They're Made to Absorb

I originally published this post on July 7, 2016.  Enjoy this walk down memory lane!  

 Daughter worked the register for a full shift on Saturday. I met her in the parking lot with one of those wonderful cold drinks from Starbucks when she finished. A Very Berry Hibiscus Refresher.  She's always so thirsty when she gets off work, I knew it would be appreciated. 

While I was waiting for her to finish, I had been shopping for various necessities, soap, toothpaste, deodorant, Kotex pads. 

On our way home, daughter was reluctant to drink anything for fear that she'd spill, and the bright red liquid on my tan car seats would make a huge mess. 

"Don't worry, we're stopped at a light", was my rather stupid response. 

She drank a quick sip, went to put the cup back in the cup holder when tragedy struck! The lid popped off and the bright red liquid went everywhere. Undeterred, she started grabbing receipts to sop up liquid while I looked for a safe place to pull over. 

I pulled into a parking lot, and daughter was out of her seat before I had the car completely stopped. She reached into the bag in the back, pulled out the package of Kotex, unwrapped a single pad, pulled the sticky strip off the back and attached it to the palm of her hand. 

That was a genius move!  All of the liquid was quickly absorbed into the pad. You can't even tell there was a spill of bright red on upholstery!

I tell you, from now on I'm carrying a few extra pads in the glove compartment for the next time I spill something. I know it's going to happen. They really are designed to absorb!  (Quick thinking young lady!)

2018 Resolutions - July Update

I love keeping track of my resolutions on my blog!  It ensures that I actually keep my resolutions!
Who knew that keeping my resolutions would be as easy as announcing them publicly?

I've been working at it.  I don't know that I'll meet all of my resolutions, but it sure is fun to try!

1) Participate in the NoSpenduary Challenge
No Spenduary helped to pay for the unexpected trip to Australia.  I'm not currently in a "no spend" mode - but I am actively saving money to pay to replace the roof on the house this fall.

2) 40 bags in 40 days
Well, this didn't work out during Lent.  I'm still working on getting boxes and bags out of the house.  Husband has been on a mission trip the last week in June, so I've actually gotten a lot of stuff out of the house this month! 

10 bags/boxes at the end of May
  7   bags/boxes in June

 17    Total Boxes/Bags at the end of June.  Just 23 more to go!  I hope I get this done by the end of the year!

3) Get Away With my Husband - TWICE
        1) Australia
        2) Where next?

4) Get One Big Debt Paid Off This Year
Working on paying off the Civic

5) Finish Daughter's and Husband's Quilts
Once again, no progress on this.  I hope to pull out the sewing machine, suck it up, and finish husbands quilt this month.  No excuses.  Just do it!

6) Get Out to Visit Middle Child this Year
HOORAY!!!!  We spent a long weekend with him over Memorial Day!  The entire family! 
HOORAY!!!!  I'd like to think I'll get out to see him one more time this year.  Maybe we'll make it for Thanksgiving?  I'm not sure - daughter is still in college, and her school tends to run classes through Wednesday.  We've got time on this one.

7) Replace the Roof on the House this Fall
 Working on this one!  The dream is to have enough cash to not only replace the roof, but also the gutters, and maybe add a front porch.  That's do-able, right? 

8) Exercise Most Days During the Week.
I've done it!  I'm at 4 days a week now!  PLUS -  I am getting over there at 5:45 am now.  Holy cow! What a great start to my day!  (It's a really early start, but it's a start!)

9) Make some of my Christmas Gifts this Year
I need to get moving on this one.  What do I get kids who are grown and living on their own?  The boys are going to be a problem...  Maybe a sweater?  It's a lofty sounding goal....

10) Cut my Grocery Budget to $250/month
 Well, I've stopped keeping track. I'm giving up on this one.
I honestly don't have the time to keep track of everything I spend at the grocery store.  

11) Turn my yarn and fabric stash into something more... but what?
Graduation present for daughter's boyfriend.
Baby Blanket for a Co-Worker
Turned a spool of tulle and blingy sparkles into a Fascinator for the Royal Wedding.


I'm currently working on a shrug for myself with yarn that I purchased for that purpose 4 years ago.  It's a beautiful, sea green and blue yarn.  I've found a wonderful lacy vest pattern that I purchased online.


12) Take One Item Off my Bucket List
 I did it!  And it was a big one!  I went to Australia with my husband!

13) Have One Media Free Day per Week
Not been a problem.
 
14) Visit 12 Libraries I Have Never Been to Before

Laurel Public Library

Lawrence Public Library Truman Library and Museum
New South Wales Library
Central Rappahannock Regional Library Porter Branch

Laurel Public Library
Elkridge Public Library

I have a couple of professional goals I want to meet, too.  I'm not going to list them here, but they're in the back of my mind!


Professional Goals

1) PG #1

I had an article published! 

2) PG #2

Charm Kitty Cafe

Have you heard about Cat Cafe's? 

