Winding up? Or winding down?

Bizzy week! Lots of eating out. Two different bunko parties. And. Hey! I won again this month. Woot! Woot! Got our free flu shots at the hospital on Wednesday. It is so easy and quick. Then I treated Mr. Macho to a new Thai restaurant. Yes he did! I know! Can you believe it? It was WAY out of his comfort zone, which is about ( ) this big. And he enjoyed it! It was a little trickery on my part...he actually suggested we eating at our Peking Chinese place and I threw in the curve ball and said let's try the new Golden Bowl. It was all good.

Got my grocery-ing done after the Bible study yesterday. And. I have to get on my soap box...two or three times in the last month I have spotted beggars at the local wallymart parking lot. To say it disturbs me is quite the understatement. These people. I know for a fact that there are a multitude of services in this town that will house and feed people. So for people to stand at a stop light with a cardboard sign declaring they have no food and have 2 children...well, I just don't buy it. Where are these children? In school? Then they are being fed. And. You know you can find food here in town. So. Stop the begging. Go help yourself!

Tonight we are going to the elementary art auction. To dance. I have been informed that there will be a DJ...and that is my favorite. Lives bands are often not dance-able. Hope it is fun. Will let you know.

I have stocked up on the candy on the off chance the rain will hold off and we will have 365 trick-or-treaters. I hope. Otherwise I have to find somewhere to donate all this candy.

Sunday. Parish picnic. May be raining. Should be loads of fun. Tongue. In. Cheek. It isn't my favorite, but we haven't participated in a few years and I am feeling guilty. Gonna go.

Today is spectacular. High will be in the 70's. Sunny and cool. Ace of a day.
Gonna go grab some gusto.
Namaste y'all.
Be sweet.
Go Bearcats!

Cc comes to town.

What a great weekend. Cecilia (aka Cc) and her mom and dad drove up Friday for a visit. It was also their fifth wedding anniversary. I got to babysit while the parents enjoyed a lunch date. Cecilia behaved herself very sweetly. She is a good baby. And she got lots of love this weekend. She didn't complain, much. 

Cc was bright eyed! She is finding her voice and likes to squeal. A little. 

Daughter and the Super Carrot loved holding the baby. Um, do you notice the bling on the Carrot's fingers? That girl, the queen of accessories. 

Cousin, Tucker, teaching Cc to like football. 

Out of Town Son sporting the whiskers. And it isn't even "No Shave November"! In honor of fall we decorated the beard. He was a good sport. I don't know about that photo bomber, though. 

I so enjoyed all the family that was here. It was just good. The cousins all wanted to hold Cecilia. All. The. Time. But, hey. How can you complain about too much family love? Reminders to be gentle and not pat her head were delivered. Merritt gave Cc lots of wet smooches. 

I wish you could have seen how cute Lauren looked in her church dress and boots Sunday morning. She is a looker! So, so stylish. 

After a good lunch of pork loin, potatoes, cole slaw, broccoli, and carrots, our children took their leave. Quiet descended. 

Back to routine. 

***

The weekend had its creepy moments...

Before anyone arrived I found this stalker on my doorstep. She was carrying about one million babies on her back. She met an early demise and so did many of her offspring. I sprayed and stomped into oblivion. 

Sunday morning, as I was getting ready for church, a funny thing happened. I brushed my teeth then dried my hair. When I started to put on my makeup I looked down in my sink and there was a tree frog!!!! It freaked me out. It had come up my sink drain. I called for the grandchildren to come see and for Mr. Macho to come capture the amphibian. Catch and release. I really don't like the tree frogs, but I know we need them around. I just can't emphasize how creepy it was. 

 *****

Here is my ag report. I didn't do so well on the sweet potato harvest. I only got these tiny specimens. Not enough to bother with. Oh well. There's always next year. 

Carry on future farmers. 

**

I have to give a shout out to all my teams for this past weekend! Can I get a woot-woot?!! From high school to college to professional - my teams won! Hip. Hip. Hooray!

