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Author: jehdld

Saturday Slowdown

Blog365 Week in Review 2 Comments

Well, I think perhaps I might know the cause of my headache yesterday. I needed sleep apparently. So rare for me but I slept until 8AM this morning! And I went to bed before 9PM last night.

I’m still moving slow but I don’t feel bad and my headache is gone. So glad, I was a bit concerned I was possibly coming down with something. A teacher at work was out last week as her young son had the flu.

I’ve decided to just spend the day relaxing and catching up on a few things. Paying some bills. Cleaning the house a little. Maybe watching a little tv. Washing my “hang to dry” clothes. Included in that load, my Chiefs gear for tomorrow.  And of course, visiting my blogging friends!

Let’s just do a week in review post for today as somehow, though it was filled with fun things, last week felt like climbing a mountain!

MONDAY/TUESDAY

Monday is honestly a blur.  I know I worked in the afternoon for a very short amount of time. Just long enough for a teacher to go and take care of some paperwork. Remember taking J to his baritone lesson and trying to place the piano piece we heard while leaving.  His instructor’s wife is a piano teacher and gives piano lessons upstairs while her husband gives brass lessons downstairs. So frustrated as I couldn’t place it yet knew it was Beethoven. So simple, why didn’t I remember the title of the piece: Fur Elise.  Well, I guess college music appreciation wasn’t a total fail as I did get the composer right at least.

Tuesday was a fun although busy day with our first annual Galentine’s Day Dinner at the Cheesecake Factory on the Plaza. I spent most the day running around trying to figure out the gifts for small tokens of love and friendship. A whole post about the day and our dinner coming soon.

Galentine’s Day gifts ready to go

WEDNESDAY/THURSDAY

I planned to spend all day Wednesday focusing on my husband’s birthday. Making his cake. Cleaning the house. However, a very early phone call from a teacher led to me working part of the morning. Still spent the day doing those things just not as much time on either of them. Out to dinner at a local steakhouse, joined by my brother-in-law and his wife. They declined coming back to the house for cake at the last minute. I think they didn’t want to stay out later in the rainy weather. It was okay though I was a bit disappointed they didn’t join us for cake.

A late evening text changed my work hours on Thursday from starting at noon to starting at 9:30. And still staying until 6. We awoke to that crazy snowfall. The snow was so heavy as I cleaned off my car. Great snowman weather but by the time I left work, almost all gone! Actually, almost all gone by 2PM. Work was a bit crazy and tiring but not awful. The day had started too early, first with the gray alarm cat waking me at 4AM, only to be woke once again with the no school phone call from the public school at 5.

FRIDAY/SATURDAY (today)

Yesterday I worked a full day in the class I typically work in most often. The class I started this year working in for a full week. I am in there again on Monday, working for a teacher lucky enough to go to the Super bowl this weekend. Very excited for her!

Something Red for the Chiefs!

It was share day and the letter “e” sound as in elephants and eggs. First kid presents his share item and we are stumped. Tiny Minecraft figurines. Huh? In frustration, he blurts out “they’re effigies!” Okay, then. “A sculpture or model of a person.” (Google dictionary). We all learned a new word. Always interesting. After that, the items were more typical: eggs, elephants, an “empty” box…

The rest of the day was fine although I did find myself with a bit of a bad headache as the afternoon wore on (suffice it to say a preschool classroom is not an ideal setting for that). Came home, everyone did their own thing for dinner, and then, I went to bed early.

As I said earlier in my post, I’m just planning to have a slow, relaxing Saturday catching up on things before the big game tomorrow. And just one last random photo. I’ve been trying to capture a decent shot of my hyacinths with the “real” camera on and off all week but the phone camera did the job:

How was your week? How are you spending your Saturday?

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day 41/365

Headache

Blog365 Just Photos No Comments

I came home from work with a hellacious headache. Not a bad day at all. Just a headache. I skipped the school lunch so it could be from that. A Luna bar and apple being not quite enough to get through the day. Or my hair still being damp when I put it in a ponytail. Either way, this is just going to be enough of a post to stick to the Blog 365 goal.

