AAM Monday: Project Life 2018 Weeks 2 and 3

Getting caught up is a good feeling after a few weeks not doing Project Life. I'd forgotten how cold it was in the second week of January. I was so very glad to have the puffer coat I bought for Boston. I haven't actually needed it much lately. PL helps me remember those differences.

Remember This When It's Too Hot Here

I tried to upload a video but ran into some glitches with Blogger so... this will have to do!

AAM Monday: Project Life Week 11

A lot of bits and pieces this week. Hopefully, the last snow and ice. It didn't last long but it did make walking round the house rather dicey. I needed that TJ chocolate this week. Getting close to the wedding, I worried about the smallest things AND the big things like the rehearsal dinner.

When one snowstorm was predicted, I went to TJ's and got myself a spring roll for lunch. %$&*^ but when I got it home, it was off. Darn darn darn...but again, just a minor glitch in life.

AAM Monday: I Got It!

Last week I  made this layout for a challenge.

Well, I'm no longer in London so I had to hope for snow in Maryland. Not a blizzard but just enough snow to make it white on the ground and cold, cold, cold.

Sunday I visited a friend who lives out in 'the country' or at least what we 'city folk' call a lot of Davidsonville.  We both had had SNOW!   The winds were strong on the fields so it doesn't look like much in this photo but it was beautiful and it was cold. Still is. Right now it is 16°.  For three or so days, I'm ok, then I'm happy for it to get back to the high 30s and 40s. I'm a fair weather snow person!

But this really makes me happy and yes, that is a water pump below the tree. I bet that water is wonderful in the summer. Cold and fresh.

FIVE on Friday: January 6, 2017

1.Well the snow arrived! In our backyard, which doesn't get the sun til much later in the day if at all, the snow covers the deck and parts of the grass. Out front, it's just a sprinkling on the bushes. Usually, the snow doesn't stick to the brick driveway or walk until it's heavier. That's good because it makes walking easier.

2. I did a massive amount of grocery shopping yesterday when himself told me snow was predicted for today. I got to the store(s) round noon and they were well stocked and pretty empty. Actually by the time I got to Trader Jo's I think the word was out but it still wasn't bad. Now today and tomorrow, I'll think of things I wish I had bought. But I have to be up next to Costco next week so that may solve my 'time to get the big jugs of detergent and softener'. That's about a twice a year purchase for me.

3. Construction work stopped yesterday in our cellar. We had it waterproofed...god willing!...and the jackhammers half the day were a challenge. Fortunately, I was two floors up and put some meditation music on. There is still some final work to be done but not this week. I asked for a week off and that will also let the concrete set even more.

4. Today was another batch of steel cut oats. This time I made them with water and I don't think I like them that much that way. Normally, it's pure milk but next time I'll go with half water and half milk. What do you use?

5. Since we got DirectTV about two years ago, I have enjoyed recording various movies to watch later. Last March...yes, what can I say???...I recorded San Andreas.  I had been sooo anxious to watch it but once I had it, it never seemed the right time. kwim?  well I watched it last night with a good mug of decaf mocha. Slept like a baby but then I don't live on the left coast, do I!

Have a great weekend, snow or summer depending on your base. See you back here Monday!

TBT: That Winter of 1966

As we hear ifs and maybes about upcoming snow, I'm looking at images of a snowfall back in 1966. My husband and I drove up from our new home in San Angelo TX to the Washington DC suburbs that had been our childhood homes.  It was a Christmas time visit that only the young would attempt. On the day shown in these photos we decided to drive to the new town of Reston. Prior to the Beltway opening in 1964, this would have been a long and tedious drive. However, in 1966 the drive was quick and enjoyable. Try to say that today!

My then husband surveys the surroundings. I don't think he was as impressed by Reston as I was but then I had a friend who worked for the Rouse company, another big developer. New towns had caught my interest and gave me options to the dreaded suburbs of my childhood.

Our good friend Robert drove us in his ancient...Volvo? Saab?

I was pretty sure I was pregnant at this time, having had one miscarriage already. We wanted a baby born while my husband was still in the Air Force so the baby would be 'free'.  Driving back to Texas, I was sure as I had my first waves of serious nausea which was a shock to both of us.  So many things you don't know when it's your first child til you experience them. Morning sickness was only a phrase til my body explained it to me!

Whether we get snow or not this weekend, I know for sure I won't be driving to Reston, though a trip to the Leesburg outlets could be tempting...

Wordless Wednesday: Remember When It Was Cold?

Boston Winter 2012

TBT: Winter Gets Ugly

Boston 2011

AAM Monday: Project Life Week 5

Again, a simple layout and one that I do think will get a background paper later. By later, I mean this week but I did want to get the basic done and out there. One thing I'm stuck with is the origin of the little igloo. If anyone can claim it, I'll credit it when I put the layouts in a gallery. ETA:The igloo is from Arctic Space by JuliaDreams. It came in the January bundle I got at thhungryjpeg.

I also have an unresolved issue of my Text tool in PSE13 being stuck in the CAPS mode, despite resetting the tool and resetting all the preferences in the Editor.  The mysteries of software...

Five on Friday: February 6, 2016

Hello Friday! Even though I'm retired and none of my life has revolved around school schedules for a long time, the Monday-Friday pattern must be imprinted in my brain. Friday still feels like the end of 'something'.

1. I took all this to our local charity shop.  I'm trying to do the 15 minutes a day of decluttering, twice a day. A day at a time...

2. Recently, I got the catalog for our community college Arts Programs. I've taken one or two of the classes but the teacher who teaches Photoshop and Lightroom ONLY lectures. Uh...no hands on? I think that's ridiculous. However, one class really got my attention...Seriously??? "Personalized Painted Pet Food Mat". I kid you not. $57 plus $27 for supplies.

