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

Christmas 2024, in brief

Christmas was everything I wanted it to be.

Luminarias lining the walkway to the front of the church

A beautiful service that filled me with hope

The tree ready to welcome my peeps

Time spent together as a family

Scout

Firstborn

Bubbie

The Girl and Teddy

A peaceful, loving day full of relaxation, good food, time together.

A beautiful ending to the year!

Gina

Monday menus #54

 We're supposed to get super cold weather here that will strain the grid and ERCOT issued a weather watch. Below was the scene from last Tuesday's foray onto the grocery store at 9 a.m., a full week in advance! I guess I'm glad I went early in the week, because Scout reports it was a zoo this weekend at HEB.

I wish people in Central Texas wouldn't panic every time it gets cold.  People in other parts of the country don't seem to. But yes, I made necessary precautions.

Monday - either leftovers, or thawing out the chili from last week {I work until 8:30 p.m., weather permitting}

Tuesday - Jalapeno Sausage links with South Texas Rice, Caesar Salad {pay the fence guy}

Wednesday - Beef Stroganoff Noodles, steamed carrots, cinnamon cookies {morning hearing appointment with audiologist}

Thursday - Pork Tenderloin, green beans with new potatoes, rolls {Happy 34th Birthday, Firstborn!, virtual meeting for hospital Town Hall}

He doesn't like it when I point the camera at him, but I think he's a handsome guy!

Friday - Cheese Tortellini with pork sausage crumbles, broccoli {tire rotation for my car, boy bathroom touch up paint, tub and toilet gaskets, and doorstops}

Saturday and Sunday - kitchen closed (probably eating leftovers!)

Gina

Monday Menus #3

When Firstborn was young he did things that make perfect sense to me in light of what he does for a living now.  His Nana bought him a set of Hot Wheels and he played with them all the time.  When he was almost 3 he told me in a clear calm voice that he had once been a race car driver who crashed his car*.  And in elementary school, he collected pictures of cars he loved and made a mini booklet of them called "Real Cool Cars!" (which I still have somewhere)

Destined to be an auto mechanic.

Monday - Roast Chicken Thighs, broccoli, salad with avocado

Tuesday - (freezer) New Year's plate

Wednesday - Tilapia, small potato, green beans {Firstborn's birthday!}

Thursday - (mini) Crockpot Beef Stew {last evening of call}

Friday - (freezer) Butter Chicken with rice, peas and carrots 

Saturday - Out!

Sunday - One Pot Spaghetti, Caesar Salad {maybe Firstborn and The Girl will come}

From a sweet little babe who loved Hot Wheels to a hard-working man. 

Proud of you, Son!

Gina

*At the time, it weirded me out that he said this. He was so matter-of-fact about it.  Mark and I could never work out where he might have come up with this story.

5 thing Friday - windows, thrifting, cross stitch, groceries, Firstborn

 Much as I love this kitchen bay window, I probably should put up some sort of window covering since the house next door has finally sold.  

Blinds are pricey for the type and size I want, and I need something that won't damage the wall.

I'm thinking I will use a heavy duty extension rod and gauzy fabric with curtain clips.  Even burlap would do.  I don't want to lose the light in here, just gain a little privacy.

It feels like I haven't been to a thrift store in forever.  I made a run to Goodwill to donate some stuff from that hall closet and picked up a cute summer top, a pullover dress to wear with leggings, 2 novels, and a basket for washcloths in my linen closet - $20 bucks.  Not really cheap - I need to exercise my thrift store shopping muscle a bit.

A friend of mine posted this pic on her Instagram and I was smitten.  I sketched out the heart with all of its symbols, sans the writing, and it is my current project.

I may make several of them for gifts, in different colors.

I am on track with my grocery budget.  Its actually not impossible, I just have to be creative and plan, plan, plan.  Not just what's for dinner, but lunch and breakfast, too.  And I have to say, I eat fairly well.

Firstborn has a birthday next Wednesday.  You would never know to look at him, but he was a small baby and always in the 50th percentile or less on the growth charts.  I'm glad I didn't worry about it too much - but for sure I will tell my own kids when they become parents someday:  trust yourself and your own instincts.  If your child is pooping, they are eating.  If they are playing and sleeping and laughing, they are likely healthy.  And if they kiss you and tell you, I love you, Mom, (especially when they are adult)  you did all the right things. 

Happy Friday the 13th!

Gina

Tacos and haircut in exchange

Firstborn showed up early last Saturday to help me with a tree limb problem. He got out the chainsaw, pole saw, and a cordless hand saw and between the two of us, we had the issue about 75% handled in less than an hour.

The rest was just bundling up branches and getting them to the curb.

Then I made him tacos.  

Which he complained about being too hot and too saucy as he basically inhaled them.  In exchange for the yardwork I gave him a non-professional but highly functional mohawk.  Now why, you ask, would he, at the ripe old age of 31, want to start sporting a mohawk?  He says its comfortable.  Since he works in automotive repair, that seemed fair enough.  So I gave it a go.  And I think it came out OK.  And if its not OK, his hair grows really fast and he can get a real barber to cut it next time.

