, with his wife, Bethany, their two pups, and their kitty cat.  I stopped to visit him after the pool, and it was downright wonderful to just sit and talk to him.  I brought him some cherries, a few strawberries, an orange, some Reeses' hearts, and a bag of pistachios.    

Charlotte Claire is on school break!  Yay!  Sonja isn't though.  Not sure what fun things we'll do. It's certainly not like the old days, when like ten kids were on school break!  But it's still Char's break, and we'll do some fun things.

Ah well, time to put that final coat on these tables....

Edited to say:  I don't publish anonymous comments, unless I know who you are, like my sister, ha.  So just leave a name!  

not taking it for granted...

 ...Pool this morning, then home in the 65 degree sunshiny day, to clean the car.  Perfect weather for it.  Then, I mopped the floors in here, straightened a bit, then sat in the comfy chair for just a little while...then picked  Charlotte Claire up from school, and dentist.  Then, grocery store for:

What?!  It was $2.49 a pound!  I also got some chicken, fresh Italian bread, some muffins for the girls, a jar of peanut butter, some coffee and tea, a huge package of paper towels that used to cost 12 bucks, for $17.99.  I did buy some half price chocolate, and a box of sugar free frozen fudge bars.  

Then home...I cut up the chicken, half into little strips for dinner, cooked them up in a frying pan in olive oil, salt and pepper, garlic powder, onion powder.  I cut the rest into little chunks and froze it in lime juice ,salt and pepper. Camille cooked a pound of linguine, and made homemade alfredo sauce.  I made some cauliflower rice.   It was a good yummy dinner.

It's good to be back in the routine of going to the pool again.  Of course it's not too terribly difficult to get out the door on a February morning when the sun is shining and there's no ice to slip on.  We'll see how I do when winter comes back for a visit.  

When thinking of a title for this post, just another day popped into my head, but it wasn't JUST another day, it was a fabulous day.  I got to go into the waiting room with the girls for their dentist appointment, instead of waiting in the car and having them go in individually, talking to the receptionist on the phone, because Covid was extra spooky in dentist's offices.  (I saw the receptionist in the store during all that, and we chatted...). It was fabulous because Charlotte drove and did well.  Camille finished writing her novel and is looking into editing/publishing it.  Sonja is in the homestretch of nursing school, Kathryn is having a baby in just a few weeks, and so on.  

Anyway.  I'm tired enough tonight.  Have a good evening. 

happy and sappy...

 

Margaret made these cookies...

I love everything about cut-out cookies.  Open the tin, take a whiff, mmm, that bakery smell, and they look so lovely.  I don't eat them anymore, but I do admire them.

Last night was one of those hollowed-out nights, the sleep totally scooped out of the middle.  I woke up around four...went to the bathroom at 5:08, which is always chancy, because of wide awake!  Somehow, I did get comfortable all over again, somehow I did fall into a deep and amazing sleep, only to discover it was 6:47, time to get the heck up and see Miss Charlotte Claire out the door!  I thought of staying in bed, but Paul gets up early anyway, and it would just wake me up, then he starts work...so I got up.  My eyes are a little blurry and my brain a little fuzzy, but that's life these days.  Why oh why do I fall into such a nice sleep when it's morning?  You know what I mean, you close your eyes for one second and are in dream world again.  Char said it happened to her yesterday, she woke up, then closed her eyes and dreamed that she didn't have to brush her teeth, so she could stay in bed longer.  Her own brain, lying to her ha.

Anyway.  I'm up.  I washed up some dishes and did some tidying up, but here I am in my comfy chair.  My coffee is gone, and I'm thinking of getting up and making the second cup...

Paul put a chuck roast in the smoker yesterday, oh it was good. I sliced all up, and we had it Chipotle style.  There was rice, chopped peppers, onions, tomatoes, cilantro, sliced limes, tortillas...I had mine with some crunched up lime tortilla chips, I don't like eating those but they're SO good. 

