Saw Christmas cheer

 It was on a particular night, when I was heading home from work. I was waiting at the red light getting ready to turn. When I saw what looked to be a dune buggy? It was driving down the road decorated in Christmas lights. I turned and drove behind the dune buggy, and was filming it when it turned on another street. My seeing it was only a few minutes long. Yet it sure put a smile on my face, after a long 12 hours at work. 

Last vacation of the year

 So it begins. This is my last vacation of this year. I had people ask me, “where are you going?” I tell them, “my home.” Standing in our living room my husband had asked me, I took my hands opened them up wide and asked him, “what do you think?” He assumed that I would get a rental car and drive somewhere. That or at least take a flight to some city. This plane ride will have to be another year, maybe when I retire. For now, being at home is a great vacation.

Another time

 It’s a cold wet rainy dreary day outside. The best kind of day for walking inside the mall. Walking around the inside. Just have to stop a little while. Sit on the bench and then after a little while keep walking. 

October halfway

 September is gone and we are halfway thru October. I wonder how the days go by so fast. Wasn’t it the beginning of Summer not long ago. What about St. Patrick’s Day celebrations. I remember so many good days before. This is one of good days. Taking a picture of the skies to remember this day.

Music research

 In the middle of the night. Doing research on new music artists. Listening to classical music pieces I haven’t heard yet. The sounds of the oboe is very soothing. It’s like flying on a cloud of music. Then listening to violin music. That is the one instrument I would like to play. So many different kinds of classical music. I have the music playing in the background while I bake some treats in my oven. Then get the tea kettle bubbling. Pour the hot water into a mug over the tea bag. Steep, remove the bag and then add sugar or milk. Have a fresh baked treat out of the oven. Listening to the rest of the music while enjoying my treat. 

Summer sounds

Of the days in Summer, August seems to be the one to lanquish the most. People sitting on the porches with a sweet iced tea in hand, or cold beverage of their choice. Asking other people sitting near by, "is it hot enough for you?" Right now August only has three more weeks left. I look at my list of Summer things to do. It's nice living where there is a actual change of seasons. I smile because Summer is one of my favorite seasons. Sitting on the porch, seeing the fireflies. Listening to the cidadas and wondering why the sounds of Summer are soothing to me. The music of the ice cream truck in the distance. Knowing you are getting a sweet treat, as you clutch the change in your hand. Waiting just waiting for the ice cream truck to drive down your street. The flap of the beach towel as you adjust it on your chair. The crinkle of the suntan lotion bottle, which nowadays is the sunscreen bottle. The splashing of the kids in the pool. The sound of the earth opening up as the sweet corn stalks push upwards to the sky. Growing taller each day, as you wait with anticipation of the first bite at the cookout. The sizzle of the grill as the meal is being cooked over hot coals. The sound of munching on popcorn, as you cross the parking lot at the drive in, leaving the snack bar with your other treats. The tuning of instruments as you wait for the summer concert to begin. Just hearing the crack of the bat as it hits a baseball at a game. The dogs barking and running in the yard as they see the relatives pull up for a potluck supper. Hoping they can get just a bite of what is under the lids of the dishes being toted into the home. The shuffling of the deck of cards after the meal. The light tap of the board game tokens as they cross the board game. Rolling dice and cards being read. The sound of the crank being turned as you make homemade ice cream in the wooden bucket on the back porch. The singing you hear from other peoples homes. The sound of the fan being turned on high. The clink of the ice in the glass. Hearing the sounds of Summer is very soothing to me. 

New schedule

 I didn't know if I should have added an ! to the end of the title. I don't want to get ahead of myself here. The new work schedule wasn't suppose to start until December. Now it might be sooner. It might be Labor Day. Here is hoping it starts soon. After working a lot overtime hours, a little break would be nice.

July 4th

 What a wonderful day. Up bright and early at 4:30 am. The cat is wanting some attention and food. I look forward to the rest of the day. There is much to do, that I am writing a to do list on a 3x5 card. Get chores checked off the list one by one. Add a few fun things to do to the list , create some art, read a book, play a board game. Have a hot cup of tea and listen to some favorite music in the morning. Study the planets more. Buy myself a small treat. 

