A weather report

The weekend weather was amazing!  We have had three weekends in a row of gorgeous, sunny, warm weather.  It actually got up to 78 degrees on Saturday; a new record.  Mark played golf Saturday while the puppies and I worked in the yard.  Sunday all four of us worked in the yard.  It was nice, but I discovered that new dandelions actually grow right in front of you while you're pulling out old ones.  They are amazing.  We have some beautiful flowering trees in the back yard.  I need to find out what they are.  One of them has really pretty white flowers.

Thanks to the weather, house work has gone to the dogs (really -- I cannot believe how much dog hair is floating around at the moment).  Today was supposed to be yoga class and house cleaning day.  However, it turned into yoga class and office work day, instead.  I don't have anything on my calendar for tomorrow, so I think I'll just get up early, put on my Dolly Domestic clothes and go for it.

I've been having a good time lately, but I can't remember doing what.  Most of my days consist of running errands and cooking dinner.  We take the dogs for a run a few evenings a week.  We eat dinner and watch TV.  I go to yoga class on Tuesdays, with lunch afterwards with the other folks in the class.  I go to my Weight Watchers meeting on Thursdays and have a good time talking with the other members.  It's feeling rather 'Spring-y' and I'm enjoying it, as is everyone else in the area.  I'm looking forward to about a month from now when things have slowed down a bit and Mark and I can start exploring our new surroundings -- a trip to Nisqually Wildlife Refuge, over to the beach for some waves and sand, Mima Mounds to see the wildflowers, that sort of stuff.

And that's it for now.

I shot a 72!

Saturday was awesome.  Mark and I played golf together for the first time in two years (thanks to his broken ankle and my broken arm last year).  The weather was a bit colder than forecast, but still warm.  It did not rain.  It was good.  We were paired with two really nice guys -- a youth pastor at a Baptist church and a custom cabinet maker.  The pastor was on par with my playing, thank goodness.  It was just a good day.  I did not have to play "Best Ball" and was able to feel out what my game is all about.  I really enjoyed it.  After the game, Mark and I had dinner in the Club House.  I had the House specialty -- a Firecreek French dip that was really, really good.  Mark had a BBQ'd Bleu Cheese burger.  The Bleu cheese was really good, too.

We spent Sunday working in the yard.  After taking the puppies for a field run, we bought a new landscaping tool at Lowe's that we had seen on an HGTV show on Saturday that digs up dandelions (we had a bazillion dandelions in our back yard; too bad we don't know how to make dandelion wine!).  So, while Mark dealt with the dandelions in the yard/flower beds, I dealt with the dandelions in the terraced area.  The backyard looks pretty good now, though there are still a few dandelions to be removed.  It also looked like it was snowing in the backyard today because the wind was brisk and, therefore, blowing the tree blossoms around.  It was pretty, though I do hate to see the trees lose their flowers.  I love the colors of Spring.

So, for now, and for tonight, that's all there is.  Life is good.  Yea.

Another week of days

Once again, I am trying to recall what I did during the last seven days.  And, as usual, it's a struggle to remember.

Mark played golf on Saturday with his friend, Desmond, at Lake Wilderness.  While he was gone I put the dogs on the front porch so they could hang out with me as I dug around in the flower bed.  I dead-headed three hydrangea bushes, pulled dead leaves out of the little Japanese somethingorother tree, weeded, and generally got the little area cleaned up for spring and looking really good.  Now it's time to attack the back yard.  That, however, is a daunting project.  The back yard flower beds are beds of nothing but blooming dandelions.  Quite yellow.  Some of the dandelions are huge.

Sunday we went to mass at the Abbey.  The Bishop was there, as were a lot more people than usually attend.  We grilled lamb loin chops and asparagus, and then roasted Yukon Gold potatoes with shallots.  Served with good wine, it was a nice dinner.  We also talked with our mothers.  Mark watched the Master's on TV.  I watched some of it, too.  Bubba Watson won in a very interesting playoff.

Monday was my usual day of running errands.  Since I didn't make Mark a lunch on Sunday night, we went out for lunch, which was fun.  After work, we took the puppies for a good run at the field, and then Mark and I went to a homeowners association board meeting.  That was interesting, finding out all the dirt on the neighbors and what's going on in the neighborhood.  We both came to the same conclusion -- all HOA boards seem to deal with the same issues.

I didn't make it to yoga on Tuesday because I took Ty to get his ears looked at.  Apparently, he has allergies.  He's on benedryl now.  I think it makes him a bit sleepy.  Fortunately, he won't have to stay on it for too long.  In the afternoon I took E.T. to get his oil changed and found out the emergency brake was hung up.  It wasn't a big operation to take the springs off and clean them up (yea!) and now the emergency brake works much better.  Mike, our mechanic, said we would probably notice better gas mileage now.  Ya' think!?

Today was physical therapy day, and I feel good.  This afternoon is a little bit of house cleaning and paper filing, and that should about do it.  We're having left over shrimp creole for dinner (yum!).

Here's a picture of  "What a Handsome Dog":

 This is "Happy Girl with her Ball":













 
That's it for now.

