As is my usual weekly habit, I try to record the joyful thing or things that happened each day.
After a summer of rain, rain and more rain, this week has been gorgeous. The temperatures have been mostly in the mid 80's, but the nights are cooler, which makes the week all the more joyful.
This is the list of this week's highlights!
Friday: We had our new normal date night, meaning we ran a couple of quick errands then ended up buying take out food to bring home for our dinner. It was not an exciting date but we were out together and that is all that really matters.
Saturday: We ran our usual Saturday morning errands first to the produce stand, followed by a quick trip to ThePig to buy some sale items. After putting up the groceries we had 3 more quick stops before heading home to a day of ball games starting at 11 and lasting through the night. What I like best about a ball game day is being able to read with just occasional glances at the tv.
Alabama lost to A&M but it was a fun game to watch. Roll Tide!
Sunday: We streamed our church service, but decided the day was entirely too beautiful to stay at home. There is a u-pick farm about an hour away that I have been wanting to go to for a couple of years. We drove there, had great conversations on the way, and explored an area neither of us had seen before. The farm is a beautiful well run farm, but I did find one thing wrong. I had worn flip flops, which was not the proper footwear for tromping through fields. Instead of picking we opted to just buy a few things from the farms store. I will go back, but will be wearing tennis shoes!
Afterward we found locally owned restaurant that was still serving lunch at 2:30 (Small towns in Alabama are mostly closed on Sundays so this was a true find!) We had a wonderful "country cooking" lunch before driving the rest of the way home.
Later Sunday night we firmed up our plans for our trip to Portland and bought our return flight tickets. (We are acting like nuts and actually renting a car to drive out and take Son1's family several things they are getting from Mom's house that I refuse to ship.)
Monday: After a difficult morning I was finally out of the closet, literally . We have a large walk in closet and the space is divided unequally as most shared closets are. However in our case I get bout 1/3 of the closet and TheHub gets the rest. I am not a clothes horse, plus I got rid of stuff regularly. TheHub never tosses anything, and instead of packing it away, if he has some deep emotional connection to one of about 50 Polo type shirts, he hangs every single item in our shared space. ( Or hangs his out of season clothes in one of the other 2 closets he occupies) It stayed this way until about once a year, when I take every single item out of the closets, put it on our bed and force some weeding out.
I can't totally blame the hub though, I did find several things I will never wear again including a pair of loafers I do not even remember ever buying. I got my donations sorted and boxed up for my next trip to Goodwill or the Exchange Club truck, whichever happens first.
Tuesday possibly the coat closet?
Tuesday: Well I did not make it to the coat closet but I did have a conversation with two of my cousins, read a lot, and caught up on some neglected laundry. Even though we are not having fall temps yet, a beautiful day, some iced tea, shorts, flip flops, and the porch ceiling fan makes for a really good reading location and day.
Wednesday: My beloved sister and I had some great laughs. I think there is something fabulous about a life of shared memories. Things that made us howl when we were kids still make us laugh in the present. And the funny thing about shared memories is that it only takes one of us saying one word to get the laughs started.
Thursday: This was TheHub's birthday and being the extremely nice wife that I am I bought him nothing (but we no longer do birthday gifts because we don't need/want anything), took him out to dinner (he drove) then let him pay. Anyone else want me to plan their birthday celebration?
So go have a great week finding your joys wherever you can. They are always there if we just look for them.
Donation list for the week:
19 scarves, 1 pr boots, 1 pr crocs, 2 sweaters, 1 knit top, 1 pr loafers, 2 pr. black pumps, 2 pr never worn flip flops, 1 purse
As I read through your joys I started to smile. Thank you (so much) for spreading them.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, you can plan my birthday celebrations...
Would be my pleasure! Now if we can just figure out a halfway meeting point!
DeleteSounds like a fun week!
ReplyDeleteBelated happy birthday wishes to your hub!
Don't think I could get away with not getting my hubby a present. He is like a grownup kid. And he knows that even if I say that I don't need anything, he better get me Something. :D
We have actually talked it over and for the ;last few years neither of us wants anything. We had trips planned instead, but Covid kind of blew that apart, and our trip to Portland does not count as one of our shared gift experiences. It is a loooooooong over due trip to see our granddaughter.
DeleteSo glad that you will be able to see your granddaughter!! So exciting!!
DeleteHow long will it take to drive there? Should be some beautiful scenery on the way.
I have always wanted to do a cross country trip, but the older I get, the less likely I will drive that much. I'm thinking of a cross country train trip now.
It is about 40 driving hours. I have driven it before but TheHub has not.
DeleteYour birthday celebrations sound like ours! Love how the two of you seem to really enjoy one another's company; I need to step up my game.
