Thoughts

A Good Break

I didn’t mean to really take a week break (that wildflower posting was written weeks ago and was scheduled) from blogging but I’m glad I did. Nothing of great importance happened, but I just didn’t feel like writing. Of course I blogged in my head daily, taking note of things that I wanted to comment on. A blog break wasn’t an internet break—I was definitely on the internet!

We came back to the DFW area over a week ago and settled back into our “What’s next?” kind of life. Here’s a smidge of what went on:

+My brother had his birthday so as a last minute surprise my sister in law and mom concocted a plan to get additional tickets to my brother and SILs set of season tickets to the Texas Rangers baseball game. We showed up at a Pappasitos restaurant in Arlington and surprised my brother with dinner and then we all went to the game. It was my first time to a game in a long time, maybe 10 years.

+My granddad went into the hospital with pneumonia so things were hectic around the house for the 4th so it was a laid back 4th of July weekend here. Some chores around the house and a Sunday lunch with the extended family made a nice 4th. Mom made homemade ice cream—mmm!

+I made butter. Yep. Butter! There will be a blog post on that later.

+My parents got new flooring throughout the whole house so Monday and Tuesday was spent moving furniture around to the garage so things could get worked on. It was a mess. But now it is mostly done.

+I finished two books. One was The White Queen by Phillipa Gregory. I’ve read the vast majority of her books (though I’ve struggled to get through Wideacre and have put it down). Most of the books I’ve read of hers revolve around the Tudor monarch dynasty. This is the precursor to that family, the Plantagenets. Ooh and they were a bloody little family, let me tell you. It is a sad little story, too, one I didn’t know. Apparently the Plantagenet cousins had no qualms about murdering their uncles and nephews to get the crown. Two York princes were, one was Edward the V and the other his brother Richard, committed to the Tower of London for supposed protection after their father King Edward the IV died. Their uncle, Richard the III, usurped the eldest son Edward Vs claim to the crown and was crowned as King instead. Then the brothers disappeared, supposedly murdered by a variety of conspirators from Richard the III to Richard’s successor Henry VII. It is a sad story but if Henry VII hadn’t taken over the Tudor line might never have happened and Elizabeth I might never have held her mighty reign.

I’m not sure I am going to read the followup novel, The Red Queen, based on Henry VIIs mother and her scheming. Some of the reviews show that she is not a well loved character and I like well loved characters.

+Chris and I went for a hike at the Fort Worth Nature Center. I’m planning on starting a new blog series called Local Adventures and will start with the trail we hiked. I had an interview the other day and arrived early so went to a grocery store to buy a magazine to kill time. I picked up Backpacker and the cashier who checked me out was amazed that there were trails locally. Um, I think people live under rocks. So, my new goal is to try to show that there are local adventures in whatever locale you are in. While all of those far off destinations like Yosemite and Glacier are nice, what about those within a couple hour drive or even closer? This will be different than Nature in the City posts, which I also want to start doing again, more about the places, getting to them etc, etc.

+I painted (drawed? it was pastels, I can never decide what to call it) a quick sunflower up for my sister in law’s birthday. It has to be one of the fastest things I’ve drawn. Normally I do a smidge, take a rest, do a smidge more, take a rest and it’ll me for-ev-er. This? Maybe six hours total. In two days. I’m quite proud of myself! That will be another blog post, too.

+Spent some time with the R-Woe for a bit. Good grief, the kid has grown! And she’s smart as a whip. At dinner the other night she had some delicious looking mac ‘n cheese and I asked to have a bite and was given a firm no by the shake of her head. I didn’t dare ask again, I’d of gotten a pursed mouth and “No, Aunt T!”. She knows she’s ‘poiled. She was telling us this one day but we kept thinking she was saying boiled and she was getting mightily frustrated at us! There will be a blog post with her, too.

I think that’s about it. I have some more Summer Interviews to put up, with one coming on Tuesday.

How have you spent your week?

One Comment

  • chel

    I hope your grandpa is feeling better!

    Hey, have you ever checked out PanPastels? They are a mix of paint and pastel, but no water required. They are very interesting! And addictive. I think you might like them. I would LOVE to see your sunflower, if you feel like sharing it 🙂

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