HANGING OUT AROUND HOME.

MONDAY:
Well, Monday is never to exciting here.  Same old, same old.  Do the wash, pay bills etc.  In addition, we were still unpacking the motor home and cleaning it up for the next trip out.   I'm sore all over from the weekend activities-in and out of the motor home.  I guess.





THE MYSTERIOUS SUNFLOWER

TUESDAY:
I must have made sixty trips outside to get a good picture of this sunflower plant.  The sun was making a shadow every time.  Anyway, I have a Believe It or Not story.
I love Marigolds.  I had heard if you plant them around your pool it will keep the mosquitoes away.  So every year I planted Marigolds along the pool filter area.  Then this one summer, something started to snip them off at the stem and left them to die.  So I replanted them.  Didn't it happen again.
So the next spring I planted Impatiens and hoped the criter wouldn't chomp on them.  It didn't happen again, so now I plant Impatiens.  But this year, right in the middle of the row, one was pulled out and gone.  As the weeks passed, I noticed  plants coming up right where the Impatient plant had been; gee that looks like a sunflower.  So I left it to grow.  We have several chipmunks around and I have seen them in the bird feeder.  I believe that a chipmunk brought seeds from the bird feeder and planted them there for his winter food.  Can you Believe it?
Bob was busy trimming the shrubs near the pool.  They are mean, pickery, things.  Their needles go right thru a pair of gloves.   They only get trimmed once a year because of the needles. 

WE ALL HATE TRIMMING THESE SHRUBS.

WEDNESDAY:
A big day as far as eating goes.  I had made arrangements to meet three of my old camping girl friends at Tulley's for lunch.  We met at 12:30 and had the fabulous Chicken Tenders.  Then the waitress talked us into dessert as they have big servings.  She would bring us four spoons.  This large square of cake and layers of ice cream, drizzled with chocolate and cool whip, and two dollop's of whipped cream on each side of the plate with hot fudge sauce underneath was delivered to our table.  We all laughed when we saw it.  Huge, Hugega!   We couldn't finish it.   We sat there for 4 hours; chit chatting about our kids and grand kids.  I could hardly stand up when we finally decided to leave.

I got home about 4:45 and had to refresh and get ready to go to Lancaster for calling hours.  We stopped at McDonald's to eat before attending the wake.  More food.

OLD WORLD PATTERN

I was exhausted when we returned home so I went up to bed about 9:30.  I turned the TV on to watch QVC while I read my book.   Yesterday while watching they had a beautiful set of Temptations  baking ware on today's Hot Pick.  I talked myself out of it because I don't have the storage space.  I gave Sarah several of my Corning dishes to make room for my first set of Temptations bowls that Betsy gave me for Christmas.  These clean so easy.  (Microwave, freezer, oven and dishwasher safe) They come in different designs and colors.   I always have wanted a pretty pie dish, which was included in the set. Wouldn't you know it, they didn't sell out yesterday and repeated the Hot Pick.   I have always admired the pie dish from Mackenzie Child's which is $65.00.  Ya I typed that right.  Unreal!  Bob came up to bed.  He encouraged me to order it if I wanted it.  I couldn't resist so I ordered it.  Hope I make enough pies to enjoy it.    How about that, a person can spend money without even getting out of bed. 
THURSDAY:
I did a smidgen of house cleaning today.  Just the upstairs!  It's too much to do both floors in one day.  I also washed some bedding.  By lunch time I was pooped.  My friend gave me some tomatoes yesterday while at lunch; so I wanted Bacon, Lettuce and Tomatoes sandwiches.  I cooked a whole pound of bacon and Bob and I had two sandwiches each!  They were delicious!  Home grown tomatoes, yum.
After lunch, I made a trip to Aldi's for a few groceries to fix for supper.  

Then we went swimming, wondering if it would be the last time.  I hate to think that.  I came in to make supper at 5:00 o'clock.  Later I spent some time on computer and worked with photos. 

