Daily Ooos: July 8-9: Weekend Edition

[faerywings]

Didn't we just have the longest weekend ever and here we are again?
I guess not having any sort of schedule is messing with my head. I remember way back when my kids were in school, by the end of the summer I desperately needed them to be back, just for the routine of it. Waking them up, being at the bus stop at 6.45 am, checking HW... I didn't miss that-- just the M-F routine of it. I was thrown off again yesterday since Scott stayed home sick.

Today *is* Saturday - checked and double-checked.

The tomato pie came perfectly in the toaster oven, in fact, I think it cooked faster and more evenly. I should use it more often both for less heat and less electricity. You could tell that even with the AC on, it was warm in the kitchen, I made the pie crust first thing in the morning and kept it in the fridge until a few minutes before I rolled it out. Just 10 minutes on the counter and the butter was getting too soft. A very different experience than when Cait and I bake Christmas cookies and she warms the butter in her waistband.

I am going to the FP this morning and then--*throws hands in the air* --Not a clue. I need to clean the house, the dogs are shedding gobs of fur everywhere. I wish I was motivated to do any of that. I have to do some yoga, I am feeling all kinked up in my back again.

Right now, I am going to post this and then feed the dogs. Maybe one more cup of coffee. Who is with me?

 

[LSlycord]

Good morning. I woke up early and drove to the beach. I loved the drive in the new car. The lights are LED and I could see so well in the dark. On the way back home, I forgot to turn on the GPS and I know how to get home. It's now the little things in life that I appreciate. And the big things too, because this morning's sunrise was gorgeous!

Goal for this weekend is to get out my good cameras...I'm now spoiled by my iphone. And Sydney wants to go to a movie so that's on the docket. The office will be finished this morning. So after that happens, I need to do some mopping to get rid of the drywall dust. Then move the desk into the office...plus a table for the sewing machine and a table for a jigsaw puzzle. We will see if having those things easily available causes me to use them.

Got my Party game winners their certificates. I loaded a layout to the gallery and updated my threads. I think that I'm going to scrap today.

Wow...I feel like I'm on a really high cycle today...hope I can hold on to that for the weekend.

 

[faerywings]

@LSlycord I see you online so I know you didn't sleep in. Were you able to catch the sunrise?
That's a relief that your teeth didn't hurt so much this time around.

@vickyday Isn't that the way it always seems to be, the never-ending cycle of expenses?
That is such a smart way to document your trip-- using Anna's templates.
Have all of you checked out her blog https://annaaspnesdesigns.com/ She has a huge free ART pack when you sign up.

How is your headache? I am sure the humidity isn't helping. I bet that you wanted to see Ilene, hope that you felt up to it.

@bcgal00 Hope you had a nice time with your coffee group and didn't overheat yourself running about town. Ugh about your glasses! Good luck getting them fixed or replaced inexpensively...
I will check out those two book titles. I got Abby Kane Mysteries Series as a freebie a while ago and am on the first of 6 books. I thought they might be interesting since the protagonist is a bad-a** female. The author is a man and maybe I am being sexist, but the way he writes her character feels very much like the way a man assumes a woman would be. But no woman *I* know would talk/act like she does.
I still need to decide on the First Reads picks for July-- we get 2. @Cherylndesigns have you looked at them yet?

@Cherylndesigns I bet you appreciate Ava's Wonder Womanness even more than before after babysitting Kinleigh
That age is utterly adorable and fascinating. I love watching them make connections as they interact with the world. But I am too darn old to do that long-term. I'd need to sleep for a week!
what a sweetheart she is and I know you are all counting until you get to see her again.
The tomato pie recipe is from All Recipes but I made a few tweaks.- I saute the onions and Iayer the tomatoes with some mozzarella and basil. I also use light mayo if I have it for the topping and throw some mozz over it all.
Tell me about fried green tomatoes! (Towanda!) I have heard that they are really good but never had them.

@BrightEyes I am so happy that you are slowly feeling better and that you are able to scrap again. That stinks about the coffee.
Do you like it iced? I drink hot coffee with just a splash of half and half but iced needs to be light and sweet. Maybe trying it differently won't make the taste seem off? I can't imagine not having coffee/caffeine
Hope that you are staying as cool as can be and that you had a wonderful visit with DD

@Nonni F I am so sorry about your dad's sister but even more sorry that they had such a painfully dysfunctional family and childhood. Perhaps this will help them to move forward and to heal.
Enjoy your weekend and hopefully, some time on the catio and in the garden will be soothing for you.

looks like everyone needs some hugs-- so here they are

 

[LSlycord]

@faerywings tell me again what your tomato pie is like. I know that you have told me before. We have a fresh produce stand about a mile from us and they have lots of produce. I'm thinking maybe I should try something new. Good luck shopping this morning. I hope that they have some good things. And I am definitely with you on the ! Maybe the dogs would like to be fed as well. Then I will be back to do a thorough job of personals.

