Novembering - I think I’ve forgot how to do this

It seems like I check back into this blog about once a year…

There are times when I honestly think I have forgotten it, then  I’m surprised when I pull it up and it is still here, I’m also surprised about the last updates and I am surprised I remember how to do this.,,,, 

So what looks like my yearly update…. (Although I’m going to attempt to come visit my long lost site more. Maybe.)

Here’s how I’m Novembering 

After one teenage boy, one 9 year old boy, several headaches, backaches and heartaches, the latest addition to the family is a girl,  an 8 month old Golden Retriever Named buttercup. Already spoiled, already claimed the couch, already only listens when she wants. So energetic. So chewy.  

What did I do? 

One thing I can thank Little Miss Buttercup for is, my daily step count has gone through the roof. I used to walk around the neighborhood once, twice, sometimes three times a week. Now, it’s forced March once, twice sometimes three times a DAY.  

One thing I love about the small neighborhood is about dusk, a gathering of ladies appear in the streets and walking with Different ones falling in and out. Almost everyone with a dog. The dogs visit, the ladies talk about the trauma/drama of their day and decompress.

Now the walking is not optional. I’m doing a great deal of it.  

My new goal is 8,000 steps a day. I’m killing it. 

I am still working at home and, I must say, I have the hang of it. So much so that I don’t think I could go back to working in an office every single day. How did I do that? Tackle that traffic? There are certainly some drawbacks to manage, but overall, I am very very happy and thankful and have no plans to return to an office.

Thanksgiving is fast approaching and it’s finding me without a plan…. Do I want to host/cook? Can I do so with a welcoming attitude? Do I want to try and go away for four days (YES), the reality is  My husband may not even be here for thanksgiving….  It looks like my husband might be working out of town over Thanksgiving. Do I want to cook and invite his work mates to Thanksgiving?  So many questions. I have no answers. 

Have your eye on anything specific for Black Friday? This is what I have been stalking  at Sam’s Club. It says it’s going to be on sale on Black Friday. However it doesn’t tell you the price. I’ve been looking about twice a day

I’m also Only interested in the white. With the gold handle. Of course it says it is out. But if it really goes on sale on Black Friday how can it be out? Again. I have a lot of questions. I have no answers 

I’m also stocking this cookware stand. For my cast iron Dutch oven collection that is coming along. However, they are pricey. And I have not seen them go on sale at all. I did tell my husband I want it for Christmas. We’ll see how that goes…

Rescued the last few survivors

I have 10 rosebushes and they currently have zero roses in total.

These are the last remaining three.

It’s been a combination of a lot of rain, and a lot of gray days. The roses, that started out this season healthy and plentiful, are now just sparse, bare and pitiful looking.

It usually takes a lot longer than this for the rose garden to go downhill. It usually happens around the end of summer, when the roses just kind of give up. It takes all their energy just to survive the hot days.

This weekend, or whenever it stops raining so much, everyone’s going to get a little peptalk ..... come on. You can do it. Let’s get some more blooms going.  A pep talk in the form of some fertilizer.

The last 4 Sundays

This Sunday was full of weeding the Rose beds, power washing the front and side porch, mowing and catching up on laundry.

A work day at home was needed. Because three out of the last four Sundays have been dedicated to the little Sunday road trip. 

These little road trip‘s grew out of a real desire to travel, and a real dilemma of not being able to travel. Our vacation was canceled. Like I’m sure everyone’s vacation was canceled. And what else are you going to do during the height of the lockdown? Thus, The little day trips, and I do mean little.... and then we just continued. 

We mfound a petting zoo and historical museum two hours away. Funny story, this was an accident. We stopped at Wendy’s for lunch and parked in the parking lot to eat, and the zoo just happened  to be behind the Wendy’s.

A different Sunday, about an hour away, we found the smallest church in the world! Never even knew it was there!

Another Sunday, in a different direction, and an hour and a half away, after we thought we were lost, we found what we were looking for- this old courthouse and Downtown area. It’s the oldest courthouse in the state of Louisiana that is still in use. It was built before the Civil War. The little office buildings in the downtown district were also built in the late 1800s, and still occupied by mostly lawyers.  It was very interesting. Beautiful grounds. People were taking graduation photos on the grounds and there were three food trucks set up. It was quite a little unexpected party. 

Revlon colorstay in rich raspberry

I’m impressed. Or should I say I am re-impressed. Or maybe I should say that I just remember that I am impressed with Revlon Colorstay. 

My old standby. I have used this for… How many years? I can’t even count how many.

I pulled this, one of my very favorite colors, off the shelf last week, to give it a whirl. Again. 

And I’m experimenting with things that I should’ve been doing all along. Like wearing gloves when I wash the dishes, and added another clear top coat every other day. Its hard to get in the habit.

But I think it clearly helps. This is a picture of my polish on day nine. No kidding. This is nine days with polish on these nails. And I am not gentle with my nails.

But, the sad news is this entire line has been discontinued in favor of the “new” gel polish.  Looks like my days of grabbing my old favorite might be coming to an end. 

 

Saturday morning.... errr.... afternoon

Saturday morning is getting a very late start this weekend thanks to a Friday night staying up until 2 AM doing a deep dive into… Of all things… Van life.

It seems like the hot new thing to do. So many YouTube channels. Last night, me and my husband stayed up watching the YouTube channel where is Tiffany? It’s just so interesting to see someone who just travels around and lives in their van. And she was visiting a lot of places I’m interested in, in north California- Oregon -Washington-Montana area. So just seeing the scenery, and the national parks, is just a plus.  

When the world opens up again, I’ve got plans.

So, am I thinking about selling everything, Becoming a minimalist and living in a camper van? No indeed. But I am thinking about renting a van/RV and going on a driving vacation. 

Then, this morning, instead of getting up and getting started, we laid in bed watching more YouTube videos but this time the ones discussing the characteristics of each of the camper vans. Some of those motorhomes look like a real house inside and cost more than a real house would..... a whole lot more.

But, I can only do that for so long. After a late breakfast and a long hot shower, Saturday morning is about the fly lady routine. Am I still doing this? Yes indeed. Stronger than ever. I even became a Patreon member of the Flylady Kat group.  Excessive? Perhaps a little. But it keeps my mind focused on what I ultimately want to do, and that is to stop letting this house get away from me. Live in a tidy, organized, clean space.

Seems silly, but heck. This is just what I like to do. 

In fact, One of my favorite things to do was refresh the laundry room. I did that a couple of weeks ago. Got a little slim metal cart that fits between the washer and dryer, and cleaned everything out well. Rearranged. Got a new light fixture in because it was always dark in that little room. And today, the husband is painting the laundry room.  

I love to see progress. 

Hello again ?

 It feels like I’ve been gone from this space a whole lot longer than I have been. 

Has it only been two years?

Of course, it’s Impossible to try and catch up. There is no catching up. So I guess there’s just starting where I am and sharing. Or not sharing? 

I kind of miss this little spot of mine. 

Let’s see if I missed enough to keep it up again?

Sephora Play- Monthly Box- February

I am pretty excited about trying out the Wander baggage claim eye masks but most excited about the Clinque eye pencil. It feels so creamy.

Everything else was kind of … blah. I've already had samples of this perfume and it is ok.  I had already tried the Bite brand lipstick and find it to be drying, and every color they send me is a very dark one. This one looks the same. I've also tried the Clinque lotion before, I think I am going to get my husband to use this sample.

I'm seriously considering cancelling the beauty box subscriptions again. Taking  a little break. See how I feel in six months or so...