Sunny Tuesday sometime in January

I had a post on FB by a friend that asked for you to post the last picture on your phone.  I posted a picture and then posted the post to my page.  It was fun seeing my FB friends posting their pictures.  My girlfriend I grew up with who is building a home in the small town where she and I grew up/went to school...she posted a pretty picture of a rock with their last name and a light on it.  She said she got it for her husband's Christmas gift.  I said, huh, great minds think alike...as I had just admired and posted a picture of my rocks framing our driveway.  These we made ourselves, using silicone adhesive to glue on the numbers/letter and solar spot lights.  

These pictures right after we "installed" the rocks.  It was actually one big rock that broke in half - otherwise, DH and I would not have been able to get them into our truck!  You can see the small bushes that are next to each, they are growing nicely and we have since planted some decorative grass behind them as well.  This is them the other night.

We think they turned out nice.  Enjoy making the yard look pretty.  What projects are you working on?  I need to clean all my blinds.  Maybe next month or so I will start doing a room at a time, lol.  I actually cleaned my windows last spring and noted that by mid summer they were already needing washed again!

Speaking of quilt...I wish I could quilt...maybe I will learn that after I slow down hiking, lol.  But I do crochet.  I have 2 hand crocheted afgans on my Poshmark closet for sale...the green and burgundy one is 35 x 58 inches and the red, white and blue one is large...52 x 60.  This gal offered me $22 for them both, plus a blanket scarf I have listed!  I was like, not only no...but I immediately raised the price on both.  Geez.  Last fall I sold this sunflower one for $35.  That is more reasonable.  There are hours involved in making a nice afgan.  Come on, people!?

Still slowly purging and selling, little by little.  Have several "home goods" things listed, but they are very slow to sell.  Still mostly selling clothes I don't wear anymore.  I.e. dressy work clothes.  I have spent a couple years hiking, deciding what gear I need.  I just bought my warm mid layer coat, a used Patagonia...set me back $140!  Used!  Bought a new with tags day pack on Poshmark, for $80, would have been $120+ at the store.  Love to hear stories of what you are saving up, planning for.  

I was able to go on an impromptu "hike" with some of the women in the club Sunday.  It was in Bella Vista and was mostly on pavement, but I had not explored this area yet, and it was a pretty sunny (albeit windy) day, so I was grateful to get to go on a Sunday, since that is my only day off.

We walked under the new by-pass that goes north on I-49 and connects Arkansas to Missouri, going around Bella Vista.  That was pretty wild.  

I find the concept of through-trails fascinating, and perhaps this can be an area I explore more of as I retire, second time around - God willing.  God willing, that I am still healthy and able to do some through-trail walking.  I always toyed with the idea of backpacking, but I am afraid that ship has sailed.  You really need to be able to carry 30-35 pounds and do 10-15 miles a day.  We shall see, I guess.  Also, the problem of finding someone willing and able to go with me!

My DH is not terribly well, health-wise.  Although, he did have a televisit with his nephrologist today, his kidneys/related lab counts are looking good.  2 years ago he was feared to be Stage 4 kidney disease (probably diabetes related), but that was later adjusted to Stage 3.  Stage 5 is dialysis.  DH diabetes is currently being treated and responding well to medication.  

So nephrologist was very encouraged and happy today, so that makes us happy.  DH needs to be more active, but he gets angry if I push too much.  On the other hand, if he plans anything or finds someone to walk with, he forgets.  Our big concern right now, is his memory - he is forgetting everything and it is scaring us both.  More on that in the future...

Eventually I want to walk the entire 30+ miles Razorback Greenway from Fayetteville to Bella Vista.  I will do section at a time!  

Have a great evening!

Happy New Year 2022

Well, I have missed writing to put down thoughts on paper.  

I am still teleworking mandatory 60 hours per week.  Very few days off granted right now, but I did just come off of 2 3-day weekends in a row, so that was amazing.  Now, apparently back to the grind.

I just popped in to write a quick post and see if it is something I can keep up with this year.  We shall see...

I feel like all I am doing is working, but as I reflect back on 2021 I do feel some things have changed and maybe those things will give me content for posts to share later.  But for now, just wanted to reflect on my holidays and my time off.  I enjoyed several family meals and I enjoyed playing golf twice and did a hike on the 1st.  We got a good bit of rain here in NW Arkansas, so we postponed the annual New Year's Day hike from 9am to 1:00pm, so the rain would hopefully let up and it did!  When I left my house for the 40 min drive, it was 47.  I got to the place to hike and it was falling to the low 40's and during our walk it got down to 35ish.  Wind was starting to blow so it felt colder.  Then I drove to Cabela's to see if they still had the fleece lined pants I saw when I was shopping there at Christmas - they only had a pair of jeans fleece lined.  I was hoping for more of a hiking pant on the outside (more water resistant and harder to rip on brambles, etc).  I am also having a hard time finding a really warm hat, but I do have a few warm headbands, so I will just keep looking.  

I continue to sell my work clothes on Poshmark and in turn buy more comfortable/warm clothing in return and I have also picked up a few golf and hiking pieces.  I sold quite a few things this past week (you can now sell household items on PM) and I have sold quite a bit of extra kitchen stuff, dishes, linens and even a few afgans I crocheted.  I managed today to buy a pair of fleece lined hiking pants from PM for $10!  Score.  

Well, I am exchanging my day off (Sunday) for Saturdays to be my day off this year.  I miss all the hiking and getting out and it has made me pretty depressed at times being stuck in my house working all the time and not being able to get out on organized hikes.  And I probably will never be a sole hiker, I just do not think it is safe.  I know some people do that - that is their choice, but mine is to hike with others.  

I heard a good word to pick for 2022 - "remain".  I am going to remain steady in my commitments for 2022, including being a good partner for my husband, good dog mom to our motley crew and a good friend and to be still for times that I need to be.  I tend to jump to action as a default setting, but sometimes I need to be quiet and think/listen.  

Have a great week!