Summertime

DD sent this cartoon as a suggestion for making our travel a little easier. It gave me quite a chuckle.

Earlier this week, I got up bright and early. I puttered around the house, doing a little cleaning, sewing, sat outside & drank my coffee & read a book. Then I decided to make a strawberry pie. I made the homemade pie crust, popped it in the oven and proceeded to clean & hull the berries. I took the beautiful crust out of the oven and started the pie filling. As I stood at the stove stirring, I realized I had left the oven on so I turned it off. I was shocked to see the time was already after 1:00. DH would be home from work shortly after 2:00 and here I was still in my PJ's. I finished making the pie filling, popped the pie in the fridge and then hopped in the shower. After getting dressed, I glanced at the clock in the bedroom. Imagine my surprise when I realized it was just a little after 9:00 am. Apparently, after a power outage last week, nobody bothered to reset the clock on the stove.

Well, I was in the craft/fabric store today when zap, the power went off. Fortunately they had emergency generator that kicked in and we were not left completely in the dark. Unfortunately, the generator didn't power the cash registers so we were asked politely to leave the store. Funny thing is the music continued playing over the sound system. Well, once I left the store, I found shoppers leaving other stores in the area too. Unfortunately, there were no traffic lights. Apparently people don't know the rule about four-way-stops. The worst offenders were the trucks leaving the home improvement store next door to the craft store. I went home and stayed home for the rest of the day. Save a bunch of money too!

Before:


After:


Isn't it sweet!

Second Hand Loot

I was in a 2nd had store the other day, looking for dominoes when I spotted several great buys. One was an old sewing machine complete with cabinet, chair and a bunch of accessories. I have no idea what some of the accessories are but it looks like a bunch of fun. Even if the machine doesn't work, the cabinet will make a great work surface.

Right by the sewing machine was a tall narrow cupboard. I'm sure the paint job was somebody's pride & joy once but it kinda made me chuckle. I looked at the cupboard and the price tag saig $5.99. What a deal, look past the paint & it would make a very useful cabinet in the craft room. I paid the nice man and slapped two sold signs on the sewing machine & cupboard. We went home & swapped vehicles and went back to pick my items up. This morning, I moved the cupboard outside and spent the day painting & waiting for paint to dry. I've got some before & after pictures but they are not loading properly - technical difficulties. Perhaps another day...

Ramblings

Well, the effects of bronchitis are finally leaving. I'm still tired - I think it's the result of the medication. I have two more days of steroids and several more of the antibiotic. I actually slept well last night, using my CPAP and woke refreshed at 6:00 am.

I love the fact that the weather is finally nice. Of course I shouldn't say that too soon, this is Michigan, weather can change quickly. Anyway, with the nice weather, I love taking a cup of coffee, a book and the dog outside in the morning. I sit on the deck among my new container garden, read my book and keep a watchful eye on the dog. The birds are singing and the neighborhood is quiet - all the young-uns are still safely tucked into bed! It is so peaceful.

Only 15 more days until Summer Celebration begins. For some reason I am really looking forward to it this year! Crazy me, I signed up to volunteer every day this year. So far I haven't signed for double shifts but I'm sure I will. They always need volunteers on the main gate. I will be going to at least two concerts - REO Speedwagon and Kansas. I would like to see Steve Miller Band but we needed one more volunteer in the GR trailer. That's ok, I saw Steve Miller Band a couple of years ago & I will hear them loud & clear in two weeks.

Bronchitis

The last couple weeks of school are very busy. We spend time trying to track down students with overdue library books. The boss is obsessed with reading the shelves so all the books are in order. She prefers to read the shelves together because it's boring reading by herself. I prefer reading in absolute peace and quiet and would rather read my own shelves. I was not looking forward to reading shelves under her watchful eye. I spent Monday checking in books and sending out numerous overdue notices. The teachers kept telling me I looked terrible or sounded terrible. I had a horrible cough. I threatened to go home if one more person made a negative comment.

