Despite the storms, it was a great week.  We have been really busy at work - no stress just interesting stuff.  I love my job.  I love my life.  I have a great, supportive hubbs and wonderful family.  And Brac is probably the cutest baby ever.  What a joy.  Add him to Kelsey and Caleb and we've got a good next generation coming up.  Not a brat in the bunch, just really great kids.  All three have good parents who have the kind of values that surpass those of most others in their generation.  

I am finally feeling a little better this morning.  And, it's Friday Eve!  Looking forward to a nice weekend with the hubbs.  He has really taken care of me this week while I've been under the weather - literally - it's alergies.  He made me tomato soup and a grilled cheese sandwich for dinner last night - real comfort food.

After almost 32 years of marriage, I still keep discovering things about our relationship that make me even more appreciative.  We will always be there for each other - for as long as we both......Hope it's a long time!

We had a great time at Watauga Fest yesterday.  I got a Watauga Senior Center Cook Book and Stan bought a bracelet for me that is made out of salvaged buttons.

Forever Plaid was absolutely wonderful.  It was done in a cafe setting rather than in the theater.  The performers were perfect for their parts and had really great singing voices.

I am a little under the weather today.  When's the first frost?  It may take that long for my head to clear. 

 We really enjoyed our day out.  Spring is always wonderful!

Ah, Friday.  Watauga Fest is tomorrow and Forever Plaid is showing at the Uptown.  I would really like to go see it in the smaller venue.  I wish the Farmers' Market was going to be open but that isn't until next weekend.

The square-foot garden is sprouting.  I think everything is pretty much up now.  We just need some warmer weather to get things really growing.  My tomatoes are blooming almost as much as the spirea.  Hope we get a good crop. 

I got corn for wild feed last week and the birds really like it.  We may need to get more this weekend.

Hope everyone has a great weekend.

I got home tonight and Stan had my new bicycle waiting in the garage.  It is a pretty blue with a bicycle helmet to match.  I tried it out and found it needed some minor adjustments to the gears and tires but it is pretty comfortable to ride. 

I didn't discover Downton Abbey until season two.  I ordered season one from Amazon and they gave me the digital version as a gift with the DVD.  I watched four episodes tonight and will watch the other three tomorrow night.  I'm so glad there will be a third season.  It almost makes up for not having Masterpiece Mystery on regularly, although I tend to like the older programs on Mystery better - like Morris, Lewis, Poirot, Marple, Prime Suspect, etc.  I'm not too fond of the new Sherlock but it is an evolved character that today's audience will probably relate well to. 

It was still a little to wet outside for me to get to the garden this afternoon but I can see a few sprouts from the window.  I'll go out and look a little more closely tomorrow.  I will be doing the herb pots this weekend.  Spring is just so fun!

It was a great weekend despite some “trials.”  Kathy, Donna, Walter, Stan and I had lunch at Oscars.  Marty had to work but was going to meet us at the auction.  (Did I mention the rain??)

 

After we left Oscars, we headed to the location Marty had given us.  (Someone, please, get Marty a GPS J.)  After the confusion as to where we were going, Donna locked her keys in her car at the auction site.  We didn’t renew our AAA this year and it expired last month.  Donna doesn’t have electric locks on the red rider so OnStar couldn’t open her car.  Kathy and I both have keys to Donna’s condo, so all five of us piled in my car and went to Kathy’s for keys to Donna’s then to Donna’s for keys to the red rider.  (Did I mention the rain??)

 

The good news was that we had looked around at the items for auction and Stan saw a box of brass things that had two medium size (12”) brass flamingos.  He called Marty during our travels looking for red rider keys and had her bid on it.  It was a 500 number so it was near the last of the auction and Marty, an auction maven, was able to get it for $5.

 

I used a new recipe for applesauce chicken in the slow cooker and it was pretty good.  I got the cheeseburger soup made along with sausage and waffles for the freezer.  I made kale chips with both seasoned salt and ranch dressing seasoning.  Both were excellent but I found out that they get soggy if you put them in a sandwich bag.  I wanted to take some to work for lunch but that didn’t really happen.

 

Donna is going to take Walter to the Senior Center for lunch this week.  I think she said something about peach cobbler.  I hope they have fun.  I couldn’t talk Stan into going.  He picked out a bicycle yesterday and I think he is going to go get it for me today.  I’m letting him decide because I couldn’t make up my mind.  I really wanted a 3-wheeler with a cart but need speeds because of the RA.  Almost everywhere I go is within two or three miles of home.  We checked out the closest strip center and there aren’t any bicycle racks. 

 

Our little city isn’t particularly bicycle friendly.  I’m guessing it’s because of the large packs of riders who don’t obey traffic laws that come from Bedford and North Richland Hills.  They pull up at traffic lights to the right of cars waiting to make a right turn, don’t stop for lights or stop signs and block traffic by riding across both lanes if there are two lanes.  Then, they complain if they almost get hit.  Cars would share the road if the cyclists had a clue.  Mostly, the big groups are just rude.  Just once, I’d like to see a single one of them actually stop for a stop sign or red light!

 

So much for one of my pet peeves. 

Garden is Planted

Stan had planted tomatoes, onions and peppers during the week.  This weekend we did the square-foot garden box with a number of different seeds.  We picked out small pots for the herbs and I will probably start them in the sun room this week since it is supposed to both rain and turn colder Thursday.  The rain is usually too hard for the seed pots and I want them to feel all warm and cozy and ready to grow.  I love being in the garden this time of year.  I'll try to post some pictures soon.  The garden is already home to two large flamingos and one small one. 

We made sausage this afternoon and was I surprised.  Ground pork is readily available now and the rest is just spices.  I may try ground turkey next time.  The best part was no preservatives and stuff you can't pronounce in the ingredients.  That's got to be better for you.  It was as good as anything I've ever purchased.

What a wonderful weekend!

 

Great Morning

I woke up this morning to the sound of Dove calling to each other and a Mocking Bird doing his best Bob White impersonation.  There were undertones of squirrels chattering to each other.  I told Stan we sure have a noisy yard.

 

The new dishwasher looks great.  I called home while the installer was still at the house and he and Stan were having way too much fun.  I'm thinking this is about the happiest I've ever seen him.  Retirement really suits him.

 

I plan to spend some time outside this weekend working in the garden.  It isn't quite to the last average freeze date but we can cover anything that's too tender if we have a light freeze.  I have one eggplant and one squash in an old garden that have wintered over for two years now.  The eggplant is over a foot tall and the squash is about a foot long across the ground.  I know we had a really mild winter this year but last year was brutal.  These two must really want to be here.

 

Well, I'm off to make bread.

Feeling better and planning my garden

Finally feeling better and the rash is drying up now that most of the strawberries are out of my sysem.

Stan got tomatoes, onions, and peppers planted for me yesterday.  I know it has been really warm and I hope all the really cold stuff is behind us.  I'll be doing my seed crops this weekend.  I am going to try the square-foot method for some of it.  I am also going to do some herbs in pots this spring and maybe try to bring them in next fall. 

 

Nice Weather

After being sick Monday and not fully functional Tuesday, I am a lot better today.  The weather is supposed to be really nice.  It should be a very busy day at work - I hope I can remember everything I need to get done!

I'm pretty sure I've determined an allergy to strawberries!  My rash was almost cleared up then I ate something with just s few specks of strawberries and the rash was back.  Bummer.