5 thing Friday - work anniversary, summer heat, moving Bubbie, refreshing my spaces, easy dinner

What a week it has been. 

I started off by celebrating my 31 years as an X-Ray tech with my weekend co-workers.  A nice group of people, no drama and usually a smile on their faces.  I think this is the most peaceful group I have yet to work with!  It makes Monday seem very loud...

The neighbor that lost half of the tree when it unexpectedly fell, just went ahead and cut the rest of the tree down. It had some weird looking places on it - was most likely dying.  But man, this makes the view different in my backyard. The grass is really suffering back here and I have had zero time or energy to water it. Its just too hot out.

I work at my puzzle table a few times a week and it helps to make me feel calmer.  This one was given to me by a friend, but I also find them at Half Price Books and Goodwill.  The Girl says she has some I can do, too.  That puzzle table was a good idea!

Moving day dawned.  Once the office was opened, Bubbie paid his deposit, got his keys, and we were in business. Between he, The Girl, Scout, and myself we got most of his things loaded into our cars and up a flight of stairs to his new place, which is very nice. I am doing my best not to worry.

 

On Thursday, I unloaded the rest of the room right out into the garage. I wore myself out, but it made me feel productive.  It's decision time: either take it with you or donate/recycle/trash it.  I already have plans for that room.

Moving during the hottest time of the year is a Cannary family tradition, I guess.  So is getting a cold beer afterwards.  I treated myself to an apricot Belgian white while I sat and journaled.  Incidentally, this is the place where I discovered I had a very flat tire after meeting up with a friend.  Returning to the scene of the crime, ha ha.

I also thoroughly cleaned and restocked my fridge and freezer.  I know it just looks like a lot of bevvies in there, but I also cooked taco meat and chicken breasts to freeze, along with portions of ground beef and some frozen veggies.  I should be able to feed myself pretty easily and now all of the space in here is MINE.

I gave the guest bathroom a refresh and deep cleaning, hung a new shower curtain and liner, hung those plaques I had found at Goodwill months ago, swapped out the outlet cover, put the new towels in the linen closet, put some tub appliques down, washed the rug, added a plug-in air freshener.

Its not fancy, but it is clean and useable once more.

The only cooking I did this week was very easy and should last me at least three days - Suddenly Salad pasta mix with added sauteed shrimp, extra peas, and quartered cherry tomatoes.  Quite good.  After we finish up moving the rest of the stuff out of my garage I will get myself ready for the weekend then plop myself down and read until bedtime because I am TIRED.  

Happy weekend!

Gina

Dinner date with Firstborn

 I had dinner with an attractive fellow on Friday night.  We had Chinese food on paper plates in his tiny apartment.  I took him a beer.

Firstborn AKA Burlyman aka Spencer.

But when he was very little we called him Boober.

A couple of the photos made me catch my breath when I looked at them later.

His facial expressions are pure Mark.

He's not a fan of posing for photos.

My photography skills notwithstanding, he is 

a nice man who loves his family and works hard.  He has his head screwed on straight and is someone who will take the lead in his tribe of siblings. He has come a long way and learned a lot of life lessons.  I am proud of him and enjoy seeing him, so we need to have dinner together more often!

Gina

5 thing Friday - BTS, book club, deer, tire woe, end of physical therapy

I pride myself on not having to know when the first day of school is now.  For years, the back to school prep for four kids during the hottest part of summer almost sent me over the edge.  When I see moms in the store, list in hand, kids trailing behind them, I feel thankful.

Some places are calm and quiet now, like Half Price books, where I sold back almost all of the DVDs, a couple books, and a puzzle while I picked up a copy of the next book for book club.  I figure I will keep book club, even though they lean towards Sci/Fi.  It was fun to meet other adults for a beer and talk.

I was noticing that this particular shrub out front didn't look as full as the others.  Was I not watering it enough? (we definitely need rain) Same with the Wandering Jew pictured below...

A bunch of the tops were gone and I noticed a leaf now and then outside of the edging.  Then early one morning I noticed two deer in the front yard, feasting.

A quick order to Home Depot and a painless pick-up process got me a spray bottle of deer spray.  Do you know they make a spray for just about anything you want to discourage in your yard?  It smells so bad, but it actually works.  I am OK with the deer peacefully chowing down in the nearby greenbelt.  But in my landscaping, they are giant rats and need to mosey on.

Brigid managed to run over a carpet razor, slashing herself*.  I should have taken a photo of it - it was impressive.  Props to Traveler's roadside assist who sent someone out in 6 p.m. Austin traffic within minutes to change the tire.  Then it was off to Discount Tire the next day for a new tire and the hazard certificates on all four tires.  July and August have been pricey months.

*note: I think I handled that pretty well!

This week was my last in physical therapy for my old lady shoulder.

The PT asked me how I felt and said she thought it could be graduation day for me - yay!  I got through my routine in record time and banged the celebration gong while everyone applauded, then signed the banner.  I have been a bit sore here and there, but feel back to being strong.  I will continue my home exercises and be mindful of body mechanics.  Work smarter, not harder, Gina.

Happy weekend!