***

Welcome rainy day!

 Ahh. Even though it feels rather warm today, it looks like fall with wet roads and lots of leaves on the ground. We needed the rain rather desperately. 

I have plenty to do today. I am waiting for a call back from my egg lady. I am down to only one egg. I have floors that need sweeping and dust that needs chasing. I am enjoying my current book - Anna Karenina by Tolstoy. Still working on three crochet projects, slowly. 

This week I have two bunko parties, dance, lunch with friends, free flu shots at the hospital, and who knows what else on the agenda. 

I am going to try a new chicken buffalo salad recipe for one of my bunkos this week. I'll let you know how it is received. What new things will you try this week? 

My adventurous spirit has felt dried out recently. Maybe this rain will wash out the cobwebs and renew my pep. Let's hope.

Be sweet. 

Brighter days.

My little garden club did a good thing today. It is an annual project. We go to an adult day care in town and help the guests redo their flower boxes that sit on the lovely deck at the center. 

It is a joy. We all dug in the dirt. We all chose from a variety of lovely plants. We all covered the roots. We enjoyed the sunshine. We talked. We worked side by side.

This new friend talked about her arthritis. She talked about loosing her tummy. She talked about heart trouble and exercising. She was in contact with her purse constantly. She wanted to know if I was going to put her picture in the newspaper. She asked if I knew how to take a picture with a phone and then proceeded to hand me a very dated phone. I'm not sure if it was even functional. I tried to find how to snap a picture with it. And failed. She wasn't upset. She was lovely. 

The name of the center is Brighter Days Adult Center.  Other ladies helped with digging up the weeds and getting the soil ready. 

Friendship was planted today. I look forward to doing this again. 

Y'all be sweet. 

Picture perfect.

This day. Cloudless blue sky. Low humidity. Cool. Leaves changing. And falling. We took a walk before mid-day dinner. No jacket. Too cool at the start. Warm glow finish.

This afternoon. Chilly and quiet. I tried to read on the porch in a jacket. A new book. Leo Tolstoy. Anna Karenina. Back inside. Remove the jacket. More reading. Then I gave in to the call of the sunshine, donned the jacket, and went to remove rocks from my garden. Picked up acorns. Watered my soon-to-be-harvested sweet potatoes. More quiet.

The adventure that was yesterday has vanished. Driving back roads. Over rolling hills and through small towns. We drove and drove to help celebrate the 50th wedding anniversary of old friends we haven't seen in years. Hugs and happiness were abundant. It's so good to see you. Cake and nuts. Visit with the grown children and almost grown grandchildren. I was his first baby sitter. He is almost an educated nurse. Come see me. Come back soon. Time flies. Then more driving. A Mexican dinner. Home for more ball games. And sleep.

Then Sunday. Quiet day. Spaces in between. Concentric circles.
Namaste.

Quiet little birthday.

38 years of marriage and I continue to fine tune our relationship and events. Mr. Macho marked his 62nd birthday with a visit with this dad, a visit from his in-town sister, a bottle of nice champagne, and a delicious steak from the Piggly Wiggly. At last I am getting the hang of what he likes. My sister and a friend both asked what I would serve with the steak, as if it would be a fancy dish. That is not what the Mr. prefers. He likes french fries, the frozen variety, cooked in the oven. That and a salad were served. The meal was topped off by two Butterfinger cupcakes procured at the local cup cake establishment. It was darn near perfect, according to Mr. Macho.

The democratic debate combined with the champagne provided the knock out punch and I only awoke when the teevee was turned off, signaling bedtime. Alls well that ends well. 

Mr. Macho seemed genuinely happy to receive the two books I had purchased at The Hermitage for his birthday. That plus the lottery ticket! Wouldn't that be fun?! I'll let you know. 

