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Rediscovering Life after Retirement

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August 2, 2017

Currently, 8.2.2017

Currently, 8.2.2017

hAPpY hUMp DaY, gals!

Joining Anne in Residence and her co-host Shea of Shea Lennon to share what we’re currently admiring, anticipating, borrowing, purchasing and snacking (on).  These topics were kind of toughie tough tough for me.  So like a good teacher/librarian, I brainstormed some ideas. Then this morning like a naughty student, I cheated to see what Anne had written in order to be further inspired.  Interestingly, we had a couple of the same responses so guess I wasn’t that far off with my brainstorming.

Currently, 8.2.2017

Have a look:

Admiring

The beauty of the University of Texas, El Paso (UTEP) campus.  Yesterday was an usually cool, slightly overcast August 1 by El Paso standards.  Perfect morning for meeting with my friend Lorena to meander the garden areas of the UTEP campus while catching up with each other’s lives.  I took along my Sony camera and forced myself to use it for most of the pictures I took.  Although a couple of times I reverted to using my Samsung phone, just out of habit.

UTEP was founded in 1917 and the inspiration for the Bhutanese-style architecture of every building on campus is credited to the wife of the school’s first dean.  I wonder if she could have imagined how lovely the university would be 100 years later.  The buildings and landscaping around them are beautiful, emanating a sense of peace and serenity.

Currently, 8.2.2017
Currently, 8.2.2017
Currently, 8.2.2017

Currently, 8.2.2017

I am also admiring the crazy green of our normally brown desert. We have had so much rain.  Granted, this is El Paso’s ‘monsoon’ season but rain has fallen all but 2 of the past 18 or so days.  I even broke out my yellow ‘slicker’ for our morning walk around campus.

Currently, 8.2.2017

It was that cool and that cloudy.  At least until the sun came through.  How ’bout that almost life-size photo of me??

Anticipating

Our trip to Germany.  PC will be traveling to Germany for work several times over the next 6-8 months. And we have some very tentative plans for me to meet up with him after his first week there in October. Can you say Ocktoberfest?  I can!!  We haven’t bought any tickets or made any hotel reservations so this is all very preliminary but I am already shopping Amazon for my lederhosen.

Currently, 8.2.2017

[source]

What do you think?  Where do you buy your lederhosen?

I am anticipating flying into Frankfurt.  Visiting Munich, Berlin and maybe Alsace-Lorraine, where my mother’s ancestors lived, on the French-German border.

Borrowing

All of the books on the 2017-2018 Texas Bluebonnet Reading Program master list from my local public library.

Currently, 8.2.2017

[source]

Had planned to review them here on the blog but so far, haven’t been all that crazy about the ones I’ve read.  Could be just me.  I’ve reviewed a number of past Bluebonnet Award nominees on the blog, check out those posts, here. Have said before that I am not a quick reader but what I lack in speed, I make up for in distractability. Which is part of the reason I am a slow reader.  Vicious cycle.  And then I fall asleep.

I prefer buying the Bluebonnets that move me each year but if I don’t become more selective, we will need to build an addition to house my personal library.  So I am borrowing them first and then purchasing the ones I really love.  How ’bout that segue to our next prompt?

Purchasing

Lederhosen?  Airline tickets for Germany?  Not yet.

Actually, I am trying to keep from purchasing anything.  The summer is a poor time for me because I am not earning the extra money I make by working through the school year as a substitute librarian.  And then July is always hard on the pocket book with all of the birthdays we celebrate.

This year, though, we agreed to not spend a lot of money on gifts that no one really needed.  Of course, it wasn’t MY birthday so that was easy for me to say!  See me in April.  We spent a lot of time in the pool – when it wasn’t RAINING.  And I am still purchasing it.  The pool.  And will be for years. Had pedis, scrapbooked, ate a lot.

Currently, 8.2.2017
Currently, 8.2.2017
Currently, 8.2.2017

Currently, 8.2.2017
Currently, 8.2.2017
Currently, 8.2.2017

Currently, 8.2.2017
Currently, 8.2.2017
Currently, 8.2.2017

Currently, 8.2.2017
Currently, 8.2.2017
Currently, 8.2.2017

Currently, 8.2.2017
Currently, 8.2.2017
Currently, 8.2.2017

Snacking On

Sopapilla cheesecake.  Did you know that July 30th was National Cheesecake Day?  And my daughter Brennyn’s birthday, of course.  In honor of both, I made a sopapilla cheesecake.  Would gladly show you a photo but I just ate the last bite.  It was so good.

I can share the recipe.  And maybe sometime before the next National Cheesecake Day, I will feature this delicious dessert in a “Tasty Tuesday” post.  Click on the photo below to be taken to the AllRecipes website for this recipe.

Currently, 8.2.2017[source]

I don’t do a lot of baking because I tend to eat whatever I bake.  And PC does, too.  Which explains why we are on a perpetual soup diet.  Wish snacking on water was as satisfying as sopapilla cheesecake.

Your Turn

Soooo, now it’s your turn…what are you currently admiring, anticipating, borrowing, purchasing and snacking on?  Won’t you share in a comment below?  Then be sure to run by to read Anne and Shea’s posts, and join the link-up.

Tomorrow is the reveal of our “Sentence a Day” posts for July.  Hope you will take a coffee break or wine break or beer break and join me back here for a review of my month.  We would love to have you to join in for August.  The month is young and you can get started with your sentences right now!!!