 I had picked Char up from school, with Camille, and we went to the library, as Char wanted to get The Lord of the Rings.  She's turning into a reader.  I got a few books, I don't like to read too much of the inside cover and ruin the experience.  If I start reading it, and it's word vomit, I'll just put it aside.  There have been books I've plodded through, just to see what happens, and what a waste of time.  

The girls and I started watching "The Last of Us", just the first two episodes.  I watch it and despise the government for being so controlling, it's not much of a stretch.  

oops.  What can I say? I wasn't paying attention.  Sometimes I really shake up the cream, and add it in the beginning so the coffee can drip into it, makes it yummy....probably makes no difference, actually.  What a mess though.  At least it's just coffee, not something stinky and yucky.  

The sun is shining today, wonderful weather for February, unless you just bought a snowmobile.  March can have some treacherous weather, but some nice days too.  I'm thinking there may not be too many terrible driving days left in the season, but who knows?  Maybe we'll get slammed.  

I'm sorry I don't have anything more exciting to write about today.  As for Valentine's Day, meh.  True love is spectacular, and I'm super thankful for Paul.  He's a good guy, he's funny and he's serious and responsible, and takes super good care of himself, and of all of us.  He's really talkative sometimes, but mostly not.   Marriage is something you tend to settle in to, it's not the tingly excitement so much as the years unfold, but the camaraderie, the respect, the good solid friendship that is so special.  Paul is true and genuine, but also...he's a guy, and guys drip coffee and don't wash frying pans very well.  :)

Anyway....have a very nice day!

sunshine and grumpy Monday...

 Not really grumpy...just the old hard-to-get-out-of-bed thingy.  The house was rather in shambles this fine sunny morning, as I was too pooped to clean it all up last night after everyone left. I made good old fashioned stove top popcorn, and the pan was sitting there, along with all the bowls.  Toys are still strewn all over, but I did sweep the floors.  The grandkids played outside yesterday, and it's muddy out there.  They were out and then in, even taking their shoes off when coming in, lots of mud found it's way in.  The dogs helped with that too.  

Anyway.  It was great fun, but greatly busy, too.  I made cupcakes on Saturday, and frosted them yesterday:

Some are mini, some are regular sized.  I made just the right amount of frosting this time, so I didn't put the leftover frosting bag in the refrigerator, thinking we would surely use it, and nope.  

We had the most excellent burgers, it was so nice out, I grilled them.  Margaret and Evelyn made sliders with bacon and blue cheese, tomatoes, onions, lettuce, cheese, a variety...I made some bigger burgers too, for bigger buns, or for me, with no bun.  We had some fries in the air fryer, too, well, not me.  

We got some sunshine, and it was awesome.  There were big plans to have all this charcuterie, and snacks, later, and no one was hungry.  Margaret brought over beautiful heart shaped frosted cookies, and Kathryn brought chocolate chip cookies.  I don't eat those things, but I had made some of my low carb peanut butter cookies, so I was happy.  Adrian went to the bakery and brought a dozen of the most beautiful donuts, which of course they cut up so they could sample them all.  

We had popcorn, and some blueberries later, and not the other snacks.  

Grandchildren:  they are precious.  They have energy, and when they come here and hang with cousins, they are loud and happy.  Grandpa runs and runs around the circle with them, it's hilarious.   When it's quiet time, he'll turn on Bugs Bunny on his phone.

 Grant, and Ruth in the front, Paul holding Rhys, and Achilles.  Wulf and Tennyson were there too, and Lydia and Ophelia had come and gone already.  

Achilles and Sonja K....Margaret made him an Anglerfish cookie.  He is rather obsessed with Anglerfish. (Aunt Sonja and Aunt Evelyn were such good aunties yesterday, taking kids out to play on the swings, and playing with them in the house...Ev brought these cute little paint sets with miniature easels, we had a whole painting/coloring table going on before we ate)

I got up this fine morning and went to my water aerobics class. It's nice to be going again.  I feel better, but   am still falling apart. If I walk gingerly so as not to aggravate one hip, that knee will be unsteady, then out of the blue, the other knee will give out a little, dang. My lower back is a symphony of complaints, have to lean over so carefully, if I twist one way or the other while leaning over, it screams.   So I keep moving, and being careful, and am thankful for my mobility, and hopeful that the aerobics will help.

