Visitors.

Oh my! What a nice weekend we had. Much family gathered in our home to celebrate the birthdays of Mr. Macho's Dad and Sister. Everything felt very smooth. Food was good and plentiful. It felt relaxed. I so enjoyed having the gang over. 

Out-of-Town Son and wife arrived late, as we expected, after we had retired for the night. So we didn't get to visit with them until Sunday morning. After a lunch of warmed up leftovers we jumped in our cars and visited a few local antebellum homes on our Pilgrimage Tour. The homes we visited weren't large or grand, yet they spoke of history and early life in our county. 

OT Son and wife left after three houses. She is in the home stretch of her school year and will graduate next month - top of her class, no less!! She is so smart. And she is looking particularly beautiful these days. 

***

This visitor arrived at my kitchen window yesterday morning. At first, and for most of the day, her wings were closed. I thought she was just resting and staying away from birds and predators. Fast forward to late afternoon and she finally spread her wings. I realized how beautiful she was and grabbed my phone to snap this...

Just look at her design! 

This morning she is gone. 

*****

More visitors are expected this week. Sisters, Mimi and Marsha, are coming to town! A long weekend of fun and laughter should ensue. 

***

I will pay my beautician a visit today and have a luncheon to attend. The rain just keeps on coming. At least the pollen in being kept at bay. Everything looks so green right now. 

My sewing projects are on hold until next week. 

Today. Be sweet. 

Attack of the allergies.

Oh yes. Despite all the honey I have consumed to help prevent the allergy attack - it has happened. It is no wonder. Yesterday I swept porches - front and back. It was a good day to sweep, being damp and humid helps keep the pollen from flying quite so high. Then. I vacuumed and dusted for the rest of the day. Including some of the blinds. Dust was flying everywhere. And so. At the end of the day I was sneezing and the sinuses were raw.

*****

Easter weekend was calm. We chose to attend the looong church service on Saturday evening simply because a friend was being confirmed. The protocol was disorganized. There were screamers in attendance (children, not adults). The reception was second rate. At best. All in all, I am glad we went. Because of my friend.

Sunday dawned and I had Easter joy in my heart. The morning was leisure and pretty. We had a nice neighborhood walk after breakfast. Then I fixed the Easter dinner. At Mr. Macho's request the side dishes to our ham included - butter beans and creamed corn. I added a simple fruit salad and rolls.

We had the required deviled eggs in accompaniment. I didn't add the dill pickles and they tasted a little flat to me. I'll go back to the pickles next time. 

Ever since we visited sister, Mimi, on the coast I have been desiring the orange dreamsicle cake she talked about. So I whipped one up on Saturday. And. It was good. I have put a large portion into the freezer lest I ingest it all in a day. Oh my. It is dangerous. 

Mr. Macho drove over and picked up his Dad and brought him home to share our Easter feast. It was a pleasant quiet dinner. Enjoyed by all. After that, and cleaning the dishes, we all retired to the den where Mr. Macho and I fought the sugar comas while his Dad watched whatever sport was on the teevee. He stayed for a good long time (until we woke and got our wits about us) then Mr. Macho drove him home. 

Easter peace. Check. 

***

Today I move forward. A run to the grocery store will put us in good shape for preparing the birthday dinner this weekend. Mr. Macho's Dad and sister both have birthdays this week. His Dad told him this week that he couldn't believe he made it to 86. Surprised himself! He is funny. 

***

Our sweet Lauren has started a therapeutic horse riding program. She is fired up and loves it. I can hardly wait to talk to her and see what she has learned. She must learn to saddle and care for the horses, as well as learn to ride. Plus. And plus. 

Sister, Mimi, celebrated a big birthday herownself yesterday. The big 6-0. Eek. I am the next in line to join that club. Not happy about that. But I have a while. So, I'm not going to get all blitzkrieg, just yet. 

Well, well. Another day, another adventure. And I'm off.

Peace out. 

Whirlwind weekend and Holy Week.

The weekend started early with a spend-the-night at Out of Town Son's house. I was so glad to get a peek at the precious bump that is our newest granddaughter. DIL looks terrific! We are getting more excited with each passing day about meeting this new member of our family. By "we" I mean me. You know I looove the birth stories! Each one unique and, yes, miraculous. 

On our way to the coast on Friday we stopped at a favorite watering hole, The Plaid Rhino, in Hattiesburg. The wait staff is always so friendly and our waitress brought us an unordered treat - fried pickles with remoulade sauce. These were the best friend pickles ever. Not too salty, just right. 

We picked up Mom before we headed to Mimi's house. After supper Beach Boy and his family came over for a visit. Mimi has a well stocked toy compliment at her house for her grandson. Beach Boy's daughters had some fun. 

Millie meets Elmo. And. Loved him. 

