Short week.

Our Memorial Day was bueno. The weekend began...

A relaxing beverage before our dinner Friday night started the entire weekend off on the right foot. 

Saturday morning Mr. Macho traveled to Out-of-Town Son's house to help load the heavy furniture for the move. OOT Son and his wife are closing the sale of their house today, actually. They have moved into a temporary house. They have a contract on a new house with hopes to move in by July.

I had plans Saturday to work in the butterfly garden. My co-worker called early begging off the project as she didn't feel well. So. I just drove myownself down to the Farmer's Market whereI found these beautiful veggies, along with some baked products, and homemade pimento cheese. 

The purple string beans turn green the moment they get hot in the pot. (I confess I added a little bacon fat to the pot.) I didn't do a very good job getting the string out of the beans, but they tasted oh-so good!

Sunday morning was busy. We visited with one parishioner after Mass and missed another. A trip to the store for a few items, a good meal, and a little bit of rest ensued. Then I got the cabin fever and so we went bowling! Our lanes messed up, but neither of us are very good at bowling so it wasn't a big deal. Mr. Macho still has that competitive spirit and wants to be best. Me? I'm just happy to be there. I did get some strikes. And some spares. And my second game was better than the first. Mr. Macho won both games. It was so fun. The men in the lanes next to use obviously bowled frequently. They could really hurl those heavy spheres! We were duly impressed. 

The anticipated rain did not materialize Sunday nor Monday. Memorial Day dawned and we slept in a little, went on a walk, then headed to town in search of a grill. We found just the item we wanted. Paid for it and promised to pick it up later. We visited two furniture stores and in the second one I found my new table. As in most everything with this remodel, it was more costly than I had expected. We decided to go for it. So I ordered it! 

We picked up the grill after a quick burger and headed home. Mr. Macho was sorely disappointed when he figured out the conversion kit was not included in the purchase of the grill. Our salesman had simply been wrong. So. We had to go online and order the conversion kit. 

He spent the remainder of the day taking his frustration out on the bushes in our yard. I must say they look vey manicured now. 

Memorial Day. Legend declares it started right here in our home town. Several ladies from town wanted to decorate the graves of the Confederate soldiers in the local cemetery. However, when they began the task their hearts compelled them to not only decorate Confederate graves, but the Union soldiers' graves, also. Articles were written about it. A poem was written about it. And now the last Monday in May we celebrate the former Decoration Day as Memorial Day. We remember and honor those who have died in the service our our nation. Many wars have come and gone since our Civil War. Today we enjoy the freedoms this country continues to provide that have been bought by those that have paid the ultimate sacrifice.  We are ever thankful.

Shalom. 

Pomp. And circumstance.

Cue the band...

Lauren (almost 14) received an honor at her middle school's award day!

Class of 2022.

 Tucker (11 tomorrow!) received honors at his elementary school's awards day.

Next year = middle school. 

Class of 2025. 

Peyton (6)  received several kindergarten awards. One was for the best memory!

And. She lost her first tooth on her last day of kindergarten. 

Get ready for this girl first grade!

Class of 2029.

Merritt (5) has finished preschool. She will rule kindergarten. 

She will be the boss. She will be the president. 

She will be the queen!

Just watch.

Class of 2030. 

Cecelia (almost 2) successfully completed her first year of preschool. 

My how she is growing! She is more fun.  Every. Single. Day.

Class of 2032. (I think) 

The end of school is so very bitter sweet. I used to get so attached to the preschool teachers, especially. Somewhere inside me wanted the children to grow up, but the bigger part wanted them to remain preschoolers. 

With every age comes positives and not-so-positives. I do have to say that the end of school never was as hard as sending them back to school in August. I despised end of summer and letting them out of my reach. I was always sad they were another grade older. Even when we dropped them each off at college. I was pretty sad. It was hard. 

Yet. Such is life. Children must grow up. It is the natural order. 

Then the circle of life starts again...and grandchildren! 

***

Here's some of what blooming in my backyard...

Eggplant blossom.

Pumpkin blossom. 

Blue salvia. 

Burgundy chrysanthemums.

