Giving thanks - Google photo has saved all my photos for years - without me ever really realizing it up until just a couple years ago. I am feeling the urge to make sure that the kids have lots of photos, both digital and hard copy. I anticipate a large budget for photo printing coming soon. *Blogs - because that seems to be where so much of my writing ends up being stored. *Journals - because that’s where the morning pages live and they have been instrumental in keeping me sane, and holding space for at least minimal writing in a season that feels like a creative drought.
Outside my window - The patio furniture is piled on the lawn waiting for us to return it to its proper place. Last week we had our deck sealed and all the furniture had to be moved. The deck furniture found its way to the garage while the patio furniture just shifted to its current location on the lawn. I’m considering a little switch up with some of the pieces. I miss the way our deck looked before we got rid of the canopies. I don’t miss the canopies themselves - it took two of them next to each other to provide enough shade cover for our large deck. But the shade sail we have now just isn’t doing the job very well. Looking for a compromise…
I received an early birthday gift from my sweet mama; a zero turn riding lawn mower! So the lawn that needs mowing soon won’t have to wait on someone else to do it, and I won’t have to dread using the push mower for the hills or the big field we maintain (and call our own LOL).
Clothing myself in - comfy navy slacks and a black t-shirt, house slippers. I’ll need to change that soon though since I do intend to go for my walk this morning. I plan to glance at my fall/winter wardrobe when I’m done here - motivation to get back into those clothes I like so much better than these clothes that are growing so drab!
On the homefront - I hope to get the garage cleared out soon in anticipation of winter weather. It’ll be here before we know it and I really loved being able to park in it and not have to deal with ice and snow. I already mentioned restoring the deck and patio. Changing out the decor on my kitchen cabinet tops needs to happen if I want to enjoy any of the Autumn pieces I like so much. There are still photos that need to be hung that were taken down during the great painting fiasco.
On the menu - There actually is a menu this week.
Monday - goulash and fried potatoes
Tuesday - Chicken pot pie was replaced with leftovers *
Wednesday - Fajitas will now be replaced with the above mentioned pot pie
Thursday - Rigatoni “D”
Friday - Hamburgers
Saturday - Pork carnitas
Sunday - Grilled pineapple and ham steak (from the recently procured hog)
Writing - is not easy these days. So many things try to impede on my attempts to keep writing. I stopped my subscription to Hope Writers. I don’t know that I will ever return, but there is always the possibility. I suspect a new season of writing will come one day in the future. For now, writing for my sanity and our family stories will be top priority.
Learning - things from my mom’s stories that I never knew. How to use the new riding lawn mower. I enjoy the ironing work that comes with quilting and sewing. I say this to differentiate between that kind of ironing and BDUs, dress shirts and other clothing. There is a difference, and I know what I like and what I don’t. LOL
Watching - Hart of Dixie. Probably one of the best series we’ve watched for a long time. It’s funny, charming, and not so intense that it makes me have nightmares. I catch myself talking a bit like my favorite character - Anna Beth. I don’t know which came first, the chicken or the egg though. Do I talk like her, or does she talk like me? Hmmm
Making - Quilts for Christmas, and casserole covers for the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pans. There are a number of other fun things Mom and I are working on or plan to work on as we get the quilts done.
Loving the moments - I spent a fair amount of time going through my photos on Google Photos. It reminded me of what a good and beautiful life we are living. I am thankful. I plan to take more photos and make more memories, God willing. I want to write the stories behind the photos. That will be a big, ongoing project that I know I will love. Now just to actually get to it. Baby steps.
Planning for the week ahead - Well, it’s hump day already, so the rest of the week includes some time with grandbabies, coffee at a new coffee shop with a daughter (or two), a yard sale with another daughter, the above mentioned projects that need done, and staying on track with my rhythm as much as possible. Next week there will be a three day marathon of full time grandmothering a six month old and a three year old while their mommy goes on a retreat. I think I might need one afterward :-)
Naming what matters - Kindness.
Words worth sharing - Gather. Simplicity. These two words seem to be everywhere these days. Let us not lose sight of their true meaning as we approach the season of what can be chaos.
This too shall pass. It’s so cliche but so true!
Something to remember - Most of the time the best memories come from things that happen all on their own with very little preparation from me. That doesn’t mean I should stop trying to help those good things along, but don’t let expectations in the driver’s seat.