Here are a few phone photos from the park where I stopped for a minute on the way to work yesterday. The roads weren’t bad by the time I went to work. I had allowed myself too much time and didn’t really want to be there super early so I stopped at the park for a moment.

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day 40/365

 

 

What Was I Saying Yesterday

Blog365 Chitchat 6 Comments

What was I saying yesterday about the weather not cooperating for my winter appreciation project?

We went from beautiful weather for our Galentine’s dinner on the Country Club Plaza:

(I was excited the lights were still on, usually they turn them off in late January)

To waking up to 2 inches of snow and a snow day for the public schools:

(Chelsey’s little cat prints in the snow, silly cat went outside this morning. It’s not very cold though just a thick, wet snow falling after overnight rain)

Busy Week Just Gets Busier

My work hours increased this week. Yesterday morning, I covered for an early morning teacher who’d just lost her grandfather. Thankfully, another sub came in soon to relieve me so I could finish preparations for my husband’s birthday.

In the midst of baking his cake, I had to run to the grocery store as I’d run out of shortening. Usually just buy a small tub but of course, the store only had the large ones. Is it me or are stores out of the most random things ever since the COVID shortages? Oh well, as I told the other shopper, perhaps lots of pies in our future!  I typically only use shortening for this family birthday cake and pie crust. My mom used it to fry chicken if I recall correctly. Maybe I’ll be brave.

And moving on to today, no snow day for me and now I’m working starting at 9:30 instead of noon. Downside of working at a small private school, pretty much not going to get a snow day unless it’s a snow armageddon out there. Or maybe ice. Even then, the odds are slim.

Time to go see if the car fairies cleared my car of the snow. What car fairies, Jean? Exactly. Hope you all have a great Thursday!

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day 39/365

 

Spring Fever

Blog365 Winter Wednesday 2 Comments

Super quick post while I wait for my husband’s birthday cake to cool this afternoon. Ended up working this morning so lots I still need to do.

First, let’s check….

The Weather

It’s cloudy and with a chill in the air but still warm enough that I could run outside coatless a minute ago without feeling terrible. Current temperature is 42. Supposed to rain later this afternoon/evening so it’s pretty cloudy outside right now as well.

Fevers

Two kinds of fevers currently sweeping across our city with our temperatures pretty warm for February. And no snow. So strange. I’m still cautious about a late season storm. Anyway, the first fever is of course, Super Bowl Fever with the Chiefs in the big game. As far as I can tell, the main symptoms of that one are almost everyone wearing Chiefs gear and being in a good mood. Spirit weeks a plenty at the schools.

The second kind of fever is more in line with this post: Spring Fever. I’ve tried pretty hard to appreciate winter this year. However, the weather really didn’t cooperate. And if the weather is going to be lovely and not cooperate, I just want to move on to Spring.

Thankfully, my friends last night did tell me it was too soon to uncover all my spring bulbs and to leave my mulched leaves on top for a few more weeks. So, I’ll just continue to enjoy my store-bought hyacinths instead. And go on dreaming of when I can start planting all this:

And lots more seeds not pictured.

Do you have spring fever?

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day 38/365

 

 

A Few Things About Me

Blog365 Chitchat 17 Comments

Yesterday, Billie Jo over at Afternoon Coffee And Evening Tea declared it Get To Know Your Blog Friends Week. And shared a few things, encouraging us to also share a few things most people probably don’t know about us.

So, for today’s post, I’m taking her idea and sharing a few random things about myself.