 

[vickyday]

Good morning. I woke up early and drove to the beach. I loved the drive in the new car. The lights are LED and I could see so well in the dark. On the way back home, I forgot to turn on the GPS and I know how to get home. It's now the little things in life that I appreciate. And the big things too, because this morning's sunrise was gorgeous!

Goal for this weekend is to get out my good cameras...I'm now spoiled by my iphone. And Sydney wants to go to a movie so that's on the docket. The office will be finished this morning. So after that happens, I need to do some mopping to get rid of the drywall dust. Then move the desk into the office...plus a table for the sewing machine and a table for a jigsaw puzzle. We will see if having those things easily available causes me to use them.

Got my Party game winners their certificates. I loaded a layout to the gallery and updated my threads. I think that I'm going to scrap today.

Wow...I feel like I'm on a really high cycle today...hope I can hold on to that for the weekend.

Just saw your sweet page in the gallery!
Don't you love it when you feel like you can finally get around without "the wife in a box" GPS?!
I know you are going to be so happy when your office is finally finished!

 

[vickyday]

@LSlycord I see you online so I know you didn't sleep in. Were you able to catch the sunrise?
That's a relief that your teeth didn't hurt so much this time around.

@vickyday Isn't that the way it always seems to be, the never-ending cycle of expenses?
That is such a smart way to document your trip-- using Anna's templates.
Have all of you checked out her blog https://annaaspnesdesigns.com/ She has a huge free ART pack when you sign up.

How is your headache? I am sure the humidity isn't helping. I bet that you wanted to see Ilene, hope that you felt up to it.

@bcgal00 Hope you had a nice time with your coffee group and didn't overheat yourself running about town. Ugh about your glasses! Good luck getting them fixed or replaced inexpensively...
I will check out those two book titles. I got Abby Kane Mysteries Series as a freebie a while ago and am on the first of 6 books. I thought they might be interesting since the protagonist is a bad-a** female. The author is a man and maybe I am being sexist, but the way he writes her character feels very much like the way a man assumes a woman would be. But no woman *I* know would talk/act like she does.
I still need to decide on the First Reads picks for July-- we get 2. @Cherylndesigns have you looked at them yet?

@Cherylndesigns I bet you appreciate Ava's Wonder Womanness even more than before after babysitting Kinleigh
That age is utterly adorable and fascinating. I love watching them make connections as they interact with the world. But I am too darn old to do that long-term. I'd need to sleep for a week!
what a sweetheart she is and I know you are all counting until you get to see her again.
The tomato pie recipe is from All Recipes but I made a few tweaks.- I saute the onions and Iayer the tomatoes with some mozzarella and basil. I also use light mayo if I have it for the topping and throw some mozz over it all.
Tell me about fried green tomatoes! (Towanda!) I have heard that they are really good but never had them.

@BrightEyes I am so happy that you are slowly feeling better and that you are able to scrap again. That stinks about the coffee.
Do you like it iced? I drink hot coffee with just a splash of half and half but iced needs to be light and sweet. Maybe trying it differently won't make the taste seem off? I can't imagine not having coffee/caffeine
Hope that you are staying as cool as can be and that you had a wonderful visit with DD

@Nonni F I am so sorry about your dad's sister but even more sorry that they had such a painfully dysfunctional family and childhood. Perhaps this will help them to move forward and to heal.
Enjoy your weekend and hopefully, some time on the catio and in the garden will be soothing for you.

looks like everyone needs some hugs-- so here they are

My head is stuffy this morning! I'm hoping I didn't pick something up from the mountains.....maybe just the change in temperature set something off. I can't get caught up on my sleep after having 4 nights in a row of lack-luster sleeping!
This time of the year is always tight for us. The big insurances are due for the house and property, yearly car insurance, personal property taxes, yada, yada, yada!

 

[LSlycord]

Ok, I'm back.

@faerywings I read about your tomato pie recipe so I'm going to try it this week.

@bcgal00 I am so sorry to hear about your glasses. The darned things are so expensive. I hope that they can be fixed. I have an eye appointment this week and I think that I this time the prescription has changed enough that I need to get new glasses. Has anyone ever tried Warby Parker? I feel like trying something a little less expensive and I've heard really good reviews.

Here is my morning start.

 

[vickyday]

Good Morning,
Laundry is on the docket today. That's about it. I'm too tired to do much of anything else!
Still working on my trip pages. Only got one done yesterday. I took mostly cloud pictures. I couldn't help myself!
My head is all clogged up this morning like I'm trying to take cold. Maybe the sneezing will clear it up.....after the blowing stops, LOL!
Didn't go to Ilene's yesterday. I figure she probably wanted to spend some time with her daughter.
That's it for me right now!
Hope everyone has a great weekend!

