Hey girls,
Time for another “Daily Dime,” 02.2018. I took my ten photos yesterday but because nothing particularly dazzling happened, I hesitated to even share them in a post. So, I didn’t. But started thinking how hard I have been working toward scheduling my posts and staying on schedule. And here I am; I give you my life in 10 photos for 02.21.2018, Wednesday. You can check out last month’s “Daily Dime”, here. Posted 3 days after I broke my foot, but didn’t know yet it was broken.
Daily Dime, 02.2018
Joining Kristen at Taz and Belly for this series.
Up and At ‘Em
On days when I am subbing, I am up about an hour before his royal highness. But I haven’t subbed since October. Can’t decide whether that’s a ‘yay’ or a ‘boo’. So, these days I get up when he does. Pack his lunch, clean the litter box, feed the kitties, start the laundry or empty the dishwasher.
PC had me hit ‘snooze’ 5 times this morning. We should have been up before 6:30!
We don’t allow our kitties to sleep with us, most nights. The minute we open our bedroom door, they come running. Purrsimmony often sits right outside our door from the first moment she hears us stir. I cleaned the litter box, which I failed to photograph, then went down to fix these two some breakfast.
But Not For Long
The girls and I got “daddy” off, then headed back to bed so I could check emails and read blogs for a few minutes.
It was cold! But I wanted to attend painting class, so finally showered, dressed and headed over the mountain to Hobby Lobby.
Painting Class
Our castle is in northeast El Paso. Most everywhere I want to go is in either central or west El Paso, about 20 miles from home. This is the view from my windshield traveling the mountain pass between my side of town and the westside.
Painting class on Wednesday is from 10:00-12:00. PC gave me set of acrylic paints, an easel, brushes, canvases for a retirement gift. I took lessons three years or so ago with Martha at Hobby Lobby but then began subbing so much that I had to quit. And now, I’m back. One of the pros to not working.
I chose to paint one of the photos from our October trip to Germany. This is the view from our bed and breakfast in Berchtesgaden. I fell in love with the cows there. What cows you may be asking? Did I mean to say mountains?
Martha recommended I cover the canvas with blue first, then begin to go in with the other colors.
Window Shopping
Couldn’t leave Hobby Lobby without checking out all of the pretty things. Ran through scrapbook supplies and stamps. Toured gardening, Easter, Valentine sale stuff and almost bought some Atomic Fireballs but didn’t. Yay, ME!
Super excited to see Hobby Lobby featuring a whole line of southwest/cactus items. You can see them on the top right hand corner of this photo. I use cactuses (cacti…such a stupid word) in my summer decorating.
Home Again
Back across the mountain for home.
Wearing my new LipSense. Thank you, Wendy! This is one coat of color – Heartbreaker – and one coat gloss, four hours old, and after coffee and a small Diet Coke. The color really stays on. And on.
Stopped on my way home to mail my mama a letter. Writing letters to my mom is a 2018 winter bucket list activity. If you haven’t checked out my winter bucket list progress, you can do so, here. Also mailed Laura at I Do deClaire the Vertellis game she won in my Valentine’s Day giveaway, here.
The Rest of the Story
Ate kale and dried cherry salad, Babybel cheese and a handful of Goldfish for lunch.
I have been earning a little extra money by transcribing for Rev.com while I am not subbing. After lunch I accepted a transcription job and worked on that til PC came home.
We fully intended to go to the gym but PC and I made the mistake of laying down for a minute to watch an old episode of The Office.
Looks like I’m wearing some kind of habit or headdress from The Handmaid’s Tale.
This is the view from the other end of the bed. My left foot gets so tired in my orthopedic shoe. As long as I am lying down, I don’t have to wear it so…
We had chicken-apple brats on the grill, potato and macaroni salad and baked beans for dinner. Which we ate before I could remember to take a pic. But I think I am already over my 10-count. Although, math has never been my strong suit.
