What's Up, Wednesday

First of all - TOMORROW IS OCTOBER!  And the weather actually started to behave accordingly today.


B) Jury Duty - I had to go three days this week.  I was called twice, first to be on the jury and second to be an alternate.  Both cases failed to go to trial because they were settled out of court shortly after they called the jurors.  Anywho, I'm done for the week now.  Plus, I got to go out for lunch with my husband twice because of the different lunch schedule. We almost never get to do that during the work week.

3. Todd Snider Concert - Yay!  Wrote a longer post about this here.

IV. The girl had her first performance with the dance company she joined this year. 

 

I treated her to a Starbucks chocolate chip Frappuccino afterwards.  I think she liked it.

5th - It was the last week for the Farmer's Market.  I really will miss these beautiful flowers in my house every week.

And next to last, this book...creepy.  I mean that in the best way.  I was lucky it came in from the library because you can't take a Kindle or iPad into the courthouse to read on.  I was reading The Martian at night on my iPad and Somebody I Used to Know at the courthouse.  I finished The Martian last night.  Now I can devote my time solely to this little gem.

And finally, the dogs got new Halloween collars this week.  Well, they weren't exactly new because I bought them after last Halloween when they were on clearance.  So they are new, but just from last year. Never mind.  I love the look on my pug's face.  Actually, I always love his face.

Kim   

Enjoy Yourself

So I wrote this post recently about School Year Resolutions about how I made a pledge to myself to continue to do fun things during the school year.  While I was in this mindset during the summer, I bought tickets to go see one of my favorite singer/songwriters perform in one of my favorite places on a Friday in September.  We saw Todd Snider perform when I was pregnant with my daughter, 13 years ago and hadn't had another chance since. And I seriously heart him since I "discovered" him on Austin City Limits about 20 years ago.

You might think, okay no big deal.  Except it is a big deal.  I do all the grocery shopping for the week on Friday after school gets out.  And the house usually is starting to unravel by Friday.  And the laundry has started to take over the corners of our three bedrooms.  And I'm ready to collapse after teaching all week.  

I knew all this when I bought the tickets, but I thought, "It'll be fine.  I'll just push a little harder that week to get everything done."  What I didn't count on when I bought the tickets two months ago was my daughter joining a dance performance company that would have a dress rehearsal that night. Or that I would be getting sub plans ready because I was called for jury duty the next week.  Or a little health scare and some outpatient surgery that week.

 

I'm fine.  The procedure went well.  It's all good.  But the week was more stressful than usual.  They tell you outpatient surgery and twilight sleep is routine, and it is.  Then they ask you if you have a living will before they take you in to the operating room, and you realize you were not crazy to be a little more stressed than usual.

It was a huge relief to get the surgery over with on Tuesday.  I felt great the next day and returned to work.  But when I woke up Thursday morning, I was so tired and I still hadn't figured out how we were going to get my daughter picked up from her dress rehearsal on Friday.  I was so relieved to have the procedure over without any complications, I was just grateful for my health. I decided I didn't need to have fun on Friday.  I told Dan that night that I thought we should just throw in the towel and eat the loss for the tickets.

But instead of giving up, he made a call and worked it out for a family member to pick her up.  "We're going," he told me firmly.

Just one more reason he is my hero.

We had an fantastic time.  Todd Snider is an amazing storyteller and so funny. I could feel all the tension I had been holding for weeks just melt away.

  Sorry for the blurry pic.  It was dark and I wanted to get back to listening.

One of the last songs he sang sat up and punched me in the face.
Here's the link to Enjoy Yourself if you care to give it a listen.

Enjoy yourself

It's later than you think

Enjoy yourself

While you're still in the pink

The years go by as quickly as a wink

Enjoy yourself, enjoy yourself

It's later than you think.

You work and work

For years and years

You're always on the go

You never take a minute off

Too busy making dough

Some day you say you'll have your fun

When you're a millionaire

Imagine all the fun you'll have 

In some old rocking chair.

Enjoy yourself

It's later than you think

Enjoy yourself

While you're still in the pink

The years go by as quickly as a wink

Enjoy yourself, enjoy yourself

It's later than your think.