 

[vickyday]

Ok, I'm back.

@faerywings I read about your tomato pie recipe so I'm going to try it this week.

@bcgal00 I am so sorry to hear about your glasses. The darned things are so expensive. I hope that they can be fixed. I have an eye appointment this week and I think that I this time the prescription has changed enough that I need to get new glasses. Has anyone ever tried Warby Parker? I feel like trying something a little less expensive and I've heard really good reviews.

Here is my morning start.
View attachment 398787

OH, MY! A scene ONLY the Master Painter can create!

 

[LSlycord]

@vickyday I hope that you didn't catch anything and it is just adjusting to the change in temperature. Oooh...that doesn't sound good to have so many bills all at once. Things are just way too expensive right now. I am interested to find out how much it will cost Sydney to eat this year. She does a good job of no food waste and doesn't eat out but things are just so expensive.

@Cherylndesigns I so wish that I lived closer to my great niece and great nephews but I'm sure I would be exhausted. I watch my brother and his wife with those kids and they are constantly on the run...and I definitely don't have a run speed anymore. When we go in August, the middle one is turning one so can't go too fast or too far. The twins will be about 2 1/2 months so they can't get away from me. My great niece looks like she is pretty quick now at about 22 months and the oldest will be 2 years and 9 months and that kid is moving. I won't even be responsible for anyone and I'm going to be exhausted when I get home.

@BrightEyes I bet that your kids are so relieved that you are feeling better again. Hope that the heat abates before long...that stuff just wears a person out. Just getting from the car to the parking lot .

@Nonni F I am so sorry for the loss of your dad's sister. I'm glad that you were able to get to see her. Things like that usually bring back the worst memories for kids with unhappy childhoods. Hope the dysfunction is fading back into the background.

Have a great day ladies!

 

[vickyday]

Didn't we just have the longest weekend ever and here we are again?
I guess not having any sort of schedule is messing with my head. I remember way back when my kids were in school, by the end of the summer I desperately needed them to be back, just for the routine of it. Waking them up, being at the bus stop at 6.45 am, checking HW... I didn't miss that-- just the M-F routine of it. I was thrown off again yesterday since Scott stayed home sick.

Today *is* Saturday - checked and double-checked.

The tomato pie came perfectly in the toaster oven, in fact, I think it cooked faster and more evenly. I should use it more often both for less heat and less electricity. You could tell that even with the AC on, it was warm in the kitchen, I made the pie crust first thing in the morning and kept it in the fridge until a few minutes before I rolled it out. Just 10 minutes on the counter and the butter was getting too soft. A very different experience than when Cait and I bake Christmas cookies and she warms the butter in her waistband.

I am going to the FP this morning and then--*throws hands in the air* --Not a clue. I need to clean the house, the dogs are shedding gobs of fur everywhere. I wish I was motivated to do any of that. I have to do some yoga, I am feeling all kinked up in my back again.

Right now, I am going to post this and then feed the dogs. Maybe one more cup of coffee. Who is with me?

That tomato pie sound interesting! Sounds like something Mark would like, but I would have to use a store-bought pie crust!

 

[LSlycord]

OH, MY! A scene ONLY the Master Painter can create!

That's exactly right! I think I'm going to get one on a canvas on my wall!

 

[vickyday]

@vickyday I hope that you didn't catch anything and it is just adjusting to the change in temperature. Oooh...that doesn't sound good to have so many bills all at once. Things are just way too expensive right now. I am interested to find out how much it will cost Sydney to eat this year. She does a good job of no food waste and doesn't eat out but things are just so expensive.

@Cherylndesigns I so wish that I lived closer to my great niece and great nephews but I'm sure I would be exhausted. I watch my brother and his wife with those kids and they are constantly on the run...and I definitely don't have a run speed anymore. When we go in August, the middle one is turning one so can't go too fast or too far. The twins will be about 2 1/2 months so they can't get away from me. My great niece looks like she is pretty quick now at about 22 months and the oldest will be 2 years and 9 months and that kid is moving. I won't even be responsible for anyone and I'm going to be exhausted when I get home.

@BrightEyes I bet that your kids are so relieved that you are feeling better again. Hope that the heat abates before long...that stuff just wears a person out. Just getting from the car to the parking lot .

@Nonni F I am so sorry for the loss of your dad's sister. I'm glad that you were able to get to see her. Things like that usually bring back the worst memories for kids with unhappy childhoods. Hope the dysfunction is fading back into the background.

Have a great day ladies!

