Filling The Summer Sand Pail

Good Monday morning friends and hello summer. We had a nice weekend, pretty low key with a visit to my mama, a trip to Costco, a day of puppy sitting for my daughter's new dog, lots of World Cup viewing, Sunday morning church and then grandkids home from holiday coming over Sunday afternoon for a swim in the lake. 

And according to hubs I had a seriously good nap on the lower patio couch which is so super comfy you cannot help but sink into sleep there. 

It's not Father's Day unless Dad cooks his own dinner, right? We grilled a pork tenderloin Saturday night and we love to make fried rice on the griddle with the leftovers. So good! 

Since spring has officially come to a close I'm going to look back at my bucket list and see how I did. It would be better if I glanced at it a little more often than I actually have this season, but c'est la vie.  

I used to make lengthy lists, but the summer I fractured my ankle I realized most of that summer's very long list was not going to happen and now I make lists that feel more manageable. Here's what my spring list looked like-

Help Mom move-✔️ 

Meet some bloggers irl ✔️ This was fun and I wrote about it here-Weekend ReKap

Easter! with treats for the grands ✔️

plan a special something for D1's birthday ✔️( ish) -Daughter1's birthday landed on a Sunday at the end of a weekend filled with the baseball all-star tournament her son was playing in, so whooohoo! Baseball's special, right? I did make her an angel food cake topped with strawberries and whipped cream which is her favorite so that counts. 

About that attic (again and still)✔️-hubs and I made a significant dent in the attic organization and while it's not completely perfect it is vastly improved. More importantly hubs isn't bringing it up on a regular basis anymore so even he is pretty happy with our efforts. 

laundry room (ditto) X-this will stay on the to-do list because I didn't get to it this spring. It's not a huge task, but I need to buy a couple of organizational bits and bobs before I pull everything out of the cabinets and I haven't gotten round to doing that yet. YET! 

buy spring dresses for the grandgirls ✔️-you don't have to tell me twice lol. I bought each grandgirl an Easter dress and a fun spring dress and I could have bought at least a dozen more but I kept myself in check. The struggle is real. 

host a Derby party X- as it happened my mom moved into her new space Derby weekend so we had to bow out of hosting. Instead I spent that Friday with my sisters helping mom get settled, then had the five grandkids plus an 8-week old puppy here overnight on Saturday. Life y'all. Gotta live it. 

shop a Farmer's Market X-still have lots of opportunity to make this happen so it's going back on the list for summer

visit a garden ✔️-hubs and I walked the Botanical Garden trail in Highlands NC while on our anniversary overnight getaway. It was lovely. 

celebrate sweet baby J's birthday ✔️-the cousin crew is together this week and we're having a lakeside family birthday celebration for our favorite 4-year old. He celebrated in Tennessee with a friends party but since they were coming here the next week we decided to have a cousin bash too. 

make a spring dessert ✔️-these strawberry lemon bars were super delish. 

They're made with fresh strawberries, fresh strawberry puree, and freshly squeezed lemon juice. So good! 

plan/celebrate an anniversary overnight ✔️-I wrote about it here (The Other Highlands). 

visit a restaurant new to us ✔️-we dined in a restaurant I'd never been to on our anniversary and loved every bite, loved the attention to detail, and loved the wonderful service. We also tried a fun BBQ restaurant whose grill master won last summer's season of Bobby Flay's BBQ Brawl. Really good! 

Well, look at me go. Set the bar low and it's easy to hop over ha! There were some enjoyable spring activities on this list and checking things off felt like fun, not pressure, which is the way I want my bucket list to feel. 

Now onward to summer. I don't include activities like swimming and boating and BBQs with friends because it's summer on the lake and those things happen whether I write them down or not. 

Do you have a few things you don't want to miss this summer? What's on your list? 

Linking with Holly and Sarah today for their Hello Monday hop

Zing!

