#3033 lunchtime adventure

On Monday I had a lunch date with my friend Wendy from work. We were looking forward to having empanadas from Empanada Co. Unfortunately, we didn't check their hours ahead of time, and when we got there, we found out the restaurant is closed on Monday. 

In the same complex, there is (was) a kolach store, and we usually get a couple of kolaches while we are in the area. Unfortunately, the kolach store, Hruska's Kolaches, has moved, so that place was closed, too.

In the building behind the empanada store is a place called Wasatch Tap Room. It's part of the Squatter's Brewery group. I thought they might have a restaurant, so we walked over there and they were open, but unfortunately, it is just a bar, no food, so we left.

We looked at the map program to find restaurants near me. Sugarhouse, the neighborhood we were in, has a gazillion places to eat. A restaurant I've been to,  Fiddler's,  popped up as being nearby, so we decided to go there. It is classified as a bar, even though it has a big dining area and menu, so according to Utah laws, you have to show your ID even if you are clearly over 21 years old. Unfortunately, Wendy did not have her ID with her since I drove, so we left that place, too.

We decided to go to Pretty Bird because we knew where it was and we knew we could get in there easily. I had chicken strips and fries and it was really good. We were bummed not to have empanadas, but we have already made plans to go to Empanda Co on March 10, a Tuesday, so we can satisfy our taste buds. We might even find Hruska's new location and get a kolach as well!

#3009 pdin 28 they didn't have stuff like this when I lived there

My BFF LA and I got together for coffee this morning (I never thought I'd say/write those words!) at what may be the cutest coffee shop I have ever been in. Gate City Coffee is in Old Town Pocatello on Center Street. It's one of those places you just know will hit all the right notes as soon as you see the pretty window display. The place is enchanting.

LA and I sat at that table on the right. In the back section, there is a little wine bar. Dreamy!

The owner told us she had spent several hours last night putting up the Christmas decorations. 
They were expecting a lot of people to come in this afternoon and evening as Pocatello is holding it's annual Christmas parade which goes down Center Street.

I really liked all the old black and white photos of the early days of Pocatello.

If this little scene doesn't put you in the Christmas spirit, I don't know what will. And look at that exposed brick wall. LOVE!

Please look at the curved ceiling with the pretty raised frescos. There's LA on the left placing her order!

The shop is so cozy and inviting to look at, I couldn't stop gawking. I wanted to stay there all day! There is a little bit of Idaho merch for sale in the shop. The couple also owns the building next door and it is a full on gift shop that is equally enticing. These folks really have their style dialed in.

Yeah, but how was the coffee? Well, it really good. I had a cappuccino and a cinnamon roll.

The baked goods are homemade on the premises. The owner makes all of them herself. The roll was big; I only finished half of it and I'm looking forward to warming up the other half for breakfast here at home tomorrow. 

I had such a great morning hanging out with my friend, chatting, having breakfast at this gorgeous shop, then doing a little of of shopping here, too. Gate City Coffee will be a regular stop on every trip to Pocatello.  It's like the perfect chick lit coffee place. If they sold books, it would be a chick lit dream come true! I would love to find a cute shop like this here in Salt Lake. I don't know if one exists, but I'll be on the lookout. 

#2928 three things: Christmas week edition

 

1. A quick trip to La Mirada. Mamacita's birthday was the 17th, and I like to try to spend that day with her, but I was late this year. Since I took the week of Christmas off from work, I went to visit her this past weekend. MT and I left SLC around 1:00 pm on Friday the 20th, spent the night in Mesquite, NV, then drove into the LA area on Saturday, arriving at Mom and Lizzie's house around 2:30 pm. I don't care for that particular drive. The stretch of road from Las Vegas to Barstow is just not scenic. It's the edge of the Mojave Desert, and it's desolate. Plus there's a lot of traffic. Anyway, I was really glad to see my mama and my sister, even though Mama was not her perky self. MT did a few honey-do items around the house, Lizzie, MT and I went on a nice little nature walk, and we had a tasty dinner at Belmont Brewing Co in Long Beach. I wish we could have stayed longer, although I was glad to be there even for a short time.

2. A visit with a friend. We left La Mirada on Monday around noon and drove to Cedar City, UT. The map program says it's about a six hour drive, but it took around eight hours plus an extra hour when you go east. In the morning, on Christmas Eve, we went to see a former co-worker of mine, Nancy, and her husband Tom, that live in the area. Nancy invited us to their home and I was delighted to see her! They are both retired now and living their best life in a super cute and cozy house they built about eight years ago. They have horses and dogs and they both seem so happy. It's pretty unusual for me to seek out people, (hi, I'm an introvert), and I almost didn't do it, but I am glad I did. It was a nice visit.

3.Being at home. We got back to SLC around 2:30 in the afternoon on Christmas Eve. We had to stop at the grocery store so we'd have things to eat on Christmas. That night, we had fettuccine (a tradition I picked up from the movie The Holiday) and fudge. The fudge is a new addition to the Christmas Eve tradition. I read about an Icelandic or Finish tradition of getting a new book and having chocolate on Christmas Eve. I didn't get a new book, but I did read and eat fudge. 

