Granny Time

My DIL got an induction date for Friday (assuming the maternity ward isn't full and/or she doesn't go into labor before). If all goes as planned ... baby by the weekend. 

Eeeek. So exciting (!!)

We'll have the dogs. We love them, but they're a lot. Both sick, incontinent, etc. I'll pick them up after the hike tomorrow and we'll have them at least 4 nights. It's a lot of work -- my back will be problematic and sleep is usually an issue. I expect this is the last time we'll watch them for this long.

That said, this stretch of days is probably one of the better ones for us to be tethered home. I won't register for a hike on Sunday, but next week should be a regular week for us. Being "on-call" was tough. Hopefully, it's not postponed until Monday (that's the worse run of days for us). 

Granny time (!!)

I had a nice time at coffee with my DIL's mom. I stopped at 2 of 3 thrift stores in the area. I ran out of time to check out the 3rd. Both were good in different ways, but I didn't find what I was looking for -- plant pots. I have 2 new plants and I want to thrift the pots.

I got these little frames for 50 cents each. I want to put pictures or quotes in them for the LFL. My coffee bean refill came with a sticker so I played around. I won't keep it like this because Asheville doesn't know this coffee shop, but it's a holding place for now.

I also got a package from Etsy to bring to Asheville. Heart pillows made from old fabric. They're sweet and feminine.

Court hearing this morning. Volunteering officially begins. Next couple of weeks will be a lot of work, but I'll manage it. Timing isn't great. If it hadn't been postponed 3 weeks ... but it did.

I woke up to a burning, itching corner of my eye. The exact way shingles started both times. Wholly moly, this better not be shingles. No baby visit for me. I'll know by tomorrow. My neck is also a little irritated so I'm hoping it's just from being out in the sun yesterday. 

Lots and lots happening around here. All projects are in full swing, Granny time and plenty of dogs. I'm reminding myself this is FUN. This is what I LOVE. It's not a stressful to-do list. But is my burning eye giving away the truth?!?!? Geez.

Have a good day. Later gators.

Dead Time and Thrift Stores

I'm doing a good job to keep me in the mix of things, even though I have plenty of outside commitments this month. I'm rearranging and reconfiguring to get opportunities to hike in February. Right now hiking is important to me. I hadn't hiked with my hiking club since fall. Some was circumstance (height of spider season, weather, a little back flareup and travel), but most was because I let it slip from priority. 

I hold my commitments. What I'm changing is my schedule and my available slots. Holding open for hiking choices. I'm not changing dates or times of coffee or lunch because someone else wants to add something to their day -- we'll need to cancel instead. 

Have you ever realized you have a totally open week, but you aren't able to do anything that YOU want to do? That's what was happening with hiking. 

It's about something called DEAD TIME. Changing things or scheduling things so you have plenty of pockets of time, but no time long enough to do THE THING. This can happen for loads of reasons and this is what was happening with hiking. Hikes are usually in the morning, registration is in advance and fills up, cancelations are limited with penalties so letting someone change lunch plans 3 times can be enough to have no hiking opportunities that week. 

Once I get a fill of hiking I might not be as intense about this, but for now, I like what I'm doing. I have a very long list of UNAVAILABLE times that I'm leaving open for hiking. I'm hiking again on Thursday and am attempting to get into 3 more hikes next week. A couple might be hard because they'll be super popular. 

Anyway ...

I also gave up on "My Name is Resolute." 400 pages and I still didn't like it. Time to let go. I have a few library books coming up (I have a problem -- I can't stop reserving recommendations). I was a book-less last night and probably today so I started one of the books my friend gave me for the LFL. It's a little book so I should finish it tomorrow. It's quirky, but I haven't gotten into the story enough to make a judgement though.

A friend sent me a just-because package. Her friend makes earrings from vintage tins and gives them away for free. She also found an old ornament meant for a gift long ago. She sent it as a little joke.

I started to throw it away, but it has a tag on it. I decided to decorate it and drop it at the Goodwill. It's cheesy, but you never know. 

Bees cut from a napkin

I have coffee with my DIL's mom this afternoon. She initiated plans, but asked me to pick the coffee place. I'm heading into a different town so I have a list of non-Goodwill thrift stores to check out after coffee. I'm trying to get a feel for the local thrift stores. I've visited a few that are off my list -- dirty, unorganized, junky stuff. I know it can change week-to-week as far as inventory, but this is more about an overall feel. So far, I have 2 favorites. One for more vintage things and one for more current items. I hope today adds another to the list.