Today's agenda:  finish cleaning up.  I swept and did dishes and cleaned up a little, but there's a little more to go.  I don't mind toys, I don't mind kids, I don't mind crazy, but ahh, sometimes the quiet is nice. 

Ah well....the sun is shining, I'm going outside for a bit...have a really nice day! 

reveling in it...

 Rain!  I love a good dark rainy day!  It's so cozy in here I could just dance, except for then I'd have to get up from the comfy chair.  It could be better, I could have already put the chicken stew on the hob (aren't WE British today!), smelling it's richness, I could have baked a fresh batch of those low carb peanut butter cookies, and more of the kids could be here, that always makes things even better.

Jonathan isn't feeling the greatest, hopefully it's just a quick virus, and he's back on his feet...18 years old and halfway across the world, he'll be fine...but.  

Yesterday's adventures were enjoyable...Camille has a Barnes&Noble gift card, but didn't decide on anything.  I mean, you can library for free, and if you don't like the book, don't read it.  I know authors and stores and employees have to get paid, but $18 for a paperback book?  I actually get a lot of books from the thrift store, fifty cents or a dollar, then I donate them back, so win/win, they get paid twice.  

Camille, Char, Sonja...

Sonja read this whole book to them.

We went to Aldi so I could return my beloved black electric tea kettle.  I bought it for myself for Christmas for 30 bucks, didn't save the receipt, and got a measly ten bucks back for it.  It totally stopped working yesterday, the base of it just malfunctioned and wouldn't go above 68 degrees.  I had saved our old glass kettle, so back out to the counter it went.  

Target:  we like to stop at Starbucks there, their blonde roast iced Americano with heavy cream and no sweetener.   It's pricey, but so good.   We didn't get much in Target, a package of chicken, some packages of razors that were marked from $19.99 to $5.99, some seltzer.  An Old Navy opened nearby, so we went in there.  I got matching shirts for Lydia, Anya, and Elise, for $1.49 each.  I bought Grant a new shirt, and Ruth a cute little romper thingy.  The girls found a few things too, it all came to $28.  Not too bad.

Home....Grace had already arrived here with Grant and Ruth, Samuel had class, so they were coming for dinner.  Steak, waffle fries, onion rings (in the air fryer), and broccoli spears.  

Our county is still publishing the Covid data weekly.  If you can see those numbers, five unvaccinated are hospitalized, and twenty-two vaccinated.  It's almost as if the vaccine doesn't work!  The side effects though, ugh, especially for those who were boosted, too.  The actual VAERS data is distressing, so many heart attacks and strokes, myocarditis in young people...the doctors who had really good success in early treatment, as opposed to hospitalization and remdesivir treatment (and ventilators!) were silenced and threatened with losing their medical licenses, now it's coming out that they were indeed correct.  

Yeah.  But what can you do?  Spy balloons and laptops and our silly V.P., laughing at yellow school buses and Venn diagrams, while men prance in women's locker rooms and get all the trophies.  

But here in my comfy house, with the rain falling on the metal roof, and the dogs snoring, and the second cup of coffee just as good as the first was...ahh.  I feel better for having gone to the pool yesterday.  It's hard to to go when you haven't in a awhile.  You walk out of the locker room in your big granny bathing suit/dress, all the way across the pool room to access the entrance ramp, many of the class members already there in the circle, glad to see you, you hope ha.  They are a nice group, a few new faces now, too.  

Outside of my comfort zone, once again, but I KNOW if I go regularly it won't be such mental gymnastics to get out the door.  Camille came with me, didn't love it, but didn't hate it either.  Paul said, "It'd be better if she swam laps." Um, I got her out the door to the pool and she got in and moved, and it wasn't altogether easy for her physically, not to mention being there with the old people ha.  But then Paul gets up at six and swims laps for half an hour on the days he's not going to the gym or rucking down the road with a backpack so heavy I can barely move it on the kitchen floor to sweep under it.  

