A Busy Day

* Decided that I'm very happy with my camouflage iPhone case since a new one costs $30 and I only paid $5 for this one. True, it doesn't fit my professional image but it fits my frugal, cheap image. Very "in" these days.
* The light is changing; the sun is in a different place; fall is whispering our name.
* Yellowstone National Park reports 30's in the evening. I'm there. (with a sweater, of course)
* Am incredulous that Nancy Grace will be dancing on Dancing With The Stars. Don't know why that seems so improbable but it does. Will definitely be watching though. Have to see Carson Cresley. He kills me!!
* Bought The Art of Racing in the Rain for the Kindle. It's a highly recommended story about a dog who is a philosopher. Am having trouble waiting to read all of my wonderful Kindle books. Don't want to start until the trip. Such restraint!!
* Have a crop of newly-hatched butterflies out in the garden. Beautiful!
* Made a huge batch of picadillo (a Cuban dish) to put in the freezer.

Hope your day was as productive as mine.

A Lot of Gratitude Today

Not Bad For A Tuesday

*Happy to get through a bad rainstorm on the interstate. I couldn't see in front of me. Glad it didn't last long.
* Dinner out with Cynthia at Gator Dockside. My first time there. Wings and a shared pitcher of beer. Can't get much better than that!
* Three hours of work in Gainesville today.
* Checked the weather in Kansas and Nebraska, two of our early stops. The lows are already in the 50's.
* Janet found a campground in Dubois, Wyoming with a fly shop on site and fly fishing a few steps from the campsites. Gotta stay there a day or two.
* Just watched an interview with Arriana Huffington, the owner of The Huffington Post. What a fascinating woman.

Things I Like About Today

Today in a nutshell:

* The main thing I liked about today was my visit with Stacy and her family. Stacy is one of my former coaches and is now an assistant principal. Her children are wonderfully curious and wanted a tour of all of the gardens and interesting things in the yard, particularly the Zen Garden. MacKenzie asked if I would bring her some dirt from the Grand Canyon. I love curious children!
* Crossed some additional chores off my list in preparation for our trip. The list is getting shorter and shorter. Yay.
* Had another frozen strawberry lemonade from McDonald's. Am I keeping them in business, or what?

Musings For Today

Happy, happy for today:

*Enjoying a superb glass of wine.
*Celebrating my friends' new baby girl. Congratulations Bob and Frank.
* Organized six bags of bird seed today in the garden shed.
* Grass fed pork for dinner. Yay and Yum!
* Connected with a blogger in Portland who we are planning to meet for coffee when we are there.
* Janet is constructing a chain-link leash for Cocoa.
* Keeping positive thoughts about an Etsy sale today.

Hope you have a great work week.

Saturday On The Farm

Farm Chores:

* Filled the bird feeders and water trays. Wow, is it hot!!
* Trip to WalMart for trip supplies and dinner at Beef O'Brady's
* A visit with Michelle, my Belle, my former clerk from work who I rarely get to see anymore.
* Email dialogue with my friend in New Mexico. Making plans to meet up with her in October.
* Not a whole lot of anything else but my goal for the next two weeks is to rest as much as possible. So far, I'm making my goal.

Hope your Saturday was terrific!

Today Is All We Have

So For Today:

* Was up before seven this morning and had the travel trailer washed by eight
* Loaf of Harvest Grain bread fresh out of the oven
* Got a wonderful massage
* Continue to be impressed by Eva Longoria who is not just a Desperate Housewife. She is working on her Master's Degree in Hispanic studies and is a very outspoken activist for Hispanic women. She has a very interesting Facebook page
* Have a very happy dog in my lap.

Happy Friday and have a great weekend.

