The Week Behind: June 9 - 15

 

Monday, June 9:  Last night the sunset was lovely.  Not brilliantly colored but awesome just the same.  Big white fluffy clouds piled high in the sky and the sun backlit them and tinted them lemon and peach.  I thought "Wow...Now I know why artists have painted skies like that so often!"  It was truly moving and gave me such a deep sense of peace and rightness with the world.

This morning, I had my usual alarm anxiety and woke at least an hour before the darn thing went off.  That didn't bode well for me, since I'd been late going to sleep last night despite attempting to drift right off at a decent hour.  I must remember a prayer that I read...Can't remember where but it was a vlogger or blogger who is fairly well known.  She said if she's had a bad night's sleep to pray that her strength be equal to the day before her.  It's a worthy prayer to pray, very wise.  It's never failed me when I've remembered to pray it after a tough night.  I only wish I remembered it always!

I believe in prepping the night before to ease the morning rush.  I laid out my clothing and set out my makeup and morning pills prior to going to bed last night.  My lunch was ready in the fridge.  I had supper plans and had managed some prep for the week.  I felt strong on that score.

I couldn't quite shake the anxiety I'd had the night before.  John was chatty and I was withdrawn.  We discussed what work the two porches need.  Both need painting and the back porch needs deep cleaning and the trim on the sheds must be painted fresh this year.  How is any of that even going to get done?  No offense to John, but those jobs are in my corner of life, they don't even come into focus in his.  He's not going to do any of that work.  When he saw tears trickling down my cheeks he was upset.  "What's going on?"

"I'm not complaining.  I'm not.  But I feel overwhelmed and anxious about doing this job before me and the things I won't get done at home. There are so many things that need doing here and needs I must meet elsewhere.  Sometimes it all seems like too much to handle."

I dried my tears and didn't say anything more.  John does not understand.  His understanding can't stretch to the things he might do that would be a help.   Not faulting him there.  All of these years, these things got done while he was working hours and hours away from home.  He was faithful and loyal to his work, and he brought his check home and provided for his family at a great sacrifice of time.  There was no one picking up his shifts so he could be home to celebrate a birthday or holiday with his family or to face crises that arose.  I did my part here at home by taking on lots of extra duties.  He's never once considered that I was the one who did them or that I am the only one who attends to them still.  It's sort of a 'man blind' thing.  You can say the catsup is on the top right-hand shelf of the door, and they stare at it and say, "Where?"

Never mind.  I dried my tears and swallowed down my overwhelm and got up from my chair.  

I decided to water the plants here indoors because it's a small task but a soothing one.  I saw that the impatiens I'd set in water last week had roots.  I happened to have a plant cell of soil ready to go and planted all six of the new plants this morning.  Somehow, I felt re-centered with these two activities and less hopeless.  The seeds I planted haven't come to much but everything I've set to root has increased and multiplied.  There's a life lesson in that I'm sure, if only I can figure it out.

The day went fine overall.  It's meant to rain all week.  It was meant to rain right at Caleb's outdoor time.  Katie and I talked about it yesterday and I said, "I'll take him out on the porch at least," and she said, "Mama just let him play in the rain if it's not thundering and lightning."  She knows how badly he needs that time outdoors.  I was a bit amused that she thought I might need that caution about thundering and lightning.  I let her play in puddles and in rain, but never did I once let her go outside in thunder and lightning!

When it began to rain this morning, I called him to come get his raincoat on and sent him right back out.  He stomped in puddles and proudly announced that he had a mud hole in one spot of the yard.  He pushed his trucks and cars through ponds of water, and he jumped on the rain wet trampoline.  He hung himself limply over a swing and twisted the chains round and round until he went into a gentle spin.  I remember how much enjoyment I'd found in that same activity when I was young.  It thundered gently only once but that was enough for Caleb to come right indoors.  He changed his clothes, and we settled down to the work of the day.

He sailed through almost all of his work sheets and then he painted and cut paper and made me bracelets from beads and pipe cleaners and the morning went right by.  Henry happily bounced in his bouncy seat and chattered at nobody and smiled at everyone.  

Henry wasn't any too keen on taking a nap in the play pen.  He fussed and groused and called Mama and Dada to no avail.  I checked his diaper, and he proved that babies are still in the business of pooping all the way up their backsides. When he was all fresh and clean once more, I rolled him over onto his tummy and rubbed his back and the tired little fellow just lay there and let me, but he wouldn't close those eyes for love or anything.  I finally put him back in the playpen and he started playing with his toys.  He talked to each one he picked up, whole conversations before he'd put one down and choose another.  Then suddenly he fell over and was sound asleep.  Just like that.  He only napped for about 20 minutes, but it was something.   

I can't say it was a hard day.  For a first day and a new summer routine for two households, it went fine.  I wasn't exhausted when I left.  But I did appreciate that quiet 40-minute ride home.  It grounded me and helped me be ready to relax at home.  

Wednesday, June 11:  My feet are up.  I have made dinner and cleared up and I'm sort of listening to the sermon, but not with my full attention since I've chosen to write, too.  The week has gone by.  

Yesterday John insisted on going with me to Katie's.  He's informed me he intends to come with me again tomorrow.  I'm of mixed minds about this.  On the one hand, it is a help to have him there when I need that extra pair of hands.  But it also means that there is no quiet time on the way home to unwind.  John chatters, sings nonsense songs, keeps rhythm to the turn signals' clicking, and is just generally vocal.  I find myself fighting the urge to tell him to just be quiet.

Yesterday it was nearly 7 before I got supper on the table.  You might well say, "But Terri...you planned meals.  You had easy things in the freezer.  Why so far off your usual supper hour?"  I'll tell you why.  

John refused to go order his glasses on his own.  He wouldn't go until after I got done with childcare.  The last thing I wanted to do was to sit in the vision center at Walmart.  But there I was, amongst a whole crew of people and one single technician working and everyone needing his help.   He was literally turning people away and suggesting they come back later or leave their name and number, and he'd call them when they were less busy.  

As it happened, John could not order the glasses he'd chosen at another location, so he had to choose a different pair, equally well priced.  He was happy I was there to give an opinion, so I suppose it worked out quite well.   As a bonus, two other men there began talking of how they had met their wives and how happy they were in their marriages, which is not something you get to hear every single day.  It was nice to hear.

After Walmart, we went to pick up prescriptions and there was another long line to sit in.  We got home about 6:30 and I put my readymade meal in the oven to reheat.  

