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Once Upon a Time & Happily Ever After

Rediscovering Life after Retirement

Categories: Life Style, Uncategorized

Currently, 1.4.2017

 

Currently, 1.4.2017

Dear ones,

Today I am super excited to be linking-up with a host of big time bloggers for this Currently post. Waaaay outta of my league, here.  But studies show…my informal glance at last year’s blog stats…that my most popular posts were those where I linked up with other bloggers.  Hoping some of my stand-alone efforts will make the top ten this year but that’s a bit premature.

I am honored, even tickled pink, to be connecting with the lovely Anne, who blogs at In Residence, and my new friends to share what we are following, gathering, resolving and sipping (alphabetized for your approval) – Currently, 1.4.2017.

Following

“The Bachelor”, of course!  Silly!  If you missed the first episode and the “Countdown to Nick”, watch them here on ABC.com.

Currently, 1.4.2017

“The Bachelor” airs on ABC on Monday nights.  “This is Us” returns to NBC on Tuesday nights, next week.  Finally, something to watch on TV.

Gathering

Pennies.  Actually, penny-gathering isn’t new to me.  I have been looking for and picking up pennies for YEARS.  And then I put them in my left shoe for good luck.  But guess what?  If I put them in a jar, they will multiply and turn into $667.95 in a year’s time.  Like rabbits, huh?

Now I didn’t figure out that math all by myself.  I got a little help from a pin on Pinterest.  A pin that I discovered this morning when looking for my old pin about saving money for a Christmas Fund.  Didn’t find my old pin but did find this one.

Currently, 1.4.2017

Apparently, if you put a penny in the jar on January 1 or Day 1 (I’m already behind), and then two pennies on Day 2, three pennies on Day 3, 100 pennies on Day 100, you’ll wind up with $667.95.  To my way of thinking, you’d have 365 pennies or $3.65.  But, hey, math was never my strong suit. Call it a mini-Christmas Fund until I find my original Christmas Fund pin.  Going to try it.  Skeptical, too? Check out the pin here.

Resolving

Where do I begin?  I created this exhaustive list of winter goals which are actually the same old goals I have been aiming at for months.

Currently, 1.4.2017

So in January, I think they can be considered resolutions.  Then in February, they’ll go back to being plain old goals.  Just reading them makes me tired.  And want to eat.

Over Christmas, I learned a lesson taught by my granddaughter Cady.  In my loft, I have a lot of little knick-knacks (ok, nick-knacks…why doesn’t nick have a silent K, too?).  Little things that have precious special meaning to me, including two paper butterflies.  One cut from patterned green paper, the other from plain white.  They are part of a traveling art exhibit called Reflections of Generosity, that PC and I were helping with a few years ago.

Anyway, Cady came downstairs saying she had a surprise for me.  She held out her little hands and there was my white butterfly.  No longer white.  Cady had decorated it for me.

Currently, 1.4.2017

She was so proud.  For a split sec, I was a little…umm, surprised, taken-aback?  It wasn’t really like Cady to do something like that.  Color something that doesn’t belong to her, without asking first.  But a sec later, I snapped out of it.  No biggie.  And she did a great job.

Cady had spotted some “bling” that I use in scrapbooking among the things in the loft. She asked if she could add a few of the rhinestones to the butterfly.  I helped her peel them from their backing and put them on the wings.  Cady took the finished butterfly to my room and put it on my dresser.

Later that day, I realized she had colored the butterfly on my hobby desk.  Smudges of crayon or marker had gotten on the wood.  For just a sec, I got a little nervous…would it come off?  Had it stained the wood?

Currently, 1.4.2017

And then I got a grip.  Or my OCD meds kicked in. Does it really matter in the grand scheme of things whether the smudges come off?  Cady taught me to not sweat the small stuff.  Then when I cleaned house the other day…the smudges lightened when I dusted the furniture.  But in some ways, that made me kind of sad.

Sipping

Over the holidays, we went to Ruidoso, New Mexico.  Visited the Noisy Water Winery. Partook in a wine tasting, sampling one of their newest wines, Mango Tango.

Currently, 1.4.2017

Here’s how the folks at Noisy Water describe this sweet white wine:

A gorgeous bouquet of orchard fruit has danced with sweet, tree-ripened mangoes to create one of our most seductive wines to date!  Jo Mamma’s Mango Tango will give you the liquid courage you need to dance the night away. A powerful combination of mango, apple, and stone fruit will do the tango on your tongue and help bring a tropical paradise to you, wherever you may be.

The winery is a fun little store with clothing and gifts in the front and wine-tasting, cheese-tasting and food in the back.  Next trip, I want to buy one of their cork holders.  Maybe this piggie?

Currently, 1.4.2017

“Jo Mamma’s Mango Tango” is sinfully delicious and refreshing.  And what we should have had on New Year’s Eve.  But no, I had to buy a (cheap) bottle of pink champagne at Walmart.  Korbel Brut.  >$5.00.  Only the best for my PC and me.  At 11:45 pm, I tried to peel the gold foil off our bottle of bubbly but it flaked in tiny pieces.  PC came to my rescue, skipped peeling the foil and went straight to popping the cork.  Only there was no pop.