Porch sitting at Mimi's is my favorite. Mom is 94. She is virtually deaf. That doesn't stop her from doing what she wants. 

Mr. Macho, Mimi, and I drove to Biloxi to pick up 40lbs of crawfish for the Saturday afternoon feast. Mimi also cooked potatoes, corn, onions, garlic, mushrooms, and sausage in some crab boil. It was all delicious. Mimi's daughter's family came over for the feast. Marsha and one of her daughter's family came over, as well as Beach Boy and his family. We had a house full. Mom grazed on crawfish all afternoon long. We all did. Both nieces have beautiful children. 

We had to put the crawfish on trays to cool off. They were just out the pot when we picked them up. 

Mr. Macho sucking crawfish heads. 

Sweet Pea and cousin, Eleanor, enjoying a book moment. They really got along well. 

Sunday, after mass, we enjoyed a brunch at the local country club. After a quick cup of coffee we packed Mom up and drove her home. We had no specific plans in mind and wound up sitting on the deck at the yatch club sipping a beverage. It got chilly so we migrated to the car and took a driving tour of Bay St. Louis. We stopped at The Point to watch some wind surfers. Then  headed to downtown Pass Christian to wait for our siblings. We enjoyed more beverages while we waited for Pete and Kaye, and Marsha. We dined at Hook's and were very delighted with our meal. 

It is always sad to leave Mimi's house. She is the ultimate hostess. I feel at home in her house. 

The good thing is that she and Marsha will be up here in a few weeks - it makes goodbye slightly easier when I know I will see them soon. 

***

Here we are in the midst of Holy Week. Instead of dance lessons last night we had a practice party. Today I am meeting friends for lunch. Thursday I have a garden club luncheon. Thursday night starts our Easter Triduum. It will be solemn. Part of our church tradition at our Good Friday service is to ask parish members that have had a death in their family during the past year to help carry the cross into the church. It is no small cross. I expect Paulette will help bear the cross this year. 

A dear friend is being confirmed Saturday night and so we will break from our tradition of Easter Sunday Mass to attend the Vigil Mass. 

***

Happy Easter, evahbody!

Thanks, John Denver.

We have sun. It is spring. Life is good. There may be more rain and colds temps in store this week. But. For this day, for this moment - I feel happy. I think it is the sunshine on my shoulder. Thanks, John, for bringing the emotions to the surface.

The adventures have been rolling these last days. Sewing is going on at my house. Dancing feet have found their rhythm. Blossoming pears and the promising buds of the dogwood are ringing in my spring.

Friday I got to visit with Daughter and her brood. I delivered this homemade dress to the Super Carrot. It was a bit long, but she loved the deep pockets. I used only the bodice of a pattern I already had. The rest I just made up. Hopefully, she can wear it for a while. We all enjoyed a meatless Mexican lunch surrounded by Spanish speaking construction workers. It was quite delish - the beans, and rice, and cheesy items we ingested. It was a rainy day so we could't go out to play. 

I put this together for our Millie. I have no idea if it will fit. I hope so. If not - we can pass it along to the new granddaughter we expect in July. 

I am currently working on a little something for Sweet Pea. It is purple. Not photo worthy, yet. 

*****

Taxes are done. Check. Today we will go take care of a duty that we have put off for years. Though we have talked and talked about it, I put off getting the wheels in motion. We have had a will drawn up and we will sign it this afternoon. We are not getting younger and this needed to be done. Nobody likes to face the inevitable. Even us. Having taken care of this feels right. Check.

Retirement talk is taking on some momentum around our breakfast table. It is exciting and scary all at the same time. There are some goals I would like to accomplish before it happens. One of which is to update our kitchen. It is the last frontier to update in our home. It will be a major project, as I would like to replace cabinets when we do this. New light fixtures, new dining table, maybe new appliances. 

 ***

Lunch and the last Downton Abbey episode of season 5 is on my schedule today. Enjoying the sunshine is on my agenda, too. 

Be sweet. 

Changing of the sheets.

Tuesday. It is "change the sheets" day. Always. In our house. Dirty sheets are in the wash. The bed awaits clean ones. This week adventures are coming in mini-size. 

Saturday we went to the gym and came home to so much sunshine that we couldn't go inside. We picked up sticks and pine cones and generally "policed" the front yard. 

This lichen fell from one of our front pines. It was so frilly looking. There were many mores of these around the pines in the front yard. The photo doesn't do it justice. I like nature's fancy frills. 

A 30+ year old bush in our front bed has been in a slow process of decline for the last 3 years, or so. So, I asked Mr. Macho to put it out of it's misery on Saturday.  

The process. He cut off the branches. Then I helped bag them for the garbage men. We got it down just in the nick of time. The garbage men had been weather-delayed on Friday. Just as we bagged the last of the limbs the garbage truck came around the bend. 

