5 thing Friday - treats, firewood, Scout's birthday, ravioli, Black Violin

Lately I have been encouraged to do something nice for myself and practice more self-care.  Does that sometimes translate to baked goods in my mind? Why yes.

(but also naps, a good cry, a long shower, reading, eating a good meal...)

Next week is Radiologic Technology Week and typically we get fed treats so I expect there will be more treats like this at my desk.  This one was some kind of cinnamon roll twist from Trader Joe's and was delightful with my coffee.

I figured I was probably going to get more wood than I had space to store on the back patio, but I let the guy just go ahead and stack it neatly there one afternoon this week.  The whole process of buying wood was painless - from ordering it on-line to getting it delivered and stacked.  I asked for 1/8 cord of pecan (low smoke) double split into 12 inch logs.

The next day, I stored some of the excess in the garage and I thoroughly cleaned out my little tooty firepit.  And not a moment too soon as Fall made its grand appearance in Austin this week.  The lows are in the 40s and 50s and feel amazing!

I love this guest bed so much - it was less than $200, was easy to build, and is a super comfy afternoon nap spot.  Knowing that Scout was sleeping on a handmedown bed with 1982 box springs and a mattress from his freshman year in high school, I offered to buy him one for his birthday and go set it up.

I'm not a young chick but I managed to get it into Brigid and off we went.  It took us about 30 minutes to put the bed together, including putting linens on the new mattress.  He will have more storage space underneath and hopefully, better sleep.

While I was there I gave his rescue kitty Oscar lots of pets and love.

Happy Birthday, Scout!

Since the temps have fallen, I am enjoying the oven for no fuss meals.  This is TJ's pumpkin ravioli with their harvest pasta sauce baked in my little glass casserole dishes.  One for Friday, one for the freezer.  If I didn't cook once, eat twice, I likely wouldn't cook at all....but this and a crisp salad makes it easy to pack a nice lunch for work.

Last night I took myself out again - I have been enjoying concerts and such at The Long Center in downtown Austin.

I saw Black Violin with Anthony Abraham and all three gentlemen are very talented.  The BV guys in particular - think high energy hip hop meets classical violin.  Very cool!  I got to bed very late and will probably do a nice long nap today after lunch with The Girl.  Both are nice ways to begin my work week.  Happy weekend everyone!

Gina

Cleaning up the back patio for cooler weather!

Working on the back patio area is something I've been meaning to do for a couple of weeks now.  It kept getting put off due to shoulder pain and major lack of get-up-and-go.  The list of things to do out there seemed long: trim up Lariope and re-mulch it, clean the table and chairs, move the plants around to accommodate the firewood holder, blow the leaves out of the red rocks, power wash all. 

But yesterday I decided I had reached a point where everything was prepped and there was no time like the present to haul out the power washer.  You can see the line marking the dirty slab from the newly power washed - what a difference!  I also hit the deck a lick or two and took care of lots of spider webs.

The day before I had leveled out the pavers with paving sand, so all that was left to do was blow the leaves out and wash the pavers.  Here they are drying.

And as for this small area, those Lariope needed a good haircut, new mulch, and a watering. The ones under my bedroom and bathroom windows got the same pampering.

done! Now to water the grass, which I also raked.

The point of all of this was to create a clean space to enjoy the firepit when cooler nights roll around.

Its not perfect (in some places the slab is stained), but its very clean! No more bird poop or mold. And my shoulder did not hurt at all!

I moved the Ficus tree to make space to set up a firewood holder.  In the process I disturbed a large nest of yellowjackets that had made their home in the branches.  I murdered every one of them, not sorry.  I will likely leave the Ficus here until spring rolls around.  It is way too heavy for me to keep moving it and I can just protect it with a tarp for winter.

I got this firewood holder from Amazon (easy to put together) and ordered a load of pecan wood cut small enough for my little firepit.  It should be delivered in plenty of time for Thanksgiving.  I am so looking forward to sitting out here on cool nights with a glass of wine.  Simple pleasures after a bunch of hard work! 