Gina

Thankful today

 Its been a crazy summer - every other week it seems like there is a new thing to deal with.  I could get myself worked up over the hard stuff, or I could reframe it.  It seems right to acknowledge the struggles, but maybe just as right to express the gratitude, and may be even more so.  Gratitude is hardest to find when you need it the most, but the practice strengthens us and can be life changing, shifting our perspective from scarcity to abundance.  Every day I want to give my brain some proof that life is good.  

So this week:

*I am thankful that I have the money to buy a new tire after I ran over a carpet razor!  The new tire is on its way to the store as I type this, and by tomorrow this will be remembered as a minor inconvenience.

*I am thankful for my friend, Deb.  She loves and accepts me without judgement and has been a good listener these last few weeks. Having this strong social connection is a blessing to me.

*I am thankful for the mail order prescription service my employer provides.  They are friendly and helpful on the phone, its cheaper than a retail pharmacy,  and I get my refills delivered to my house fast. 

*I am thankful that the washer repair was relatively fast and easy, and that I had the funds to cover that expense.  I got the new dryer vent installed and the whole nook painted and we're back in business!  

*My shoulder did not hurt with all of the hard work in the laundry nook, so I am counting shoulder improvement as a Big Win.  PT is going well and I am experiencing very little, if any, pain. 

There is a lot for me to feel thankful for right now!

Gina

5 thing Friday - paint storage, thrifting, dinner with Scout, salad weather, tree woes

I really meant to do more painting this week, and organize the paint that I still have so that it doesn't dry out and I can use it in future, if I need to. 

I got the idea to make up these touch up pots that I can keep in the cleaning closet.  Each one will have a mini blender ball and a label with the paint's specifics.  Maybe this will make touch ups easier and the paint less likely to dry to a rock.  

I did a bit of thrifting this week, mainly to leave the house.  But also because I have a running list in my head of things to be on the lookout for, none of which I found this week.

I bought 2 books, 2 new bath towels, a workout tank top, and a cute Old Navy dress.  Total spent was $20 and included a senior discount that the cashier begrudgingly gave me after telling me I didn't look old enough.  Thank you?

Hooray for me not getting lost when visiting Scout for the first time since his move in February.  I took him some dinner, a giant "brookie", and some beer.  I got to meet his cat, Oscar, who is a sweet purr machine.  It was nice to see Scout and I need to do that more often!

He loves thrifting, too.  He saw this mug and thought of me. Sweet!

Its going to be salad season here for a loooong time.  I am leaning into it as it doesn't involve the oven and encourages me to eat more veggies and fruit.  I'm trying to do a better job of  eating healthy and staying away from fast food.

Yesterday I walked onto the deck with my morning coffee and thought there was something different with the view.  Oh yeah - a giant portion of the neighbor's tree is not where its supposed to be!

I aimed my phone over the fence.  Oh, Lord.

A portion of it is right against the fence - I hope it has done no lasting damage.  I never even heard it fall and we had no storm or wind.  So, yeah, I don't know how that happened. But I refuse to get worked up over it.  Things happen. And it didn't hit my tree or house, and a fence is fixable.

Its been a slow news week here - how are things in your world?

Gina

5 thing Friday - fixing and learning things, laundry nook, easy meals, PT, walking

One evening around midnight Bubbie and I were confounded over a chirp in the hallway.  I had assumed that Hubby took the battery out of the carbon monoxide detector years ago when we got a new combo detector hooked into the home alarm system. 

Apparently not.  Since I didn't have a 9V handy I just removed it for the night so we could sleep.  And it got me to thinking about all of the little things I have had to resolve over the last four years.  I have learned how to do far more than replace batteries and light bulbs and I am still learning.  I would love to pass on what I know to my kids, who were also never taught some of these things.  After all, Bubbie panicked a little, thinking it was alerting us to a problem.

This is what ChatGPT suggested when I asked it to redecorate my laundry nook.  It looks very similar to what I already have!

I shopped my house and found these two baskets which originally held DVDs in the den bookcase.  I pulled that small plant out of the front room.  And I bought a reed diffuser to gently scent the area.  Once I repaint (using the same basic color) and remove the door track hardware, I will call it done.

But as of right now, the part to fix the washer is on order and will not get installed until next week.  Its a good thing I have three weeks' worth of scrubs to wear.

I am still loving dinner salads with a nice glass of kombucha.  This is on regular rotation in my menus because even if I am back to cooking, I don't want to do it every day.

Sometimes, you have to let someone else do the cooking, and that's OK.

Even if it means you sit quietly in your car at a park, or an abandoned carwash next to the food trailer for breakfast tacos.  Its all good!

Physical therapy kicked my rear this week and yet I still found time for my walks.  Its hot, humid, and fairly terrible.  But I feel strong and heat acclimated and no way am I going to stop pressing on.  And I have even done my exercises at home, though I am sore.

Hooray for a dear friend and her helpful hubby who gave up some of their Wednesday evening to help me with the switch to the new disposal.  Even though I want to be as independent as I can be, its helpful to be shown how to do something.  Its like being taught to work a puzzle and it feels so good to learn these things!  I know I will not always be able to get it on the first try, but I am willing to learn and I think that philosophy will help me in many ways.

Happy August!

Gina