Tuesday 12-5-2023

Grab Your Coffee/FB – m.lovethispic.com

It’s sunny and 39 here right now. Not really THAT cold, but it sure SEEMS like it. The fact that the weather folks are saying we might get ice or snow this coming weekend adds to the feeling.

Chef John’s Buttermilk Biscuits – AllRecipes.com

At my husband’s request, I’m going to make some more biscuits today. I’ve only done it once before, but they were edible, and my husband really enjoyed eating some with butter and jelly, so he asked last night.

MakeMyLake – Etsy.com

I’m coming to the end of my glass etching project. I’ve learned a ton and finally found the etching tool I can use the most comfortably. Last night I found a diamond bit that worked well for me. I’m starting to get a feel for it now and look forward to using the etcher/engraver on other things in the future. I think the sample above done by MakeMyLake on Etsy is really pretty.

There is 17 pounds less of me this morning. A good start. Here’s to making it to 20 off.

I hope that you’re enjoying a really nice Tuesday.

It’s Sunday 11-26-2023

cutigers – @cutigs1 on X

It’s 36 and cloudy here this morning. A cold front is coming through and it’s a great day to stay inside, warm and dry. It rained lightly earlier, and I’m grateful we didn’t get ice. I’m not ready for this.

Signs By McDougall

I’m going to try to use this inside day to my advantage, working on my glassware etching. I’ve watched a few etching videos on YouTube that really get my juices flowing. They make it look really easy, but it isn’t. The jury is still out on whether what I’m doing will pass muster as Christmas gifts. I’m having a good time trying, though the process gets to my hands (particularly my thumbs for some unknown reason), so my sessions have to be short. Maybe I can get multiple sessions in today.

This is the ‘cup holder’ my husband made in our shop over the last two days. It’s stainless steel and heavy.

It fits the bottom of the glasses he likes to use perfectly. Now, when the TV tray is jostled, the liquid in the glass jostles, but the glass doesn’t fall over, spilling the drink everywhere. So far, so good!

I’ve been re-reading my collection of J.D. Robb (Nora Roberts) In Death books in preparation for receiving the latest paperback in the series, Payback in Death, which I’ll get around the end of December or the beginning of January. I’m on book # 50 now, Golden in Death, and am thoroughly enjoying being in Lieutenant Eve Dallas’ world in the future.

I hope you’ve enjoyed your holiday weekend and are home safe and sound now.

COLD Saturday 3-18-2023

Twitter

I’m HOPING that we’re experiencing the last of winter here. As I type, it’s 33 degrees F. It IS sunny, but you are definitely in danger of freezing your parts if you stay outside long.

I did notice, however, that once we get through the weekend, things are looking up. I MAY be able to get my garden planters prepped at the beginning of next week and actually get some spring veggies in by the middle. I can’t wait!

Meanwhile, I have on a heavy sweatshirt. After lunch, I plan to turn on the heating pad I keep in my recliner, cover up with my snuggly throw, and zone out, happily safe and warm, hoping my sweet perennial blooms make it through this last gasp of winter.

We’re having a quiet weekend so far. The most activity we’ve seen is our dog, Amber, getting all her toys – except for a squeaky rubber chicken – out of her toy basket and strewing them all over the living room floor, bringing each one to us, acting like she wants us to throw the toy for her, but actually just wanting to TEASE us, preferring tug of war and then running off with the toy in a victory prance. (She cheats, leaning back with her whole body lending strength. 95 pounds of ‘strength’ will win every time.)

Today’s “project” will be to find my kitchen desk. I know where it’s SUPPOSED to be, but it got buried quite awhile ago and hasn’t been seen since.

I hope you enjoy today.

Sweet, Sunny Saturday 11-19-2022

Peakpx

I WISH it looked like this outside today. It IS a cool, very crisp, fall sunny day here, but the main color is beige, rather than the glorious display above. It’s 28 degrees now, and the high is supposed to be a balmy 45 this afternoon. The coming days, though, are supposed to have highs in the 50s – MUCH more to my liking and my desire to get more yard work done.

My husband enjoyed his birthday dinner last night, remarking on it a couple of times. :0) We also had a celebratory piece of Mt. Dew cake, thanks to Kay from Lunch Bunch. The best part of the celebration, from my perspective, is the call from Thailand from our son, short though it was, and the fact that instead of being depressed about aging, my husband announced that he was looking forward to his NEXT birthday, because he thinks 80 is a much nicer number than 79….

He’s still in a birthday celebration frame of mind, and requested that I make soup and grilled cheese sandwiches for dinner. Birthday and cold weather comfort food, for sure.

Since it’s too cold to work outside, I’m going to concentrate on paperwork in the office and vacuuming today. I’ll pay bills, study our lab test results and make sure our meds lists are up to date for the doc appt Monday afternoon. Amber has left another dog’s worth of hair on the tiles and carpeting. It’s amazing how much more I have to vacuum on the first floor than the second. The second is what I would term ‘normal’ and the first needs a serious effort at LEAST twice as much. It’s truly amazing (and disgusting) how full the vacuum canister gets each time I vacuum the first floor.

And that’s it for the exciting life of the Lewises in Arkansas. I’m delighted I don’t live in Buffalo right now. I hope that everyone there is snuggled into their warm house and don’t have to get out until further notice.

Winter is Here

patch.com

In about 45 minutes my husband and I will go to Lunch Bunch – our long time, every-possible-Friday lunch with good friends. We’ve been doing this for years and I really miss it if we don’t go for some reason.

It’s 21 degrees F out there right now. I’m not even sure if I should just leave my lettuce covered up with a sheet until it gets above freezing or not. The high is supposed to be 42, I think. This may be a moot point, since my sweet lettuce plants may have croaked last night – sheet or not sheet. When it gets this cold, it’s beyond the frost or light freeze stage. If it’s gone, I’ll be a bit sad, but we’ve had a really nice crop this year and I shouldn’t be over-greedy. I’m looking forward to the spring when – hopefully – I’ll have some robust, healthy plants grown in my greenhouse ready to go into the garden.

I’ll see what the temperature is when we get back from lunch and errands and then make the decision whether to uncover the plants today or not.  I’m looking forward to seeing what mischief I can get into the rest of the day.

Stay warm and dry!