  • As soon as someone says tell me about yourself or asks my favorite anything, I tend to go blank. Except for with my favorite color, green.
  • I’m a college graduate with a B.A. in psychology but also hold a minor in economics. Not home economics but actual supply/demand/micro/macro economics. Please don’t quiz me, college was a long time ago!
  • There are only 3 places I’ve ever lived all in this same citywide area: my childhood home (we never moved when I was a kid), my own apartment, and this house where I now live with my husband.
  • With very few exceptions (covered strawberries or pretzels are okay but we usually do those things with almond bark around here), I think white chocolate is an abomination. It’s not even real chocolate, says so right here. Dark chocolate is my favorite but I also like milk chocolate just not as much.
  • When I was about 11, I hid under the neighbor’s boat during a game of hide and seek with friends. The license plate hung down and I cut my back climbing out from under the boat after the game. Still have a slight scar from the 14 stitches it required. It was not a fun summer after that.
  • Diet Coke used to be my go to drink. I won’t touch it or any other diet soda now. Artificial sweeteners with the exception of small amounts of Stevia give me bad headaches.
  • I started college as an English major and strive for the green smiley face on my “readability score” on all my blog posts.
  • Lily-of-the-Valley are my favorite flowers but I won’t grow them in the yard because they’re also highly poisonous.
  • The color of my first “bought completely on my own” new car was fire engine red. It was a 1993 Pontiac sunbird. I cried when my husband said it was time to get something new (it was 7 years old by then)
  • Ironic since I have a blog, however, I tend to be a fairly private person.

Bonus item: I always worry that I’m using the word ironic wrong.

Okay, now that I truly feel as if I’ve told you more than you ever wanted to know about me, it’s your turn. What are some things I might not know about you?

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day 37/365

 

Happy Homemaker Monday, Somewhat Busy Week Ahead

Blog365 HappyHomemakerMonday 12 Comments

Happy Monday! Pretty typical type Monday start over here. Woke up to find out we were out of milk. Ahh! My coffee without milk? Ugh. Tried it with some whipped cream and then some coffee ice cream but neither was really doing it for me. Sometimes I just want my regular coffee especially on a Monday.

However, I ran to the store right after dropping J at school. And now I feel much better thanks to my “regular” caramel macchiato from Starbucks. And a croissant for breakfast.

Time to join in with Sandra for Happy Homemaker Monday. Let’s just get right to the categories.

The Weather

Enjoyed watching the sky go from pink to this lavender shade this morning

Right now it’s beautiful, almost 50 degrees and partly cloudy. A bit blustery, glad I grabbed a light jacket to wear to the store. I did hear rumblings of a cold front moving into the area tonight or maybe tomorrow. I know it’s supposed to get chilly and rain on Wednesday. And maybe again on Friday. I see temps in the 30’s, 40’s, and 50’s listed throughout this week.

As I Look Outside My Window

I saw a cardinal on the regular bird feeder and several sparrows protesting still. Who knew they were such foodies? Changed back to safflower seed and added a new bird feeder. They apparently don’t like it. That’s a good thing. The sparrows were emptying my feeders on a daily basis and I couldn’t keep up (too expensive). Now maybe my favorite little chickadees and cardinals might get to eat again. 

Right Now

Working on this post while enjoying the coffee swirling through my system.

Thinking And Pondering  

Nothing too serious at the moment, the timing of some baking I need to do this week (husband’s birthday on Wednesday), what plans to make (or not make) for the Super bowl.

On My Bedside Table

I keep it clear but should I confess my dresser is always a mess? And currently covered with sweaters that don’t quite fit in the drawers at the moment? Need to get that cleaned off soon.

On My TV Today

Local morning news earlier, not sure maybe my weekly episode of Dr. Who unless I save that until tomorrow. Mondays aren’t big tv days for me.

Listening To

The wind blowing outside, another noise I can’t quite identify..someone outside doing some sort of work. This morning I heard the call of an owl in the backyard.

On The Lunch Plate

Not sure yet. Perhaps scrambled eggs?

On The Dinner Plate

Leaning toward a very basic dinner of ham steaks and fried potatoes

On The Menu This Week

This is an oddly busy week where we’re going in different directions that makes menu planning a bit of a challenge.

MONDAY: ham steaks, fried potatoes, something green (maybe salads or some fruit) *I work 2-3:45ish* *J has a lesson at 6:30*

TUESDAY: Out for me, Out for G, husband and J on their own. I might make some taco meat during the day so they can just have tacos.

WEDNESDAY: OUT to a local steakhouse for husband’s birthday.

THURSDAY: Something in the crock pot, either a crock pot version of chicken and noodles or maybe white chicken chili *I work 12-6*

FRIDAY: Pizza, maybe, frozen, homemade, or out. *I work 8:30-5*

On My Reading Pile

Over the weekend, I read my Amazon First Reads choice of The Maid’s Diary by Loreth Anne White. Very well-written and intriguing. Always appreciate a mystery that I haven’t predicted 50% into the book. This one kept me guessing right up to the end. Plan to look for more books by the author.