Gina

5 thing Friday - walking laps, Thanksgiving sammie, bathroom organization, new couch, spiffing

 I have been off the last couple of Mondays, giving me 5 days free in a row, so I am trying to use them well.  One of the things I am doing is walking at a brisk pace for at least 30 minutes a day.  I have mostly been going up to the park about a mile from my house and walking the gravel track.  Each lap is .78 mile and I do 3 laps.  I usually listen to Brene Brown or something similar.

Its still hot here, we need rain and everything is dry and crunchy, so I go early in the day.  By the first of November I want to be up to 4 laps here, so that the Turkey Trot doesn't seem like torture by the time Thanksgiving day rolls around.  The trot itself is a total of 5 miles and I'm not going to time myself, but I would like to walk there, do my laps, and be home within 2 hours.

Last year I made a Thanskgiving sammie that was essentially Stovetop stuffing layered with turkey and sliced cranberry jelly on a bun.  You know I had to do it again this year.  I got four big sammies made until I ran out of turkey.  This year I am roasting a turkey and making my own stuffing and I am rather looking forward to it.

One day last week I was rooting around under my bathroom counter for toothpaste and didn't find any, so I bought more.  Well, guess what I found when I was putting it up? So much toothpaste!  I'm all set for a couple of years...

I hauled those stacking bins up to the counter and went through all of them, replenishing what I needed elsewhere and making a mental note for the rest.  I even cleaned out the vanity drawer.

My mother used to do the same thing with toilet paper - she would forget that she had enough to last through the End of Times.

I also cleaned up the medicine cabinet because I was on a roll.

The new couch is here!  I bought a small side table from Target to set my book/glasses/cup of tea.  Moved the silk rug into the den, along with the faux fiddle leaf fig.  A quilt and a few pillows and I am all set for comfy reading!  I love it.

I also purchased this pretty brass and wood clock for the bookcase.  Everything got dusted and swiffered and I lit my wax tart burner and dang if its not COZY.

I moved the Turkish rug into the front room, knowing full well I will have to move it again when I paint, but since my shoulder is still acting the fool that won't be anytime soon.  Sigh.  Maybe after Christmas!  I think that's enough putseying and chores now, its time to go read.  Have a good weekend!

Gina

The next space to freshen

The next room that needs a refresh is the living/dining room.

Basically I just keep it clean and sparsely decorated so it's rather blah. 

Well, maybe not blah, but definitely needs freshening up!  My plan is to:

*patch nail holes and paint the walls (probably a similar shade of soft beige - not reinventing the wheel here)

*remove the vintage portraits above the china cabinet and store them

*refinish the top of the dining table

*remove the framed prints by the windows (not shown)

*give everything a major clean

*touch up the front door paint

*maybe get a new rug at the entry

*change up the window cling on the arched window? (not shown)

*rearrange furniture?

*get it all ready for Christmas!

Most of this will wait a couple of weeks when my shoulder is settled down more, and if it doesn't happen in October, it will have to wait until January.  I would like for the holidays not to involve big projects!  What about you?  Got any home plans for Fall?

Gina

5 thing Friday - concert, plumbing, bonus room, front door, Chloe

I took myself out on Tuesday night.

Jeff Goldblum and the Mildred Snitzer Orchestra were performing at the Bass Concert Hall on the UT campus.  Finding my way to the theater from the parking garage should have been easier, but there is a lot of construction and I exited the garage on the wrong level!  I went to UT for 2 years and was a tour guide with Alpha Phi Omega, so you would think I could find my way around?  I guess not!

He entertained the audience with his quirky wit before the show.  My tickets got upgraded to the orchestra section for free so I had a great view.

And they were very talented.  They were joined by a singer from the Broadway cast of Wicked and she was really good, too!  I didn't get a photo of her because I was livin' in the moment.

