Pick Up Sticks

10 Things I Wish I Liked

Joining up with Carole Knits for her 10 on Tuesday. This weeks topic - 10 Things I Wish I Liked. This topic was harder than I thought it would be. Let's give it a try.

1. Coffee - I love the smell of coffee but just can't handle the taste.  I have tried to add sugar, cream, flavorings...but nope...don't like it.  My husband grinds his fresh every morning and it smells so good...but doesn't work for me.
2. Exercise - sorry...I am lazy...and I hate to sweat.  If I could exercise without getting sweaty then I would be golden.
3. Cleaning - I love a clean house and I do clean...but I hate doing it.  There are just so many other things I would rather be doing.  Honestly - once we get some household projects done I am seriously considering getting someone to come in every other week to clean.
4. My job - I hate the long hours, the politics of it, that nothing is ever normal.  I don't mind working - I just want a job that I can leave at the office and not have it wake me up in the middle of the night worrying about it.
5. Summer - really I do.  I hate that it is my busiest time at work.  I hate the humidity and mosquitos and weeds.  I adore all the other times of the year...but summer not so much.
6. Sushi - I have tried it and mostly don't like it.  Raw fish...not so much.
7. Red Wine - ok...some I like but not most varieties.  Guess this isn't such a bad thing.
8. High heels - oh so pretty but I am a practical shoe kind of girl.  Maybe it is my 3rd floor office up crooked steps in an old brownstone or maybe it is just the comfort level.  But they are so pretty....
9. Dressing up - I think I would like this better if I was thinner.  But sweats or jeans or pj's are just so much more comfortable.  If only I could get away with wearing pj's to work....
10. Flying - love to travel - hate to fly.  I didn't fly for years - like 25 years - but now have done it a few times.  I won't let it stop me from the places I want to visit....but that doesn't mean I like it.

 

 

Fabulous Weekend

We had a weekend with the most fabulous weather! Low 80's, bright blue skies, hardly a cloud and most importantly no humidity! I spent about 5 hours outside on Saturday and closer to 7 hours outside on Sunday - trying to get my gardens to at least not be an embarrassment. We are having a large picnic next Sunday and I had not spent any time in the gardens at all this season. Between work and the flu and then allergies I just didn't have it in me.

I still have not mulched and that will not get done before next weekend - but at least the weeds are gone, everything is edged, trees and bushes are trimmed and all the outside furniture has been power washed. It might not be perfect but at least it is presentable. 

 

There is so much more to do.  My husband started siding the garage and never finished it.  I swear I am going to hire someone to do it...I AM!!!  We have yet to decide to do with the area next to our addition - add a deck or a slate patio.  I vote for patio as the area is not huge and I am afraid that once you get the structure of a deck in place that it wil be small and not very usable.  We also want to fence in the rest of the back yard.  We have an 8 foot fence across the back of the yard - put in many years ago when we had a creepy neighbor who liked to be nosy and wander into everyone's yards - ugh.  But if we put in a picket fence along one side then the dog can have the run of the yard.  Our garage runs along the other side of the yard as it sits back behind our house.

Oh the joy of home ownership...the projects never end.

 

Avery

While I have become "that grandmother" on Facebook - posting lots of pictures of our new grandaughter, I promise I won't do that here too often. But just love this picture of 3 month old Avery getting excited over their dog - Gracie. My son and DIL have two dogs - who are very sweet with the baby - very gentle and protective.

10 things on Your Spring To Do List

Joining up with Carole Knits to list 10 things on my Spring to do list...only 10...I could go on forever!

1. WEED!!! My poor gardens are so overgrown and full of weeds.  A bout with the flu this Spring paired up with working long hours has left me little time or energy to get out in my gardens.  But with a big Memorial weekend picnic coming up I better get my self moving.
2. Paint the Garage.  My husband needs to finish the siding and trim first - but then we need to paint.  This will not get done before the picnic despite plans to do so.  It has rained way too much to complete this project before now.
3. Cut down the flowering plum tree in the front yard.  This tree has never grown properly - it is out of control and leaning heavily towards the house.
4. Have a fence installed in the back yard.  We have a tall fence across the back of the yard but want to have a picket fence with a gate installed the rest of the way around.  Then our dog can run free in the yard and not have to be on a lead.
5. Clean the outside furniture.
6. Clean off the brick patio.
7. Replace the front side walk.
8. Wash windows.
9. Clean out the garage.
10. Plant my small vegetable garden.

 

 

Happy Mother's Day

Fun Mother's Day.   We drove down to our son and DIL's house and went out to lunch.  This was my DIL's first Mother's Day.  She is doing such a great job - Avery is the happiest little girl - all smiles and laughs.  I did not take one picture. How bad was that?  But we had a lovely lunch and visit and lots of snuggles with the baby.

Our younger son did not get home.  He finally got a full time job - only 1 year out after college.  But he sent beautiful flowers - lilies - and we talked yesterday.  They will be home in two weeks for a big family picnic...can't wait.

I did not get to spend the day with my mom.  Typically they come up from NC for Mother's Day - but made the trip a few weeks early so they could meet their first great-grandchild.

But to celebrate - here is a favorite picture of my mom and me - Easter 1963.