A day in the life of...

Yes, a day in the life of Locklan...

 

Or why Grandma goes to bed so early!

 

Yesterday Andy brought Locklan to spend the day with Grandma and Pappy...

 

Of course, Mr. K and I were excited!

 

It was a work day for Mr. K, so we sent him into his office and headed for the basement...

 

I have some pretty goofy stuff down there. 

 

Locklan found these dollar store flamingos that I had for a practical joke...

 

He wanted to put them in the front yard...

 

It took several tries until we found the perfect location...

 

Then of course, they needed fed!

 

What do you feed a pink plastic flamingo?

 

 

Mulch, of course!

 

Snack time already?

 

 

"Possickles!"

 

Then we had to head for the patio...

Where Grandma, Locklan and various toys had to swing in the hammock...

 

 

Andy cut my grass which gave Locklan a chance to use Pappy's leaf blower

to clean Dad's trailer...

 

 

Andy then headed off to another job. 

He left us (Locklan) his zero-turn and his lawn mower

(He owns a lawn care business)

He asked Locklan to clean them for him...

 

 

 

Once he decided they were clean enough...

 

He looked for other things to clean...

 

 

How about a scooter, a digger, a wagon and his bike?

 

Afterwards, we set up the pop up tent...

 

Locklan decided since his bike was clean, he could ride inside it...

 

 

I was pretty much ready to call it a day when he found my boots...

 

 

 

Finally I decided we needed to go for a ride in Grandma's car.

 

Locklan loves it when I beep the horn as we pass the homes of friends and family...

 

On the list for the day was Mommy's house, Aunt Mindy's house and Deb (my friend).

 

All three houses are blocks apart...

 

We made it past the first house...

 

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzz

 

If I didn't go down to 'porch sit' with my friend, Deb, I would have been in bed at 8:30!

 

Lots of work but I love every stinkin' minute of it!

We all scream for...

 

Ice Cream!

In an instant!

Years ago, when I was a terribly horrible cook, my mother started buying me kitchen stuff to get me inspired...

Like Mixing bowls,

and potato ricers,

Next it was a bread machine...

And then a pressure cooker!

Now that pressure cooker scared the bejeebers out of me.

Remember those days?

That knobby thing on top rocked back and forth, spewing steamy messages that one day it would blow and your kitchen ceiling would never be the same again...

 

 

Actually, that DID NOT happen. 

Instead, back when Mark and I were just getting on our feet as home owners,

we had some pretty thrifty moments. 

The pressure cooker, that scary pot, could make work boots tender and easy to chew. 

We depended on it.

Until that fateful day...

As usual, I put the pot (full of some cheap cut of meat, some veggies and herbs) on the stove and we high tailed it to the other side of the house where we could not hear the rattle of that dangerous pot.

Finally, the timer went off, I ran in to turn the stove off and we waited the proper number of minutes for the pressure to go down.

I went back into the kitchen, took the knobby thing off the pot and twisted the handles to open it...

But it did not open.

I ran it under cold water...

I tried to wedge something between the handles as a lever...

I tapped it with something hard...

I banged it with something harder...

I sat on the porch with the darn thing, waiting for Mark to get home and open it...

He came...

He saw...

He tapped, twisted, swore and banged...

He put the kids in the car and went to McDonalds.

They ate.

We pitched the darn pot full of our dinner.

For all I know, it's in some landfill, still full of our dinner.

Now...fast forward to 2017...

I bought an INSTANT POT!!!!

 

Yes, it is a pressure cooker...

Yes, it is probably as dangerous as the old one...

 

but it's soooo cool, so modern, and it turns itself off!

 

Yes, it wasn't cheap and the corresponding cookbooks added to the cost...

but it was full of promises of healthy and delicious meals...

 

~not to mention the one that it would take the place of many kitchen things~

 

I no longer have a need for a crock pot, rice cooker, egg cooker, yogurt maker...

(not that I had all of those things in my kitchen)

 

Get the picture?

 

Of course, it needed a purpose...

