Just Three Things | #8

The week started out with a bang bringing us snow flurries and cold, cold temperatures. Then, it closed out pleasantly with sunshine and the temperature in the low seventies. As they say, if you don't like the weather in Tennessee, just hang around and it will be totally different tomorrow! 

- What I'm Reading -

I've poked through a few more cookbooks this week. One of the nephew's son is getting married and a bridal shower is planned for later this month. The invitation included a recipe card for me to share one of our family's favorites. We really love food. Eating is one of our favorite pastimes. So, narrowing it down to just one recipe is going to be really difficult! This week I finished up reading the Ina Garten and Mary Kay Andrews cookbooks and started in on some older ones that I used when I was a young woman just starting out on my own. 

Starr Recipes from Greystone is one I got when I was in college at The University of Tennessee. A friend baked me a cake and gave me the recipe book so that I would have the recipe to bake one later. Over the years I have made lots of those recipes and it has been a good resource.

Good Cooking is another oldie that I've flipped through this week. I got this one as a young girl and it is also a good resource. I think I was in about tenth grade when I got this one as a prize through some 4-H contest. There is nothing really fancy in this one but loads of good food came about as a result of folks having it. I know for sure I used it lots.

- What I'm Loving -

I don't know if it is the birthday week or the flipping through old cookbooks or the fact that Mike and I have had family members exhibiting livestock at the North American International Livestock Expo last week and this week. At any rate, there has been lots of nostalgia shared around here this week. We've both shared old tales and experiences from our youth, including that of showing our own livestock. 

NAILE

We were excited when one of the nephews and his family won big time at the NAILE. He nor I never won on the big stage like that and Mike asked, "What do you do with your animal after it wins a Supreme Champion award like that?" So, we came up with lots of ideas about how the cow who won might be treated differently and wondered if she will just be turned back into the back lot when they get home with her.

- What I'm Working On -

I think I have shared before that Mike is the manager of the Cemetery in the heart of our town. His grandfather was one of the founders and Mike's Pop managed it when he was alive. So, Mike has now inherited the duties of selling burial lots, keeping things tidied up, and such. He enjoys meeting and supporting the people who come to him to purchase lots and is grateful to have the opportunity to comfort some of them in their time of grief. I am his secretary. We inherited lots of information and some of it was organized well. Some of it, though, is a bit of a jumble. So, Mike and I have been trying to sort it out.

I have been trying to create spreadsheets of lot owners and update names of people who have been buried and the location of their graves. At times it is overwhelming. So, I guess w are in it for the long haul. I have several spreadsheets at this point. So, when Mike gets a call, I can search through in a couple or three different places and we can locate most of the the answers to people's questions. It is an ongoing process, though, and I'm not sure it is one that will ever be perfectly accurate and easy to navigate!

I hope your week has been one where your sorting and poking and reminiscing has been heartwarming and that you have a rejuvenating and restful time in the weekend ahead. 

Today I Noticed...Birthdays don't have to be a big splash to be memorable.

I celebrated a birthday today. 

It was one of those double digit kind.

It was a rather low-key celebration marked by sleeping late and lunch out with my sweetie.

Lots of folks called, texted, or messaged me via social media, which was nice.

Some of the grands called and sang to me and their parents joined in.

Mike tried to treat me like I'm special for most of the day.

This was my first 'retired' birthday and it was really nice.

No hustle and bustle to get things done or to get here or there.

I think that might be one of the very best kinds!

A Family Reunion

We had a family reunion of my Daddy's immediate family. It was so much fun to see folks and share some time together. 

Last Saturday my cousins had reserved a space, communicated with the rest of the cousins, and organized food contributions for us to have a family reunion. The location was ideal for the cousins and the aunts and uncles. We all assembled in the early afternoon and it was so wonderful to see all those faces that we hadn't seen in a while - and in the case of some of our grandchildren, we may not have seen them at all.

We chatted and laughed and took time to catch up on things that had been going on in our lives. We shared a delicious meal of put togethers - pot-luck style. The littles played in the floor. The adults stood and sat around sharing tales. One of the uncles had crafted some wood items and those were given away as door prizes, which created a few minutes of teasing and protesting and general comradery. 

I don't know who had more smiles and hoots of laughter. Was it the aunts and cousins? Was it the 'outlaws' who had married into our family?

It was the first time we had gathered in several years. So, we were missing some who had been at the last reunion. There were a few who could not make it and we missed them as well. Our fast paced lives prevent us from getting together in fellowship but I do hate that we don't gather more often than we do. It is always so nice to see those who show up and catch up on what is happening with them.

