Yesterday was my Dad's Birthday

He has been gone 5 years.  The day was just another day.  Fortunately.

I do not feel anything except empathy for my grandmother and my brother...and I guess my siter.  I do not know what she feels exactly, but in the past we have had similar conflicted feelings about it.

It is complicated.

Whew I am Pooped

I wasn't able to meet my childhood friend's mom for lunch as her car still being worked on.

So I drove to other side of the county and walked a beautiful park loop around a lake with my niece.

Then I go home and worked on a wild fence row we have.  Our lot is an acre lot and one entire long side of rectangle is all overgrown with weeds, small trees and vines.  Eventually I want to fence the whole acre.  So I need to clear this grown up perimeter.   It is hard to maintain the fence row all grown up, it's unsightly, plus it's full of tick, chigger and flea habitat.

On top of the vegetation,  actually below, lol...there is an old fence row of rocks I have painstakingly started to excavate and move.

This will be a year or two long project.  But I am in no hurry.  I need to save up for the cost of fencing   I will save having to pay someone else labor.  I may seek quotes in someone helping me cut some of the trees.  I cut a couple with a hand saw, but I have no chainsaw and have no business getting one.

Today was beautiful, in the 60s.  Gonna be getting colder though for a week or so.   Welcome to late winter/spring in the south.  In our old city it was 30 today...no thanks.

We Picked a Good Year to Move

Our relatives in the city we used to live, tell us they have gotten approx 2 feet of snow this winter.  It has snowed every few days.  It is 30 degrees there now.  It is 48 here, 4 hours away. Yuck.

Down here, we had had 2 dusting snows all winter.  That is all!  We do not miss it.

We went to a mini reunion for my DH dad's family Sat.  We learned a lot from a cousin who came in from California about DH ancestors.   Cousin and his son have been researching for a few years.  DH father is youngest of 8.  He just turned 85, so he has older siblings obviously facing the inevitable.  It was nice they got together.

This week we are having lunch Tues with a childhood friend's dear mom.  She is 85 and still drives up from Florida to the lake I grew up, then to her son's home in Texas.  She is a fire cracker.

Then we are dropping off tax stuff to get that done.  The weather going to be pretty mild this week, in the 50s.

You all have a great week!

Thursday Usually my Favorite Day

But I usu do my 2nd power yoga class Wed night, and this week I did not, so I will do it tonight.  Still love Thursdays.  I usu have done my tough yoga classes, done the grocery shopping/food prep and have cleaned the house by now.  Working up to maximum enjoyment of the weekend.

After thorough cleaning and repainting the white baseboards in both the kitchen and master bath, this morning I rubbed dryer sheets along them.  Anyone else heard of this?  Well, it is supposed to sort of slick them up with the ingredient in fabric softener and help prevent them from getting dusty so easily.  I can tell there is a bit of shine to then now, more so than just the semi gloss finish...we shall see if this helps.  I read it on couple of cleaning blogs/pinterest.

I am enjoying the newly crisp white cleanness of the newly painted baseboards/quarter round.  It looks so nice!

This week I roasted up some veggies with garlic, olive oil and a drizzle of lime juice and sprinkled on a bit of Cajun seasoning.  Today I will cook a couple chicken breasts with pesto to go with them.  We usu do smoothies for lunch, but on yoga days, I eat a real food lunch.  We are trying to eat more veggies and less meat.  While DH will never be meat free, I am reducing meat portions, increasing lean meats and fish and being more diligent about the source of our meat.  I.e. local game, grass fed beef and free range chicken and eggs.

DH has lost 20 pounds and his doctor is astonished at the progress in his blood work numbers.  I am having a trying

Feb.  After my early Feb road trip, my stomach was out of whack, then I got a head cold/sinus infection and Tuesday I threw my back out.  Just from bending over wringing out the mop!  I know I will be back on track soon.  That is why I skipped Wed night yoga, I did walk the pup so I enjoyed the sunshine yesterday.  More cold rainy weather to come Saturday.

It is late February, after all.  But we are planning our road trip to the beach mid March.  Right after my grandmother's birthday.  SHE IS TURNING 100!  March 6.  Cannot believe it.  How blessed I am.

Winter Weather

Today I cleaned house, including floors and baseboards and cabinets in kitchen.  Then I touched up baseboards and new quarter round that was put in when we had floor installed couple summers back.  They only had one coat of paint anyway and got a little beat up during installation...now it looks so nice.