Christmas Day was very mellow. It was just the three of us, and the dogs, of course. We opened gifts in the morning, then I started cooking. We had a pretty simple meal: ham, cheesy potatoes, and salad along with rolls. It was just what we wanted. For dessert, we had brownie sundaes which MT has declared is our dessert of choice and what we shall have from now on for our holiday dessert.  We watched sports, then Hallmark Christmas movies on Netflix, and everything was quite wonderful.

Enjoy the rest of the week!

 

#2892 a trip and a trip

On Friday I worked through my lunch hour and left the office an hour early. Instead of going home, I headed north to Pocatello to surprise my BFF LA at her book signing event. It is definitely spring in the Rockies; I had ALL the weather types you can imagine. It was lightly raining when I left SLC. The rain picked up a bit as I got to the Ogden area, then turned into chunky rain at Brigham City, and snow toward Tremonton, along with a pretty dense fog. As I-15 curled north into Idaho, the weather turned back into chunky rain at Plymouth, where I stopped for a restroom break, and I thought for sure it would be awful going over Malad pass. Thankfully as I passed the state line, the weather cleared up and although the road was wet, the precipitation was done as I went over the mountain pass. The sun was shining, and the clouds parted just enough to show some hints of blue. As I got closer to Inkom, it got windy and the weather kicked in again with light snow, but it dissipated when I got to Pocatello. What a drive!

MT left for Pocatello earlier in the day. We took separate cars because on Saturday, he and his mom headed east for Columbia, Missouri to see the total eclipse, to check out the property we have there, and to hook on a trailer of his brother's. MT and I met up and went to the bookstore where LA had her signing. She was excited to see us, and for a bonus, her sister Jen was there, too. I hadn't seen Jen in years, like 13 years! The three of us, Jen, LA, and I, used to hang out together all the time. It was fun to chat with her while LA pedaled her book and signed copies of it.

Afterward. LA and her husband Rob met MT and I at Mama Inez, a local Mexican restaurant, for a late dinner. It was just like old times, sitting there eating cheese crisps and telling stories. At the end, we got to giggling so hard that LA was wiping her eyes and my face hurt from smiling so hard. It felt good to reconnect while still feeling like we had just seen each other a few days ago. It's such an easy friendship, and the longest friendship I have ever had. We've known them for 36 years! 

I drove home on Saturday morning after buying some PowerBall tickets (no lottery in Utah.) The PowerBall jackpot is like $1.3 billion. I can't tell you the last time I bought a PowerBall ticket, but my friendly co-worker, Marta, gave me some cash and asked me to buy some for her, so I got some for myself as well. I didn't win anything. I don't think Marta did either. Oh well.

When I got home, T and I went to get some pizza. After we ordered, we walked to the nearby Barnes and Noble. I took a spill when I missed a step up while looking at a window display, and sprawled out on the concrete after landing on my left knee. I was embarrassed and also in a bit of pain. I took some Tylenol when I got home and cursed my clumsiness and stupidity. Today I've been resting, sleeping a lot. It's how my body deals with repairing itself. I almost didn't tell this story because I know my mama is probably freaking out right about now, but it happened, so there it is. I'm sore and tender, but I'll likely be okay. My knee is a bit swollen where it hit the ground, and it might bruise, but I think it's all right overall. It's metal, so I got that going for me.

MT has had an eventful drive east. I-80 was closed through Nebraska due to high winds and heavy snow, so they re-routed through Denver and into Kansas. In Kansas, there was a haz-mat spill on the freeway, so they were re-routed again onto a highway where they got a little lost and couldn't find a way to get back to the freeway. I really hope they have clear skies for the eclipse tomorrow!

Gallery time!

I only have one bit of art to share tonight. I made this little card for LA:

Here are a couple of photos I took. I had my first volunteer gig of the season on Thursday when I went up to record blooms in the Children's Garden. There aren't a lot of blooms just yet, but this hellebore caught my eye because it is just so pretty!

Here is a pic of T at the pizza shop.

He looks thrilled, doesn't he? LOL

Until next time...take care, and watch out for stupid steps that will trip you and make you feel like an idiot.

  

#2880 the wrap-up

I am always stunned and a little dismayed about how quickly the weekends pass. I barely remember what I did yesterday (Saturday) because it zipped by so quickly. 

The past week was interesting. I didn't work on Monday since we were driving back from Dixon. We spent Sunday night in Elko, NV. In the morning it was lightly snowing, and as we continued east, the snow turned to a drizzle of rain, then fog and low clouds, and finally partly cloudy skies when we got home. 

Here are some photos of the landscape and weather:

In the office on Tuesday, the Company announced a big reorganization. My job basically stays the same, but there are a lot of changes that will happen in the business as a whole in the next month. It will make for an interesting year. 

