Wednesday – a sunny, warm and beautiful day!!!

Today – I worked in the morning and then headed out to plant my new perennials and paint!!!!

I had some help painting from Char, Kelly, Zuzu and Cooper!

One of my favorite plants is catmint.  Zuzu LOVES the catmint and here she is getting her catmint groove on!

I finished the siding painting for the She Shed and also started painting the old wood to refinish it and make it look new.  The paint (which is a light gray even though I would love it to be white – but they didn’t have that option) is so thick – like painting with cement!!!  But the coverage is great and it really revives the wood!  The cottage look is happening!  On deck for the She Shed – the roof and trim!!!

I still haven’t folded the laundry and now I need to do more – UGH!!!  I really need laundry fairies!!

Day 45 and counting….

Tuesday – warmer and not much rain!

Today was my run around day.  I have been going to the store every TWO weeks and have been picking up the things we run out of (like my half and half I ran out of a week ago!).  I went to the bank, to get gas, the local garden store to pick up some seeds and some perennials, the pet store for dog food, a local restaurant that is selling farm fresh eggs for curbside pick up and finally, the grocery store.  I donned my mask at every stop!

I had a pretty busy day but other than my running around and then the unloading, work responsibilities and such, it was kinda boring – I can also report that my last manicure was 6 weeks ago in preparation for my trip to Greece ☹ and things are getting rough!  hahahaha

At the end of the day, we did have some special friends drop off a bag with a 6-pack of Firewater nips in it – it is a bit of a running joke but let’s say, I probably won’t be drinking the Firewater!  Hahahaha

We were blessed with a  beautiful sunset and that is something to be thankful for!

Day 44 and counting….

Monday – rainy☹

Today is a shout out to my friend Stacy – I don’t even know if she reads my blog, but I’m thinking about her.

Mondays seem to be rainy this spring – I DO like the rainy days as they force me to stay inside.  I got caught up on work (which has had some trying refund/voucher situations lately) and had 3 hours of Zoom meetings – which was lovely!

Kelton and Char did school.

Kelton learned how to do his taxes.

Cooper got bored but lazed around most of the day.

Elvis, the fat cat, got her nails cut.  Cooper still has not.

I did more laundry but still have not folded the last 3 loads.

I almost wrote that I wore real pants today – but they are jeggings.  Sigh….

Kelton, Kelly and I made the most amazing pizzas last night (Charlotte had Dino Nuggets – very healthy as they have cauliflower in them – don’t tell Char – hahaha).  Kelton’s pizza was organic dough, BBQ and wing sauce, bacon, sautéed red onions and cheese.  Kelly and I had red sauce, goat cheese, sautéed red onions on half, goat cheese, dates and balsamic glaze.  Holy cow – SO GOOD!!!

Day 43 and counting….

Friday, Saturday and Sunday – Nice weather!!!!

Friday – we did stalls so we could enjoy the weather Saturday.

Saturday Kelly recorded the Sunday service and when he got home, we worked outside for a few hours.  Kelton and I finished cutting down some underbrush and dead tree limbs and have piles set out to chip.  Some friends of ours are letting us use their tractor for a couple days next week and we will hopefully wrap us this crazy undertaking!!!

Sunday we worked outside and the She Shed got some attention!!!  The outside is almost done…waiting on shingles (Kelly said I have to do these last), paint (doing that Wednesday if the weather cooperates), trim and finally, the roof!

Looks like an old west facade!

Cutting off the facade.

She has a door!!! But no roof! hahahaha

I also started work on a project I have wanted to do for years – this used to be a dirt/mud ramp that lead from our driveway area down to a lower area where we store the boat and sometimes camper during the winter.  They aren’t perfect steps, and I need to add gravel, but they are a huge improvement and I think I will like them!!  The first thing both kids said was, “now I can’t ride the 4-wheeler down there.”.  UGH!

Char has been making the best of her BFF Zoom – Saturday she had some fun in the driveway with her blow up flamingo costume – Keepin’ it real!!!!

Days 40-42 and counting….

Wednesday and Thursday….It was chilly Wednesday and great Thursday….

Do you have those days where, in your mind, there is a tiny voice saying, “Move along, folks.  There’s nothing to see here.”?  That was the last two days!

I actually don’t remember what happened Wednesday!  All the days are running together.  I know I took Cooper for a walk out back.  I started a load of laundry which is still actually in the washer!  Hahahaha  I should maybe take care of that.  Char went to the barn and rode for a short time but it was pretty windy and Syllabus wasn’t too happy about the fallen limbs and such.  The kittens were visited and snuggled.

Thursday Kelton, Kelly and I finished cutting down some brush out back and I cleared some out – now I need to buckle down and finish gathering all the brush for chipping.   Cooper also got to spend some time outside AND take two car rides for church errands Kelly had to run.  He really is living his best doggie life!

We have not had any progress on the She Shed since Sunday.  It is slow going but I guess what’s the rush!

