I haven't posted in a while. We took Mark's mom to visit relatives, and then we were working to build the new raised bed gardens. BUT, I am back to the sewing this week. I have two sets of overalls to make for my grandbaby before I leave on Friday to go for a visit. I will definitely post pics.

This is so dang adorable!!! 😍

Sunday: Casual, in hurried assassination of java. Small bowl oatmeal. Lunch - hummus and veggies. We ate light because we were working to beat the rain storm trying to get as much done as we could on the new raised beds. Dinner - Mark's absolutely gourmet homemade mushroom and pepper pizza. Snack - since it was my birthday, we each had a small bowl of ice cream with a few dark chocolate chips on top.

We tend to move around a lot on vacation so it isn't worth the effort. Maybe someday we will do the "two weeks in one spot" vacation. When I go to France, I still live out of the suitcase because I don't want sis and brother in law to go to the expense of buying a dresser for the guest room which also does not have a closet. Furniture is pretty expensive there. But, since they are setting up for mom to go 3 months at a time, they are investing in a wardrobe, and a 3 drawer dresser so since I will be visiting when mom isn't, I might give it a try next time.

I think going forward, if anyone tries to warn me off some destination because of weather, my response will be, "It's okay. I am from the Mad Mitten."

Sadly, my tike is up, and I have to take his highness of cute picture down. Sniff sniff. Thanks everyone! Somehow I need to find time to finish my raised beds gardens this week PLUS sew two sets of shorts overalls for him before leaving.

This. Our extension office is so knowledgeable. College professors are some time quite narrow in their knowledge due to the scope of their research. I would never be able to contact MSU and pick a random professor to ask about my garden or fruit trees. But I can call the MSU extension office for my county, and they have horticulturalists and master gardeners who have lived here for decades and know EVERYTHING about the local plant life. Sometimes I even run across and Department Of Natural Resources conservation officer who knows as well, especially if I am concerned about an invasive variety.

For quite a long time now, I have done a daily look of moisturizing foundation (I have very uneven skin tone these days), and a burts bees lip tint. The foundation is really good for my face, my skin is happier with it than without, and takes 30 seconds or less to put on. Lip tint, and go. I only do cheek and eye color when Mark and I dress up for the DSO or when I am performing. When I perform, my make up is heavier than any other time. It is unfortunately not socially acceptable to do less. So dumb. The men don't have to.

His father was being a total goof ball, and I think it is very nice of T to give his daddy a sweet smile instead of a, "Oh great! My father is a freak!" type look. 😂

I don't know what she feeds him. He was another baby that couldn't convert to breast feeding exclusively until his tongue and lip tie (had both) were resolved. Apparently, now that he doesn't take a bottle, she is just putting out heavy whipping cream. 😂 He will be 3 months old on April 24, and gestational age of 7 weeks. He weighed 4 lbs 3 oz at birth, and now weighs 9 lbs 6 oz, and is 6 inches longer. I get to see him a week from today. I am going down to take his brothers strawberry picking, and then to a national reserve that has a beautiful waterfall where we will picnic. Can't wait to snuggle him. The photo will be up for a couple hours, and then I will take it down.

Me too. I mean, I am pretty certain the enchanted piano and I would get along just fine. Lumiere is a fun dude, and my teapot provides conversation, nuturing, and friendship. I'm good. Plus I have wardrobe that doubles as a body guard. Fair exchange for dealing with the Jack Nicholson attitude. 😁

Today we hit the ground running. Lethal coffee, and hashbrowns. Grilled portabellas and roast veggies outside on the actual grill. It was so nice out, that we wanted to spark it up and eat outdoors. Dinner - refried beans and corn dip, salads. We are going to watch a movie and have a small amount of popcorn.

I was just thinking about this. Our two youngest are avid hikers. They would really like to take a week and backpack in the Adirondacks. But, middle son is on a strict 3500 calorie a day diet due to being medically underweight. (6'2" and 125 lbs). He is healthy, but he cannot lose weight. Backpacking enough in is a real problem. I feel like they need to have a base camp and do one day hikes from there so they can store food in their vehicle. Ultimately, they would love to be in the wilds just backpacking for 6 days.