Friday night is movie night at my house, and I always get to pick the movie. MT had gone to Pocatello for the day, so when I got home from work, I played with the dogs, ate some dinner, and chose the movie. We have pretty much every streaming platform there is, I think, so picking a movie can be tricky. Usually, I pick a platform, then chose a movie on that platform. This week I picked Peacock, and the film Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris. (Note: If a movie involves Paris or France in general, or Rome or Italy in general, I'll probably watch it.)  I really liked this movie. It's about a widowed house cleaner in London who decides to go to Paris to buy a haute couture dress from Christan Dior. The story takes place in the 1950s, and really, it is just charming and sweet. It doesn't hurt that the gorgeous Lucas Bravo - you may know him as Gabriel in Emily in Paris - is in it, but the story and everything about the movie is great. It was a perfect Friday night movie for me.

Today my favorite thing is that I went to visit my friend Wendy from work. She has Guillain Barre syndrome, and has spent the past two months in the hospital and in acute physical therapy rehab centers. GBS attacks the nerves, and was brought on by a virus (not Covid). Her body's immune system went to work fighting the virus, then overstepped and attacked her nerves. She was unable to feel her hands or feet for most of the time she was hospitalized. Happily, the feeling and use of her hands has come back, and she is able to walk again using a walker. She can't stand up for a long period of time, but at least she is up and more mobile. I was glad to see her and really glad to see her doing so well. She's being discharged from the rehab place tomorrow, and I'm hopeful that with continued physical therapy, she will regain her physical abilities and be able to come back to work. I really miss her.

I made her this little card:

Those little spatters seem to be all the rage in the watercolor videos I watch all the time. My spatters are a bit big, and my leafs are kinda wonky, but it's cute.

MT has spent the weekend washing all the quilts we brought home from Dixon. I was thinking about something my mom said about a quilt my dad had that his mother had made for him. Mom said that Dad never wanted to put the quilt on his bed because he didn't want it to get dirty or ruined. I confess that I feel the same way. I know my dogs will get fur and dirt all over it, and I want the quilts to be pretty. I also feel that the quilts are meant to be used and loved. What good are they in a neat stack, tucked away in a closet or a linen box? The quilts are wonderful and so beautiful and filled with great memories for me. I don't remember every quilt individually, of course, but I certainly remember Grandma quilting. I clearly remember her sewing quilt blocks and putting together the tops in the winter, then doing the actual quilting on the rack in the summer. She was an amazing sewer. She made all the quilts by hand, and the stitches are so tiny. I don't remember her having any patterns, she just picked how she was going to do it and started sewing. 

I have a dozen new quilts, plus probably another half dozen or so that I've had for a long time. I'm going to use the quilts. I will rotate them. There aren't many that will fit my king size bed, but I think there are a couple. The smaller ones will be in the spare room, and a few of the much smaller ones will be in the living room to snuggle with on movie night, or for couch naps. I can fold them and drape them over the couch so the dogs can't lay on them all the time. I've got plenty of other blankets the dogs can lay on. 

Here is a little collage of some of the quilts:

I didn't take all of these quilts; I'll have to take photos of the ones I brought home. I do have the one in the upper left corner, that magnificent blue and white creation. So pretty!

What am I looking forward to in the week ahead? T will be seeing all the doctors this week: GP, dentist, and eye. He's turning 26 in March and will no longer be on my insurance plan, so we are making sure he gets treated before the end of March. He is signed up under the Affordable Care Act and has health insurance coverage that actually goes into effect on Feb. 1, but no dental or vision. 

My book club is back in action. We are reading "The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store," by James McBride. It's been good so far. We will discuss the last third of the book on Thursday. Also on Thursday, one of my favorite things is happening: a new month is starting so I get to flip all the calendars. It's the simple things. I will be creating my wee calendar page tomorrow, I think, so I will likely be ready to show it to you on Wednesday when I write here again.

On Friday, MT and I are going out with some of my work friends to a comedy club downtown. I think that will be fun. 

My weather app says that the high temperature this week will be in the mid 50s. What kind of madness is that? We've had a fairly dry January. There has been some snow and rain, but my yard is just a muddy mess right now. It felt more like mid-March than late January today. 

Have a wonderful week! Do something that makes you forget about time! Lose yourself in something awesome.

#2857 a whole bunch of stuff in seven days

The last time I wrote, I'd gone to see the Foo Fighters and had a little summer cold. Lots of things have happened since then.

Last weekend, on the 11th, I went to visit Mom and Lizzie in La Mirada. T and his girlfriend J came with me. On Saturday night, T and J went to see Drake in concert in LA. It was our birthday gift to T, some delayed gratification, but he was very happy. I'm pretty sure he was grateful that I got a ticket for J and that she was able to go with him. I was happy about it, too. I mean, I would have gone to the show with him if J hadn't come along, but I'm sure T was much happier seeing the show with J than with his mom. (heehee)

I got exactly what I wanted out of the weekend: time with Mom and Lizzie, time to relax, recover from some of the stress, and enjoy a bit of down time. Lizzie took me out on a nature walk in Coyote Hills and for a nice walk in a pretty park. We had coffee. We went to Seal Beach for a meal and a walk in the town and out on the pier. I was so glad to see the ocean and hear the waves. Everything was wonderful. 