ReplyDeleteWe really do like being together (But he works so he have separate time. Not sure how it will go when he retires)
DeleteI think it is great when couples can just enjoy each others company without it being a big event. We too enjoy when our schedules snc and we can do things together, then get treat like take out or even jut a beverage somewhere. I think you can tell couples who are in it for th elong haul that don't need to be "entertained" in life by each other. You read and watch sports like I do. I have to be doing something else and can't just watch a game unless it is in person. .
ReplyDeleteDon't get me wrong, we love to do things that entertain us, and we did it quite a bit pre covid, but once the quarantine began we started looking at other ways to amuse ourselves and found going to the bluff to watch the sunset (and people watch because there is always a crowd there) or pick up take out can be just as entertaining. Plus we have saved a tone of T an E money the past 18 months.
DeleteI can watch an Alabama game and do nothing else, but all other games require some diversion! Still I had rather read and watch with TheHub than go into another room by myself.
Good sunny weeks are great!
ReplyDeleteSounds like a great week! Your new date night sounds a lot like ours. On occasion we'll go inside a restaurant for a drink.
ReplyDeleteI love the shared memories with your sister. That's how I am with my siblings too. I miss not having them live closer.
That is a long drive you're taking, but I know it will be worth it to see your family. I'm an impatient traveler. I take lots of books on a road trip with me, to help the drive go by faster. I just want to get in the car or plane and be at my destination in an hour or 2.
Our new date nights are not terribly exciting, but they are a reflection of the times. We are still very Covid aware because our state's populace is not doing a great job vaccinating.
DeleteThe drive is long and the southern route is not gorgeous landscapes, but it will be worth it.
Sounds like a great week. Take out night sounds good to me. We do that occasionally or get pizza. I need to clean out our closet...but so much of what I have to get rid of no one else would want either. It's either worn out, faded, or ragged, or so out of style it could be used for old fashioned day. LOL. Seriously, I don't even think Goodwill or the thrift stores would want most of what I have to get rid of. Most of it would make good cleaning rags. LOL. But it still needs to be done. Thank you for the inspiration. Yes, Saturdays are football watching day for hubby and I try to catch up on reading blogs, etc., or find something else to entertain myself. When it cools down a bit I will feel more like doing some baking. I enjoyed your post. So much to be thankful for...we are all so blessed when I think of what others need or just plain don't have...we are truly truly blessed. Amen. Oh, I enjoy talking to my sister too. Mostly she does all the talking, but I like to listen. LOL. Bye for now.
ReplyDeleteWe do takeout every Friday night, and sometimes several other nights during the week!
DeleteA good week for you, I'd say. I love that song. It was popular around the time my daughter, The Hurricane, was born. When we went out for a walk with our new baby, a neighbor said, Here comes Katrina and the Waves. We laughed.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Janie
It is a fun song and it fits feeling good about sunny days.
DeleteYour neighbor was funny, but things like that never leave our memories!
Sounds like you had a joyful week. I laughed when I read about your walk-in closet! Well done on decluttering and getting the donations ready. You have a long drive planned. My parents and I drove from Wisconsin to Florida one year and then, from Florida to California a few years later. :)
ReplyDeleteYep it is a long drive. I have only done it once before.
ReplyDeleteI don't like car trips. Too much sitting, but if I had a granddaughter on the other end, it would be worth it.
ReplyDeleteNormally we fly, but there a few inherited things we are taking to them that I am uncomfortable shipping
DeleteI like to read too while just glancing at the tv every now no then. It drives Bailey crazy. 😂
ReplyDeleteThat is he way I like to watch jus about everything
DeleteI envy your relationship with your sister. My sister and I are not close, never were despite having to share a room for many years as kids, and haven't spoken to one another since my dad's funeral in 2008. She does keep in touch with a couple of our cousins, and rarely still with my younger brother so if I ever needed to make contact I'd be able to through one of them.
ReplyDeleteThat's quite the drive you're planning to make. Safe travels!
We are very close in age and have always been allies. I can't imagine a day without talking to her.
DeleteI'm so glad you're going to get to see your son and his family at least! But 40 hours driving???? Yikes!
ReplyDeleteIt is a brutal drive but I have done it before and can do it again. And seeing Pip is worth every effort I have to make to get there!
DeleteThat restaurant was a real blessing.
DeleteI have not been to restaurants but twice since covid became part of our realities. It was great to go and feel safe.
DeletePip will be so different to when you last saw her! I guess video calls keep you up to date with her changing face but seeing her height and just general growing up probably doesn't happen the same in a video call. so lovely for you!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you don't buy gifts for each other, I think it's silly to buy things just because there's some kind of societal expectation, thats when we end up with things we neither want nor care about. A thought through gift, on a special occasion or "just because" works for me
I know she is going to be so different, not just physically but so many other ways too. But I can't wait to see her and all the changes!
ReplyDeleteHappy Monday my friend
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful week Regine!
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