But you know what?  While supper was cooking/heating, I also cooked some of Sam's fresh zucchini and yellow squash.  And then, I made yogurt.  I did, too!  I really wanted to make homemade yogurt this week, and I just grabbed the opportunity before me.  I was shocked at how quickly it got made.  It helped a lot that though I put the milk on lower heat to come up to the right temperature I had the flame a bit higher than I thought and it came up to a boil.  That took a lot of simmer time off the table...and meant less evaporation, too.  I flash cooled the hot milk in a pan of cold water, stirred in my yogurt, poured it into jars, set it in a bit of 120F water, covered it up and left it to incubate overnight.   It all came together in under 30 minutes!  I was so pleased over getting that yogurt made.  

My savings was substantial.  I paid $1.39 for the half gallon of milk and used half of the jug.  I bought a cup of Fage plain yogurt for $1.25 and used half of that.  So, I ended up with 2 full to the brim pints of yogurt for $1.94.  While not quite Greek yogurt it does tend to have more body than the regular yogurts.  In my area right now, 32 ounces of yogurt is anywhere from $5 to $7.  Mine has no pectin, cornstarch or carrageenan.  It's just milk and cultured yogurt.

After supper last night I worked on payday stuff.  GROAN...which reminded me just now that I completely forgot to drop mail off in town this afternoon.  Phooey!  Must get that done tomorrow.  Anyway, worked on bills last night.  It was after 9:00 pm before my day officially ended.  

I watched an episode of the new detective program we're watching.  Highly recommend!  It's titled "Endeavor" and is set in Oxford, England.  I haven't seen nudity or heard foul language and there are only mildly gruesome things seen only on rare occasions. There's always a Bible verse involved in the show somehow and a lovely police chief, and captain with a sense of morals and decency who are genuinely aghast at extramarital affairs and free love (the show is set in the mid-1960's).  An hour later I toddled off to bed and went right to sleep.  

Today I had Bella and Caleb together. That is a whole different kettle of fish.  Twice as hard to keep two satisfied when they both want the same thing.  I told John the solution I see is to simply buy two of everything!  At one point I'd gotten a little frustrated and Bella turned to me with eyes wide and said, "Are you angry?"  and I said truthfully, "Yes, Bella.  I've gotten a little frustrated with you and Caleb arguing over everything."  Do you know she stopped fussing with him right away.  I don't expect it will go that easily next time but there you are.  

Bella was only with me for a few hours.  Her mom came to pick her up and then it was just Caleb and I for the lunch hour.

Henry started eating baby foods yesterday.  He didn't do taste tests.  A full four-ounce jar is where he started, and he ate in record time. He's a very easy-going baby overall, always has a happy smile and even when teething and miserable is pleasant and loving.

One little Caleb story.  Groceries got delivered this morning to the house and Caleb helped me and Taylor carry them in.  One bag was very heavy, laden with lots of bottles of fruit juice and such.  I said "Oof! That bag is heavy."  "You just leave it, Gramma.  I'll help."  And he did.  He managed to push that paper bag of juice bottles across the floor and around into the kitchen.  "We'll just leave it right here.  You can't reach where it goes.  Dad will deal with it when he comes home."  Wait a minute...wasn't he five all morning long?  Where did this young man come from?!

Friday, June 13:

There's a storm brewing outside.   John is gone for the moment.  He was asked to play for a youth camp of some sort and has gone off into unknown territory with a group of strangers and only one person known to him, the minister he leads worship under at the Homeless Outreach.  You can be sure, I'm anxious to hear how it all went.  John doesn't like doing these sorts of new experiences without me along.  

It's been a long day and a wearing week, but it's done.  I put my foot down on Thursday when John told Katie he'd be back on Sunday.  We will see the children tomorrow at Josh's birthday party. I told John no way I was going to Katie's on Sunday and then spending five more days keeping grandkids.  I needed time apart from them.

But that's the back end of the horse, not the front.  

Yesterday went fairly well.  Caleb did his work with some urging.  He was distracted by having Cody and Grampa both in the house.  Yes, John came with me on Thursday.  I'd rather he wasn't there on Thursday but there you are.  He's determined that if I'm going to be gone, then he'll just come with me.  At least when he does come along, I can get a chance for a potty break!

John and Cody distracted each other.   I went about my day with the boys with minimal interruptions.  Cody went to work after lunch.  Taylor hung out with us a bit at her mom's insistence.  Katie took her back home yesterday evening.  

Today was bearable.  Caleb and Bella are just 8 months apart in age.  They fight like children their age generally do.  "He's not sharing!"  "She won't let me play!" when they were just not sharing or allowing the other to play themselves not five minutes before.  But there were pleasant times in the day as well, when they were doing work or crafts.  Katie has done well planning a daily schedule for the children.

The pattern of the day is to eat breakfast and have a quick clearing up of breakfast things.  Then they get dressed.  Henry has a bottle, while I pull the baby's jumper over to the glass door so he can look out at us outside when he's done. Then the middles and I go outdoors.  This is free play time, when they can do as they please.  There is water in the pool and the sand box lid and puddles in the yard from all the rain we've had over the past week and water play is a hot commodity.  

Bella waters all the plants repeatedly.  Caleb stomps in mud puddles.  Heaven forbids, if Bella gets a drop of water on him or she get splattered with mud as she runs past him to the plants.  Never mind that he is playing in water and she is running through mud.

Then we come indoors.  Henry goes into the playpen after I check his diaper and give him hug.  The children do two or three simple work sheets, usually some kind of writing practice.  They get a ten minute or so break to play, but I'm finding a structured game of some sort works well during this play break, and then they craft, and color or paint and then free play indoors until lunch.  Once they are settled at the table, Henry is put in the highchair so he can have his lunch.

After lunch is my favorite part of the day.  Quiet time.  Not that it means much, that word 'quiet' being fairly unknown to those two middles.  Even Henry can be a fairly noisy little fella if he's not asleep and he doesn't sleep a lot during the day anymore.  But I can sit and play with Henry for a bit once the other two are settled for quiet time, and then he goes into the playpen with a bottle and with any luck, he might go to sleep.  Today he did go to sleep, but he got disturbed too many times by others so gave up and chattered to everyone.

On my way home I thought, breathe deeply.  I'm done with four- and five-year-old children until tomorrow's family party.  Ha.  I hurried home to take the children from The Manor to the library Reptile Rescue program.  Got there and gradually the place filled up with parents and kids.  I was sitting towards the very back near the play area.  Isaac was restless so I asked if he'd like to go play quietly.  Soon all these little kids about 4- and 5-year-olds were playing with him.  And because I was the adult at the back, I'd feel a tap on my shoulder, "She's not sharing!"  "He won't let me play!"  I laughed ruefully inside but sorted out squabbles firmly and quietly.  You can bet though I was really happy to get home.  Sometimes, I feel God has a very real sense of humor. 