Well here we are. The end of April and the end of the alphabet. It's actually been a lot of fun thinking about some of the ordinary objects I keep and why I keep them.  

Day 26-Z is for Zenith 

I've had a long day and my brain isn't firing on all cylinders so keeping this short and sweet. The non-astronomical definition of the word zenith  is 'the highest point, peak, or maximum success'. I think we can say reaching the end of the alphabet is the highest point in the A-Z so works for me. 

In taking note of the mostly ordinary objects I've held on to through the years I've reached a conclusion. It's the memories the objects stir up, and not the objects themselves, that I've been holding all along. 

Zee end. 

And now back to your regularly scheduled hit or miss blog programming. 

A Mostly Tax Free Hodgepodge

Welcome to this week's edition of The Wednesday Hodgepodge, and bonus the letter M in the A-Z Blog Challenge. You'll find my entry for that in today's random thought. Scroll down to question #6.

If you've answered today's questions add you link at the end of my post, then leave a comment for the blogger before you. It won't be taxing at all. Now here we go...

Wait. One more thing. Hodgepodge links only here today, please and thank you. And now here we go for real...

1. Big week in the US of A...do you do your own taxes? What's something you've found 'taxing' lately? 

We do not do our own taxes. Actually our accountant phoned us at 8:30 PM Sunday evening to discuss, so thank your CPA because this time of year is brutal for them. 

Something I've found taxing lately? Hmmm...how about blogging my way through the alphabet every day in the month of April? I really do enjoy it, but it's also a lot. 

2. When it comes to travel are you a last minute packer or a lay it all out a week in advance type? Do you struggle to pack light? Share a packing tip that has worked for you. 

I am not last minute except for those things that can only be added last minute. I am more of an overthinker when it comes to packing. I like options, and I like to have somewhat of a plan for what I will wear each day. If I'm flying I have more self-discipline, but with a car trip all bets are off. 

My packing tips? I have traveled a lot but still am not sure you want packing advice from me. Use the packing cubes. It keeps things organized in your suitcase and you can group items in whatever way works for you. 

3. April is National Grilled Cheese Month. Hmmm...who knew it got its own month? Do you like a grilled cheese sandwich? What ingredient do you add to take yours to the next level? 

In hosting the weekly Hodgepodge for many years I've learned there is a national day and/or month for everything under the sun. Not complaining though because it helps me come up with questions when my brain cannot. 

I love a grilled cheese sandwich, and it's even better with a side of tomato soup for dipping. I feel like grilled cheese is a winter lunchtime meal and rarely make one in the summer. I will order a fancy grilled cheese on occasion, but my favorite is the plain old fashioned kind with bread, butter and plenty of melted cheese. No need to doctor it up. 

4. There's a well known quote that says-

'A ship in the harbor is safe, but that's not what ships are built for." John A. Shedd  

Is constant growth necessary or do you think it's more important to prioritize stability and peace in your life? 

I've had seasons where I've been tucked safely in the harbor and that felt necessary. There have of course been many seasons where I've been tossed on the waves which, while unpleasant and confusing, were also likely very necessary. 

I'm not sure anyone's life is all smooth sailing. I think we can and do grow in rough water, but growth can also happen while in a place of stability and peace. Sometimes we need a more gentle environment to be able to look at our lives and see what's working and what's not. 

Ideally we need a balance of growing and rest. Think about the natural world where plants lie dormant in the winter and grow like wildfire in the spring. We humans need something similar. 

Now in terms of spiritual growth I want that to be ongoing. I want to always be growing more like Christ which I think is what we're made for. 

'Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.' Colossians 3:2 

5. Let's wrap this up with a fun spring this or that-

• daffodils or tulips tulips
• lemonade or iced tea half tea half lemonade is my favorite
• gardening or hiking both, but if I have to choose I'll say hiking 
• ladybugs or butterflies butterflies 
• umbrella or raincoat both, but I am partial to a cute umbrella 
• floral patterns or polka dots I like both...my answer would depend on where the pattern is going; is it a top? a dress? a pillow? my bedding?

