Weekending 1/30/23

 Hey Hey and Good Morning!

Wow!  I slept later than I have in a long, long time.  I did not get out of bed till almost 8 this morning!  Well, to clarify, I was up at 5 a.m. to let Mabel out, but went back to bed and (for once) fell right back asleep.  What a pleasure.

How was your weekend?  Mine was lovely as all weekends should be.  Friday morning I did do a little more baking:

Yes!  I finally got a donut pan (thank you King Arthur Baking) and I also bought one of their buttermilk donut mixes.  So good!  And nice that the mix makes just 6 donuts.  I want to try some recipes on my own (Fletch has been talking donuts made with applesauce), and I hope to experiment later this week.  Meanwhile, Fletch has taken to toasting a leftover donut at breakfast and the scent is just wonderful.

Saturday once again Dee and I met up for some quality time together.  We do laugh a lot and usually manage to get a little knitting done.  Always a good time.

After two meatless meals in a row (the vegan "balls" on Thursday and mac & cheese on Friday), I decided it was time for something else.  BBQ Shrimp to the rescue!

What a delicious mess!!  That's the pan prior to baking in the oven.  I also put some Italian bread in the oven to warm up - so friggin good dipped in all that bacon fat and butter with spices.  LOL  Sometimes I feel like just looking at this is enough to raise my cholesterol - LOL.  While I was prepping the shrimp I looked out the window.

I don't like all those wires, but it's where I live.  Winter sunsets are so stunning!

Sunday was a fun day too and a little different for us.  We went out to breakfast (a new diner-type restaurant opened recently just down the road from us) and it was so good.  Breakfast is one of my favorite meals to go out for and the new place did not disappoint.  After that we headed to a new Vintage/Antique Flea Market that is in Berwyn (actually very near my office).  We didn't find anything (I think it will be more fun to wander around once the weather gets nice and there are outdoor vendors).  I also thought that many things were over priced.

Sunday afternoon I decided to head over to Colin's to drop off the sheets I had washed and also water the plants.  I've wanted to get a rice cooker for some time now.  Colin suggested that I look at Assi in their housewares section.  Turns out their prices are much higher than Amazon...so I have ordered from Amazon and it will be here tomorrow.  Meanwhile, I wandered all over the store and got some very good deals on produce and also found some Asian foods that our regular grocery stores don't carry (Korean vegetable dumplings for example).  That was fun - because you all know I love food!

Last night Fletch grilled the most delicious lamb chops and I fixed some smashed baby potatoes and steamed some French green beans.  Yum!

Tomorrow I plan to skip a dinner that I set up for a work group, but I have to be at the office most of the day on Wednesday for a meeting.  I've ordered breakfast and lunch to be delivered, so need to be on site for that.  Here's hoping that after that I can stay away from that place for a bit!  LOL

Well, later than usual for me to be wrapping up a post.  I need to get a move on!  Hoping your Monday is a great one.

Thursday Brings a Finish

Well Hello There,

My intention was to post yesterday, but I wanted to wait until Fletcher's socks were completed and that finally happened at lunch yesterday.  After that the day kind of got away from me.  But here they are in all their glory:

I really like them.  The Madeline Tosh yarn in the colorway Tart is wonderful.  Such a nice yarn and the color is so rich.  I also really like the top of the sock where I used the Gladys Sock Pattern - just the top part.  I don't really like the pattern on the balance of the leg.  Anyhoo, a freebie on Ravelry, and a good one!  I'm glad to have them off the needles.  The Rabbit Hole traveled to work with me this morning.  I'm finished the pattern part of the first sock and am on the heel flap.  Hopefully I'll finish the flap and turn the heel today at lunch.

There are a number of walking trails in the corporate center where my office is.  I walked on one of them yesterday for the first time!  It really was lovely, meandering through a wooded area and I could hear a creek in the distance (and kids laughing).  I went out around 9:30 (obviously a slow morning) and only walked for 20 minutes or so, but what a nice break!  I'm going to try to get out today as well.  I prefer the early morning before the heat (and humidity) of the day (plus, my lunch time is devoted to knitting...and we all know I have to watch where I walk, so I cannot knit and walk at the same time - lol).

Did anyone draw/play with a Spirograph growing up?  I sure did and I loved it - especially when I had brand new colored pencils or pens to use.  Yesterday when I got home, I was looking at the sunflower and it reminded me of a Spirograph drawing so much.

Click on the image to see what I mean.  And, a close up shot that I don't really like, but it shows tiny bits of blue!! in the center which surprised me.

Interesting.  Also, our Trumpet vine is now blooming and the hummingbirds have arrived - going to the vine as well as our feeders.

The shots are a little fuzzy - using my phone and the blooms are high up in one of our trees.

Last night Fletch and I were sitting on the patio around 8:30 and noticed really pretty clouds.

Only unusual because this is the Eastern sky.  Normally we just have color in the West.  Our Western sky was just drab last night, but the East was lovely.  And then we noticed our friend was back.

Tyg is always on the lookout for him...he tries to sneak up on poor little froggy, but Mr. Frog is smart.

We also saw The Fantastic Mr. Fox trot by in the early evening, but he is too quick for me to get a picture.

OK, that's the nature wrap for today.  The weekend is almost here and I am SO ready!!