(Claude Monet)
(Henri Matisse)
(Luther Burbank)
Above photos are all of my grocery store bouquet bought on Thursday morning.
day 22/365
I admit I had a bit of blogger’s block this afternoon. Still kind of at a blank for what to post tonight. Glad I can post about a happy outcome for the Chiefs game.
How ‘Bout Those Chiefs??!
Whew. Never boring with them.
For the first time ever possibly, there may be many Chiefs fans cheering on Cincinnati tomorrow. (Side note: I could never live there since I can’t spell it. Thank goodness for spell check!).
Anyway, just a short fun one tonight. I think I mentioned earlier in the week we were ordering in “million dollar” Chinese food tonight in honor of the Chinese New Year. Didn’t cost quite a million dollars but close. Also, it was extremely good tonight. And lunch for tomorrow is also set (left-overs). So completely worth it.
Are you watching the game?
What’s the score? (at that time it was 17-10 Chiefs)
He’d asked the question during a commercial and stood looking at our tv for a bit. When the game came back on, he said: Go Chiefs! Honestly, he stood there so long that I wondered after he left if maybe I should have invited him in to watch part of the game with us.
(It’s always the same driver and he’s super nice. By the way, I tipped at the time I paid online so I know he wasn’t waiting on that. At least, I hope he knew I tipped already. Probably did as I said it’s usually the same driver each time)
Then, as he was leaving, he said: Happy Chinese New Year!
So I wished him a happy Chinese New Year as well.
By the way, it’s the year of the rabbit. 
There you have it, a glimpse into our boring life over here. A few other unexciting tidbits:
I decided to wash our bedding and the comforter is taking forever to dry. A bit concerned as it’s already 7p.m.
The cat is being unusually snuggly today.
Good thing as she bumped into the Christmas cactus knocking it over and the second bud fell off of it. No more blooms.
day 21/365
If you’re ever in Kansas City during football season, you’ll see a lot of red.
You’ll see lots of red at other times of the year as well, maybe a little more blue during the spring/summer depending on how the Royals are doing. Or Sporting KC (also, blue).
Even alternate fashionable game avatar Jean wears red on Fridays:
It’s hard to miss when a red Friday occurs as even the local news reports on it. 
(Not sure what happened with the photo so I’ll just have to share that the reporter had on a red shirt and hat under his station logo clothing)
You’ll also see lots of red on game days and on days there aren’t any games. If you’re a fan of the Kansas City Chiefs, you’re part of the “Red Kingdom” after all.
And if you’re a fan, you keep good company. I stumbled across this video made by Henry Winkler (he’s a Chiefs fan) this week. It made me laugh. Maybe you’ll enjoy it as well. Even if you aren’t wearing red today, I think any sports fans can relate to the rituals portrayed here. And I may or may not have spent part of a past Super Bowl Sunday reading my book just to do my part.
Doing the most is what we do. But don’t take our word for it… pic.twitter.com/RBztszO7Gx
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) January 17, 2023
And oh, that poor quarterback from Jacksonville who said the following: “I can’t imagine (Arrowhead) will be much louder than our fans were here on Saturday, honestly”
Um, maybe he should have done a little research? Article from NBC sports on loudest NFL stadiums. If you don’t want to click over, here ya go: The stadium currently holds the Guinness World Record for loudest open outdoor air stadium. It hit a record of 142.2 decibels during a 2014 game where only 76,416 fans showed up. This sound was equivalent to a jet engine.
Are you a sports fan? Have you ever seen the movie, Mean Girls? Is it worth my time?
And of course, I must end this by saying: Go Chiefs!!!
day 20/365
My husband and I cleaned out two more bins in our basement this past weekend. I’m very excited because going through these bins is something I’ve wanted to do for at least the past 2 years!
We did two bins instead of just the one since we did it on Sunday (new week so we were behind, sort of). The first bin was full of emotion. Old photo albums, framed photos, and paintings my grandmother and mother did. Other random paintings neither of us could identify as having any meaning. Family history items that I don’t quite know what to do with if I’m honest. So, some things like broken picture frames went in the trash. Others, like the paintings with names we didn’t recognize, went to the donation pile. And others, back in the now labeled bin.
Second bin also contained some emotional finds. Among the happier finds, the pottery I purchased on our honeymoon, 25 years ago this August. We honeymooned in Hot Springs, Arkansas. And I bought two pieces of pottery while we were there. 
I checked and Dryden Pottery is still in existence. This was the price back in 1998, wonder if it would be the same price today? 
(The double sticker makes me think that I probably picked something up off a sale rack perhaps).
