One Quarter Down, Three More To Go

April already, the year is a quarter done.   Where did the time go?   It flies by faster the older I get.   And I cherish the good times more and more.

My Grands were on Spring Break this week so we were able to find a little time for fun.  My granddaughter decided that she wanted to learn to make her favorite sweet treats, and one of those treats was a recipe that I have often made for them - lava cakes.   She came over one afternoon and we shipped them up for her to serve her family, who were appropriately impressed.   They are a simple cake to make with a great presentation since the little cakes cut open to reveal a flood of chocolate "lava."  She did a great job, to the satisfaction of all.  Too bad we gobbled them down too quickly to photograph!

She also wanted to start learning to sew, so she practiced on my machine by stitching paper mazes, first with just the needle, and then with thread so that she could see what happens when you forget to put the foot down or move the paper.   She finished her first practice session by making a little stuffed doll-size pillow and was proud as punch.   Next session she will make a little fox pillow from a cute piece of printed fabric that I ordered from Spoonflower -- they have so many cute projects on that site!   I have been eyeing the "it must be bunnies" fabric since one of my screen names is "bunny queen" . . . seems like something I ought to have, no?

I have owed my grandson a special day since his birthday last November, and this seemed like a very good week to get started on that.   So we planned a day at the new Legoland about an hour's drive away, with a visit to the nearly new aquarium at the same place, Great Lakes Crossing in Auburn.   All told, we spent 8 hours of fun.   We saw a 4-D movie, went on a shoot-em-up ride through Lego dragons and spiders, and saw the city of Detroit built entirely out of Legos.  There was a test area where kids could make vehicles and run them down a variety of test tracks,  pits of Legos for building, and a wall where kids could stick Legos to make a design wall.   But the coolest thing, from a 12-year-old's point of view, is that employees all wear a mini figure on their name badge and they are willing to trade; he brought several of his duplicates for just that purpose.   He enjoyed checking them out and making trades for figures he doesn't already have.   He came home with a Lego Trump and a Lego Batman.   Cool beans.

A friend and I went to see Batman v Superman -- the reviews weren't great but I love superhero movies so it was fun for me.    And of course there is always work to do with and for the search and rescue group, as we try to spread the word of the service we offer and to improve our skills so that we will be ready when called.

My backyard is flooded, it is definitely trying to be Spring here even though snow is predicted again this weekend.   I am still working on cleaning out closets and basements and need a handyman for a few repairs but am having trouble finding anyone who wants the work.   My goal is still to list my house and move this year, but it doesn't seem to be moving any closer to completion.   Still, there is no real urgency and I know it will happen in its own time.   For now it is enough to watch the bunnies pairing up in my back yard and enjoy what each day brings.  

Speaking of time flying by,  my 9-year Blog Anniversary is coming up this month.     It just doesn't seem possible that it was that long ago that I started journaling on line.    There will be a giveaway, of course --  I am a well established Slacker, but I'll try to get that up and running in the next week or so, so I hope you'll stay in touch!  :)

Time Flu By

Yes, cough hack sniff headache, I do mean Flu.  It has been a busy couple of weeks and I was expecting to do a lot more, but the Universe had different plans for me.   I came home from my last adventure sicker than the proverbial dog, and it was several days before I was well enough to get up and go, much less o prepare a little food and get up for liquids.  I was just knocked flat.   As proof to you that I was really sick, I missed one of our Dominoes Competitions, a high point of my winter season.  And being sick when there were only 2 more Dominoes Sundays in the season, staying home for one of them, was heartbreaking.

But what a great week I had before I got sick!  I was fortunate enough to be included in the Air Force/Coast Guard Inland Search And Rescue Planning Course, a math-based course that teaches planning theory for cases involving lost aircraft or persons.  The logo on the patch and pin, which can only be worn by people who have earned this credential, portrays the symbolic albatross (good fortune) rescuing a symbolic dolphin (mariner).  Although I have been involved in search and rescue for a few years now, and have even acted as a planner's assistant in a few searches, much in this class was new to me.   Things like IFR/VFR aviation charts, and working in degrees-minutes-seconds and nautical miles instead of UTMs and kilometers.   I know, right?!  Exciting.   The 5-day class involved a lot of study and practice and then ended in a lengthy table-top exercise where teams conducted a mock search plan for a missing aircraft and two people.  Each team successfully recovered all of their targets and we were each awarded the national certification.   It was a lot of work and a lot of fun and I am hoping it will lead to our being able to help a lot more families.  I can't imagine the pain of having someone you love go missing.