Tuesday morning we were supposed to meet to read shelves together. Well, Monday night I spent most of the night awake coughing & barking. Tuesday morning, I called in sick. Tuesday night I had trouble breathing, coughed so much I could catch my breath. Took a really hot shower hoping it would break things up - just made things worse so off we went to the medi-center. Diagnosis - bronchitis and do not return to work until June 6. I know the "boss" is mad and probably thinks I did this on purpose - ha! I would never get this sick on purpose. At least I didn't have to read her shelves.

Just came back from a follow-up visit to the doctor's office. More meds and instructions to change the timing of the other meds. She says I should be feeling like super-woman in a few days - but too late to read shelves. School it out for summer!

My Deck Garden

The neighborhood is overrun with children. Last year the unruly children spent time in my back yard climbing our small maple trees. We planted the trees 17 years ago when we moved in. Unfortunately, they are fast growing maples which means the branches grew fast but not strong. The little darlings tore so many branches off the poor trees, I'm surprised they are still alive. I want to grow some vegetables and herbs this summer but I'm afraid the little hooligans will destroy any garden if I plant it in the back yard.

So, I decided, why not plant a small container garden. My back deck is now my garden. On Memorial Day weekend, we went to the farmer's market and Lowes and purchased some plants. We have several varieties of tomato plants, including one cherry tomato plant. Some of the plants already have green tomatoes! I also planted several kinds of peppers, green bell, jalapeño, and hot peppers. For my herb garden, oregano, parsley, lavender, peppermint, spearmint, chives, etc. Then I planted a few seeds too. Yesterday I was pleasantly surprised to see I have some radishes already coming up! To celebrate, I planted some beans and a few flowers too.

The deck is such a relaxing place to sit. Too bad I couldn't enjoy the peace & quiet tonight. The neighborhood boys are having a sleep-over next door. I doubt they will be doing much sleeping but I'm sure they will have a lot of fun. I sat on the deck tonight with a cup of coffee, a book and lit a small fire in the chiminea. I look forward to many beautiful mornings this summer sitting on the deck enjoying the first cup of coffee in the morning. The best part is between the container garden, the grill and the small storage shed on the deck plus the pear tree in the yard, the deck is relatively private - except for the little black cat crying at the door to come outside. I placed a cage on the deck for him but that is not what he wants either. I do not believe cats should run loose - I would hate to have omething happen to him.

It's times like this that make my job fun! I read Ten in the Bed to the kindergarteners. It was their last time in the library for this school year.

Memorial Day Weekend

Yippee Skippee ..... the weekend has finally arrived. Today I checked out my last library books for students for this school year. Next week the darlings turn their books in, we read the shelves and straighten the libraries. I've promised the kiddos a little something extra next week. Soo..... this weekend I will be making cookie dough that I can toss in the oven each night. Fresh baked cookies for my little darlings. My to do list for this weekend:
Shopping for groceries
Shopping for clothes for trip
Shopping for my swap=bot partner
crochet a couple of dish clothes for same partner
maybe an extra dish cloth for one of my Zaar partners
complete my last two recipes for the Zaar orphanage
Cook two beer can chickens
- serve one with the fixins for the boys
- shred the other one and throw in crockpot another day with zaar baby bbq sauce
mail swap boxes to partners (done today)
go to farmers market Saturday morning - buy fresh plants
plant fresh plants from market in containers
go for a nice walk
go to the Y Sunday to hang out with Silly Jilly
Maybe get bike out of shed and clean it up
what the heck, wash the Jeep and put the top down - go for a ride.
start making lists for vacation - what I still need to buy and what I plan to bring (or should I say we)
Monday is Kaysey's b/day - I think I'm supposed to make Jello shooters for her.....
Oh, I must not forget one or two parades Monday morning -

I think the list is long enough but I also want to plan with the new stovetop ovenette and start making a book of recipes to bring on vacation

Only 49 days until time to go