Mr. Macho cut right down to the base. Yesterday it rained and I took a look when I got home from the gym. The wood had turned a dark red and black. I failed to take a picture....maybe later. 

*****

We made it back to dance class last night after skipping last week due to our cold germs. Mr. Macho is rather frustrated with the fox trot. He didn't have very much fun last night. The classes are getting more crowded. The fox trot requires much space to move, especially for the less confident dancers. 

The warmer temps are welcome with open arms this week. Even though the rain will be with us for days, I am glad for the biting cold to be gone. Hopefully for good!

Going to a regular luncheon today. Then on to my girlfriend's house to catch up on some Downton Abbey episodes. 

***

Update on the bird burial. I disposed of the body. It was unceremonious. Mr. Macho hadn't remembered to do it. I didn't want to keep passing the window with the little body out there. My fat squirrels continue to hog most of the sunflower seeds that I throw out for my feathered friends. 

*****

Sunday I had hoped to go out to eat but changed my mind on the way home from church. Why go out when I had plenty of food, already prepared, in the fridge? I just heated us some leftovers. I knew I couldn't sit and listen to the teevee all afternoon. Before lunch it was screaming at me. Mr. Macho likes his teevee loud. Some days it is fingernails on a chalk board to me. We took a Sunday drive and went down roads we haven't traveled in years. We ended up hoping around car lots, looking at new pickup trucks. After that we let the car hop load us up on cold drinks and fried onion rings. No, that is not on my Weight Watcher plan. It is a true confession. 

***

There is a little funk in my head this week. Nothing that a little sunshine and good weather won't cure, or an exotic out of town trip! Or maybe I just need a good glass of wine and a box of chocolates!! 

A new pork recipe is in the crock pot. I will pick up some cabbage at the Piggly Wiggly on the way home from girlfriend's house. 

Don't forget your umbrella! Be sweet.

The sun will come out tomorrow.

The week has felt on the fragile side to me. After the Sunday sermon. Then the accident we happened upon (see previous post). I have been easy on myself - trying to get rid of this cough/cold. Today was another "snow" day. A little sleet is still laying in patches in the back yard. The sun came out for a brief moment and the sleet on the roof melted a bit. Now that the sun in setting everything will freeze up again.

And then there was the kamikaze gold finch. I was in and out of the laundry room washing clothes today. When I went to retrieve the last load I noticed the green spot on the window in the door. Then I looked down. Mr. Macho says he will bury him tomorrow. It is too cold for a burial service this evening. Sad little bird.
So, come on sunshine.

March. Monday.

Here is another month. Already. Warmer temps and rain have kick started March. Not to worry, snow is predicted later in the week. Old Man Winter is not through with us, yet. We do spring forward in time next weekend, though. 

 Our snow last week arrived on Wednesday and, for the most part, was gone by Friday morning. Remnants of our snow-woman stayed until after dark on Saturday. Other snowmen around town waited until Sunday to disappear. 

Daughter called Friday and gave me a mission. If I chose to accept. And I did. I spent the afternoon making Lauren a "colonial" skirt, apron, and kerchief. I so appreciate having the Hoblob in our little town at just such times as this. I dropped by and found just the right fabric. I checked out a pattern, but it was cost prohibitive. So I just made it up as I went along. Skirt with elastic waist. Easy apron. And I photographed a kerchief outline on a Simplicity pattern and fashioned it myself when I got home. 

Mr. Macho and I have both contracted nasty coughs. Saturday he didn't feel like doing anything much. After standing outside in the sunshine for a while to soak up some vitamin D, we just vegged around the house for the rest of the afternoon. I did a few things. Like, laundry. Alka Seltzer Plus helped keep me from feeling rotten. Until Sunday. We ran over to Daughter's house to deliver the colonial outfit. I didn't take any meds in the middle of the day and the cough got the best of me. Hydration and more meds when I got home helped. And today I am vegging out again. Didn't go to the YMCA this morning. Even gonna stay home from dance tonight. I don't think fellow dancers would appreciate us coughing in their face. 

A Saturday visit with Nana. 

Beach Boy's girls and my Mama. Having some fun. There is something missing in this picture. Oh yea - ME!

Here is Lauren looking all colonial. I love being able to do this for her. 

***

On our way to Tuscaloosa Sunday morning we drove by a terrible auto accident. Many fire trucks, police cars, and ambulances surrounded the scene. I had to divert my eyes as we passed because it was so gruesome. It involved two vehicles and a tanker truck. As I understand, the tanker truck was not at fault. It was tragic and brought home part of our Sunday sermon that included a message about how short life is and no person knows when tragedy, or a bad diagnosis, will happen. 

So, make straight your ways. Rend your hearts and not your garments. 

You're welcome. 

Namaste.