I was thinking all day on Monday about my darling Fritz. It was his birthday, had he still been with us. I think Fritz was, perhaps, the best dog we ever had. He was gentle and sweet and kind and loyal.
He was protective of the dackels and respectful of Greta, and her puppies, whom he loved.
And he loved everyone. He was definitely an equal opportunity lover of all people.
Gone from us now, for 6 and a half years, he will live on, forever in our hearts and our memories.
I woke on Sunday morning and knowing that I wanted to change the sheets on my bed, I simply got up and stripped the bed before I even made the coffee.
This proved to be a wise move because after showering and starting the day cooking and cleaning, I lost interest in changing the sheets. However, since the bed was stripped, I had no choice but to make it up!
It was hot here today and rather soupy with humidity. I do try never to complain about humidity as nothing up here compares with what I lived with during the 6 years I spent in Florida. Southern humidity is a thing unto itself!
Over the weekend I watched two movies about a Dog’s purpose.
A Dog’s Purpose was the first one and A Dog’s Journey the second one. In many ways, I liked the first one best, but both were good, especially if you love dogs.
And how was your weekend?
There is nothing so sweet as when you sit down at your computer, turn it on, and it works perfectly. It’s acting normally, and wonderfully fast! Actually it is working better than when I first got it. I suspect that I put too much of my backed up files onto the machine.
Since I have a wonderful external hard drive, I’ve decided to use that to store my info and only keep what I need on the hard drive of this machine.
That was a good decision! I think I simply overloaded things in no order and things got all twisted. Now my hard drive is clean, my current files are organized and my old files are organized on the external drive.
My Saturday was not so bad. I worked on two sewing projects. The first found me having to wind a bobbin. I tried and tried and had no luck. I had my operation manual, and I followed step by step, and finally, it said, be sure to use Bobbin XYZ or this will not work. Yeah, that’s where I went wrong. I had Bobbin Z and as soon as I got the right one it all worked. I will not confess how long it took me to figure that one out.
By the time all was said and done with the sewing, I felt tired and with no desire to do much of anything. Leftovers to the rescue!
Have a wonderful Sunday and take a little time to enjoy the day!
You will not believe the week I had! But below, it is detailed in this week’s Friday Five!
+1. Now here is my Plus 1 this week. I did this all myself. I did it because my former Computer Guru taught me along the way. I am so thankful that each time Brad came to repair my machines, he taught me all the things I needed to know. I am self-taught too, but in many ways that makes me even prouder of my accomplishment!
Today is my sister’s birthday. I wish I could be down in Connecticut with her to celebrate her big day. Alas, this is one more Covid-19 moment.
I do want to tell you all what a wonderful sister Melodie is. She is five and a half years older than me, and I was her “first baby”. She cared for me like a little mother and was always more like a mother to me, than a sister.
Mel is one of the kindest women that I know. She always has a smile and a warm greeting for those around her. She loves her family with her whole heart and rejoices in their successes and comforts them in their sorrows.
Ron and Melodie
She has been married to her husband, Ron for 49 years. They met at the age of 13 at summer camp and wrote to each other for many years before their wedding in November of 1971.
So today, on her sixty-seventh Birthday I want to wish my beloved sister, Melodie a very Happy Birthday!
Forgive me, dear readers, for not being on top of things in the last week. I’ve been pretty busy, and by the time evening rolls around, all I am thinking about is climbing into my cool, comfortable, bed.
Excessive heat combined with errands and mail runs, and then laundry, groceries, and dogs. Well, heck, at 61 I admit, I’m tired!
But something happened today that hasn’t happened in a long time. I heard my cell phone ring and I was doing laundry in the basement, so I ran up the stairs. Yes, you read that right. I RAN up the stairs, and best of all, I did not collapse at the top of them!
I also had another wonderful moment today! I am now 47.4 pounds down! Now this made me pretty happy, especially when I put a picture from a year ago next to my most recent picture. I feel like I am starting to look like the Me, I feel I am.
On the left is June 2019 and on the right July 2020
I still have a ways to go in my plan for weight loss and better health, but I am really proud of what I have accomplished!