 

And I found it!

 

It makes the most extraordinary hard boiled eggs!

 

Seriously, the best!

 

I can't believe how easy it is...how beautifully they peel

and how many I can cook at once!

 

Ashley will send up a dozen eggs for me to cook,

I will throw a dozen from our fridge as well...

 

And wham-a-lam!

 

We have eggs.

 

No fuss, no muss!

 

How many eggs will I have to make to break even?

 

Let's just say...

 

Get busy, chickens!

 

 

 

Happy Cow Appreciation Day

❤Today is Cow Appreciation Day...

 

Click on the photo for details...

 

 

 

Do you have a cow costume?

 

You might qualify for a free entre at Chick-fil-a!

 

Click here for details!

 

I'm telling you this because I Love you!

Haircuts, wreathes, driving forces and ahhhh, the river!

I know that it's been way too long since I've visited here...

and I have much to talk about,

but I'm waiting for a little guy to show up to entertain me,

advise me,

direct me

and love me

 (and I love him to the moon and back),

so let me show you a tiny highlight of what's going on in my life...

 

First and foremost...a new haircut!

 

Is he not the most adorable? 

 

My daughter-in-law, Ashley, got a new jeep a few weeks ago.

Locklan loves to 'drive' it!

 

 

Yes...it's blue!

 

Of course, he loves to drive Grandma's car too...

 

 

 

And last of all...

 

I finally did a project that I found on Pinterest.

 

I am usually overwhelmed by the vastness of Pinterest,

but I really wanted a wreath for my front door.

 

Ashley, Mindy and I got together and made these...

 

 

Of course, mine is the big, fat, unfinished one...

 

But we had fun and that's what counts!

 

So...I'm going to finish my coffee and head downstairs...

Locklan will be here soon!

 

Tomorrow is my free day,

 

I hope to spend it here...

 

 

Ahhhhhh, the river!

 

See you there!

 

Date Night!

Last night, Mr.K treated me to a wonderful dinner at one of our favorite restaurants...

 

 

The Log Cabin Inn!

 

 

We didn't even care that they don't take reservations for parties under 10 people on weekends...

 

We just like the food there and it was very close to the next stage of our evening...

 

BEATLEMANIA!!!!!

 

If you know me well, you'd know I was, am and will probably always be a huge Beatles fan.

Other than listening to my mom playing Elvis, it was my first foray into the world of rock-and-roll.

 

I can't think of any other band that I know all the words to all the songs and still play them in my car!

~other than Queen and I still do all the voices in Bohemian Rhapsody~

 

Getting back to the story...

 

I have been waiting forever for this concert.

  It was held in the Strand Theater, an early 1900's theater that was closed in 1980 and saved from demolition in 2002.  It's my kind of place...we got seats in the second row!

 

We sat in our seats...

 

 

I could hardly wait for them to get started!

 

When they came out, it was like a flashback!

 

 

They not only sounded like the Beatles, they LOOKED like them too!

 

As the night went on...

they moved from decade to decade,

 changing not only their costumes but hair, moustaches and styles as well.

 

The age progression, their mannerisms and stage presences were spot on!

 

 

 

Most of the second row was filled with women my age who clapped, cheered and sang along!

 

What fun...except as the evening came to a close they had not played my very favorite: 

 Twist and Shout.

 

Suddenly, the man who played John asked us all to stand and scream...

 

Of course, I did!

 

And they closed the show with Twist and Shout!

 

Well, shake it up baby...

 

Oh my goodness, you really need to see this show!

It was so much fun.

 

Of course, it's hockey playoff season...

So I got a text from Tony saying he was headed to our house to watch the game...

They only have basic cable, you know...

 

We found this sign on the kitchen counter when we got home:

 

 

"Thanks for the beer jelly beans.

Go Pens"

 

Jelly beans are a big favorite around here!

 

Go Pens!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some of his favorite peeps

Last night, Mindy offered to cook dinner for us, so we invited Andy, Ashley and of course, Locklan!