Oh, and somewhere in there I read a memoir by Katy Tur called Rough Draft. It was okay, I didn’t really know who she was as we don’t have cable. Appreciated the insight into the world of journalism/tv. Her difficult relationship with her father/parents was compelling. Ended up skimming some of her recounting of covering the former president though.

Now, I’ve started on one of my library books that came up off my hold list: I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy. So far, this one is heartbreaking.

On My To Do List

  1. The usual (bills, laundry, clean the house)
  2. Get birthday presents for my husband’s birthday
  3. Invite brother-in-law/sister-in-law to have dinner and cake with us for husband’s birthday
  4. Bake cookies/cake for Galentine’s dinner/husbands birthday (not sure how these two things ended up back to back, sigh)
  5. Give entry way a GOOD cleaning (and remove season’s greeting mat from under new mat)
  6. Finish/renew physical library books about home stuff

Plans For This Week

Work, Dinner out with friends on Tuesday evening, Dinner out with family to celebrate husband’s birthday on Wednesday evening, Watch the Super Bowl (Go Chiefs!)

What I Am Creating

Haven’t yet started my diamond art kit. This week I’ll be creating chocolate chip cookies and homemade chocolate cake with white frosting.

My Simple Pleasure

Turning the calendar page over to a new month

Looking Around The House

I should be able to get it in decent shape by Wednesday. It’s really not even too bad this morning.

From The Camera

The full “snow” moon last night

Quote For The Week

 

The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still. (Exodus 14:14)

P.S.

I know the headings in red are super bright, I can see it. However, I can’t change it until the Chiefs win the Super Bowl. Not that I’m superstitious or anything….

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day 37/365

 

Rest

Blog365 Just Photos 4 Comments

I’ve needed this weekend to rest and recharge. So not too many photos today.

 

Take rest; a field that has rested gives a beautiful crop. (Ovid)

 

There is virtue in work and there is virtue in rest. Use both and overlook neither. (Alan Cohen)

 

Life is all about balance. You don’t always need to be getting stuff done. Sometimes, it’s perfectly okay, and absolutely necessary, to shut down, kick back, and do nothing. (Lori Deschene)

 

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28)

 

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Quote sources: Pinterest, You can read this post at Healing Brave, Goodreads, and see more quotes about slowing down and relaxing here. 

day 36/365

 

 

 

 

 

Lazy Saturday

Blog365 4 Comments

I’m finding Saturdays are the hardest day for me to post. Today is no exception. Not much going on around here. I’m just having a lazy Saturday so far. Too unmotivated to even bother taking a newer picture of the cat. Here’s one from February 2022.

Not much to share. A picture of Chelsey because I’ve yet to teach her the days of the week. So, a great big meow in my ear at 6:00am to start the day. Thankfully, this morning I did go back to sleep for a bit. Helped she gave up on rousing me and settled down on top of me with the purr motor going.

I did do a quick clean up in the kitchen to get that room back to an acceptable level of horror. And have a bit of laundry in progress. Mostly though I’ve been either reading my book or watching tv this morning.

Still need to shower and get set for the day. Or rather the afternoon at this point. Dinner out with friends this evening.

Hoping to come around and visit all the lovely blogs at some point tomorrow. Just wanted to do this quick post to stay on track with the whole 365 days of blogging.

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day 34/365

Exhausting Day

Blog365 6 Comments

Today ended up being a work day for me.

Note: The kids hadn’t been able to go outside most of the week due to the cold temperatures. AND Sunday is a full moon. Plus, I’m a sub. The kids may know me and see me often but I’m still not their normal teacher.

I love my job and lots of days are full of sunshine, love, and light. And there was some of that today. However, in between you sometimes get:

  • High energy, unfocused, moving everywhere kids ignoring your redirection
  • Times of trying to do two (or more) jobs at once so a co-teacher can talk to a child/parent/deal with something pressing
  • Spills: food, drink, work items
  • Kids saying unkind words to you (Note: most the kids rarely say mean things to me and are super kind but sometimes….)
  • Picking up/touching items that shouldn’t be wet. Wet with what? Toilet water? Pee?
  • Dry hands that crack open and bleed from washing them so much (see item directly above this)
  • Bathroom clean up duty because that’s definitely not water all over the floor. SIGH.

