Unraveled Wednesday 5/20/26

Good Morning!

Mon Dieu but this weather!!!  Yesterday my car thermometer was showing over 100.  The temps are now dropping and rain is coming in.  The high for Saturday (when we are going to C&M's for a cookout...) is only forecast to be in the mid-fifties.  This back and forth is enough to make one crazy (or crazier than one already is).

My cleaning went ok...I did not get it all done, but c'est la vie.  I did grocery shop and wine shopped and we are now well stocked in the fruits and vegetables department as well as wine.  And my wallet is much, much lighter.  Prices keep rising, and let's not talk about gas prices.  Anyway, I will try to finish up a little cleaning and straightening tonight.  The basics are done, now there is just some touch up to be completed.

Between cleaning, shopping and heat wave weather I have not done much making at all (therefore the lack of a post yesterday).  But time marches on and now it is Wednesday, so let's link up with Kat and her Merry Band of Unravelers to chat a bit about making and reading.  My 2nd sock is progressing, but not quite as quickly as I had thought.

  The leg is finished and I am poised to start the heel flap.  Theoretically I could get that done today while Colin and Iris have lunch.  But time will tell.

It has been a good week for reading though.  I finished the Bruno, Chief of Police book that I was reading.  Fatal Pursuit was not my favorite Bruno book, but it was engaging and dealt with a car rally.  I am finding this entire series to just be delightful - a bit of mystery and murder, a little romance, and lots of food and wine and life in general in the French countryside.

Cleaning the bookcase in our bedroom I discovered Have You Heard the Cricket Song by Winston Abbott.  I'm sure this was once my Mom's book - just her style.  Inspirational and filled with nature.  It's short (under 60 pages) and reads like a poem.  Very enjoyable.

A Marriage at Sea by Sophie Elmhirst was a fast read.  What an adventure!  A couple sailing the world has their boat hit by a whale and then the boat sinks!  The couple survive (barely) on a dinghy and raft for just over 4 months before finally being rescued.  Yikes!  And (amazingly to me), all they talk about is their next boating adventure (to Patagonia)!  As the title states, a true story of love, obsession and shipwreck.

Last night Fletch and I wrapped up listening to The Long Ships by Frans G. Bengtsson.  This is such an epic tale and I cannot recommend it enough.  Colin gave us a copy years ago that we read out loud and loved.  My Dad then read it and enjoyed it immensely - so much that it inspired/encouraged him to do on-line research (he was in his 80's at the time).  This time we listened to it on audible.  The narration is excellent and we discovered much more humor in this adventure than either of us remembered.

And that's a wrap for me.  Time to fix another cup of coffee and look for some nourishment.  Have a wonderful Wednesday.

Weekending 5/18/26

 Good Morning My Friends,

Here's hoping that everyone had a nice weekend.  Mine was nice, but Monday morning finds me wishing for a bit more sleep.  And more time to get things done!

A good part of the weekend was spent cleaning our bedroom.  Not the guest room (as I should have done).  I re-discovered some books in a bookcase and also unearthed a couple of treasures for Iris!  The first is a doll.  My Mom and her friend, Jean, spent quite a few days meandering the back roads of Lancaster County.  They hiked and biked and visited Amish households (Jean made some quilts and then had the Amish do the actual quilting).  When I was in college (yep, no longer a kid), my Mom bought me an Amish doll.

A simple rag doll that had been sitting on top of a bookcase for years.  I dusted her off and now she is keeping Iris company.

And in Colin's old bedroom, on the loveseat, I found a pillow I had made for Colin when he was a youngster.  It was just gathering dust, so I cleaned it up and now it belongs to Iris.

A bee, a frog, a ladybug, etc.

So, the purging continues!  (A trip to the thrift store to drop off donations was made before I could change my mind about anything!!)  I just need to hurry up and clean the guest room as Damon arrives on Thursday.  I will be with Iris today, Wednesday and Thursday, so Tuesday is my only option for getting that room ready for a visitor.

Yesterday Colin and Iris came over in the afternoon and stayed for dinner.  (Mailing was off for a spa day with her Mom and sister.)  I made a (new to me) curried lentil dish with ground turkey that turned out well.  We had that with some brown rice.  Dessert was a blueberry gateau.  Iris loved it all.