I needed something new to display on the bookshelf after Christmas and so it makes me happy to see these pieces out again where I can enjoy them. (Note: these photos aren’t great. Took one with the real camera and one with the phone but neither really came out right. Photo editing won’t work this morning either. SIGH)
day 19/365
It’s another Winter Wednesday. Today feels slightly more like winter but not by much.
It’s gray and rainy out though not exactly a downpour. 
While I still feel like we need an actual snow day, I admit I’m glad it’s not today. G started back to college classes and most of his classes are on campus this semester which means a 30 minute drive. J’s getting back into the swing of going to classes at the high school as well. Still waiting for the day when I don’t have to hold my breath each morning. (Still gathering my thoughts for a potential post on that whole saga)
So what am I doing today? Had lots of plans but in reality, I’m…
Didn’t sleep great so I’m not full of as much energy as I’d like. Drinking coffee, eating double-toast (at least I only topped one batch with the lemon curd!). Trying to catch up on reading my book. At the point where I’m deciding if I even want to continue it.
I realized earlier that I’m not a spring cleaning or fall cleaning person. However, I do seem to get the desire to give the house a good cleaning in the middle of January! Gave some actual much needed attention to the bathroom floor. We won’t talk about the last time that one happened. Kitchen floor is up next.
Have a bit of extra motivation today as I agreed to let my friend come and practice her sales pitch. She doesn’t expect me to buy anything (we clarified everything at Mom’s Night Out) and really she’s helping me a bit as well. I can not remember the last time I had a friend over here for anything.
It makes me a bit sad as I used to be quite good at hospitality and somewhere along the last 2 years, possibly longer, I lost my touch. Became too caught up in what the house looked like and what people would think. Time to get over that and get back to having people over again. That said, I definitely do need to clean it before tomorrow afternoon as I really don’t want my friend to think I’ve started living in a pigsty.
What are you doing on this winter Wednesday with 60 days to go until spring?
day 18/365
It wasn’t a bad day but somehow it was a long day. Short post, mostly photos just to stay on the Blog365 track.
Thought I’d share a few pictures of what our little gray cat, Chelsey, actually looks like when she’s not photobombing and causing weird photos on the camera.
Obviously annoyed that anyone would think she’s scary.
It’s exhausting trying to get her people to do their jobs. Yes, we all have our assigned jobs. Mine is to let her in and out of the house. Someone else literally sitting in the chair next to the door? Oh no, that won’t do…she’ll walk through the whole house to find me and MEOW until I go let her outside.
And she does love it outside on the warmer days.
She got some indoor cat grass for Christmas. I think it’s her favorite along with a little mouse toy she seems to constantly lose.
Oh, and because of the constant loss of the mouse toy, I’ve been assigned an additional job. Find the mouse toy whenever she loses it. SIGH. Good thing she’s a cute little gray cat. 
Maybe someday when I have a bit more energy, I’ll post a bit more about our sweet little cat.
day 17/365
Happy Monday! MLK= Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
It’s a federal holiday here. Banks, post offices closed, kids off school. However, my husband still went to work. Grocery store is still open, thankful for that one.
Still have to plan the week ahead. Joining in with always with Sandra over at Diary Of A Stay At Home Mom. (Always glad for this link up but especially now as it’s at least one day I don’t have to think about what I’m going to post during the Blog 365 challenge).
I went to the grocery store this morning without wearing a coat in January. Pretty unusual for here. It’s currently 58 degrees and sunny. Though I should confess, it’s very windy and I probably should’ve taken a jacket this morning. However, how often can you go coat free and in January?! Soaking it in and trying not to think what this might mean for February, usually our harshest winter month.
This week: stays nice for the rest of today and tomorrow. Back to normal with some rain on Wednesday and high temperatures back in the upper 30’s/low 40’s. (And looking ahead, I see snowflakes predicted for next Tuesday but who knows).
Blue skies and sunshine!!
Working on this post, listening to the washer and dryer (wouldn’t be Monday if I wasn’t!), and breathing a sigh of relief that our elderly neighbor is okay. He’s been falling as he goes to his vehicle and is supposed to trigger his auto alarm if he does. It went off this morning. However, he wasn’t outside so I had to go to the door to make sure he hadn’t fallen indoors. Thankfully, I think the wind probably triggered it and he’s fine.
Well, I had something I was thinking about earlier. However, with all the excitement of the auto alarm, I can’t remember what thoughts were in my head.
Lamp, phone charger. This category might get a bit boring. Maybe I’ll have to share what’s on my husband’s bedside table: two kinds of hand cream (from his Christmas stocking), the tv remotes (one’s the firestick), his tablet, multiple receipts to who only knows what, a lamp, earbuds case,…you get the idea. Funny thing is that I’m typically the messy one.