I kept hearing a sound that I thought was the toilet running.  Couldn't figure out how and why...turns out, it was the faucet in the tub.  Running a steady stream of hot water, no matter how far to COLD it was turned or how hard I pushed it in.  At least 5 days of that - I will hate to see my water bill.

So, $355 later, it was fixed by a guy my plumber sent over, who informed me that I could "get one of my sons" to caulk around the tub drain until such a time as I could buy a new tub insert.

Look.

First of all, no sir. That, in fact, does not require whiskers. And stop calling me Miss Gina.  Second of all, no one takes baths in here, so I'm going to caulk this my damn self and go on living my life.

I spent HOURS this week trying to hang mini blinds in here.  Twice, I brought the wrong size home, even after I felt like I had measured it correctly.  Then I had to use the new hardware that came with the blinds, so I had to remove the old brackets and install the new ones which was a pain in the rear, and then it was so hard to get the new blinds snapped it.  I also discovered that the casing for the curtain was too narrow for the curtain rods I bought.  So I adjusted that with my trusty sewing machine, cleaned the curtain, and FINALLY called it all done.

I have steam cleaned this carpet 3 times.  I don't know what all Bubbie spilled on it, and I'm trying not to complain about it so much but it was also a giant pain in the rear.  All I wanted to do was get this room cleaned and painted and set up nicely. Sheesh.

I took a break from working on the guest room to put together a Fall basket for the front door.  Cost was zero dollars.  I guess it will stay this way until I decorate for Christmas.  Doesn't that seem far away?  Its only 105 days away, folks.

And, finally.

Today is The Girl's Birthday.  These are photos from her first morning at home. Her name is Chloe Erin, aka Coco, aka Coconut.  She is my smart and beautiful only girl and I cannot believe she is 34.  Mark and I looked so young, but we were about 30 years old and thought we had a lifetime ahead of us.  Seeing him with her wrecks me a little.  She was Daddy's Girl.  Its a bittersweet day here, for sure.

Gina

5 thing Friday - Thanksgiving sub, widowing, front door spiffing, walking, Fall heat

 One day last week I had a Thanksgiving sub from Firehouse on the suggestion of a friend - and I also ate it al fresco at a local park.

It was delish, but I thought "Oh, I could make a better one", then I remembered I wasn't going to make a traditional Thanksgiving dinner.  I'm going to have to buy the ingredients to make one these sammies.  I'm thinking some sliced deli turkey, a box of Stovetop, a can of cranberry jelly, and a sub roll.  I'm already looking forward to recreating it.

I know some people will be shocked to see this ring on this blog, but I feel like wearing it on my wedding ring finger will make me chuckle and give rise to some very honest thoughts.  I didn't want to be a widow and I hate having to do everything that Mark never showed me how to do, no matter how capable I feel.  And I think it is normal and OK to express that.  I'm not wearing it for anyone but me.  Same as the tat.

I did a load of errands the other day (getting my hair cut, mailing a box, doing a bit of thrifting) and as I passed Home Depot I remembered I wanted to replace the front door outside mat.  Decisions, decisions. I picked the black and brown one which matches the front door.

I also popped in to Hob Lob for a spray of artificial Fall leaves to add to the hanging basket.

I wiped down the door, spiffed the basket of greenery, swept the bricks.  Pretty soon it will be time to take Fall down and decorate for Christmas!  I was going to put up the trees today (no ornaments) but we will see how industrious I feel.

I know it looks like Fall in this photo, but the A/C is on at my house and the temp outside is 83.  In November!  This dead tree on the grounds of the church a few blocks away looks like it could tell some stories.  This whole area was pasture way back when.  Imagine how many cows sat under its shade.  I like that they left it here like some kind of sculpture!  I have really enjoyed my walks and see something new every time, but I wish we could get a break from the heat.

Happy November!