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

I'm using this space for today's letter in the A-Z Blog Challenge, continuing my theme which is The Things We Keep: An A-Z of Ordinary Objects. 

Day 13-M is for the MGB

Technically the MG is hubs baby but what's mine is his and all that jazz. Plus, I enjoy being a passenger in this little beauty who must have it's own garage bay in whatever home we own. 

We bought the MG in the UK and brought it back with us when we returned stateside. I will say we have more money in the car than the cost of the actual car but I think that's how it often goes with old vehicles.

The MG is a right hand drive vehicle which can freak people out when they pull up beside us at a traffic light. Hubs used to sometimes take our dog with him and the dog sits in what would be the driver's seat in the US so there are lots of double takes by people passing by. 

We drive it on country roads mostly, and try not to get into interstate traffic or super congested areas if possible. We never put the top up so we only drive it in good weather. It wreaks havoc on my hair but we don't get out in it every day so I deal. I am strictly a passenger because she's a tad fussy. 

The car is almost sixty years old, and we've owned her for more than twenty ourselves. I can't imagine getting rid of her, and hope maybe someday hubs can hand over the keys to a grandchild. None of them will be driving for years yet so it won't happen anytime soon, but maybe someday. 

For now...

...we cruise. 

Hodgepodge Questions-Volume 649

Here are the questions to this week's Hodgepodge. Hop back here on Wednesday (April 15) to share your answers. See you there! 

1. Big week in the US of A...do you do your own taxes? What's something you've found 'taxing' lately? 

2. When it comes to travel are you a last minute packer or a lay it all out a week in advance type? Do you struggle to pack light? Share a packing tip that has worked for you. 

3. April is National Grilled Cheese Month. Hmmm...who knew it got its own month? Do you like a grilled cheese sandwich? What ingredient do you add to take yours to the next level? 

4. There's a well known quote that says-

'A ship in the harbor is safe, but that's not what ships are built for." John A. Shedd  

Is constant growth necessary or do you think it's more important to prioritize stability and peace in your life? 

5. Let's wrap this up with a fun spring this or that-

• daffodils or tulips
• lemonade or iced tea
• gardening or hiking
• ladybugs or butterflies 
• umbrella or raincoat
• floral patterns or polka dots

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Hodgepodge Questions-Volume 647

Here are questions to this week's Hodgepodge. Answer on your own blog, then hop back here on Wednesday (April 1st) to share answers with all your peeps. See you there! 

1. March is rolling on out of here. Sum up your March in ten words or less. 

2. Are you afraid of heights? When was the last time you found yourself dealing with a height, and did it make you nervous?

3. What's a word you struggle to spell on a regular basis, and sometimes need to double check before writing it down? Use the word in a sentence that tells us something about your April calendar. 

4. Love 'em or hate 'em, with Easter comes the sweet treat known as Peeps. So... do you love 'em or hate 'em? Speaking of peeps, what's your favorite way to have chicken? 

5. This week's Hodgepodge lands on the first day of April, which happens to be National Poetry Month. Do you like poetry?  Share a favorite line or two from one of your favorite poems. What makes this one a favorite? 

6. Insert your own random thought here.  

Monthly Musings -March

Hello friends. It's the last Thursday of the month if you can believe it, which means it's time for our Monthly Musings hosted by Patty (Good Better Best blog). This month we're talking all things spring, which overlaps a bit with this week's Hodgepodge questions, but I'm playing along anyway. 

I'm with my daughter2 this week and I had her answer the questions too. Who remembers when my girls used to blog? It was a fun season and I loved reading their thoughts on so many things. They're busy with little ones and more these days and of course that's fun too, but I miss reading their words. 

I wrote my answers first, then asked my daughter the questions...here's our answers-

1. Does it feel like spring where you are? 

Me: yes and I'm loving the warmer temps, all the blooming things, grass turning green, and the sun setting at 8 PM. 