Hope your week is going well. Later gators.

And Monday is Back Again

Dental cleaning today and I'm not unhappy. This is the longest I've gone in years and my teeth feel dirty. I can't wait to have them cleaned -- pain and all. That's a complete reversal for me. All perspective, dang.

Dinner was nice -- the food was amazing, but they were short staffed. Lots of errors out of the kitchen. Some mistakes we got to keep so leftovers came home. I ate way too much -- full belly meant horrible sleep and recovery stats. Worth eating so much?? Maybe not, but gathering for dinner was fantastic. Last family dinner for 6, next time, we'll be 7 :)

Special crispy rice.
Incredible flavor.

Salmon kabob with lentil/raisin rice.
Crispy rice in the background
was a mistake, but really tasty.

I have half the salmon and rice left to eat today. I MUST eat better before bed though. The older I get, the less I can tolerate a big dinner. I'll have this for lunch -- and, of course, no appetizer dips, extra table rice, falafel, special sauces, shared seasoned fries. HAH! It was a feast for my belly last night. I stayed clear of mock-tails, cocktails and dessert. There's a little win.

Dentist is all that's on the "official" schedule today, but I need to do some volunteer refresher before court on Wednesday, work on vacation plans and start figuring out garden mapping. I won't get to all of this today, but I can't waste the day either. 

I read a lot yesterday and still don't love the book. It's okay. The writing is good, the story telling is good, but I don't like the actually story. I still have over 300 tight pages to read. I'll stick with it until the next library book is ready. I should be at the brink of where readers say they suddenly love it (including the friend who recommended it). Slow start, hang in there, last half is outstanding. 

Hope you're set for a good Monday. It feels like a regular Monday again -- last week was a strange, sad Monday. Fresh start Monday is back.

Later gators and bots.

Sunday Hike

I went on the hike this morning -- I'm going to be sore (in a good way) with hopefully no back ramifications. Next level hike, just 4 of us and it was a lot of fun. Good conversations along the way and nice views. A few big elevation climbs, but the trail itself wasn't very technical. It was cold and windy -- I came home to hot coffee and a big sweater. 

It was absolutely worth getting up early. I'm glad I took the plunge into the next level. It was on the easier side of this level, but I need to start somewhere. No pictures because we were moving along at a good clip. It felt like a workout -- just what I was looking for today. Rain comes in with a bang this afternoon.

Tonight is the last family dinner for a minute. Baby due any day now. Gathering to celebrate a lot of nice family things happening. Best part? Zero work for me. We're trying a new Persian restaurant near the kids. 

The time between the hike and dinner is a hodge podge of little me things. It's a good way to spend a Sunday. 

I liked this reminder. Later gators.

Saying Yes and Saying No

Future Me is in control of the reins this week. I'm saying yes and saying no -- listening to myself.

The Sunday hike was cancelled -- lack of interest. I signed up for another hike. Longer, harder, faster, earlier. Future me deciding I will be happy to have this time outdoors. I've hiked 1/2 the figure eight trail, but some will be new to me. I'm a little nervous about going (different hike leader), but I want to move into this next hike level. Yesterday's hike was nice (perfect hiking weather), but too slow with too many stops. 

Saying no to meeting my cousin. Her schedule didn't coordinate with mine and I didn't need to compromise (neither did she). We'll figure it out another visit when it works for both of us. I love that we both can express what works with zero drama about it.

I've also made a few other decisions -- no to a neighborhood party, no to sending a gift (a card is enough), yes to taking the dogs on a trail walk. Things like this.

Each one of these things could've gone the other way -- out of obligation, guilt, languishing, etc. Curating my life instead of letting it passively play out.

Little lesson I need to remind myself of often. 

Here's the library book I'm reading. 600 pages. My friend recommended it and said it takes a bit, but then it's excellent. I'm about 100 pages read. It's okay, but I'm not vested yet. Trusting her recommendation though.

Have a good Saturday. Later gators.

Chicken or the Egg

Whenever hubby (or I) travel, the days blur. I need to actively remember the day of the week. Today feels like the start of something, not the end of the week.