You are so correct! Part of the reason we can't get caught up is because everything has gotten so expensive.....not to mention Mark's hours being less than 40 hours per week still! Now they are forcing vacations! OY VEY!

 

[vickyday]

That's exactly right! I think I'm going to get one on a canvas on my wall!

Oh, yes! That's a great idea!

 

[vickyday]

I just heard from Ilene. She was coughing when she called me on Thursday after getting back. She felt really bad yesterday and took herself to the doctor. Turns out she has a respiratory infection. They put her on antibiotics and she said she is already feeling better!

 

[bcgal00]

Good morning ladies. With temps in the 90's, every day now is pool day after lunch. I invited a friend over to cool off, I know her a/c isn't the best so I think she'll enjoy hanging out here for a few hours. I started Stephen King's Fairytale so will get in some reading later. I want to bake some pumpkin muffins later too.

I will pull a few weeds out of the front lawn in a few minutes before the heat ramps out, it is mid 70's now so should be able to handle a few minutes out there. The sun is so direct here though that 70ish heat feels like 80ish.

@faerywings Glad the tomato pie turned out.

@LSlycord Sounds like you are happy in your new home.

@vickyday Hope you feel better as the day goes on and that you're not getting sick.

Time to go pull a few weeds and then more coffee. HAGD everyone.

 

[LSlycord]

I just heard from Ilene. She was coughing when she called me on Thursday after getting back. She felt really bad yesterday and took herself to the doctor. Turns out she has a respiratory infection. They put her on antibiotics and she said she is already feeling better!

Glad that she got something right away!

 

[BrightEyes]

Quick in and out again today. I slept in until 9 AM again today. Guess the body is telling me I need the sleep. I managed to finish a LO for Karen Schulz and get it posted. It is one of the My Story LOs... still have another one I need to work on. Seems like getting 1 LO done is all I am up to doing in one day. It is already up to 90 now so will be a real scorcher this afternoon.

@faerywings That tomato pie sounds delicious. And fried green tomatoes are fantastic. I made them when we had the garden with tomato plants. They are right up there with fried okra near the top of my favorites!!

@LSlycord that is a fantastic photo of the sunrise. Yes, I am still getting used to the bells and whistles on my new car. DD#3 reset the clock to daylight savings time on mine. I agree... I won't let the car drive itself... don't feel comfortable with that.

@vickyday Sorry you not feeling good since you got back from vacation. So glad that the falling tree missed the cabin!

Stay cool everyone and enjoy the weekend.

 

[Cherylndesigns]

A late hello.

Adrienne and I have been out and about all afternoon. As predicted, she's having Kinleigh separation. It's funny, you're so tired and kind of ready for a baby to go back home, but you're still sad. We don't know when we'll see her again. I saw Ava for a minute and she says she can't even see straight today. She said she felt like she had needles in her eyes from exhaustion. She FaceTimed me last evening from the Chicago Midway airport where she had a four-hour layover. She had found a Yoga Room and was in there. I told her to set the alarm on her phone and lay on one of the mats and take a nap. She did just that - kept her backpack right beside her and rolled up her hoodie for her head. Next thing I heard; she was boarding the plane for Tulsa. Kinleigh was so excited to see her mom and big brother but she never cried or fussed here. They FaceTimed with her mom every day.

Linda @LSlycord I'm sure you miss your babies, too. I'm happy that you'll be seeing them soon. They certainly are busy, busy, busy at that age. Kinleigh just never stopped. I kept up with her for three hours, but trust me, I was running out of steam fast. Love your gorgeous sunrise picture - God's Masterpiece!! I have some gorgeous sunset pictures from the West Coast of FL.

Chris @faerywings I totally forgot to answer your question about Lila's seizures. Here we go with the way our whacky brains work. I remembered, last night and don't ask me why it popped into my head. First of all, Doodles can be prone to them, they're not sure why. Daisy has also had a few of them, but never as bad as poor Lilas. Adrienne talked to the vet about putting her on medication, but sometimes the side effects aren't good. I know that the fireworks triggered this one plus there had been so many people in and out of their house for the entire weekend. She gets stressed out pretty easily and I don't think she's really accepted the addition of Marley, to be honest. Marley weighs 65 pounds already and she's still a pup and she's always in Lilas's face.

Kay @BrightEyes good to see you in here and please be careful in this heat. Although, you're probably used to it by now. I think it's really hot there in the summer, but I could be wrong. Probably depends on where you live.

Vicky @vickyday sorry your friend Ilene isn't doing well.

I know I've missed some things, but I want to go put a LO in the gallery for the Border Challenge. Cuteness alert - I'm using a picture of Kinleigh walking on the railroad ties - she was so proud of herself and walked on them like she was walking on a tightrope. She said "I did it!"

