by Kat | Jul 25, 2016 | General, In This Moment
This was the weekend that I was beyond thankful for central air conditioning, because it was hot and humid. If you don’t have AC and you live in an area that was included in the Heat Dome, you have my sympathies.
In a weekend of unstable weather with intermittent pop up heavy thunder showers creating sauna-like conditions outdoors, but all I was interested in doing was staying cool indoors!
Happy Hour on Friday was an indoor affair, but we had cold drinks and I made some crab dip that was fantastic!
There was knitting and spinning; I finished the Mystery Shawl and TdF. More on them later this week.
I spent some time reading – I am plugging through Brad Meltzer’s The Inner Circle. I am, thus far, not impressed.
I harvested the first, full-sized tomato, which was fantastic!
I also enjoyed the early morning garden views with some spidery artwork and water kissed roses.
All that and Monday still arrived right on schedule.
How was your weekend?
by Kat | Jul 14, 2016 | General, In This Moment
Planning: A vacation to Northern Michigan – hello AirBnB! There are so many choices, but I think we have narrowed it down. I am so thrilled that there are places that will allow pets…and Sherman is most happy about that as well!
Also planning: An overnight get away to somewhere nearby in the next week or two, this will make up for Steve having to work this weekend.
Enjoying: All the summer bounty! I am picking beans every other day and I am so surprised how many beans four plants are producing! The pepper plants are likewise producing an amazing bounty! I have picked a few yellow grape tomatoes, and I think that the tomato harvest this year is going to be crazy! Potatoes in containers seem to be doing phenomenally – I have mounded them with dirt to the top of the container and they are still growing! If this works, this will be the best thing we did in the garden this year!
Reading: LOTS! I cannot believe how much I have read since the start of the year – and this summer’s Book Bingo has really expanded my reading dramatically!
Watching: Big Brother… wait, what? Yes, I admit – I am a Big Brother fan. Summer and Julie Chen just seem to go together.
Anticipating: a weekend alone – this does not happen often and I am looking forward to it!
What does your currently look like?
by Kat | Jul 11, 2016 | General, In This Moment
It was a rather somber weekend here in light of the news of the past week – it seemed a bit wrong to be overly excited about a weekend when you take into consideration the families whose lives were forever altered last week.
But, there were meals shared and we caught up on The Great British Baking Show, which is perhaps the best cooking competition show ever.
There was spinning, which was most meditative.
There was a minute amount of knitting (3 rows on the last clue for the Mystery Shawl)
I crossed an item off my summer bucket list – I treated myself to a pedicure on Sunday and my feet are so happy about it!
I “taught” (Thanks YouTube!) myself some rudimentary crochet skills this weekend so I can make a little something for a certain someone who is turning ONE this month. To all those people who say it is much faster than knitting – these 2 squares took me hours to make. So, crochet for me is so not faster than knitting, so this is not likely to be completed before the big day. Also, instructions that have multiple country abbreviations are likely to cause problems. I have simplified the pattern (by printing out the US only instructions, omitting the UK instructions which are not the same but, really – why aren’t crochet terms universal?) Anyways, I think I am on track now, and I have started another block and it is full steam ahead!
I also read and read and read! Hamilton: The Revolution by Lin-Manuel Miranda. What amazing dialog, what fantastic photos! What incredible history! And, I am using it for a square on my Book Bingo – Nonfiction in a graphic novel format. Last week Carole helped me out with a suggestion for ‘A literary magazine or journal.’ I read the latest issue of The New Yorker as well this weekend. I am now sufficiently immersed in all things political (I hope you can read the sarcasm here as apparently, politics has become life as we know it!) I am also almost done with A Man Called Ove – I should have it finished tonight at the very latest. This has me excited, because I have some very good things in my Kindle queue!
Here is hoping that this week will be much kinder and gentler everywhere.
How was your weekend? Care to share?
by Kat | Jul 7, 2016 | General, In This Moment, Making
The first half of the year is behind us, and I thought it was a good time to check in with this post and see how I am doing on the things I want to do less and the things I want to do more.
Starting off with the weighing less and moving more – there is indeed less of me (almost 20 pounds less of me), which means there has been more moving. This is such a good thing and I am enjoying wearing clothes that did not fit (or did not fit well)! I have more energy, and feel better about myself.
This also means that the focus on healthier eating is definitely in the win column.
I am sorry to say that hand stitching has fallen by the wayside, which makes me sad – especially seeing the beautiful stitching that Bonnie Sennott does each day. I am going to get back on track with this by adding stitching to my daily calendar and I also moved my stitching to my desk – so it is visible to me. I am hoping that the combination of these things will help.
However, in spite of the lack of stitching, there has been lots of making in the first half of the year!
I am feeling much more organized, but there are still some places in my life that need a bit of Kon-Mari. I am not sure that will happen yet this summer, but maybe if there are a couple of good rainy days it might get started! It is not easy to work in the basement when it is so glorious outside.
Now the hard part – the complaining/gratitude balance in my life. As you know, I have struggled with this. It seems that being grateful is a difficult process, at least for me. So, I started a daily gratitude page in my journal. I am just writing a simple word or phrase about something I am grateful for that day. It does not happen every day, but it is happening more than it did! I am not sure this is eliminating the complaining in my life, but it is causing me to stop and think.
Did you make resolutions this year? How are you doing on them?
by Kat | Jul 6, 2016 | General, Making
Trying to get back into the rhythm of the week after a long weekend has not been easy this week. I am off my game, seriously behind, and today I am determined to get this train back on track.
It is a new day – a do over, as it were.
So, with list in hand – I am on a mission to get things done today.
Included on the list is to finish clue four on the TTL MKAL.
But, before I can do that there is a kitchen and a bathroom on my list.
Oh, and laundry.
Good thing I have something excellent in my ears today – The Summer Before the War will make the work lighter so I can get to those last 10 rows! I finished up Dead Water and thus filled another square on my Book Bingo card! No bingo’s yet – and now comes the hard work of the card..
Have a fantastic Wednesday. Joining Ginny in her Yarn Along.
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