Within 24 hours of feeling well again, we got word of a couple of missing people in our area of the state and started the inevitable frustrating process of trying to get local law enforcement to allow our well trained and free resource to respond.   No luck in the first case but thank goodness he was found -- not for several days during which the family was frantic, but at least he was found. 

The second person is still missing although we were finally able to offer some help on Day 5 and I was able to test-drive my new Planner credentials.   Even though we did not have the result we all hoped for, the family had the benefit of our support and of knowing that everything that could reasonably be done has been, at least unless new leads develop.  It is a terrible thing -- and far more common than most people realize -- when families have to go through this kind of suffering on their own without any trained assistance or understanding of what can be done.  Law enforcement generally does its best but is not trained or sufficiently staffed to do the amount of work that is needed.   Fortunately in this case, with the help of more than 100 civilian volunteers acting under our trained Command Staff and Field Team Leaders, we were able to search a very large area,  limiting the places their loved one is most likely to be, and the family was comforted by a wonderful display of community support.   And our search and rescue group made real progress with at least one local law enforcement community, which was surprised to learn that we are exactly as advertised -- trained to national standards, background-checked, insured, working under the authority of a county sheriff, and free.

I also conducted a wedding, in the middle of the search (as I watched one of our search teams walking by!), and have another one planned for the day before Easter.    After a gathering with my family, Easter will also mark the last Dominoes Day, so it will be another busy weekend!

But now I am snowed in with a friend in the middle of another Winter Storm -- about 7 inches has fallen and the ice is forming on top of that.   I made a pot of soup and am happy happy happy to be snug and warm for the next several hours!

But you should see my house and the piles of unwashed laundry -- what a mess!   Maybe next week will be calm enough to do some Housework Damage Control.  :)

Weekend In Chicago

I just spent a fun weekend in Chicago!   Four full days of nothing but fun.    I traveled with a good friend and we went by train, a new experience for me.   I enjoyed the sounds and the swaying of the choo-choo as we traveled our five hour route, and loved watching the people and the scenery.   I will happily travel that way again!

Once in the Windy City (which was, by the way, REALLY windy!), we spent some time in the Apple store (our favorite place!) and then met up with half a dozen of my friend's family members.   We toured each others' rooms to see whose was the coolest (I did NOT win!), and had supper at Cantina Laredo, a Mexican restaurant that is way classier (and more expensive) than the ones in my town.    After that, the little kids went swimming at the hotel and the adults just enjoyed being together.   I got more than my 10, 000 steps in that day - and every day of the trip, for that matter.

First thing Saturday morning we piled into a van and drove to the Shedd Aquarium, beating the long lines that form by mid day.  The little kids (and I) got to pet a sturgeon -- way cool -- and we enjoyed seeing so many amazing sea creatures!    We spent half the day there, and then walked over to the Field Museum to explore Egypt and Greece and dinosaurs.  Later we stopped at Gino's for Chicago style deep dish pizza.   After supper some of us went window shopping before calling it a night.

On Sunday, Valentine's Day, the early risers enjoyed coffee together.    I got roses from my friend and his sister gave me a 'lucky' bracelet.   I felt lucky!   

Once the rest of the crew was up and ready,  we started the day at the Museum of Science and Industry.  I loved that place and, although we spent the whole day, I would have loved time for more.    Next time, that will be my first stop!

Then we shopped and shopped and shopped because it was on my friend's sister's Must-Do list.    We didn't buy anything but we saw lots of fun stuff!   We had supper at Billy Goat Tavern, the little burger joint that was the inspiration for the "cheezburger, cheezburger, no fries" skit on Saturday Night Live years ago.     It was snowing like crazy and the sidewalks were slick with ice, but there was no stopping us.

