Summer bucket list

I made out a new bucket list for Summer!

just me admiring a summer pedi (:

continue getting regular pedicures!

give myself more cooking breaks

clean and re-seal the deck

power wash back patio

store the firepit

clean outside windows

paint office furniture

make a plan for replacing the carpet

power wash near front door, touch up the door paint, replace weather stripping

clean a/c coils

get mower maintenance done

clean the gutters

arrange for the oaks to be trimmed

photo project progress

meet up with 2 book clubs

find a new PCP

therapy appt. 2x/month

walk at least three days a week

Port Aransas mini vacay

attend "Cozy Adult Social Hour" at library

plan a family get-together in July

get my RSV vaccine

visit dentist for teeth cleaning

refresh my wardrobe

try a new local restaurant

meet up with a friend at least twice

This time I am placing no monthly deadline on items - just a general goal for end of August.  I want to plan more fun things to do as well as get some of the things done that the rain has delayed.  We will see how it goes!

Gina

Spring bucket list recap

 I got a lot done on the bucket list for Spring!  The rainy days delayed some of these, but whatever didn't get done will be added to the summer list.

I learned how to make chilequiles

Spring Bucket List: 

file my taxes

treat crepe myrtle

paint hall ceiling and attic opening

look into swim lessons

clean and reposition landscape lights

order a swimsuit

go admire some bluebonnets - we had a pitiful showing this year - too much rain?

spiff up the front door area

clean the A/C coils

touch up outside paint

clean the gutters

plan a summer trip Port Aransas in June

finish the photo album project - slowly but surely

watch the bats emerge at sunset at the Congress St. bridge

get the mower maintenance done

mulch landscape beds

powerwash the back patio and front steps

take a calligraphy class

go to the symphony

visit Barton Springs - maybe when its hotter

begin researching: carpeting for house, toaster oven, tub insert for guest bath, fridge, new mattress

see a friend for coffee/beer at least twice

meet with a book club at least twice

try a new thing - Qigong meditation, calligraphy

cook a new dish for myself  Chilequiles!

take one Saturday off and visit a farmer's market or similar

see each of my peeps for a lunch

start getting semi-regular pedicures

meet with therapist twice, minimum

catch some live music

Not bad, and I had a lot on my daily lists.  I am famous for starting projects before previous projects are complete.  I am already putting together my plans for the summer!  

Gina

What the week holds and wall art

It sounds silly to say, but I ran out of ooomph with the corner gallery project.  For one thing, I need more art to fill in the spaces, but I want to curate it slowly.  I stopped into Hob Lob on Friday and found this 16x20 canvas art piece for $12 and thought it would pass the vibe check.  But I have other things I need to be working on, so after hanging it, I am moving on.  For now.

This week I am:

*working the evening shift on Monday

*on call two evenings

*going to make more headway on that photo project

*going to shop for a rug for the front room

*scheduled for a Wednesday appointment

*as well as a Thursday appointment

*walking at least 4 of the mornings

*going to Bertram on Friday for a pedicure and winery visit

*working my normal weekend hours

I also have a new book to read, a bit of yardwork to do, and a plan to make some breakfast tacos for the freezer.  Hooray for June!

What does your week look like?

Gina

Breakfast tacos - I make these like I would be eating them right away, but instead I wrap them in those lightweight foil sheets and store them in a big ziploc in the freezer.  I usually do eggs with a protein, and some grated cheese on bakery tortillas from HEB.  I set one (in foil) in a low oven while I get ready for work, then place the warm taco in my tote bag and head out.  It stays warm about half an hour, then I eat it while I check my email.  (:

5 thing Friday - beer shack, rainy days, easy meals, gallery wall, walking

Way back when, Mark and I used to drive up the road 2 minutes to have a beer at the Whole Foods beer shack and bop around the grocery store. We brought our growler and used to fill it up, then sit on their patio.

The other day I did an Amazon return there (didn't know they had an Amazon desk!) and stopped by the middle of the store to see if the shack was still there.  Lo and behold.  I think I might have found a great place to sip a beer and journal in the middle of the day.

The rain here makes for moody afternoons.

Its nice to have the covered patio while a storm moves in, but I have really been struggling with cloudy day blues.  I am ready for summer and sun and not having 86% humidity every day!  While I was sitting here, small birdies were hopping in and out, looking for shelter.  That's enough rain for now, thanks.

Grocery shopping has been minimal and cooking has been, too.  One night I enjoyed some blackened tilapia, mushroom rice, and corn on the cob.  I had my labs drawn earlier in the week and things look good, so eating at home definitely has health advantages for me.  Still, I am picking very easy things to cook.

The corner gallery is moving along. I shopped my house and found a couple of things to add.

I traced around each one on some kraft paper so I could play with the placement.  Its going to be a process - finding the art I want to add and figuring how to arrange it.

The bunny art got a bit of gold paint, I added a lace heart to the small carved frame, and the MCM frame still needs art. All of these items were thrifted, though there is some art at Hob Lob I am eyeballing.  I will consider this a long-ish term project.  And I need to finish up other projects I've started.