Lavender hydrangeas. 

Pink zinnias. 

Pink snap dragons.

And did I tell you that we have little bunnies in our yard? My pet-wild rabbit, Dorothy, is a mom. We saw two little ones yesterday. I have put out lettuce leafs this morning hoping they will eat them. 

I have re-upped my hummingbird feeders today. They are a thirsty little bunch this year. I have already seen a fight or three at the drinking fountain. 

Drama. Always the drama.

Shalom. 

Cause and effect.

This leads to....

...this. 

Lovely wine glass? Yes, and. I didn't think to put the wine in the fridge until late afternoon. Thus, the ice. The sad thing is this bottle of wine smelled awful and tasted worse. I ended up pouring it down the drain. Oh, sacrilege.

Contractor arriving for demolition in the a.m.

We continue to live like refugees. It will only ratchet up because after tomorrow I will have not one surface to put anything on in the kitchen. It is forcing me to use some critical thinking skills, and lots of extra steps. 

Man. This is fun. 

Namaste. 

Living like a refugee.

And so it begins. While exercising at the YMCA Friday morning I finally got the call. From our contractor. He was kind enough to give me the heads up that demolition would begin this week. He thought we would like the weekend to get the cabinets cleaned out. We made two trips to Lowe's to buy the boxes and have most cabinets emptied. I kept opening cabinets to remember which ones I had already done. I had to come up with a system to indicate which cabinets were finished...and so have put a small piece of masking tape on the handles of the empty ones. 

I have snapped a few photos for posterity. I thought about doing a video like my mom did when she renovated her bathroom. The one where she bathed most of her babies. It was so sweet, sad, and totally emotional. I did bathe our youngest in that sink, along with some of the grand babies. I think we re-wallpapered the kitchen about the time Daughter got married...16 years maybe?

Change is good. This is an adventure. Mr. Macho has already had enough.

I have to admit, it is already interesting to have to leave the kitchen and open boxes to find the simple things...spices, vinegar, bread....if we can maintain a sense of humor during this process it will be most helpful. Maybe we can pretend we are fleeing out homeland. Or just camping out. For two months. (Hoping not that long, but trying to prepare myself.)

Out-of-Town son and his wife sent this beautiful arrangement to me for Mother's Day. It was accompanied by a funny message on the card forgiving me for forgetting to pick him and his brother and sister up from elementary school years and years ago. Because I was playing Tetris. I say it wasn't more than 10 minutes. They claim the teachers were offering to take them home, it was so late. The truth may lie somewhere in the middle. 

All the good things a mother does...and this is the story they choose to remember. And retell!

Ha! It is funny. Now. 

Saturday we attended Merritt's ballet recital. She was magnificent! She knew all the moves (or moobes, as she used to call them) and smiled so sweetly. All could tell she was having a good time. We loved watching you!

Snapped this selfie while in the lobby of the theater waiting to be seated for the recital. Yes. Lauren is really taller than me.

Post-ballet recital photo with the fam. I really like this one of Tucker. 

New statue was unveiled at Mass yesterday morning. It is quite large. And. Very white. Doesn't exactly match the chi in the church. It is an assault on the warm tones present. I hope we get used to it in time. 

Whilst cleaning out kitchen drawers I came across this old magnet. I don't think it needs any explanation. Only, it evokes memories of children's sounds and activities filling my space and my heart. 

And the love. Always the love. 

***

Little dilemmas will arise during this re-do process. Mr. Macho has already asked 'will I hang the apple back up'? A wooden apple with hooks that have held our keys for many, many years. Daughter painted it for us - in elementary? preschool? I'm not sure which. 

What to do? I will find a place of honor for the apple. 

Namaste.

Celebrate early.

My week has had moments of busy-ness and then I have had moments of stagnation. Let's look at yesterday, for instance. As soon as Macho left the house and after my morning meditations, I had a quick 2 lap walk around the neighborhood. Then I showered, attended Adoration at church, went to Bible study, met Brenda - our arts & environment guru (I'm helping with decorations for an upcoming reception honoring our outgoing priest), then had to run home in time to meet the bug man for annual termite inspection. 