 

[faerywings]

Good morning from a very sweaty Faery. It's not even that hot but drinking coffee while sitting in my teeny box of an office with the window closed is making me sweat. I have to climb on my desk to open the window, it's old and gets stuck so it's easier to keep it shut. Talk about the ultimate in laziness

I had the weirdest dream last night- one I kept falling back into when I woke up. It was Caitlyn's wedding but I was the bride and marrying Gary. And it was a total mess. The DJ was a singer, the buffet line was long and no one would let me cut in. There were problems with my dress and no one could find my veil. But it was Caitlyn's wedding... and I don't think I saw her once. I know there are deeper meanings in them, but do I really want to figure that out?


Yesterday was boring and tiring even though I didn't do much of anything. FP was a quick in and out. Scott still wasn't feeling great and took another sick day so it was nice to have him around for dinner. I vacuumed, cooked dinner, and ran laundry. It was just pretty "blah"
It's supposed to rain on and off all day today so I guess another blah day ahead. My mom and I are going to PA tomorrow for a couple of days so I will make a meatloaf for Scott and Gary since I won't eat it. I'll start packing but other than that... nothing at all.
It will be nice to head to PA for a change of scenery. The weather is supposed to be nice Tues and Wed so we might even go down to sit at the beach for a while. If not we can sit in the screen room on the deck and read all day. I hope that they have something for me to do so they don't have to. But as you have heard from me previously, my parents are stubbornly independent-minded, so I doubt it.

Wishing everyone a happy day!

 

[faerywings]

@LSlycord your sunrise photo-- just wow!!! The colors are so breathtaking, can't imagine how incredible it is in person. LOL at the excitement over being able to get home without GPS. And to think we had to drive everywhere with either paper maps or written directions.
What movie did you and Syd go see?
Such fantastic news about your office being done too, good luck with the drywall dust. That stuff is like glitter, it never completely goes away. I hope that having room for the sewing machine and a puzzle table gets you motivated to use them. Keep that high energy rolling!!!
Did you see the link to the recipe?
(I scrolled down and I see you did. I use plum tomatoes. Slice and let them drain while preparing everything else. I can't remember if the recipe says to prebake the crust but you def. have to do that.)
I have used Zenni for glasses for years. I am been very happy with all of them except for this last Rx/pair. I don't; know if the prescription was off or the glasses are off or it's just me, but they are perfect for everything other than reading on the computer. They are progressive lenses - which I have ordered from them before too- so maybe they don't line up right? I don't know. Since I wear them only around the house (I wear contacts 99% of the time), it's not a big deal. YMMV.

@vickyday how are you feeling? Hope that your cold symptoms are gone by now. Scott has had that for almost a week now, he tested twice and both were negative but he ended up taking two sick days in a row. I am sure not sleeping isn't helping you either. Sending you some tea and honey and chicken soup~~~~
Sorry to hear that everything is due all at once. I have almost all of my bills on monthly budget plans because I would never be able to do that on my own. Good luck getting everything paid and having some $$ left over at the end.
I spoiled the family by making my own pie crust for so long and now no one likes store-bought. pfft. But store-bought is da bomb! Remember when it was "cutting edge" to use the stuff in a box? And now you unroll it and it's all ready. Like magic!

@bcgal00 I wish I lived near you -- you could bribe me with a dip in the pool and I would weed all day for ya! LOL Glad that you can stay cool in it.

@BrightEyes Glad to hear that you are able to sleep in as your body needs. I bet that the heat is exhausting too.
It has to be frustrating to only be able to scrap 1 page a day but you are still way faster than I am at any rate You'll get back into your groove, hopefully very soon.

@Cherylndesigns Please give Adrienne a big hug from me, she must be feeling bereft without Kinleigh. She must have been a non-stop presence in the house
I am astounded at how adaptable she was too, that is a long time for a little one to be away from her mom. My kids were amazing for long weekends with their g-parents but would cry when they were in daycare/preschool. When Cait was in the baby room while I was upstairs teaching PreK, I had to crawl under the window of the door. If she saw me through it, she would wail!
I hope that Ava is all caught up on sleep and back to being her usual non-stop Ava Self.
That must have been terrifying the first time Lila had a seizure.


xoxoxo!!

 

[Nonni F]

@LSlycord Beautiful, beautiful sunrise photo. What a perfect way to start the day.
Okay..... TOMATO PIE. That sounds delightful.
All is well here in my corner... a foggy, damp morning, which is okay. I worked all day in the yard yesterday so I'm giving myself a break. I'm thinking scrapping on the catio if the muggy doesn't drive me back inside.
I hope you each have a fabulous day.
PEACE

 

[LSlycord]

Good morning. Today is starting out fabulous!