Did I mention I’m exhausted tonight?

However, I do work again next week and am looking forward to it.

The sunshine, love, and light definitely outweigh the pure exhaustion of it. And managed to save me just enough brain cells for this post. That said, if you need me the rest of tonight, I’ll be watching mindless tv and perhaps having cereal for dinner.

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Day 33/365

 

Come Shopping With Me

Blog365 Chitchat 9 Comments

I spent the morning doing a bit of shopping. It’s actually rare that I get in a full on shopping mood. And I had a lot of things I needed this morning.

I’ll share where I went, what I bought, and a few interesting things I saw/heard along the way.

Parking Lot Birds

Do you see the two geese up there on the roof? I didn’t actually go in Kohls but the geese caught my eye. At my first stop, I also saw giant gulls swooping around the lot. That parking lot was too busy for me to stand safely and grab a photo.

First stop: Menards

Their slogan is “save big money at Menards.” Somehow, I always seem to spend big money there.

My list for Menards: bird seed, a new welcome mat/rug for front door. Maybe some Valentine’s decorations if they have any.

Did I stick to my list? Uh, no.

Started off well enough finding a small rug to replace our front door welcome mat. Should I even confess that earlier this week I realized we were still using one saying “Seasons Greetings”? Oops.

Bird seed, let’s try safflower seed again. More suet. Check. And look, here’s a different kind of bird feeder. That gives me an idea. Into the cart it goes.

Go over where Christmas used to exist. They were not feeling the Valentine’s Day love. Nothing there. Well, except it’s now time for patio furniture apparently. And rugs. Oh, look at this:

Good price and I’ve been wanting an area rug for the living room. Three piece set. Did take a minute to text my husband, he didn’t care so into the cart it went.

Time to get out of Menards!

Target Time

It’d been a while since I went to my local Target. Didn’t really need too much: small trash bags, a few beauty essentials (mouthwash, makeup), cleaning supplies. Spent some time just browsing while in there.

Am I the only one who has to touch the cozy blankets? Just need to see how soft they truly are, right? I didn’t buy any, we don’t have a need. Pretty though.

Pondered this lamp for a moment (I have gift cards) but decided I didn’t want to settle. Holding out for a lamp I love.

Why did I not stop and think, picking up frozen items. (Auntie Anne’s frozen pretzels, weekend treat) Too warm to leave frozen items in the car today.

Need to go a few more places but first:

Pit Stop At Home

I left the area rug in the car until one of the boys could help me unload it. The blue stripes is the new welcome mat or it might go in the kitchen.

Hallmark and Joann

Unfortunately, I only managed two more stops before running out of time. And steam.

In Hallmark, I ended up only buying 3 cards. Good I guess since I needed the cards. However, I was hoping to find Galentine’s Day ideas there. All I really found was a headache as some man was talking super LOUD with the sale associate. I get that he was excited about his new “in like” relationship but geez, indoor voice, please! They weren’t going to be “in love” because that didn’t work with her previous relationship or something. I was glad when he left and it was quiet again.

Then, I debated going into Kohls but passed and decided to just go to Joann. If you don’t know, Joann is a fabric/craft kind of store. Think Hobby Lobby or Michaels but with more sewing stuff maybe?

Between Target and Joann, I managed the beginning of an idea for a simple Galentine’s Day gift for my friends:

I bought the packaging first. More on how/what I end up putting together later.

 

And I decided maybe I wanted to give the whole diamond art thing a try, so I bought a small kit:

I thought it might make nice decor in March. We’ll see how I do with it.

Did I Get Everything I Needed?

Ha, not even close!

Did I get everything I didn’t need? Well, I really thought I needed chocolate and didn’t get that so I guess no again.

Did I go home and take a nap? Maybe.

Our new area rug: 

Do you like to shop or are you more like me and the mood has to hit just right?

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day 32/365

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