Thanks On Thursday

Grateful For:

*The tenure and tenacity of Steve Jobs in his role as CEO of Apple. Thanks to him and his employees, we have the wonderful technology that is Apple Computer.
* Three Etsy sales today.
* Free package of pistachios at Publix because they were marked the wrong price. Yes, I'm channeling the spirit of my father.
* Got my Vitamin B12 shot today and I'm FULL of energy.
* Having afternoon tea with my friend Ashley.
* Love this quote from a Facebook friend: "The secret to having it all is knowing you already do."

Today's Little TidBits

A Smattering:

* Spent the morning at my part-time job interviewing candidates for manager positions.
* Tried a tasty new thing at Wendy's: Chicken Ranch Wrap. 99 cents and very filling.
* Reviewed the list of Portland neighborhoods that I want to visit while on our trip.
* Checked the fishing weather in Last Chance, Idaho: 49 degrees was the low today.
* No rain today and Janet got the entire property mowed. Looks beautiful.
* The hurricane will not be an issue in Florida. So grateful!
* Jeb Bush actually said today that Republicans need to do more than criticize President Obama. They need an action plan. What a concept!! I wonder if anyone is listening.


Have a great evening.

Rainy, Rainy Day

Happy Thoughts Today:

* Had a really powerful thunderstorm today and the truck bed stayed dry!!
* Lunch with my friend Pam at BD Beans. Spinach and feta quiche with side salad. Yum. Pam said that even though she seldom sees me, I am in her head giving her advice and guiding her along her way. So sweet!
* Found out today that the new Oxford English Dictionary is eliminating the phrase
"cassette tape" in order to include words such as "sexting" and "whoot". What is this world coming to?
* Took a nap
* Ate some wonderful lemon cake, baked by Janet. (There's that food fetish again.)
* Actually encouraged the dog to "go potty" before it rains again. This, my friends, is a virtual miracle.
* My "Liddle Griddle" arrived today and it is just as wonderful as I thought it would be. Let the trailer cooking begin!
* And not to be outdone by any of you in the food department, I am going now to eat dinner: garlic chicken, also made by Janet. Let's hear it for Janet!!

What A Day!

Just a normal day with the following happy notes:

* Had a load of clothes on the line before 7am
* Gathered in some yard objects in case Hurricane Irene makes her way through Ocala
* Found the Mother Lode of little jewelry boxes at the Thrift; I ship my vintage jewelry in these.
* Treated myself to another McDonald's Frozen Strawberry Lemonade.
* Am incredulous that the baby granddaughter started first grade today; the oldest granddaughter started high school today; and the grandson started eleventh grade. Am I really that old? Nah, it's their mother who's old!!
* Had ID tags printed for Cocoa to attach to her collar when she's "on the road"
* Decided after following the blog from Yellowstone Park that I'm really glad I bought Bear Spray!
* Managed to set off the LP detector in the travel trailer tonight and had to wait outside at least fifteen minutes for it to turn itself off.

Just another normal day in Paradise!!

It's Sunday

Wow, we've worked hard today. No lazy Sunday for us:

*Sanitized the water tank in the trailer
* Took a load of brush to the Green Boxes and almost fell in the bin because my garbage can was heavier than I thought. Pretty funny. Good thing Janet was there. LOL
* Defrosted the big upright freezer and cleaned out the little freezer. A big project but it only needs to be done about twice a year.
* Tried to rescue two baby birds that fell out of the nesting box. Gently picked them up and put them back and less than thirty seconds later, one of them climbed back out. As I tried the second rescue, I was dive-bombed by the parents. There are some folks you just can't do a favor for.
* Cut a bouquet of zinnias today and they are now on the edge of my garden tub.
* Have bell peppers and onions cooking on the stove as an accompaniment to my chicken. Love that!
* Sold another large tool on Etsy!

Hope all of you have a good week and happy school to all the kiddos who start back tomorrow.

What's A Saturday For?

