Bye, Bye Parking Spot

Today's happy things:

The last day of the month meant that it was the last day that I got to use the parking space for being the Safety Committee Member of the Month. There was also an activity at work. They had a dunk tank that some of the managers sat in so that employees could throw a ball and dunk a manager. They also served hot dogs and hamburgers. All this was set up close enough to where my car was parked that I stuck around at work until almost everyone else had gone. It was that or ask everyone to move for me.  Safety first! It was fun watching the managers get dropped into the tank.

There are different types of irises by the shed. The yellow version is starting to bloom.  I think the other iris that hasn't bloomed yet will be smaller and purple.  That is my memory test for the day.  ;) 

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Currently listening to: Revelations of Divine Love, by Julian of Norwich

Currently reading: Maybe You Should Talk to Someone, by Lori Gottlieb.

Thank you for being part of my happy things. Stay safe.

Short

A week or so ago Zed got a new desk for working at home. It is the adjustable kind that a person can either sit or stand at. It turns out that Winston, our orange tabby cat, was all over the desk, keyboard, and mouse thus making it hard for Zed to work. Zed put a cat bed/hut on his desk and now Winston goes in there and Zed is able to work. When I got home I saw Winston in the hut and learned of the problems he was causing. It was a wonderful solution and is my happy thing for today.

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Finished listening to: The Librarian of Saint-Malo, by Mario Escobar.

Currently reading: Maybe You Should Talk to Someone, by Lori Gottlieb.

Thank you for being part of my happy things. Stay safe.

Memorial Day

Some happy things from today:

• Keziah went to work doing Doordash and got a flat tire. It happened nearby to a friend who was able to help her finish the job. I went to be with her while she waited and so I could bring her home. We ended up ordering food to eat while we waited for AAA to come. By the time I got back with the food, AAA had been there, patched the tire, and Keziah was ready to go home.  It wasn't ideal, but could have been so much worse.
• We ordered from Friendly's and ate when we got home. I was very happy with the salad I got.
• The peppermint I transplanted last week seems to be doing okay.

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Currently listening to: The Librarian of Saint-Malo, by Mario Escobar.

Currently reading: Maybe You Should Talk to Someone, by Lori Gottlieb.

Thank you for being part of my happy things. Stay safe.

Rhododendron and Iris

Some happy things from today:

• This morning I was going to try to mow the lawn before it got too warm out. Zed got out there before me to mow and I am happy and thankful for that.  I did other things like dishes and cleaned the bathroom instead.
• Keziah made a puff pancake for breakfast. When she pulled it out of the oven it was puffed up more than twice the height of the pan. Gideon thought this somehow defied the laws of physics. Keziah told him that it wasn't the laws of physics, it was the laws of chemistry that it was following. I thought this was very true, and funny. I should have taken a picture.
  
• When I did get outside I was happy to see that there are now six blooming irises in the front triangle and one in the back by the shed.  The rhododendron is finally blooming too.

• I was surprised to find Winston on the windowsill by the stairs.  I didn't know that he could get there by himself.

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Currently listening to: The Librarian of Saint-Malo, by Mario Escobar.

Currently reading: Maybe You Should Talk to Someone, by Lori Gottlieb.

Thank you for being part of my happy things. Stay safe.

Weeding

Some of today's happy things:

• After a slow start this morning I made it outside to weed the triangle area where the irises are. Unfortunately, it got hot before I could do the entire area. Every little bit is good though.

• Keziah entered the part of her cold where she lost her voice. This did not make me happy, that I still seem to be mostly well, does. I've only had an occasional cough or sneeze that could easily be allergy or situational, not a cold.
• There are rose buds starting and soon there will be roses.

• We watched the Dungeons and Dragons movie. One of my friends commented after seeing it that there are parts where someone who has played the game can tell how good a dice roll was. I agree. It was a fun watch.

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Currently listening to: The Librarian of Saint-Malo, by Mario Escobar.

Currently reading: Maybe You Should Talk to Someone, by Lori Gottlieb.

Thank you for being part of my happy things. Stay safe.

Friday!