Yesterday I wore shorts and flip flops to go and pick up the cupcakes. We woke to a crisp 41 degrees this morning. So. I have just finished putting out the first box of winter clothes into my closet. Here it is the middle of October and it still heats up to a cozy 84 mid-day. Layering will be the modus operandi for the next month or so. Getting out of bed these days is harder due to the sun arriving later. And. It is cozy under the sheet and blanket. 

I think retirement talk is taking on new gravity. Especially since this birthday has passed. I'll admit that I am concerned because it is new territory. Ah well. We will figure it out. I am hoping sooner rather than later. 

Dusting awaits. 

Namaste, y'all. 

Girl trip.

Four girls. One car. Lots of luggage. Whole lotta laughs. 

It was a most fun weekend. Three friends and I ventured to Tennessee after "winning" a three night stay in a mountain lake house at a charity silent auction several months ago. 

We tried, and succeeded, to not eat at any chain restaurants. We also tried and succeeded in not cooking all weekend. 

Girls don't mind bathroom stops. We found interesting items at the Country Store, where there was a two toilet bathroom but no stalls with door. Hmm. But we did spy this pickled bologna. And. We each purchased a small can of potted possum. It was too funny to pass up. (We were assured that it really wasn't road kill in the can, even though that is what the label says.) I also spotted moonshine jelly in this store. 

We made it east of Nashville before stopping for lunch. We found a gyro place in a strip mall and ventured in. This gyro salad was delicious. And. I was hungry. The tabouli on the side was scrumptious, too. 

Upon arrival we discovered that our hosts had gifted us a basket chock full of goodies. A bottle of champaign, two bottles of wine, assorted crackers and cookies, cheese, and salmon filled the basket. 

Thursday night we had a smorgasbord of goodies from the basket and from my friend, Patricia, who prepared some lovely bruschetta. We stayed up late talking and laughing. 

Our view Friday morning out the window. 

We had to walk across this bridge to enter the house which was built on the side of the mountain. There were three more floors below this level. 

We found a very nice mall Friday afternoon and we each made happy little purchases. Friday night our hosts had made us reservations at a locally renowned steakhouse, Flemings. It was an upscale dining experience. Enjoyed by all. 

Saturday we visited The Hermitage, the home of Andrew Jackson. We spent hours touring the site. The wagon tour of the working part of the estate was, by far, our favorite. The driver was most entertaining. 

Pastoral scene on the grounds of The Hermitage. 

We woke to thick fog Sunday morning. We packed up and took the long way home through beautiful country. Gorgeous horse farms. Winding roads. Huntsville provided a diner with a menu chock full of too many choices. I settled on the ruben with a side of slaw and fries. There was no way I could finish it all. 

All in all it was an excellent adventure. Just like Bill and Ted. We are already talking about next year and bidding on the house again, if it is offered. 

On my way home I bought Mr. Macho a lottery ticket for his birthday. It is tomorrow. I hope he wins. 

It is a little tough getting back into the real world. But. My house smells better already. 

Happy fog will follow me this week as I bask in the glow of good friends. 

Namaste y'all. 

Blog neglect.

Eek! Sorry. I have been so busy these past two weeks I just haven't taken the time to add any new things. I am trying to think what I have been doing besides playing bunko (and winning!)...had a good hair appointment, helped host this month's garden club meeting, presided over the monthly senior mass/brunch Friday morning, visited with Beach Boy's girls this past weekend, made a huge pot of chili for and helped at the soup kitchen. Watched some mostly sorry football games over the weekend. Best football game this week was of the peewee variety. Got to watch the grandson play. His team, the Broncos, is an expansion team - mostly first year players. I loved watching Tucker's hustle. He was intensely "in" the game.

This week my girlies and I are gearing up for our trip to the mountains of Tennessee. Got all our info squared away this morning and we are more excited than ever. I'll take pictures and will share them on my return.

We have a new Ulta store in town and I have jumped the Mary Kay ship and am on board with new make up!!

I hope you are finding some fun, too.

Namaste, y'all.