None of us thought about organizing a photo session. So, that is something I want to keep in mind before the next time we get together. I also want to sift through some old pictures and take them along to share so that we can reminisce and share tales with one another's children and spouses. It would probably be a good thing to take along pictures of those who cannot attend to let the others see how children have grown or those who have been added to the family. Maybe we can eventually set up a gathering where we could include games like family Olympics where the kids and young adults could show their stuff like the old time family gatherings we had when all of us cousins were youngsters rather than the grandparents we are now.

Right at the end, those cousins who were still present did line up for a group shot and that caused a lot of laughter and silliness. It also added memories and I think we look like a pretty good bunch.

Just Three Things | #7

I had the opportunity to take in a small town dinner theatre experience last weekend. One of our granddaughters, Lydia, was a part of her high school's drama production of "How to Host a Murder Mystery Dinner Party." Lydia played an attorney in the play and her light really did seem to sparkle and shine. (I'm sure it is not in the least because I could be a bit biased.)  

Who would have ever thought that this young lady who once had a crying jag when preparing for a fourth-grade 4-H speech or who had a huge melt-down after a middle school interview competition might take the stage and actually seem calm and ad-lib to the script to keep the performance flowing? Not this grandmother!

Lydia looking lawyerly 

This performance was followed up on Monday with a fall band concert where she dressed as a butterfly and played a couple of instruments during the middle school and high school performance. Luckily it was live-streamed and I got to tap along to every note. The meal was tasty, the service was wonderful, the performance was suspenseful and enjoyable and a good time was had by all. As always, it was truly enjoyable to be able to tag along and see the activities that the grandchildren seem to take in stride.

- What I'm Reading  -

I'm continuing to work my way through the Callahan Garrity Series by Mary Kay Andrews. I am starting on Book #6 in the series, Strange Brew. I sort of feel like I have a set of old friends that I visit with each day and they have interesting adventures! I'm also still enjoying that wonderful southern voice. 

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I must admit, I've also been reading a lot of the news stories this week. Some of the stories were reassuring and some of them were concerning - like all news, I guess. At this point in the week, though, I feel hopeful.

- What I'm Loving -

When we moved my office to one of the rooms downstairs, I divided the African Violet that was sitting on my desk and brought the parent plant downstairs to sit on my desk as it had upstairs. Now the window in this room faces south and the one upstairs faced east; so, that may have had an impact on this plant as well as the division. At any rate, it has not bloomed since the move. Today, however, it burst forth with some tiny little blooms. So, I think it is on a comeback!

The violet was one in a dish garden that was sent at my Granny's funeral. I loved it because it bloomed her favorite shade of pink. I can remember when I was a young woman, Granny grew loads of African Violets using grow lights, in windows, and all sorts of ways. She gave me some for my college home away from home. She taught me to create a self-feeding system with a sock strip and Miracle Grow if I wasn't going to give it the attention it deserved. So, it really made me smile to see those tiny pink blooms and think of Granny.

- What I'm Working On -

I finally wrapped the chair project up this week. I had put off working on the last three chair seats but finally tackled them and got them done. Then, during a sunshiney day, I set them out on the porch and gave them a good spray down with Scotch Guard to help them repel liquids and dirt (hopefully). 

My hands and forearms were aching again from wrestling with them to get the fabric stretched taught and smooth. Some of them look far better than others, I'm afraid. But I am satisfied and pleased with them all. Below is a sampling of a few of them being lined up for the protective spray.

It makes me smile as I walk around the house during the day and see my handiwork and my beloved chairs. Plus, it feels so good to mark a project off the list

I hope your week has been productive and pleasing and given you something to smile about!

Today I Noticed...Motivation can come from surprising places.

I've said before that I am a procrastinator. I've also mentioned that often my procrastination is unfounded and whatever it is that I have been dragging my feet about really isn't so bad at all. So, when the motivation train comes along, I've learned that I need to jump on and take it for a ride.

I may have been looking for a short project that would fill an afternoon. It may or may not have been because I was enjoying a book I was reading and wanted to read until lunchtime. I may have promised myself and the project gods that if I could just enjoy reading until I finished my lunch, I would complete that short project and be done with it.

I may have also been motivated by the fact that the weather forecast for the end of the week includes rain and I am going to need to perform one step of a big project outside on the back porch without any rain.

I may have also been inspired to complete a project because I was browsing through a book and noticed how beautiful a room was in one of the photographs and I knew one of my rooms could look just as beautiful if I tackled a project.

I may or may not have been motivated to tackle the wrap of a segment of a project because I knew that the mister would not be underfoot.

I may or may not have been motivated by knowing that it was Tuesday and we've been enjoying Taco Tuesday by getting take-out for the last few weeks. So, I wouldn't have to cook.