Gina

5 thing Friday - enchiladas, Scout, yards, protein, projects

 I'm doing OK with the "cook once, eat twice" method.  Last week I did a couple of small dishes of enchilada casserole using up some corn tortillas, cheese, taco meat, and sauce from the freezer.

These little glass dishes are perfect for that.  They come with lids that snap on, and they are easy to pack in my lunchkit.

This person (Scout) has a birthday coming up next week.  Its been a tough couple of years for him, and though I will miss him terribly,  I feel like I need to encourage him more to find an apartment and make a stab at autonomous living.  I'm going to make him some homemade cookies, buy a birthday gift or two, chat with him again.

I've said it before: parenting adults is hard.

My yards are fully into drought mode, the grass barely growing.  The sprinkler system went kaput and I spent a tiny fraction of time watering them over the summer.  It just seemed so pointless with the triple digit temps.  I read somewhere that we are wasting way too much water on our lawns and we really should be xeriscaping, with native grasses and plants.  There is ONE house on my entire block that has green grass and I imagine they water it often.

I bought some protein snacks at HEB that were buy two, get one free.  I'm actually not a fan of protein added foods - have you ever noticed they have a weird texture?  Its like sawdust is the prime ingredient.  That being said, I have managed to add more protein to my day, and according to the dermatologist, this is key for hair growth.

I got as far as purchasing the weather stripping for a couple of Fall projects - now if I could only get started on them. Procrastination is high at Camp Rustown, motivation is low.  If we could just get some Fall-like weather!

Gina

Monday menus #91

This week might be my easiest menu in a long time.  The only thing I'm really cooking is stew, and all that involves is cutting up meat and adding it to the crockpot since I am using whole mini potatoes and frozen green beans.  One small pot of stew will equal two meals and two future meals.  The chicken for the salad and taco nights is already cooked. 

Monday - Chicken Salad with romaine, chickpeas, bell pepper, purple onion, grape tomatoes {off work today}

Tuesday - Crockpot Pork Stew made with mini potatoes and green beans {HOA Ice Cream Social in the p.m.}

Wednesday - No cooking whatsoever - overnight cabin visit in the Texas Hill Country

Thursday - leftover pork Stew {telehealth visit in a.m., followed by lunch and shopping in Wimberley}

Friday - Chicken Tacos with rotisserie chicken, lettuce, tomatoes, salsa, cheese {light housework catch-up}

Saturday and Sunday - kitchen closed {Mark and Gina 39 years}

Gina

5 thing Friday - needles, spiced coffee, potpourri, techie, ladder

 I had quite the fun/painful week.

(covered in tegaderm which I will remove later today)

On Tuesday, I got a largish tattoo on my left arm.  Eventually I will add more to it, and I will take a photo of the whole thing to show when it is more healed.  Then we will chat about it!

Adding vanilla protein milk to Trader Joe's pumpkin spiced cold brew is a delightful mid-morning iced coffee break.  Although the weather here is heating back up, I can sip this and pretend we will get cooler temps before October rolls around...I think of The Girls' birthday (yesterday) as being the official start of Fall.

And speaking of that, I did buy a bit of Fall potpourri for that pretty bowl I found.  I added pinecones and some jute wrapped balls to it.  The enclosed "cinnamon oil" smells like nothing, but its pretty, so it stays.

Flu shot? Check. RSV shot? Also check.  It was a week of needles.

I really meant to work on my tablet last week, but I dragged my heels a little.  Then it took 10 hours to charge.  But yesterday I finally did get going on it!  Much as its frustrating to learn techie type things by yourself, you sometimes have to flex that mental muscle and do it.

We haven't had any sort of ladder program for X-Ray techs at work in years.  So when they announced that we are now qualified to participate, our manager encouraged us to go for it.  My department is committed to making sure that all of us get support and recognition.  What a difference your boss makes, right?  This is on my short list of things to work on tomorrow!

Happy Friday the 13th!

Gina