D2-some days, mostly yes, with some cool temperatures and some warmer which I guess is spring

2. What spring holidays do you celebrate?

Me-I guess we're going by what the calendar calls spring and not what feels like spring to me. June 21st is when the calendar turns, but in my mind Memorial Day is the first day of summer.  

If we're going by the calendar then my springtime celebrations will be Easter, Mother's Day, Memorial Day, Daughter1's birthday, and sweet baby J's birthday (grandson #3). Plus, using this timeline our anniversary technically lands in the spring, but just barely. I've always said we had a 'summer wedding' as the day was a scorcher, and schools weren't in session, plus June brides are summer brides, right? 

D2-based on when spring actually ends I celebrate Easter, Mother's Day, Father's day and my son's birthday...oh and Memorial Day which I think of as the start of summer. 

3. Any spring trips planned?

Me-No spring travel planned, but I'm hoping we can manage an overnight somewhere to mark our anniversary. I'm working on it. 

D2-a trip to the beach 

4. Favorite foods to eat and share for spring holidays? 

Me-  pineapple stuffing is always on the Easter menu here, plus I love deviled eggs and they're another dish on the menu. I like to make Nigella's pea, mint, and avocado salad in the spring because it's so green and fresh. I go easy on the mint though as I think a little goes a long way. Nigella loves her some mint. I also like to make my sister's carrot soup recipe in the spring. 

D2-deviled eggs 100%, M & M cookies made with pastel M & M's, pineapple stuffing which I pretty much only make at Easter 

5. Are there any spring festivals in your area?

Me-Not really, at least not right in tiny town. The weekly live music in the heart of downtown starts back up in April and that's a lot of fun. They close the streets and there's a band,  food, and friends gathered. 

D2-I discovered we have a pickle festival on May 17th and we'll be checking that out for sure. There's a tulip festival happening now, and a strawberry festival in May we like to go to every year. 

6. Best spring allergy relief tip?

Me-I take allergy meds this time of year and I won't spend a lot of time outdoors when pollen is peak. 

D2-I don't have horrible spring allergies. My husband says I sneeze more than the average person year round so... flonase for the sneezing and eat local honey

7. What makes you think, 'ok, now it's finally spring'?

Me-the daffodils popping up as you come down the drive

D2-no more snowflakes on the weather app 

8. Spring rain...love or dislike?

Me-I won't say I love it, but regular spring rain helps bring the pollen down and I do love that. We need some rain right now as we're experiencing drought conditions in our area. 

D2-I dislike it. I don't like to be stuck inside. 

9. Special spring holiday dessert or treat? 

Me-I don't have any special spring treats, but I do like to find something delicious to make for Easter. I'm not always in charge of dessert but I like something light, citrus-y or made with berries for spring. Strawberry shortcake is a favorite of mine and strawberry season in my state is April-June so I'll for sure make a shortcake or two every spring. 

D2-I like to bake and I like to find a new recipe every season. When I hear this I think what will I make for Easter dessert. This year I found a recipe for carrot cake whoopie pies and think I might try that. 

10. Favorite spring cocktail or mocktail? 

Me- cheating a little with my answer, but when I think spring beverage I think sweet tea. I don't make iced tea in the winter but come spring it's a staple here. I'll have a pitcher in the frig from now until November. Homemade with plenty of lemon. 

D2-I'm going to say a French 75...I think the lemon twist makes it look and feel springy. 

Spring Fever In The Hodgepodge

Welcome to a springtime edition of The Wednesday Hodgepodge. If you've answered today's questions add your link at the end of my post, then leave a comment for the blogger before you. Here we go-

1. It's officially spring in the northern hemisphere. Does it feel like spring in your part of the world? If you're in the southern hemisphere it's officially autumn where you live. Does the weather say autumn? Which do you prefer-spring or autumn? Why? 

