Monday, August 31, 2015

the week ahead

The countdown to Labor Day is on. Very excited for that three day weekend. In the meantime, hubby is back on the road, but should be home tomorrow night. At least he isn't gone for a whole week. Had a nice weekend and even managed to get out to see the new Mission Impossible movie. Popcorn bucket entertainment at its finest. Not a fan of Tom Cruise, but fun to see Alec Baldwin and Jeremy Renner in this flick.

Did some reading. Did some cleaning, cooking, and shopping. Here's Monday.

Thursday, August 27, 2015

girls weekend

So excited! I've been invited to go down to the oldest's campus for a girls weekend over Labor Day. Get to stay in her apartment, visit, cook, shop, and see the younger daughter as she will be in town too. Whoop! Should be fun. I'm looking forward to it.

And that's it. Here is Thursday. Slept like a log last night. The three mile trick is the key it seems. It's working, so I'm going to keep it up.

Toodles.

Wednesday, August 26, 2015

open house

It is always a surreal feeling to wander the halls of the high school going from class to class during open house events. Usually hubby and I go together, but with his trip happening this week, I flew solo last night. Saw lots of similar faces and since the boy is in all AP or Honors classes, it was the same moms and dads over and over. One of the moms actually reminded me after we had the third class together how I told her the circle of kids shrunk as the kids progressed through school. Those kids on the more rigorous academic track become a school within the school. I took notes in each class, little tips and tricks the teachers passed on. They only had 15 minutes to talk to us, so it was quick, but I did get some good info.

All in all, the boy should have a good year. He has a nice mix of older, more experienced teachers and younger, fresh to the classroom teachers. I love that his APUSH class only has 14 students in it. I love that his AP Lit teacher is so passionate about writing. I love how all the teachers, even the AP Physics teacher, talked about writing. Whatever the critics have to say about Common Core, the emphasis on writing is not one of the bad aspects of that curriculum.

So, I'm glad I went. It was very worthwhile.

Tuesday, August 25, 2015

uh oh

Overslept! Wow. Amazing to sleep all night and then get an extra half hour to boot. This extra walking stuff has seemed to do the trick. But, of course, my extra half hour this morning means no morning walk. Guess I will have to make it up at lunch and after I get home.

The weather outside is gorgeous. Cool air has moved in and the humid air is gone. Lovely.

In other news, I'm trying to finish my last downloaded book as it will expire today! UGH. If I can't get it completed before it goes "poof" off the Nook, I'll have to borrow it again.

Off we go. Happy Tuesday.

Monday, August 24, 2015

and here we are

Here we are at Monday, again. I'm ready for a three day weekend. Where is Labor Day and why is it taking so long to get to it?

UGH.

Had a wonderful Saturday and Sunday. We cooked, we cleaned, we shopped, and I spent 4 hours chatting and snacking with my former critique group. It was great. Even the rainy spells didn't discourage me. I'm reading a very interesting book. Good stuff all around.

But, it's Monday and its time to get going. We have the Speech and Debate club booster meeting this week. And, I'm sure, a host of other things as well.

Last week of August. Fall is arriving fast.


Thursday, August 20, 2015

rainy maybe

Stepped outside and ahhhhhh. Coolness abounds! The front came through as expected. Now, will the rain actually show up as well? At the moment, we are good to walk. I've been trying to walk in the evening also. Just getting a few extra steps in. It seems to be helping with my sleeping issues, although for the last two nights I keep waking up at random hours. I think I'm afraid of oversleeping and then having to rush to be on time for work.

I could set an alarm, but why do that?? ha ha

In other news, I'm thrilled to be meeting two of my writing friends for breakfast Saturday morning. These are two gals I met when I first moved here 12 years ago. One moved away (military hubby) and has now moved back for a bit. She has two children now. She has published her first novel and has now published a collection of short stories. So proud of her for keeping her dream alive and keeping her fingers on the keyboard. It will be a wonderful reunion and I'm excited to chat the morning away with these two ladies.

Okay, off we go into Thursday. The weekend is in sight. I'm ready!


Wednesday, August 19, 2015

my oh my

My oh my. I spent several hours after work yesterday playing around with our new speech/debate website. Hubby got us the page and he set up several aspects of it, but with the parent meeting next week, it was time to really get busy.

I am not a web designer. The thing is pretty darn ugly. Well, maybe plain would be a better word. If I had time and was so inclined, I'm sure there are helpful tutorials to teach a would be designer how to make it look spiffy. Not going to happen. We just need important documents loaded and accessible. Slap a few photos up there. Add a calendar and some contact info. Good to go.

The lady who is going to be our webmaster may have the skills needed to make this thing look good. That lady is not me! She is coming over Thursday to "get the keys" and take this thing off our hands. But, we did feel like we needed to give her a solid frame with the contents more or less uploaded.

By the time I stepped away from the screen, I had a crick in my neck and an overall anxious feeling. Off for a walk I went. Without the dog. On the back path. It helped!!

The goodness in all of this is that the hospitality chair-mom took a group pic of the kids yesterday for us to use on our fundraising materials. Good pics and a HUGE group of kids so far. It always dwindles when the fee schedule is handed out. But, looks like we could have close to 40 speech and debate students this season. That is awesome.

Tuesday, August 18, 2015

new start

After working a 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. schedule for the last 4 years, yesterday I gave notice I was changing my hours. Yep, going to start working from 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. I'm awake early anyway and being able to get home and have more of the afternoon to enjoy is a good thing. It won't be fun to drive to work in the dark come winter time, but having more daylight once I get back home will make up for it. Plus, I will be able to see the square all lit up once the holidays roll around! That is a month of magic I can count on.

