Out Of The Blue: 2023

Sunday, December 31, 2023

Anniversary

So happy to be celebrating 14 years together with Mike!

Saturday, December 2, 2023

Wednesday, November 22, 2023

Sunday, November 5, 2023

Sunday, October 29, 2023

Saturday, October 28, 2023

Saturday, October 14, 2023

Thursday, September 28, 2023

Sunday, September 24, 2023

Monday, September 11, 2023

Tuesday, September 5, 2023

Happy Birthday, Linley!

Hope it is as full of confidence and sass as you are!

Saturday, August 5, 2023

Happy Birthday, Luci!

Hope it is as sassy and upbeat as you are!

Monday, July 31, 2023

Friday, July 28, 2023

Wednesday, July 12, 2023

Weeding Out the Extras

I'm just wondering if it is just us or does everybody have closets that get to be an overcrowded, jumbled mess?

One day last week I got pretty frustrated at having to fold and re-fold clothes. We have a large, walk-in closet with hanging space and shelving. On the shelves is where I stack folded T-shirts, sweaters, and some of Mike's shorts. I noticed that while my shirts tend to stay folded and sort of stay in stacks, those stacks and folds of mine don't seem to stay very tidy and Mike's stacks and folds had wound up looking like a scrambled mess.

I decided that a clean-out was needed. I pulled all the T-shirts off my shelf and sorted things out. If I hadn't worn it in months, it went into a garbage bag to be donated. I would up with a couple of garbage bags full. I decided that while I was at it, I was going to clean out the two drawers of the dresser in our bedroom while I was at it and wound up bagging up every single item from that dresser.

Then, because I had promised Mike one day while he was wearing a shirt that had stains and holes, I dove into his scrambled mess. Again, I filled a couple of garbage bags. He asked me if he had anything left to wear for the next day!

On the day I was planning to drop off the items that were still in good shape for donation, we chatted about it and I wondered how does one acquire so many clothes? As I sat and thought about it, I realized that about half of the shirts filling the bags that had come from my dresser and shelf were items that I've had for fifteen or so years. So, I guess it was just time to do some cleaning out.

A couple of days later, Mike came in while I was sitting at my computer and noticed that I had a clothing store website pulled up. He asked me if I was shopping to refill the coffers.

Monday, July 10, 2023

Do-Nothing Summer

For most of my life I have looked forward to summer because that means we have a break from the daily routine. I remember thinking that when I was a kid in school and even as an adult in school. I also remember thinking that as a parent with children in school. There's just something about the freedom of summer and the lack of a strict, timely routine.

We didn't plan any projects for this summer. There are lots of reasons for that but, as it turns out, that was a good thing. I've had some health issues and have really just sort of been taking it easy and working to become more healthy.

I didn't even plant flowers anywhere this summer. For those who know me, they will attest to the fact that my not having flowers to care for and poke around in is probably a shock. I was gifted a couple of baskets of petunias and I just plopped them onto the pots on the front porch and have been faithfully watering them daily and that has been the extent of my flower gardening this summer!

When we are nearing the end of the summer, as a school teacher, I've always been ready to go back to school and greet the new year. However, this year, I'm not quite as ready. I would be glad to have a bit more time for my do-nothing summer.

All that is about to change, though, a new school year for us begins in about a week. My team will jump in preparing for the return of teachers, facilitating online professional development, and gearing up to support blended learning. Within a couple of weeks after we get started, the teachers will return and a few days later students will be back in the hallways and classrooms.

With a do-nothing summer, maybe that has set the stage for a low-key school year. Hope you all are enjoying your summer and have some do-nothing days!