Probably not much tonight. Later, I’m going to watch the last episode of The Chosen, season 2, and another David Tennant Doctor Who episode while folding laundry. Might watch the last of the playoff games later, doesn’t matter to us who wins tonight though. Wasn’t too happy with the outcomes of yesterday’s games.
Guess I already covered this. More specific: the spin cycle of the washer along with the dryer.
I struggle with lunch. Not sure. Maybe Mac and cheese?
Tonight’s plan is for grilled pork chops and baked potatoes, maybe salad as well.
Nothing overly exciting but I am planning on us ordering “million dollar” Chinese food on Saturday in honor of the Chinese New Year. (I just call our favorite restaurant that as if we all get exactly what we want it gets pricey. We don’t order it too often though).
MONDAY: grilled pork chops, baked potatoes, salad *J has a baritone lesson at 6:30*
TUESDAY: grilled marinated chicken (just marinating in balsamic vinegar/Italian dressing and doing today), pasta, fresh green beans sauteed in butter *I work 8-4:30*
WEDNESDAY: spicy potato soup
THURSDAY: Maybe leftovers? I’m struggling with this day for some reason.
FRIDAY: Homemade pizza perhaps.
SATURDAY: Take-out Chinese food. I’ll likely get General’s chicken, G will get sesame chicken, my husband gets moo goo gai pan, and J likes just vegetable lo mein with chicken on a stick. Egg rolls, and maybe my favorite a crab rangoon or two (G likes these as well). Very different tastes for all of us.
Struggling my way through Us Against You by Fredrik Backman. I usually love his writing and his books. This one is just hard to read because I’m reading it out of order. It’s the second book in a series and I have already read the first and last ones. Read the last one (The Winners) by mistake before realizing there was another book. First book is Beartown for anyone interested. Good series but intense.
A bit more excited my “real” book hold of Meik Wikig’s My Hygge Home: How to Make Home Your Happy Place is ready at the library. Can’t get it today though, closed for the holiday.
Work tomorrow, go to the library, maybe take blankets back to Kohls, try to get the house somewhat clean for Chinese New Year (I think of it as my 2nd chance New Year since I never seem to manage to get the house clean the first time)
I’m going to need to be more intentional with this category. Currently, nothing.
I know many see it as a chore but I love going to the grocery store. Especially if I can go in the mornings when it’s not too busy. If I lived somewhere where walking to the market was a thing, I’d be so happy. However, here, I drive to Hy-vee and look at all the things inside as I pick up items on (and usually also not on) my list. Look longingly at the floral area as I leave (I have enough plants) and once a week, stop at the Starbucks inside for a coffee and sometimes a small treat (chocolate croissant today).
Perhaps that I need to pay better attention. I’m sure I learned a few things last week. Don’t want to think I’m getting dumber each week though that is a possibility.
Pretend the rest of the house looks as nice as my bedside table. (Spoiler: It does not.)
Thought I was going to catch a good sunrise but the early morning clouds were just as nice (missed the sunrise) 
And just for fun, playing with a filter on the “wild” cat who got in the way of the camera.
Next door neighbor, he’s elderly, recently lost his wife and is now falling a lot, his daughter who lives closest has her hands full with her own family and is encouraging him to move to assisted living, for J’s last semester of high school to go well, new and old blogging friends who’ve endured hard losses in their families last week, friends, family, and strangers. Peace in the world. Less judgement and more understanding in hardened hearts.
Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that. (Martin Luther King, Jr. )
day 16/365
Wherever life plants you, bloom with grace. (French Proverb)
Every flower blooms in its own time. (Ken Petti) 
The bloom may be brief but the memory will last a lifetime. (Doe Zantamata)
We cannot choose the day or time when we will bloom. It happens in its own time. (Denis Waitley)
More “bloom” quotes can be found here.
day 15/365
How about a recipe for today? I’d been craving the chicken spaghetti my husband’s late grandmother made for us one time in Oklahoma.
Craving it enough that I sent a text to my sister in law to see if she had the recipe. I have many recipes from his late grandmother including the “treasure” of clippings and handwritten ones I found while we were cleaning out the house. Unfortunately, this one was not among them.
Thankfully, my sister in law had it and sent it over to me. Finally, yesterday I made it.
It’s veggies sautéing in butter and the start of pure comfort food.
I had to buy a few ingredients I don’t usually buy for this recipe. When exactly did Velveeta cheese become as valuable as gold?! Yikes. Suffice it to say, I was really craving this chicken spaghetti to go through with that purchase.