Of course i tweaked my back mopping and now it is spasming
something terrible.  So, after my project I made some zucchini bread and roasted bunch if veggies for dinner.

Then we watched a movie and some TV.   Freezing rain outside.   Cozy inside.  Can't believe tomorrow is Wednesday.

Monday Muscle Pain

Went to yoga tonight, still difficult because if my sinuses,  but felt good.   I cannot do much balancing for sure.  My head is still a bit stopped up.

We are in (another winter weather advisory) for tomorrow night.  At least it is not like the winter they are having back in the city.   But I am ready for spring.   DH and I are not ready for mowing season.

My project this week us touch up paint the baseboards in kitchen and master bath.   I read that if you rub fabric softener sheet on baseboard after painting, it helps keep clean snd scuff free.

We got our raised beds kits I ordered.   Days are getting longer.  What are you looking forward to spring for?

Have a great Tuesday!

Thank Goodness I Didn't Try to Drive 3 Hours

“The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results” (James 5:16b).

Stayed home today,  thank goodness.  Was supposed to go see a friend back in my hometown.   Was good friends with her daughter.   My friend S passed in 2014 at 47 from heart problems.  

Weather is crazy,  ice and whiteout.   Tons of accidents eveeverywhere.   Good day to stay home watch TV and have some pasta.

Hope you reading are safe and warm.

Still Sick

Bad news is I am sick.  Good news is that I don't have to worry about missing work and thus my wages.  I'm my last 11 years of employment I did not have sick time or vacation time.  And I have post graduate degree.  La de dada.

So, I am skipping yoga again today and resting inside.  It is cold, grey and raining today.  Perfect day for jammies and a movie and a good book.

I just sold a pair of shoes and an old set of DH golf clubs.  I am still cleaning 2 or 3 bags to charity each week.  It is crazy a person has so much stuff.

Have a great Monday!

HBO Trial

Yesterday DH drove to the city for doctor appt.  He still has not found a dr down here.  He has gone to the same doctor for 28 years.  He agrees, if he has to see a specialist, he will find someone down here.  I went ahead and got an appointment with a doctor down here, he is ok.  Not as good as my former dr in the city.  But I am going to make a few of the changes he recommended and see how I do.  Since losing 20 pounds, DH blood numbers looking great!

Tues my sister and I drove to the city to talk with my DGM about her birthday coming up.  The weather has been cold and wintery this year.  But really cold and snowy/icy in the city where we moved from end of Sept.  We picked the perfect winter to move away!  On Tuesday it was supposed to be dry and clear, it drizzled the entire day.  We went from 50's early morning to 25 in the city.  Car was caked with ice.  Driving home was fine, but I sure was NOT  what i was expecting.  in 200 miles we went from 25 to 53 degrees!

We thought we had talked DGM into celebrating her birthday with cake.  We tried to explain to her that while we respect her birthday is about her wishes, celebrating 100 year birthday needs to be shared.  She is more than happy for us to come back up for the day, but she does not want to open it up for more people.  She is feeling pretty good, couple minor aggravating health issues, nothing serious.  She did discuss reminiscing some, and told sister and I she was praying about us having contact with our half brother.  Sister and I got home and reached out to our half brother that we have not seen since our fathers funeral 5 years prior.  HB told me he would call DGM, but getting away was too hard because he "has a dog".

While DH gone Thursday, I binge watched couple of TV shows.  I went ahead and signed up for free 7 days HBO.  Later in the eveining last night I started feeling like a sore throat.  It is worse this morning, so I will enjoy the 2 diff soups I made and take it easy today too.
Hope you all are warm and cozy where you are.

Refresh and Encourage

"In everything you do, put God first, and he will direct you and crown your efforts with success.” Proverbs 3:6 (TLB)

Although I had not read this verse before my Refresh Women's Conference in Texas.  It was the distillation of my intention.  To go, see my friends for the flawed humans we all are, listen to Gods message and come back so I can decide future action.

I loved the conference!  We laughed and cried.   We talked about superficial and deep  things.   We ate. We shopped.

I was so glad to see DH and my dogs last evening.

I am putting more effort in reading the bible and finding a church.   I need more positive input to help me in this retirement adjustment as I struggle with my attitude and health a little bit.  Plus I want to be there for those I love.

Today it is in the 60s today.  Gonna talk pup for a walk.   My little female chihuahua seems better after completing her prescription but I worry about her knee.  she hurt it playing with the pup.

I read an entry this am about wives and husbands and thought I would give it a try!

1 Thessalonians 5:11, “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” (NIV)