The Great Fly Relocation Project and Other Minutia

I did it! I did it! I made it through eight shifts in a row. Phew! Yesterday was my day to become human again (i.e. walk around like a zombie until I got a full night's sleep).

Today was deliciously overcast - -quite reminiscent of fall. I had hoped to make pies. These adorable pies. Instead I spent an inordinate amount of time searching for 1/2 pint wide mouth mason jars. Turns out they were at my local grocer -- the last place I considered.

While out and about the boy and I also visited a couple of thrift stores and the yarn depot. It's funny how autumn like weather makes me want to bake, knit and gather. I came home with some lovely burnt orange yarn -- perhaps pumpkin hats in the works. Of course the boy wasn't entirely thrilled with our outing. Hey -- we're bonding, right?!! Every fourteen-year-old wants to buy yarn with his mother!

Today I'd also hoped to update the shop and have some vintage/handmade baby gift packages I'm dying to put together. Those projects will have to wait until another day. Alas tomorrow it's back to work. I can't complain. These additional shifts were taken on voluntarily (egged on by the economy but voluntarily nonetheless). Yet I have to admit -- I miss my home. I miss puttering and photographing and creating. My family misses home cooking and the house could use a good cleaning.

Speaking of cleaning house. It seems we've developed a bit on a, ahem, fly problem. I have no idea where these buggers are coming from. Turns out they are great entertainment. Little has quite the knack of catching them in jars (oh how I wish they were fire flies rather than house flies). Ah well. Thanks to the benevolent heart of my youngest several flies have been released unharmed into the world.

And tomorrow I'm back into the world -- for a couple days at least. Then back to puttering. Oh retirement how sweet the sound! Until then I'll keep on keeping.

I hope you all are having a lovely week!

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Things I'm loving today:

• Thoughts of fall
• Amazing friends willing to help at the drop of a hat
• Sauvignon Blanc
• A bazillion projects awaiting my return

Things I'm hoping for today:

• Stress free work days
• Happy children
• That darn house cleaning fairy (where oh where has she gone?)
• More free time

Halfway

Today marks the halfway point; four of eight work days complete. I must admit I was tired when I arrived home. My feet hurt. I very seriously considered a nap. But outside it was (is) beautiful; not too hot and not too cold with a mild westward breeze. Plus the chickens needed free-range time (which requires supervision after this incident). And, truthfully, Mama needed some outdoor time as well.

So we went to tend our flower garden. I suppose you could call it a cutting garden. It's full of shasta daisies, black eyed susans, lavender, geraniums, chives, yarrow and cat nip; whites, yellows and purples filling every nook and cranny. But this garden has also been woefully neglected.

Bad Mama. Bad. Bad. Sit. Stay.

Because we were slack there were several demonic thistles interspersed amongst the glory.

Grrrr!

Well? What's a girl to do?

Hoe in hand Little and I tackled the despicable weeds. We eliminated the worst of them though many invaders still remain (should you find yourself bored I'd happily permit you weed my garden. Anytime!) We also managed to water and dead head our parched patio plants.

Finally Little picked a sweet bouquet for the kitchen. What cheer these flowers will bring as I'm waiting for the coffee to percolate!

But coffee comes in the morning. For now a simple dinner and then sleep. I do believe I'll sleep well tonight.

I hope you, too, had a lovely Thursday.

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Things I'm loving today:

• Warm summer breezes
• Puttering, dead heading and listening to the babble of chickens
• Six-year-olds who fall sound asleep at 7:30 pm (in the middle of the living room floor)
• Fresh bed sheets
• Light-filled evenings
• Lemonade mixed with sparkling water

Things I'm hoping for today:

• That I might be able to squeeze in some mama pampering (i.e. pedicure) before work tomorrow night
• Steady, productive but not overly stressful work nights
• A housecleaning fairy
• Time to work in the shop.

I might be scarce this week ...

