Is that a song title?  Or maybe a lyric in a song? I’m not sure. All I know is here we are again with me posting bookends. A post to start the week and one to end it. Can’t promise I’ll be better about it next week either.

So, let’s see what happened around here on this short 4 day week?

An Unexpected Day Off! Sort of…

I was supposed to work Tuesday but then, she cancelled me. Offered it up if I just wanted hours to come be extra help for them. However, I politely declined (especially as it was in the pre-primary classroom) and payed the price I suppose. J woke up wrought with anxiety on Tuesday and stayed home from school. SIGH. How’s the old saying go? Two steps forward and one step back. Thankfully, the rest of the school week worked out just fine for him.

It did feel as though everyone needed me for something on Tuesday and so no my unexpected day off I accomplished basically nada.

A Working Wednesday

So much for my grand escape for working in the pre-primary classroom. I ended up working for another teacher in the classroom next door. The kids are cute and fun but every time I work in those classrooms, my back hurts and my hands dry out from the constant washing/sanitizing. Still, I like to put in time down there on occasion as it helps to know the kids as they move up to primary. And I do like the teachers, just not overly fond of the age group (18 months to 3 years though mostly barely 2).

Thursday, Time to Clean And Me-Time Guilt

I could have worked again (in primary) on Thursday but opted not to as I’d already had my day at home (ah-lone) planned out. Why is it I felt guilty saying no? If I’d had plans with a friend, I’d been fine but instead I felt guilty that I didn’t rearrange my day for them. Ugh. The perils of being a sub.

A bit of an aching back and feeling stressed from the disaster mess in the house, I had to make the time to stop and take care of things including myself.

Not overly important, except perhaps to the birds, but I did run and get bird seed to finally fill the feeders again. I’d been neglecting them as I didn’t want to make the poor birds easy prey for Chip. Still no word on if he wandered back out of the woods at his new home yet.

Also, ran to the Dollar Tree. Who are these people who find great organizing bins and decorating items there? Am I even shopping in the right store? I grabbed some stick scarecrow people for outside and a few random snacks for the weekend but for containers? Nothing suitable.

Friday (Today), First More Guilt, Then Football

Turned down work again today, honestly I’m feeling crabby and just need some time to decompress.

I’m also working every day next week so want the time to get things done. September is typically my slow time in the sub area so I’m feeling the need to carve out and protect my personal time. Of course, I still feel a bit guilty doing that which logically, I know is silly.  If the teacher had asked me last night, I’d perhaps have been more willing but I don’t feel 45 minutes notice is respectful of my time so I politely declined. (Note: It was the same teacher from yesterday so she had to have had an inkling she needed a sub prior to this morning) Have I mentioned I’ve been feeling a bit grumpy and unsettled with the need to decompress this week?

It’s red Friday here in KC aka Chiefs Kingdom aka The Football Town. Could’ve went out early and made a donation to get a Chiefs flag but opted not to do that. If it’d been a garden flag, perhaps. However, I am wearing my red shirt. Not a Chiefs shirt because I don’t own a short-sleeved one and it’s supposed to be 90 degrees today.  Different kind of football tonight, high school football! Excited for marching band. Could hear the percussion practicing while watering my flowers this morning.

Rest of Today and The Weekend 

The rest of today, I plan to do a bit more cleaning. Might tackle an organizing project. Take a trip to Target (Personally, I do best with their containers). Maybe repot some plants. Time to start thinking of gradually returning my houseplants indoors.

I finished up Hot Mess House on Discovery Plus. Enjoyed it, I really do find her organizing style/solutions inspiring.

Need to remember to cancel Discovery Plus though I haven’t watched all I wanted yet. My plan is to cancel all our streaming services at some point and then go back and pay for each one on an annual basis. Trying to figure out how to do it so we don’t interrupt things.