We got back home on Monday evening. The flight was good, and I was glad to be home.

On Tuesday, MT and I celebrated our 30th wedding anniversary. 30 YEARS!!! To celebrate, we had dinner at Mazza, a groovy little restaurant in the 15th and 15th neighborhood. We both enjoyed the meal immensely. It was also fun to try a new place. For dessert, we went around the corner to Sweetaly Gelato. I had salted caramel and coffee gelato. Oof. So good.

On Wednesday, I was in bed by 8:30 pm, and I slept good and hard until my alarm went off at 5:00 am on Thursday morning. 

On Friday, I went to see a dermatologist for the first time ever. I had a spot on my chest that I've had for over 10 years. It wasn't growing or hurting, but it was beginning to weigh on my mind. Mom has had some spots removed, so her action made me want to take some action, too. The dermatologist took one look at my spot and told me it was probably basal cell skin cancer. I thought maybe he'd just take a sample, but no. He removed the spot. The worst part of it was the lidocaine injections, and then the irritation caused by the Band-Aid adhesive on my tender, sensitive skin. I'm not wearing a Band-Aid now because my skin is red and itchy where the adhesive was. You can see the outline of the Band-Aid. I bought some gauze and some medical tape. When I go to bed, I'll use that to protect the wound. 

Yesterday was Saturday, and it was a really cool, fun day. The book club I am in, #EkpesBookClub, had an in-person meeting here in Salt Lake! Ekpe no longer lives here; he lives in Atlanta where he is now an assistant coach for the Atlanta Hawks. He's going to be a great coach, I think. Anyway, he came back to town, and invited us to brunch at a nice Greek restaurant called Manoli's. It was wonderful to see him, and to see my book club friends, plus meet some of the clubbers for the first time. I thought it was so cool that clubbers came from Florida, Texas, and California! As a awesome bonus, the author of the book we read, Erin A. Craig, joined us for brunch. It was fun to sit around and listen to her stories and talk to her a little bit. 

After brunch, we went to The King's English Bookshop for an Author's Talk in which Ekpe asked Erin questions, and she responded. The bookshop is a Salt Lake institution, and independent bookstore on 15th and 15th, just a couple doors up from Mazza. It's freaking charming! They have a groovy little patio where the author conversations happen. Erin then signed books and posed for ussies and our book club took a group photo, which I don't have yet, but I hope that Ekpe will post it soon. We chatted and hung out and basically were delighted with all of it. I also bought a book and a couple of stickers while I was there. Here are some pics:

at brunch

Ekpe and Erin at The King's English

that's Erin Craig and me!

that's me and Ekpe Udoh!

Here are some of my book club friends! 

In the photo above, five of the women came from other states to have book club fun. The woman with black hair right in the front is Staci - she lives here in SLC. Behind her on the right is me, of course, then Kaitlyn, Colleen (mother and daughter from California), Sarah from Florida, Whitney from I don't know where, (I thought she lived here!), and Jan from Texas. That man in the background is Erin's husband. 

Oh yeah, and after all of that fun, I had to have some quiet time to myself, so I went to Sweetaly and got some gelato. This time I got coconut and pineapple. It was good, but the salted caramel and coffee was better. 

Today I spent most of the day at Red Butte Garden. I did the docent thing from 9:30 to 1:00, then I recorded blooms until around 3:00. I usually record blooms on Thursday, but it was raining that day, so I had to postpone. 

It's been a busy week!

This week, MT and I will be going back to Dixon. We'll leave on Thursday afternoon and come home on Sunday. I'm going to finalize setting up the trust with the bank, and MT is going to install a couple of new toilets at the house. Other than that, I will take Mac to the vet on Wednesday, and I will work my face off for The Company. 

I was glad to have this weekend of fun for myself. 

Have a great week. Stay safe!

#2843 weekly wrap-up

 

I missed writing here on Wednesday again. We had our appointment with the tax guy, and it went kind of long. I was at home, and I could have written, I guess, but I wasn't in the mood, apparently. Maybe I only write here once a week? We'll see.

The month of March seemed to drag on and on to me, but I saw on Mom's blog that she thought the month flew by. It's interesting how different people perceive things. I think this month, April, will fly by because the trip to Spain is coming up in May and I still have several things I want to do to prepare. Even though I've been doing trip stuff for a couple months, departure day will undoubtedly sneak up on me. Time to make lists!

I had a couple of big things going on this week. The first was on Wednesday, when we met with the tax guy. Marty goes to the office, and I stay home to find missing info or for clarification. I did have to find one 1099 form, so it was pretty easy. We have to pay taxes - not surprising with the rentals - but our tax bill is a lot less than last year, thankfully. 

On Thursday, I ended my volunteer career with the company credit union. I've been on the Board of Directors there for over 18 years, they tell me, and I volunteered on a committee for a few years before I got elected to the Board. During my time on the Board, I have served as secretary, vice-chair, chair, and secretary again. I have a lot of love for the CU, and because of that love, I felt it was time for me to step down and let some new blood flow through the Board. I am ready to release myself from that commitment, and I feel good about my service to the organization. 