With an eye towards financial stability Mama picked up a few extra shifts (six to be exact). This means I'll be working four days followed by four nights. Actually, now, three days and four nights as day one is complete. In other words I may be scarce this week.

It's okay. Actually it's a nice change of pace. The girls are at day camp, the boy is practicing self-sufficiency and Mama is having an adventure working day practice (Let me tell you days and nights are very very different. Before today I can't tell you the last time I got to do a "healthy pet" exam. I'm also vaccinating, spaying, neutering and doing dentistry -- all things that are not typical of emergency practice).

But before the big work push we went to the lake. You know -- the same lake we were hoping to go to on this day when our plans were thwarted. Yesterday we finally made it. I can't even begin to describe the beauty -- snow-capped mountains, crystal clear waters, sentries of iridescent blue damsel flies, monster trout and Atlantic salmon, warm summer breezes, canoes and kayaks, picnic lunches -- there is nothing better than a day at the lake (and I have the sunburn to prove it).

This week as I'm waking early and working hard I'll remember our day on the water. That'll be sustenance alone to get me through. And come payday I'll be ever so grateful. I hope you all have a lovely week. See you on the flip side!

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Frugal Friday -- Summer Fun Pack

In this region gardening is a challenge. The growing season is short and even in the middle of summer we have to worry about frost. This year the cold extended well into June and my vegetable garden has been a bust. But one thing that thrives despite the weather is lavender.

Last year we made lavender sugar and lavender sachets. This year we tried our hand at lavender wands. The lavender, of course, was free. And the ribbon thrifted. Overall this project cost, maybe, a dollar.

This project completes our summer birthday fun pack. It seems we know quite a few kids born in the summer months. And now we are able to celebrate with fun yet frugal gifts.

Our fun pack includes: a hula hoop, homemade bubbles (with attached pancake shaper/bubble blower) and a lavender wand.

Good for the gifter and good for the giftee. What more could a person want?!!

Here's hoping your summer is also full of fun!

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Love Thursday -- The Anniversary Addition

Today is Mr. Peculiar and I's fifteenth wedding anniversary. Fifteen! We'll be celebrating this weekend -- thrifting and paddling and fishing and picnicking. In the meantime here's are fifteen good things about being married to "my guy":

1. Being loved for exactly who I am and not who I ought to be
2. Having someone who's parenting style is the ying to my yang
3. Fantasizing about the future and having our visions match
4. Waking up to a pot of hot coffee
5. Coming home to find the laundry folded and put away
6. Getting schooled at spelling and mental mathematics (i.e. no paper or calculator)
7. Redeeming one's intellect by knowing more literature trivia and latin than one's spouse
8. Having dinner delivered at work when I'm simply too lazy to cook
9. Snuggles, hugs and kisses
10. Knowing that Mr. Peculiar has a soft spot and, no matter how much he complains, he adores the creatures I drag home
11. Kibbe, grapes leaves and tzatziki
12. Sitting on the porch with a glass of wine, knitting needles and good company
13. Foot rubs
14. Football in the background on lovely fall evenings
15. And, finally, our three beautiful babies

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Happy Love Thursday!

Make it Monday - Our New Tea Towel

Hello! Just popping in to share our new tea towel. It's a vintage embroidery pattern picked up from a flea market. Next on deck? Pillowcase embroidery.

What to embroider? What to embroider? Perhaps flowers and birds.

What are you working on?

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A Great Way to Pass a Summer Afternoon - Sunday

Take a Nap

When I was a child I used to find a sun spot, lay down and sleep like a kitty. I haven't done that in years (and don't know if my body would forgive laying on the floor), but oh how delectable does a sweet sweet nap sound?

"Think what a better world it would be if all, the whole world, had cookies and milk about three o'clock every afternoon and then lay down on our blankets for a nap"

~ Robert Fulghum

And what is Sunday if not a day of rest? I say put your foot down. No more racing to and fro. No more accomplishing this and that. Instead lay down and nap.

Sweet dreams!

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