....splashy-splash!

When my kids were little, a bath was splashy-splash.   As in, splashy-splash, who wants to go splashy splash?!   

Random. I went splashy-splash, to the pool this morning for water aerobics, and wowza it felt nice.  A nice hot shower afterward, washed my hair in the nice "town" water, makes my hair so soft and silky, compared to our hard well water (we do have a softening system with salt pellets, ect). 

Before the pool, I had to drive Miss Char to school, as she missed the bus.  It was mostly my fault because she was making a coffee to bring with her, and the bus came early.  She was abandoning the all-done coffee that just needed cream and the lid, I insisted I had time to get it put together, then the bus drove away...oops.  So into the car we went, school is only five miles away.   

Home,  no time to relax,  Camille and Sonja came along up to the medical center to have Cam's pre-surgery testing, a chest x-ray and bloodwork.  Then, Aldi...then the thrift store.  I behaved and didn't buy all the toys, but shh, I did get a cool play-dough set with the pumper thingy.  I got a nice shirt, and the girls found a few nice things too.  Then, Wendy's...fast food is so good.  I got the apple pecan salad, with no crumbled cheese, and extra pecans. I don't eat the dressing on it, just chicken, apples, craisins, and pecans....it was a solid 9.5, really enjoyed it.  

Then, Target...one little gift for Molly Rose, her birthday is next week.  A new kitchen rug for in front of the sink, a cute spring throw pillow I need like a hole in the head, as my mother would say, and some Hershey Kisses, which I also need like a hole in the head.  

Home....ah, home...put away the groceries, and plan the dinner...we were going to have Tiki Marsala...the jars of sauce from Aldi taste as good as from scratch, in our humble opinions, but I just wasn't feeling it tonight...so I'm going to take that chicken breast, roll it in some flour, then an egg mixture with a splash of hot sauce in it, a bit more flour, then browned up in olive oil...on top of a nice salad, with tomatoes, spinach, red onion, ect.  (I know, almost what I had for lunch!)

We're getting some bad weather this evening...rain, snow, sleet, more snow...all depending on the temperature, but at least four inches of new snow...but it doesn't seem so threatening, the season is winding down...

So much is going on in the next few weeks...Kathryn is due in a few days, I'll have her little ones when she goes to the hospital, then I'll have Wulf and Tennyson next Wednesday through Friday, when Margaret goes to Norway with Char, and Adrian has class...they are just going to move in here for a few days, as his classes start before the sun comes up in the morning.  If Kathryn has baby during those days, I'll be a busy grandma.  

The following week, Camille has her pre-op appointment, then the surgery the next week, then I have my echocardiogram and 3 day halter monitor the next week.  

Oh, I need to remember to give Miss Char money (or a credit card, honestly) so she can bring home some Norwegian chocolate....

Ah well.....that chicken isn't going to make itself!  off I go....

oh yeah, cold coffee!

 Plans changed, and Margaret went to Buffalo for the new passport, instead of Washington, D.C.  

Yesterday, Kathryn came over with Achilles and Rhys.  Then Grace came with Grant and Ruth.  There was running, and there was noise, but there were hugs and smiles and plenty of laughing.  I order our dog chow from Walmart, partly because it's SO much easier to drag it into the door than it is to put it in the cart, lug it into the car, bring it in, ect., all for the same price...though I do feel kind of bad for the delivery people, 35 pound bags...but it comes in big nice boxes, for the grandkids to play in!  I put a few facing each other, drape a blanket over it, put some pillows and blankets inside, and they're happy...we have a little lantern, and a few flashlights, too.  