Yesterday, MT and I took all three dogs to the dog park for the first time. It was fun. We took Stella's warped frisbee. It was windy, and the frisbee was all bent out of shape anyway, so it didn't fly very nicely. A big husky took the frisbee from Stella, and she was looking at me like, "Do something, human!" The husky's human gave it back to us and kept his girl on a leash. That made me feel bad, but dude! Spend $1.99 at Petsmart and get your girl a frisbee if she is motivated by toys! Speaking of spending $1.99, MT and I stopped at Petsmart later in the day to buy new frisbees for Stella, and we retired the warped one. 

Today, MT and I went to Clearfield to visit my BFF LA. She was in town to watch her baby grandson while her son and his wife were out of town for a little vacation. It's kinda weird to think that LA is a grandma. The baby, who is five months old, is a cutie, and a happy little boy. 

Back at home, I took a nap (as I do), then played with the dogs a little bit in the yard. It was pretty mild, in the mid 40s (mildness is relative!), then I came up here to my desk to do the bookkeeping, order the groceries, and draw. Yeah, order groceries. The past couple of weeks, I have ordered groceries online, then gone to pick them up on Monday after work. It's kinda cool, and it saves money because I'm not wandering down the aisles picking up random stuff that looks good. 

As for art, I listened to a podcast that Jill the Artist does with a guy called Danny Gregory. It's called Art for All Podcast, put on by Sketchbook Skool. This week's topic was about finding your style as an artist, or at least identifying what you like about the art you like. I'm only five months in to my art journey, and I like lots of different things. Currently, I am drawn (pun intended!) to splotches of color and loose, scribbly lines. But then I'm also drawn to very graphic, bold, simple type art, too.  Here are a couple of things, art pieces if you will, I did this week to show you what I mean.

This one is the cover for my April zine. I was trying out markers that I got for Christmas from Mom. I think she got them from the Japanese store. They are pretty fun because I can make a bold line and thin lines with the same pen. 

This piece was in response to the prompt from the art group. The prompt was to identify three elements that you like, then create a garden. I like splotches of color, loose, squiggly lines, and drawing with my eyes closed. I painted the colors, and when they dried, I closed my eyes to draw flowers. I did open my eyes to move the pen to the different colors, then closed again to draw. I opened my eyes to draw in the green splotches. 

I think both of these pieces are fun. I enjoyed doing them, and they both satisfy me. 

What's coming up this week? I've got my monthly Facetime call with Mom and Lizzie on Monday. On Tuesday, MT and I are going to another anthropology lecture. Wednesday I have book club and I'm not even close to being done with the book we are discussing. It's kind of weird and I'm not really into it. I don't have plans for Easter. It's not really a thing for me, plus T will be working the whole weekend. That might be a good time to switch out my winter clothes for my spring/summer clothes. Then again, do I really want to swap out my warm clothes? We are supposed to have another big storm come through tonight and last a couple of days. It is currently drizzling at my house.

Have I mentioned how tired I am of winter?

Here's hoping y'all have a little bit of sunshine this week. Do something nice for yourself!

#2765 weekend wrap-up

 It has been a busy and eventful weekend for me. I meant to write on Friday, then it got to be 11 pm and something had to give, so sleep won out over writing. Let's catch up...

On Friday, I went to the gym for the first time in awhile. My work friend told me she was going to a Zumba class at the Vasa near my house and encouraged me to come dancing there. I think the last time I went to a Zumba class might have been in March. I do love to Zumba, and I was planning to go to the gym anyway, so what the heck? I went and we danced our faces off. 

Note that I said I was planning to go to the gym. I set a goal for myself this month that I would go to the gym at least once a week. CHECK!

After dancing, I came home, heated up some leftovers, talked to my mom, picked T up from work, and then I was done with being awake. 

On Saturday, MT and I drove up to Pocatello to attend an open house baby shower for our best friend's son. Caz. He and his wife are having their first baby, and we had to go wish them well. I hadn't seen Caz in awhile, so it was nice to catch up with him for a few minutes. Of course it was wonderful to see my bestie, LA, and her husband. MT always says that they are our oldest friends, which is true. We have been solid friends for over 30 years. 

MT had some work thing he needed to do, so I hung out at Linda and Jake's house (my in-laws). The three of us sat out on their back deck, read, and snoozed. The temperature was in the 70s and it felt wonderful. It was a little smoky because of fires in the area, but it wasn't bad enough to send me inside. They live in a quiet neighborhood, their yard is nice, and my seat on the deck was shady and comfy.

Sitting there with an iced PSL and reading my book was exactly what I wanted to do that afternoon.

MT and I had an early dinner with LA and Rob at a cute little BBQ place. The restaurant had a groovy patio. We enjoy sitting outside to dine, so it was pretty wonderful. The food was good and the company was even better. 

We drove home in the early evening, and the harvest moon greeted us when we got home.

Kind of a cool photo, huh? I don't know how that line got involved, but I like it.

This morning, the day started slow, just how I like it. I made a cup of coffee, grabbed a book, and sat out on my deck for 10 minutes or so before the rush of the day started. So good.

