Busy Weekend WrapUp!

As I write this it is November 5. November 5! Holy cow it’s November 5!!! Daylight Savings Time has transitioned into winter mode, and the night comes quickly now. But, can you feel the holiday hurricane coming? The busy-ness. The preparations. The events and parties. It’s coming! Buckle up! I had a rather busy weekend. I love doing a wrap up like this, because it shows how much I actually accomplished! Woot!

Mother Nature is beginning her preparations to rest awhile. Our winters are fairly mild, thank goodness, but autumn does occur, though in an abbreviated version. My yard looks a little scraggly right now. Guess I’ll have to do some weeding, and some pulling of annuals. I might even get around to planting pansies. Maybe.

I was able to transition my fall decorations from Halloween to Thanksgiving rather easily. Just removing a few spooky elements and viola! Happy Fall Y’all! Every year, as I begin my fall decorating, I always think about the fact that the year is almost over, and soon we’ll be “decking the halls”. But that’s another day, and like Scarlett O’Hara, I’ll think about that tomorrow! 

I bought plane tickets to go see my new grandson who will be born in December. I can’t wait to meet him! Buying tickets stresses me out no end. All the choices, and the gate changes, the timing, the seats. Ugh. I’ve been procrastinating, and almost blew it, but I did it! Yay me! Now let’s hope the weather cooperates, and I don’t miss any flights. And by the way, I’ll be jingle belling all the way on Christmas Day. Turns out it’s the cheapest day to travel during the holiday season.

I made a trip to Target on Saturday. For bananas and paper towels. Came home with this cute little shelving unit, (and lots more) that I assembled ALL. BY. MYSELF. I was so stinking proud. I usually leave the assembly up to the hubs, but I was determined! Aren’t you proud of me? It’s just what this little spot in my newly decorated office needed. I can hide some of my craft supplies in the pretty little baskets. I really wanted a place to show off my Mama’s sewing basket and my Daddy’s vintage typewriter. The office makeover is almost complete. I’ll be showing it off here on the blog very soon! 

I cooked barbecue pork chops in my Instant Pot Saturday night. Oh how I love that little work horse! I seasoned the chops with Cavender’s seasoning first, then sauteed them in the Instant Pot in a little olive oil. I then poured in some barbecue sauce, and cooked all of it for 25 minutes on the meat/stew setting, keeping it on warm for about 10 minutes afterward to depressurize. I served them with roasted potatoes and steamed broccoli. Please remember, I never cook anymore, so this was a nice surprise for the hubs when he got home from work Saturday night! 

We went to my hometown to check up on my Mama and Daddy’s house, which still hasn’t sold. There were a few things left to gather up so we did that too. We also visited their graves, and we put fresh flowers in their vases. This part of the weekend was bittersweet. It’s gotten a little easier, but a heaviness I can’t even explain always comes over me whenever I go “home” because nobody is there. It’s just sad. 

However, one of the little treasures we brought back with us was a box that contained my wedding dress and veil. Mama had carefully preserved the dress, wrapping it in tissue paper and tin foil (!) where it’s been for over 35 years. And it wasn’t in bad shape! Mama sewed my wedding dress for me, from a pattern I found that resembled Princess Diana’s dress. Those puffy sleeves were ALL the rage back then. Me being me, I tried on the dress, and the hubs patiently took my picture. I couldn’t breathe, and I didn’t zip it, but I was in it! The silk flowers, in a rainbow of hues were in great shape too. FYI, my entire wedding cost just under $2000, back in the day. We scrimped and saved and stretched every penny. And apparently that was just fine, because 35 years later, we’re still hitched!

• It breaks my heart to know that while I was going about my business this weekend. Doing all of this, a madman was plotting to murder sweet people in a little town that were spending their Sunday morning worshipping. Please join me in praying for Sutherland, Texas and for that little church that lost so many members of their family.

Because when you belong to a church. those people become your family. We just have to remember that God is good, and pray that He will comfort those grieving hearts.

 

That was my weekend! What did you do? Share! I love reading your comments.