It definitely feels like spring where I live. I will do my best not to go on and on (and on and on) about the pollen but it's here and it's a sure sign of spring. Temps are in the 70's for the most part, some days we've been up in the 80's, and things are blooming. 

Autumn is my favorite season of the year, but I'm always happy to see spring springing too. 

2. What's your favorite thing about spring? 

Easter. 

 So much sweetness in a single photograph. 

3. Spring into action, spring in your step, spring to life, spring to one's feet...which spring idiom currently applies to your life in some way? Explain.  

All of the above. I'm hanging with these two little cuties this week and they definitely put a spring in my step. There's also a lot of springing into action and springing to your feet with the three and under set. They're quick! 

4. Which spring food from this list is your favorite? What's a dish you like that includes your favorite spring ingredient? 

asparagus, strawberries, salad greens like mesclun, artichokes, spinach, eggs, peas, spring onions

There isn't anything on this list I don't love so it's tough to pick a favorite. I'd probably say eggs because that's the one I'd miss the most if it were taken away. Deviled eggs are a favorite this time of year especially. 

5. What's one task on your spring cleaning list? Do you actually have a list? 

I don't have a written list, although I might make one just so I can have the satisfaction of crossing off completed chores. One task on the list? Baseboards, wipe down all the kitchen cabinets, and wash windows which we might farm out to a professional. 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Several people have asked me how we played the Bingo game on my mother-in-law's birthday. My sister-in-law did all the work, but it looked like this-

Every square had some saying, event, or phrase relating to my m-i-l. When the square was called you marked it off just like you do with a regular bingo board (We used dot markers). Then everyone told a story or shared a memory relating to whatever the square said. 

The cards were made using myfreebingocards.com. and my sister-in-law printed them out for us on paper.  Everyone's card was arranged differently but had some of the same topics, so there was a winner. We didn't have prizes, just lots of fun and laughs. 

Springing In To Monday

Hello friends and happy Spring! It's official and the pollen falling here confirms that. We have our outdoor rugs rolled up and furniture covered in a weak attempt to keep it at bay and minimize clean up. It helps, but she's a force y'all. 

I feel like pollen is a she. 

Anyhoo, the weekend...let's discuss. And link with Holly (Pink Lady blog) and Sarah (Sunshine and Books) like we do every Monday. 

Friday morning hubs and I ventured out for a mostly easy hike. It was cool when we got started but warmed up as the day went on. We followed what's known as the Oconee Bell Trail at a nearby state park and were rewarded with some blooms. 

For those not in the know, the Oconee Bell is a rare flower of the southern Appalachians, found only in a few locations in the mountains of South Carolina, North Carolina and Georgia. The bells grow along slopes beside streams and rivers and have a short bloom time (just a couple of weeks) which is now. 

Saturday this particular park was having an Oconee Bell festival, but we wanted to beat the crowds so did the hike on Friday. We pretty much had the trail to ourselves which is how we like it. 

This trail marker is very 'me'. 

The trail is a mess. 

Well, the trail is passable, but that recent ice storm did some serious damage and the woods around the trail look like a war zone. 

That blue sky makes it all okay. 

This particular park sits on the lake just above ours and it's spectacular. There are very, very few homes on this lake, maybe 50 or so, and it's just beautiful. It's popular with fisherman, kayakers, and waterfall chasers and the view from the ranger station parking lot is stunning. 

I snapped this picture from one of the docks where the water is about 15 feet deep, and you can see the bottom. Our lake is crystal clear, but this one is a step above that. 

We came home and had lunch and then hubs took my car to have the tires rotated and I took a nap. I'm overly tired from all the recent comings and goings and more and a nap helped. We watched basketball and hubs says I'm a little too invested in my brackets but I what can I say? I like winning-ha! I'm not but I'm tracking my teams anyway. 

Hubs grilled salmon for dinner and I made spinach and brown rice to go with, which made the eating on Friday feel mostly healthy. 

