Quiet times

Its been a quiet two weeks for me - not too much news to tell and with just little ole me here, kinda boring, which is 100% ok.    I've had a lot of time to sit and really think about my new mantra: "what does Gina want?"  The answer to that in the long term is coming along, but in small everyday ways, I apply it, too.

Hearts I sewed for IFAQH

What does Gina want to eat? {not salmon!} How does she want to spend her free time? {not at Highlands!}  What time does she want to go to bed? {whenever she damn well wants to!} How does she want the house to look?  {must be painted, needs new flooring} What does she want to keep? {not two of everything!}  To toss? {this leather couch needs to GO} Stuff like that.  I basically,  finally, gave myself permission to put my wants first.

I'm just going to casually leave this right here...

So in the midst of that, focusing on me, I haven't had too much news to fill two blogs with.  I will still post, just maybe not as often?  I dunno.  It kind of feels like there's no "family" news to post here.  The kids are all off and doing their own thing:  Firstborn at his job in Georgetown as a mechanic, The Girl in Austin as a CPA, Scout and Dutch are quietly living married life, both working at a grocery store, and Bubbie is earning some money over the summer in his college town.  And I don't have anything currently I want to rant about on the other blog.  But I'm sure I will...eventually.  

Lots to think about and decide, and there's no rush...

Gina

Empty Nest menu #125

Summer is moving right along, the days getting hotter.

Its going to be an easy meals and take-out kind of week!

Monday - Rotisserie Chicken with a rice packet that I will add veggies to

Tuesday - Skillet Tilapia with onions and peppers, zucchini

Wednesday - Leftover Taco Skillet with avocado

Thursday - Beef Fajita strips over chopped salad with black beans

Friday - TBD {on call the next three days and will likely be working - may as well eat out}

Saturday - TBD

Sunday - TBD

Gina

5 thing Friday - BBQing, Bubbie, quilt blocks, hat, car music display

 I was a little frustrated that the cast iron grill wasn't getting hot enough, and food was taking longer to cook, until I realized I could add two bricks to the very bottom of it, RAISING the coals pan up closer to the grates.

A hop, skip, and jump later I had jalapeno cheddar sausage bombers.

Someone should really teach me how to take pictures of the people I love.  I am so bad at it.  But anyway, here's Bubbie!  He always looks like he needs his laundry done, a good meal, and a decent night's sleep.

College life.

I now have all of the tee shirt quilts blocks cut out.  Now its time to assemble them somehow.

I took a pic of my new $7 thrifted straw hat on my head and The Girl laughed.  But its exactly what I was looking for and the price was right.  I plan on wearing it while I get sun at home.

I just realized that I can change the display in my car to show temp, mileage, time, and music details.  I never even knew I could do that...and please notice the temp in my driveway.  Right now there are rain clouds above us and I am praying for some rain!

Gina

Empty Nest menu #124

My sister has been very encouraging, trying to get me to come to Georgetown for various activities and things... 

...and on a recent Sunday I did.  Which was good for me, in more ways than one.  I'm not trying to avoid family, just trying to take time for me.

Monday - Barbacoa Baked Potato with cheese, sour cream, and pico de gallo*

Tuesday - Chicken Fettucine Alfredo, green beans or salad

Wednesday - Steak Bites, twice baked potato, yellow squash

Thursday - Salmon (the LAST filet - no more salmon, thank you!), chopped salad

Friday - Happy Hour with The Girl at her place

Saturday - TBD {might visit my mother}

Sunday - TBD, but Mole Enchiladas sound gooood 

Gina

*let the season of pico de gallo begin!  I'll probably make it once a week until summer is over  (:

5 thing Friday - watch, something cute to wear, woodpecker, airplane plant, jewelry

While I was cleaning out the attic, I stumbled across this vintage Timex in a box of Mark's things.  Now, who it belonged to or why it was there will be a mystery forever. 

But I took it to my favorite watch place and they put a battery in it and were pleasantly surprised that it still told time.  So, I guess I'm one of those people who wear a watch now.

Another selfie to show The Girl that my new cute sandals {that she provided the gift certificate for} go with my new cute Tarjay dress.  Then I took myself to Georgetown to have a beer with my sister and BIL.  I felt cute and comfy once again - a trend I would like to continue.

We had a beer here, and if you live near Georgetown I recommend this place.

I spy a woodpecker - too bad the screen obscures it somewhat.  But he/she had a beautiful black and white speckled body with a red head.  

Crappy pic through a screen, but what a pretty bird!

