Good morning! I hope today finds you ladies well. I have a rare day off today after an absolutely exhausting weekend. We had to clean out the Carolinas Dahlia Society storage shed and it was kind of a disaster. Lucky for me, some amazing people showed up to help and we got it all done! And yesterday, I had a last minute thing at the Bed and Breakfast (yesterday was supposed to be my day off). So, I took today to just kind of putter around the house and relax.
The Weather: We just got out of a hot spell...a band of storms rolled through on Saturday and it was pretty darn amazing how much they brought down the temperatures. We warm back up sometime next week, but tis par for the course.
As I look outside my window: I'm actually outside on my front porch swing with my laptop, typing up this post. Goose is doing some schoolwork with me and Ella is inside. It's sunny and the breeze is amazing and everything is just so green and wonderful.
Right now I am: Typing up this post, listening to Chad Lawson's "The Piano" album on Pandora, supervising Goose's schoolwork and watching the trees.
Thinking and pondering: I'm acutlally trying my best not to. I've found myself with racing thoughts a lot the last few weeks and it's not good for me. So, I'm staying in the moment as much as I can, and enjoying a curious 6 year old and piano music and a nice breeze, staying mindful of the fact that these are the exact things I've prayed for my whole life.
Listening to: "Nocturne in A Minor", traffic, windchimes, Ella moving things around in the house.
How I am feeling: Grateful. Optimistic. But mostly grateful.
On the breakfast plate: A coffee and a Diet Dr. Pepper (not together) and a slice of breakfast pizza
On the lunch plate: I'm just gonna have some water and take a walk. I'm still pretty full from breakfast.
On the dinner plate: Hamburger Helper...actually Chicken Helper (the fried rice kind). I don't usually do things like that, but I buy them on sale and use them either on busy nights when I have a million things to do or on days off when I'd rather enjoy my day than spend it all slaving away in the kitchen (though I do actually enjoy cooking)
What I'm wearing: Pajama shorts, a shirt that I bought in 2016 when Ella and I went to visit my Dad, and my flip flops.
On my reading pile: Y'all, my goal in July was to finish two books and I did it. They were both Holly Jackson novels (A Good Girl's Guide to Murder and Five Survive) and they were both SO good. In August I aim to finish "Transgressions" (a book of true crime novellas edited by Ed McBain) and Hunt Gather Parent by Michaleen Doucleff and maybe another book. Hunt, Gather, Parent is something I'm reading for an Instagram book club I'm in.
On my TV this week: Crime Scene Kitchen, and Cruel Summer. Anybody else out there watching Cruel Summer and strongly suspecting Luke's Dad? Ella and I are all but convinced he did it.
On the menu:
Monday: Chicken Helper
Tuesday: Beef Stroganoff
Wednesday: Pizza Soup
Thursday: Breakfast for Dinner/Fend for Yourself
Friday: Hamburger Gravy, Potatoes, Salads
Saturday: Stir Fry
Sunday: Hay and Straw (but it's really Ham Alfredo)
Looking around the house: Definitely gonna give it some TLC today. I have some projects in mind to get done today before I get back to work for the week. And also, cook dinner and find some time to read.
From the camera:
Another one from the Renfield files. I grew the lettuce in my Aerogarden, from seed. Fun fact is that cats can eat lettuce in moderation, and it may actually give them a hydration boost.
Devotionals, Thoughts, Etc: My only thoughts ae that I need to make more time for Bible study and quiet time with God in the mornings.
Have a beautiful week!