Monday, September 23, 2013

Makin' A List, Checkin' It Twice

I woke up this morning with a list running through my head, which is pretty typical for me on a Monday. I know some people dread Monday mornings, but I love them. A brand new week lies in front of me, I feel energized to accomplish great things, and I wake up happy to face my coffee and my  calendar.

Course by end of day Wednesday I'm usually forced to look reality in the eye and admit to myself all those to-dos are not gonna get done. But hey! Thursday's practically the weekend, which means another Monday morning is right around the corner.  

Is anyone else a little bit fascinated by the concept of time, or is that just me?

Speaking of lists, and yes I was because Mondays in my house are full of lists-things to do today, a weekly menu plan, groceries, and my favorite-a list filled with all the things I'm going to do before Friday gets here. There is something supremely satisfying about drawing a line through an item on a to do list.  Not nearly as satisfying when done electronically btw, which is why I still have scraps of actual paper scattered across my kitchen counter.

One thing on my list today is 'blog'. I'm reduced to writing write on a list beside return the Redbox rental and pick up a hook for a picture that needs hanging, because if it's on my to-do list it feels legitimate and not frivolous. Is blogging frivolous?

Where in the world is this post going?  How 'bout I recap the weekend which contained a happy surprise in the form of this-


Daughter1 booked a train ticket home to surprise me for my birthday. That's our attempt at a 'selfie' in front of Rita's Italian Ice. I'd dragged her along on a million errands on Friday including the dry cleaners, the pharmacy, the vet, and the supermarket, so Rita's was the least I could do to say thanks. Errands are so much more fun with a daughter in tow.

Friday night hubs made a fire in our outdoor firepit, and we grilled salmon, and then had leftover birthday cake. Hubs knows it's not officially my birthday without this cake-dark chocolate filled with a delicate raspberry mousse, and then the piece de resistance-a rich chocolate ganache topping.


It is every bit as delicious as it sounds. We had a piece on my birthday, and as I was cutting it he said, 'Let's not eat it all, we should save some for Daughter1'. Seriously? Did he really think the two of us could eat an entire cake in a single day?

We couldn't, could we?

Saturday morning we woke up to fall temperatures so hubs re-lit the fire and we had our coffee outdoors, which makes my list of top ten favorite things to do on a weekend.  I rousted Daughter1 out of bed early so she could get in on the fun too.


She didn't mind.
She's used to us.


Later in the day we went over to the ski resort in a nearby town to check out their Oktoberfest celebration.


Vegetarians look away.


We had some fantabulous barbecue, grilled sausage, potato pancakes, and of course that traditional German dessert-cotton candy. What can I say...my girl loves her cotton candy.


Is she too cute for words, or what?


We listened to a little oompah music and then took the requisite ride up the mountain to check out the view. Y'all know this is not my favorite thing, and you can tell by the crazy hair that it was windy. Why is it always windy when I have to ride a cart up a mountain?


There are loads of mountain bike trails cut into the mountain, and we saw lots of bikers out enjoying the pretty weather. The views are gorgeous from up top, plus we had to get a closer look at the zipline course.  Hubs and daughter1 were making plans to come back and do that, and of course hubs started giving me his usual pep talk that runs along the lines of 'You could do that' and 'You'd love it!'.


I gave it a solid maybe.

Daughter1 and I watched Pitch Perfect on Saturday night.  I'd never seen it and thought it was cute, plus I liked the music. Hubs watched too, and by 'watched' I mean he napped on the couch.

We didn't have to trek to the train until Sunday night which was nice. Daughter1 helped me with our Christmas card (whoohoo-it's still September!), and she set up an Ipod speaker we got for Christmas last year that I could not for the life of me figure out how to work.  When I say set up I mean she turned it on.  Really, it was pretty much that simple, except somehow blue tooth is involved and when I hear the words blue tooth I stop listening.

We grilled turkey burgers for dinner, and I'm just gonna go ahead and admit I'm not really a fan.  I want to like them because I know they're better for you than beef, but there is something about ground turkey that gives me the heebie jeebies.  I love roast turkey and turkey sandwiches and turkey soup, but ground turkey?  Shiver.