Wherever the motivation comes from doesn't really matter. What really matters is that something nudges us forward and we find a purpose for the day. Right?

By the way, the Scotch Guard I ordered to spray the newly-covered chair seats has arrived. So, yesterday I covered the final three seats of the cane backed dining chairs. Tomorrow is the day I plan to drag them onto the back porch and give them a good protective spray.

Happy Birthday, Bryan!

Hope you have a great day and wonderful year ahead!

Just Three Things | #6

I'm certainly not the jet-setter I used to be. Last week, I went traveling for a couple or three days. Stayed in a hotel for a couple of nights. Trailed along behind the grandchildren a few days. This old gal had a hard time bouncing back! 

I napped a bit on Sunday. Then, Mike and I trekked to the local pharmacy for our annual flu vaccine appointment. The rest of the week has included catching up on laundry, catching up on housekeeping, and just trying to catch up. I'm not the spring chicken I once was and it shows!

What I'm Reading

A couple of years ago I bought a stack of cookbooks from a guy who sells stuff from storage unit sales, left-overs from estate sales, and such. There were a few Ina Garten cookbooks in the stack and I have really enjoyed reading them and trying a couple of her recipes. I have always enjoyed her cooking show and how she seems so laid back. Her cookbooks seem to have that same attitude - laid back, yet, delicious. This week I've been reading How Easy Is That? This cookbook is my favorite of hers that I have read thus far. The recipes are pretty basic and the finished product seems like something that could be included in a weekly rotation of meals.

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I might not have selected those particular titles if I was looking round in a book store, but getting several of them at a bargain second-hand was different. I've really enjoyed reading each one of them and have even given some of the recipes a try. I will probably be on the lookout for more of her titles - at a bargain.

What I'm Watching

Mike and I really enjoyed watching the Australian TV Series, McLeod's Daughters last winter. We streamed it via Amazon Prime. So, I decided that I would give another Aussie series a try - A Place to Call Home. Mike hasn't jumped into it like I have. He seems to enjoy things that run more like the old-time westerns and this is not that. However, I'm really enjoying all the crooks and dramas. There is just enough realism added to the family saga part that I can relate. I also like how they take what we might consider current issues and show how they are not something new. 

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I am in the midst of season three and enjoying every moment of the family drama but especially the beautiful scenery that is the backdrop of the stories. I also find myself pausing and asking if I am more like this character or that one.

What I'm Working On

I'll have to be honest, I haven't really been doing a lot of work this week. Mostly, I've played catch up with household chores. One that was far simpler this year than last is the selection of our Medicare plans for the upcoming year. Just like the television commercials state, it can be confusing and the plans change from year to year. I know that last year when I was trying to figure out what might be best for us, I felt like I was studying for another master's degree! I had pages of notes, a headache from reading all the different materials, a list of questions, and loads of research. This year, it was more of a refresh on the high points. Then, I just dug in and let my fingers do the calculating to see what would work best for us in my best idea. 

I get so frustrated that these insurance companies seem to try to make things more confusing than they have to be. They talk about a Plan C when there really is no such thing. All of our working lives we have paid into the system. So, why not take advantage of all of those years and dollars earned? Part A is what we've paid into all of those years. Part B is a standard insurance policy to help pay the bills. It comes at a relatively low rate, considering the other options, in my opinion. So, why not take advantage of that? Of course, check the options and if it is better for the pocketbook and still covers the necessities, go with a Medicare Advantage plan with one of these companies instead - just don't confuse that privatization of insurance with what the government provides by calling it Medicare Part C because it is not! 

I think these companies actually try to confuse folks and muddy the waters so that they can take advantage of folks. The options offered via Medicare are really no different, either. Neither of us like change. Yet, the insurance plans with Medicare change from year to year. It all depends on which company negotiated the better deal with the drug company that manufactures our meds. So, Mike and I only had a couple of heated conversations about it and I think we are all signed up and ready to roll into 2026!  I absolutely hate how these companies tend to make things even more confusing than they have to be. Mike gets frustrated and tends to take out his frustration on me as if I am the one who has made all the changes. Of course, I snap back at him as if he is the one who is the root of the evil. Then, cooler heads prevail and we calculate which option is going to give us the best coverage for the least amount of or money and call it a day. I often recall Daddy cursing and fussing about how the medical industry and insurance companies were the "downfall of America." Sadly, I think he may have been exactly right!

Well, I hope that if you are jet-setting round to places, you have the energy and tenacity to enjoy the experience and can come back home with a good frame of mind and a chance to rejuvenate. I am also looking forward to a good week ahead of cool fall weather and cozy times at home and wish that for you as well!