What's Happening'?

Thinking: about how pressured I am by the library! If you want to borrow certain books, you have to get on the waiting list. I'd say my longest wait will be for Hillbilly Elegy. When I put a hold on it, I was #540 on 37 copies. I figure that will take about a year for me to get. There are others that are available right away. You can put holds on up to 15 books. If there are specific books you want to read, this is how you have to do it---put it on hold and wait your turn. Well, that's all find and dandy until 5 books come in all at once! EEEEK! This just won't do for my obsessive tendencies. I went ahead and returned one of the books that was 861 pages. I put it on my "wishlist" to remind myself to get it later. I only have 3 weeks to read these books. I just finished Under a Painted Sky which was highly rated. I didn't think it was great---just good. Now I'm feeling a little more under control. I average about a book a week. This last one I read in 3 days because I was so panicked. I don't really have time for that much reading. I don't understand the people (some blogs I follow) who can read 4-5 books a week. I'd love to see their house!

Thankful for: Butch---he's taken an interest in cooking!! I owe it all to Hello Fresh! I had a long day on Tuesday---bridge and then straight to a 3 1/2 hour hair appointment. I didn't get home until 7:30. He had dinner ready!! That was totally unexpected. Plus, he works with me while cooking now. It's really fun. He has always helped with the clean-up. The only problem---if you can call it a problem---while working with me in the kitchen, he uses up his 6 words for the day. We don't have much to talk about after that!

Cooking: I decided to make corned beef and cabbage for St. Patrick's day. I was a little nervous about that since my son-in-law, Justin is an Irishman AND a cook!! Turns out, he had  to work, so the pressure was off! Although I haven't made it in years, it's a pretty easy meal.

Wearing: Right now, I'm still in my robe. But, I've really enjoyed my new clothes from Stitch Fix.

Hoping: I can make it through the weekend with the wood we have left. I guess my daily fires are coming to an end!

Taking: time to help Steph figure out "stuff" for the new house. I've ordered some things for her that will be delivered here. What the heck, my house is a wreck anyway. I have a "vision" for her. I always say I have a vision. The hard part about that is getting other people to "see" it! For her bedroom---she has dark hardwood floors and grey walls with white woodwork (I love white woodwork). I ordered a big white fluffy rug (after all, it's the bedroom), and an old-fashioned white chenille bedspread with shams. We're going to use her current robin's egg blue pillows with it. For the windows, I'm seeing white, gauzy type. Or we might get the same white ones trimmed in robin's egg blue that we got at Pottery Barn the last time. My idea is to use many of her old things, but just freshen the look by adding some new things. As I told her, just putting them in the new house will give her a new look. I didn't tell her that sometimes that doesn't quite work out. Sometimes, your old stuff doesn't look so good in a new place!

Planning: My trip to the beach with my cousins next Saturday. I'm really looking forward to spending so much time with them. We certainly can talk away the time!

Working: Another week where I can report absolutely no progress in my attempt to get the closets cleaned out. I guess I've been too busy reading!

Reading: Just starting Magic Hour by Kristen Hannah---one of my favorite authors.

Loving: Playing bridge with Connie. I convinced her to give duplicate bridge a try. She's still feels a bit intimidated, but I think it's getting a lot better. Especially since we came in first last month and third this month (we won't mention coming in last the very first time we played!). We're getting to know each other's style of bidding. I'm actually enjoying playing with Connie MORE than my regular bridge partner of 25+ years. She's old and getting more and more crotchety!

Needing: more money! Who doesn't! The remodeling is going over budget. Good thing last year was a good year for investments! Butch has been a real trooper this time around. We haven't had a single disagreement.

Watching: Bates Motel (last season---soooo good); Big Little Lies (mini series based on the book); Sun Records, The Fall, and too many more to mention.

Creating: Planning on working in my scrapbook room today and tomorrow.

Bumming: that every time I turn around, there are more and more extra expenses: auto repair, pool pump replacement, security system repair and possible upgrade. Hence another need for more money!

Hearing: Local news and the crackling fire---love that.

Appreciating: My daughters who value my opinion! Maybe they don't always agree, but they keep asking!

Dreading: swimsuit season---which officially begins next week with my beach trip! 

Regretting: That I most likely will not be getting the marble countertop that I have my heart set on. I met Christy at the marble place where they have the "leftovers, scraps, remnants" whatever you call them. This is for the powder room, so I only need a small piece. I found the perfect thing. Then, "the guy" said it was already "on hold" for someone else. He said everything with a blue dot was on hold. I continued to look. After 30 minutes and looking at about a hundred (or more) and having the men with the machinery pull out two things for me to look at, I finally found another that I really loved. No blue dot, but "the guy" said it was also on hold. I was really starting to not like that guy. He asked me if I realized I had picked out the EXACT SAME PIECE of marble as the first one! The only difference was that the first one was shiny and this one wasn't. What are the odds of that? I looked at so many and chose two that turned out to be exactly the same. Just goes to show, I know EXACTLY what I want. Anyway, "the guy" said he'd check to see if whoever has the hold on those two would give them up. They wouldn't. I have picked out---actually, Christy picked it out--another piece that will work. I'll be okay with it, but will feel like I had to "settle." I don't like that. Christy is not giving up. She is trying to find what I really love. We can probably get it if I was willing to buy a whole sheet (if that's what you call it), but I'm not. It's just way too expensive. I have to remind myself of my personal mantra---"if I was meant to have it, I will." Keeping my fingers crossed.

Weekending: Butch has gone to the beach to check out our condos and do some minor maintenance to get them ready for the season. I'll just be hanging out and doing a LOT of reading. On the other hand, I really need to get this Halloween needlepoint finished. I'm not really enjoying it, so I need to just plow through it. I learned that I don't enjoy stitching holiday things outside of their particular holiday. I'm very disciplined and methodical. I start a project and finish it before moving on to the next thing. Oh well, I'll have a chance to catch up on all these shows I have going.