Baking

Baking and cooking in the summer doesn't seem nearly as satisfying as doing it in the winter.

I baked two Blueberry Buckles today; one for us and one for Tracy and Zac. He had to have carpel tunnel surgery again on his right hand; he had it a year ago, so I went to visit. He's doing well, but is bored staying in the house. He had photos from the surgery...it was really gross looking!

I also made a big macaroni salad and went to Aldi to get tomatoes to go in it. I didn't do much else today other than straighten up/clean up a bit, water plants and do some laundry. Tomorrow I am going to school at 9:00 to help Tami make up the class lists. Carissa says she is going to come by and visit too.

Dennie Ezzelle has a job at another school for the fall and Carissa has an interview for her job on Thursday. I hope this is just a formality and that she is really going to get the job.

Lazy Sunday

I didn't go to church today; I didn't do much of anything other than put up new blinds in my room and plant some things outside.

I planted the new plants I got in the new pot outside and also some plants in the yard. When I finished doing the planting my face was scarlet, I was so hot. I was drenched with sweat and I came in and took a very cool shower.

Sarah made some really delicious pasta for supper and now I am watching Law and Order, one that I haven't seen. So things are good.

It Is Harder Than It Seems

It's hard to let friends leave. It was bad enough that David and Melissa had to go back but after taking Tom and Barry to the train station today, I have felt really sad. I enjoyed their company so much and I think they enjoyed being here. They enjoyed taking Sam for walks too.

So I went to Lowes and Home Depot today and bought some plants; some plants for a big pot I bought on Eastchester Dr (they wanted 50.00 but I got 10% off) and also a dark purple butterfly bush. I also got two bales of pine needles for the bare dirt next to the sunroom. I came home and didn't do much of anything other than spread the pine needles.; it was so hot by then. I've been reading today and took a little nap in front of the tv.

Hopefully it will cool off some in the next few days; not tomorrow though; it is supposed to be 96.

Happy Friday

We had a nice day today. I went to the library and picked up a book I had on reserve and the Tom, Barry and I went to visit my mom. She had potted up some Rose of Sharon plants for me so I brought those home. After that we came home and had lunch. Then the three of us and Sarah went to Greensboro to Edward McKay Used Book store. I bought 68.00 worth of books, mostly for the classroom. I also got a 501 Spanish verb book and a dvd of National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. I mostly got board books with the intention of using them in the weekend take-home packets I am putting together for next year.

After the bookstore we went to Starbucks and then to the Andy Warhol photography exhibit at the Weatherspoon Gallery. T&B treated us dinner at the Thai restaurant on Tate St. The food was great and we had the whole place to ourselves b/c we ate as soon as they opened at 5:00.

Now we are watching the movie To Die For on tv and Sarah is upstairs reading. The guys have to go back in the morning; it has been such a great visit....I wish they could stay longer.

Home Again

We got home from Asheville about 7:30. We had a great time, although it was hot. I didn't tour the gardens at all this year and spent time on the veranda reading instead.

We did the rooftop tour this morning and there was a photographer up there who said she could take our pictures. She started to take a picture of a couple and the guy dropped down to one knee and produced a diamond ring from his pocket and proposed to his girlfriend. It was so sweet! It made me tear up, just to see how sweet it was.

So we came home to a stinky kitchen; either it was the dishes in the sink, the compost or the trash. We took care of all of that, plus feeding the animals and ourselves and we are all now ready to kick back and relax for the night.

Going to Asheville

Yesterday was a fun day even though it was hot, hot, hot. The high was 94 yesterday and is forecast to be 96 today. But we won't be here today because we are all going to Asheville to go to the Biltmore. The high is Asheville is supposed to be a few degrees cooler.

We picked Tom and Barry up at the train on Monday night and the train ended up being close to two hours late overall, so they didn't get in till 8:30, so we didn't eat at Panera but went to Rome Pizza since they are open till 11:00. We got a delicious pizza which we all four shared.

Yesterday I had to do some errands, like go to the post office, so they went with me so Barry could take a photo of the Big Chair and then we went to the Emporium and by my school. We came home and ate lunch. David and Melissa arrived in mid-afternoon and Mom, John and Pat came for supper. We had a very nice evening but John was feeling very tired. He said he was in a funk, but the weather could do it to anyone.

We'll come back from Asheville tomorrow evening. Neal is going to the Mylets and to Elk Creek so we'll see if he actually stays for the weekend or if he comes home early!