Some happy things for this Friday:

• The rest of the family has a cold.  I feel like I've put myself into a holding pattern waiting to come down with it.  So, it was a long day in which I did very little. I spent most of it binge watching Family Affair on the Roku channel.  I don't remember much about the shows from when I was little.  Watching the children grow up and remembering the time period is enjoyable.  
• I did get out of the house and went on a drive to get my mail. This was good and gave me a lot of listening time with my book. 
• Keziah is making steps at opening up a business.  One of those steps was to get a storage unit for the things she hopes to sell.  I'm so happy that she is working toward her dream.

• I had a nice nap in the afternoon.
• One of the irises is blooming.  I look forward to more opening up and being colorful soon.

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Currently listening to: The Librarian of Saint-Malo, by Mario Escobar.

Currently reading: Maybe You Should Talk to Someone, by Lori Gottlieb.

Thank you for being part of my happy things. Stay safe.

Song Stuck

Happy Thursday things:

• There is a song that plays at work sometimes that gets stuck in my head (Weezer-Undone–The Sweater Song). I played it while doing some dishes and Gideon decided he liked the tune. It became my response to things and thus a running joke for the evening. I would occasionally burst out into song singing, "If you want to destroy my sweater…" Supposedly the way to get a song unstuck is to listen to it. I have listened to it, watched the video, and read the lyrics. It is still stuck.  This evening, it was fun too.
• My nap ended tonight with a phone call from Keziah. The rest of the family are sick with a cold and she was asking me to make soup for dinner. While eating, we watched a weird Star Trek Voyager episode where two of the characters evolved into different beings. No actual sweaters seemed to be destroyed in the episode though.

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Currently listening to: The Librarian of Saint-Malo, by Mario Escobar.

Currently reading: Maybe You Should Talk to Someone, by Lori Gottlieb.

Thank you for being part of my happy things. Stay safe.

Tiara

Happy things from today:

• It is Wednesday. My work week is two-thirds over. Yay!
• At work they served fresh cooked breakfast sandwiches. The supervisors made eggs, bacon, sausages, and toasted bagels.  Our half hour break was an hour early so it was a nice treat.
• While scrolling Facebook I noticed a friend who posted a picture of himself wearing a tiara. Apparently today, May 24, 2023, is International Tiara Day. The only tiara I have is hand crocheted by a friend. I put it on and did the dishes. Tomorrow, the 25th, is National Wine Day. Too bad I can't drink because of a medication I'm on.

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Currently listening to: The Librarian of Saint-Malo, by Mario Escobar.

Currently reading: Maybe You Should Talk to Someone, by Lori Gottlieb.

Thank you for being part of my happy things. Stay safe.

Peppermint

Some happy things from today:

• I forgot to put a mask on before going to work the other day and today I had it off to drink.  Whenever this happens I get comments like "She has a face!"  Today the comment included that I appear younger without the mask on.  I don't know how old they think I am, but I'll call this a compliment.
• I transplanted one of the peppermint plants that I started from seed.  It fell over, so I am doubtful that it will survive.  Still, glad I did it.

• Gideon had a field trip today.  He had a good time, but would have had a better time with less people. 
  
  
  
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  Currently listening to: The Librarian of Saint-Malo, by Mario Escobar.
  
  Currently reading: Maybe You Should Talk to Someone, by Lori Gottlieb.
  
  Thank you for being part of my happy things. Stay safe.
  

Lazy Day

Some happy things:

• This morning when I woke up I wasn’t feeling well. It made for a lazy day. I was supposed to go walking with my friend, Amy, but I canceled. I still made it out to the grocery store so I would have food to bring to work this week. This afternoon I am feeling a bit better than this morning, so that is good.
• My lazy day had me thinking about technology and how much things have changed since I was a kid. The ability to say “Okay, Google,” and name a song to play is a far cry from the radios I had growing up. Battery or electric, the radio, and the attached antenna, had to be put in just the right place to get any reception. Even then the music might still contain static.
• The irises are not quite ready to open but they are getting taller. I look forward to seeing them bloom.

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Currently listening to: The Librarian of Saint-Malo, by Mario Escobar.

Started reading: Maybe You Should Talk to Someone, by Lori Gottlieb.

Thank you for being part of my happy things. Stay safe.