As I said, my sister in law was kind enough to take pictures of her recipe cards and send them to me. I’m sharing this recipe in part so I can find it again and not have to look at a tiny text photo when I make it again. 
day 14/365
I can’t think of a good title for this post. Thought I’d share some of my favorite books and tv shows of 2022. Also, what I’m currently reading and watching.
One of my favorite books of 2022 was The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab. I think it was probably a popular choice before last year but that’s when I got around to reading it. Sometimes the rebel side of my personality doesn’t want to read/watch something if everyone is raving about the greatness. Interestingly, I only read it as it popped up as a “skip the line” option for e-book library loans one day.
Basically, she makes a deal with the devil to escape one life and live forever but part of the debt for the bargain is she is destined to never be remembered by those she meets. I’ve seen it referenced to as a Faustian deal. I admit I’ve never read Faust.
As I do try to read at least one classic a year, Faust is likely my choice for 2023.
My other favorite books from 2022 were all the Donna Ashcroft, Daisy James, and Alison Sherlock books I read. Not high brow literature but lovely romances set in beautiful places or quaint villages.
I love a good non-fiction book!
My favorite autobiography of 2022 was We Were Dreamers: An Immigrant Superhero Origin Story by Simu Liu. He’s the lead actor in the Marvel movie Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. (A very underrated movie, if you have Disney+ and haven’t watched this one yet, go do it! It’s one of my favorites of all the Marvel movies). Always interesting learning about different cultures. Worth your time.
My other two favorite non-fiction books of 2022 were by the same author, Johann Hari. The first book I read from him, Stolen Focus, Why You Can’t Pay Attention is definitely a must read for anyone struggling with all their social media. The second book was super interesting from a historical standpoint. And makes you think about how we’re approaching societal problems. Chasing the Scream: The First and Last Days of the War on Drugs is a fascinating look at how the war on drugs started as well as how addiction is treated around the world.
Since I enjoyed the first book I read by V.E. Schwab so much, I quickly put a few of her titles on my holds list at the library. My first book of this year ended up being A Darker Shade of Magic. I enjoyed it a great deal, found it fairly interesting and original. And it turned out to be part of a series of 3 books.
Wish I could say I’m enjoying the second one as much as the first. However, A Gathering of Shadows is feeling a bit young adult to me. Not that I mind a good young adult series ( The Young Elites series by Marie Lu is excellent!). I can’t help but feel elements of this book are a little more parallel to the Harry Potter series than I’d like them to be. Different plots just similar concepts. Magic tournament? Oh, you don’t say. SIGH. Still enjoyable enough I’ll keep reading.
Well, it is Marie Kondo’s time of year is it not? I’m actually enjoying this one quite a bit. Like most books of this style, it’s a bit common sense but reading it helps reinforce the ideas. There was also an intriguing bit in there where she talked about our blocks.
Book hiding behind the others is called A Hygge Life: Embracing the Nordic Art of Coziness Through Recipes, Entertaining, Decorating, Simple Rituals, and Family Traditions by Jody Eddy and Gunnar Karl Gislason. It was okay. Focused on Iceland mostly. Not the best book I’ve read on the subject. None of the recipes interested me too much. Pretty pictures though. Still working my way through the other two books.
NETFLIX:
Better Call Saul: (note only has seasons 1-5, you’ll have to find 6 elsewhere. Used to be on AMC+ but is not longer there). I thought this was actually a better series than Breaking Bad.
Kim’s Convenience: I only discovered this series because Simu Liu mentioned it in his autobiography. It is so funny.
Emily in Paris: Can’t even explain why I like this show so much. I shouldn’t like it at all, however, I just love it.
HULU: Only Murders in the Building: Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez, a spoof on true crime podcasts. You won’t be disappointed!
Apple TV: Ted Lasso: My husband and I both loved this and we have extremely different TV tastes.
HBOMAX: Barry. So funny, a hitman decides to quit and become an actor instead. In case you haven’t figured it out yet, I love dry understated comedy/drama. And this is it. Plus, Henry Winkler. Can’t go wrong.
Regular TV: I loved The Masked Singer. And I do need to get caught up on The Flash as the last season airs this year. I loved it at the beginning but then my interest waned a bit the last two seasons. However, I plan to watch the last season as it was at a time one of my favorite shows. Even have a Star Labs coffee mug and sweatshirt!
Last week I binge-watched the entire 3rd season of Emily in Paris. Like I said, I have no idea why but I do love that little show. Maybe it’s her crazy fashion choices?
Yesterday, I started watching The Chosen. A friend has mentioned this series several times so I decided to give it a try. I’m only 3 episodes in but she’s right, it’s very good. A drama series about the life of Jesus. I think it streams across several platforms.
Wish I had some stickers to hand out to anyone who read this whole post!
day 13/365