Today's Schedule

I am going to eat breakfast and then finish cleaning the windows outside of the sunroom. After that, I'll take a shower and go to school to release the bird I've been raising (yay!), go to the library, get my oil changed and go to the grocery store(s).

Back home, I'll put away the groceries, eat lunch and then do more cleaning; maybe a quick mopping of the kitchen and then start on my room.

As usual, there are two piles of Neal clothes in the room; I'm taking all of the clean ones and dumping them in the closet. It's either the closet or the front porch! And I don't want to mess up the porch that way!

The temperature is supposed to be in the mid-90's today, so that's why I'm up early for the outdoor work!

T&B's train leaves Baltimore at 9:45 and they are due to arrive in High Point at 6:49, so we will get something to eat before coming back here.

Still Cleaning

I'm taking a break from cleaning. I got up this morning just before 7:00, or 7:30...can't remember and then went to sleep on the couch till 9:00.

I finished hemming all of the curtains in the sunroom and it looks much better! With the curtains long it was not possible to see the nice tan and white trim underneath. Now I am ironing the comforter cover for the guest room and when I finish that I'll finish cleaning the sunroom, including possibly rearranging the loveseat and chairs.

Saturday

Another long day with a lot of work. I started out this morning by expanding the brick paver pad for the gas grill and followed that with planting some monkey grass around part of it until I was tired and dripping with sweat. Even though it was morning, it was about 80°, and humid.

I finished cleaning the couch and chairs in the sunroom and I also cleaned the rug in there. Boy was it all nasty. I cleaned the sunroom windows (all 14, plus the two doors) and started on the outside ones. And I hemmed some of the sheers as I was putting them back up.

I started by trying to measure, cut and hem them (with hemming tape) but that was proving to be too difficult, so I decided to hang them up, cut them off and pin them up while they were hanging. Much easier. I have 7 1/2 done. I say 1/2 because I have one pinned up, but I ran out of hemming tape. I know I have more upstairs, but I'm too tired to look for it.

That's pretty much it, I think. Except for some small things along the way.

For now, I think it is almost bedtime. I think I'll stay home tomorrow morning and get more done. Tom and Barry arrive on Monday, about 6:00 PM.

It feels good to be getting all of this stuff cleaned up and put away. Every time we have a major cleaning, I wonder why we just don't keep it this way all of the time, and I know, it's because it's too much work!

New Projects

When I went to Goodwill yesterday, I found this lamp for 4.00.

And I got this table for 2.00:

I am busy transforming them into a coffee table and a lamp for my front porch. I cleaned the lamp and disassembled the table, cut the legs off to make it shorter and cleaned it. The following pictures are what they looked like during the renovation. I hope to complete the project today.

Porch Furniture Finished!

I am posting photos of my newly painted porch furniture and also the willow furniture because Anne and I got new cushions for them. I want to put some plants on the front porch too, but the furniture looks great!

I am completely happy with it, only I wish I had used spray paint for the rockers. I used spray paint for the swing and it was done in one day, whereas it took a long time for me to paint the rockers a prime coat and two coats of green. I love the way it looks though and we found cushions on sale at Lowes....saving me from having to make some.

Slacker

Apparently I seem to have given up on blogging. I haven't really, but I keep forgetting to post. So, I think I'll try doing it in the mornings, at least while I am on vacation.

This week has been relaxing so far. I have finished painting the porch furniture and today Anne and I are going shopping to look for cushions for it. We are also going to Lowes to look for some kind of privacy screen panels/lattice/trellis to put between the driveway and patio. I love the patio but I don't like how it is just adjacent to the driveway; there is no privacy or anything to divide the two.

While at Lowes, I plan to buy some dark brown spray paint to paint the porch swing. When Neal stained all of the porch furniture, he stained them the same color as the house and while I considered painting it green like the other furniture, I decided it should be different, so I am looking for dark brown.

I have been putting some things away; did all the school laundry and I'll take it by the school and leave it in my room one day. I decided to put my school things on the desk in the front hall instead of having them on the dining room table, so I am unpacking in there.

Tom and Barry arrive on Monday for the week and on Tuesday, David and Melissa will be here. We'll go to the Biltmore on Wednesday, return on Thursday and then D&M will go home on Friday. T&B will stay till Saturday since they are taking the train.

