I am writing this post in advance because by the time I send it most likely I will be in the airport waiting to catch a flight to join Son1's family in Puerta Vallarta. So this is a quick recap of last weeks joys and meals.
What was planned:
Nothing much
What really happened:
Monday joy: I stayed at home all day, but still put on real clothes and minimal makeup. I was glad I did because Son2 stopped by for a couple of hours during the middle of the day. He certainly knows what I look like and has also seen the best and the worst times, but it was still good to look like a human when he was here.
In the evening TheHub and I finished watching the Apple TV series, Prime Target. It is not my favorite series and was kind of hard to get into at first, The series developed by about the 3rd episode and did finish with an open ended bang. I am reasonably sure there will be a season 2 (providing the viewer numbers are large enough to justify it)
And what would St. Pat's be without a late night viewing of Darby O’Gill and the Little People
Monday dinner: It was St. Patrick's Day! So what if my family tree is German/English and TheHub hails from French/English.
Corned Beef, cabbage, potatoes
Tuesday joy: I did not go anywhere all day and I loved it. Since we were headed out of town to a tropical location my winter duds would not be very appropriate to wear.
The great clothes migration began.
We have a large walk in closet that I get only 1/3 of for my clothes. TheHub is a clothes horse who keeps everything forever and hangs everything he has in said closet.
I might keep things forever too, but only if it is something I wear at least a couple of times per season. I cull my wardrobe and have at least 2 bags of clothes for The Exchange Club every time I change over clothes. I do also buy a few new items every year so my total number of items I wear stays fairly constant.
Consequently I have to move my clothes upstairs for seasonal storage. The only upside of changing over clothes is finding things I had forgotten I owned, or clothes I bought at a deep discount when the season was over that were packed away having never been worn.
Tuesday dinner: This was a “use what is in the refrigerator before leaving town “type meal.
Hamburger patty, tossed salad, asparagus
Wednesday joy: I woke at about 4 a.m. and could not get back to sleep. I was going to need to be up and dressed for class anyway, so I just read in bed until I got the text at about 6:30 that it was cancelled. Hurrah! I turned my Ipad off and dozed for about an hour after getting the cancellation message. Stolen sleep is a joy!
Wednesday dinner: We only had a couple of nights before we left for our trip and I had produce in the fridge that needed to be used. Dinner planned itself.
Squash casserole, green beans, Waldorf salad
Thursday joy: I am kind of late to the technology party, but finally figured out how to download movies for in flight entertainment. We usually fly Delta and they always have movies and such, but our last flight was with American and they had no entertainment options. I charged my earbuds, downloaded 3 movies, and should be set to watch something on both outgoing and return flights.
Other than that, the day was spent getting everything ready for the trip. Translation: washing the clothes I got out of seasonal storage.
Thursday dinner: Toasted open face cheese sandwiches
Friday joy: Probably the only joy I had was the fact that no one was harmed during a very frustrating day.
We will just say everything originated with the DMV when I was trying to renew my license. Now our state DMV has linked with social security.
I do not go by my given first name, but my drivers license ( which I got when I was 16 and they used my birth certificate name to issue it to me) would never change it even after I was married and had a legitimate name change.
Since then it is Given first name, maiden name, married last name. It is at odds with my SS legal name which it the name I use for every single thing except my blooming drivers license. Now to get my license renewed I have to have my name either legally changed to reflect me using my middle name as my primary name, or change everything to a name I ditched before I was in kindergarten ( except when I was in trouble and Mom used all three names)
So, TheHub is going to have to be my chauffeur until we get back from our trip and I can go to probate court and have my name legally changed. To be honest this just sounds like a money grab. The court costs are anywhere from 65-80 bucks, but here is the kicker. We have been married many decades, but in addition to my birth certificate, drivers license, 2 other proofs of identity, I have to have my marriage license. Neither TheHub nor I have any clue where to even begin looking for it, since in all these years we have never had to produce it. Lucky me, I get to go to the health department and have copies of our marriage license printed for another 15 dollars per copy. Plus we are going to have to have them check 2 counties (another fee) because neither one of us remember where we got it.
And the real pisser is all they had to do was look at my photo on my DMV issued license and have me confirm my ss# which I know and even told them, and they confirmed it was the same damn number that appeared on their computer. Looking at my passport and global entry card should have identified me also.
Common sense would tell them I am who I say I am, which is why I am in favor of the smallest government possible, which would allow individuals to think of solutions instead of abiding by absurd red tape.
Friday dinner: We had a minimum dining room purchase to use before the end of the month. We will not be back in town until sometime in April between the 6th and the 15th (not sure yet) so we had to use it Friday.
Tomato bisque, Steak or Greek chicken, mashed potatoes or lemon rice, broccolini or spinach, cheesecake
Saturday joy: We spent the brunt of the day driving from Birmingham to Longview Texas. Joys? We made excellent time. In fact we made such good time that rather than spending the night in Shreveport, we drove through to Longview Texas. The downside to having great driving was missing the opportunity to have dinner with Sluggy and Mr. Slug.
When we were about 15 miles until we reached Longview, the car sensor said the right rear tire was losing pressure. We drove on to the hotel because March Madness was happening and we had basketball to watch. The tire could wait until morning.
Arby’s roast beef sandwich
Sunday joy: The joy was being less than a mile from Walmart so we could buy rear tires. It seems we picked up a nail in the side of the right rear tire. After listening to Sluggy talk about Shreveport I am blaming their crappy roads.
The tire could not be plugged and we were going to need a new one. TheHub just went ahead and bought 2 so they will have the same amount of wear. I have owned it for 3 years now and never bought tires, so it was probably just about time anyway.
After that and taking time for a long lunch at a sports bar (had to watch Florida/UConn) we arrived at the airport before 4. We had an early flight and decided to stay at one of the hotels in the airport.
Sunday dinner: We were not hungry and just grabbed a quick bite from the hotel bar
Flatbread, wine
Planned for this week? Fun and whatever else happens
Books read in March:
I used to like you until . . .
That Librarian
Southern Grit (yes I read cookbooks from cover to cover)
The Great Circle
The Christmas Guest
Have a great week staying on plan, going off plan, or with no plan at all.
May all your weeds be wildflowers.
Anne