Plastic?

There will be a rain dance Friday night, weather permitting.
~ George Carlin

Here in the Scandahoovian Hinterlands, the weather will either permit a rain dance or a snow dance tonight. We're breaking out the winter jackets today, and likely won't be putting them away until late April.

I'm not sure what's on my agenda for the weekend, but I'll find something...I've got a few books to read and I feel like baking. I should also start playing with the chocolate "plastic" I am planning on using to make penguins for Christmas. I figure if I start playing with it now, the penguins might actually look like penguins by the end of December.

Yeah, I think that's what I'll do. Make penguins. Now to find the recipe and buy the ingredients to make the "plastic".

Until later...

Extra Snooze

An extra yawn one morning in the springtime, an extra snooze one night in the autumn is all that we ask in return for dazzling gifts. We borrow an hour one night in April; we pay it back with golden interest five months later.
~ Winston Churchill

So today is the first day of Daylight Savings Time. We're in the "fall back" portion of the "screw with the clock" yearly program. And like normal, I completely forgot that it started today when I went to bed last night and when my internal alarm woke me up, I didn't try to roll over and go back to bed.

Bugaboo told me on Friday that he thinks this the time change is "stupid" and they should leave it alone. I heartily agree.

But I'm up and there's no sense in going back to bed now. I should get a few more things done around the house today, and then I'm going to relax the rest of the afternoon.

Have a wonderful Sunday and don't spend that extra hour all in one place!

Until later...

Warmth

It's the national addiction: warmth on chilly winter nights, innocence on Saturday afternoons, the essence of hearth, home and blissful abandon.
~ Patricia Linden

Last night I had the warmth, even though it wasn't chilly, nor was it a winter night. The monsters are with X, so I didn't have to deal with the chaos of Halloween.

I went out for lunch with my parents yesterday. A nice relaxing meal just to touch base. Even though we all talk a few times a week, we haven't seen each other since September, so it was nice to spend the time. We sat in the restaurant for almost 3 hours chatting.

After we went our separate ways, I ran some errands. I stopped and got some new sweaters because I wanted to, not because I need them. Then I stopped by Sam's for a few things and then the grocery store. The grocery store has yet to get in the holiday coffee creamer that I so love, so I ran over to the Super Walmart and picked up the creamer there. I'm sure you're wondering why I didn't do all my shopping at Wally World, and the answer is that the quality and selection at the grocery store across the street is much better.

Then I came home. I got home in time to miss the majority of the kids running around, but before the college kids went out to the bars. The cats and I had a nice quiet meal and I did some Nonnie pampering before going to bed.

Today, while the quote says there is supposed to be innocence on a Saturday afternoon, I have some work that I brought home and I have to run to the library. I also should reorganize the laundry room.

Innocence on a Saturday afternoon means playing and doing what you want to me, but I'm thinking I won't hit the innocence portion of the program until tonight...and really, with the plans I have for the evening, that doesn't follow either.

Until later...

Friends, Counselors and Teachers

Books are the quietest and most constant of friends; they are the most accessible and wisest of counselors, and the most patient of teachers.
~ Charles W. Eliot

I've got ten books in my TBR pile, with three being released by some of my favorite authors in the next ten days.

I'll be spending my dreary, rainy (snowy!) Sunday curled up with friends, counselors and teachers.

Until later...

Sweet Sauce

Rest: the sweet sauce of labor
~ Plutarch

I woke this morning wondering how Mr. A's date went. I can't wait until he gets home tomorrow and tells me about it.

I've got nothing on the agenda today. And I'm not sorry about that.

Until later...

One Last Sunny Sunday?

It's a gorgeous day here in the Hinterlands. I'm wondering whether this is the last of the nice days before winter takes a firm grip.

Soon the leaves will all be off the trees, and frost will cover everything, but for now, it's all nice and golden orange.

I think I'll take a walk sometime today.

Until later...

Weekend To-Do List

The two rules of procrastination: 1) Do it today. 2) Tomorrow will be today, tomorrow.
~ Anonymous

Procrastination, how I love thee. I can take a project and rise it to a level of procrastination heretofore unknown. I'm good like that.

Last year, the monsters picked out fabric for me to make them quilts for their rooms. Let me say that again. Last YEAR. It's still sitting in the laundry room, having been washed in preparation of being cut. Still.

I'm planning on getting that fabric out and making a dent in the cutting portion of the program tomorrow.

Notice I said, planning.

I figure the monsters will be graduating when I get them finished.

It's nice to have a goal.

Until later...

Food!

So, yesterday I mentioned that I'd update you all when I figured out what and if I was going to be cooking this weekend. I'm cooking. The what? Well, its going to be a simple, but delicious meal.

How hard is it to pull out the crockpot, toss in a roast and cook it during Friday's game? Not very. Then, before the game on Saturday, I can pull it out of the fridge, shred it and turn the crockpot back on, so we have French Dip Roast Beef Sandwiches.

I'm also going to throw a quick pasta salad together. I love balsamic, so I went on a recipe hunt for pasta salads with a balsamic dressing. I found Summer Pasta with Corn, Tomatoes and Basil. So I'll have that for a side to the roast beast. I'm not sure I'll use the basil, and if I do, I'll use just a smidge, not the whole amount the recipe calls for. Basil and I? Well, we don't get along.