During Covid-19, many people are having trouble finding the joy in life. Right now, life is still hard.
Many people are still not working, and many are working from home which can be its own source of stress. Long hours, children running around in a state of summer boredom, and those darn meals and dishes that don’t seem to ever get done by themselves.
I’m dealing with a husband, who has been in lockdown since mid-March. He has gotten short-tempered and sees very little joy in his life. He yells a lot. He yells at the TV and at me. Last night I had just about had it.
Early on, during the Covid-19 Lockdown, I admit to being scared, literally a wreck! I would wake in the morning with aching jaws after clenching my teeth all night long. Thankfully, I have a bite guard, or all my teeth would be cracked by now!
Anyway, I decided that I needed to find joy in each day of my life. Be it big or small.
Certainly, the success I have had on the WW Plan with losing weight has helped me, and I worked hard creating good meals for us and trying very hard to live in the land of light.
Once I began to see my grandchildren every few weeks, that also has helped.
My daughter’s family has isolated very strictly like I have. Hygiene is the most important thing for me and for them. So expanding our bubble to include each other has been such a joy!
Tending to, and finding a return to health for Arnie and Anneliese, although stressful at the start, makes me feel so very happy.
Things in the world are crazy and wild, but I try to stay grounded and remember the love, the joy, and the hope for a better future for us all.
I know it isn’t like this for everyone, and I wish I could help them find their own Joy, but this is something they must do for themselves.
Have you been able to find your joy during Covid-19?
Ah, the summer is halfway gone. We’ve been having sunny skies, hot temperatures, and somewhat lazy days. Here is my Friday Five list of what’s happening!
My poor hair, uncut since February really needed to be shaped. Call me happy.
So, that’s it for the week of July 17th. I hope yours was a happy and healthy one!
Tuesday found me determined to do a big, deep cleaning in the master-bath. This room is so big, it’s like an apartment in New York City! Yes, that small and yet for a bathroom, that big!
I love this room, with its double sinks, shower with a small seat inside, and separate potty. But the one thing I would do differently if designing it now would be to not put in a heart-shaped jacuzzi. It is so large and it is very hard to clean.
That being said, I left that for last, but in the meantime, I did sinks, floors, lavatory, and vacuumed everything, including the tub.
That’s when I got into trouble. You see, Lili’s heavy white fur, and a little moisture, will clog any vacuum! Thankfully I was able to fix it with pliers as I pulled out the clog!
Lastly, I washed the tub. It took me forever, but during this time Jack actually was skating on thin ice as he directed me on how to do it!
So the Master Bath is spotless, and the throw rugs are drying. They’ll be all set tomorrow. The Master-bedroom is vacuumed as well as the family room and kitchen.
Wow, this really was a lot!
And lastly, I tended my Pampered Chef Party and made meals. Of course, my back is biting me right now, reminding me that I should have slowed down and worked a bit more carefully.
That’s okay, tomorrow I will be seeing my friends in the morning and then in the afternoon I will be going in to see my Hair-Stylist and I will get my red hair fixed!
Stay tuned!
Yesterday I was busy, busy, busy, and in the end, all I really got done was three loads of laundry, one bed changed, and three meals. I did attempt to get more done, but between my back (slightly sore right now) and helping Jack with a few things, I just was not accomplishing that much.
Well, okay, I admit. I was on the computer a lot as I was helping to co-host my Pampered Chef Party. You know that is actually a fun thing. And I have enjoyed every minute.
Arnie and Anneliese are doing much better, although neither of them enjoys the heat and then the loud and heavy thunderstorms that come along with that. Needless to say, Poor Lili hates any sort of weather except cool, clear, and quiet weather! Currently, she is pacing during this noisy thunderstorm we have going, complete with pea-size hail!
I am now down 46.4 pounds! Call me thrilled! I have lost 5 and a half inches off my waist! Yay!
And if anyone would like to join my Pampered Chef Party you can follow me HERE to join the party! Sadly I cannot ship out of the USA, but join in the fun if you are Stateside!