Anyway.  I made a nice chicken noodle stew yesterday, after dinner we headed to the pool.  Margaret and Adrian met us there with Wulf and Tennyson.  The water was cold, but we got used to it, they adjusted quickly and really had fun.  The showers were so nice and hot afterward, and we were all refreshed....Kathryn headed home, Grace headed home, but Margaret and Adrian brought their boys to our house, and settled them into bed...then left.  This fine morning, Margaret left bright and early to get her passport from Buffalo, Adrian had extremely early morning classes, and the boys woke up here...they slept in Camille's room.  Cam woke up to Wulf typing on her typewriter.  I tell you, there's nothing like small children, in the morning, in sweet warm jammies.  There's nothing like making pancakes with sprinkles for them.  Wulf helped, he cracked the egg, and mixed the batter.  Tenny just sat on the counter and tried to open the vanilla and get into the brown sugar.  

The day went by quickly as the house got messier.  Grandpa works in his office, our room, down the hall, and the boys visited him constantly. He loves them, and only had to shut the door a few times, when he had important calls.  Tennyson fell out of the toy shopping cart and banged his face, but other than that, nothing eventful.  No fights, no big messes, just the general toys-all-over thing.

Margaret came to get them a bit ago, the house is quiet again.  Paul is still working, Sonja is on a zoom call for school, and the girls are watching anime.  I have to wander into the kitchen and figure out what the heck to make for dinner.  Camille made peanut butter cookies today, I made my low-carb ones.  

Tomorrow, I'll go to my water aerobics class, then bring Camille to get bloodwork and chest x-ray, preparing for her upcoming knee surgery...we'll stop at Aldi too, as it's right across the street from her ortho-dr., and medical services building.  (she hates this fact, I love it).  

I think the girls are going to make a pizza for dinner, so I'll make something different for Paul and I, probably a few burgers.  There's such a dinner rut, but I'm trying to just be thankful for all that we have, and appreciate the meals, instead of always thinking there must be more variety, better meals. Paul and I are very low carb, he doesn't like pork AT ALL, then Sonja said she doesn't really like pork chops, Char either...so I backed off on making those.  We eat chicken, and ground beef, made different ways, mostly.  No one really likes meatloaf, so it's either burgers, taco salad, or meatballs.  With the chicken:  soup, stew, fajitas, pot pie, stir-fry, or battered fried chicken, usually Chinese food.  And, eggs for dinner, at least once a week.  In long ago days, I'd make scalloped potatoes, and such nice homemade Mac and cheese, but I won't eat those things unless I sub for cauliflower, except for a little taste.  

(I found a nice bag of individual bags of Asian cauliflower rice with ginger sauce and chopped peppers, Costco, cheap, and I LOVE it....)(Real rice is so yummy, but it drives up the blood sugar!)

We are picky and spoiled, that's all there is to it.  

Tonight I'll do some meal planning, so I won't feel so dilemma-ed.  

This afternoon has been a headache afternoon, I need to go take some ibuprofen.  I don't like taking stuff...but I'm super thankful that I have some, and have the option.  

We're getting more snow tomorrow afternoon, maybe a lot...but it's March, so...bring it!  Spring is just around the corner...well, here in NY state, several corners, as winter will keep coming back to visit, but somehow...it's losing it's scariness.  We're springing into more daylight soon, too...

  

gadding about...

 ...Yesterday, Miss Cam and I went out and about.  Target, where I had an order pick up, a $15 Target gift card if you spent $50 on certain home items.  The big package of store brand trash bags is $14.99, so two of those, which we buy anyway, may as well add in another twenty worth, and get the gift card.  I got lavender hand soap refill, and some Method Lime and Sea Salt cleaner (total splurge!!!), a few boxes of sandwich bags, napkins, and some floor cleaner. 

Of course we didn't just pick up the cleaning supplies, no, we had to walk around and see what we could see.  I bought some shoes for some grandkids, and an inflatable unicorn snow tube, knowing from experience that these are thick and strong, and last for years, in the pool, it was clearance from $20 to $6.  We got some seltzer, and some Easter chocolate (the Reese's were buy one get one 25% off, which isn't a great bargain, but...)