Great Things For Today:

* Started working outdoors early today and spent three hours weeding, trimming, and directing my two guys who were here helping.
* Dug up two bamboo plants that were taking over the garden. Yay!
* Sold a large tool on Etsy that has been taking up way too much space in the closet.
* Started packing the trailer. Getting very excited.
* Baked sweet potatoes and grass-fed beef for dinner.
* Trimmed the dog's toenails and packed her little suitcase for travel.
* Took a little nap.


All in all, a great day. Most of the time, it's just the little things that make a difference.

What About Today?

Very Happy About:

* Slept really well and dreamed about fishing
* Had lunch with a good friend at a new Thai restaurant. Beef and broccoli in peanut sauce with Jasmine rice.
* Slight breeze outside this morning with a decent temperature. Could fall be far behind?
* Had my coffee on the porch in the aviary that is my backyard.
* Took photos and listed eight new items on Etsy
* Started reading a new book: Walking Tours of Portland, Oregon
* Went to my favorite consignment shop and, although I didn't find anything, had fun trying stuff on.
* Trying to decide if I really want to keep working on a part-time basis given the tax implications.
* It's the weekend although everyday is the weekend now!!

Have a good one.

It's A Wonderful World

The Best of the Day:

* A trip to the post office to straighten out a debit billing issue was met with a very understanding Postmaster who took care of the problem
* Cassidy (the granddaughter) was assigned the first grade teacher we wanted for her. This is especially critical because she is a special needs child.
* We are going out to dinner to celebrate the birthday of Donnie who we consider our adopted son. It's a surprise for him so should be fun.
* Got a great haircut today after missing my appointment last week because my brain went on vacation.
* Took a little nap today during a brief rain shower
* Enjoying some TLC Pita Chips and Gold Peak iced tea
* Someone addressed me today as Dr. Gonzalez-Day. Wish I had the income to go along with it. LOL

So What Is There About Today?

Since last evening:

*Noticed late yesterday evening, before it got dark, that it was actually a micrometer cooler outside.....enough to do a lot of yard work without collapsing
* Made my 210th sale on Etsy
* Engaged in a long coaching session with some of my proteges and was paid for it
* Stopped by McDonald's for a free frozen strawberry lemonade, my favorite and I had a coupon
* No cooking for me tonight because Janet brought home a roasted chicken from Sam's
* Currently having a thunderstorm. Can you hear it?
* Just ate some awesome pistachio nuts (I think a lot of my life is centered around food)
* Am stunned that Rick Perry does not think global warming exists. Wow!

Hope your day is a happy one.

Tuesday Musings

Busy day (Well, busy for these days. A day like this would have been a laid back day two years ago!)

* Dog and I went for a walk.
* Worked half a day at my consulting gig
* Bought some goodies at the store (pistachio nuts, favorite peanut butter cookies, beer)
* Made an Etsy sale
* Calculated my income taxes and realized I wasn't having enough withheld
* Changed my withholding amount (Grrrrrrr....)
* Learned about Dubois, Wyoming and all the fun stuff to do there. We'll be partaking, thank you!
* Found out it was 42 degrees in Nebraska this morning. We'll be swinging through there, you can be sure!

Another work day tomorrow with a little fun thrown in!!

Just For Today

I can't help but admire those stalwarts of the garden who survive this heat and sometimes, unending rain. Yet, here they stand in all their glory. The Beauty Berry whose berries are already turning purple, a sign that fall will actually come someday.
The fire bush that dies to the ground every winter and comes back in a splendid display each summer.
And one of the volunteer zinnias, showing her little face to the sun.

On this beautiful Monday, these additional goodies:

* Three Etsy sales so far today
* Delicious macaroni and meat sauce for lunch
* A Smooth Fox Terrier dog on my lap
* A great morning photographing and listing new items on my Etsy site
* Finally walked on the treadmill, after much procrastination
* Did tons of yard work in spite of the heat
* Found a Favorite New Quote:
Do not break your shin on a stool that is not in your way.