The rest of the group left for home early Monday morning but our train wasn't scheduled until 4:00 pm, so we had lots of time to shop and explore and visit another relative who lives in the city.   Near the end of our day, we stopped for tea at Starbucks and a homeless street artist did a sketch of my friend.   I loved it.   It looks nothing like him, but the man of mystery appealed to me, lol.

The train ride home was uneventful and a little less fun, both because it was dark for most of the journey and because we were done with our weekend.  

Arrival home was a peaceful event for me, but my friend's furnace had gone out so he arrived to house-temperatures in the low 20's and burst pipes.   We both decided we should have stayed longer in Chicago!    I hope we can do it again soon.  

Organizing My Mind

January was my self-gifted Take-Off month, and I did pretty much nothing, just as I had planned.   February is my month to start to organize myself a little, and - because I was getting bored of Nothing - I have already started.   I am beginning to sort through all those old photos, separating them into Keep, Give Away, and Toss piles.  It looks like an endless job, but I've made a start and went through several hundred photos this weekend.     Only another 10,000 or so to go before I give up.

I sorted through my search and rescue and fly fishing corner, and got rid of the definite Don't Needs, which reduced (but did not really organize) the pile.   I haven't figured out yet exactly how to best organize that sort of hobby stuff.   There are lots more corners to go in my old 2-story farm-style house -- my hospice corner, and my printing corner, and my wedding officiant corner, and my radio corner, and . . . . -- but my Fantasy Goal is to be in shape to have a Realtor walk through at the end of February to give me some data to use for further decision making.   And as I've been telling people, I can hardly claim to be ready to move if I can't even get myself to do this first bit of organization. 

I've written a few letters this month, too, to catch up with people who I'd been out of touch with for quite some time.    A letter to a family-by-someone-else's-marriage woman who I haven't seen since her dad died over a decade ago.   A letter to an old co-worker from a couple of jobs ago.   I still need to write a letter to a law school classmate who I haven't seen in years and to a former sister in law.   And of course my regular pen pals can't be neglected either.   Although letter writing is certainly no hardship, it does take some time.

I've done a little (very little) internet research on some 'job' or volunteer opportunities, looking for ways I could hone my skills if I decide that I want to pursue some formal activity.   Too soon to tell, really, because I am enjoying the low stress, flexible time I am having so far.    I am sleeping til 8:00 am regularly, which seems to me very self indulgent, but I have to admit I like not waking to an alarm.

And I did my taxes, although I am not ready to finalize and send them in yet, to give myself a couple more weeks to watch the mail, just in case I've forgotten something.   My earned income gets smaller every year, so they get easier and faster to do.   I guess that's the silver lining.

So January has been a slacker month, but not a TOTAL slacker month.     Hopefully I can keep up my little bits of momentum and make February a month with a lot to report!

For those of you who have asked, Barbara at Three Cats Ranch gives a good overview of Redwork embroidery in one of her blog posts.    I don't know the origin of the needle nanny (I bet Barb does!) but I will look into it on one of my internet breaks.   The one thing I DO know is that I wanted the one shaped like a bunny because one of my screen names is Bunny Queen, but it was no longer available!    

It is definitely winter here.   Dreary and glum.   I started working on my first redwork embroidery.   I have not embroidered in years (and years) except for the occasional bit of whimsey, and had never even heard of redwork.   While working on the embroidery, I am using my new needle nanny, a gift I gave myself.   I had never heard of a needle nanny, either.   Both redwork and needle nannies were introduced to me by Barbara at Cat Patches.  I haven't started on the (many) French knots yet, but am hoping her direction is going to make them possible for the first time in my life even though they have never worked for me before!  Bloggy friends open up whole new worlds to us, my years of blogging have brought so many amazing blessings, so many unexpected joys.

 

It has been cold this past week, and I have continued to be a big sissy about it all.   The days with snow are not that bad, it is generally a little warmer when it snows and shoveling the fluffy stuff always lifts my spirits.

My son and his sweet wife bought me a new coffee pot for Christmas to replace my well used French Press.  I like a slow drip, low tech coffee.    The coffee I am drinking now is fabulous -- the filtering system removes a lot of the bitterness, but maintains the strong, deep flavor that gets me going.  Perfect for these snowy days.

