What's Happenin'

Outside my window: Spring has sprung just like that! We left for Colorado on Friday and when we got home on Tuesday, the trees were in bloom!

I am thinking: I really need to get myself motivated and back on the treadmill. I'm just really enjoying my morning routine---tea and computer in front of the fireplace. Nice and quiet. And relaxing. I can't think of a better way to catch up on my favorite blogs. Maybe next week... or after our trip to Spain...or after the "farm crop" or after Easter...yeah, then.

I am thankful for: My iPhone camera. I can snap a photo anytime I want. Like this one:

I found this pashmina in Mindy's room. I didn't know which of the girls might have left it behind, so I snapped a picture and sent it to them. Of course, it turned out to be Mindy's. I should have guessed---she leaves everything behind. It's pretty cute. I should have just kept it!

From the kitchen: I haven't made anything new recently. We've been having lots of salads. However, Mindy sent this picture of a healthy brownie recipe that she made recently:

No flour, sugar or oil. I like that she used the cake cutter that I bought all the girls from the Magnolia Bakery when we were in New York a couple years ago. Sandy and Stephanie have not mentioned making any new recipes lately. 

I am wearing: Still in my jammies.

I am NOT surprised: That most of the mail we got while away was pretty much all junk.

 A lot of catalogs and advertisements. This is 4 days worth.

What was left was bills. Nothing fun at all. I don't know why I'm always excited about the mail. There's never anything good in it!

I am reading: Circling the Sun for book club. I'm enjoying it so far. Our required book---The Magician's Lie---is FABULOUS! Totally worth the read. 

I'm watching: Since we were out-of-town, I'm catching up on my favorite shows. How to Get Away with Murder is at the top of the list. And what about that Bachelor? I think he's gotten himself up the proverbial creek. Telling two women that he loves them---if one of them were me, I would totally believe him and never suspect he would have told another. There is going to be a major blindside ahead. 

I am busy creating: I have a lot of things on my list to work on this weekend. I picked up these "cuties" this week. 

Light bulb Christmas ornaments. They were so quick to stitch and fun too! I think I made at least 8 of them, but 4 are all they gave me so far.

You may recall that right before my surgery in the fall, Connie and I had started a class on a cute little Halloween cat.

It's called a "pudgie" and was one of the most fun projects to work on. 

 There are five individual panels containing all different fibers and stitches. There is beading too, but you can't see that so well in a photo. It's about the size of a cantaloupe.

I have to say that this is one of my favorite things we've done.

I'm bummed: That the Christmas lights limousine tour guy has cheated us out of our money---$162.50. We invited some friends, but the limo broke down before it even got out of the neighborhood. The owner of the company is a liar and a cheat. After several calls from me, I "sicced" Butch on him. He had to trick the guy to get him to call back. The  guy lied to Butch too saying that he sent two checks to us. I guess we're just out the money. We thought about going to small claims court, but that will cost more than the $162.50. I just hate that this cheater is getting away with it.

I am hearing: Way too much about politics! I hate it and we have months more to go. Frankly, I'm scared. I don't like ANY of the candidates. I thought Marco Rubio was my guy until even he sunk so low. It's a quagmire for sure. Maybe someone will surprise us and jump into the ring. Otherwise, I think we'll have an egomaniacal liar as our next president (whichever side wins).

I appreciate: The front porch---even in the dead of winter. I was so hot getting ready for our trip to Colorado that I sat outside waiting for our friends to pick us up. Yes, it was O-dark-thirty when we left. 

I regret dread: OMGosh! I am so dreading getting our tax stuff together. Well, it's already together---I dread filling out the tax planner. Invariably something will be missing that I have to jump through hoops to track down.

How the weekend is shaping up: It's going to be a fun weekend starting with tonight. The "kids" are coming for Happy Hour. Mindy and Justin are finally going to open their wedding presents. It's been well over a month now, but between our travel schedule and their work schedules, there was just never a time to do it. Since they need to store a lot of their gifts here, it just makes sense to open them here. Justin hauled a load over yesterday. After gift opening, we're adding Justin to our "Scrabble" wall in the rec room. We gave him his tiles at Christmas, but told him he couldn't go on the wall until it was official. Afterwards, we're going to Sperry's for dinner. 

On Saturday, Mindy and I are meeting at Stephanies so I can go over our new needlepoint project with them. We're taking a class together. Actually, Connie and I are taking the class. Since the girls work, I'll be teaching them. This is what we're making:

It's a sampler. We've all chosen our own colors. Which reminds me---Sandy, if you'd like to do it, let me know and I'll get you set up. It might be a little trickier---long distance--but we can work it out.

After the stitching lesson, we'll be doing a craft project.

Here's just a hint. Mindy wants to make a housewarming gift for her new sister-in-law. All I can say is it's going to be cute!

Butch is leaving for the beach to take care of some business at the condos. I'll spend Sunday getting some scrapbook classes together that I am planning for our "farm crop" before Easter. We leave next weekend for Barcelona, Spain, so I'm running out of time. We get back a week from Saturday and then I go to the farm on Monday. I'll be ready!

Here's hoping you have a fun and productive weekend yourself!!!