Couldn’t get to the closet to get my garden flag out for Labor Day but now that I’ve cleaned, I definitely pulled it out for this weekend. Can’t believe it’s been 20 years since 9/11.  I can remember with uncertain clarity where I was (home) and what I was doing (Taking 4 month old G for a walk around the block in his stroller as it was a beautiful September day. Stopping to talk to the neighbors and tell them how I’d just watched on Good Morning America how a plane “accidentally” collided into the World Trade Center. Returning from the walk to tune back into the show and learn that it was no accident and a second plane had hit the towers and hearing of the other horrors of that day.)

Seems as if we no longer stand united and it’s sad. So tired of all the division and negativity in this country.  Time to turn off the news and social media sites and go outside for a bit.

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This has certainly been a bumpy week. It’s been a bit like a roller coaster, complete with the shaky feeling you get when you’re in the car going up the high hills or around the corners.

I started off amazed on Sunday, when opening the front door, a hummingbird appeared right on the front porch.

It even lingered in the air in front of the door a few moments for me. Hummingbirds always make me think a bit of my late mother-in-law as they were one of her favorites. The little bird certainly seemed like it wanted to share something with me. Here’s an interesting article on the meaning and symbolization of hummingbirds.

Or maybe it was just my local fellow saying thank you for keeping his feeder full. 

Monday and Tuesday

These were the shaky days on the bumpy week crawl up the hill of things.

Monday, over all was a pretty good day. I went and had my hair permed along with that much needed therapy session with my hairdresser. Came home and made a wonderful discovery that I didn’t need the dreaded car inspection after all. Five minutes later, fees for car tags paid on line. No worries about that for another two years. 

However, Monday evening we received very sad news that my husband’s friend passed away in early evening hours. Honestly, still haven’t quite wrapped my head around it.

Tuesday was yet another busy day as I took our stray cat “Chip” to the vet for his surgery. Bit of waiting around as well as figuring out what to do with him once he came home. The vet advised keeping him confined but our options of spaces for that were limited. However, we managed but it appears I’ve not found all the mess as my husband told me the room where we had him still stinks this morning. SIGH.

Wednesday

This day represented a bit of the highlight of my week. The one day I worked. Wasn’t overly excited about going to work in the preprimary classroom but wasn’t sure what the rest of the week would hold so agreed. An early day as well, meant getting up at 4:45 a.m. to get myself ready before J who had band practice at 6:30 a.m. so I could get to work by 7:00 a.m.

Turned out, sadly, many kids were out sick (Not with Covid-19 thank goodness though RSV seems to making some rounds.), so I did get a bit of a break. Offered my help in another class or to go home (numbers were that low) but was told I could stay and just have an easy day. So I spent most of it cleaning the classroom, giving some extra attention to a rather high energy kiddo (had a great time hanging out with just him on the “big” playground before it got too hot).

One of the teachers from the class I helped out with last week (and pretty much all summer) told me a few of their kids had been asking for me earlier in the week. That news (and of course, the hugs from a variety of kids) certainly filled my heart with joy.

Thursday and Today

Yesterday, I spent most of the day “eating those frogs” though not nearly enough. In addition, I spent some time watching Westworld or as I’m calling it now Weird World. Baked banana bread in the late afternoon. And last night, decided at the last minute, to go join for a bit of Mom’s Night Out time at a friend’s backyard pool. It was perfect weather for it though I couldn’t stay very long as I had to pick J up from band practice at 8:45. 

Today, I’m lacking a bit energy after sleeping a bit later than normal (5:45 a.m. as opposed to 5:00 a.m.) and not having showered yet.  Did get out and water all my flowers with Chip throwing himself in front of my feet every few minutes and his newest trick of nipping at my ankles (Working on breaking him of that habit even though he’s not biting me hard!). Took a few pictures with the camera as well. 

Probably just going to finish up the laundry unless I find some of that motivation from yesterday to deal with more frogs. This bumpy week  has me needing that minute to wait for the overhead harness to unlock as we arrive at the weekend.