What did I do with my extra hour yesterday? Well, I dusted and vacuumed. Oh, and I downloaded the next Kitty book to my Nook. I'm on a tear with these and have now created a list of authors I used to read so I can look up those series as well.

Not quite as pleasant outside this morning, but rain is predicted for the rest of the week. Humid air has moved in on the front end.

Heard from the girls yesterday via text and phone calls. The oldest called to make sure she had left her playing cards here and that they weren't lost in her apartment somewhere. Yes, they were still in her desk. She also called to let me know she had gone grocery shopping as the meals at the sorority house don't begin until Wednesday. The middle texted me. She's still buried in recruitment duties for her sorority. I'm sure she will be very glad when that is all over for the year.


Monday, August 17, 2015

backlist

The new to us download and go library from our state is allowing me to catch up on series that I started years ago but was unable to finish. Lots of urban fantasy titles are available in this new system, plus so many cozy mysteries. I'm in book heaven as we enter into fall. Good Stuff.

The oldest left for school yesterday. UGH. Summer is now truly over. Both ladies are back on their campuses and classes start midweek. It was great to have them home, and like last year, I wonder if that was the final year for having all three of the kids under the roof during the summer months.

It very well could have been it.

The Duke and and I are off on our walk. The temps dropped and it is pleasant outside. Nice break from the heat and humidity.

Enjoy Monday!

Thursday, August 13, 2015

bags

Bags under the eyes this morning. For some reason, I had a difficult time falling asleep last night and my normal 5:00 a.m. wake up time came much too early. I'm tired.

Good thing the heavy lifting at work took place yesterday. Today will be a lighter day, I hope.

In other news, the cold front that has arrived is so nice for our early morning walks. Lovely. I'm ready for fall.


Wednesday, August 12, 2015

in plain sight

Today I will begin working on the copy for September issue of the magazine. All day yesterday I went through it and looked for style errors. Captions weren't styled. Bullets weren't styled. It went on and on. Our graphic designer is quite the artist, but not a production specialist. It is tiring work. Today the copy has to be checked. When we drop text into the design program, sometimes things go wrong. Spacing issues will occur. And while I'm checking for that, I will also find other things that I missed on the first go around.

Good thing I slept well last night! Off we go.

Tuesday, August 11, 2015

off we go

School has started here in the Ville. The boy had a good first day and seems to be happy with all of his classes.

The middle daughter is coping with her responsibilities to her sorority. She also texted me a list of things she forgot to take that she now wants me to ship to her.

The oldest has a lead on a potential job for after graduation. She met a division director for a national company while we were at church on Sunday. The division: R&D. He is hiring and needs to hire women. He is a fellow K of C member, so hubby was able to facilitate an email connection. Who knows....she may wind up back in the area after all.

I was able to log into the new e-book portal for the library and struck gold. I've downloaded three titles and placed holds on 3 more. The books are from series that I long gave up on trying to complete because our library never had them. Urban fantasy isn't shelved too often down here. So excited!

So, it was a good Monday. The week is off to a good start.


Thursday, August 6, 2015

chinese carry out

The middle daughter's farewell dinner was last night. Our grand plans of driving into the city, eating at a new place, and walking around a bit were dashed by a major storm. Lights out, wrecks on the interstate, thunder, lightning, water (lots of water) changed the plans. We ended up ordering Chinese food and hubby picked it up on his way home.

Still tasted pretty darn good. Still had fun. Still sad that she travels back east tomorrow morning.

Where did the summer go? She's been home for over 3 months and it seems like we just picked her up from the airport, our London girl, back in the states.

Feeling a bit nostalgic this morning.


Wednesday, August 5, 2015

new route

I usually take the same route when I walk in the morning, at least when the level of darkness allows me to. Seems like it is already time to give up that path and begin the winter routine. No more walking the path behind the subdivision until I can see better. Even with the flashlight, it is still too dark to feel comfortable.

Nearly running into a giant spider web with a giant spider in the middle will also cause one to change their walking route.

Even though the path is nice as it is away from cars and smelly lawn clippings, the spider's dinner collection efforts, along with the dim light, have convinced me to stay away.

In addition to smelly lawn clippings waiting for tomorrow's trash day pick up, it smells a bit like rain outside.

The boy picked up his schedule at the high school yesterday. School starts for him on Monday. He has finished his summer work and is spending today organizing what he needs to turn in and double checking that he didn't forget an assignment.

And here is Wednesday, again. Time to get started.

Tuesday, August 4, 2015

allergies

Sniffle. Blow. Sniffle. The allergies have struck. UGH. Not sure what is going on or what is in the air, but I'm having allergy issues. Can't remember the last time I had a reaction like this. One pill in the morning and a different one at night plus nasal spray and eye drops. I may need to get the nasal rinse stuff out and try that.

No other news to speak of or write about.

Monday, August 3, 2015

and we're back

Wow. That was a very quick trip, but so much fun. Two 10-hour drives (up and down) with two very fun days sandwiched in between them. While I don't miss the snowy and cold winters of northern Indiana, I do miss their comfortable summers. Temps were in the low 80s during the day and dropped into the 60s at night, with low humidity, and nice breezes. It was a real treat.

We had a great visit with our friends and even managed to squeeze in a quick trip up to the lake and see our other friends. Of course, coffee on the pier turned into a full blown breakfast, but that is how they roll. Their new house is jaw dropping and has plenty of room for visitors. They made us promise to come back next summer and stay with them.

It is always a wonderful thing to reunite with old friends and have the years drop away. That is how it always is with these two families and it never fails to amaze me.

As I can't read in the car, no reading happened while I was gone. I was so tired after I got home last night, that catching up on the laundry, having some supper, and chatting with the kids, took all of my energy.

So, back to reality today. Off to work I go. The middle kid heads back to school on Friday. Hard to believe. Going to miss her tons.

Happy Monday.