So next month will be busy, I have to do my three day heart monitor appointment at the beginning of the month, then Miss Kathryn will be having her baby boy, then Camille will be having her knee surgery.  Charlotte Claire is going to Norway with Margaret, so I'll be helping with Wulf and Tennyson, as Adrian is in college and cannot skip any classes.  

I'm thankful for each day.  Have a good one too!

well, I did it!

 I went to my water aerobics class this fine morning!  Camille actually came along too.  She's still having some trouble with her "surgery leg",which is now her good leg, it doesn't bend all the way.  It could be like that forever, she could possibly work past some scar tissue.  She's having surgery on the other knee, the one that dislocated while she was recovering from the original surgery...leaving her in two knee braces.

Anyway, she accompanied her old mama to the pool, to work those knees.  Her next surgery is in March, and she wants to be able to move more, and strengthen them.  

I had a little visit with Ashley and little Declan today, after the pool.  Coffee, conversation, and a sweet chunky grand baby, what's better than that?

In a few minutes, I'll be leaving to pick Miss Charlotte Claire up from school, we're going on an adventure...the library, the book store, maybe Target....I've owed them an outing since before the car started acting up.  Sonja is home from college for the day, the sun is shining, and it's warm out..at least 40 anyway.  

So off we go....

the calm AFTER the storm...

 

Grace made this scarf for me!  It has pockets at the ends so I don't have to keep track of mittens!  I can push the cart with this, and not freeze my hands!  It's such a beautiful color too, and Grace said the yarn was on sale, so that makes it even better.  Grace is a very nice daughter-in-law!

So the weekend was a hopping busy one.  It was also extremely rewarding and amusing and amazing.  

Wulf in the blue jacket, Grant (Spiderman shirt), Tennyson with the light saber, and Rhys...

Tenny with a toy gun, yes, he shot me.

Grace ordered this Angler Fish shirt for Achilles last week, he LOVES it, and it glows in the dark.

Ruth, Grant, Rhys, Sunny....

We could add some to this:  

1.  Only take what you'll eat.

2.  Wash your hands.

3.  I'm counting to ten!

4.  Who ate all the cookies?

5.  Because I said so

6.  In a minute...!

7.  If I have to get up!!!

8.  Leave him alone!

9. Leave her alone!!

10.I said...NO!

But also:

1.  I love you.

2.  Don't grow up so fast

3. Stay pure and good!

4. Hug me!

5. Call me!

(ha, for when they grow up, or even TEXT ME!)

Tennyson looking out the window, and Orange Guy.

Sam with his little Ruth, Wulf, Grant, and...Tenny can FLY!

Little boys have energy!  It's a good thing they're so cute!

They built a pillow fort in the kitchen, Wulf and Grant were in there hunting for bears.

Sunny, sleeping through it all, on her Cookie Monster toy.

They all went home yesterday, and then....it was SO quiet.  

This fine morning, I went to Target with Kathryn, Camille, and little Achilles and Rhys.  I got some Hershey Kisses for the candy jar, a birthday present for Molly, some shoes for Rhys, some onesies for her baby brother who will arrive next month, seltzer, and a cute little bread box.

Five dollars!  Now Suri can't steal the bread! Well, she can probably open this...

Anyway, a quiet afternoon at home after putting away the groceries (we went to Aldi too, and I ran into Price Chopper because they have sirloin steak for $3.99 a pound)(That's not much more than hamburger...and it's so good...let it rest to room temp with salt and pepper, I used garlic salt and everything bagel seasoning, heat up the pan, add small amount of olive oil, sear that steak!  Flip, sear, lower temp, cook for a bit, add a big chunk of butter and some rosemary (I have a rosemary plant I haven't managed to kill yet), brown that up a little, pour right over the finished steaks...mmmm. I microwaved some frozen broccoli spears from Aldi for 2-3 minutes, then browned them up in the pan.  

This post was written in fits and starts, that's how life is sometimes.  It's chilly in here, I'm in my comfy chair with a warm blanket.  Paul is on a work call, Sonja and Char are doing homework, and Camille is working on her novel, editing.  Sometimes I really really like winter.