You're gonna take that ocean trip

No matter, come what may

You've got your reservations but

You just can't get away

Next year for sure you'll see the world

You'll really get around

But how far can you travel when

You're six feet underground?

Enjoy yourself 

It's later than you think

Enjoy yourself

While you're still in the pink

The years go by as quickly as a wink

Enjoy yourself, enjoy yourself

It's later than you think

Get out and see the world...

You worry when the weather's cold

You worry when it's hot

You worry when you're doing well

You worry when you're not

It's worry, worry all of the time

You don't know how to laugh

They'll think of something funny when

They write your epitaph

Enjoy yourself

It's later than you think

Enjoy yourself

While you're still in the pink

The years go by as quickly as a wink

Enjoy yourself, enjoy yourself

It's later than you think

Kim   

What's Up, Wednesday?

What's up this Wednesday?  The first day of fall


I'm not sure why everyone gets excited about the official first day of fall because it's not like the weather automatically switches over on this day.  I guess it's just the idea that the leaves could start to change color and the temperatures could start to permit the wearing of boots and sweaters any minute.  Sometimes the idea is enough to get you through another day.


I will say that lately, the temps haven't been too awful on every day.  This week has been downright pleasant.  And some other signs of fall are definitely popping up. 


Like Halloween costumes...

  This actually might give me a nightmare somewhere down the road.

And our city's annual Arts in the Park festival...

I've been going to this event since I moved here 16 years ago.  Love it!


And speaking of our city, we just had a Dunkin' Donuts open here.  I was keeping a personal countdown and driving my husband a little nuts.

One more thing...

I started reading The Martian this week.  I'm not a huge science fiction gal, but I saw several recommendations for this one.  About two weeks later, I saw it has been made into a movie.  Then it was a daily Kindle deal for $1.99, so I snagged it immediately.  I'm really glad I did because it's a real page turner.  Can you say that about an e-book?  Maybe I should say it's a real finger swiper.  Either way, read it if you get a chance!

Kim   

What's Up, Wednesday?

Yet another Wednesday and what's up...

I bought my pug a cowboy hat.  

I'm not normally a fan of animals dressed up in costumes, but I am occasionally entertained by a random photo.  Halloween is on the horizon, and they had these hats at Wal-Mart.  No, he won't trick or treat, nor will I probably ever put this on him again, but for those five minutes it was gloriously funny.

Lots of apples - caramel, donuts, and otherwise...

A new hard root beer variety - Oh, this is a good one.

More flowers from the Farmer's Market...

And more from The Pioneer Woman's new line of products.  I am so happy each time I open my cabinets and see these beauties.

 

Kim   

What's Up, Wednesday?

Wednesday snuck up on me this week because of Labor Day.  Who am I kidding?  It sneaks up on me every week as far as this deadline goes.  Here's what's up.

My kids have never seen the original Star Wars triology.  I saw all these movies at the movie theater as a child and was in awe. The original triology was available on DVD at Wal-Mart this week because of the premiere of the merchandise for the upcoming movie.  I just could not resist.  We watched A New Hope Sunday night and will be screening The Empire Strikes Back this coming weekend.

The Friends of the Library held their used book sale this weekend.  They have a used book sale every month, but this was the mother of them all.  70,000 titles with hardbacks going for $1 and paperbacks 50 cents.  It was like stepping into a dream.

And while we're on the subject of books...

I am currently reading The Beautiful Mystery by Louise Penny.  It's the first I've read of her Inspector Gamache series.  I like this one so far and am hoping to check out some of the others.

I changed over my decorations for the month.  I do this every month because I enjoy the lift it gives my house.   I loved how this little vignette turned out.  We have crazy growing cockscomb in our back yard right now and I thought the pink-maroon complimented the green in this apple.

We went to the Labor Day parade in my hometown on Monday.  One word: HOT!  I am so weary of this hot weather.  Love this flag, though.

And finally, this arrived today.

It is one of the many pieces I ordered from The Pioneer Woman collection that debuted at Wal-Mart last week.  When I saw the collection online September 1st, I pretty much went into "Buy All The Things!" mode.  Not really.  But yeah.  I love this piece and can't wait for the other things I ordered to come.


Linking up with Modern Mrs. Darcy.

Kim   

What's Up, Wednesday?

September!  What's up?  The temperature.