Coming up, I think I will work on some Bucket List blogs and some easy tips for folks looking to get back into the swing of travel soon – I hope it’s soon!!!!

Days 38 & 39 and counting….

Tuesday – started out nice, windy and then we got down to the rain!  Hahahah

Work in the morning for everyone.  Today was a pretty slow day – after a 2pm Zoom meeting for me, we had to return the large coolers that all our meat came in, so Kelly and I ventured out to Wolfeboro to do that.  It was a nice ride and Cooper came with us.

Since things have been slow, I think I will post our before and after painting pics.  I love how the hall and large room look with the new paint and my favorite part are the doors!  They were still the original primed doors we had installed when we built the house almost 9 years ago and I have just been putting off doing it.

Before….the coloring looks similar due to lighting, but at the end of the hall you can see yellow color that it was.

Pictures and colors redone.

Before….

After…still just as messy! hahaha

As an aside – I have been keeping up with laundry this week and I am rocking the side bun…my left arm frozen shoulder is making it so I can’t get my arm high enough to do a pony or regular bun – so I’m setting a new quarantine fashion statement.

Day 37 and counting….

Monday – a beautiful day.

Cooper has made friends with the neighborhood kids and they come over almost daily to walk him or play with him.  Yesterday, he was the President and had a detail of 3 kids protecting him while one kid was the “assassin”.  Cooper loved all the attention!

Kelly and Kelton got the final touches for the She Shed although there is still a lot of work to be done.  We’ll get there!!!!

And we learned that school will officially close on May 29^th.  These are crazy times!!!!

Day 36 and counting….

Friday, Saturday and Sunday….windy, spring weather – Friday and Saturday we had a bit of snow!!!  UGH!  The spring snow is pretty with its big flakes but a little depressing at the same time.  Sunday – what a gem of a day!  Warm in the sun and we worked a bit outside in the afternoon!

Saturday morning craziness!!!!

Snuggles with Cooper!

Friday was Char’s riding lesson and she is doing great – she has struggled in the transition from a passenger to an in charge rider.  This is a maturation process – beginning to know what the horse needs to complete the course with consistency without being told….more leg; less leg; half halt; lead changes; stride count…these are all concepts that someone who is moving from and intermediate rider to an advanced rider must execute without being told.  She is making progress and I am really happy about that.  I think she is, too!

Friday we also got Italian food from our favorite restaurant near us – Patty B’s!  It was incredible, as always and we are happy they opened back up (they had closed about a month ago and just re-opened this week).

Saturday we did stalls – they were easily done in two hours and Kelton and I worked hard with those – Char helped moving horses around and exercised Syllabus as well.  She also got some kitten time!

SO adorable!!!!!

Char’s individual picture for one of her friends.

In the beginning of February, we ordered a quarter cow and half a pig and it arrived Saturday in three large chest coolers.  That was fun to put away but I don’t think we will need beef or pork for the next 18 months!  hahahaha

Saturday night Char made her Destination Dining meal and it was WONDERFUL!  She made a Namibian dish called Potjiekos.  It is supposed to be made with lamb, but Char didn’t want anything to do with that, so she made it out of beef.  It is like a stew with carrots, potatoes and curry spices and it was super good!  The Destination Dining was a really fun experience!  The kids did great with it and I definitely enjoyed not cooking most of the week!!!  WIN!!!

Days 33-35 and counting….

Thursday – another really pretty day – and I got some painting on the She Shed done…but need a big ladder for the tops!  The weather was mostly sunny but we got a few squalls – so painting in the snow was weird – but it’s a she shed so I think it will be fine!!!

Can you see the snowflakes on the roller?

The trusses were built by the guys….they took a while.

The first truss is up!

Char and I ran around a bit and delivered some special pictures Char has been drawing for her friends and some candy- we dropped them on the porch and the girls chatted spaced a part.  There were lots of air hugs, air high fives and smiles.  It was good!

Char “with” one of her BFFs!

This is a drawing Char made of her watching over all her BFFs. I think this picture speaks volumes!

Kelly made dinner tonight – Saltenas – Bolivian empanadas with a salad.  They were super good and there are still 12 left….YUM!  A great snack, too!

Bolivian Saltenas!!!!

Lots of dishes!!!! HAHAHAHA

Char’s night is Saturday night – hers is a crock pot recipe that will be great after a few hours at the barn doing stalls.

Day 32 and counting….

Wednesday – another gorgeous day but we were still really busy!

Seriously, not much to report, except Kelton made a most amazing dinner!

His Tikka Masala was out of this world and he spent a good 2 hours in prep and cooking and boy, did it pay off!!!!  I am loving this Destination Dining!!!!

Kelton and his creation!!!!

Up close with his cilantro.

MY tikka masala without cilantro, thank you very much!!!

I am still struggling to fold my laundry in a timely manner!  UGH!

Day 31 and counting….