Almost half in two days

 It will be the second half of the year starting soon. Almost half the year will be gone in two days. I look at my to do lists. So happy with the outcome. Did I get all the things I wanted to finish in June? Some yes, some no. I smile because no matter what happened today. I did get someone to laughing. 

Summer rains

 I don't mind the rain. We need it for the plants, flowers, and crops. Just don't rain on the festivals and fairs we look forward to all year.

May flowers

 Of all the flowers, there are a few that are my favorites. Every year I look at seed catalogs. I pick the perennials. I love to watch them bloom. I was given flowers seeds to plant in a pot. There is so many things to put in the yard like whirligigs. I like the bicycling ones and the bees. There are books and videos on how to make your own. I watch a video of a man make a whirligig of a woman with an umbrella. I look at other people’s yards as I drive past. I like the whirligigs they have. There are a couple more I am going to get for my yard.

One third

 Here it is the end of the April month. One third of the year gone. What has happened? It’s written on all my to do lists. Almost all the things I have done is hand written on the to do lists. Got to take the dog to the vet. On the to do list it goes. Eye or doctor or dental checkup on the to do list it goes. Bringing a baked good and need the few ingredients to bake it. On the to do list it goes. Then the list gets tossed once it’s all checked off. If I didn’t toss all the to do lists I have written until now, you could wallpaper the rooms in my home. The only to do lists I haven’t tossed, is the one thing that I haven’t done. and checked off. It is me, learning to play the guitar. Right now my to do is to get ready to go to work. Yes, I volunteered once again for OVERTIME. I write it boldly so I know which days I have overtime at a glance. That’s four days of overtime this week. So with all this extra money I treat myself and others. This time it was a meal at a restaurant and ice cream afterwards. 

Winds of April

 With the snow gone, we now have the wind taking place of the snow. It was a cold wind. The kind of wind where your jacket helps keep you warm just a little. I know the March winds and the poem about it. I will make up my own poem about the winds in April.

April snow and showers

 Still not surprised that we have snow, we live in the Midwest. Now when we have sunnier days from time to time. Lots of people look forward to it. I know I sure look forward to it.

March madness

 How is it that I have missed making a March entry here. Am I that busy? Yes. Did I work a lot of overtime? Yes. Do I volunteer for overtime? Absolutely! We have a lot of orders that need to get out the factory. So we volunteer and help out when and where we can. I would say that if anyone is looking for a job, it can be found. Especially where I am working, we need people to apply for a job, just like any place else that is hiring. Now I don’t count my overtime pay. I look at is as a bonus. So when I get  the overtime money in my check. I use it to fix something that has broken down. The refrigerator, washer, dryer, car, miscellaneous. Just working day to day and living day to day to take care of what we need. 

February already

 Here it is almost the middle of the month. I have been working a whole lot. I want to go and sit in the sun on my day off. It won’t be too much longer that it will be time for bbq. Time to break out the grill and plan for a specific menu. I have some really good goat cheese to buy to crumble on a salad. Grilled corn with real butter. Some fresh baked rolls and sweet potato baked fries. 

So while the rest of the snow melts, I will take pictures of the weather. I have a knack for taking pictures. This one picture I took was a pizza we baked in the oven. I added the extra pepperoni. It was delicious. 

Happy New Year 2022

It's been a nice New Year's eve. With the parties, the food, the general merriment around the world. It's one of the most festive nights in the year. I spent my New Years sleeping at the stroke of midnight. No singing, no schmoozing, none of it. I just wanted to sleep. I did hang out with my two dogs earlier in the evening. With 2021 there was a lot happening that year. Remembering loved ones we lost in 2021 due to Covid. Hanging out with family and trying new recipes for the weekly family brunches. Weddings we have attended, may love and happiness light your paths. Vacations that are very memorable. Playing board games together. Learning of new work schedules. Hope you find the right job for you. So cheers to the New Year. May it be a better year for all of us.