Busy, busy, fun, fun

Well, the weekend of company was quite fun.  Lots of good food and laughter.  The chilies rellenos and the puttanesca turned out really well.  The Cincinnati chili was good, too.  On Sunday night, we had Indian take out.  Very yummy.  The only thing 'bad' about the big Indian dinner, though, is that Mark and I are eating lots of leftovers.

Monday and Tuesday were clean up days.  I still have more to do, but so far I have gotten the floors vacuumed and the laundry done.  I really need to work on finishing the unpacking and putting away thing that just never seems to get done.  All the pictures are still leaning against the walls of the living and dining rooms.  Oh well.

Also on Tuesday, I went to the yoga class for cancer survivors again.  Just like before, it was really good.  This time I went to lunch with the other folks -- more good food and laughter.  It's a really nice group, and I look forward to becoming better acquainted and spending more time with them.

I got my hair cut today; it really needed it.  My hair cutter is a young woman with fun red and black hair and lots of piercings.  Well, her hair was red and black today.  It was purple and black last month.  She reminds me of when my hair was black with red, or silver, or green, or blue, or whatever color, way back in the 80s.  Fun times.  She has an 11 year old husky, a three year old dachsund, and a two year old chihuahua.  Good dog person.

I had another appointment with my lymphedema therapist today, too.  She is really awesome.  I feel so much better after my appointments.  Plus, she is just fun to talk with.

And that's about it for now.  A new day tomorrow.

It's been a while...

OK, so what have I been up to for the last nine days...hmmm, let me think.  Well, I thought about it, and the answer is "Nothing of any import."

I've been to two physical therapy sessions; that's always a good thing.  I've been to two Weight Watchers meetings; another good thing.  I did our 2011 taxes (yea!), though I haven't submitted them yet.  Mark and I spent the weekend running errands and doing chores around the house.  We've taken the dogs for a few trips of running around in the field by Mark's office.  I had a meeting with my Weight Watchers territory manager, and we also went to look at a potential new meeting site in Tumwater.

I've done lots of meal planning and grocery shopping.  We have one friend staying here from last night through Saturday morning.  We have two more friends showing up tomorrow night and staying through Monday morning.  Then, on Saturday night, we've invited two more friends to join us for dinner, as well as the sister and brother-in-law of one of our friends staying with us.  Whew!  Last night we had shrimp creole.  Tonight we're having chilies rellenos with black bean & corn salad.  Tomorrow night is puttanesca with halibut and a green salad.  Saturday's party dinner will be Cincinnati chile and corn bread.  After that, everyone's on their own for eating.  Oh, we also have fresh farm eggs from a friend for our breakfasts and two nice quiches.

I did not make it to my yoga class on Tuesday.  For the first time in many months I woke up in a 'funk'.  Since I didn't want to spread my mood around, I decided to just stay home, curl up on the couch with a cup of tea, and read a book.  I sat down with my book at 9:00 a.m. and did not finish reading until 6:00 p.m.  I have not done such a reading fest in years and years and years.  It felt really good.  I was able to concentrate, and retain information, and thoroughly enjoy myself.  It was wonderful.  I hope I can do this again, though without the 'funk' leading the way.

Today is a special friend's 75th birthday.  Happy Special Birthday, Special Jon!

Well, it's time to start prepping items for dinner.

So, that's it for tonight.

Yoga day

I went to my first yoga class in Olympia today.  I chose to attend a class for folks living with cancer.  There were about eight of us there.  Most are currently in treatment.  One woman is two years 'out' from diagnosis.  Another is ten years out.  I am twelve years out now.  Two of the women are Stage 4 breast cancer, and one woman has rather severe melanoma.  All were in good spirits, even though two were given not so good news very recently.  Everyone goes out to lunch after class.  I wasn't prepared to go with the group today, but I will go with them next Tuesday.  I really enjoyed the class.  I needed it.  I also need to get my home practice back on my daily schedule.  I feel a little more motivated to do that after today.

For the first day of Spring, it was a really cold, gray and rainy day.  Oh well.  It's still not bothering me, though I, along with everyone else I've talked with, am ready for warm weather, hopefully with some sun thrown in.

I took the puppies to get their nails trimmed yesterday, and the three of us did really well together.  I don't normally try to take the two of them somewhere together by myself, but now I feel like we can do some stuff together in the future as long as it's not too 'involved'.

I got really tired after I got home from yoga today and ended up actually falling asleep on the couch.  Every so often I get these 'attacks' of the sleepies and just have to stop.  This was one of those days.  And I've been pretty tired for the rest of the day and evening.  So, I think I'll call it a night and go upstairs, curl up in bed, and read for a while.

And that's it for tonight.

Fun addendum

I forgot -- our good friends, Des & Judy, brought us a wonderful housewarming gift when they were here last weekend.  It is a wild bird call clock.  Now, this clock is waaaayyyy unique!  The box it came in is perfectly correct.  However, the clock itself is quirky.  The 3 o'clock bird is a (get this) Red-Necked Pheasant!!!!  Yes, it really is.  And the 2 o'clock bird is a Morning Dove (so it can't tell you that it's 2 p.m.).  And the 5 o'clock bird is an American Bob White (I wonder how Bob is doing?).  Also, the 12:00 bird is an American Wild Turkey, only he gobbles at 11:00.  We absolutely LOVE this clock (it's in our kitchen/family room).  It is just as unique as the friends who gave it to us, and we love them, too.