Time for me to get moving and have another cup of coffee.  Sometimes it's difficult to wake up!  Here's to a good week for all of us.

It's Friday!! 5/15/26

 Good Morning Everyone!

Yesterday ended up being quite a busy day for moi.  I ended up doing 4 loads of laundry (clothes and I changed sheets).  With next week's forecast in the 90's, I also managed to finally pull out summer tops and lighter sweaters and put away all the heavy woolen sweaters, fleece leggings, etc.  Of course that meant I woke in the night last night chilly.  LOL. Another blanket on top of the bed solved that problem.

While putting winter woolens away and pulling out light weight summer things I managed to purge a bit.  The back of my car is loaded with bags that will be donated today.  I was thinking of Kat's blog post about release and letting things go.  Trust me, there are still many clothing items that I should let go - things I wore when I worked.  But I love them so!  However, I made progress on another front.  My Mom passed away a little over 22 years ago.  My Dad gave me all of her scarves (she loved - and wore frequently - silk scarves) which I wear sometimes.  He also gave me all of her jewelry.  I pulled out a few things that I liked and kept things like her wedding and engagement rings.  A lot of her jewelry was not my style or taste.  And none of it was expensive stuff.  BUT, I have been unable to part with it...until yesterday.  I packaged everything up and it will go to the thrift shop today along with other donations.  I found a stack of 4 picture frames I had bought at Pier 1 before that store closed.  I haven't used them in years.  All are going to the thrift store.  It's a start!

My next job is to clean (thoroughly!!) the guest room.  Fletch's brother Damon is driving up from Virginia on Thursday for a visit.  Unfortunately his wife can't come.  He is planning to help Fletch with a bunch of outdoor chores, get our window air conditioners in, etc.  That room is often a dumping ground so there is much to be done!  I also need to give thought to what to cook while Damon is here.  I know we will be at C&M's on Saturday for a cookout, but I need to plan food for other nights.

Colin will be over on Sunday with Iris in the afternoon.  Mailing is having a spa day with her Mom and sister.  And someone will be 18 months old in June!  Not sure how that is possible.  We enjoy celebrating Iris' half birthdays as well as her full year birthdays and I've been having fun pulling things together for her.  She loves being outside and especially loves helping around the yard and garden.  So, we got her a little red Radio Flyer wagon and some gardening tools (trowel, hoe, etc.) And yesterday this book arrived for her:

I love Margaret Renkl's writing and I think this book will be great.  And Billy Renkl's illustrations are wonderful.  I can't wait to read it with her.

Well, I suppose I've rambled on long enough.  Plus, I can hear that Fletch is waking up and I promised to make French toast and sausage for breakfast.  I'd best pour another cup of coffee and get moving. 

Welcome to the weekend!  May it be a good one for all of us.

Unraveled Wednesday 5/13/26

 Good Morning Everyone!

Once again we find ourselves at the mid-point of the week.  It's time to link up with Kat and her Band of Merry Unravelers to talk about making and reading.  Always a fun day for posts.

If you read my blog, you know that I finished the first "rugby sock" last week and I'm happy to say that sock #2 has been started.

Not only started, but halfway down the leg heading for the heel flap.  You all know that I am not a match-matchy person, but for those of you who are, the stripes on sock #2 line up with the stripes of sock #1.  

Voila!  Matchy-Matchy.

None of the swatching I had intended to do was done...but there is always tomorrow.

Only one book was finished last week.  A Good Animal by Sara Maurer is a coming of age story set in Sault Ste. Marie, MI on a sheep farm.  It was an ok read - not great, but good at the time I read it.  I found it to be a bit predictable and even a little "schmaltzy" but, as I already said, ok.

As I wait for some books to come in at my library, I'm back in the French countryside with Bruno, Chief of Police.  More deaths and plenty of wine and food - perfect!!

Today I'll be back with Iris and am looking forward to that.  I hope your Wednesday is a good one.

Tiny Needle Tuesday 5/12/26

 Good Tuesday Morning!

A chilly one here.  I actually got up in the night to put another blanket on the bed (I leave the back window wide open so that Mabel can jump into/onto the sill and look out...plus I like the fresh air).