We went into Old Navy, Cam found jeans for $5, and picked out a few tank tops.  I found a winter coat for $2.97. 

Aldi, for the usuals...bananas, berries, coffee beans, cream, eggs, lime juice, a box of cereal, bread, tomatoes, onions...

We did NOT buy the Aldi coloring book, but Camille thought it was hysterically funny, all of your Aldi favorites to color. 

Home...ah,home.  Time to put everything away, then sit and put my feet up, but only for a small while, because Charlotte Claire needed a trip to the town clerk to get a certificate of residency notarized, for a college class.  What I didn't realize was:  she also has to have it signed by the COUNTY clerk, which is in the small city, 20 minutes away.  We googled their hours, open until five in the winter, so off we went, arriving at 4:45.  The clerks' office WAS open, but the financial officer leaves at...four.  At least we had a nice drive together, never mind the wasted gas.  I wanted to beat the snow...because we got quite a bit last evening, through this morning.  

School was delayed by two hours, Char was thankful for some extra sleep.  I fell back to sleep too, until 7:30, was nice.  Paul got up and ran the snowblower, cleared out the driveway because Sonja had to go in to class.  

It's snowing out now, big fluffy beautiful flakes.  We have to make yet another trip to the city this afternoon to get that paperwork taken care of.

Also this fine afternoon:  two grandchildren are coming over, with their pillows and blankets and pajamas!  Wulf and Tennyson are coming!  Margaret and Adrian are taking a quick trip down to Washington, D.C., 7 hours south of here, to get Margaret's passport renewed.  It expired without her realizing, and she's taking Miss Char on a trip to Norway next week for a sisters' conference!  All the plane tickets bought, and a cabin reserved, conference fees paid...she's tried to get an appointment in Buffalo, or Connecticut, Vermont, NYC, with no luck.  This is the first opening, tomorrow morning in D.C.  

Life is interesting, and I'm glad I can help with the boys, also excited to have them come over.  

I have a date with Grace to go to the pool tomorrow afternoon with Grant and Ruth, not sure how that'll work with Wulf and Tenny too...might be fun, might be a disaster, ha.  

Last night for dinner, I made taco meat, and cut up chicken breast, sprinkled with lime juice, and browned in olive oil with salt and pepper, for fajitas.   

It's staying light out for longer, I love/hate it.  Yes, partly hate, because I am a burrower, a hibernator, I like to be snowed in.  The darkness is cozy, comfortable. I also like driving on clear roads without the threat of a sudden white out, and wandering about the yard in bare feet.  So nice weather if joy, but I love wintertime too.

Ah well.  The news is interesting these days.  Prenatal deaths are at a record high in Singapore, a leading epidemiologist from Hong Kong, along with others, have determined that China released Covid on purpose, from a lab in Wuhan.  Murdaugh seems guilty:  even if someone else magically appeared down near those kennels and killed his wife and son, he testified that his dogs didn't bark.  The time frame for that to have happened, not very likely, and given that he's lied about so many things, well. Studies are showing that masks helped:  not at all.  A new Sorli paper confirmed that the morality the vaccinated coronavirus-infected groups was 14.5% higher on average than the morality of the non-vaccinated corona-virus infected groups.  (after all that coercion!)  Biden is bumbling along, Kamala is still excited about YELLOW SCHOOL BUSES!, and in general, most politicians are still corrupt.  

In the midst of it all, there are still God fearing people living their lives, not letting it all bring them into anxiety, fighting their battles and resisting sin.  

you just gotta love it...

 ...or be miserable.  

Winter.  Fogging up my windows and freezing my piggy toes.   I decided to put my pretty spring wreath back up.

The snow covered branches, so lovely.

This young lady visited the back yard with several of her friends.  We've had a mild winter, she looks quite well fed and healthy, for a February doe.

The family went off to church this fine Sunday morning, I had to stay home because...TMI, tummy issues. I'm hoping it's not the start of the stomach virus that's been making the rounds, but in any case, I had to stay home.  