Locklan was so excited to see "Dee Dee" which is what he calls Mindy, and of course, Tony.

He couldn't wait to show his sandbox to Tony.  He asked Tony to play with him.

 

Of course, he did...

Of course, I got busy and forgot to take any more pictures!

Dinner was excellent, as usual...

We watched the hockey game, Pens won!

Does anyone else find playoffs games as stressful as I do?

 

Maybe we're going to have to rate them by poopers?

 

Okay, enough idle chit chat...I have things to do!

 

 

Call of the Wild...

I'm having a terrible time sitting here, typing, when the sun is on my back!

It's going to be in the 70's again today...but with a chance of thunder storms this afternoon!

That brings back memories of the LAST thunderstorm...

The one where I had a trembling, drooling, whining Corgi on my lap,

right beside a scared, clutching two year old,

 

who was scaring the jeebers out of an old Basset Hound who just wanted peace and quiet!

I wanted to get up and google places that never have thunder storms. 

Especially since I am afraid of them too. 

(This is TMI, but when I get scared of nervous, I get the poops.  This was so common that my family began rating storms by my trips to the bathroom: 

 "Wow, that was a bad storm last night; I think it was a three pooper!"

 or "They are predicting a bad storm tonight, maybe even a five pooper!)

I finally figured out what to do with Winnie...

 

 

And Locklan soon settled down...

But Shirley was having a terrible time!

 

 

I researched, asked, investigated...

I was finally advised to buy a...

Thundershirt!

 

 

Since storms were predicted again the next day, I headed to PetSmart to purchase one for $40.

Forty dollars!  I won't even pay that much for a shirt for me (just kidding, you know I would!)

Did it work?  Yessss...you could say it did.  We never got another thunder storm,

which is why we don't have a photo of Shirley wearing it!

 

Now, back to what I was saying...

 

It's now 74 according to my desk top thermometer. 

 

I have a load of laundry to do...

 

I need to sweep the dog hair into submission in the family room...

I need to sweep the leaves out of the garage (how to they get there?)...

I need to organize my schedule for the rest of the week (and Easter)...

I have three quilt tops ready for basting...

Two ready to quilt...

 

 

But will I?

 

Probably not. 

 

The sunshine is calling!

 

On the other hand,

 

Andy and Locklan came over yesterday.  Since it was raining, Andy put Ashley's car in our garage and did some maintenance (it's all Greek to me).

 

Locklan helped!

 

 

 It's so much fun to see him imitate us!

 

After a while, he came upstairs to eat. 

 

When his belly was full, he asked for a blanket!

 

 

Not that comfy, but he was happy!

 

Okay, I'm feeling guilty. 

I need to get something done.

 

See you next time!

The things we do so we don't have to do things!

Oh the things we do when we are avoiding doing something we really don't want to do...

 

Take me, for example. 

While ironing (shiver in horror), I began wondering...

 

How long have I been completely sugar free?

 

118 Days!

 

I found this great ap that calculates time!

 

There's no stopping me now!

 

How long have Mr.K and I been married?

 

(only) 1224 days?

 

How many miles have I put on my

 

 

Since Mr. K decided I she and I were kindered spirits in July?

 

Roughly 10,000!

I have not had a cigarette for 4089 days!

 

Today Locklan turns 786 days old...

 

How old am I?

 

24, 012 as of this afternoon...

 

~sigh~

 

No wonder I need a nap!

 

On the other hand...

Things have been rather pleasant around here.

 

After church on Sunday, Mr. K and I jumped in my car

(top down, of course)

And headed up-river for a late lunch.

We stopped at camp and then hit the highway,

basking in the sun,

when all of a sudden I caught sight of me in the rear view

mirror...

To my horror, I saw that I had

Trump Hair!!!!

 

But the day ended happily with ice cream with the kids...

 

 

Locklan was coming to stay with me yesterday.

Andy said they were bringing something special!

 

 

 

Yes!  A sand box!  Andy even filled it with sand although

by noon, I thought we might run out of sand.