YOUR TURN
How would your “Daily Dime,” 02.2018 look? Probably a little more exciting than mine. But it was a good day. And I was so punchy when PC got home, that we giggled for most of the rest of the evening.
Mark your calendars to join us for this series in March. I think we will post on the 21st again. My sweet mama’s 91st birthday. Thank you for coming by, sweet friends. Hope you will check in again soon to see how I am progressing on my painting.
Hugs and kisses,
Gail
Looks like quite a busy day to me! I’m normally au fait with most US expressions but have no idea what apple chicken brats or goldfish are (goldfish not the real thing presumably!). Have a fun weekend, hugs from a cold UK
Leslie Roberts Clingan
Ha! You made me giggle asking about goldfish! My mom did eat a real live goldfish on a string as part of an honor/academic fraternity initiation in college!! And it had a string tied around it, so they pulled it back up her throat!!! Horrible. But the goldfish I am talking about are little fish-shaped cheese crackers…such a delicacy (ha!). Apple chicken brats are bratwurst sausages made with chicken and apple. Very tasty, especially grilled!!
Debs
OK. What the heck are apple chicken brats? I’ve NEVER heard of that before (are we sure Americans and English speak the same language!). I wonder what things we eat over here that sound really strange to you? I mean, have you ever had toad in the hole? (Sausages in Yorkshire pudding – nothing to do with frogs I promise!)
Leslie Roberts Clingan
Tickled that you and Gail both asked about the chicken apple brats. They are smoked sausages…bratwurst…made with chicken and apple. So tasty when grilled! One word that I have learned in British English is JUMPER. For me, a jumper is kind of like overalls, with straps that go over the shoulders, but instead of being pants, a jumper is a dress. In the UK, a jumper is a sweater, right? Something you wear for warmth?
Never have had or even heard of a toad in the hole. I looked it up on Google and it looks scrumptious. I bet I could use chicken apple brats to make toad in the hole!! Ha!
Cindi
What a busy, happy day!
Love your views.
Lucky you!
Leslie Roberts Clingan
These Daily Dime posts are fun!! Join us next month.
Tamara / My Retirement Project
Leslie, in spite of your hesitations, what a perfectly lovely day you appeared to have! It’s so fun as a retiree to get a peek into how other people structure their retirement days, and often times I come away with ideas I hadn’t yet considered, so thank you!
Your painting talents appear to be pretty terrific from my perspective. I can only express myself creatively through photography, so I admire tremendously those with ‘true’ creativity in their bones. I hope you’ll share your completed artwork once done!
Hugs!
Leslie Roberts Clingan
Thank you so much for the encouragement on my painting. I went back again this past week and hope to go twice in the coming week. Would like to say I feel more confident but I was just as nervous the second time. Maybe this week I will have a Picasso breakthrough and feel more certain of my brush strokes.
I cannot remember, is your husband retired? If so, how much of each day do you spend doing things together? PC still has about 9 years before he retires from government service. Not sure how our days will look once he is no longer working. Enjoy reading about your bike rides, long walks, visits to the tide pool and cultural events. You have created such a beautiful life.
amy
Looks like a great day! Your kitties are so pretty! And I love your paintings!
Daenel T.
Your view is incredible! I’d love to wake up to that every day…
I haven’t been to Hobby Lobby in forever. I forgot that they offered crafting classes. What do you do with your paintings when you’re finished? Do you hang them?
Leslie Roberts Clingan
After PC had a hissy about my all of my decorations, I am almost afraid to paint anything else!! Ha! I have only framed one painting of mine. The others I use with my seasonal decorations. So the cactus sign is going to go with my summer decorations that include all things cactus. I put my decorations above the cabinets in the kitchen. It’s the storing them that bothers PC. He is afraid I am going overboard with my tubs of decorations. I just really enjoy putting them out.
I fell in love with El Paso’s mountains the day my (ex)husband and I drove into town in 1988. Felt like I was finally home. And haven’t wanted to leave since.