Saturday, June 14:  I fell asleep quickly last night.  Not a shock nor surprise.  I lazed about this morning.  There is all sort of things to be done but I am still tired from my week.  A leisurely day seems the best.

We got ready to go to Sam's big family party celebrating Josh's and his birthday and Father's Day.  It was a wonderful, easy family gathering.  The house was spotless.  Sam told me that Bess and the kids had done that as a gift to him.  They went above and beyond.  

Sam did his usual culinary wonders.  Burgers for the kids; Steak, baked Potatoes, Grilled zucchini for the adults; a raspberry cake with a Lemon Marshmallow Butter Cream frosting.  Bess made Raspberry Lemonade.  We feasted.  

Josh was happy with his gift.  Family laughed and talked and enjoyed being together.  And then we came home.  I sat down in my chair and went right to sleep.

On the one hand, I wanted to stay home today and do nothing, absolutely nothing.  On the other I wanted to stay home and cook a proper meal from start to finish.  Neither of those things happened.  Instead, I went off to the family party and enjoyed my time there. And we came home and had sandwiches for our supper because my cooking aspirations were done, lol.  

It's been a long week and frustrating financially speaking.  I went to Kroger on Thursday night, and it was a complete fiasco when it came time to check out.  I had to go through customer service and try to get things squared away. When I got home, I found more register mistakes.  I wrote a letter to the corporate office and was contacted by the store manager who basically sent me a 'too bad, so sad' sort of letter rather than "We're sorry your experience was bad, tell us more."  I wasn't looking for compensation but wanted an acknowledgement of the issues I'd faced.  No such luck.

I've been playing phone tag with an agent of a company trying to find out why I've not received an expected check and have been told repeatedly she'd 'send me a text explaining."  No such luck.  Today I received a bill charging me for two months of service, which was cancelled two months ago.  I now know why I haven't received the refund check, but why wasn't the service cancelled?  I went in and signed papers and everything.  

I went into another store and was charged for items I didn't purchase.  No resolution there either.

The auto insurance renewal arrived, and it has increased.  Not a huge amount but enough that we'll need to adjust our budget somewhere. Our income isn't increasing but the bills do.   It is what it is, isn't it?

Sunday, June 15:  I got up with the alarm this morning and got ready for church.  John didn't say anything to me until we were eating breakfast, and I was half dressed for the day.  "I don't think I want to go out today.  I feel a bit dizzy."  I encouraged him to drink some water, as he's prone to dehydrate himself.  I checked his blood sugar which was fine.  We had another homeopathic remedy here that he took a bit of in another glass of water.  

I left him watching tv and went off to clean the bathroom up properly, do a half pedicure, clean up our room.  Then I went outdoors and weeded around Baby Tree.  I might try planting something there under Baby Tree.  He's still small enough that he doesn't suck the ground dry.  I checked the flowers sin the shed bed.  Not one of the seeds sown so far this summer have come up at all.    I do have some lovely rudbeckia that I seeded out last fall and a beautiful echinacea plant from last year.  Oh well.

I planted the oregano and tomato plant that Katie sent home with me on Thursday as well as some more strawberry tops.  The beans, flowers, nor tomatoes I planted ten days ago have come to exactly nothing.  I am down to tossing out all the sunflower seeds a friend gifted me.  I wonder if they will do anything.  The sage, figs, basil and impatiens are all doing very well.  The tomatoes Katie gifted me last month are holding their own.  The very old Heavenly Blue morning glory seeds have germinated and area growing.  

Overall, it's been a very disappointing year for sowing seed. I think from this point forward I will look for some coleus and different perennials to plant into pots.  At least the perennials should come back next year!  

John came to the door to say that online services were starting, so I came indoors and washed off, changed into dry clothes, started a one pan meal for lunch and sat down to watch and make notes.

My one pan meal consisted of dry rice, half a can each of corn and kidney beans, 1 cup of salsa, 1 cup of water, and two chicken breasts.   I used to make something similar years ago for the family.  I could toss it all into a pan, cover with foil, pop it in the oven and then have a sit down for an hour or so to play with baby Kate, talk to the other children, fold laundry, etc.    It turned out really good and we enjoyed it.  

I need to plan meals, all three daily meals and take things out to thaw, do some prep work for those once they are planned.  I have two shirts to mend.  I should lay out clothing for tomorrow morning and set up outfits for the week.  Nothing fancy, not with keeping the children, but I don't dress for baby-sitting as I do for being 'at home'.  

All in all, it was a busy first week of my job as John now calls it.   Next week, I will bring Caleb home with me on Wednesday evening and take him back to Warner Robins on Friday morning.  I'm sure I could use the break from him by then, but we've been promising since school let out that he could come spend the night and it would be convenient to do it this way rather than on a weekend.   I don't even have a free weekend any time soon.   

I am procrastinating on this meal planning.  I really do need to figure it out or I'll regret it deeply come tomorrow and all the weeklong.    I'll talk to you all again next Sunday.

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Just a Waste...Or Was It?

 

I'm going to keep this one brief.  I've had a headache all afternoon long.  We've just finished eating supper.  I opted to put the Ham Pot Pie in the oven and while it was baking, I made a tuna salad luncheon for myself for tomorrow at Kate's.  I prepared tuna salad for John to have if he chooses.  Ours were not the same sort of salads.  Mine has tomato, egg, lettuce and a dab of mayonnaise with lots of black pepper (accidental but I love pepper so not a problem).  His is tuna salad made with apple and pickle relish the way he likes it and we almost always eat it.  I added baby carrots and a cup of guacamole to my salad.  I probably ought to put another cup with it since I know that Taylor likes it and the number of children I shall be 'watching' has doubled since Thursday.   I also grabbed a packet of malted crackers with peanut butter.  If I remember, I'll get a Diet Dr. Pepper out and add that to it all.  I think I'll have plenty of food and nothing (except the guacamole cup) that anyone is likely to beg me to share, lol.

June 7: Summer Diaries

 

I was asked if I'd stop blogging for the next month.  I seriously considered it, but as you all know, at this point in time, I very much enjoy taking time to write/communicate here on these pages.  I was loath to give it up.  I'd decided at some point in sleeping that I'd produce my 'summer diary' format that I've used for at least one month each summer for the past several years.  Instead of writing daily during the week, I will write on the weekend and share my thoughts about the week behind, plans I've made, etc.    It will take something off my plate to not write every day and free up time I can use to have fun with the kids or relax.  