Got up at 5 so I came in and puttered around in the office a bit. Moved Alexa into my office and she is keeping me on track with the best music. Might ask why she knows my musical tastes...no I won't ask that. I know that the answer is that big brother knows way too much about me but I'm not going off the grid so here I am and I might as well make my life easy. Have started an old jig saw puzzle...I don't know, probably 7 or 8 years since we did this one. I got all of the edge pieces sorted out. It's only 300 pieces and I know that Syd won't be able to walk past without putting a bunch of the pieces together.

Then I grabbed my Bible and headed to the ocean for sunrise. The waves were loud this morning. It's kind of amazing to me how each morning is so different there. A couple of people on their StandUp Paddleboards this morning. I think if I were younger I'd do that. I'm trying to talk my kids into it.

Came back home. Went out to the lanai and the pair of cardinals were out there talking and eating. I think that they like the backyard. Eventually I wandered over to the side of the house to pull a few weeds from my flower garden. I saw a couple of Northern Mockingbirds on the electric wire in front of the house. I had Merlin going to identify bird sounds. All of a sudden, I notice that the mockingbirds were carrying on at something. The something was an osprey on the top of the electric pole. I saw it from the back and I thought it was a hawk at first but Merlin told me it was an Osprey and, as I got closer, I could see that.

The list of birds that Merlin heard were
* Northern Cardinal
* Northern Mockingbird
* Red-eyed Vireo
* Downy Woodpecker
* Osprey
* Fish Crow
* Black-crowned Night Heron
* Wood Duck
* Red-bellied Woodpecker
* Carolina Wren

@faerywings Syd and I didn't go to the movie yesterday. By the time the guy got out of here, it was raining and apparently, in Florida, we fear that we might melt when there is no sunshine. Anyhow...we are going to go see Joy Ride this afternoon. And then Shaun and I are going to catch Indiana Jones sometime this week.

I've got homemade bread in the breadmaker. And organizing the pantry. And that is how we are rolling today!

 

[bcgal00]

Good morning ladies. Another hot day here, mid 90's. I'm heading out to the drugstore soon while it's still in the 80's. Not much happening today, short play times in the yard with Remi, she can splash in her pool and I will jump in and out of our pool - will relax on the deck with my book after swimming for a bit - still haven't made muffins...maybe later this afternoon. I sure have been feeling lazy lately.

@faerywings That'll be nice to get away with your mom for some relaxation time at the beach.

@LSlycord I am so jealous about all the birds you get. I love our little city but b/c of the desert-like terrain and heat, we don't get a huge variety of birds (not like the west coast when I lived in Vancouver).

Waving hello to @Nonni F @Cherylndesigns and @BrightEyes

HAGD everyone. I'm heading to the store b/c the heat just keeps rising.

 

[vickyday]

@LSlycord your sunrise photo-- just wow!!! The colors are so breathtaking, can't imagine how incredible it is in person. LOL at the excitement over being able to get home without GPS. And to think we had to drive everywhere with either paper maps or written directions.
What movie did you and Syd go see?
Such fantastic news about your office being done too, good luck with the drywall dust. That stuff is like glitter, it never completely goes away. I hope that having room for the sewing machine and a puzzle table gets you motivated to use them. Keep that high energy rolling!!!
Did you see the link to the recipe?
(I scrolled down and I see you did. I use plum tomatoes. Slice and let them drain while preparing everything else. I can't remember if the recipe says to prebake the crust but you def. have to do that.)
I have used Zenni for glasses for years. I am been very happy with all of them except for this last Rx/pair. I don't; know if the prescription was off or the glasses are off or it's just me, but they are perfect for everything other than reading on the computer. They are progressive lenses - which I have ordered from them before too- so maybe they don't line up right? I don't know. Since I wear them only around the house (I wear contacts 99% of the time), it's not a big deal. YMMV.

@vickyday how are you feeling? Hope that your cold symptoms are gone by now. Scott has had that for almost a week now, he tested twice and both were negative but he ended up taking two sick days in a row. I am sure not sleeping isn't helping you either. Sending you some tea and honey and chicken soup~~~~
Sorry to hear that everything is due all at once. I have almost all of my bills on monthly budget plans because I would never be able to do that on my own. Good luck getting everything paid and having some $$ left over at the end.
I spoiled the family by making my own pie crust for so long and now no one likes store-bought. pfft. But store-bought is da bomb! Remember when it was "cutting edge" to use the stuff in a box? And now you unroll it and it's all ready. Like magic!

@bcgal00 I wish I lived near you -- you could bribe me with a dip in the pool and I would weed all day for ya! LOL Glad that you can stay cool in it.