I always doctor them up to add flavor, and yesterday we marinated the burgers in a soy-ginger-citrus concoction and then topped them with grilled pineapple.  I loved the grilled pineapple, and the burgers didn't taste bad, there's just something about the texture I don't love.  Where's the beef?

Okay, those to-dos are not going to cross themselves off, so I need to get busy.  It's Monday, and Mondays are made for productivity.

Or a good book and a nap on the patio in the afternoon sun.  Maybe I need to put that on my list!

18 comments:

  1. Joyce, I have so enjoyed reading this post. I felt like we were sitting down together, perhaps around that delightful fire pit, and I just listened as you shared. May I just say, I love your family from a great distance. Your girls are so lovely and to say wholesome is the height of a compliment from me. I am not a list maker, so can't relate to that topic at all, but I do love to see tasks accomplished. And oh my, the views from that windy vista. It all sounded like a great weekend, and one I would have loved to have experienced myself. Thanks for sharing with me whether around the fire pit or a much more public forum. Have a great week.

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  2. What a great birthday surprise-and the cake looks too good to eat.

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  3. I just loved every minute of the weekend with you! Wish I was still there sitting out by the fire with you. Can't wait to see you in my neck of the woods next month!

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  4. I LOVE to make lists and cross them off.
    We had a great weekend with our dear daughter as well. I cried today taking her back to the airport. Christmas can't get here fast enough so we can hug her in person again

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  5. Happy Birthday , I'll take some cake

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  6. I'm with you on time and lists and chocolate and Oktoberfest and just about everything you frivolously blogged about!! (I have wondered the same thing about blogging.)

    About time? Every year it's the same thing. In January, I know that any minute it will be Christmas and another year will be ending. Makes me so sad.

    And I do love crossing out items on a list. Happy week to you.

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  7. I have also spend today crossing things off a to-do list...it is very satisfying to have a list completed, but then it is just time for another list. Your weekend sounds like it was wonderful. I am with you on not loving to ride a lift to the top of a mountain, but it is always worth it when you get to the top. As for zip-lining, I have, but probably won't again.
    Your "official" birthday cake looks and sounds delicious.

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  8. Oh, I'm such a list maker and get such satisfaction marking a line through them as they are accomplished.

    What a sweet surprise! Yes, anything done with a daughter is more fun and so wish I had more opportunities with mine.

    Hope you have a good week following your birthday celebration.

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  9. I make more lists than I should I am very sure, but how I LOVE to cross things off of them, haha. What a wonderful surprise! Nothing like some daughter time. Yes, sometimes I have actually considered putting "nap" on my to do list, haha, Glad you had a good week-end!

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  10. Love you birthday surprise! Great photos, too. I make lists at work, and grocery lists at home, but that's about it. Mondays are not my favorite day, but I do thank God for another week!!

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  11. I love your take on Mondays - it's all in how you look at it. I'm going to try that approach next week.

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  12. Honey has been known to write a recently completed task on his existing list just so he can cross it off and feel super accomplished!!

    How nice that Daughter 1 came to visit. Your cake sounds SCRUMTRULESCENT!!!!

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  13. I know that having a surprise visit from your daughter was the BEST BIRTHDAY GIFT EVER :)

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  14. Is that a challenged issued to see if I can eat that cake in a day? Accepted! :)

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  15. I love paper lists, but I am also the only teacher in my school that still uses an actual plan book and grade book. Can't get into the computer stuff yet.

    Love that weekend, what fun memories.

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  16. I wish I had your outlook on Monday mornings..............
    What a great birthday weekend you had! I love going up in the mountains like that, we did that a few years ago in Mammoth Lakes. Actually there was still now up there in August! Have a great week.

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  17. I accidentaly kept a RedBox for about 6 nights. Which was an epic fail. My girls want to see Pitch Perfect (they like the Cups song), but I need to look into it and see what it is rated. They might be too young still. Happy late Birthday!

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