June 6: I Don't Get Paid Enough For This

 

Last night, after I finished writing, I sat here chasing thoughts.  What meals would I prep for next week?  WHEN will I ever get to the grocery?  How will I manage my eating plans in a home not mine?  What sort of lunches could I take with me? 

 No visits to Mama for the next four weeks...Wondering if John realizes that I likely am NOT going to leave home on third Saturday to go to Outreach after spending a week in the city and knowing I've got to go back again on Sunday and every day the following week.  Considering my weekend time and what all I shall likely need to get done on those days at home.  

June 5: You Never Know What a Day Will Bring

 

I'll just jump right in with both feet.  I woke middle of the morning and stayed awake a good two hours.  I finally drifted back off about daybreak and slept until 8:15. Not much extra sleep but enough to see me through the day.  I didn't have hard things to attend to this morning, so it all worked out.

John had an eye appointment this afternoon and we literally were only a matter of a mile or so from Katie's. So, we ran by there to visit with them for a wee bit.  Henry was all happy smiles to see us.  Caleb got plum excited to see us at the door.  Taylor was happy to get to see us again so soon.

June 4: More Rain, More Seeds, More Weeds

 

Last night I glanced at the weather before we headed to bed.  I couldn't believe it.  We'd gone from the promise of a sunny week all week long to one filled with rain and thunderstorms!

Well, the rain today has been lackluster.  It's cloudy, overcast and breezy but about the time I think it's not going to rain after all it sprinkles just enough to be uncomfortably wet.  Then it stops, the sun peeks out and about the time I think it's over, it clouds up again and we repeat the whole process.

I went out first thing this morning with my coffee.  Rufus allowed me to trim a whole four-inch line before he decided he'd had enough of it.  Stinker.  I had a sharper pair of scissors, and it was a lot easier on us both, or so I thought but there you are.  He's terribly impatient about all of this.  How do I know when he's had enough.  He moves two feet away from me and lies down.  If I get up and go to him, he gets up and moves two feet more away.  

June 3: A Mix of Fun and Work

 

I slept late this morning.  No idea why.  I went to bed early last night and slept right away and then I slept a solid eleven hours.  I must have needed it, but I wasn't feeling overly tired.  Just naturally tired.  I'm not complaining.  I'll take sleep over not sleeping any night.

I decided to keep our breakfast simple.  Frozen French Toast came out and went into the toaster oven.

June 2: Go For It

Sam sent out a group text this morning at 6:35 this morning.  He woke me up.  I don't know why he was up so early, but I guess he figured the world was up at that hour as well.  The text was about a family birthday party he's throwing here in mid-June.  I suppose if I'm going to get a text at 6:35am I'd heaps rather it was a happy invitational text and not an emergency/disaster text.

Immediately after I read the text, I rolled over again, planning to go back to sleep.  But it was daylight, and the room was lighter, and I had one of those morning hot flashes you get once your body has awakened.  And then my mind started working overtime, planning my day, and I gave up trying to pretend I'd go back to sleep.  I slipped out to the kitchen and made myself a black cup of coffee.  I try to do that if I'm up especially early so as not to break my fast too soon.  

June 1: Another Lovely Weekend

 

It's been a little cooler in the mornings, in the low 60's.  Rufus, who has stubbornly refused to be trimmed though he is horribly matted all over, has conceded that yes, he does after all need a bit of help.  He's good for about ten minutes and then he snaps at me and runs away.  But in that ten minutes I do my best to try to remove a whole segment of matted hair.  I'm not sure I'll be able to finish him and likely will end having to take him to a groomer, but I'll at least do the most he'll allow before I put us both through the trauma of a vet visit for a rabies shot and then a groomer.  I'm convinced I shall have to pay through my teeth for the grooming.  But in the meantime, I'll do what I can by myself with a trusty pair of scissors.

May 30: Sunshine, Glorious Sun

Let it be known there is a call for rain today and that may well happen, but we woke this morning to the lovely sunlight.  I for one was more than happy to see it.  Truth, I need that daily sunlight dose to stay energetic.  Otherwise, I tend to slip and slide down the hill of despond and linger there until I can get a nice sunny dose.  I've lived in a few homes with dark carpet, dark walls and pitifully small windows that had to be curtained for privacy's sake and let me tell you, I much appreciate the large multiple windows we have in this house.  In the two bedrooms that have single windows one is much longer than the others and the other is much wider than all the others.   

May 29: Rainy, Rainy Day

 

First, I want to thank all of you who did comment.  Please understand that I do not expect you all to comment constantly, but I was curious if the content here was still relevant.  I do realize that blogging in general is not the chosen forum anymore.  Even longtime very popular YouTube vloggers are saying their own numbers are down.  Katie and I were discussing this on Sunday of last week and she mentioned that her generation were more interested in short reels, from Tiktok.  They wanted quick shots of information she said.  And that made me wonder if the day of blogging was done entirely or just dwindling.  It's good to know that you all do enjoy what you're getting here.  So, thank you again for all of the input.  It was helpful.  And yeah, reassuring, lol.

May 28: A Mix of Everything

 

May I ask a personal question of you readers?  Comments have gone down to pretty much zip.  I might get one or two a week these days.  So, I wonder:

Are you too busy to read just now?

Is the material I'm publishing to your taste?

Do you prefer the former format to this freer flowing form?

Am I being relevant to what you want/need to read?

I would so appreciate it if you would reply in the comments section.  

I confess I personally enjoy this means of communicating but I am curious   

May 26: Lovely Weekend

 

We had a lovely long weekend.  It wasn't much of anything, and it was everything at the same time.  Don't you just love a weekend like that?  

Saturday, we stayed home and went nowhere.  I made bread (an oops loaf!) and pizza dough.  I went outdoors to plant the tomatoes which are doing well and parsley and dill which are suffering and transplanted some zinnias which apparently to take a pass on living.  I discovered that four more fig stems had put out new leaves.  And I got soaked to the skin from heat and humidity.  This is where I completely forgot the bread dough.  

May 23: Goodness! Memorial Day Weekend

 

We were watching service at church on Wednesday night and the pastor mentioned Memorial Day weekend service.  "He's gotten mixed up!  It's not Memorial Day this weekend," I told John.  Well, yes, it is.  Memorial Day weekend, our wedding anniversary weekend, the last full weekend of May, and the lead into six weeks of birthdays.  Here we go!

