Monday 5/28 Memorial Day

[cookielady]

Good Morning! It's a gorgeous day here.

What a weekend! My BF Maureen arrived from Ohio Friday morning at 9am...much earlier than anticipated. She drove straight to Becca's. Me, I had a couple errands to run and drop off Blaise at Kathy's for the weekend....no school on Friday. I got up there about 11am. I found out I'm SUPER out of shape. Maureen worked us hard. LOL! The soil was very compacted and a lot of clay, so it was a pain to prepare it for planting. She brought plants and bushes with her to plant and also a window box. We got most of it done Friday. After everything was planted, we went to get mulch and painting supplies. We smelled terrible after loading all the mulch. That didn't stop us though from stopping for dinner at a local diner. The meal was great. Went back, mulched, and they got a couple coats of paint on the window box.

Come to find out that Maureen does not like dogs and I had to hold Oliver back when Maureen was going that direction. It frustrated Becca and Mo's comments made her a little mad....it's like someone complaining about your toddler.

Saturday morning we finished up the landscaping and Cork came to install the window box. What an ordeal! While he was suppose to be doing that, we went to Home Depot. Mo bought Becca a new lawnmower and weed wacker and the flowers for the box. She is extremely generous and has a very soft spot for Becca. She had one for Kathy too until she started going sour in her early teen years. We try not to tell her all that she does for Becca because it's very obvious of the favoritism.

Funny thing. Maureen thought I was crazy when I was telling her about the new store Sharp Shopper. She wanted to check the place out herself, so on our way home Saturday, that's what we did. She had a blast and said she now has the Donna disease. I told her!!!! She ended up taking about 6 bags of groceries back to Ohio. LOL!

Yesterday we all went to church. Came home and changed, then headed down to Kathy's. She really didn't want to visit her, but I told her that she's starting to mature. She was impressed with the changes in Kathy and liked her bf Matt. We had a nice short visit. They were getting ready to go to a lake for the day. We then stopped at a nurse and got some flowers for my place and then stopped at Kings for breakfast/lunch. Thought we might see Aunt Janet & Uncle Dave there, but we didn't. Came home, planted the flowers, and then Mo left for Ohio. Had a really nice visit with her.

Cork and I then headed into town to a couple garage sales (our fun together) and stopped at Walmart & GE before heading home. I was exhausted and ended up taking a 2 1/2 hr nap. Felt much better after that. We did stop at a car dealership along the way and he showed me an Escape that he's interested in getting. We'll see.

Today we are hosting the MD gathering here. My family is coming. Becca can't come, but Kathy and her gang are all coming. She actually kept Blaise for the entire weekend. Oh...she has a job interview tomorrow...we are hopeful. I don't know if any of Tom's kids are coming or not. I know Maddie is working. The pool is ready for swimming and the water is actually 80 degrees, so I MAY take a dip. It's suppose to get up to 86 today.

Have a good one all!

[jostoy]

Good morning everyone.

Know I've been "missing in action". Just had a lot of work to get done, and none of it was on the computer.

Donna, sounds like all of you could have collapsed after all that work you did. As to the "stink" on you as you went to supper, was a "telling" that you all had been working, and wasn't through so you could clean up. Some people never break a sweat so this only showed them that if they'd do a little work, they could see how they might smell.

No celebrating for me today. E. and I are going to mow today. Last week I had to take my mower out there with the bagger to pick up all the cut grass that was just laying around. Don't want the yard to get in that shape again. Took us about 4 hours just to pick up the dead grass. Had to do the entire acerage with just my mower.

I don't know if we will get to it this week, but she has a pear tree that needs to come down and some big limbs in her apple tree that needs to be cut out. Of course one of the dead limbs is NOT the limb that sometime "cold-cocks me" because I forget to duck. You'd think a person would learn after getting your brains rattled a couple times.

Hope everyone has a great day and remembers how we get to keep our freedom.

[maxie]

Morning...going to be a hot one today, 96 and sun! How wonderful is that for a Memorial Day? I am the only one home and all the little workers are long gone this morning. There are things I could do today and maybe I will do some but with an afternoon ball game and my book I gotta tell you that ton of laundry is not looking to appealing.

Paula I am reading Grisham's, Camino Island. I used to read all his stuff but am a book or two or three behind now. Is Rooster Bar the latest? Cookie sounds like you had a busy couple of days...how wonderful to have a friend so generous to your children. Good luck to Kathy on her job interview. Jostoy, is it any wonder I get nothing done? You and Cookie are using up all the energy and there is none left for the rest of us...LOL!

Yesterday we had a wonderful day. Not the normal rowdy group but a more laid back adult group. The guys and my sil jumped in the pool and Sierra sunned around it but the rest of us sat in the shade...that water is much to cold for me! Andrew's mom sent pictures of him on the boat and believe me he was wet. If the pools are cold you can imagine what the rivers are but that kid is tough!!