It was wonderful to finally be with Iris again yesterday.  She, and C&M too are suffering from jet lag.  Combine that with more teeth coming in and she had some uncomfortable moments.  She slept for 2.5 hours in the morning - we finally woke her up so that she would not sleep ALL day.  But then she slept for another 1.5 hours in the afternoon.  Anyway, their trip was fun and it is good to know that little Iris is such a good traveler!

Colin said that last night she was awake from 10:30 - 1:00, so that is a little progress.  And, her hair is long enough now that sometimes Mailing puts it in pigtails!!

There is not much to show for Tiny Needle Tuesday this week.  I almost didn't bother to post, but here's the update.

Just a little more filling in of the grass in the Garden of Eden.  I hope to get a bunch of stitching in today.

Happy Birthday to my oldest brother who turns 79 today (I'm not sure how that happened!!).

Before I forget, I made THIS RECIPE for dinner last night and it did not disappoint.  Quick, easy and very, very tasty.  I did use 2 chicken breasts and we have so much leftover!  Naturally I didn't think to take a picture until we were finished...oh well.  Give it a try if you like chicken, mushrooms and asparagus!

Weekending 5/11/26

 Good Morning!

How are you and how was your weekend?  I'm happy to say that the kids got home safely Saturday evening.  And soon I will leave to go over and spend the day with Iris.  I cannot wait to see her!!  I'm betting she has not yet learned to say Gramma, but she will have fun teasing me when I ask her to say it.  

Saturday while driving over to C&M's to feed Talbot in the morning I almost had an accident...I was driving along and traffic was not bad and then I pulled something off my hair...or ear...and discovered it was a tick.  Violent words came out of my mouth!  You cannot blow those things off.  I rolled down the window and tried, but it held fast to my hand.  Luckily I had a box of tissues in the car.  I grabbed one and got the tick into it, rolled it up tight and held it until I reached the house (luckily not too far).  First thing I did was flush that tissue down the toilet!

Geeze...I felt itchy ALL day long and kept feeling as though "things" were crawling on me.  This morning I woke to Mabel right by my head and that freaked me out!  We did treat her the other day with NexGuard, but still...

Anyway, on to better things.  My herbs are all in pots at the edge of the patio now!

Basil, Rosemary and Thyme.  And, I used some of the Thyme and Rosemary last night!  I was cooking haddock and decided to do it in foil packs on the indoor grill.  That worked great, by the way - only took 8 minutes or so for the fish to cook.  Before I closed up the packets to cook, I spread a mixture of EVOO, fresh lemon juice, minced garlic, and fresh Thyme, Rosemary and Parsley all over the fish.  Delicious!

Mother's Day turned out to be a beautiful day.  I did spend some time doing chores that had recently been ignored (bathrooms were cleaned and kitchen floor scrubbed), but time was also found to stitch a little (very little) and knit just a tiny bit.  All in all, not a bad day.

Now I need to down a bit more coffee and then head out to see Iris!  Have a wonderful Monday.

TGIF

 Good Morning and Happy Friday!

Wishing the kids safe travels home tomorrow.  Hoping that Iris does well with the long (very long - like 14 hours+) flight back.  First class, reclining (fully) seats and good food should help.  They will be coming home to lots of blooms.  Just look at their peonies!

I love that deep, deep pink one.  Our peonies are still just buds.

Yesterday I finished up the first rugby sock!

I spent a little more time at their house waiting for the UPS man (in vain).  I found a sticker on their front door stating that UPS tried to deliver a package requiring a signature and that they would attempt again the next day.  No sign of the UPS truck, but the sock was finished!  And, I think Talbot enjoyed my company.  He spent a little time in the sunroom, but mostly was curled up at my side.

The second sock has not yet been started, but hopefully today.

Last night I baked some cookies (toffee pecan) and I have a container to leave at C&M's house today.  I also have a large container of vegetable beef soup that I will put in their frig.  I plan to get a bottle of wine for them and also flowers for Mailing for Mother's Day.  I'll probably pick up a loaf of crusty bread to go with the soup as well.  They should be set at least for one day!

It looks to be a beautiful day today.  The sun is shining brightly and I slept 9 hours last night!  Woo-Hoo.  Fletch is planning to grill sausages for dinner.  I'll sauté up some onions, peppers and mushrooms to go with that.

Happy Mother's Day to everyone!  Have a beautiful weekend.