Since the airplane plant, aka varigated spider/Chlorophytum comosum/spider ivy made such a robust baby I plucked it off and have it sitting in water in the kitchen window.  It will go to live with The Girl after I transfer it to a pot.

The Spur ladies hit it out of the park with the idea sketches for my un-worn and sentimental jewelry.  In case you have never heard of Spur, they take your jewelry and re-purpose it into pieces that you will actually wear.  Because as they say, jewelry is mean to be worn!  When I get the finished pieces back, three months from now, I will show what they look like for real!

Meanwhile, since they weren't going to do anything out of the ordinary with the 1800's gold coin I inherited from my late MIL via Mark,  I ordered a bezel for it off Etsy and I am very pleased to wear it daily.

I do love my jewelry, with all of its history and meaning.

Happy Weekend!

Gina

Highlands by the month

I never intended to stop going to Highlands altogether.  Its just that, in the past, it had become a given that its where we would spend every weekend that I wasn't on call.  We were paying zero attention to Camp Rustown and all of the things we needed to work on at our actual HOME.  After Mark died, I released myself from the every single weekend obligation.

Every time I come up here I feel overwhelmed and anxious, teary and confused.  What in the hell am I going to do with this place?  Not to mention, when? How?

Its really like seeing a dying dream.

Mark was in charge of so much stuff there - like he literally did it without explaining to or teaching me.  I don't know the first thing about so many aspects.  It feels like beautiful chaos.  A lonely place for me.

It was his "Shangri La", not mine, but I did love being here with him.

The grass is so high.  The pipes are still broken.  The canoe is still leaning against the fence.  I don't know how to change out the under-sink water filter.

And it feels a little ghostly to me, even if it also bring happy memories.  I feel like I am very very slowly coming to terms with what I will need to decide for its future.  It breaks my heart a little to think of someone else building their little country home up here.  Just wrecks me.

It was supposed to be our place.

This past Saturday I gathered as many bluebonnet seeds as I could find.  I never saw more than half a dozen bluebonnets up here this spring.  (But I did find seeds so maybe I just missed them?)  In any case, these are destined for a small patch of grass in front of our house where he died.  If that's weird, I don't care.  I want wildflowers to thrive there, not traumatic memories.

I decided I would come up here a minimum of once a month.  If even for an hour or so.  Just walk around, take note of things, just like he and I used to do. Month by month I hope to figure it out.  But I can't avoid coming here just because it makes me cry every time.

Gina

Empty Nest menu #123

I really have been cutting back on eating out, just for economy's sake.  But every now and then I do splurge - like on this Greek salad with garlic knots, and a beer last Saturday at Slapbox.  Worth it.

Lunch at a shady picnic table always tastes better!

Monday - Chopped Salad with rotisserie chicken

Tuesday - Tater Tot Casserole for one (loaded with veggies!) {Flag Day}

Wednesday - Grilled Chicken, twice baked, zucchini

Thursday - Fish Tacos with homemade pico de gallo, and black beans

Friday - Happy Hour with The Girl {making Mexican Rice Skillet and serving margarita wine}

Saturday - Grill something {beer release at STW}

Sunday - TBD - maybe leftovers, maybe a lunch with my peeps

Gina

Father's Day 2022

I came across this photo while I was getting rid of some old files.  Its me, The (unborn) Girl, Mark, and Firstborn.  All four of us on the "Ginamac" boat.  Me sunning, Mark teaching Firstborn how to fish, waiting for a new baby's arrival, enjoying our Summer of 1991.

 

All of us blissfully unaware of the future, frozen in time.

Happy Father's Day*, Mark.  I could not have picked a better Daddy for my children.  We all miss you terribly, but I will smile through the tears next Sunday, remembering you and what a huge difference you made in our lives.

Gina

*someone asked me last weekend what I had planned for Father's Day and I told her about Mark, she said "I did not see that coming...".  So then I felt a little like a jerk, but there's no sense in not owning that reality, is there? 

Little project (fail) - a leaky faucet

I don't mean for this to sound like a complaint post but it is what it is...Many months ago - many - I pointed out to Mark that the backyard faucet was leaking.  What I didn't know at the time was that its a relatively easy fix.  Like my daughter and I like to say, I "googled that sh**".  Why he didn't/wouldn't address it I will never know.*  Its frustrating to me as he could have taught me how to do so many things.