Whew. Once the termite man left it was early afternoon and I didn't feel like getting any big things started. I felt like the day just stopped. Of course, it didn't. But less than frenzy felt like a stop to me. 

Easter lilies are finally blooming. En masse. 

Mother's Day. Call me a party pooper, but I don't want to eat out on Mother's Day. Nor on Valentine's Day. To comply with my wishes Macho and I celebrated the day at my favorite restaurant last evening. 

We began with mojitos. Mine was strawberry. His was just traditional. I liked mine. Him, not so much. I was a little disappointed that the strawberry martinis were not being served last night. Oh well. Maybe next spring. 

I forgot to snap a picture until I was halfway finish eating my dinner. I ordered the fried soft-shell crab. Macho ate a braised grouper. Both were delish, as were our very fresh salads. The blue cheese dressing was almost as good as I used to make. We went all out and ordered fried cheesecake for dessert. With strawberries on top instead of the pecan/praline topping. Oh. It was good. 

Fully sated, we came home and watched a crappy movie. 

Neither of us could remember the content of our dreams this morning. We both just remember they were crazy. I think it was that movie. Or the mojitos. Who knows?

We are promised a rainy, and possibly stormy, day. I have more things to accomplish. Going to pick out the backsplash for the upcoming kitchen project, of which I have totally lost that loving feeling. I was all up in it back in February...now, eh. I was actually anticipating with excitement 3 months ago. Now? I am kind of dreading it. I'm in the market for a new size crochet hook. My friend, Patricia, has me working on a new project. 

I'm also picking up a couple of marinated steaks to cook on Sunday. 

***

I wish all you mothers a very happy day to celebrate you. 

I wish you breakfast in bed, a clean house, and well behaved children. 

Namaste. 

Another pleasant valley Sunday....

A little phone dump...

These flowers were in my carport waiting to be loaded into my car on Wednesday morning. My garden club executed our spring replanting of the large pots in front of our library. The result was a lovely gold and purple palate. 

In celebration of Cinco de Mayo I purchased beer and flowers. 

Oh happy day. 

Don't you love papaya too?

This afternoon was too perfect to sit inside. We ventured out to our local college campus (where I graduated 39 years ago!). We took advantage of the photo op in front of the dorm where I lived when we met. After an hour of walking we consumed the calories we had burned with an ice cream treat. Afterwards we visited our sick friend, Tony, and his family. It is his 84th birthday today. He has the pancreatic cancer and is on hospice. We love him and his wife, Lupe'. 

It was a good visit. And. A good day.

Peace. 

What happened?

Does nobody blog anymore? I haven't clicked my links in quite a while...but out of curiosity did so today. What did I find? Abandoned blogs. And "nonexistent" messages. Did you give up? Are you quitters? Get with the program.

Yesterday was an atypical supper upper day. I had sunshine in my pocket. Friendly people at the grocery. My good friend lost her grandmother's ring there, only to have one good soul find it and turn it in. With tears in her eyes she declared 'there are still good people in the world'! We hugged joyously right there between the tomatoes and the strawberries with other shoppers looking on. I told her it just made my weekend.

The weather was drizzly and really chilly yesterday morning. I dug out the undershirt and brown boots over the pants with an insulated vest. And it felt good. I had a moment at the grocery when I passed a Santa-look-alike in a Hawaiian shirt, shorts, and sandals. I stopped. Our eyes met. I said, "We obviously didn't wake up in the same place this morning!" He said, "It isn't that cold." (I am sure he was comparing it to the North Pole.) Well, one of us thought it was.

While pumping my own gas I was approached by a middle eastern looking man that asked me to fill his gas can so he could get home. I said I could do that, just wait until I finish filling up. Once done I God-blessed him and wished him a safe journey home. Then had to go to the cashier for my receipt. An African american lady came up to me and whispered, "That was a good thing you did. But I was watching just to make sure you were safe." I said to her that Jesus comes to us in all forms and fashions. She agreed. Then it struck me as so funny and ironic - a little black lady was watching a little white lady to make sure she was safe from the middle eastern man. I just got the biggest kick out of it. What a hoot life is. 