The girls had the audacity to beg me to make chicken pot pie, as they piled out the door.  I was supposed  to make it on Friday, but spent over four hours on those cabinet doors, sanding and painting. They all put in a good day's work too, on Friday, installing insulation in the cabins at church, Cam worked organizing the kitchen. They were so disappointed when they came home and NO POT PIE.   Then yesterday, I went with Paul to work on the house we are fixing up.  He's laying flooring, I'm painting cabinets, trim, and more trim.  We put in a good day's work.   Home, ahh home, the girls were off to a gathering, Sonja volunteered at the Special Olympics, so it was just the two of us.  I cooked up some bacon, then chopped up peppers and onions, sautéed with sliced breakfast sausage...removed from pan, scrambled some eggs, then dumped those peppers, onions, sausage, right on top...a yummy brekky-dinner.  

So, since I actually don't feel so awful, I washed up some dishes, put in a load of towels, got out the food processor, and made some pie dough.  That's chilling in the 'fridge, the pot of pot pie filling is cooling on the stove.  (It's actually so easy to make:  I had chicken breast frozen, cut in little pieces, salted and peppered and with lime or lemon juice, just browned that up, added chicken stock, then some chopped celery, and a bag of frozen mixed veggies.  Sometimes I dice up some potatoes, or use fresh carrot slices, but nope, not today.  I thickened it all up with a flour/cornstarch and cold water mixture.). For the crusts, I put 3 cups of flour and a dash of salt in the food processor, gave it a whirr, then added 2 and a half sticks of butter, pulsed it a few times until there were peas-sized butter chunks...dumped it into a mixing bowl, tossed some cold water in, stirring it with a fork, then formed two bigger disks for the pot pie, and one smaller one for my sugar-free pumpkin pie...:)(If you only want the one two-crusted pie, it would be 2 1/2 C flour, and 2 sticks butter)

(Sugar free pumpkin pie: 15 ounce can pumpkin, 2 eggs, 12 ounces evaporated milk, or a mixture of half and half, milk, heavy cream. 1 teas. cinnamon, 1 teas pumpkin pie spice, dash of ginger, half teas salt...it calls for 3/4 cup of sugar, I just added less than a half cup of granulated monk fruit sweetener.)(I am NOT saying this is healthy, but I enjoy it once in a while, carb-y crust and all)

I hope I'm not actually sick, and can go to the pool tomorrow.  It's helped me so much.  One of the ladies there has one artificial knee, and said that swimming helps so much, her replacement knee hurts more now than her other bad knee.  It's helped my hips and my knees.  It didn't fix them, but the movement helps blood flow, it's like magic how much it helps.  

Well,  the pot pie is in the oven, the pumpkin pie is in the oven, and Camille is making a strawberry layer cake.  She has made chocolate dipped strawberries, and is dipping pretzels in the leftover chocolate.  

It smells good in here....:)

may all your dreams come true...

 ...I hope not!  I was so relieved, upon waking up this fine morning, that it was only a dream!  Because:  I ate SO many cookies.  There were chocolate mint, and strawberry, and cheesecake cookies, crunchy ones and creamy ones, a huge platter of cookies.  I tried every single one, and believe me when I tell you:  I could taste them.  They were so good, I went back and ate all the ones I had tried.  In my dream. 

There's only one explanation for this:

We're distantly related!

The pool was wonderful and amazing this fine wintery morning.  The drive TO the pool wasn't fun, but it was exciting...trailing a few vehicles behind the snowplow, noticing the other lane was snowy and slippery.  We had all this ice, then some snow on top of it, eeks.  The trees are sparkling now, as the sun has been peeking through the clouds.  It's beyond beautiful.  The wind in the trees is making a million little clanking noises as the ice coated branches dance.  