 

 

I spent most of my afternoon sitting on the edge of the patio filling the dump truck from a bucket.

 

Notice that neither of these photos shows his face?

I don't think he looked up from playing most of the day!

 

Well, it wouldn't be right for me to sign off without a warm-n-fuzzy photo.

 

How's this?

 

 

Remember the quilt I made from Mark's shirts?

The story is HERE!

 

Locklan calls this quilt Pappy Mark's Airplanes!

 

If that isn't enough...

I came across this photo the other day...

 

 

Aren't they funny?

 

Hey...have to get busy!

 

Until the next time,

God bless ya!

What I did instead of housework

I promised myself I'd run the sweeper on the stair runner...one of my least favorite chores. 

 

 

Not pressed yet...I really don't like that chore either...

 

 

Putting away laundry is my least favorite 

which is funny because I LOVE to do laundry...

 

 

Some things are just too cute...

Like this photo Andy sent me...

Insomnia and a really cute kid.

Can't sleep.  Tried, nodded off and woke again three hours later.

Lay in bed, praying, even offering to count sheep...

 

Finally, I decided to get up and look at pictures from the past few days...

 

On Tuesday, Ashley had a day off and I offered to watch Locklan so that she could

 run errands and get things done. 

 

First we went to lunch, just Locklan, Ashley and me.

 

Ashley ordered a hotdog for Locklan.

 

He ordered a pickle.

 

Every time we got out to eat, he wants a pickle.  He LOVES pickles!

 

After Ashley left, we settled down for some art work...

 

 

Locklan drew circles and declared them wheels!

 

Washable markers are the absolute best invention...

Locklan loves to draw with Pappy because Pappy can draw a 'choo-choo' that actually looks like one!

 

Next he drew lines and told us they were 'choo-choo' tracks!

 

 

He's so darn cute...and smart too!

 

Of course, every well equipped Grandma's house has a plethora

of cardboard boxes to decorate...

 

 

(Shhhh, don't tell his parents he was allowed on the dining room table!)

 

And climb into when it's all decorated...

 

 

He's so much fun!

 

He rarely stands still when I want to take a picture, but he loves the Blippi shirt

Tony and Mindy bought him for Christmas...

 

 

That kid wore me out! 

I had to take a nap after he left!

 

Speaking of naps...

 

My desk thermometer says...

It's bedtime again!

 

Catch up with you later!

 

 

Just one more bad habit:

Yes, one more bad habit, or it may be that I'm just getting lazy...

 

Instead of blogging, I have been doing this:

 

 

Yes, journaling a few lines a day with a pen and this journal...

 

It sits on a table in my bedroom.  It's easy to just jot down the highlights of the day.

 

Of course, YOU wouldn't know what's going on in my life unless you read it...

 

And you can't read it unless you are in my bedroom...

 

~creepy~

 

Yeah, just forget about it.  I'll try to remember to come here more often!

 

Love ya!

 

The Shack

 

 

 

My friend, Marge, scored two tickets to the premier of the movie for last night.

 

Her husband couldn't go, so she invited me.

 

It was a 45 minute drive to the theater...

 

We got to catch up on each other's lives.

 

I was not looking forward to the movie for several reasons...

I hate sitting still that long (2 hours, 12 minutes)

I was hungry

I read the book.  Did not like it.

Last year, on one of my treks up north, I listened to the audio book.

Didn't like it, but less.

The movie was funny, sad, thought provoking and beautifully done.

 

Although there were many scriptural references,

 you don't have to be a bible scholar to find a message.

 

 

Go see it and let me know what you think!

Veteran's Day

Going to high school during the Viet Nam war,

I probably said some things in front of my father that I should not have said, about

armed forces,

military presence,

and war.

 

But in my case, with age came enlightenment.

 

I hope he realized that.

 

My father served our country

 

With pride...

 

For his family...

 

and for the family he didn't have yet.

 

For me.

 

Although I have many friends who are veterans,

although I lost a few due to war...

 

My dad will always be my favorite!

 

I sure miss him!