Sunny sunday

Deep freeze is here already. It's 0. Just dropped the kids off at gramma's now it's time to get to work. I was up late last night working and I am feeling so drained. I have a few big, time-consuming, fast turnaround (of course) projects that are sucking the life out of me. I'm trying to remember the bright side... it will eventually help me get my credit card paid down a bit. :/

Julie and Jan, I wish your weather was warming instead of getting colder.  Julie, you'll have plenty of heat in Sept in OK.  :)  Jan, hope you can get caught up with work. 

It's really nice here but you can sure tell we've had no rain.  Yesterday's drive to the Hill Country was more evidence of how we're parched.  Creeks dry and very little green grass.  The wildflowers should be blanketing the ground but there are only patches here and there.  It was still a very nice drive.  We went a different route home and followed the Sabinal river for quite a ways.  It's a very shallow river that runs over limestone.  Most of it is crystal clear and the banks are lined with giant cypress trees.  One of my favorite rivers in Texas.

The apple pie was good but not as great as I was expecting.  Guess my expectations were too high.  The place was touristy.  We sat at a table with a couple about our age.  They were out on their motorcycles (like thousands of others we saw) and they told us about a neat little cafe in another small town.  We passed it on our way home and will try it next time we take a drive that way. 

We did buy some fantastic apple butter.  We're going to have corn griddle cakes with apple butter for a late breakfast.  Yum.

Bummer about the cold temps, Julie and Janice.  Although we've got our grey skies and rain, it's 50 and not horribly cold (my one consolation for no sun).

Janice, you must be exhausted -- I hate that feeling when you've got too many projects and deadlines all happening at once and you feel you may never get through them. 

I haven't had breakfast yet -- apple butter on pancakes sounds delicious, Jackie! 

Speaking of eating, I think I gained 5 pounds yesterday.  Our neighbors won a tour and lunch for 4 at a local winery, so they invited us to join them.  The food was delicious -- we started with fresh cut french fries tossed with praline bacon chunks and cheese, with a spicy mustard dipping sauce.  Entrees were beef tips over polenta with crispy kale and squash, a thin crust pizza with shrimp and crab, blackened steelhead with roasted corn salsa, and crab cakes.  All fabulous. 

Desserts were a homemade mango sorbet and an apple crisp with vanilla ice cream.  Add the wines on top of that --- we were stuffed!  Then DH decided he needed to make homemade pasta and marinara sauce for dinner, so we ate that about 7pm.  To say I felt like I would burst is an understatement.  We're taking my MIL out for Chinese food today for her birthday . . . this is a very unhealthy, fattening (but tasty) weekend!

Wow that food/wine tour sounds fabulous!! Jackie bummer about the pie but I bet it was still yummy!

I considered not mentioning this for Janice and Julie but I am going to put away the winter clothes today

That will happen AFTER I watch the ACC championship, UNC hasn't been great this year so its a bit of a bonus that they made it to the championship game. So far its been a good match.

That's about all.

Tracy - Your feast yesterday sounded amazing!! I think I gained weight just thinking about it :). Sorry yours wasn't that great Jackie but it sounds like it was still a nice time.

mid-70s here and gorgeous. We're supposed to get some rain on Wednesday but otherwise the 7 day forecast looks pretty awesome.

I took Shane to a meet-up group this morning and we had a great time. A trainer puts on these meet-ups throughout the week. Some are for CGC training and certification, some are for therapy dogs training and some are just social walks for reactive or non-reactive dogs. There's no charge for the social walks and I thought it'd be good to get Shane out and around other dogs and to work on his focus. There were 8 others with dogs and the trainer. The dogs varied in size and temperment, so it was a good mix. I'll definitely go again.

Well the 70's were great yesterday, cold and rainy here today. 

Safe travel vibes for Paige and Gracie

I have a roast thawing, got all the floors swept and mopped....why do I always decide to mop on rainy days with muddy paws ?

Have a great day all!

Opps!  Forgot to visit here today.