We finally sold our old minivan yesterday.  It passed inspection in July of 22, but needed the power steering fixed.  Our mechanic didn't think it was a good idea, as he would encounter rust, ect.  It was still fully drivable, but we had my smaller car, and the truck, and decided to sell it. Well, we finally did.  We listed it cheap ($2,200), and sold it to the nicest family for $1500.   The guy knows a mechanic, and also knew what to look for, the van had a brand new exhaust system right before we stopped driving it.  It only has front AC, and the driver's side window will go down but not back up again.  He seemed undaunted. In fact, he was jubilant. He acted like he won the lottery. He kept saying how expensive minivans are, and he couldn't touch one for under five thousand, and he was so glad to find this.  

His fiancé was so excited that the rear hatch closes with the push of a button, she actually jumped for joy like she was on The Price is Right.  The van does have bells and whistles, leather seats and automatic doors, front and rear seat heat, swivel captain chairs for the middle row.  It's 2008 though, with a lot of miles.  I am happy for them, glad we were able to give it to them for a very decent price, and you KNOW I am praying that it lasts for them, and they get plenty of good, safe, use out of it.  (When they left to go to the DMV with the title to get the plates, I filled a bag with goodies for their kids, and left it in there after I cleaned up the van a bit.)

I painted cabinet doors for a few hours yesterday, with primer.  They are ready to sand and paint, this afternoon.  It's relaxing work, I can talk to my sister on the phone, or listen to encouraging stuff.  

Our dinner last night:  the kids had leftover lasagna, I made burgers for Paul and I.  Almond flour/flaxseed muffins with blueberries, for me, for dessert.   I can't say they're delicious, but they're okay.  They were better with chopped apples and cinnamon.  

I tweaked a recipe for Almond flour bread from Allrecipes:

1 1/2 cups almond flour

1/3 cup flaxseed

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

Separate bowl,

beat 4 large eggs, add

1/4 cup milk, almond milk, or cream (I used heavy cream)

2 tablespoons olive oil

(I added a few tablespoons of monk fruit sweetener, and a tablespoon of brown sugar swerve), put them into muffins (it made 12 mini muffins, and 9 regular cupcake sized muffins).   6 or 8 fresh blueberries in each one, then sprinkled with the cinnamon/sugar shaker.)

Bake at 350 for 12 minutes for minis, aprox. 15 for larger ones.

They're not bad, but I'm wondering if eliminating the flax seed would make them better.  It's not a big sweet bakery muffin, but if you're low carb, it's something satisfying with your coffee.  I've doubled the recipe (with no added sweeteners) and made a nice big loaf of it before, it's nice sliced up with butter.  

The kids, when I bake these things:  Its smells so good, looks so good, and tastes so yucky!

Anyway.  Kathryn will be having her baby in the next few weeks, cannot wait!  A tiny newborn!  

Have a good afternoon, my friends!

nap time....

 ...I don't want to brag, but I don't take naps.  Watch, next thing you know, I'll be the napping queen, because if you say you'll never do something, well...I'm not superstitious, just a little stituous, ha.  

But this fine snowy afternoon, wow, I could almost doze.  I didn't have a hollowed-out night, I had an I can't fall asleep for the LIFE of me night.  Then, awake before dawn!  This is vacation week, I don't have to get up to see  Miss Charlotte Claire off on the bus.   I did get up and go to the pool though. 

After the pool, shh, I came home and my butt was drawn to my chair like a magnet and steel.  Then I meandered out to the kitchen, and made a lasagna for dinner.   It's all ready to bake, sitting there under foil in the refrigerator, wow, I love having dinner made ahead of time.  I heated up some frozen barbecued meatballs for the girls, washed up some dishes, vacuumed, did a load of laundry, then mopped the floors.  Now, magnet and steel, again.  

It is snowing out here today, giving the house the Christmas-y glow, that winter brightness, and it's so cozy.  Winter is looooooooong, here in New York state, but oh, I do enjoy the indoor days of cozy.  Afternoon coffee, the fake fireplace, the pups snoring, nice.