Saturday morning we had breakfast out then went furniture shopping. Without getting too deep into the weeds here, my mom, who currently lives with my younger sister, is going to be moving south, and we need furniture for this new space. Honestly it's hard. We're doing what we think is the right thing at the right time and I'm praying all goes smoothly in this big transition. 

The 9th decade of life comes at you hard. 

I was charged with finding some furniture and hubs went along for moral support and common sense. We had a very pleasant experience with the salesman and it was all pretty straightforward, so hopefully when the time comes delivery will be the same. 

It was 84 degrees here on Saturday and you won't hear me complain. I worked on some odds and ends paperwork that needed attention, and we watched more basketball because we love us some March Madness. I also read, worked on my blog, and did all the laundry that was in the hamper which feels like it should be celebrated. 

Hubs grilled burgers for dinner and I made a marinated cucumber salad (recipe here) that will be on repeat this summer.

It stormed just as we were getting ready to eat and we were rewarded with a rainbow-

Sunday morning started on a high note, with a beautiful sunrise. I snapped a picture from the covered deck and the reflection of the trees in the lake was so pretty and peaceful. 

We left for church as we normally do, but encountered a hiccup en route and almost missed it. 

Remember how I said we had the tires on my car rotated on Friday? Well we had a flat on the way to church Sunday morning. It's been a long time since I've had a flat tire, but I'm glad it happened close to home and not this morning when I would be winding my way along the sparsely traveled twisty-turny route to my daughter's house in Tennessee.  

Thankfully we were only a couple of miles from our house and about a mile from a gas station. A gas station who's air was out of order, which was a bummer. We phoned our roadside assistance and explained we probably didn't need a tow, just enough air to get us back home and they sent someone our way. He was friendly, quick, and tried spraying some foam on the tires to see if he could spot a nail, but nothing. Doesn't mean there isn't one, but from our various awkward angles we couldn't see it. 

Once the tire was inflated we drove just a few miles more to the tire center where the car had been on Friday. My daughter was already at church but said my son-in-law could pop out of the service and pick us up.  Conveniently the tire center was exactly 900 feet from the church building so said we'd walk over and they could give us a ride home. 

We left the key in the key drop and hopefully it's a simple fix because I'm going to spend a few days with daughter2 this week, and my plan was to leave first thing Monday morning. We shall see. 

We made it to church just in time for the message and then rode home with the 'kids'. As soon as they dropped us at home we climbed into hubs truck and took ourselves out to lunch. It was 88 degrees and sunny and we shared an order of fish and chips and a salad with a view. 

As we drove home there was a breeze, and if you're not familiar with the south this time of year you should know that breeze was a literal cloud of yellow dust. 

I put a chicken dish in the crock pot once we were home, one of our favorites that I make pretty often. It's called a mediterranean chicken (linked here). The recipe calls for you to brown the chicken first, but I skip that step and it's still delicious. I always make this lemon-cucumber couscous salad to go with and it's really good too. 

This has nothing to do with anything, but our amaryllis is blooming...

...and she's a beauty. Happy Monday everyone! 

Hodgepodge Questions-Volume 646

Here are the questions to this week's Hodgepodge. Answer on your own blog, then hop back here on Wednesday (March 25th) to add your link to the party. See you there! 

1. It's officially spring in the northern hemisphere. Does it feel like spring in your part of the world? If you're in the southern hemisphere it's officially autumn where you live. Does the weather say autumn? Which do you prefer-spring or autumn? Why? 

2. What's your favorite thing about spring? 

3. Spring into action, spring in your step, spring to life, spring to one's feet...which spring idiom currently applies to your life in some way? Explain.  

4. Which spring food from this list is your favorite? What's a dish you like that includes your favorite spring ingredient? 

asparagus, strawberries, salad greens like mesclun, artichokes, spinach, eggs, peas, spring onions

5. What's one task on your spring cleaning list? Do you actually have a list? 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

It's A Winter-ful Life

Hello friends and hello Monday. Linking with Holly (Pink Lady) and Sarah (Sunshine and Books) today for their weekend catch up blog hop. 

