This Was The Week That Was

This was not a terribly exciting week, but it was a good week nonetheless. Phone calls that needed to be made, were made. There was some business I had to do, some trips to begin planning, and another trip's plans to firm up.

Fortunately I don't need a lot of outside activities to amuse myself.

Monday: My Beloved Sister and I went to Independence place. Monday they made strawberry smoothies and they were a big hit.  It was a double win day for me. MBS and I laugh the entire time we are driving there and back, and once there I get to see some of my favorite people in the world.  I cannot even begin to tell you how much I enjoy it. Bonus? I was able to clear out 2 packs of strawberries. I had in the freezer.

The rest of the day was pretty uneventful, just hanging around the house and doing the bare minimum before we sat down to dinner.

After we ate TheHub and I firmed up a lot of plans for our upcoming trips. Summer is going to fly by for us.

I think this is going to be what retirement should be like.

Tuesday: The day was pretty uneventful with some phone calls I did not want to make because I knew they would require a lot of hanging on the line and waiting. There is a special joy having a super sharp pen and a pad of junk paper by the phone and computer. I was able to do some serious doodling.

TheHub and I went out for dinner and played trivia. Once again we were not in competitive trivia mode, but were surrounded by serious players. TheHub is responsible for all sports questions and the one about pool (his fault) and one about a K-Pop band were the only ones we missed. I have listened to a few K-Pop songs but have no clue who the group is.

We left before it was over because we wanted to get home in time to watch "Black Sails".  I mean, who does not like a good pirate series?

Wednesday: My kitchen has a bay window, with windows to the floor, overlooking a covered deck and the back yard. My table sits in the "nook" formed by the bay and I usually have my first cup of coffee there as I begin my day. When I was sipping away Wednesday morning I "felt" eyes on me. 

Occasionally the guy who maintains the pool will come to the door there, but we have not opened the pool yet because I still have a mound of dirt on the pool surround from the irritating landscaper who has still not finished the job. No one else just randomly goes through the gate to get into the backyard, so it felt a little unnerving. 

I looked around, and saw no one, then I noticed a chipmunk on his hind legs with his little head peering through the glass.  I have noticed him inching further and further onto the deck lately, but this is the closest I have seen him, and honestly it is close enough. No matter where he would like to go, I have no intentions of sharing my house with him.

I listen to music during the day but the genre changes from day to day based on my mood. I don't like the house to be terribly quiet and the volume can get quite loud here (also dependent on my mood). This was one of those days when I was listening, turned up to almost max. I had been feeling completely unmotivated until I heard Ike and Tina's Proud Mary. If that didn't get me going, nothing could. Jethro Tull's Locomotive Breath followed which continued my need to move. Dusting while dancing is not a bad thing to do. Neither is mopping. Did I mention what a joy having many different Spotify playlists is?

I probably need to create a new one "Get your self going, Anne".

While I was getting myself going I talked with Sluggy and she did a little housecleaning with me while we talked. She also heard me not finish the formerly known as Pip's room, now known as DIL3's craft room, (but has actually become just a gigantic closet ) and just walk out and leave it for another day. 

Thursday: I had spoken with Son2 earlier in the day and they needed a little help moving a few things. They had movers coming Friday, but they would not guarantee  the TV would arrive with no damage. I understand since TVs are huge and thin now days, and Son2 did not want to pay for packing, just the moving. 

Luckily my car will hold a big ass television. We ran over and loaded the tv in the way back, and anything else we could fit into the seats. They loaded 2 cars with  small furniture and boxes and boxes of miscellaneous items.  

We got to their house and they unloaded the tv and got it set up. All the rest was unloaded, not put exactly where it was supposed to go, but was in the house. 

While they were setting up the kitchen TheHub and I ran to pick up dinner. We got to eat our first meal with them in their new house, sitting in their sunroom that overlooks the lake. Their view is just beautiful. I love their home!

Friday: I am not exactly sure what I did Friday, other than make a pact with My Beloved Sister. We decided every day we both need to do at least one thing that is specifically for us. Our plan is to tell each other whatever it will be in the morning, then check in the next morning telling each other whether we did it or not. Think of it as spa moments, rather than a spa day. For me; so far, so good.

I did some more reading (which I am counting as self improvement, rather than self indulgence) cleaning, laundry, and general boring things.

TheHub came home a tad early and we ate then watched Alabama's softball game.

Saturday: We did a little running around before heading over to Son2's house. He has my mom's old Grandfather Clock and did not want the movers to move it. Instead it loaded perfectly well in my car and we were able to transport it to the new house. We got to tour the house with furniture in it and as set up as a house you moved into the day before could be. I love it even more than I did.

We started home in the middle of high winds and torrential rain. A huge joy for me was that TheHub was driving. I could not see anything for the heavy rains and would have pulled over and waited for the monsoon to pass..

A separate joy: I do not let my gas tank get below 1/4 full before I fill it up, but I have not been driving this week. With all the running back and forth from our house to Son2 and DIL's old to new house had used more fuel than I normally use. TheHub is the one who has been doing all the driving and in my world the driver is responsible for keeping up with the gas gauge.

TheHub does not feel the same way about filling his car as I do, and will let it get down to where he is all but coasting on fumes before he fills up. In the middle of the freeway, during the downpour, my low fuel light came on, then the alarm started pinging. We did (barely) make it to Costco to fill up. 

(TheHub is lucky because if we had run out when it was him driving, he would have been the one figuring out what the remedy would be while I pulled up a book on my Kindle reading app and waited on him to solve the situation.)

Sunday: We woke, went to church, then stopped by Publix to grab something for lunch.  I also bought me a bunch of beautiful peony buds. I hope they will last for a while. 

Once we ate it was time to turn on the TV to watch, you guessed it__Alabama softball. They won easily and now move on the the super-regional against Tennessee. To be honest Tennessee has 2 outstanding pitchers and they are a slugging team. I know anything can happen but I would be hard pressed to bet against The Vols.

After the game, TheHub watched the golf tournament while I read. Then, at some point, he was watching the tournament with his eyes closed and his head limp. I seem to have been reading the same way.

We watched episode 4 of Black Sails and it left me curious about one thing. With all the available water all around them, how come they were content to walk around the pirate booty fencing "town" with blood all over their faces. I know it would be rinsing with salt water, but I had much rather have a saline sheen than blood all over my face. I know it makes for good TV but it kind of defies logic.

 Books read in May

A Rip in Time

The Lost Symbol

The Forbidden Door *

Have a great week, and look for your joys large or small. They are always out there,

May all your weeds be wildflowers.

Anne

* I am tired of this series but I want to see what finally becomes of Jane Hawk.