The good news is it feels like the start of something that feels better. Coaching helped A LOT to let go of some stuff ruminating -- what a relief to my head talk. I added things to my schedule since I had cancelations (weather and a friend who regularly cancels). Two hikes, family dinner on Sunday (assuming no baby yet), coffee next week, lots of volunteer stuff and a plan to get the raised garden moving forward. Also, maybe a lunch with my cousin in Helen, GA on Saturday (that's still up in the air).

I don't really know if it's the chicken or the egg. Do I start DOING more because I feel better, or do I FEEL BETTER so I do more? Doing is the key. It's either the sign I'm feeling better or the push to get me to feel better.

And, of course, it's a balance. Sometimes doing too much sends me into a spiral too. Geez. Hormones (and life) -- no joke and I know I don't have it nearly as tough as many people. 

Anyway -- I feel good February energy. She's a HUGE month for me!!! I want to continue balancing me into the mix of it all. Just because it's a big month, I don't need to stop my things. I don't need to go all-or-nothing. It's a practice to move out of this habit. 

I had lots of practice from October to mid-January and I worked diligently. Then a fall down (which isn't really a surprise) and now back in the swing. I'm proud how I handled those few months, but I wish I didn't have 3 weeks in the crapper. Practice, practice, practice. It was a lot over a long stretch -- I ran out of steam when it was over.

And, you know as I think of all this, fingers crossed this is ACTUALLY a move forward and not a false start. Maybe no false starts -- just tries. Okay, this is getting loopy. 

I have an easy hike this morning. Slow hike leader, easy trail. It felt like a good one to start back in 2024. I'm signed up for a long hike at a new-to-me place on Sunday. Weather is iffy and only 3 of us signed up so far. I'm not completely confident this one will be a go.

I tried these strawberries (are they strawberries??). Taste just like a strawberry but so interesting looking. I keep thinking they're covered in white chocolate lace. I've wanted to try them for years when they show up for Valentine's Day. Costco had them at a decent price.

Also, Duke stealing my spot when I got up to go to the bathroom. He's a pistol.

Lunch with my aunt was fun. The new restaurant is darling, great service, but lousy food. Exactly no choices on the menu were GF. There's a key at the bottom with the gf listed. I didn't see it on anything so I asked. Nope - nothing on the menu (so why is it in the key). I ordered the least problematic. The sweet potato was raw -- couldn't get my fork in it. The bowl was swimming in oil -- about an inch. It was disgusting. Swing and a miss. If I go again, I'll stick to coffee. This was the place recommended by my friend who cancels regularly (we've had plans to go twice). If you can eat gluten there's lots of interesting choices though. It's too bad because the place is cute.

Early hike so I best get going. Hope you're set for a good weekend. Later gators.

Thrifting and Vintage

I have a few goodies to share. 

First up is vintage from an online IG account. I love her stuff. This is a Florentine olive wood box made in Italy. It's so pretty in person. I haven't figured out where to use it -- probably heading to Asheville unless I can find a spot here. It's such a nice size. I want to keep little letters or drawings or scraps of ribbon -- none of which I have, but that feels fitting for a box like this.

Olive wood is super
lightweight which adds
to the romantic feel.

And the thrifting. I shared the pot on the left earlier -- I'm using it for coasters. The other is decoration right now. Total cost for BOTH -- $4. Seriously? 

One on right is handmade
with signature on bottom.

As they say in the thrift world -- here's what I got. Now here's how I styled it.

I had some time to kill after my morning meeting so I checked out a new thrift store benefiting people needing a fresh start. This is my favorite local thrift store so far. Nice selection and some vintage mixed in, but all thrift pricing.

I got pottery made in Mexico. I've seen a couple of similar pieces at vintage stores. Probably common, but from what I saw online, it's old. It's bigger than it looks -- almost 9x11. I thought I'd use it on the porch to hold some pots this summer. It makes a nice base and the colors go well with summer plants BUT finding out it's old and probably rarer than I first thought, I moved it inside to a small table in my bathroom. I don't want the temperature changes to crack it.

$2.50 -- super bargain

I saw an idea to use a napkin holder as a book holder or a plate holder. 

50 cents

I like reusing things -- and the hunt is fun. I need to make sure I don't become a junk collector though. I can see how that happens. I keep needing to edit my "wants." I wish I had thrifted when I was younger. It would have been much more economical to furnish a home and a lot more creative. But that wasn't me back in the day. Different time availability and different priorities. 

Hope you have a happy Thursday. I'm off to lunch with my aunt -- always good for some fun. Later gators.