So. It snowed. It has been below freezing all weekend long. In South Carolina. Not cool. 

I mean it was actually really really cool, but that's not cool. We Palmetto people like our warm temps and life lived outdoors and occasionally a boat ride mid-winter. Instead we have an icy driveway, frosty fingertips, and lots of time spent at home. I'm not complaining (much) because I love cozy at home days, but I also love getting out and about, and we haven't had a lot of that these past two weekends. 

Wait. Friday we were out and about. Hubs and I had a date. It wasn't a day date, but it definitely still counts. 

Let's back up and capture the whole weekend. There was still a fair amount of ice around all week following last weekend's ice storm, but I could get in and out of the driveway without a problem. We had snow in the forecast so I re-stocked groceries on my way home from my volunteer slot on Thursday afternoon. We went out to dinner that evening with some neighbors we hadn't spent time with in a long while and that was really nice. 

Friday morning I had an appointment to have my hair cut and then my stylist also worked her magic to make it look sun-kissed. It takes half a day but it's worth it. I came home and got straight into some make ahead cooking just in case we had power issues with this second storm. The forecasters were calling for actual snow, and  didn't seem too terribly worried about power outages, but still it's best to be prepared. 

I made a pot of beef stew and a pot of chicken noodle soup and even though we never lost power we enjoyed these dishes all weekend long. I loved having food prepared and not having to cook over the weekend. I should do more of that in all types of weather. 

Friday night hubs and I went to a nearby venue to see the band Lonestar. Raise your hand if you listened to country music in the 90's and 00's and you remember Lonestar. Their biggest hit was a song called Amazed and I think it became a wedding song for a lot of couples who married back in those decades. 

Anyway, this venue is so nice. It's smallish and we were just four rows from the band. The seats are comfortable and parking for a show here is not a problem. I realize all of that makes me sound old, but whatever. 

We enjoyed the performance so much. They're really talented musicians, the guitar player especially. They sang all my old favorites, which took me right back to living beside the Bay, little girls in the house, weekends spent boating with friends,  and country music on the radio. Sigh. 

There are still three original members of Lonestar  with the group, and then two members who joined later but have been with them a while. The keyboardist was the 'boss' and he was funny and had a great rapport with the audience. 

Did I sing along? How could I not? Hubs used to travel a lot with work (always, but particularly often in the 90's), and Lonestar's song,  'I'm Already There' especially makes me think of that season of life. 

Where was I? 

Oh yeah, the weather. We woke up to light snow falling Saturday morning, and it grew heavier as the day went on. We ended up with somewhere between two and three inches I think and that's a lot for our area. 

Somebody loved it. 

Hubs took the little brown dog out to play and he ends up with all these little ice balls stuck to his fur which means he has to be dried and cleaned off afterwards, but he LOVES it. 

Hubs used the leaf blower to get some of the snow off the driveway. It was light and we no longer own a snow shovel so there's that. We watched Clemson basketball and read books and chatted, then had stew for dinner. After dinner it was Tennessee basketball and early to bed. 

Just like the Pioneers. 

Sort of like the Pioneers. 

Not really like the Pioneers except we are going to bed early. 

We knew church was cancelled for Sunday, as were I think all or almost all of the churches in our county, and schools are closed again today. I spent time Sunday morning digging in to the Wayne Grudem book I'm working through this year (Sytematic Theology). It's excellent, but it's not light and requires every ounce of concentration I can muster. A quiet Sunday morning was perfect for this. 

I cleaned out my dresser drawers and the drawers in my bathroom vanity this weekend, did some laundry, and hubs ran the vacuum so a few things did get done that needed doing. 

Mostly though it's quiet, beautiful, slick, and only 47 days until Spring. 

If you're talking about your weekend hop over to the host blogs and add your link to the party.