This n' That From This Week

A day late and a post or so behind, but so it is this week. It's Holy Week for us religious types which has meant church almost  every day for me as well as a trip downtown at 2 am on Friday morning to do my share of the traditional "watch" for those fellow church going readers who understand such things. Since I'm the night owl in the bunch, I always sign up for the two to four am slot. Nothing like being completely alone in an old church with nothing but candles in the middle of the night.  Disclaimer: I expect that more of my readers are non religious or non church going than are. We are all different. As such, although I do refer to my church on the blog, it's mostly in terms of my social groups and giving back. This week however, its impossible to talk about my days without including the Lent and Easter thing. 

The inside of my historic church

Meanwhile, a few other things I did (and did not) do this week:

1.  I am not sure about my dress, and so I ordered a second one. While the first one is lovely and I may still wear it, I feel like it's not quite me. I tend to be a "spring" who can also wear any shade of blue and the occasional rust or olive. So while I haven't returned the first dress, I'm awaiting the second. This midnight blue won't conflict with the wedding blue in any way, and honestly, I'm more likely to wear it other places. And since I'm also wearing blue to the rehearsal dinner, I can combine accessories and shoes. I'll return one once I decide.

Pretty, but undecided.

Coming this weel

My rehearsal dress, to be worn with an aqua shrug

2.  We've started going out to dinner once a week, usually on Wednesdays.  Wednesdays both because we avoid the working folks blowing off stream on the weekends and because that's my knitting and happy hour day.. The last couple of weeks have been breakfast for dinner type places, the next two weeks I intend to make up for that by trying out the new Indian restaurant down the road and hitting the Outback since I have a free meal from said restaurant. Note: in theory this eating out stuff has it's own budget line, but since I'm the frugal retiree this is generally funded through restaurant rewards, earned and gifted cards and my digital change jar. 

3. I did not love The German Girl, and it did not get a high rating from my book group. For those who have read the book, most of us felt like it was two different stories. While not uplifting, I would have loved to follow the ship and the people on it back to Europe. At the same time the Cuba story deserved more development. At least two of my readers loved the book, so don't let my review discourage you from tackling it. Next months book is completely different, an early Tony Hillerman book. We are a diverse bunch.

4. While i did some knitting and sewing this week, my main creative goal was to spend some time with my watercolors. I made a little chart so that I would know what each color looked like (I already did this with my colored pencils). I found a bunch of instructional web pages and have started on this project by doing the basic beach scene, only in watercolor. Now I'm moving on to this other tutorial to make a mixed media picture. I may do it in acrylics afterwards to explore the difference. I'm allowing myself a month to complete this picture. Slow and steady, that's my rule, working on it a day a week.

5.  I spent some time being one with the lawn and trying to decide if this is the year to budget for a professional. I did the aerating, fertilization and such last year and said lawn improved not a whit. So I either need to do some serious due diligence research wise or else pony up the money. Tightwad that I am, it may be time for the latter!

6. I got a huge amount of country ribs for much less than half price.  I threw them in the slow cooker with coke for six hours. Then I took out half, added barbecue sauce and threw it in the oven to crisp a bit. The other half I left in the cooker with added sauce. My intent was to freeze half, but no one is tired of the pork and we just keep changing out the sides. A win from both the frugal and taste perspective it seems, as normally leftovers wear out their welcome around here pretty quickly.

7. Since I am related to my brother the chef extraordinaire, I opted not to try out one of the new high end restaurants nearby and head over to their home for a brunch that includes homemade sweet rolls, the best quiche ever and a mimosa or two. I'll try said restaurant some time when the menu is not buffet style. In other news, this is the first year ever that I have not made decorated Easter sugar cookies, and I bought no Easter candy except for a Godiva bunny or two. Changes, changes, my friends!

The coming week shows plenty seventy degree (But feels warmer at a mile high) weather , a lunch out with friends and, depending on that weather, a "First Friday" art gallery walk. And in a perfect world, I'll get back on schedule blogging wise and get started on my bright summer sweater.

Happy Easter!