Sunday, January 16, 2022

Long Weekend

Double Colored Rose

We are having a three day weekend, here, in the U.S. with Monday being a holiday to commemorate the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Daughter and I are relaxing and enjoying the long weekend.

On Saturday, it drizzled a little bit!  Not enough to wet the ground, but, just enough to show a few damp spots on the cemented areas in the back!  I checked on the garden, a bit later, and took a couple of photos, but, didn't pick anything.  The rose I photographed and showed on Tuesday's post has opened up!

Saturday morning, I cut up the fresh pineapple I had bought, earlier, as it had ripened.  We had fresh pineapple for breakfast and I put the pineapple top in a jar of water to see if it will root.  I've been able to root a few others, earlier, but, so far, I've not had any luck getting the rooted tops to actually grow when planted!  I also removed some of the pineapple seeds (they are tiny brown/black seeds, about the size of sesame seeds, located just below the skin) to put in water to see if I can get them to sprout.  If they do grow, I'll let you know!

Later, I put away the last of the Christmas holiday items - the table cloths, crocheted blanket, cushion covers, etc., which I don't like to store in the garage and store in a suitcase in my closet, instead.  Then, I vacuumed the family room and put the furniture back in place, with the two sofas placed in an L-shape, once more. 

Aunt C called in the afternoon and I had a long chat with her.     

Friend A's younger daughter dropped off the empty food containers (although I had told her I didn't need them back!), in the afternoon, along with a package of fresh salmon fillets!  That was such a lovely thing to do!  Even with our custom of not returning containers empty,  a package of salmon fillets was too much!  That's what I told A, when I called her to thank her, but, she laughed it off, saying it was a small gift in return for all the food my daughter had prepared for them.  I froze some of it and cooked two pieces for our dinner, along with some stir fried vegetables.  Afterwards, I did another load of dishes.  

Today, it was sunny and bright in the morning, but, the clouds moved in later.  We have rain ("scattered showers") in the forecast for tomorrow!

It has been a relaxed, restful day.  Daughter has had a stiff shoulder for the past couple of days, so, she's taking it easy and doing a paint-by-numbers kit that she had received. I chatted with cousin P, friend R, and with neighbor T.

Later, I pulled out the big bin in which I kept my yarn stash and sorted through that!  The good news is, I don't have much of a yarn stash, any more!  I have one leftover ball of blue 100% wool and half a ball of grey 100% wool, along with a few other smaller quantities of 100% wool, some small quantities of acrylic yarn, and two unused balls and three partially used balls of novelty yarn ("eye lash" yarn, and a ruffly yarn).  There was, also, a partial cone of a very thin fuzzy yarn that someone had given me several years ago, which I haven't used and I am not likely to use; I decluttered that, today (put aside to donate).  

I cooked a chicken stir fry for dinner, with shirataki noodles.  Later, daughter placed an order for groceries to be picked up, tomorrow.  Not sure how many of the items we ordered will be available, however, as we are hearing more about empty store shelves on the news.  I will pick up the groceries, tomorrow, and depending on what we get, I will meal plan for next week. 

This weekend, I am grateful for:

- The gift of salmon fillets from friend A and family
- Pretty roses in the garden
- Phone chats with family and friends
- Relaxed days and long weekends
- A working heater/furnace

This weekend's joy full activities have included chatting with family and friends and strolling around the garden, checking on the plants.

Plans for tomorrow include picking up the groceries and attending the online painting class I signed up for!  

How was your weekend?  What are your plans for Monday?


28 comments:

  1. Relaxed weekends are nice, we have a long weekend next week, I will need it by then having to go out everyday is starting to lose its appeal, but it has been great catching up with friends. Its the end of Monday here and I spent most of it catching up on housework and a granny nap this afternoon. Hope the painting class goes well.

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    1. Relaxed weekends are the best, although, with me being retired and not going out and about due to Covid, most days are rather relaxed! I hope you'll enjoy your long weekend, next week. Sounds like you had a busy Monday and that nap was well deserved! The painting class has been postponed to Wednesday, I was notified by email, this morning. Wednesday is fine with me. :)

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  2. What a beautiful rose & a perfect photo of it. That is encouraging that your have been working through your yarn stash. Oh fresh pineapple, now that is a perfect winter treat.

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    1. Thank you, Mary-Lou; my little cell phone camera tries its best! :) I was very pleased to have tamed that yarn stash! The fresh pineapple was a very welcome treat! Hope your day is going well and you have a lovely week ahead.

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  3. The rose is quite lovely! Speaking of the last of holiday things, hubby managed to find the missing items from the mantle, which I had been fretting about. Only trouble is now I realize there were other things stashed with them, so those need to be reestablished, but I am procrastinating in hopes of doing a house-wide switch around of decor. But it is nice to know that I had not accidentally put those items in the charity box that had already left the house. We have a dusting of snow here, and with a lighter amount of traffic on the roads this holiday, I am hoping the streets are in good shape by mid-morning so I can head to my sister's.

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    1. Thank you, Susanne; it's one of my favorite roses! Oh, I'm so glad you found the missing mantle items (and the rest)! A house-wide switch around of decor sounds great! Maybe something I should consider doing because I tend to display the same things in the same place all the time! A little switch around might be just what is needed! Hope the roads will be cleared and you'll have a safe drive to your sister's! Enjoy your time with her. :)

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  4. You make me think I should go through my yarn stash. I haven't used any of it in years, but I always think that I will get back to knitting any day now. :)

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    1. I am all in favor of you going through your stash! :D I was wanting to have something to knit or crochet while I was watching news, yesterday, which is what led me to going through the stash and sorting it out. I am now wondering if I have enough wool to knit myself a pair of socks!