After that, it was all go. I did the docent gig. It was beautiful up at the Garden this morning, of course. 

Wouldn't you like to sit on that bench and let the sunshine warm your face on a cool morning? That's the bench I sit on when I'm in my feelings. That isn't where I hang out when I am being a docent, though.

After the docent shift, I needed to record blooms. I was unable to get to the Garden after work last week, and I will often do blooms on Saturday morning, but I couldn't do that this week, so I had to do them today. The blooms are really winding down now. The anemones and asters are going strong, and there are still some roses and a few others, but not too many fresh new flowers. The leaves haven't quite started to turn yet, except in the highest branches of the tallest trees, like this guy:

I actually took this pic last week, on the 2nd. He's a little more orange and gold up top now. 

I got home around 3 and let myself chill out with football and phone games for about an hour before I started on some chores. I picked T up from work at 6:00, and we went to Lowes. I bought some mums to plant in a pot on the deck. I also bought a coleus plant. I've been wanting one for a long time, and today was the day. He will live inside the house.

After that, it was dinner time (orange chicken from Trader Joe's), a quick walk with the dogs, then helping MT with some paperwork. I just took a cool shower to relax, and now here I am, writing and thinking back on the weekend's good times. 

I really need to get to bed, but there are pages that I want to read. I've gotten myself into another book situation. I can't help myself! Here's the thing: I'm reading Wrong Place Wrong Time and it is really compelling and I need to find out what happens to Jen. That one is an physical book from the library. I am also reading Carrie Soto is Back. Will Carrie win a Slam, five years after she retired from the WTA? Will she become a better human? I gotta know! That book is also from the library, but it is on my Kindle. On Friday I got a notice from the library that a book I had on hold had arrived, and I've been wanting to read it for so long that I couldn't let it go back into circulation. That one is called Beach Read. While I was at the library, I couldn't help but look at what else was available, and on the Lucky Day rack, there sat the new book by Sarah Addison Allen. I LOVE HER BOOKS! I had to get it. The twist on that one is that I can only have it for seven days, no renewals. I just started it this morning, so I only have five days to finish it now. PLUS, I just got a new book from Ekpe for book club. I've got to read 150 pages of that by Saturday at 1:00. To recap, I am reading one book on my Kindle, plus three physical books, and one book impatiently waiting on my nightstand. I know. I'm a nut when it comes to books. #bookworm #problems

So I'm going downstairs to lay on the couch and read for 20 to 30 minutes, hopefully. Honestly, I'll probably fall asleep with ten minutes, but what can I say? 

What's coming up this week? Not too much, really. I'll go to the gym at least one time (#goals). I will finish Other Birds, the book by Sarah Addison Allen. I don't have any concerts or events this week, so it ought to be pretty calm, hopefully.

Take care! Write on your blogs! I want to know what you are doing :)

#2733 weekend wrap-up

It's been a busy weekend, and a good one. Let's recap!

Yesterday, MT and I drove to Pocatello. We got to have lunch with our oldest friends - not that they are old, just that we have been friends with them for over 30 years! As if having lunch with my BFF wasn't enough, I also got to have finger steaks and fries. YUM!

After a couple of hours, we parted ways with the friends and it was family time. We went to MT's mom's house. Kevin and Janet were there, and we spent a bit of time chatting and relaxing.

The point of all of us being together was to celebrate the retirement of our sister-in-law, Denise. After 33 years as a teacher, she has put down the chalk. The best part was seeing so many folks I haven't seen for awhile. I haven't been to Pocatello in two years. My nephew has two kids (Denise's grandkids!) I've never seen. The party was really nice. There was a wonderful tribute video, and of course, I got all teary-eyed about it. So sweet. 

BTW, I am really looking forward to retirement! I have a few years left to work full time, but I can see it in the future.

We drove back home last night because both MT and I had stuff to do on Sunday.

Today I went to Red Butte Garden to do my regular volunteer shift. It was so hot today, it was kind of uncomfortable. The sky was smoky and/or dusty, and the sun was beating down. I stayed in the shade and was thankful every time the breeze picked up. When I first got to the Garden, I did a quick lap around the main path so I'd know what to tell people to look for. The Rose Garden was simply spectacular today.

Look at the thorns on this rose bush. I like this bush more for the awesome thorns than the roses. The thorns are translucent red in the sunshine. If you look at them from another angle, they look like regular thorns. 

Also, the tulip tree is blooming! 

One more photo from RBG. New containers have been added to the Courtyard. Take a look at this amazing succulent container:

After my time at the Garden, I came home and did chores. Usually I take a nap after my time at RBG, but since I wasn't home yesterday, I had to take care of my business.

I got to talk to Lizzie tonight. Usually we talk on Tuesday night, but I am volunteering at RBG events on Tuesday and Thursday, and she is busy on Monday and Wednesday. It is always good to talk to my sister!

Hopefully, you had a wonderful weekend and are all rested up for the week to come.

Cheers!

#2682 weekend wrap-up

I've had a pretty nice weekend so far. 

