Monday Morning Musings

With apologies to Tamara, for kind of stealing one of her blog titles!

Today is Monday, which is better known around here these days as "retirement/household organization day". This is partly because as a not organizational type I need a partial day of getting my act together. Also, around here none of the basics get done on the weekend, and since I treat Sundays as the sabbath (a nice way of saying I do almost nothing except hang with family and rest), well...............................

Even the dog chills out on Sunday. With his own blanket, pillow and corner of the couch!

1. I'm making a list and checking it twice before I do my major errand run tomorrow. As I do this, I'm reminded that there are some people who actually like the all day shopping process. Tomorrow, I'm trying out Clicklist for the first time, as well as ordering online at Walmart (for personal and paper products) for in store pickup. Time saving and in the case of Walmart, money earning as I order through a cash back website.  

2. Although I cannot go barefoot any more, summer sandal weather (plus my habit of wearing sneakers without socks to work out in, one that I am changing) means that my feet are in the worst shape right about now. Which means, summer or no, my feet are at the moment ensconced in heavy socks, with lots of lotion. For as long as I am home at least.  

Winter socks and Aquaphor

3. As part of my monthly (semi monthly actually) errand day, I also have an Amazon order ready to be sent. This order is usually a compilation of odds and ends that would send me to multiple stores, or require my wandering and searching a big box store, sometimes for things that are well hidden. This week's order includes flexible dog food can lids (things that seem to disappear around here on the same level as chapstick, socks and earring backings), the specific pens I use and a good quality motion night light - cheaper than one I have found anywhere else. It also includes a mixed media art journal, and a cord (just the cord, not the plug itself) for my phone.

4. I've shopped for glasses online, and have different glasses from three separate online stores in shopping carts. I plan to check my prescription and check it again (at least twice) and then choose the glasses I like best and send for them in the morning. In an abundance of caution, I've opted to just order the glasses and clip on sunglasses. Once I am sure I am happy with what I have, I'll go back and order the polarized lenses. I've been ready to order for over a week now, my hesitation has been the question of transition lenses (which all companies have the option for). I think I am going to try them, knowing that  I will still need good sunglasses at least for driving.  

Just one of the many frames I've looked at

5. Yesterday we took two dogs on a nice drive and then went for a walk along the Platte, where they got to walk along the river, meet other dogs and people and have a grand ole time. We had originally planned to go pottery painting, but then decided the day was just too nice and made the second option. We had planned to search out a dog friendly patio afterward but settled for a drive through. Next week perhaps we will try a dog friendly brunch. 

Rapids..........

And calm!

6.  Tomorrow my gals group is having a movie day. The choices are between the final Mission Impossible and Mamma Mia 2. I expect that this group will choose the latter. I'll be happy to see either one as I've been looking forward to both, although I expect that in the end Mission will be a much better movie. I'm taking my son to see whatever the alternative is later in the week. Where we live, AMC theaters are five dollars all day Tuesday for rewards members (of course, that doesn't cover the requisite popcorn and other goodies!

7.  I'm in the process of trying to decide where to spend my birthday week in September. Right now, Santa Fe is looking really good, but I'm open to other places. I'm planning on spending late October, early November in the Houston/Galveston area so want to go not quite so far this time. I had thought about Montana/Wyoming, but my sister is considering downsizing to Santa Fe in five or so years, so this would be a kill two birds with one stone kind of vacation.

8. When my church had an auction in June, I had to leave early and could not wait and bid up several items that I was interested in participating in (many of these were experiences). I did however, win a seat at a dinner at a well known Italian restaurant, hosted by a friend from church. So Saturday night I had bruchetta, calamari, Veal Saltimboca, and Lemon cream cake. Yes, I do eat everything, even veal. I can count on many less than ten fingers the things I refuse to eat. I don't generally acess my phone at dinnerphone out, but did grab a less than great (very blurry) photo of my lemon cake. Along with many other things we talked about over the two and a half hours, there were rousing discussions on the books we had read and what we had watched. So I have an updated list of things to reserve at my library.  

9. And finally, having a Crab Apple tree (two, actually, the other is half crab and half regular apple) is a double edged sword. The trees are large and the spread out from the base instead of having one long trunk, making them very shady. And when they are blossoming, it is a thing to behold, as shown below. We live along what is known as the Crabapple route. Unfortunately, the end result (if it has been a good year with no really late freezes) is, well...crab apples. Which I use for nothing really, and which fall on the ground to be come rotten apples that are smashed, walked on or mowed over. for now though, the baby apples do look very pretty . 

Crab apple wine, perhaps?