(Fun fact: I used to work at Worlds of Fun, a local amusement park! And I loved the riding the roller coasters.)

Looking To Our Weekend

This is going to be a bit of a sad, strange weekend I think. Not much happening tonight but then, tomorrow we have the visitation for our friend.

And Sunday is our 23rd wedding anniversary! With everything going on, I’ve not so much as even picked up a card for my husband. I think the idea of buying a sympathy card and anniversary card at the same time was just too overwhelming for my brain. Not sure what we’ll do to celebrate. Maybe I can talk my husband into taking a day trip somewhere, probably do us both some good. 

Between the ups and downs of this week, the news (such sad and scary stuff), I’m truly yearning to get away for a bit. Or at least just take a long nap.

How has your week been. Any exciting weekend plans?

Weird and thankful are the two words I’m using to describe this week. I have had more than a few weird happenings. And I’ve been thankful for quite a few blessings put in my path at just the right time as well.

Tiny Bits of Blessings

These small things (but they felt like big wonderful things at the time) made me offer up a few prayers of thankfulness this week. 

• Called into work on early on Monday morning, time crunch. Barely got there and as I did, the other opening teacher let me know the time clock wasn’t working so I was able to be in the classroom right at the proper time. Whew!
• In a rush to get home, mad dash into the grocery store. The chickens I wanted to grab for dinner were on sale and right in the front so I didn’t have to wander deep into the store for them. Time saver!
• A rain shower on Tuesday morning to save me time watering the plants. And the plants and flowers prefer that rain water anyway. And another one Thursday afternoon, actually that one was a bigger thunderstorm which cooled us off. No more heat wave this morning.
• J agreed to go on a walk at a nearby nature center with me on early on Thursday. We saw a few monarchs and a snake (!), neither of which posed readily for the camera. Honestly, I didn’t try very hard with the snake even if it was tiny.

  

Wee Bits of Weirdness

Here’s where the weird and thankful part of this post arrives. I’ve had some strange encounters this week.

• Had to stop for gas on the way home from work Tuesday. Had a fellow ask me to slap him. Something about a bet with his friends and $200. What?! I politely declined the offer as I was wearing one of my work t-shirts along with it being a bit strange.
• Remembered one of my dreams. I hardly ever remember my dreams. I was in the living room of a lovely older couple I didn’t know and we were talking about fields of all things. My contribution to the conversation was to tell them about Hodge’s field down the road from where I grew up, it’s now a housing subdivision. Wonder who those people were. Maybe relatives I never met?
• In the McDonald’s drive-thru with J. Splattering on the windshield like it’s raining. Except not one other car had water on it. Something dripping off the roof, just on us. We joked maybe it was Sprite but hoped it was simply water. From what? We have no idea…
• Need more than a wee bit of weirdness? Post a found cat (or anything really) on the Next door neighborhood app. Yeah, I don’t think I’m calling the guy who someone else posted the two different numbers for him at different times (both in the middle of the night) regarding the cat. Scam alert senses tingling.

Ending With A Song

Overall, it’s been a pretty good week around here. However, this has definitely been the theme song for the week. (Early 2000’s Country Flashback Ahead)

In case you don’t want to watch the video/hear the song (full printed lyrics here), the main chorus is as follows:

God is great, beer is good, and people are crazy.

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More happened but I think there’s been enough said about my weird and thankful week.  How’s your week been?

Thought I’d share five things from this week in the style of a week in review post. Kind of a Five on Friday kind post with a twist, admittedly not much of one. When checking, I saw the last time I did a week in review post was back in March!

Oops. Didn’t think my week in review posts were going to be quite that sporadic. Maybe I’ll do better during the school year.

My Five Things From This Week

One: Speaking of Oops, I fed a stray kitten.

And now it’s adopted me. Except everyone in the household voted no to adding this sweet fellow to our family. Our current cat voted a very loud no on the matter.