Today, I felt the need to go out alone on my own.  It's been months since I went to Food Depot, the discount grocery.  I had a short list for this store but wanted to check out the discount produce rack.  Today I purchased 5 large green bell peppers for $1.50, Roma tomatoes for $1, parsley 75c and green onions for 75c.  I also got four decent looking firm bananas for 78c from the clearance rack.  I checked out meats in the clearance bin but saw nothing decent.

May 22: Struggle Day

 

I admit it.  I was already tense this morning when I woke up.  It was the day I'd designated as a visit day, and I always struggle more than I want to say on these days.  But before I even left home, I went into something of a tailspin over a completely unrelated thing.

And what was that thing?  A simple request.  Admittedly it might have been stated in a better manner.  Also, admittedly I saw the point of the request, but I did not want to say 'yes'.  I waffled and wavered and said everything but the resounding "No" I wanted to say.  Nor did I say yes.  I really did have to stop several times during this simple conversation and squash my feelings back into the appropriate boxes and reason things out all over again.  

May 21: Procrastinator to Do-er

We were awakened this morning by a rumble of thunder and then heavy pouring rain.  You'll understand that John figured the yard was far too wet to mow.  Nope.  For all that it rained a solid hour and that it was super heavy, the grass was dry, courtesy of a strong westerly breeze that blew this morning.  I told John how dry everything was when I came in from trimming the rose.  

I have really struggled lately with getting onto the work I know must be done.  I finally made myself go outdoors this morning and cut back the one rosebush that went wild.  I noted that one reason it looked so wild is that there are several small trees that have taken root in the same area and those were growing up through the base of the rosebush.  It also helped to cut back last year's stems from the lantana.  The whole are looks tamed once more.  

May 20: Scatterbrained

 

Do you ever have those times when you are just scattered brain?  I forgot to pay the electric bill.  In all the years we have been here that is only the second time it's been late.  I caught it within the grace period, took it in and paid the late fee (just $6) but still...I forgot it, completely forgot it.

I've been sitting here trying to remember if I've paid another bill, one that is due in five days.  I'd swear I mailed it out but then again, I can't swear that I did.  If I did mail it, it was barely within the ten days allotted to get it there.  I can't find a notation anywhere in the checkbook saying I paid it. 

May 19: Rest Day

 

Last week and weekend were busy ones for us.  In the midst of that busy week, I had both a minor infection in a tooth and two nights of insomnia.  My body was fighting hard, and I was feeling it every step of the way.

Sam and Katie had planned to get together with their families over at Sam's this weekend.  John and I were obligated to attend Outreach at the same time.  Sam wanted to bush hog a path to the property that Katie hopes to have as her homesite in the future. He got that job done and decided he'd widen out the area where the mail carriers make a U-turn in our driveway so they wouldn't scratch their vehicles.  He bumped my mailbox, and it went down.  The post was rotten; the wonky box was wonkier.  He made a good temporary repair on it, and we declared it good enough for the time being.

John and I got very little done on Friday as we were already worn out.  That's about the time the minor infection set to work in my body.  My lymph nodes ached, and I had a steady headache.  Fortunately, I had some medication on hand, and I thought to start it right away.  I followed through with that regime and thankfully was starting to feel much better by Sunday.  Sunday night I broke fever in the middle of the night.  I slept until nearly 10am this morning.  My body needed that rest!

Saturday morning, we left home and headed to Warner Robins.  I couldn't help but think back to a few years ago when John begged me to come with him to the Outreach.  At that time, I had a load of extra responsibilities on my plate.  The Outreach program met outdoors.  They served a hot meal and passed out clothing, but it was terribly cold out there.  The need I saw weighed me down still further, spiraling me into a depressed state that I fought against hard.  What was one hot meal when the people before us didn't have proper winter clothing?  I saw one couple with a baby wrapped in a thin blanket.  The mom didn't have a coat.  My body physically ached looking at these folks.  

And I felt so incapable of meeting any need at all.  My plate at home was full of needy ones: a husband unable to find his ground after retiring, a daughter who was struggling with her mental health, a little boy who was too young to voice his needs who was desperately in need of love and care.  I came home and cried and cried and told John I'd not go back.  I couldn't see that much need and feel I was so poorly meeting the needs already in my own home.  

But I thought often of those I'd met.  The two brothers, one who was not quite right and the other super protective.  The girl and boy who were obviously a couple, he as courteous and kind and gentlemanly as if he were born to it and she shy and overwhelmed with his kind care.  The mom with a baby wrapped in the inadequate blanket holding him tightly against her own cold body.  The older man who in another age might have been called a hobo.  

 The Outreach is now held indoors.  Another church, more centrally located to the town than ours provides the space, volunteers, a pastor. Our church provides volunteers and pastors and food for the hot meal, vans to pick people up.  Donations fulfill clothing and food needs to be carried away with the people.  There are dentists and hairdressers who come to provide free services for people.  

I have stayed in the background.  Technically, I am John's assistant. I help him load and unload, set up, do sound checks, fetch whatever it is he needs at the moment.  Unofficially, I observe.  Sometimes, if I see a need for a chair, a helping hand, a spot needs to be cleaned on the floor and everyone is busy, I step in and provide it but mostly I have stayed off to the side, an observer.

Faces are familiar to me now.  Some people cycle in and some cycle out and then some return and others don't.  The baby wrapped in a thin blanket is a boy now, who detaches himself from his mom and plays with the other children.  Other babies have been born and grown into toddlers.  People come for months and then they disappear.  Sometimes I see them return months later, without a partner, with more care written upon their face than when they were last seen.  Sometimes, I see them return as a volunteer with a shy smile and a light in their eyes because their lives changed for the better and they want to give a little something back.

This weekend, as John was playing, I watched people come in. I recognized faces.  I saw that some who had once come only to receive were now busily pitching in to help set things up even though they were still in need of the handouts.  Children ran in and out.  People chatted with serve team members and with each other.  A child came in on roller skates and skated around the empty spaces in the room.  Another child ran in crying, "Mama!  Mama!"  People laughed and talked and ate and offered help one to another.  A volunteer walked over to one man and asked "How are you?  Did you get a hotel room as you'd hoped?  How's..." and they talked and talked.

I found myself smiling.    They come together to share a meal, share their story, hear a story, receive help and give it.  What I saw was the same thing I see every Sunday at church.  I saw fellowship. I saw a spiritual community.  

My attitude was hugely different in leaving on Saturday.  I look forward to next month.  I wonder who I'll see.  I'm eager to ask a report of how someone is doing after I was requested to pray.  

And how vastly different my own life is now. Lives have changed.  We all have changed.  