But on a recent Saturday, it was time for me to get it done.  I watched a couple of You Tube videos, gathered my tools, and headed to the front yard to cut off the main water.  A friendly neighbor came by, gave me his condolences for Mark since he had heard much about him from another neighbor (?), and gave me pointers which were greatly appreciated.

It was all going swimmingly, until I couldn't get the screw loosened that holds the handle securely to the valve.  A useless trip to Home Depot, and a person giving me bad advice, followed.  Much frustration.  I know EXACTLY what the issue is, I just need to get this dang handle off without stripping the screw so I can replace the valve washer.  My Sunday was dripping away, too...I put everything back as it was and went to meet my sister for a beer.  Life is too short.  I need to find a new handle/valve combo from a plumbing supply store who has employees who know what they are talking about OR get them to help me get that screw loosened.  I have the completely wrong part to return to Home Depot, but that's a minor inconvenience, considering.  What I really want is for my faucet to stop leaking!  No telling how that is affecting my water bill.  But it doesn't take whiskers to fix this and I will try again!

Gina

*My theory is that his head and his heart were always at Highlands.  Things at Rustown took a back seat...That's OK, I will eventually catch up on odd jobs like this, and learn so much in the process!

**update**

Long story short:  I think I fixed it.  I got the right size washer and some plumbing packing and tried again.  The water has been on for an hour and the hose left unattached and still no leak...

Empty Nest menu #122

Once it starts getting super hot here, I like to "grill" inside using my trusty cast iron grill pan.  In the A/C... 

This one was a gift from Mark for some occasion - he had a passion for cast iron.  I have to say, its a lot easier than firing up the grill and fighting off the flies.  A little seasoning and some oil is all you need!

Monday - Grilled Pork Chop, garlicky rice, broccoli {The Girl comes to pick up Teddy}

Tuesday - Chicken Thighs, mini potatoes, rest of the broccoli

Wednesday - Out {Beer Necessities at Adelbert's}

Thursday - Beef tips with O&P*, baked potato, salad, roll

Friday - TBD

Saturday - Shrimp Tacos

Sunday - Dinner with The Girl

Gina

*Steak wasn't something my mother ever cooked when I was growing up.  However in high school, I worked briefly at a Western Sizzlin' and I remember beef tips with onions and peppers, Texas Toast, a baked potato, and A1 sauce to dunk the steak bites in.  That's what I'm going for here: pure 70's nostalgia on a Thursday night!

5 thing Friday - beer, cute dress, tacos, yard, work

Last weekend started off sweet with a couple of beers and long talks with an old college roomie.

Before you know it, three hours had passed!  We sat outside so we could chat, but its nice that they had live music for the happy hour crowd.  It was a shot in the arm for me to just sit and talk with a friend.

The Girl came over on Saturday and helped me finish cleaning the gutters (BLESS HER) and brought me a dress she was intending to return to Target.  But it fits me and was super comfy and felt cute!  So now its mine!

I took my comfy and cute self* to a brewery for Saturday lunch - puffy tacos and cold IPA at this place Mark and I had visited long ago.  The name has changed but the beer was good and lunch was tacos which can never be wrong.

On Sunday I scattered more grass seed in the back and fired up the sprinklers.  I'm pleased that the yard seems to be recovering from 5 years of us ignoring it.  Go me.  For so many things.

Memorial Day was like any other day, truly.  I got up, ate breakfast, showered, went to work for 8 hours, came home and made dinner, emptied the dishwasher, ran a load of laundry, ate, and watched the rest of a show on Netflix before bed. 

I have no idea what my peeps did.

I guess this is the new normal at my house for such holidays.

Happy June!

Gina 

*trying, really trying, to give myself into a little more love when I look in the mirror...

Art from the ordinary

I downloaded an app to my phone that makes your photos into watercolors.  They're just ordinary photos, but the app makes them really pretty!

Now such an app is nothing new - it was just fun to play with.  These photos are all from Instagram posts of mine of Highlands.

I picked these scenes to play around with because I knew the colors would turn out so pretty.  And I wanted to fill a space in the den bookcase with something besides candles...

I picked the one of the swing to print.  Its bittersweet to look at the picture of an empty swing for two at Highlands, but a true reminder of the many happy times I sat there with Mark, talking about life, watching the sun set.

A couple of months ago I made and printed one as a wedding gift for Scout and Dutch.  You can't see her face, true, but you do see a deep and joyous hug.  I might make another one for them with a picture of her wiping a tear of joy from her eyes - so sweet.

Not so ordinary after all.

Gina

*the one I used is called QniPaint, and its free, but there are many!