Yesterday, I stopped by my favorite French pastry shop, Les Madeleines, to get some breakfast. I got a kouign-aman, a pain au chocolat, and a latte. I gobbled the chocolate croissant in my car, which was a mistake. The croissant is so flaky and delicious, it really needs to be savored, but I was hungry and didn't want to wait. 

It was a beautiful day, so I drove up to Red Butte Garden for a stroll. Coffee in hand, I sauntered through the Garden, taking in the green leaves of the mountain mahogany trees, a few early hardy yellow daffodils, the ice-covered pond, the bundled up cypress trees, and the gorgeous view of the valley from the top of the water conservation garden. Here are some pics:

This is one of the mountain mahogany trees. On the ground, you can see some tiny, white flowers called snowdrops.

This is one of the paths through the forest, still a bit snowy.

Can't NOT take a photo of the waterfall whenever I am at the Garden. 

Here is the ice-covered pond.

Another view of the pond and a couple of my favorite trees, the white birches.

Look how clear and blue the sky is! The temperature as I walked around was nearly 50 degrees F - that's 10 C. I was wearing a long-sleeve t-shirt with a heavy sweatshirt on top, joggers, and sneakers. I was perfectly comfortable. There was no wind and it was dang pleasant out there.

I got home in time for my book club discussion. We are reading It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover. It is different from most books we read because it is kind of a romance. Having read another book by this author, I think there might be some kind a weird twist coming up. I mean, there will definitely be a twist, because that is plot, but it might be kinda weird, based on the other book we read of hers. 

After book club, it was time to eat my KA. It was so, so very good. Crunchy and sweet on top; tender and buttery on the inside; caramelized chewiness on the bottom. I'm drooling just remembering. Those pastries are so decadent, I limit myself to one a month. Plus, having that limit practically guarantees that I will love it each time I have it.

Later that night, MT and I went out for dinner at Copper Creek Pub. For dessert, MT wanted a frozen custard from Culver's, which is next door to Copper Creek. He ordered one concrete mixer (that's what it's called, don't ask me why), paid the money, and was told to pull ahead and they would bring it out to us. We were in the drive-through. The two cars behind us were given their food before MT ever got his mixer. We waited nearly 30 minutes before MT kind of lost his sh*t and went stomping into the restaurant to either get the mixer or his money back. He got his money back. I don't know what the problem was, but whoo-boy was MT cranky!

This morning I took the puppers to the dog park. MT didn't come with us because he wanted to work on getting the tax information together, plus he said he wasn't feeling very well. Mac and Harley had a great time running around with their dog friends, and for a bonus treat, I took them with me to the Starbucks drive-through where they each got a pup cup (that's a wee cup of whipped cream). It was fun to watch them eat it, and also pretty messy. The barista was generous with the squirts of whipped cream, so on the first lick, whipped cream went flying all over my hands and onto the seats and floor. The girls got it all cleaned up, though, and I could see they were very happy. Here's a pic of them waiting for the pup cups.

This afternoon I went to lunch with my friend, Liz. We went to Fiddler's Elbow in Sugarhouse. I'd never been there. It's a cool space, and my French dip sandwich was delicious! We had a nice conversation about travels and books and other stuff. She and her husband are heading out on a two-week road trip through the southwest, stopping at several national parks along the way. They were supposed to be going to Greece with a tour group, but the agency cancelled the trip. What a bummer! I was looking forward to hearing about it. I will be glad to hear about her road trip, though. I haven't even heard of some of the parks they are planning to visit.

When I got home from lunch, MT said he was feeling very poorly. He is cold, his body aches, his throat hurts, and he has a headache. Uh-oh. I went to Walgreens to pick up some at-home covid tests. (I haven't ordered any from the government. Yet.) He took the test and it was negative. I'm still going to sleep in the guest room for a few nights until he feels better. 

It's been a pretty busy couple of days, but busy in fun, good ways! I love that I have tomorrow off to do a few things around the house and relax a bit.

I hope you are having a nice weekend, too!

#2675 one month down

Today is the last day of January. I don’t know if it went quick or slow. It seemed that some days and even weeks went by in a hurry, and some dragged on and on. I feel a strong sense of Covid fatigue that caused January to feel like it lasted 310 days instead of just 31. Like most places, Utah experienced a huge surge in sickness this month. I thought the guidance on how to deal with the surge was unclear, and many leaders seems to think it is nearly inevitable that everyone will contract the virus. I don’t accept that! I don’t want to contract the virus. I don’t care if my symptoms will likely be “mild”. I feel like I’ve been through every emotion that can be felt in these first 31 days of the year, and all of them have been caused by Covid fatigue.

Whew. Lighten up, little Sandy. It’s gonna be okay. What was good about January?

A fun thing about January was Wordle. I have played 21 times and it’s been a pleasure. Today the New York Times announced that they have purchased the game from the creator, Mr. Wardle (that’s really his name). I wonder how long The NY Times will allow us to play the game for free and share the joy with others?