You know how some people get so frustrated at the end of winter and complain about being ready for spring?  They are so DONE with winter.  Yeah, that's the way I am about summer every year, but this one in particular has been nasty this week.  We're back to school in a building with no air conditioning or cross-ventilation, and the temperature and humidity were both hovering around the 90's ALL WEEK.  Buh-bye, summer.  You need to GO!  I am so DONE with you.  Ready for fall now, thanks.  The one saving grace for the week was the fact that I planned either a crockpot meal or freezer meal for the entire week. My husband normally cooks dinner because he gets off work earlier than me and picks up the kids.  Lately though, he's had all kinds of opportunities for overtime.  The extra money has been wonderful, but it also means he drops the kids off at my work and I have to get home and make dinner.  I can't tell you the relief I felt when I came home and had very little to do for dinner.

    Pulled pork tonight!

In other non-weather related news, we went to the annual hot air balloon festival in my Dan's hometown this weekend. The temps were perfect on Saturday, and the balloons were flying.

I don't know how he does it, but Dan always snags free t-shirts whenever they are shooting them out of a cannon.  He managed to get 3 this time.

    The boy, modeling one of the free t-shirts

What else?  You guys, this stuff.  Seriously.

Our local Friar Tuck had a free hard root beer tasting this Saturday.  This tastes like root beer but with a warm embrace at the end.  I highly recommend.

  

And one last thing - more flowers!  I've found a great vendor at one of our local Farmer's Markets.  This week they had teddy bear sunflowers.  I have no willpower when it comes to resisting teddy bear sunflowers.  And I'm not ashamed to admit it.  

Kim

School Year Resolutions

I made a vow to myself that I would not let going back to work be the death of fun, even if that meant working a little harder during the week.  I call this one of my "School Year Resolutions".  I remember reading a piece by Robert Fulghum (awww, remember him?) when I was in college about how the school year is really like a second new year for many people.  That idea really resonated with me as I'd always felt the same.  So I try to make "School Year Resolutions" each year.  

Working full time sometimes means weekends are fun-filled with laundry, housecleaning, bill paying, and other indoor sports (Did anyone else love the Judy Blume book Starring Sally J. Freedman As Herself?  Because I think that's where I got the phrase "And other indoor sports").  I promised myself this year that the weekend could be about other things too.

Well, I really lived up to my promise this weekend. In fact, I may have overlived up, if that's a thing.  Friday night Dan announced that he wanted to take the kids to the State Fair.  They had never been and neither had I.  He doesn't often make announcemnents like this, as he is much more "Go with the flow of whatever plans I have in store", so I try to be obliging when he does.  After grocery shopping and dinner, we didn't get on the road for the hour drive until about 6:30.  But we stayed until almost midnight and had a great time.

The next morning we slept in a bit.  I wanted to hit the Famer's Market.  I like everything about the Farmer's Market except that they open so early in the morning.  We didn't get there until 10:30, but that left us and hour and a half to shop, which was plenty of time.

We came home and everybody pitched in with the house cleaning.  Not fun, but necessary.  I got the laundry started and mostly finished.  The girl is helping out a lot with the laundry these days and it is wonderful!  I can only imagine this was how my mother felt when I started doing the dishes every evening.  It was good we got those things done because the next day....

Our kids had a kick-off event for the new STREAM (science, technology, religion, engineering, arts, and math) program at their school.  They were supposed to design a body for the chassis of a muscle cart.  Of course, parent volunteers were needed...

I told my husband this was right up his alley.  He is the race nut of the family.  Of course, it was very humid and rainy when we began building the cars, but by the time they were ready to race, it had cleared off and was beautiful...

...which was a good thing because later that afternoon we went to see my brother play at a nearby winery.  The weather was like fall that afternoon instead of a miserable August day.

We got home at about 9:00 which was plenty of time to get the kids situated and in bed on time.  But I did end up staying up later than I wanted to because of packing lunches and doing a few stray dishes. Unfortunately, one of my other resolutions for the new school year was to get to bed earlier.  Why do my resolutions always have to conflict with each other?  

Overall, I'm glad we had a full weekend because it's been nice to think back on it during this work week.  But maybe next weekend doesn't have to be quite as full as this one was.


Kim