I think he looks quite nice, but he still hates posing for photos.  And I appreciate so much that he would show up on a Saturday, bright and early, to do yard work in August.  And since I also got a great hug,  I might have gotten the better end of the deal.

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 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

Mother's Day Weekend re-cap: on call, yardwork, phones, Oakwood, Chuy's

As weekends go, it wasn't bad, just not our usual fun times.  Hubby and I both felt kind of poopy.  Call weekends seem restrictive!

I did get called in on Saturday morning.  Worked 2 1/2 hours, with a little downtime thrown in. But when I got home around lunchtime I ordered us some take-out and after lunch we worked on the yards.  I finally moved the ficus from its temporary home in the kitchen.

It looks so much bigger in here.  Sweet kitchen table for two with no tree branches on Hubby's head.  {I see we need to find the grill cover and put it back on the BBQ pit}

The ficus, olive tree, and a foxtail fern are back in the space behind the dining room window. 

I'm hoping the rocks will discourage the squirrel digging, but I have Mr. Plastic Owl sitting out there, too.

Hubby cut all of the dead branches from the fig so it looks strange now.  But at least it didn't die off completely from the winter storm.  He also removed some other branches that were shading the yard a little too much, so now I will just get some sod to help the grass fill in.

I mulched the fig and lariope.  I had cut them down to about three inches back in March and they came back like gangbusters. 

After raking it, pulling weeds, mowing, and weed and feed, we are finally getting some healthy grass back.  I'm so glad we rebuilt that deck!  The backyard is becoming a sweet place to sit.

Hubby pooped out, but I worked on the front yard a couple of hours - raking, cleaning out and adding more mulch to my landscape beds, bundling branches for yard waste day.  Finally I called it DONE and we headed out to get some dinner at a favorite restaurant.  Sadly, they were having oven issues so we had an appetizer of soft baked pretzel instead.

The beer was delightful, too.

We headed to a BBQ place that was just meh.  

For people who live in Austin we are woefully unaware of some of the better places to grab a bit to eat on a random Saturday night.  It was in our old neighborhood so we drove pass the first house we owned.  Trippin' down memory lane.

The next day I was just sure I was going to get called in so we stayed close to home and I putseyed.  Around lunchtime we went over to the T-Mobile store to get new phones.  I really hate the process of getting a new phone. Hubby's phone took over and hour and a half to go through the process.  I sat outside listening to outdoor mall muzak!

But when we finally got home there were sussies from Firstborn and LA!! 

Then a short time later, Bubbie's girlfriend, Delilah, dropped off some home baked goodies and roses.  I felt very loved.  All four texted me and although I didn't get to hug their necks (except for Delilah) , you better believe I will next time I see them!

We ended the weekend with Tex-Mex and drinks at Chuy's and it really hit the spot.  It is one of our favorite Austin-based restaurants from our earliest days here.  It was a great end to Mother's Day!

Gina 

Firstborn's birthday last weekend

 We saw Firstborn and LA last weekend and it was fun to hang out with them and treat them to some beer and food trailer eats in Driftwood.

The menu was wurst and curly fries - a super healthy  way to celebrate your 31st birthday. {that can't be right - he's 31??}

We also enjoyed some mead.  And a LOT of fries.

Hubby stopped by a favorite cigar shop that morning and bought Firstborn a couple of stogies.

I think he had a good time hanging out with us.

I regret not getting a pic of LA! She brought along some tiny dominoes and we sat under gray skies, sipping beer and mead, playing games, and having a good time.

They remind us of us way back when - young and poor and making it through this crazy world we are living in.  Staying grounded and thankful and not-so-socially distant with family.  I hope they keep moving in the right direction!

Gina

5 thing Friday - Teddy, Cheeseburger Salad, table, summer, Christmas gifts

The Girl had been super worried about a couple of "bumps" she found on Teddy's paw.  Of course she started googling it like crazy and it made her upset to think it might be doggie cancer and he would lose a leg and yada yada yada imagination overload.  I feel like her initial concerns are valid, and she should definitely ask her vet, but you can't let your imagination run wild and make you mental.  Solid advice from a parent of four humans.

Turns out it was nothing to obsess over. 

 Cheeseburger salad made with chopped up leftover cheeseburger patties, pickles, lettuce, tomato, and onion.  Very tasty.  I like mine with bleu cheese dressing!

I never blogged about the little table project because like so many projects such as this, I was over it before I was actually done with it.  We had to shorten the legs, jig them some pegs to reassemble, fill worm holes, sand, paint, put felt pads on the bottoms of the legs.  I opted with some paint I already had.  At least there is a space here to set your coffee down (instead of the chair arms) which is the reason I bought it.

 Creative tying on of a 10 ft piece of trim for that never-ending project in the barn.  I am happy to report it made it through 100+ degree temp day in a one hour trip to Highlands.

Firstborn's girlfriend has this very cute 4 year old!  I "stole" some of her pics off Facebook to make a freebie memory photo game for Christmas because I am sneaky like that.  I have already started planning the holidays, and buying gifts here and there because focusing on some happy times ahead is taking the sting out of this summer.

Gina