I did something pretty out-of-the-ordinary for me this month: I had lunch with someone who is not family or a co-worker! The woman is a fellow Red Butte Garden volunteer. We became friendly in 2019 when we had shifts together during Saturday night weddings. She and I both love to read and travel. We have similar political views, and are close in age. When I saw her at the volunteer reception in December, I asked her if she’d like to get together one day for coffee and chatting. We ended up going to lunch a couple of Sundays ago and it was really cool! I’m looking forward to doing it again. 

An update on the dogs: Harley has kennel cough. She is on some medication now and she is feeling a lot better. Mac is fully recovered from her stomach ailment. Both of them are eating their kibbles without embellishment and with great gusto. All is well. 

The menfolk are good. T is working at the gas station in Magna and living his vampire lifestyle - up all night, asleep all day. He works from 6pm to 1am, so whatever. I can’t mandate his awake/sleep times. The only request I have of him is that he is quiet during the night so MT and I can sleep. With few exceptions, T has been compliant with that request. MT has worked his tail off this month. We had two units that were vacant, and he spent a lot of time getting them fixed up and ready to lease. I’m happy to say that we are back to 100 percent occupancy! Here’s hoping we have good new tenants. 

In February, I am looking forward to seeing Hamilton. It was postponed from January and rescheduled. I’ll be masked up and ready to go on the 6th. The Super Bowl will be fun to watch on the 13th. I’m surprised by the Cincinnati Bengals, but not by the LA Rams. I don’t really have a preference for who wins. Maybe Cincinnati because LA fans are insufferable enough as it is. 

Also in February, I plan to take the dogs to a doggy daycare, after Harley finishes her treatment for kennel cough, of course. I think they will love to play with other doggos every now and again. I will also be thinking more and more about our April vacation and planning what clothes to take and what activities and excursions we will do while we are on the trip.  It’s certainly not that I haven’t already been thinking about it, I’ll just be more actively getting stuff ready to go. I want to book some of our shore excursions in February because I do not want to miss out on stuff because the tours are booked. (I’m looking at you, Florence, Italy.) In addition, I am continuing to learn about habits, working on my Spanish, taking lessons through Master Class, and of course, reading, reading, reading. 

Since I won’t be chatting with you here tomorrow, I wish you happy lunar new year a day early!

#2592 three things: girlfriends, RVs, and food

 

1. Girlfriends. One of my co-workers returned from vacation today. She went to the Riviera Maya with two of her best girl friends. I really enjoyed hearing my friend, we'll call her Robyn, talk about the good times she had on vacation. It made me think about my friend situation. I have never been a person with many friends. In high school and college, I knew people, but I was only close with a few people. Same thing after college: I found a really great friend and it was cool because our husbands were friends and had the same interests, so the four of us hung out together and went on road trips and camping trips. Truthfully, I can't even really imagine what it would be like to go on vacation with friends and stay in the same room and stuff. I can do that with my sister, but it would be hard for me to do that like with LA (although we have shared rooms before, when I think about it, just not for longer than a night.)  Anyway, I'm happy that Robyn had a great time and I liked looking at her photos! 

2. RVs.  I have been fantasizing about motorhomes and trailers lately. There are quite a few of these types of recreational vehicles in my neighborhood. They come in various sizes. The folks a couple of houses down from me have a ginormous motorhome. My neighbors have a good size trailer. There are more moderately-sized trailers and motorhomes elsewhere in the neighborhood. One of the neighbors with what I think is a perfectly sized motorhome were getting it ready to go a few days ago. I stopped and chatted with the lady. They were heading to the Oregon coast to hang out for awhile. One of the friendly men at my work has a giant trailer and the Oregon coast is his favorite place to go, too. 

I think about where we would go if we had an RV. We'd probably go up to the mountains, or maybe out to the desert, possibly to Idaho or to Yellowstone. I wonder if I would like it or if it. I imagine loading up the bicycles for transportation while we were parked, because I think I would like the motorhome option better than the trailer option.  There are RV rental places. Maybe someday MT and I will rent an RV for a week and see how it goes. 

3. My food myths. I've been thinking about my relationship with food lately, and I found that I have some weird tendencies or thought processes about food. I don't know where they come from, but I'm pretty sure that these previously unconscious thoughts have contributed to my weight issues. I wrote down a few that came to me very quickly, and they are totally f'd up. Check it out:

• If there is food in the office, or even stuff at home, I will make a point to get some, even if I don't really want it. Like today, there was (interestingly) a soft-serve ice cream machine in the breakroom at work. I don't really even like ice cream, but I felt like I had to have some. 
• I tell myself that I can't have certain foods in the house, because I can't be trusted with that food being in my space. An example is Nutella. I find Nutella to be delicious, nearly irresistible. When I have it in my house, I feel like I have to eat it all right away because I might not be able to have it again or that somebody else will eat it and I'll miss out.  
• My sister told me that food is food. There is no such thing as "good" and "bad" food. I want to believe her, but the good and bad concept is stuck in my head. What's good and what's bad? Salad is good. Donuts are bad. There are plenty of other examples, but you see what I mean.

Sheesh. I'm just gonna leave that all right here and ponder.