I had gray checked valances in the kitchen, but wanted a change. These sheers were like seven dollars from Target.  Charlotte Claire is handy with the drill, she put them up for me the other day, as they called for new black curtain rods.

I like them.  They'll be perfect for framing the summer sunshine.  

Camille is working on editing her book, Charlotte is doing homework, and Sonja is doing work, and starting on her resume, as graduation is coming up soon.  Paul is working, and here I sit. I have things to paint, and to sort and clothes to take out of the dryer.  But honestly, it hasn't gotten old yet, the being able to choose what to do next, as opposed to always having to be busy.  

One of the ladies from the pool asked me how many kids I still have at home.  Only three.   Only three?  How many do you have?     Now, this is the question that turns me from a regular lady to an anomaly, makes me grow horns.  She said she has so many questions, so I told her, "We never had color coded cups or towels, didn't raise the kids like it was an institution, they are all spoiled, and we always ate together at the table."   

One of them said, "You look so young, you think you'd be old and run down."  hmmm. I FEEL old and run down, ha.  But my life has been so lively and fun and fulfilling and rich and blessed, why would that run me down?  Yes, there were tired years, busy years, but oh dear, so completely rewarding! 

Yesterday, Kathryn needed a few things from the store, so yes, I would go along and help her with the kids, gladly!  Char and Cam came along too.  Today is Mariel's birthday, so I had to get some gifts.  (Can you believe my #4 "child"is 32?!).   

Rhys can chitter-chatter you right into letting her try on the hats.  She likes hats.  I asked her if she wanted to buy it, she nodded yes. 

We went into Aldi for a few groceries, then to the thrift store.  I found a brand new Eastpack backpack, bought it for Lydia.  Camille found really nice jeans, and Char got a study review book for one of her college classes, 74 cents.  

The kids were pretty done, three places was one too many, but we let Rhys walk in the thrift store. She is so funny and cute.  She's going to be a big sister in a few weeks, can you believe it?

 

well, just phew....

 Yesterday morning, I put a nice roast in the crock pot.  I sprinkled it with two packets of gravy mix, pepper, minced onions, and some fresh chopped carrots and red skinned potatoes.  Sunday afternoon after church, ahh, dinner is DONE.  

Saturday evening, I made cookies. Before I added the chocolate chips, made some just rolled in sprinkles, and some with mini M&M's.  

Sunny and Orange Guy on Saturday....

Sunny and Kettler, aka Mama Kitty, or Old Kitty,  on Sunday...

I don't know why it tickles me so to see the animals get along, they actually like each other.  

This fine morning, after going to water aerobics (yay me, I keep going!), it was time to go pick up a stove for a house we are working on.  Char and Cam came along with us, we got some painting done.  Char went around with the drill and removed old curtain hardware.  She also helped Paul tear up some old flooring, and carry in the stove, and carry out the old one.  We put in a good day's work, the girls have earned some money, and phew.  I'm tired.  

Thankfully, there is enough leftover stew, I don't have to make dinner.   We also stopped at McDonalds on the way home, for the girls.  I just got a Diet Coke, because I actually love leftover beef stew.  I never thought I'd say this, but:  get the McDonald's Ap!  There's always something good, today we got free medium fries.  Not that fries are good, but the girls like them once in a while. 

And....now it is Tuesday, and I'm going shopping with Kathryn and her two little ones...life goes speeding by sometimes!  This evening is activity club, kids are on school vacation so we're doing a big all-together, pajama party themed, go to different stations party.  I'm bringing all the little Calico Critter miniatures and houses, and my nice popcorn popper.   Lydia is being dropped off here so she come with me.  

And...so...out of the comfy chair, and into some bye-bye clothes....(I may be lazy, but I don't wear sweatpants and slippers to the store yet, ha.)