Sunday morning, we got up and got ready for church.  It was so dark and oppressive outdoors.  I told John in the car that I desperately longed to turn on the lights inside the car to try and dispel the gray dark skies.  We were about two miles from church when the storm hit.  The car was rocked from side to side by the fierce wind.  Debris hit us as it was flung from trees.  The rain slanted horizontally in front of us, hitting the car from the sides.  

When we arrived at church, cars were queued at the curb waiting to let people out.  Everyone in the lobby was standing staring out at the weather and arrivals.  Umbrellas and towels were rushed to the entrances.  Umbrellas blew inside out, and towels were sopping within seconds.  

I was soaked.  The rain had penetrated my raincoat, my ball cap, my purse, my shoes and jeans, t-shirt and sweater that I'd thought I might require at service.  I shivered as I stood in the lobby waiting on John to park the car and the weather to calm enough to allow him to walk to the door.  

We went to Katie's after church.  I took corn on the cob and Gramma's Fried Chicken.  I had a hot wheel's car for Caleb and hairbands for Bella who exulted that I'd brought her 'new crowns'...lol.  Henry was sitting up and shaking with excitement at the idea that he was about to be picked up.  I brought him a soft little rabbit that he ignored. 

We had a lovely, pleasant time with the children, Gary (Not the Mama), Cody and Katie and we stayed longer than we might ought to have. We all talked and laughed and ate. The food was good.  The cup of hot coffee most welcome.  The hugs and kisses and full laps even more welcome. Caleb ran to pick up something Cody dropped and said, "I got that Dad."  I watched as he climbed on a chair with Gary and snuggled in. "I'll sit with you, Grampa."  Gary and I smiled at one another across the top of Caleb's head.  Bella told her daddy about the new crowns but when he failed to appreciate the moment as Bella felt he should, she ran to Katie.  "Mama, look!  Can I wear one?"  "Crowns!  Aren't they pretty?  I think this one would look best with your outfit."  And Bella took the one Katie suggested and was adorned.  John and I smiled over Henry as he wiggled from one of us to the other. Here was proof that lives had changed indeed!

We arrived home about 4pm just as the skies opened and pounded us with rain all over again.  Sam had been working on installing a new mailbox and post for us and had raced home to escape the rain.  We managed to get in the house without getting as wet as we did earlier in the day.  I shivered coming into the house.  I dressed more warmly than I might have otherwise.  

Once we got home, the full impact of weariness hit us.  I don't think we even spoke for hours.  We just sat here together, companionable in our silent tiredness.

I slept until nearly 10am this morning.  I had just gotten my coffee ready to drink when Sam came by with a surprise. He'd brought Millie with him.  She proudly told us that next year she was going to kindergarten.  She was so proud of that.  And so were Bella and Caleb yesterday who both told us all about getting to move to Kindergarten next year.  

I was sitting here listening to Sam and semi-supervising Millie polishing her nails and started thinking of all that I must get done this week.  Then Sam said, "Oh...can you keep Millie and Isaac for a bit tomorrow?"  I said I would, but I was busy the rest of the week, and I am.  I need to catch up from last week, I have all of this week's tasks to catch up on.  I want to go visit Mama.  I want to sneak away and get a bit of time alone, on my own, to shop at the garden center and grocery.  I want to take one day to take the kids to the library and maybe a meal out after.  I need to do so many more things, so many necessary things.  

I've worked on a few things as I could today.  The house blessing is done.  Bread was made.  Plants got watered.  Spaces were tidied and neatened. Laundry was washed and hung to dry.  Drawers were organized and put right once more.  

I've also recognized my great tiredness from last week and fighting that infection off and have taken time to rest and read in between tasks.  It's been a long day and I'm eager to see it end.  Tomorrow is a new day.  

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Saturday Kroger Shop

It wasn't meant to be a proper grocery shop on Saturday.  I had only one item from the sales on my list: half gallons of Kroger milk at $1.39 each.  A gallon runs $2.78/gallon (checked the price while I was shopping), but half gallons tend to run a bit more as anyone who prefers the half gallon jugs knows.  Generally, we can finish off a half gallon before it starts to go 'off' though with me making a Dalgona coffee most afternoons (I use 8 ounces of milk), I am using it more quickly.  

However, I had a decent sized list of other needs.  I looked over my clipped and Best Customer coupons to determine what items I should go ahead and pick up today.   I'm just going to run down my receipt and tell you what each item cost as I go.

May 16: Big Day for the Pre-K Set

 

Today was all about Pre-K'ers in our family.  Bella and Caleb had awards/certificate day at their school and Millie class had their annual Picnic with Parents Day.

Katie has sent me a load of photos of the children.  I haven't seen anything from Sam yet.  But it looked like a fun day for the 'middles' as Katie calls them, since they are between Taylor the biggle and Henry the little.

May 15: Just Relax and Flow With It

 

After a bit, you can get awfully tired of trying to fight the current.  All set for a day at home today, and the last thing last night was John turning to say, "We have to go get mower blades tomorrow."  I sat there for a silent second and then said "Okay".  I just let my body relax and went with the flow.  This week will not bend to my will, so I must bend to it.  

I slept like a rock last night.  And woke about 5:20 this morning.  John and I both were up by full daylight (which is somewhere around 6:20 or so).  That is typical of this time of year for us.  I showered and stripped the bed and bath...Wait!  Did I forget today was Thursday and not Friday?  Nope!  I was thinking about how we must be up earlier than we've been getting up in order to follow Sam over to Columbus to the body shop he's using to repair his truck.  And anticipating that likely neither John nor I will feel like doing loads of stuff once we're back home.

May 13: What Plans?

 

I actually wrote this on Tuesday...why it didn't publish, I don't know but bonus for you guys, there will be two posts today!

Today was the day!  I woke early and had black coffee to finish waking myself up.  I'd already planned my day.  First, I'd clean off the area at the end of the porch where Sam would be working on the new steps.  Then I was going to tackle that big food prep plan of mine.  

Sam was over early, and he was not in the best of moods.  Disappointed, frustrated, angry at himself, angry at everything and no one...You see he bought a truck at an online auction months ago.  Now the truck was a very good buy and even paying for transport from whatever state he purchased it to here in Georgia, he didn't have a fourth as much as most people pay for a used car these days.  It took a whole $16 to repair the truck and get it up and running. 

Start Where You Are, Use What You Have, Do What You Can

 

Here's a picture of the new steps.  Let me share three things very quickly.  Sassy inserted herself in the photo quick as she could.  The facing boards on the end of the porch need to be painted and the porch is dirty.  The steps are straight and level.  It's the porch floor which is slightly higher at the house and slopes forward.  That is the proper way to build a porch, especially one that began as a deck off the back of the house.