I hate to make excuses, but I just cannot get behind walking or exercising in rainy weather on my days off.  So yesterday was the first time in a long time I was able to get back over to the park track and walk.  However, I have today and tomorrow off and will add it into my morning routine, plus I go in late on Monday so I can walk 5 days in a row next week.

Bring on June!

Gina

Jeannette's Easy Apple Cake

 I had some wrinkly apples to take care of and thought of this snack cake recipe.  Seeing these well-loved handwritten recipe cards is very nostalgic for me.

Easy Apple Cake

2 c. diced apples (I didn't even peel mine)

1 c. sugar

1/3 c. oil

1/2 t. vanilla

1 egg

1 1/2 c. unsifted flour

1 t. EACH baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon

1/2 c. raisins (optional)

dash of milk if batter seems too stiff

The sugar needs to sit on the apples for about 10 minutes to draw out the juice.  But you can get your wet and dry ingredients ready while that happens. (I didn't have raisins to use, so I added in the rest of the chopped dates I buy for my Sunday oatmeal.)

Stir in the wet ingredients first, then add the dry and mix well.  Add a splash of milk if you think the batter is too stiff.  I just happened to have this finishing sugar I wanted to try - so I sprinkled the top of the cake after I poured it into my dish.

If you spray your glass dish with oil, the cake will easily release.

Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes.

It doesn't need frosting because its delicious by itself, but I won't come at you for serving it warm with Bluebell vanilla ice cream.  Wish Mom were here to share it with me...

Happy Memorial Day.  I will be at work.  Maybe enjoying a slice of this cake with my lunch!

Gina

5 thing Friday - Kites, parking for Brigid, thrift shopping, books, Sugar

One day as I was sitting on the deck near sunset, I saw these three birds, obviously hunting, and swirling around above my house.  I have really been loving bird-watching back here.  I use an app that helps me identify birds by their calls.  But these birds were mostly silent.

Turns out they are Kites.

They mainly visit this area April through September.

At one point there were three of them sitting on the power lines above my backyard.  Pretty birds!  Come eat all the insects you want!  I fished my binoculars out of the hall closet so I could use them more often on the deck.  Mostly I see Bluejays, White-winged Doves, Woodpeckers, Carolina Wrens, and Cardinals.

We've had a couple of storms here that threatened hail.  So I put on my Big Girl panties, opened the garage door, folded in Brigid's rear view mirrors, and pulled her into the garage for the night.  Twice. Can I overstate how much I LOVE being able to do this?

 

Just for reference: it looked like this for years.  I will never tire of the before and after of this space.  I am most proud of myself when I see where it stands now.  I love coming out here.

I did some thrift shopping this week.  The lamp was $4, glass baking dish $3,  dress $4, framed art was $14 total (before discounts), and the books around $2 each.

I like these authors and consider them palate cleansers for the heavy hitters we have been reading in the book clubs lately.  I am very happy to have rediscovered reading for pleasure!

A little over 10 years ago we lost Sugar - she was 13 years old.  Someone recently asked me if I had a pet photo to add to the wall they are creating at work, so I sent in this one.  She was so lovely.  A quirky old lady cat, who got easily confused, and loved to scream for more wet food just after she puked what she ate.  But a sweet girl who also loved warm laps.  I won't discount owning another cat someday - but for sure I am not ready now.

Gina

Little project: landscape lighting

 I was finally able to deal with this pile of parts to my solar landscape lights.  I had taken them apart and cleaned with some sudsy Simple Green cleaner, then let them air dry on a towel in the garage.  Then I ordered batteries so each one would have the same bright light.  Then they sat in here for a couple of weeks!

When I pulled them up from the landscaping, my little voice said "don't forget the stakes", but I got lazy.  You need needle nose pliers to get those suckers out of the dirt.  This week, I was happy to find all of them, and even a couple from a previous set - still embedded in the landscaping.

I cleaned those up a bit, too, just so I didn't make a mess in my garage.

I gathered everything together to get each one assembled and ready.  I bought some black Gorilla tape for reinforcement, as well.

 A few of the posts have split over the last three years or so.  Probably from me moving them so much, trying to get the spacing right.  Also the Texas heat!

Split or not, I wrapped both ends of all of the posts.  I used the edge of the tape to act as a sort of gauge for the height of each light when I was putting them back outside.  Worked great.

Its hard to see them during the day, but at night, they are lovely.  And all of them have nice bright lights now that the batteries have been replaced and the clear plastic cups cleaned.

The next day I mowed and edged, and the yard doesn't look as sad as it did in the winter.  I still have more weeds than grass, but everything is green.  I also sprayed deer spray on all of the shrubs.  I'm not running a deer buffet over here.

The lights in the backyard work the same way, they are just heavier.  I only have two of them at either end of the deck, and getting them cleaned up was super easy.  They are so pretty at night.  Now all that's left to do is power wash the concrete slab and clean and reseal the deck, and those are on my bucket list for summer.  Once the weather gets too hot, I plan on relaxing out here more than working on projects!

Gina