They are little cafe's with adoptable cats from the Humane Society.  The cafe doesn't really serve food (because of the cat hair).  They will have tea or coffee, and they might have cookies or muffins that you can order.   You can then imbibe while you bond with the kitties.  If you wish, you can adopt one of the kitties and give it a forever home.

Earlier this spring, daughter and I spent an afternoon with the cats at Charm Kitty Cafe.
We each had a cookie, and we sat and did some work while the kitties roamed around, climbed over our keyboards, ignored us, and looked very regal.  We played with the ones that let us, and we admired the ones who were too important to let us get near them!

One thing to note, though.  Almost every cat cafe that I know of - the seating is very limited, and reservations are required.   You will pay for your time in the cafe.  The money goes to support the cats.  The amount of time you get for your reservation varies by the cafe that you visit.

I took a few pictures of the residents of Charm Kitty Cafe while we were there.  I'm certain all of these little fluff balls have been adopted.  But I know they have new little fluff balls searching for their forever homes!

Greeter at the front desk.

This one really likes my purse!

A crate, bolted high on the wall - and a shy friend looking down.

Hiding under a bench.

If I didn't already have 2 cats at home, this one would have come home with me.

Moving from my purse onto my shawl.

And my phone....

He really liked my phone.  He didn't like pats, though.

Sushi Go

We found this awesomely fun game when we were out visiting middle child.  We played multiple rounds, laughed a lot, and can't wait to play again.  The nice thing about this game is that up to 5 people can play.

In a nutshell - you get a stack of cards.  You pull out one card, and then once everyone has pulled their card - you pass your stack to the person next to you and pull a card from the next stack.

Think of this as an awesome variation on Yahtzee!

Each round goes quickly.  Your best laid strategies will just not work the way you think they will.  And just when you think all is lost - bam!  The game is over and you did better than you thought!

If you're looking for a fun family game to take on vacation with you this summer, this would be the one to take!

Disclosure Notice- This post contains Affiliate Links.  I received no compensation for posting this review.  My son brought it over one night for us to play, and I wanted to share it with you!

Elkridge Public Library

Howard County Public Library opened a new branch a few months back.  I finally got an opportunity to stop by and visit this wonderful new branch.  This new building is located on the same property that housed the previous Elkridge Branch, but it has been beautifully updated!

Howard County has always done a marvelous job of keeping their branches updated and current with the most modern resources and technology.  This branch has something new and exciting - a tool library.  You can check out tools, take them home and use them for the full checkout period and then return them.  Talk about a huge money saving device that benefits the community!

The Elkridge Library is located just off of Route 1 in Elkridge.

As always, I post pictures without people's faces.  As always, I struggle to get enough pictures without people's faces.  For the middle of a weekday afternoon, this place was absolutely packed.   I took as many pictures as I could to get a good idea of what the branch looks like, and I posted what reflects the branch without posting pictures of people's faces.  

Front Entry

The site plan for the library.  I like the dedicated wetlands and green space.

This is the tool library.  I really like that it's separate from the rest of the building.

Library entrance. It's got a very sleek, modern feel to it.

I'm a big fan of the bubble wall along the side!

Look at all of those gorgeous books!

A view of the children's desk.

A view down the side of the children's section towards the teen section.

Study tables.

The cafe area at the very front - away from the stacks!

Howard County Public Library Elkridge Branch Website: https://hclibrary.org/locations/elkridge-branch/

Our Friendly, Neighborhood Squirrel

I'm hoping the photo captures this.  This is a squirrel.  She's a very blonde squirrel.  She is always up close to our house, just as curious about what goes on in our house as we are about what she's doing outside.

The screen door in our kitchen doesn't close all the way.  We have to pull it shut behind us. It's been a problem in the past, as the cats will poke their heads out and slowly work their way outside - and then they cry because they are on the wrong side of the door - and we have to go find them.

 Last week, I was running things out to the car before I left for work.  I didn't pull the door shut behind me when I ran into the house to get my purse and lunchbox.  I turned around to walk back to the door, and guess what I found?

Our friendly, neighborhood squirrel.  She had poked her head inside of the kitchen door and was looking around.  When she saw me looking at her, she jumped in surprise, pulled her head back out, and ran off.

I just know that one of these days I'm going to find her curled up on a couch with the cats.

Libraries Rock!

It's time for summer reading at your local library!! 

image: https://www.cslpreads.org

What is summer reading you ask?

Why, it's an opportunity to get kids (and adults) excited about reading.  Libraries everywhere are offering programs, games, and challenges of all kinds for kids of all ages to read books for fun over the summer.

At my library, kids read for prizes and books.

Every 4 books an adult reads gives them one entry into the grand prize drawing. 

Our library also has tons of programs and events for all ages.  I'm particularly looking forward to the Rock Painting programs this summer!  (Libraries Rock, get it?)

What are you waiting for?  Get over to your local library and check it out! 
(I crack myself up sometimes...)