I've been busy making plans for the rest of the summer. I'll go to Amy's on June 30th and stay till Saturday, July 3. Abby, Sarah and I are going to Ocracoke camping on July 13 for a week and then on July 23, Anne, Sarah and I will go to D&M's house for about a week. On our way back we may stop and stay at Rachel's apartment for a couple of days. It would be great if Jason were there by then.

I talked to him last night on Skype and he was applying for another job in DC. He has a connection for this one, so this might actually be the one. I hope so. He needs to be there.

Signing off for now....

First Vacation Day

Today was the first day of my summer vacation. I installed a new doorknob on the half bath door, sanded and painted one of the front porch chairs, watched tv, played a bazillion games on Facebook, read, made cookies, fed the bird over and over again and found out that my niece Ashley is pregnant.

Yes, pregnant. She and Ryan are going to move back here after she finishes her fall semester, in Dec. He'll get a job and she'll have the baby and then, I guess, go to school.

The funny thing is that Jenny doesn't know what she wants the baby to call her...she doesn't want to be Grandmother or Grandma...my suggestions is "middle aged lady desperate to hold onto her youth"....

Countdown

We get out of school tomorrow at 12:15. I think I'm ready.

Today we had our program/celebration. All three principals came for a brief time, which I think was very nice. The kids did well...everyone had fun. There was someone there for everyone except two children. I don't know if the little boy really cared or not, but the little girl was sad.

And I gave away both guinea pigs; two of my students took them, so now, I am guinea-pigless. I hope the kids enjoy having them for a pet.

All of my progress reports and stuff I am supposed to turn in is finished, I think, so Tracy and I will pretty much just have to pack up the room.

I know that I'll come back later in the month to help Tami with class lists, but after work on Friday, I am FREE. Yay!

Another Day and a Half

Tomorrow is our special program for our families. I picked up the cake from Walmart this evening; we will sing songs, then present the certificates and gifts; make the two special presentations for reading the most books and then eat cake, chips and punch.

One more day and a half....then a day and half to put all my crap away!

I really can't believe the school year is nearly over.

The Last Monday

This is my last Monday of working for this school year. I still have a lot to do; some progress reports to finish and translate; the photo cd's to make for my students; cookies to bake for Wednesday, and a little more stuff.

It will all get done, but it is such a busy time and I am soooo tired.

I had to go to the store I hate today to order a cake for Wednesday and I just did some shopping while I was there. I got a red geranium for my patio; I put it in an old rustic bucket, or some kind of container I had laying around. It looks good.

Lots to do before I go to bed.

Oh yeah, and did I mention the baby bird I am hand feeding????

Mount Airy

Went to the Mt. Airy Fiddler's Convention today. We walked around a lot and saw various people, chatted, listened to music, etc. Then about 3:00 we went up to where Chloe Mylet was camped and celebrated her high school graduation. Marianne brought tons of delicious food. Neal got to play a little with Tom and some people.

I gave Chloe 20.00 for her graduation. She is so lovely; she has beautiful skin and dimples. It doesn't seem that she could be 18.

So, on the way home we stopped at Lowes in Mt. Airy and I got a very unique and interesting pot to put on the patio. It looks like little river rocks glued together to make a container. It cost 50.00 but it was worth it. Here's a picture of it.

A Theme

I think I may go with a theme...too tired to post. I can't believe I haven't posted since Tuesday. But, it has been a busy week; the funeral home on Wednesday night then at school last night for Countdown to Kindergarten.

Today was the Parade of Excellence and although we don't march in it, we did go out to watch, and it was hot!

And now, I have a baby bird to nurse. He fell from one of the "death" nests in the courtyard. We thought the impact of the fall would kill him but he lived, and I have been feeding him.

Tomorrow Neal and I are going to Mt. Airy for part of the day, for the fiddler's convention, and it is going to be really hot there.

More news, but no energy to write it. Later....

TTTP

That stands for Too Tired To Post. But I'm going to do it anyway, because I am trying to be disciplined about this.

After a long and exhausting day, in which a certain child clearly did not have his medicine, and on top of that, acted like he got into someone's supply of crystal meth, I went to the School Readiness Program's graduation to see two of my students. It was so nice to be there and to see them walk up on stage and be recognized.

I'd like to be there when they graduate from high school too but I'll be something like 75 years old then. So, it's totally doable!

So now it is getting close to 11:00 and I think my usual, a hot bath and ibuprofen are in order. and then sleep!