Macho and I opted to skip the concert in the cold last night. The headliner didn't even start until 9:00. As Daughter reminded me, we aren't in the target demographic any longer. We stayed home and ate chili and drank beer. 

Today has been cloudless. We attended our local Market Street Festival. Macho found a leather belt. I purchased one small pottery vase, two crooked handle spoons, and one festival t-shirt. We ate hamburgers at a local hole-in-the-wall and afterwards piddled around in the local "antique mall". Now we are home. I have dug in the dirt while Macho napped. Now he is washing vehicles and I am washing clothes. Soon we will drink a beer on the porch and call it a day. Life in the fast lane. What can I say? At least I'm still blogging.

Namaste. 

Dare I say it?

I have a dilemma. You may have had a similar experience. You run into the store to pick out a card, easy task right? Then you spend the next hour reading every card in the store and just nothing will do.

Here is my issue. What is the appropriate card-message for my 96 1/2 year old mother? Not just any message applies. "Take your day off!" No. "You've worked so hard for me!" Or "Now that we're friends!" There is always the mushy-syrupy-sweet sentiments, "You are the epitome of motherhood and you will be a saint forever for raising me!" Mom has received that one for at least 60 years X 9. Yes 9. I have 6 sisters and 2 brothers. 9 of us.

So you see, my mother IS the saint of the Mother's Day card message. She IS the one that reared 9 really good people. She nurtured us X 9. She plowed through the teen years X 9. She helped educate us X 9. She saw us wedded X 9.

When I reminisce about raising my own 3 (sounds measly, doesn't it?) funny stories are evoked. The stories are my family's lore. 1. Stept throat and screaming son story. 2. Vomit in the church on Christmas Eve story 3. Daughter's first chicken pox covered with a band-aid story 4. Arriving one minute late to pick up my children from school (thanks a lot Nintendo!) 5. Almost missing the football bus story 6. Daughter telling her granddaddy she bet he couldn't cough and poot at the same time 7. College son vomiting everywhere, even in his brother's shoes...

And I am awed because I know my mother did so very much more than I can imagine. She rocked it. And. There is always the feeling that I can never measure up to her lofty height ( I say this tongue in cheek because she is also the incredible shrinking women at 96 1/2).

I here and now apologize to my mom for hiding under the back steps when I didn't want to take a bath. I am sorry I wet my pants and you had to bring me dry ones to school. I apologize for being the know-it-all teenager. I apologize for going to the White Horse on that Earth Day back in '73. I apologize for scaring the wits out of her when I decided to marry after dating only a short time (but I would do that one again - because it was right and has lasted 40 years.) I am just sorry I scared her.

Here are some possible suggestions to card makers for this occasion:

1. Happy Mother's Day - I love you!
2. I know one day I am going to miss you. So let's enjoy today. Happy Mother's Day.
3. Enjoy Mother's Day, again!
4. You have been my best Mom all my life. I love you. Happy Mother's Day.


I mean really? 96 1/2?!!!!

Mayday! Mayday!

Where did April go?

It left fast. Right along with the storms that blew through on Sunday. 

I attended a sweet wedding shower for the finance of my neighbor's son on Sunday.

Then Mr. Macho and I vegged out reading our books and watching back to back movies. 

My body was tired from the YMCA work on Saturday. I have no business being on the business end of a shovel. Reminder to self: don't do that again!

The back of my car in the Lowe's parking lot last Thursday. Got it all planted that afternoon. So far, only one thing is looking peeked. The storms of yesterday brought good rain. 

This bed is looking much improved! See below for a before picture. 

The bushes were unruly and the weeds were taking over.

After yesterday's rain I realize that these beds are totally out of rain coverage. They were dry this morning. Regular watering is going to have to be put on the agenda. 

***

Off to Loaves & Fishes this morning. I hope we have some hungry guests. I baked 4 dozen chocolate chip cookies. Okay. I did the "break and bake" variety. But! I 'cooked' them myownself. 

More adventures are on the horizon this week. 

I am making my own weather.

Namaste.