I didn't take a better head on photo because frankly I was trying to hide how dirty, cluttered and in need of cleaning and fresh paint the porch itself is.  I just wanted to show you all these new steps while the concrete is fairly clean.  It's the only part of the porch that is!  

May 12: Planned Meal Prep

 

Old hat to most all of you I know but I roasted a chicken yesterday for Mother's Day luncheon, though it was only John and me. One household was sick, and one household chose to have a family meal as a family unit.  No problem with me.  I received gifts and well wishes and love which is all I really want (the love part).  And Sam brought over leftover beef barbecue for our supper for Sunday night which was lovely of him.  He said it was his treat to me for giving him so much rosemary wood to smoke the meat with.

The chicken was roughly 6.5 to 7 pounds.  I took it out to thaw early on Saturday.  It was still frozen when I put it in the fridge Saturday evening.  And still had a cavity of ice crystals when I took it out on Sunday morning to prepare.  

May 8: Do What You Can

 

I've been brainstorming.  In fact, I've decided that for the next few days or so I'm going to keep right on brainstorming.  

I've had all sorts of thoughts in my head on different matters, and it all kept getting tangled up into knots.  If I was the least tired, I began to get irritable, frustrated and muddled in my thinking.  So today I sat down with a pen and paper.  I started taking things out of my mind subject by subject and dealing with them one by one in the best way I know how: listing every single thing on paper where I can plainly see it, add to it and work from it.  

I have always been a visual learner.  You can talk to me all day long and feed me facts repeatedly, but until I can SEE them written out it all means nothing but a lot of gibberish to me.   

May 7: Use What You Have

 

I slept quite late this morning and there was little point in making breakfast once I'd had my coffee.  I had a hard time shutting down my brain last night and when I finally did, I apparently snored my head off and woke with a very sore throat.  John confirmed my suspicion that I was snoring when he greeted me this morning.  "You were cutting the z's last night!"  I pointed out that I had been cutting them this morning, as my throat assured me it was true.  

May 6: Sweet Things to Tuck Away

 

Hello dears.  I fell into a rabbit hole, a genealogy rabbit hole that is and hence I completely and totally forgot that I had a blog to keep up with!  It was a nice break for me, and I accomplished a load of work and found some new puzzles to fret over and figure out.    I spent all day Saturday at it.

On Saturday morning, Sam started texting me early, about 7am.  He was showing me pictures of the most beautiful rolls he'd made for breakfast, a raspberry orange filled roll.  I literally drooled looking at each of the pictures he sent (he sent them in various stages of development).  I couldn't have been more pleased when he ran by here with two large rolls for us to have as breakfast.  They were absolutely delicious, so tender and wonderful.  He made a HUGE pan of them.  

May 2: Out of Sorts

 

I've been working hard in the yard this week. Of course, I can't put in a full day of it because that is entirely too exhausting, but I will say that housework each morning followed by a long session in the yard has really taken its toll on me.  

Progress has been slow, but I went out today with a very clear idea of just what I wanted to get done.  The small bed next to the back steps is now in fit shape for the year.   All of the empty pots are out of the bed.  I combined all the soil from said pots and used it to fill pots afresh.   But one needn't get excited over one spot finished here and one spot finished there when everything in between is obviously still in need of a good deal of work!  

May 1: Merry Month!

 

To make goals or not?  You might or might not have noticed but lately I'm taking things a good deal easier than I did in years past.  It's not that I don't feel well, because I really do feel very well indeed.  It's just that since I'm supposed to be 'retired' I feel I can and should enjoy the leisure that years of laboring hard and long daily have earned me.  I'll never be one of those who just sits about day after day with no ambition or desire to do a thing but get up and go to bed daily, but by the same token, I just feel like it's okay to slow things down a bit.  To sleep in if I don't sleep well, to putter gently in my daily tasks, and yes, sometimes to work hard, but always with a stopping place or three to cool down and rest so that my ambitions remain steady and I don't run out of energy before I've reached the finishing point.

April 30: You Never Know

I was up early enough this morning that I decided to go ahead and make pancakes.  I avoid making pancakes and I'll tell you why.  I find them very time consuming.  I cannot find a flat griddle that covers two burners properly on my stove...I take that back. I had one but it was huge, cast iron and heavy as could be.  I gave it to one or another of the kids and since then I've been unable to find one that doesn't have handles which butt into the back panel of the stove and prevents the thing from sitting properly on the two burners.  So, I use a frying pan.  I can fry one large or two medium or three small at a time.  If I opt to do the larger pancakes it truly does take forever and then some to get the batter all cooked up. 

April 29: Well...

 

                               It looks nothing like this just at the moment but I'm working on it!

Last night, John was trying to watch some program or other and it was pretty horrible.  I finally told him, "Let's just move on from this one and try something else."  I'd been doing my best to ignore images, but I swear the moment I would look up from my computer or book I was hit with a horrible vision of what he was watching.  He very nicely put on something else which ended up being weird and then BLAM! another horrible image. He immediately switched that one off as well.  Then he landed on another British series, "Dr. Finlay" which we both watched and enjoyed.  

April 28: Finishing Off April

 

The contractor pushed hard this past weekend and finished the kitchen.  Now I need to determine what I'm going to hang on the walls and where I shall place things.  I lived with what decor I'd put up for quite some time and only one piece is going back right where it was all those months.  The rest I will figure out as I go and try to determine if they even fit the direction I have been slowly trying to go in for the past year or so.  

The kitchen does look lovely, and I promise you all pictures.  I just got things put back into place (not decor, just furniture and counter appliances) this morning.  And frankly I am tired.  Partly due to a tough night for unknown reasons and that I worked very hard indeed this morning.  But I'm ahead of myself...

April 27: Clearing My Head

 

I might ought to title this one "Work, Work, Work!"   I couldn't sleep Friday night for thinking oh so many thoughts about the weekend and the week ahead.  I planned meals and planned tasks and planned things I felt sure I hadn't any time for at all.  I thought ahead into next month and realized it's a five week stretch this time between paydays...which bears thinking about.  

What I Did This Week

 

It seems at the end of every single week, I realize it's Friday and then I feel this surge of...not guilt, nor frustration.  But I have this sense that the week flew by, and I have accomplished absolutely nothing.  I'm going to track what I do each day this week and just prove to myself that either that feeling is true or it's false.  Let's see how this goes.

April 24: Happy Reminders

 

I looked out our bedroom window this morning and remembered three different people in a matter of seconds.