In certain environments. We mask if we go to a DSO concert, and in area small businesses. We don't spend much time indoors among folks. The main store I shop at for groceries is a humongous Mennonite bulk food store with a new ventilation system. So if I go on Tuesday morning when they first open, there is virtually no one in there, so I don't mask since N95 fogs up my glasses no matter what I do. If it is crowded, I mask and just go as fast as I can. I will be going to my favorite greenhouse/nursery this week. Non peak horus, and all the windows and doors will be open, so I will not mask. It is always humid, so the mask gets very sweaty around my face. Ds wears a mask in meetings at work. But his work space is all his own and his employer provides a HEPA filter. So he does not mask at his desk. The other two sons are in grad school and still mask in classes. Dh is work remote so masking similarly to me.

We have a do no harm camping philosophy and use Castile soap. I asked a DNR officer about it, and he recommended it. I have a small bottle of liquid for washing dishes, and two bars for our personal use.

I will live vicariously through you! Since the car accident, I have permanent disabilities that prevent me from doing more than beginner, or slightly intermediate trails. I am just so impressed with you, Regentrude, and Ottakee for all the hiking you tackle.

Oh and it wasn't four bell pepper plants. It was more cucumber and broccoli. I didn't recognize them. 😂😂😂

Cucumbers and broccoli. 13 plants. I did a thing! My mom was watching them for a couple days while I was gone doing things for mother in law, and did not give them enough water. The broccoli aren't standing up. So I hope that now that I have them back and will not allow them to dry out they will perk up. The empty trays are bell peppers. But I was reading that they need to be consistently 75 degrees to germinate. The house definitely drops below that. They are outside now warming up in our 80 degree day. But tonight I am going to use bamboo skewers and cellophane to create a greenhouse over them, mist, put the cover over, and then turn the plant light on. I am hoping if I do that every night, they will pop up.

It looks like I will be able to sow carrots and radishes on Thursday before I leave to see my grandkids. I am trying to trust dh to water lightly in my absence so they will germinate. Feeling apprehensive. I now have 13 seedlings. 4 more bell pepper plants sprouted. The broccoli seeds have not yet done it. The packet says 10-21 days for germination so Monday will be 14 days. I am trying to be patient.

Amazing! Looks so beautiful.

It has been CRAZY! I won't regale you. Suffice it to say, mom in law. Anyway, I am ready to get back to accountability, but it should be noted that I have been eating healthy food while the crazy was happening. This morning, a bran muffin that I made GF. Uhm. Not tasty. Very healthy but will not be making them again. Coffee of gargantuan proportions. Lunch - small salad, and a little pasta with marinara sauce. Dinner - I threw two small pieces of chicken breast on the grill. Saute mushrooms, yum yum yum. I made a sheet pan of cubed potatoes, diced carrots, and broccoli tossed with garlic, onion, thyme, and rosemary, and sunflower oil. Roasted it all. Absolutely delicious. No snacking tonight.

All four of ours are grown and independent. It is crazy how much our utilities went down, and especially how long I can go without washing towels. For a while I definitely felt odd, a bit at loose ends. However, I did go out of my way to adopt a couple of new hobbies that dh and I do together. Now I am kind of enjoying the empty nest though I do love to have them visit.

I don't think the nurse recommended replacement, just kind of easing some of the symptoms. And she said that compounds in the chocolate that aren't caffeine give energy boots and assist with headaches, so treating symptoms without replacing caffeine.

Ooo, I just thought of something. I have a relative who had to go off coffee, and the nurse at his doc's office who does patient education told him to use dark chocolate liberally. 75% cacao. It has flavonoids and magnesium that give a boost, a tiny bit of caffeine if memory serves, and due to the low sugar content, doesn't add a lot of calories or cause glucose to rise. Maybe that would help. I made him a batch of dark chocolate no bake cookies. Butter, quick oats, peanut butter, no subar, dark cacao, and a little milk to get the right consistency. There was enough sugar in the Skippy Natural creamy PB that it kept the dark cocoa from being bitter. He said they gave him a nice pick me up. Watch out though. I sent two dozen, and he ate them all in about 36 hours trying to make it through the first wave of awfulness. Still. Might be worth a try.

I am sorry. We had to put our beloved cat down from CKD. She was 18 and had simply lived past her organs wearing out. The vet said she was a week or less away from real suffering and pain. We didn't want her to go through that. It might be time to brace yourself for tough decisions. I say that as someone whose beloved dog nearly died Monday, and who went into the vet yesterday thinking pup was probably going to have to be put down. I was NOT emotionally prepared. Thankfully, he is home currently snuggled in and sleeping on my lap. I know I have to get myself more at peace with the possibility of letting him go though.