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  5. You did have a nice long weekend. Mine was very quiet and I needed that. Nice that you could visit with others and still get some things done. Have a great week- xo Diana

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    1. Thank you, Diana. Quiet weekends are good, aren't they? I hope you have a lovely week and stay warm!

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    1. Thank you, Regine; hope all is well with you. :)

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  7. I think painting by numbers is gaining in popularity again. I have a voucher for a kit but I haven't chosen one yet ... maybe I should get on with it!

    Your restful day sounds quite productive with packing the Christmas fabrics away and sorting through your yarn stash. Do you think you will buy some more yarn when prices are good so you have a supply ready for future gifts?

    I've spent today (Monday) doing bits of housework and then continuing with my family tree. I've received a message via Ancestry from a new-to-me cousin and we are trying to trace the one ancestor that connects us.

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    1. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised at the number of choices available for painting by number kits! My daughter chose a picture that seems to be full of tiny spots of color! But, she is absorbed by it, so that's good!

      I'm glad I got all the Christmas stuff put away! As for the yarn stash, I had promised myself, years ago, that I will not buy any more yarn unless I have a very specific project in mind! But, now that you've mentioned future gifts...that's a specific project, isn't it? :D

      Ooh, a new cousin! What fun! I hope you are able to trace your common ancestor!

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  8. Sounds like you had a nice weekend!!.. What painting class are you taking? I've been wanting to take a watercolor class online. I keep thinking about that website skillshare and wondering if I should sign up there.. Is that what you use?

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    1. The painting classes I'm taking are being offered by Michael's (craft store). They seem to offer a variety of classes, including knitting and crochet. Check their website, click on the heading "Inspirations" and click on classes.

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  9. Beautiful rose. My Mum loved roses. She always had some growing. I think I shall miss seeing them.

    Hope you enjoy your long weekend. Not one really for us as the guys are off to work as usual. I think daughter says she has the day off as she works for a bank but she was going to work anyway as her husband has to work and she's working from home.

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    1. Thank you, Sharon; maybe you might consider growing a rose bush in your garden in remembrance of your mother and her roses? One of the many English roses, perhaps?
      Sorry to hear that it is not much of a holiday for your family as they have to work! But, essential work must be done, whether it is a holiday or not. Hope you are having a good day, today.

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  10. That sounds like a fun and relaxing weekend. I am deeply envious of your diminished yarn stash.

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    1. It was a good weekend. It took me years to tame the yarn stash! Not being able to shop in person is very good for me, because, if I don't see the items on clearance, I don't buy!

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  11. I love the rose. Just what we need to look at here in Ontario, where we have loads of snow and still some falling lightly although the driveway has just been ploughed. DS is in the city where there is something of a 100 year event of snow, and DGD didn't get to start back at in-school learning. I don't envy them all.
    It must be nice to have a 3 day weekend so that your daughter is free today to relax with you. I hope her shoulder recovers.
    Today is haircut day. I was starting to look like a bedraggled rescue dog so I did mine this morning. Now I need to get hold of DH and spruce him up as well!

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    1. Thank you, Bushlady; I thought of you when I posted the picture! I have another photo of a rose for today's post, too! :D I don't envy you your snow! But, I'm rejoicing because we are having some very light showers of rain, on and off!
      Daughter is appreciating having another day to relax and paint!
      I'm glad you are able to cut your own hair! Hope DH enjoys his hair cut, too! :)

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  12. Your rose is gorgeous. I hope you are enjoying the long weekend with your daughter. I have a painting by numbers kit here but on opening it I found the numbers are far too small for me to attempt it.

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    1. Thank you, Eileen; yes, we've had a lovely long weekend. It's back to work for my daughter (she's still working remotely from home), today, and I am trying to fit in my housework around her online meetings! (I try not to make too much noise when she's having meetings and phone calls!).
      Even my daughter's paint-by-numbers kit has tiny numbers which I can't even see and she has to squint at! I told her she needs a magnifying glass to see the numbers!

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  13. Your yarn stash is really low, Bless. I'm worried if you're going to be ok
    LOL!
    Mine is much lower than it used to be. But I still have 3 plastic containers.
    1 large tub with the acrylic yarns then two smaller sized plastic containers with my nicer more expensive yarns. I am comfortable with that amount.

    I will read on and see how your grocery pick up went.
    I did another Aldi's pickup this past Monday and they cancelled a bag of frozen broccoli from the order but had everything else. We are doing another order today at a different store for the things we buy that Aldi's doesn't carry.
    I checked this morning and they too cancelled the frozen broccoli.
    I buy fresh broccoli every week and that is what we eat as far as broccoli. But I was thinking it would be good to have a bag of frozen as a back up in the freezer.
    Not happening this week!

    What a beautiful rose :)

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    1. I know, I am a bit worried about my lack of a proper yarn stash! LOL. But, now I won't feel guilty if I buy more yarn! :D

      I'm sorry you weren't able to buy the frozen broccoli you wanted. Maybe buy some extra fresh broccoli and freeze some yourself? It's not too difficult - cut up the broccoli, blanch in boiling water for a couple of minutes, put in ice cold water to "shock" them/stop the cooking process, put in bags, seal, and freeze. You'll find more detailed instructions online, too, but, this is how I've frozen green beans and broccoli in the past.

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    2. I did that once years ago when I bought a bunch of broccoli at a really low price. I think I blanched it for 3 minutes. It worked great - I'd forgotten all about that technique. Thanks for the reminder.

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