3 . "They say" that we're to get more snow. I guess they didn't get the message that the recent blizzard will suffice as far as snow goes in my mind. How about you? Want more? Had enough? It's all a matter of taste, age and vehicle I suspect.

4. This is so so cool. If I had children, I'd love it! Elise Blaha Cripe is a clever woman.

5. This must be the truly down time season for no new tv episodes. I have about 5 shows that I record and watch one a night during the week. This week? No new episodes of quite a few of them. Bah humbug. But I did watch a rather sweet movie.  5-7. Now "I" knew the meaning of that phrase even back in MY teens. If you have time and can find it, it's a nice bit of funny fluff.



Well, snow or no snow, I hope to see you on Monday! Enjoy your weekend and play!

Wordless Wednesday: Let it End

TBT: Annapolis Way Back When

When Annapolis really was a seagoing town. When Annapolis had sailing vessels in the harbor that were not luxury boats for the 'carriage trade'. When it got cold enough to freeze the water.

It happened again nearly 40 years ago. God help us if we get this kind of storm this coming weekend.

Mother Nature, I've seen heavy snow and bitter cold weather so I'll pass on seeing it again. If you don't mind. Please?

TBT Back in the 60s

Ah it's TBT so what should I throw back to??? How about 1966/67? After coming up to MD to visit our families, we drove back to San Angelo TX either just after Christmas or just after New Years. Fortunately, the car was parked going down the hill as there was no way of getting UP the hill in the snow. This is the automatic VW that that man traded for a stick shift VW while I was in the hospital having son #1. That's another story...

TBT: VW in the Snow 1967

After a visit to our families for Christmas 1966, we headed back to Texas in the new year. But we did have an experience of a bit of snow before we left. The sweater my former husband is wearing was knit for him by my mother. Oh those Aran style sweaters she designed picking the individual cable patterns herself.

It was on the return journey to Texas that I realized for sure that I was pregnant and starting getting morning sickness around Atlanta. My husband said it was the Slim Jims I had eaten in the car but I knew. Little did I know that he would trade my automatic VW for a stick shift one while I was in the hospital that August. I didn't know how to drive a stick so that left me carless for all my pregnancy. I finally was taught by a friend in Malawi in 1980. Now I love my 5 speed and hate the thought of going back to an automatic.

AAM Monday: Project Life Week 9

Another week where the predominate subject was the weather. Hopefully this is changing but seeing is believing. I was here in Maryland, by choice, and he was out in Boulder CO because of work. Snow in both areas. I have had some days where I've met my 3k step goal and other days where I really did well - for me. Progress is the name of the game.

AAM Monday: Project Life Week 8

This has been some of the slow season, the time when we're done with winter but winter doesn't know it. I can say that because I looked at what was going on last year at this time. Deja vu all over!

Grousing/Whinging in 2014

At least some of the  snow was while I had a short dogsitting gig with the company of my two teenage granddaughters. No school for them the entire time. That put a whole different spin on my time over in Virginia. Basically, I almost never left the house, while they had 'play dates' with friends whose families have SUVs. Worked for me!

Travel With Me Tuesday: A Much Better Day or Two in Piemonte

After our not-so-great day which was mainly made up of resolving our car issue after putting the wrong kind of diesel in a diesel car, the next day was rather quiet. It was, for me, the crash after the worry of the prior day.

Two days later, we made an attempt to go north once again, maybe to see snow?  If not, no problem. I had really seen enough unexpected snow in the 2013-14 winter.  My whole reason for this trip had ended that winter but we were already booked and still planned to go.


It's not often I do a two page spread but once in a while is a good change of pace.

After lunch, yes, I finally saw that snow IN the Alps. We never got as far as we'd hoped as a storm was coming in and we decided to be safe rather than sorry.

But before heading home I had to throw a snowball. It's a tradition and totally required on any of our trips involving snow. A totally successful day.

Travel With Me Tuesday: The Torino Trip-A Snow Day

I haven't done a regular Day 1, Day 2 etc of our trip to Milan and Turin back in March of this year but every once in a while I'll do a page. This was one I just did.

This trip was planned in the heat of the 2013 summer. I said "I want to go somewhere that has snow on the ground." In my head I was wishing for Switzerland in late November but in reality the Italians are a lot more fun than the Swiss, the exchange rate is better and the food...well, I'm not sure I've had a bad Italian meal. Swiss food was good but again, I'd be counting the cost of each morsel going in. That's not fun. So Turin, in the shadow of the Alps, in March it was.

Who would know that after the winter of 2013-14 I would be so sick of cold and snow... who knew.

Project Life Week 10

With the incredible amount of snow we've had this winter as well as the alternating days which seem like spring, the days have kind of blended together. Very strange feeling this winter about the passage of time.  I do hope the eventual arrival of spring changes that.

But this was a week with, I hope, the last big snow. Oh I sure do hope it was!

Snow ....Again?

Just a quick one to say I started off the morning with my first visit to a Chiropractor. Very good appointment and yes, my x-rays explain a lot of the why of my various tears in seemingly random joints. I knew from my JinShinJyutsu work that the spiral pattern of my aches and tears meant something, I just didn't quite get it - yet.

But while I was there this a.m., it started to snow...again. A truly beautiful snow and one that left us with about 1.5-2 inches but fortunately, none stuck to the street! The sun is now out and the temperature had risen so I believe I will try and start watching "House of Cards".  A good afternoon for taking it easy, especially as I have no snow to shovel.