@BrightEyes Glad to hear that you are able to sleep in as your body needs. I bet that the heat is exhausting too.
It has to be frustrating to only be able to scrap 1 page a day but you are still way faster than I am at any rate You'll get back into your groove, hopefully very soon.

@Cherylndesigns Please give Adrienne a big hug from me, she must be feeling bereft without Kinleigh. She must have been a non-stop presence in the house
I am astounded at how adaptable she was too, that is a long time for a little one to be away from her mom. My kids were amazing for long weekends with their g-parents but would cry when they were in daycare/preschool. When Cait was in the baby room while I was upstairs teaching PreK, I had to crawl under the window of the door. If she saw me through it, she would wail!
I hope that Ava is all caught up on sleep and back to being her usual non-stop Ava Self.
That must have been terrifying the first time Lila had a seizure.


xoxoxo!!

I woke up with a slight headache this morning, but no stuffiness at all! I guess I blew it all out yesterday, LOL!
My mom would NEVER have used store-bought pie crust, but she didn't bother to teach me how to make it.....or maybe I just didn't have the desire to learn! Probably both!
We always complain about the insurance bills coming due at the same time, but we always manage to get them paid! Mark actually pays more than required on most of the monthly bills, so there are a couple he is going to be able to skip this month which will help! We'll be OK. May have to skip some lunch dates, LOL!

 

[Cherylndesigns]

Good afternoon all.

I don't know what I've been doing, but the morning is gone and it's now going on two o'clock. I haven't even gotten dressed. LOL

Chris @faerywings you and your crazy dreans. I literally laughed out loud and was glad I didn't have a mouthful of tea. I hope it's a little cooler at the beach house and sitting on the porch and reading sounds wonderful. I'll give Adrienne a hug from you. She was pretty sad/down in the dumps yesterday, but we went out and acted silly and she felt better. Ava was back to her old self by last evening - you can't keep her down long. Haha

I'm going to say hi to all and send hugs because Adrienne's on her way down and I need to get dressed! Happy Sunday!

 

[vickyday]

A late hello.

Adrienne and I have been out and about all afternoon. As predicted, she's having Kinleigh separation. It's funny, you're so tired and kind of ready for a baby to go back home, but you're still sad. We don't know when we'll see her again. I saw Ava for a minute and she says she can't even see straight today. She said she felt like she had needles in her eyes from exhaustion. She FaceTimed me last evening from the Chicago Midway airport where she had a four-hour layover. She had found a Yoga Room and was in there. I told her to set the alarm on her phone and lay on one of the mats and take a nap. She did just that - kept her backpack right beside her and rolled up her hoodie for her head. Next thing I heard; she was boarding the plane for Tulsa. Kinleigh was so excited to see her mom and big brother but she never cried or fussed here. They FaceTimed with her mom every day.

Linda @LSlycord I'm sure you miss your babies, too. I'm happy that you'll be seeing them soon. They certainly are busy, busy, busy at that age. Kinleigh just never stopped. I kept up with her for three hours, but trust me, I was running out of steam fast. Love your gorgeous sunrise picture - God's Masterpiece!! I have some gorgeous sunset pictures from the West Coast of FL.

Chris @faerywings I totally forgot to answer your question about Lila's seizures. Here we go with the way our whacky brains work. I remembered, last night and don't ask me why it popped into my head. First of all, Doodles can be prone to them, they're not sure why. Daisy has also had a few of them, but never as bad as poor Lilas. Adrienne talked to the vet about putting her on medication, but sometimes the side effects aren't good. I know that the fireworks triggered this one plus there had been so many people in and out of their house for the entire weekend. She gets stressed out pretty easily and I don't think she's really accepted the addition of Marley, to be honest. Marley weighs 65 pounds already and she's still a pup and she's always in Lilas's face.

Kay @BrightEyes good to see you in here and please be careful in this heat. Although, you're probably used to it by now. I think it's really hot there in the summer, but I could be wrong. Probably depends on where you live.

Vicky @vickyday sorry your friend Ilene isn't doing well.

I know I've missed some things, but I want to go put a LO in the gallery for the Border Challenge. Cuteness alert - I'm using a picture of Kinleigh walking on the railroad ties - she was so proud of herself and walked on them like she was walking on a tightrope. She said "I did it!"

Good to hear Kinleigh's transition was easy!

 

[vickyday]

Good morning from a very sweaty Faery. It's not even that hot but drinking coffee while sitting in my teeny box of an office with the window closed is making me sweat. I have to climb on my desk to open the window, it's old and gets stuck so it's easier to keep it shut. Talk about the ultimate in laziness

I had the weirdest dream last night- one I kept falling back into when I woke up. It was Caitlyn's wedding but I was the bride and marrying Gary. And it was a total mess. The DJ was a singer, the buffet line was long and no one would let me cut in. There were problems with my dress and no one could find my veil. But it was Caitlyn's wedding... and I don't think I saw her once. I know there are deeper meanings in them, but do I really want to figure that out?