Beautifully sunny day, but bitter cold and windy.  The wood stove has been going all day and will continue to do so. 

Drat.  The weekend is almost over.

I am happy that you are all having nice weather and am enjoying the flower pics some of you are posting on fb. There is a light at the end of the tunnel I am sure. Just need to get through the end of this month :)

That meet up sounds like a great idea Cathy. A trainer around here is starting one up as well and I am debating on joining for walks with lily. She needs some individual attention.

I am feeling for my sister. My nephew is seriously challenging. I can hardly handle being around him because he is so overwhelming. I can't imagine having to be aparent to him. Lately his doctor, teacher and day care lady has been telling my sister how dusruptive he is and my sister is having weekly breakdowns. The doc thinks he is add. I am sure that is part of it but I suspect there's more to it. She is trying to figure out where to start but doesn't want to go the med route. He is only 5. Then she gets the he is just being a boy speech from coworkers and friends. She is totally lost. I can't imagine.

The dogs got a frisbee session tonight at the playground and did great. We practiced impulse control where I made them down or sit stay in between throws. That's a huge challenge for lily. Now they are all laying around relaxed. Amazing what a little training and exercise will do for all of our peace of minds

Dreading tomorrow and Tuesday even more

Julie - many of my posts of great weather and flowers is an attempt to coerce you to move this way :) I feel for your sister and others dealing with similar situations. I'd be a mess 2nd guessing what to do. I hope your sister finds some answers and some peace.

Haha it is working Cathy. In a few years I see myself moving someplace warmer and sunnier. Short winters..... That's what I need.

Can we start Sunday over again? Pretty pretty please with Rupey kisses on top? I need one extra day before Monday.

 Julie, is your nephew in school? I may have some ideas depending upon what has occurred so far.

My list of things to do, mostly tomorrow, but I can push some to throughout the week, is entirely too long. I was off Thursday and Friday, and decided to just be lazy and not do any extra stuff this weekend. Lots of calls and emails to get through, but I don't think it will take too long. I have an extra hour of work this week, tomorrow morning, with a certain kid. I'm not thrilled about it, but it has to be done. 

I have tons of hours of videos also to let run on my computer. PA decided I need a license now, if I want to work with children with autism, starting in the end of May. Never mind that I have a certification that is internationally recognized, and I took an actual exam to get that. The license requires that you watch videos, which you don't even actually have to watch, and the "quiz" required is answering that you watched the video. I've  got one playing in the background right now, with the volume muted. I've also got the tv on. The state claimed they would audit a certain percent of people and see if we really watched the videos. If they really do, which they don't have the time or money to, all they can tell is the amount of time you ran the video for. You can actually access the quizzes simply by clicking in and out of the videos and not watching. I figured since I actually questioned on the forum on the state website, I better at least run the stupid things. It's 90 total hours of training that people are supposed to get. It's all a big joke, because I sat in a room full of people on Friday who were all watching the videos the same way I am. Unfortunately, not everyone who can get the license actual has appropriate training in terms of how they obtained their degrees. This obviously will make things so much better for the people who are supposed to be served by it. I need to also add composing letters to my state rep and whoever oversees this stupidity to my to do list. 

11:00 p.m. and I'm just getting here.  It's been such a fast weekend but a good one.  Today was mostly chores and errands.  We did see a "one man show" at the Shakespeare Ctr.... "The Odyssey" -- in a one man show??  I admit I am *not* big into Greek mythology and I'm less even into "one man shows" but it was inexpensive and husband enjoyed it.

Beyond that I'm just plain tired -- I'm craving an early night which is mega unusual for me.  zzzzzzz

Jan -- don't work yourself to a frazzle - but at least you got a bit of a chance to focus without the munchkins!

Julie -- I was 30 when I left the frozen north and moved down here.  Best decision I ever made.  Life without snow has it's rewards.  Gee -- Florida even has bears *grin* but unfortuantely mostly too close to cities!!  (oops -- maybe I'd better dodge the 2X4 she's liable to throw at me).