Hugs and kisses,

leslie

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Filed Under: Craft and Create, Family and Friends, Life and Style Tagged With: #Admiring, #Anticipating, #Borrowing, #CraftandCreate, #Currently, #familyandfriends, #Germany, #LifeandStyle, #Purchasing, #ReDiscoverME, #Retirement, #SnackingOn, #SopapillaCheesecake, #TexasBluebonnetAward, #UTEP

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Comments

  1. AvatarMichael Ann says

    August 2, 2017 at 9:42 pm

    Oooh! Say hello to Germany for me! We lived there 10 years, and I miss it! Eat ALLLLL the food for me! Just a heads up on Oktoberfest: it’s mostly in September! I hope you’re able to make it!

    Reply
    • Leslie Roberts ClinganLeslie Roberts Clingan says

      August 6, 2017 at 7:53 pm

      Ha! Was hoping we would be in Germany just in time for Oktoberfest. Maybe PC will get there in time to enjoy the festivities. I didn’t realize you lived in Germany that long. Paul was there for two tours of duty. He looks forward to seeing some of his old stomping grounds. I have only been to Europe once, so I am excited but nervous. Will be sure to give Germany your regards. And to enjoy some of the food just for you.

      Reply
      • AvatarMichael Ann says

        August 21, 2017 at 3:56 am

        What fun for him to be able to revisit places he’s been! You’ll have a great time. We love Germany!

        Reply
        • Leslie Roberts ClinganLeslie Roberts Clingan says

          August 21, 2017 at 7:27 pm

          All of a sudden the trip is up in the air. PC may not be going in September so I won’t be going in October. Cannot believe the government hasn’t given him a definitive yes or no with four weeks until he would travel. Crazy!

          With the terror attack in Barcelona, I am a bit reluctant to go overseas anyway. So whatever happens will happen, and we will be ok whether we go or not.

          Reply
  2. Avatarmiri says

    August 3, 2017 at 12:47 am

    Hi Leslie,
    I loved your article. Currently I am in the state where I feel like I need to read several books at once which is of course crazy. And I just changed Unit at work and it more interesting what I do now. So that is my current situation.:-))
    I look forward to your Sentence a Day for July!
    X
    Miri
    http://currentlywearing.com

    Reply
    • Leslie Roberts ClinganLeslie Roberts Clingan says

      August 7, 2017 at 9:59 pm

      Thank you, Miri, for being so receptive to all of the different series and posts I have shared with you. I am enjoying getting to know you. Have been trying to balance reading 2-3 books at one time lately and it is almost more than my feeble mind can manage.

      Glad you have transferred to a more interesting department or area at work. Work is certainly no good when it is dull and boring. Hope this new position is a great experience for you.

      Reply
  3. AvatarSheila @ Making the Most of Every Day says

    August 3, 2017 at 8:48 am

    I don’t do a lot of baking for the same reasons! Who needs all that temptation around? The university is beautiful! I had no idea! Thanks for sharing your gorgeous pictures!

    Reply
    • Leslie Roberts ClinganLeslie Roberts Clingan says

      August 6, 2017 at 8:24 pm

      Oh, thank you. UTEP isn’t a well known school but it does have a good reputation for its engineering and nursing programs. Most of the students are local so very few stay on campus…kind of a commuter school. Both of my girls graduated from UTEP, and my youngest visits the campus almost every time she comes home.

      That sopapilla cheesecake helped me gain a pound or more but I am back on track this week and working it back off.

      Reply
  4. AvatarKatie Joy says

    August 3, 2017 at 12:40 pm

    Have fun in Germany. You’ll love it. I enjoyed Munich and if you have time be sure to visit Dachau Memorial Site. My favorite place was Rothenburg ob der Tauber and the Christmas store/museum Kathe Wohlfahrt.

    Reply
    • Leslie Roberts ClinganLeslie Roberts Clingan says

      August 7, 2017 at 10:03 pm

      Oh, Katie!!! Thank you so much for coming by and commenting. I am looking forward to Germany and so glad to have your great suggestions. Dachau is at the top of my list of places to go and things to see. I was hoping to find some kind of Christmas store or fest or something…will your suggestion – the Christmas store/museum Kathe Wohlfahrt on the list, too.

      How are you? Need to stop by your corner of the world. Hadn’t see anything on Instagram from you in awhile. Hope you are feeling well and have enjoyed a good summer. Thank you again, sweet friend, for saying hi!

      Reply
  5. Avatarcurlycraftymom says

    August 5, 2017 at 5:13 pm

    Oh, wow! Germany!! That sounds so fun! Brian went to Spain this year and I could have went with him, but I had to stay home with the kiddos. Wah! I would have loved to have gone. I’ve never been to Germany, but October sounds like a fun month to go! So excited for you!!! I have never had Sopapilla Cheesecake, it looks so yummy!

    Carrie
    curlycraftymom.com

    Reply
  6. AvatarShea says

    August 8, 2017 at 8:22 am

    Ooh that sopapilla cheesecake looks delicious! A trip to Germany sounds so exciting. I’ve never been but have always wanted to go. I also borrow books before I purchase them too–otherwise I would own WAY too many books!

    Reply

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OOTDs and SIAs: My Fashion Haus 07.2020
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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