Yesterday was boring and tiring even though I didn't do much of anything. FP was a quick in and out. Scott still wasn't feeling great and took another sick day so it was nice to have him around for dinner. I vacuumed, cooked dinner, and ran laundry. It was just pretty "blah"
It's supposed to rain on and off all day today so I guess another blah day ahead. My mom and I are going to PA tomorrow for a couple of days so I will make a meatloaf for Scott and Gary since I won't eat it. I'll start packing but other than that... nothing at all.
It will be nice to head to PA for a change of scenery. The weather is supposed to be nice Tues and Wed so we might even go down to sit at the beach for a while. If not we can sit in the screen room on the deck and read all day. I hope that they have something for me to do so they don't have to. But as you have heard from me previously, my parents are stubbornly independent-minded, so I doubt it.

Wishing everyone a happy day!

So your parents own a place in PA? That would be nice to have a place in a cooler climate to visit during the summer! Or is it cooler up there? How long does it take to get there? I can't picture PA having beaches. Where are they?
Definitely a weird dream! I rarely ever remember mine. They may even wake me up, but I never remember them!
Hope Scott feels better soon, but I'm glad he gets sick time off! Hope Gary is feeling better!

 

[vickyday]

Good morning. Today is starting out fabulous!

Got up at 5 so I came in and puttered around in the office a bit. Moved Alexa into my office and she is keeping me on track with the best music. Might ask why she knows my musical tastes...no I won't ask that. I know that the answer is that big brother knows way too much about me but I'm not going off the grid so here I am and I might as well make my life easy. Have started an old jig saw puzzle...I don't know, probably 7 or 8 years since we did this one. I got all of the edge pieces sorted out. It's only 300 pieces and I know that Syd won't be able to walk past without putting a bunch of the pieces together.

Then I grabbed my Bible and headed to the ocean for sunrise. The waves were loud this morning. It's kind of amazing to me how each morning is so different there. A couple of people on their StandUp Paddleboards this morning. I think if I were younger I'd do that. I'm trying to talk my kids into it.

Came back home. Went out to the lanai and the pair of cardinals were out there talking and eating. I think that they like the backyard. Eventually I wandered over to the side of the house to pull a few weeds from my flower garden. I saw a couple of Northern Mockingbirds on the electric wire in front of the house. I had Merlin going to identify bird sounds. All of a sudden, I notice that the mockingbirds were carrying on at something. The something was an osprey on the top of the electric pole. I saw it from the back and I thought it was a hawk at first but Merlin told me it was an Osprey and, as I got closer, I could see that.

The list of birds that Merlin heard were
* Northern Cardinal
* Northern Mockingbird
* Red-eyed Vireo
* Downy Woodpecker
* Osprey
* Fish Crow
* Black-crowned Night Heron
* Wood Duck
* Red-bellied Woodpecker
* Carolina Wren

@faerywings Syd and I didn't go to the movie yesterday. By the time the guy got out of here, it was raining and apparently, in Florida, we fear that we might melt when there is no sunshine. Anyhow...we are going to go see Joy Ride this afternoon. And then Shaun and I are going to catch Indiana Jones sometime this week.

I've got homemade bread in the breadmaker. And organizing the pantry. And that is how we are rolling today!

WOW! That sounds amazing to be able to grab your Bible and go to the beach to watch the majesty of God awaken right before your eyes!! Do you walk? Are you that close? Or do you have to drive?
Is the Merlin App a free app? I need to check it out! I love the spunkiness of Mockingbirds! They aren't afraid to take on bigger birds!
We have a trial subscription to the Dove channel and we started watching "Chosen" yesterday. It is pretty good so far! Have you ever seen it?

 

[vickyday]

Good Sunday Afternoon to All,
I don't know what my stuffiness, etc. was trying to prove yesterday, but today I have none of that. Thank You, LORD!
The clouds were BLACK when we headed to church! We did get inside before they dropped their load! It was still raining steadily until we got home. Now the sun is shining out. I'll bet it gets HUMID! The temp was 70 during the rain.
No plans for this afternoon, other than scrapping. I need to do some challenges. I got 15 total pages done from our trip. Not sure if I will do any misc pages with the other photos I took or not. May save them for some of the challenge if I can fit them in. I only posted 6 of the last 10. I know 5 is our limit, but I didn't want to split up the 2-pager. Here's the link to the ones I posted today, if you are interested. I still have 4 to post, which I will do tomorrow.
Page 6
Page 7
Page 8
Page 9
Page 10
Page 11
Have a great afternoon!