Now it's time for bed again.  I'm not turning on the TV. 
FRIDAY: 
I spent the morning looking up addresses for Hospice of Buffalo and St Jude Hospital to do a Memorial Gift.  Both address were in Texas; I didn't want our gift going there.  So I sent it to Roswell instead. 
Then I printed a recipe for fresh broccoli salad.  One of the camper ladies had made some at our camp out and it was so  good.  I had to make that up.
Bob wanted to drill the holes in the 6 wine bottles that Debbie had sent to us. (the ones they decorate and sell for Leukemia)  So I stood by and sprayed the anti-freeze/soap concoction while Bob ran the drill. 
I spent the afternoon outside by the pool again. 
SATURDAY:
In the middle of the night when I'm prowling around; I can't find anything good to eat!  Sometimes I think that I would sleep better if I wasn't craving something.  So I got my coffee and thought about what to bake.  I'd turn the air conditioner up to compensate for the heat in the house.  I have sour cream to use up so I made a Yum Yum Coffee Cake.  Oh Nuts!  I don't have enough nuts.  So I improvised and used a bag of Butter Brickle candies that's for a cookie recipe that I have.  The cake turned out real good. 

I got ready to go shopping @ Tops.  I had my list all printed.  I hadn't found any coupons on the e-coupon web site.  (No food that we use)  but I did have all the sale items printed.  Okay, at the store I approach the Mandarin Oranges.  The sign says, 4/$5.00.  No, No.  I have it printed, 10/$10.00-Tops brand.  So I approached the cash register and asked the supervisor standing near there.  "Oh, it must come off when you present your card at the register."  Okay, so we load up on the 10/$10.. Mandarin Oranges.    (groceries for my college kids who love them)  I finished shopping and went to check out.  My teller is a talker, she is from Pittsburgh and loves the Steelers!  So do I.  She chats on.  I spied the charge for the oranges, .14 cents off.  NO, No.  I have it right here, printed!    She fusses, she has to find it in the printed newspaper.  (5 minutes) She calls for help.  Someone else came, fusses, looks in the newspaper, (10 minutes) went away to a different room.  She returns gives instructions to my teller to take off $2.50.  I apologized to those behind me in line.  It's too bad you have to fight for every penny!  I assume somebody goofed setting up the registers to agree with the on line sales.  Or maybe they have items changed for the next week already.  Use with caution, I guess.

Back at home, I had lunch by myself.  Bob and Betsy had given up on my return.  I cleaned up the kitchen and went out to the pool to cool off.  The water temp was perfect to walk right in. (bet the fuel bill will be perfect too)  I read thru the new grocery ads.  I read my book.  Wonderful afternoon.

The preseason game (Bills/Steelers) started at 7:00pm.  We were done with supper and turned the TV on.  Near the end of the game our daughter in law called, "Are you home?"  They stopped on their way home from visiting grandson, Alex in Rochester.  We had coffee and I was glad I had the coffee cake to offer.  David's told us about his hot chili canning event.

DAVID COOKING HIS HOT CHILI SAUCE!  VERY PROUD OF YOU SON!



LOOKS GOOD.  THEY USE IT LIKE SALSA.

SUNDAY:
When I finally woke up, Betsy had already gone to Mass and shopping afterward.  It's hard to get going when you sleep late.
Even thou it's Sunday, many miscellaneous tasks were done today, in between swimming.  I feel good as I cut back the measly looking tomato plants.  The little cherry tomatoes were dropping off all over the patio.  Enough of that stuff.  Bob cleaned the grill as I wanted to put a whole chicken on the spit.  Well, it sprinkled-twice so I put it in the oven instead.

We just finished the  roasted chicken dinner with gravy and all the veggie trimmings.  Now everybody is in the "too full" mode.  I have no idea what else we will do today but I hope it includes being a "couch potato."

Our week just flew by.  No big projects but we were busy all the time.  Next week will probably have some of the hurricane features coming our way.  I hope everyone is safe.

I'll post this now so I can go stretch out for the evening.  Have a good one everyone, thanks for clicking in.

Golden Gram