Nancy gave me the deep red antique rambling rose that is blooming right now outside my bedroom window and in front of the back porch.  They were on the property when her husband's grandparents settled that spot.  She gave me two different roses but only one has survived.  The one in front of the back porch I rooted myself.  

April 23: Put It Back

It's meant to rain tomorrow (happens we got a small shower today, as well), and Friday we have Travis coming in, not to mention all the House Blessing cleaning and planning that I do on Fridays.  So today we headed off to Sam's Club to do our every other month shopping.  

Y'all...The number of things I looked at, considered and then carefully put back on the shelf was great.  John said to me on the way home, "I started to wonder if you were going to buy anything.  You just kept putting things back."  Well, I put things in the buggy as well, but not nearly as much as I'd thought I might.  I had looked at preview ads for the grocery stores yesterday, so I'd have the prices fixed in my mind before shopping today.  It proved to be a good strategy because it made me very mindful of what I'd pay routinely if I didn't go to Sam's Club and most all of what I bought was a better purchase than I could get at the regular grocery.

April 22: Fragrant Spring

 

Privet, China Berry and Honeysuckle are all currently blooming and they make the air fragrant and lovely, something you can almost taste but not quite.  It's a time I look forward to each Spring.  I am not nearly so allergic to these things as I am to the earlier, heavier pollinators.  I love to just take great deep breaths and enjoy these fragrant days.

Speaking of fragrance, back at Christmas time I went on the hunt for a new scent.  I ordered samples of several scents and liked several but one really stood out hard for me.  It was called Love by Coach and it smelled faintly of strawberries and died to a lovely herbal citrus scent with a light musk undertone.  But pricey!  Gracious goodness it cost a lot.  Then Katie offered me a sample she'd gotten of another scent, and I liked it quite well.  It was more affordable, so I ordered that one.

April 21: How Pretty!

 

The true way to live is to enjoy every moment as it passes, and surely it is in the everyday things around us that the beauty of life lies. ~ Laura Ingalls Wilder

Hello loves.  I decided to take Easter Sunday as a day off.  Saturday was busy so I didn't feel I'd had a proper weekend and didn't work ahead on my usual post of goals and meal plans for the week.  

Friday night we drove over to church to participate in Communion service.  It was a lovely service with a powerful worship service and a short but even more powerful sermon.  We sat and talked for a few moments with friends before driving home.  The weather was wonderful by the time we'd headed home and the sun setting in a haze of amethyst, pink, pale coral.  The soft air, the green trees, soft blues of woods beyond us. It was a beautiful ride home.  

April 18: Friday Frenzy

 

I have had to sit down and cool off.  Rest was needed too but cooling off and getting a cold drink were top priority at the moment.  The kitchen looks like a bomb went off.  The bedroom is torn up because I haven't yet put new bedding on the bed.  The living room is as neat as I can make it and any other messes at present are being fully and totally ignored because I am already overwhelmed.

This morning, John wanted French toast and since I had half a loaf of homemade bread that was dryer than we care for it to be, it seemed a good idea.  From there the day sort of turned into a cooking frenzy.  I put the ham into the slow cooker (it doesn't fit, but since it's in a plastic liner bag I'm hoping for the best.  Perhaps some of the liquid will cook out and the meat will shrink enough I can properly close the lid.  If not, then it can continue as is until the very full oven is emptied.

The oven currently holds sweet potato fries (for lunch), Sam's two pans of chicken, 1 pan of sausage balls, macaroni and cheese.  On the counter, I have bread in the bread machine, biscuit dry ingredients ready to mix, dry ingredients and grated carrot ready to make muffins for Easter morning breakfast and the beginnings of a bowl of tuna pasta salad (seemed a good idea while I was making mac and cheese to use half for the salad).   And the makings of lunch are also sitting on the counter.  The sink overflows with dirty dishes and more will be coming from the oven and lunch...

I found myself working too frantically.  The truth is we're going out this evening to Easter communion services at church.  I'll have to have my supper and be ready to leave before 5 pm today.  And for whatever reason, this fact makes the day feel overly short and so I find myself working too quickly and too hard and feeling very overwhelmed.  So this sit down and cool off period is truly very necessary to calm the panic I was beginning to experience as I juggled too many things at once.  None of this can be done tomorrow because we'll get up early, leave and be gone until afternoon and by then, I shall be interested only in having lunch (hence the tuna pasta salad) and quite probably a nap.  

My big push is because I'm thinking that just perhaps tomorrow and Sunday Travis will be working his way about the walls where the stove and sink are.  It would make sense that while he waited on one set of walls to dry from a second coat of primer he'd go ahead and work around to getting these walls cleaned and a first coat on those walls especially since he has so little need to repair anything in that area.  

One thing I asked of John a couple of weeks ago was to go about and tap in all the tap screws then fill the holes.  John-like, he put it off and so Wednesday, I was doing something in the kitchen when I saw that Travis had simply painted right over six tap screws in one area.  They weren't even in a straight line.  I felt like crying.  I went to John and told him what I'd found.  I will say a million times that Travis does careful work and he's very precise, but one thing he and his crew member never did in the bathroom while painting was to remove tap screws and fill the holes.  Had there been a speck of paint left I'd have had John repair them and we'd have painted over but no paint for touch-ups, so I strategically hung a picture over those and try to ignore them overall.  But these tap screws were down near the edge of the counter and there was going to be no hiding them.

Well John still did nothing until later that evening when he finally realized how upset I was.  I pointed out that it was a lot of money going out and I wasn't too keen on a 'good enough' job of it.  I wanted a great job!   He stirred himself and had the screws tapped out and repaired in a matter of 15 minutes.  Yesterday morning, we stood together and went wall to wall in the kitchen and he filled the others we found.  I think there were six more.

I know John does a most excellent job with filling and spackling and that was why I specifically asked him to attend to the task.  I wasn't asking him to fill every single hole in the wall where I'd previously hung a picture.  After all, some of those things are going right back up in the holes that are left behind, but over the years, I've had shelves and heavier items hung on the wall that required some bigger than average screws and left unsightly holes behind when they came down.  John has never fussed over my hanging pictures or anything else on the walls which I appreciate about him.  He just asks to be the one to hang them because even with careful measurements, I tend to have a crooked eye.

later:  The bed is still unmade, but the dishes have either been washed or are in the dishwasher.  I need to vacuum the floors and make that bed but I'm calling it done from here.  All the baking is done.  The ham is still in the slow cooker and starting to smell very good.  The day is done for me.  After I do these two jobs, I will spend the next few hours resting with my feet up.

Have a happy Easter weekend everyone, even if it's just a gathering of two like ours.  

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