Franklin Falls

A few happy things from today:

• Today was a lovely day for a drive. I took some scenic roads I had never been on before and some I had.  I enjoyed the smell of lilacs and fresh cut grass. 
• Eventually, I ended up finding Franklin Falls Recreational Area and took a walk over the Franklin Falls Dam. It was a bit windy and very pretty.   There seem to be a bunch of trails that I didn't take.  Perhaps I'll go and explore more another day.

• When I got home I learned that Keziah had signed up with DoorDash. She and I spent an hour or so doing deliveries. I wish I could say that it went well, but on one delivery the bag broke and part of the delivery spilled. It was quite the learning experience. Keziah really enjoyed it (except for the spill).  She plans to continue doing this part time for now.

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Currently listening to: The Librarian of Saint-Malo, by Mario Escobar.

Started reading: Maybe You Should Talk to Someone, by Lori Gottlieb.

Thank you for being part of my happy things. Stay safe.

Saturday!

Some Saturday happy things:

• Last night I did a good thing and turned off my morning alarm. I actually got just over eight hours of sleep.  I even had a short nap this afternoon.  Sleep is so important!
• The weather forecast said rain for today, but it didn't start until the afternoon. Between Zed, Gideon and I, some of the lawn is mowed, weeded and trimmed.

Cardinal

Paperwhites and irises (not yet blooming)

Lily of the valley

• Keziah participated in a local pottery throw down. It is a small workspace so the rest of us stayed home. Thankfully a friend live streamed the event so we were able to watch parts of it while working in the yard. She won the first round and scored third place overall. Yay, Keziah!
• It looks like sometime in the next few days there might be some irises blooming.
• We met with friends for dinner. Great food and better company is a wonderful thing.

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Currently listening to: The Librarian of Saint-Malo, by Mario Escobar.

Thank you for being part of my happy things. Stay safe.

Cemetery Day

Some happy things from today:

• This morning on the way out of the house we remembered all the things we needed. Sure, some things were remembered while in the driveway, but before leaving, and we didn't have to turn around for anything. That is a win.
• It was cemetery day, the day we visit family member's graves and plant flowers on them. Keziah and I went and were joined by my aunt and some cousins. It was a good day planting, visiting, and remembering.
• Keziah worked to clean some of the stones with water and a brush.  She wasn't able to get the official cleaner in time, but will have some soon.

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Currently listening to: The Librarian of Saint-Malo, by Mario Escobar.

Thank you for being part of my happy things. Stay safe.

Waffles

Some happy things from today:

• With Gideon at public school now instead of at home school, I miss seeing him when I get home from work. Twice this week I was able to pick him up from school. This meant I was the first to hear how awesome his school day was. I’m happy that he is enjoying school, but sad that he will miss out on planting the flowers tomorrow.
• We had breakfast for dinner tonight. It was a perfect food for me because I am just getting up from my nap to eat with the family on Thursdays.

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Currently listening to: The Librarian of Saint-Malo, by Mario Escobar.

Thank you for being part of my happy things. Stay safe.

Sweet Stuff

Some happy things from this Wednesday:

• The book I've been listening to, The Swiss Nurse, sounded like a sappy romance from the title alone. The description had it as historical fiction and that is why I borrowed and read it. I learned a little about the Spanish Civil War and about parts of World War II that I didn't know before. I pretty much knew nothing about the Spanish Civil before, not even when it happened. I now have more interests…
• After my meal today I was craving something sweet. Keziah didn't know this, but she knows me, and brought home a marshmallow cream filled doughnut with maple cream frosting. It hit the spot!

• Nanni was asleep in the cutest position!

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Finished listening to: The Swiss Nurse, by Mario Escobar.

Thank you for being part of my happy things. Stay safe.

Flowery Tuesday

Some happy things from today:

• On Friday Keziah and I will be meeting up with some family to plant geraniums on deceased family members' graves. Today I bought some geraniums to plant. I didn't used to like geraniums, but I like them now. Funny how things change. 

• Last week I went to the studio and glazed the remaining piece of pottery that I missed when I took a class before Christmas. I got it back today. 