However, in fairness to the family, we do take care when discussing adding another cat as our current cat is quite small (she weighs about 10 pounds) and we don’t want her overwhelmed by a larger cat. This little fellow is going to be fairly large if his ears and paws are any indication.

Why oh why did you feed the cat? Everyone knows not to do that. Except the poor guy was starving and seemed to be eyeing the all you can eat bird buffet at my feeders. Barely a baby and yes, I did go to Target yesterday and get some kitten food.

I do have his picture posted on the neighborhood site so hopefully, someone needs a cat and soon before I get any more attached.

Two: Front Porch Privacy

It’s not that I don’t like my neighbors. However, our houses are not that far apart and their porch is not big. While I’m glad they have their daughter staying with them while her mom recovers from some medical issues, she is outside all the time. Sitting on the bench which faces our front porch, it’s the only way it fits on their porch. While she is very kind, I find it hard to grasp my peace when she is out there because:

Direct line of sight is how my husband put it. And sometimes when I’m sitting on my front porch, I just want the solitude of my porch, the cat laying there, and the gentle scent of my flowers. Hard to obtain with someone a few yards away, constantly on the phone and (ugh) smoking. Case you ever wondered, cigarette smoke overpowers the scent of flowers.

So, I’ve been attempting to construct a living privacy wall of sorts. Tall lemongrass, lavender, sage. I need a plant stand as well. It helps a bit with the direct line of sight at least. Trying to give us both a bit of privacy, I’m sure they’d prefer a little bit as well.

Might be time to focus on making the back deck an oasis instead. Except, it’s all shady and I like my sun loving flowers that do good only around the front of the house.

Three: Feeling Summer Cozy With Books and TV Shows

The Netflix laundry folding show I’ve been watching, The Good Witch, has a real fall feel to it. And it’s just kind of a happy, settle in kind of show.

And I’ve escaped (via a kindle book) to The Hummingbird Hotel, thanks to Daisy James and her new series.

The two characters start off with that strong dislike of each other that we all know leads to love and romance in the end (well, if it doesn’t I’ll be both surprised and disappointed!).

Four: Haunted By The Ghosts of My Farming Grandparents, Apparently

The only reason I can think to explain this self-proclaimed city girl (okay, suburban girl) suddenly having this desire to plant a fall garden. Or even actually work in our current (albeit small) vegetable garden pulling weeds.

Yesterday, I planted a second set of bean seeds (after tearing out the current bean plants because they were tangling on all the other plants and the beans from them tasted awful!). And pulled weeds plus pulled up my poor zucchini plant that had seen better days. Does look we may have a bumper crop of cucumbers in a few weeks. Plan to get a few more things going today.

My fall garden plans include: one okra seed (This is just a to see if it will work kind of thing, I found one lonely seed in a packet from spring. The okra we planted in the spring didn’t make it), green beans, lettuce, carrots, and sweet corn. My idea is to grow most of it in pots around the front porch area as that’s honestly the place with the best light.

Five: Random Tidbits

Aside from my crazy idea to try fall gardening, I might need to ban myself from the garden centers for a bit. Can’t resist those bargain flowers that they mark down this time of year.

Especially when I’m convinced by fluttering sales agents in the form of hummingbirds visiting the sage and monarchs showing me the sombrero salsa coneflowers (yes, I think that’s a weird name as well).

J had two band practices and a baritone lesson this week. G had car trouble and we had to go jump start his car the one evening J didn’t have an activity. My husband’s been mostly busy with work and visiting his friend in the hospital (things weren’t looking great on Tuesday).

Oddly, I’ve not worked all week but I don’t mind. I’m enjoying my time at home while things are slow. Of course, I should be making better use of it and doing the “boring” stuff like getting the car inspected, tags renewed, actually finishing this basement project, etc.

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Well for a summary of the week, this post got rather long. Better end it here. How has your week been?