I hope you are enjoying whatever gets YOU going!  Stay warm out there -- I am sure trying to.  :)

Slowly, Slowly Getting My Groove Back

I am still having fun and still having trouble getting back on track diet and exercise-wise.    A friend of mine got one of those veggie-'noodle' cutters and said that she and her husband really enjoyed them so I ordered one this week.   Maybe lasagna with veggie "noodles" will be on my menu when it arrives!  And I think those bacon-wrapped dates will be my new "candy" indulgence.   They are made of actual food, not sugar or fake stuff, and are very sweet-tooth-satisfying.  Unfortunately, as is true for me with any "candy," I am prone to over-indulge, so I will need to make them just a few at a time.  I learned that lesson the hard way!   I can easily make a meal of them, but I guess it isn't as awful as some of the high-cal and bad for me meals I've had in the past.

I spent one day this week driving Way North to take my brother into the hospital for an out-patient procedure.  Everything went well and I had the chance to spend time with him.   We saw a bunch of deer - I had to stop to allow a group of four cross the road in front of me -- and I saw a huge bald eagle feeding just off the side of the road.    A lovely day for a drive and family time.

I have been wearing my favorite bracelet a lot lately, made for me by my friend Kim at Snug Harbor Bay -- she made it with my name and (amateur radio) call sign -- I like that it was made by hand and that there is no other like it -- and I like wearing it with my fitness band, it helps me remember the fun hobbies I have that make me want to be fit.  :)    Seriously, how cool that you can pick what you want your bracelet to say, whatever it is that inspires you  --  check out her etsy shop. 

I packed away my Christmas stuff, but I wasn't ready to give up the lights so I added these, both on timers, as permanent additions.     I filled one of my conch shells with little fiber optic lights and put up another magnetic flame candle.  I love my candles, all on timers.  It feels good to come home late at night to a house lit with twinkly lights and candles.

And, thinking of all the gifts I DIDN'T make this year, I ordered a couple of kits to start for next year's gifting.     I hope to get started on some crafting soon.   Right now I am enjoying watching some Netflix -- I'm working my way through the series Jessica Jones right now and enjoying it.  I am keen on sci-fi and fantasy.   A good way to spend a cold evening.  :)

I hope you are keeping warm and busy, wherever you are.

New Year New Attitude - We Hope

So far so good.   I've already done a sewing project, a good start to 2016.   I made a (reversible) table runner for my son and his wife -- just an assortment of scraps with no plan or pattern, but I like it.   One of these days I should make one for myself!  Unfortunately I also gave it to them as soon as it was done, so my plan to get started early for NEXT Christmas is already off track!

Yesterday was the first Sunday of what has become a tradidional Dominoes Season.   Three or more of us -- there were 5 yesterday - gather for supper and a spirited series of games each Sunday evening until early Spring, when total scores are announced, prizes are awarded and my dominoes sugar cookies are baked and eaten.   What may be a simple game nonetheless leads to a bunch of smack talk and a lot of laughter.    We all look forward to it all summer and fall.

In honor of the Dominoes gathering, we had lasagna and, as an appetizer, I made a new favorite recipe -- bacon wrapped dates.   They were easy, they are relatively healthy in comparison to my usual favorites, and we all loved them.  That combination of candy-sweet dates with a crispy bite of everything's-better-with-bacon.    Yum.   I stuffed them with walnuts, although any nut or cheese would be just as good.

I am still adjusting to not having a work schedule, which continues to be harder than expected.   After decades of getting up before 6:00 a.m., always always before 7:00 a.m. even on Holidays, I am suddenly snoozing away until as late as 8:30.    It shocks me every day and I keep  hoping I will adjust back -- of course, as you might guess, I am also staying up late in my first thrill of living Like A Grown-Up, and that might be the real issue.     That isn't my only new lazy habit, though.   I am also exercising less, if such a thing is possible.  There were more stairs at work, and more walking back and forth than my new slacker schedule requires.   And of course it's way past time to shake of the carb-licious days from the past weeks of Holiday gatherings.    Changes gotta come.

I hope you are having a great start to the New Year, and that all your changes will be good ones.