It's August! It's been so hot this summer. We had a few nice nights this week when I turned off the AC and opened the windows, but we're back to hot.
Ralph decided we needed to show our appreciation to our local police. So he got a hoagie tray and a case of coke, and we delivered it to the police station. They were very appreciative, and took our picture with the staff that was in the station at the moment, and put the pic on their facebook page.
I'm so excited to see Manda, Ben, Amary and Garrett in a few weeks. Garrett is taking a few steps! He'll be a year old on the 12th, sharing Ben's birthday. They're both taking swimming lessons. I just saw them in April, but that seems forever ago.
Steph arrives here in a few hours- she's in for meetings at her home office. And we'll see Dan in a few weeks when we meet up for our Alaska cruise. He calls the cruise ship a floating coffin!
I have to have Ralph figure out why all the pix I take on my phone don't show up here. I have others that I want to share.
I finished up a big cross stitch piece- one of those pix that doesn't show up- and now I'm itchy to start another. I have two that i want to start- one that will stay here, and one that will go on the cruise with me. And I want to start a crochet piece, but have to figure out what pattern- I have the yarn all ready.
This week I need a haircut and a pedicure for the trip. I need cruise toes! And I need to start my "don't forget" list.
When I wake up in the morning, instead of wanting to stay in bed, I start thinking about all the things I want to do each day, and I get up and get to them. If it's a recumbinent bike day, that gets done first, or it doesn't get done. Today was a go to the grocery store before it gets crowded day. I love not having to get up and go to work!
The biggest issue with retirement? Not enough hours in the day. It still feels like summer break, and will til September 1, then it will feel like retirement.
I love how Garrett is rocking the bow tie! He was formal for a wedding they were at in Nebraska. I can't believe he's almost a year old!
I laughed at Tina, who was sitting happily in the Odds and Ends container. I don't know if she's an end, but she's certainly odd.
An oldie of a pic, from June 2010. We were on the way to Manda's wedding ceremony.
And now we're getting ready for our Alaska cruise!
I had my last day of work yesterday. After 26 years in the field, I am now retired. Since I worked in schools, and have the summer off (without pay!) every year, it won't feel real til September 1, when I don't have to get up and go sit in boring meetings. And it'll be great when it's snowing or snow is in the the forecast, and I'm waiting for the text. And when it's raining and I just don't want to get out of bed.
We went to Julianna's recital earlier this month! She was in 3 dances, and did a wonderful job! She's in the air right now with Heather, Ed and Eddie headed to Ft Myers to visit her other grandparents.
These guys are getting so big! Garrett wanted that cake so bad- right after the pic was taken he was yelling and reaching for it. He's pulling himself up on everything and standing. Amary is going to be 3 next month!
I have so much that I want to do! The temperature afghan is now done except for weaving in ends and adding a border. The farm fair afghan is done and given to Barbara. But the project that I'll start tomorrow is cleaning and organizing the kitchen. I know there's a table under there somewhere!
And maybe I can post more often!
Here's one of the things keeping me busy. It will be a raffle item for the Burlington County Farm Fair.
Andy my temperature afghan is still in progress! It'll go til the end of this month.
I have 9 more work days to go, then I'm retired! Yay! 26 years in this job, and I'm done, done, done. And maybe then I'll have more time to blog!
I read a really good book from the library. Troublemaker, by Linda Howard. It has a great dog character, a golden retriever named Tricks. It's a romantic suspense novel, and just came out.
I haven't done any cross stitch or quilting, because the star afghan has a deadline, and I'm getting tired of the temp afghan, so I want to get it done!
And it's June!
I can't believe it snowed all day yesterday. Big fat fluffy flakes of snow! The ground was too warm for it to lay.
Garrett is getting to be such a big boy! He's 8 months old already! He loves to eat, and is quite mobile now.
I've found that my projects go along much better when I actually work on them! Leaving them alone to do their thing just does not work, unfortunately. This was last week, I've worked on it almost every night, and it's moving along.
11 weeks til retirement! I got the invitation to the county education association retirement dinner. They haven't done much for me in the last 26 years except take my money, so I'll go and get a "free" dinner. There is also a county school nurses association dinner, and a district nurses dinner.
I'm reading a series by Peter James. It's a British police procedural, and is very good. The library has a few, and I've gotten some for the kindle.
Today's lunch is at Villari's.
Easter always feels like the official start to spring. And an excuse for a big family meal!
My temperature afghan at the end of January. It's going to be huge by the end of June!
I've got beans in the oven, mini hot dogs in sweet and sour sauce in a crockpot, salad and cole slaw made, and dessert bought! We'll pick up Mom at noon and head to Mike and Donna's for dinner.
We're having someone out to give us a price to convert our wood burning fireplace to gas. We think we'd get so much more use out of it if it was gas, and there's already gas ran to the house.
Happy Easter!
Today was a trifecta- the last day of the workweek, payday, and Spring Break starts tomorrow. Ten days in a row of not having to get up at 6.30AM!
This picture was taken about a week ago on my way to work. First rainbow I've seen here in a while.
Garret saw the eye doctor- everything is fine, and he didn't object to the sunglasses.
The NJ Pension Board- sigh. Faxed them our birth certificates. Got a letter that they need birth certificates. Ralph just mailed them certified mail, return request. I don't want anything holding up my retirement pay!
Today was day 128 of my last 185. The time is going fast!
I'm almost caught back up with my temperature afghan. Today is so nice out, low 70's and sunny.
I'm catching up on the Fool's Gold series by Susan Mallery. I was ready for something light.
And dinner is ready!
Holly