Not to be deterred, we poured two glasses and headed out to the hot tub.  The water was clear and hot, the sky was mottled with clouds.  In every direction there were flashes of fireworks.  We toasted the end of a less-than-stellar year, then took a sip of champagne.  And it was flat.  Flat as a pancake.  Flat as a board. 2016 had its last laugh at our expense.

So, there you have it.  What I am up to…currently.  Won’t you share what you’re following, gathering, resolving and sipping in a comment below?  Or join us for the link-up!

Hugs and kisses,

  • leslie
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    About Leslie Roberts Clingan

    I am an aspiring blogger and children's author, wife, mother, daughter, sister, - in-law, responsible pet owner and recently retired elementary school librarian. I hope to figure out the next chapter of my life as I transition from crazy, busy work world onto totally idle retirement and now to something in-between.

    Comments

    1. Andrea Nine

      January 4, 2017 at 6:43 am

      I think I need to try that penny idea! Cady is such a cutie, look at that face! Mango Tango sounds delightful! Sweet like YOU!!

      Reply
      • Leslie Roberts Clingan

        January 5, 2017 at 10:06 am

        I counted out my pennies today. Now to find a jar for them. Going to make a cute graphic, too. Will share it, if you want to do the penny challenge. Love my Cady. Thank you, Andrea. XO

        Reply
    2. Whitney a la mode

      January 4, 2017 at 8:34 am

      I feel very strongly that I’ve been to Ruidoso, New Mexico but can’t quite place it. What else is there to do there (besides sipping wine, of course)? Also, I love that you’ve alphabetized yours!

      Reply
      • Leslie Roberts Clingan

        January 5, 2017 at 10:08 am

        Ruidoso is mountain, cabins, hiking, shopping, skiing and playing in the snow. It is the home of the Inn of the Mountain Gods resort run by the Mescalero Indians, so there’s gambling. I bet you have been to Ruidoso. It is about 2 hours northish of El Paso.

        I wish I hadn’t left off MAKING on my list…not that I am making anything but I feel like I only did 80%!
        XO

        Reply
    3. LISA

      January 4, 2017 at 10:26 am

      I wish 365 pennies would turn into 667.95! Reading your comment about bunnies, made me laugh. One time at my house we had an infestation of gnats (not sure how – but it was gross) – anyway, I texted who I thought was my husband and told him the gnats were multiplying like bunnies, help! However, I hadn’t texted my husband – but some complete stranger. I am sure he wondered what type of person I was. Anyway, sidetracked… Wishing you a wonderful start to 2017!

      Lisa
      Daily Style Finds

      Reply
      • Leslie Roberts Clingan

        January 5, 2017 at 10:10 am

        We are having a few gnats, too! Where do they come from? Scared a few might soon be an infestation. How funny that you texted a random stranger (accidentally) to share that news. Ha! Such a random message to text, too! Funny.

        2017 is already off to a glorious start. Anxiously awaiting news of your clothing line. Let us know when you begin showing pieces!!!
        XO

        Reply
    4. Sarah @ Foxy's Domestic Side

      January 4, 2017 at 11:22 am

      The penny jar, what a great idea! 🙂 We do sort of the same, but just save an exact amount each month and put it in a excel “bucket”, hehe. I love excel.

      Reply
      • Leslie Roberts Clingan

        January 6, 2017 at 8:57 am

        Good for you guys. I never had an extra penny the whole time my girls were growing up so I didn’t teach them well about saving. My oldest is a pretty good saver but my youngest is having too much fun buying clothes for baby Lucia!!

        Reply
    5. Anne

      January 4, 2017 at 6:55 pm

      That is the best wine name I have heard in a long time. I always choose based on things like that or cool labels and often end up disappointed in the taste, but this one sounds great! Fun that you got to visit the winery too. Thanks for linking up!

      Reply
      • Leslie Roberts Clingan

        January 5, 2017 at 10:14 am

        We choose our wine based on alcohol content and sweetness. Both have to be high!! And price=low! What connoisseurs we are. So that tells you a little more about Mango Tango! Ha! Thanks for the link-up opportunity.
        By coincidence, my son-in-law is doing a fellowship in anesthesiology in Albuquerque, NM. He will finish in July and we hope they will find a great position close to home.

        Reply
    6. dousedinpink

      January 5, 2017 at 5:26 am

      I think I’m going to try the penny challenge! I’m watching The Bachelor too and need to start watching This is Us! Happy New Year!

      Jill
      Doused In Pink

      Reply
    7. Leslie Roberts Clingan

      January 5, 2017 at 10:16 am

      Grab a jar and try this penny challenge thing. I counted out my pennies today. And I am going to make a graphic to tape to my jar. Do you like the Bachelor Nick? My PC watches Bachelor (would never admit it) right beside me and can’t stand Nick. I can’t decide.
      Try This is Us. Second half of the season starts next week.
      XO

      Reply

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    In what felt like the blink of an eye, I have gone from full-time wife to my sweet husband, hands-on mom to my two beautiful daughters and elementary school librarian to a retired, empty nester with lots of time on my hands. Join me on my journey to rediscover who I am. Glad you are here...
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