For Sunday

Today has been a very laid back day.....perfect for a Sunday. Cool happenings are:

* Found a magazine called The Urban Farmer and in it, a recipe for Kefir. I will start making my own when I get back from my trip.
* Stayed in my pajamas until 10:30.
* Took a trip to WalMart and got out just in the nick of time before the crowds descended for the tax-free weekend.
* Am trying to understand why our state would declare a tax-free weekend when the new governor slashed all kinds of programs to save the state money, including education.
* Decided that I don't understand anything our new governor does.
* Am deliriously happy that I don't start school with all the teachers tomorrow.
* Am enjoying a See's Caramel Lollipop.
* Won't have to cook dinner because I have leftover salmon patties in the refrigerator.
* Ordered a "Liddle Griddle" from Amazon to take in the trailer for frying up fish and meat. I can plug it in outdoors and keep the smells outside.

Hope you are having as wonderful a day as I am. Happy Sunday.

On This Day

Happy Things:

*Another Etsy sale...this time to someone in Ocala
* Trip to the Farmer's Market in Wildwood
* Found my favorite farmers, Nels and Torm (yes, they're Swedish), and bought some grass fed beef and pork
* Also found some wonderful veggies at great prices
* Went antiquing on the way home
* Dusted everything on the screened porch because it was covered in dirt from the blowing rain yesterday
* Downloaded three new books on the Kindle preparing for my trip
* Am inspired by "Onward", the story of Starbucks Coffee, told by it's CEO (or that would be ceo because all of the titles of the people in charge are in lower case letters on purpose)
* Reconnected on Facebook with Mrs. Doctor Principal (my kids will know who this is)....someone from my distant past.

All in all, a great day and it's only 3:15.

Daily Gratitude

I follow the blog of a young woman who always posts the things that made her happy for the day. Today, I decided to do that also. Today, I am so happy because:

* The house air conditioner is working extremely well.
* My new fishing waders arrived AND they fit me perfectly.....a rare event.
* I made a handsome sum of money selling gold today.
* I have had three Etsy sales in the last two days.
* I had a yummy eggplant sandwich for lunch.
* I got a glimpse of Heidi, the gopher tortoise, as she emerged from her hole for her daily food walk.
* The hummingbirds are using the new feeder LeeAnn brought me.
* The birds are playing in the sprinkler and you know how much I love that.

Hope your day was filled with happy things.

It's Happy Hour

It's Happy Hour here on the farm and I am drinking an ice cold beer. An ice cold beer is nice anytime but especially nice on a one hundred degree day, a common occurrence these days. My daughter tells me I am never satisfied with the weather and I guess that's probably true. In the summer, I am too hot; in the winter, I am too cold; in the early spring, I am pretty happy but I am waiting for the hummingbirds; and in the fall...well, the fall may just about be my favorite time.

I read the other day that the month of July is like a weed. This was on a gardening blog that I read frequently. July is like a weed because it's one of those things you can't wait to be rid of and annoys you like the dickens when it's around. I think August is kind of like that too. But if I'm not careful, I'll while away all of the months without really enjoying any of them and that is not a good idea for me. So. for today, what can I like about August?

For today, there are at least ten volunteer blooming zinnias in my garden. They planted themselves from last year's crop. They are beautiful and I had nothing directly to do with it.

For today, the grass is very, very green because we have had rain every day and that's a blessing. For today, the birds are playing in the sprinkler and in the fountain and I love watching them.

For today, I am making chicken palliard for dinner and the chicken breasts are already pounded and in the refrigerator.

For today, I had lunch with my friend Cynthia and her daughter Brooke. Actually, Cynthia is my fourth adopted daughter because she lost her own mother when she was only sixteen.

For today, I had the battery replaced in my favorite watch.

For today, I found out that my favorite jewelry store is buying gold and tomorrow, I will be there with my ziploc bag to see what I can scare up in terms of spare cash.

So August, here we are together. You are not so bad. It's my attitude that needs to remain in check so that I can continue to live in the moment and love the day for what it is.