My whole family loves lemons. I wanted some new recipe with lemon, but I couldn't find exactly what I wanted. So, I took a little bit of this one, a little bit of that one, and some more of the one over here and came up with a complete recipe. If it turns out as tastey as it sounds, I'll share the information.

So that's what's on my food agenda this weekend. If you can find the Scandahoovian Hinterlands, you're welcome to join us!

Here Comes The Sun!

Whoo Hoo! The sun is out! It's a pretty sight after all the rain we've been having!

I need to get myself motivated today. I really should do something...anything. About the only thing I have on my agenda is to run downtown and pick up a windshirt to wear for Mr. A's games I might stop and pick up some more coffee creamer too.

I know, I know, don't wear myself out! LOL!

I also need to stop and grab the mail...I forgot to grab it Friday, and since I didn't leave the house yesterday, it's still sitting there. When I talked to my dad yesterday, he said that my cousins had sent out invitations to my aunt & uncle's 25th wedding anniversary party and he wanted to know if I was invited. Apparently, the RSVP date is this weekend, so I'd best figure out if I got an invitation or not, so that I can RSVP if necessary.

Other than that, I think a few loads of laundry are asking to be done. If I can motivate myself for that, we'll be in good shape for the coming week.

Until later...

It's Sunday Again...

It's the last day before heading back to the salt mines. Due to my self-pity yesterday, I did almost nothing around the house. But the day of wallowing has refreshed my outlook on life, and I woke up this morning raring to go.

By 5:30 (yes, am!), I'd taken my shower, eaten breakfast, drank a pot of coffee and planned out this week's menus. I'd created my grocery list, read the Target ad and figured out if I needed to visit Target. Since they have the jeans the monsters wear on sale, and since Bugaboo put his knee through a pair on Friday, I actually DO have a reason to visit Target.

So, shortly here, I'm going to put on my tennies, my coat and run out to grocery shop and visit Target.

I have some work-work to do also, but that can wait until later this afternoon.

I think I'm going to veg some more today...it felt good to do that yesterday and everyone needs one of those weekends now and again, don't they?

Until later...

Feeling Sorry...

For myself that is.

It's been a rough week with the kerfluffle that Bugaboo dealt with on Monday, the ensuing parental outrage on Tuesday, the need to kick some Mr. A butt when I checked his grades online and saw a score that should never be associated with his brain and finally a new worry that I won't go into that popped into my less than orderly life on Friday.

So this morning as I sit here drinking my coffee, I'm feeling sorry for myself. Sorry that all these things piled up and worry over a monster has consumed so much waking time this week. And then sorry that I'm so obviously selfish that I'm sorry about that.

I'm sorry that I have no energy to go finish the purging that I started last week. I felt so much better about the state of my house after last weekend. And to be truthful, the state of my house wasn't horrible before last weekend. But the purging made me feel good, and reminded me that I'm not my grandmother, and there is no need to keep something "just in case".

So I think today will officially be "Sorry Nonnie" Day and I'm not going to do a damn thing. Maybe tomorrow I'll feel more like myself and I'll do something constructive with my weekend.

But for today? Today I'm going to whip up a batch of Caramel Chocolate Ginger Swirls, drink a tankerful of coffee, read some of the kajillion books in my TBR pile, take a nice luxurious bath, slather cream over all areas of my body and in general just pamper myself. Because really, if I don't, who will? And I don't care what anyone says...sometimes you just have to wallow in selfishness in order to be a selfless Nonnie...

Until later...

Ah....Saturday...

Like many 9-5'ers, I enjoy having my weekends to myself. Knowing that I don't have to get in the shower immediately, wake the monsters and get us all out the door...well, that's slice of heaven for me.

What I don't like, is the fact that I'm still up before the crack of dawn. Granted, dawn comes at about 8am during the Hinterland winter, but I'm up well before that. By 8am, I've consumed at least one pot of coffee. If I'm in the mood, I've baked something, and a load of laundry has been started, if not finished and put away.

On the weekends, the boys are at their dad's. Every weekend...it's just the way our agreement was created. So I really have no reason to be up and at 'em so early.

Today is no exception. I was up by 4 (yes, that's am)...I've consumed one pot of coffee and I'm halfway through my second. The animals have been fed and a load of laundry is in the washer. I'm thinking about baking something, but the angel on my shoulder is trying to talk me out of it. She's right, I really don't need the calories, but it's winter...I like to bake in the winter!

My plans for today include closet organization and serious purging. SERIOUS purging. I really don't think that 3/4 of the stuff in my bedroom closet should be kept. I have pack-ratitis, but I come by it honestly through genetics.

I'd also like to get some work related stuff done, but at this point in my day, I don't have the gumption for it.

Maybe part of my problem is that on the weekends, I have no one to be accountable to. I don't have to explain why I'm still in my flannel pj pants at noon...I don't have to explain that yes, I really have sat on my arse and surfed the 'net all day.

Then again, I think about how much the monsters and I are on the go during the week and I think, so what if I've not done a blessed thing other than take up space! I deserve it!

So, are your weekends guilt-ridden because you've done nothing? Do you have huge plans that never seem to come to fruition? Or do you actually accomplish as much on the weekends as you do during the week?

Until later...