Yesterday we followed rain all the way home but never met a drop ourselves. I understand we are suppose to get some of the moisture from the storm hitting Florida this week. Even with all this heat we do not need a lot more extra precipitation. Not going to cook today unless something falls out of the fridge and pops itself into a pot. Oh, I could eat but not if I have to go out of my way...Sierra already said she is not coming home after work and I expect Jon will jump in the pool for a while and then go to bed so a meal is wasted on him.

Ate my last cookie so need a trip to Big Lots since they are the only place that sells my brand of ginger snap. Going to move the Martha's and plant just plain geraniums so need pots and dirt. They will do better in the heat and sun and we have plenty of that!!

So a quiet Memorial Day for me but I hope each of you have a cool place to go and enjoy family and friends.

[Paula A]

I read Camino Island and really liked it. I think Rooster Bar is the newest but I just got an email about another new book coming out in Oct.
The rooster Bar has not been one I can just dive into, but I am reading it.

The book I just finished and really liked is No One Ever Asked by Katie Gerhant (?) It takes place in MO and has to do with schools and one poor district losing accreditation and sending their kids to a rich almost all white school...main characters are the moms, teachers (almost all women) involved and it was really good. Surprised me at how much I enjoyed it with no mystery, etc...

[JoGee]

Good morning.
Today, in some way, remember our Veterans and all that they have done, or do for our country. 🇺🇸

No plans in particular for today. It will be 96° today. The heat is climbing again, and i see nothing but the 100°’s ahead. The water I put out for the birds evaporates surprisingly fast. I wonder if the birds will like an ice ring in the birdbath?

So yesterday I made BBQ chicken tenders in the crock pot. I doctored the BBQ sauce, and E said it was his new favorite meal. It was simply the BBQ chicken, mashed potatoes, and cold pickled beets. I have the beet juice left to make some pickled eggs for him.

I need a haircut. I still can’t get my hairdresser’s online reservation system working for me. I emailed her about that, and said to expect me to call first thing Tuesday for an appointment. The salon is closed on Sun-Mon. So sometime this week, I hope. We have plans Tuesday with E’s old buddy for dinner, then Saturday with nephew & niece for (maybe dinner) and we have tickets for the Gaslight theater. This particular show is one of my least favorites of all, but hopefully the newer actors will put a different spin on it. It’s a Jimmy Dean movie kind of show, the race car thing.

Well, that’s my news. Now it’s time for my breakfast and consider what to do today.
Hope you have a super-duper good day! 🤗

[Paula A]

Good morning to you all and it is a beautiful Memorial Day here.

One of my Facebook widow friends lives on the big Island and posts pictures and maps of the volcano area. One day she had to post and ask what was on the news over here because all kinds of family and friends were calling and texting to see if she was all right.
So, I tend to agree with ARM about the news media...

I have a day spread all over the place. going to my friend's parents around 1:00 for a bbq; taking my mom to the cemetery before then to see all the flags and to put out some more flowers, and doing some yard prep for outdoor play. It rained all day Friday and all the kids thought we were going to have water play.
This week the temperatures are going UP and I need to be ready.

I can't believe June is in sight!

Donna, if you can post a picture here or on FB of the window box, that would be great! What a blessing to have a friend who can come and do all that and bring plants as well as muscle! I am watering and weeding the planter area out front so we can plant some flowers. I bought Black eyed Susan seeds and want to get them started. I also have to figure out how to protect my begonias that are out front and in the sun...it won't be pretty probably, but I love them and they are getting big enough that I want to keep them going, not just replace every year.

Jo, the dinner sounds good to me! I need to get some new recipes for chicken. You and Donna (with her orange chcken) have got me on a search.

Hope you all have a wonderful day. So thankful for all who serve and protect.

[JoGee]

Paula, to about a half bottle of BBQ sauce, I just added a good splash of lime juice, I had about 1/2” of raspberry vinaigrette in the bottle to use up so added that, and about 1/3-1/2 cup pineapple juice. It’s suppossed to be topped with pineapple salsa, but I didn’t have any crushed pineapple on hand. But the flavor of the sauce was very good by itself. I let the pickled beets add with its tangy sweetness take its place as a side dish. I figured the mashed potatoes would balance all the tangyness of the rest of the plate.

I’m thinking of using up a lot of leftovers in a salad tonight. The small amount of leftover mashed potato will get beaten into eggs with other veggies and cubed ham or a bit of chicken into a scramble or omelette within a couple of days.

[Aunt Maye]

Good Evening ,,
a really lazy day here , altho' I seem to be busy while Kat and DAvid slept.. laundry.. thats 3-4 trips up/down basement stairs.
made a good lunch, home made potato salad. a hamburger, enhanced with onion mix, some rolled oats. and catsup.. small salad , green beans ( for me,) baked beans for David..

just now ,accidentally let Kat out . so had to go coax. beg and get her back inside. that took 1/2 hour.

Donna had invited us to her evening picnic but DAvid is so Wobbly on his feet this last week.. just wanted to watch movies on TV.. Thanks Donna, you are a dear niece.

bought the marigolds , now to get help getting them planted this week..

you guys have got me curious to try the Grishams books again.. .. will go see what and where they are available..

see you all tomorrow.