•  Lilacs are blooming. When I was a kid, around five or six maybe, we lived in a house that had a row of lilacs along one side of it. I used to play in that space between the lilacs and the house. It was like a secret hideaway. Maybe that is why lilacs always seem special to me. 

• Near the lilacs at the front of the house I saw a different flower. According to Lens it is honeysuckle.

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Currently listening to: The Swiss Nurse, by Mario Escobar.

Thank you for being part of my happy things. Stay safe.

A Walk Today

Some happy things from yesterday and today:

• Yesterday was Mother's Day and I didn't mention it. Somehow in my exhaustion I forgot my happiest thing from the day, hearing from my youngest, Bel. They seem to be doing well in Maryland. It was wonderful to hear from them and catch up.
• This morning Keziah took me out for breakfast for Mother's Day. It was very nice and we got to talk and decompress from the busy weekend.
• My friend Amy and I took a nice walk today. We haven't walked for a while because she has been visiting family in Virginia.  I loved hearing about her adventures with her grandbabies.  We saw a blue heron on our walk.

• A visit to the dentist this morning means my teeth are extra clean and feeling good.

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Currently listening to: The Swiss Nurse, by Mario Escobar.

Thank you for being part of my happy things. Stay safe.

NH Renaissance Faire

Here are some happy things from my day at the NH Renaissance Faire:

• There was once a pile of silk thread that misbehaved on a piece of weaving and got cut off. This pile was tangled but most of the pieces were still worth using for something. Off and on over the last few years (mostly off) I have been working at untangling the threads, sometimes I had help. Today the task was completed and a new project began.  I have started a kumihimo cord.

• Many people came through our area and seemed interested in coming to SCA events.  One never knows how many will find the time and interest after a demo like this, but it is always good when new people join.

• There is a friend that I was able to visit with for a short time at the Faire.  I have known him for over thirty years and it is wonderful to get to catch up with him, however briefly.

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Currently listening to: The Swiss Nurse, by Mario Escobar.

Thank you for being part of my happy things. Stay safe.

Tournament of the Roses

Some of today's happy things:

• Gideon and I went to an event today. My task was to get him to the event so that he could help work the dayboard. My task was easy.

• I mostly got to hang around and visit with people (adults and children) and this was good. 
• At court I got to see some very deserving people receive awards for the things they do. There were competitions and one of my friends placed in the Arts & Sciences one.

Pictures from the day:

• Some lilacs were in full bloom, smelling lovely, in the area.

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Currently listening to: The Swiss Nurse, by Mario Escobar.

Thank you for being part of my happy things. Stay safe.

Narcissus

My Friday is ending with me almost as tired as Thursdays tend to be. The day started slow but became busy in the afternoon. Here are some happy things: 

• Keziah and I went and set the pavilion up for the demo this weekend. We had some great helpers and it went up well.
• TF had surgery a little over a month ago, started back at work last week with limited hours, and this week with extended hours. I heard from her today and she survived her busy week. She is looking forward to sleeping this weekend. It was good to hear from her about her week.
• I noticed some more blooms today by the tulips: narcissus/paperwhites. All these spring flowers are wonderful to see. I hope they continue to grow and spread. 

• There are also violets growing in the yard.

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Currently listening to: The Swiss Nurse, by Mario Escobar.

Thank you for being part of my happy things. Stay safe.

Tulip

Some happy things:

• Thursday is my day to be tired. I finish working for the week and come home, take a nap, and try to move to a more normal, daytime routine. There were things to do that shortened my nap today. It was still a good nap and I couldn’t have functioned in the afternoon without it.
• There is a SCA demo happening at the NH Renaissance Faire this weekend that we are preparing for. We had to find all the pieces to the pavilion, and we did. There was concern that the ropes might have been separated from the rest of the tent, but thankfully, we found them in the bag under other parts.
• Keziah and I had friends that helped with this. It was wonderful to get to see them for a bit and I am so thankful that we had their help in locating and packing things.
• I took a moment to check out the newest tulip that has bloomed. It is a deep purple color and I can’t remember the name. I know I planted at least six of them, only one is blooming so far.

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Currently listening to: The Swiss Nurse, by Mario Escobar.

Thank you for being part of my happy things. Stay safe.