The Simple Woman's Daybook

I haven't done one of these  Daybooks in awhile. Lea's post reminded me. Thanks, Lea.  It's particularly a good prompt when you've got writer's block or a wholelottathisnthat swirling 'round in your head and need a place to drop some of it.  Link up over at The Simple Woman blog if you'd like to share--and please leave me a comment. I love those, you know!


FOR TODAY

Outside my window... it's a muggy, buggy night

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I am thinking... of joining a local quilting guild.  There's so much I could learn from other women, and I really need a social outlet.  

I am thankful... for our new daughter-in-law.  ( Wedding pictures posted the last few days and more are coming. This shot was taken as part of the "first look" shoot, which is why our son's wedding ring isn't on his finger. The ceremony was a couple hours later.) 

In the kitchen... I made one of my favorite dishes in  the CrockPot (and taught my youngest son how).   I used 4 pork chops, a heaping 1/4 cup of apple butter, 1/2 can of jellied cranberry sauce, some salt and pepper, and 4 garlic cloves (minced). Put that on HIGH for 4 hours. Yum.  I was going to serve it with leftover baked potatoes which just needed to be heated, but a 4-legged friend about table height snatched them  off the counter while I was upstairs sewing. How about tomorrow we have Golden Retriever Stew?

I am wearing... a sleeveless white V-neck top and a ruffled, multi-colored (mostly mint green) skirt. 

I am creating...  a baby quilt and a pinwheel pillow.

I am going... crazy in my house with no vacation plans made yet.  

I am wondering... if anyone would notice if I boarded a jet and took my own vacation without telling them. Who needs plans, anyway?  I have luggage, a credit card, and estrogen, and I know how to use all three. At once. 

I am reading... the end of Child of the Holocaust. Yes, I'm slow, and yes I read lots of things but seldom from cover-to-cover quickly. 

I am hoping... to get our family library re-organized over the next week  or two, giving away not 10% but at least 20% of our books.  Trying to keep in mind that it's just stuff. It's a burden to keep stuff, even books I have no intention of rereading or referring to again.  But I have yet to get completely over the idea that books are in a semi-sacred category. They're not. They. are.paper.with.binding.  Binding and bondage are similar words.


I am looking forward to... my friend's reaction when I give her her birthday present. 

I am learning... to heed the advice of Elisabeth Eliot about trying to appreciate the 80% of the things that your man does right rather than harp on the 20% you wish were different.  

Around the house... I miss my big family.  The manger is cleaner, but I did love having the three older "animals" in these stalls. 

I am pondering...  why my parents really want to move again at their age.  

A favorite quote for today... from my 11-year-old son, as he played ball with the mutt:  "Mom, the definition of this dog is 'fast as 'furrious.' " 

One of my favorite things... playing a game with my kid, even if he beats me fair and square. Twice. 

A few plans for the rest of the week:  get out of the house!

A peek into my day... I tried this and think I just found my new favorite.