Weekends
How was your weekend? I hope it was filled with lots of fun and happiness. Mine was pretty good until today. But first let's start at the beginning.
Friday we went out for dinner and after that we maxed out on the staycation no cooking week. I was more than ready to resume some cooking duties. The daily salad will continue no matter what. As long as I use a different dressing each time, I do not hit the salad ennui.
After dinner, we did a bit of shopping. I was in a bookstore browsing and left without buying a book. Ever since I've organized my 'to be read' pile earlier this year and I cannot justify buying any book. The book has to be a 'must read now or I'll burst' kind of book. If you're a book reader, you know what I'm talking about.
Yesterday, I toodled about at home doing not much of anything. I knit (a lot actually), read some and even dipped into the pool with my husband. Mid-afternoon we were thrilled to receive an impromptu dinner invitation from our friends for the evening. YES! (not cooking and not eating at a restaurant)
We had a fabulous time talking and laughing. I adore listening to people's stories and the lives they live. The way we all intersect and intertwine as we bump along this life is kind of fun. I'm thankful for the invite and a fun evening, for being with old friends and making some new ones.
Okay, today. The morning was going great, I was starting to tidy upstairs when -boom- the electricity goes out! Again. From 8:30 until 2 p.m. we were without power for no apparent reason. No storms, no winds. The text alert from the electric power company said 'wide spread damage'. Sixty-four of us residents were without power, not wide-spread to me. I guess some trees on the dirt road decided to fall on the lines.
I managed to knit through most of the outage while wishing evil thoughts on the electric company, just the corporate people - definitely not the people restoring the power!
Once I was back in business, I flew through the house cleaning the bathrooms and vacuuming. The laundry is still in progress as I type but the kitchen is in pristine condition.
Isn't it funny that some people want to 'unplug' and they go camping and have none of the modern amenities. They feel refreshed and whole. I was without water, electricity and internet. I didn't feel whole or refreshed. I have to confess, I'm not a camper even though I am from a camping family.
I am so happy right now!
This year our butterfly bush took off in growth and we have been blessed with all sorts of butterflies.
UGH! I can't imagine being without power in the heat of summer. (Oh wait...yes I can. It happened a lot when we lived in Orlando.) Glad you got your power back.
ReplyDeleteHope you have a wonderful new week.
Your photos are extraordinary! I tried all weekend to capture the goldfinches eating my echinacea seeds but couldn't capture them at all. I'm very glad you saw and were able to photograph all those butterflies and share them with us, and also that your power has been restored. Here's to a good week!
ReplyDeleteSuch beautiful photos of the butterflies - a reason for hope. I am glad your power is restored. My idea of camping is a cabin with running hot and cold water, comfortable beds, and major appliances. That is not really camping, I know. We are going to watch the eclipse (barring rains and clouds) with a group of friends tomorrow so the weekend is extended.
ReplyDeleteI used to love camping years ago when the girls were small, these days Gerard and I like our creature comforts. Glad to hear your power has been restored, apart from that sounds like a fun weekend. Beautiful photos. I spent the weekend catching up with the washing and hacking down the grass which really had grown whilst we were away.
ReplyDeleteI hate it when we lose power, it always makes me panic! It always comes back before they say it will, but I still get jittery! Glad yours is back now. I know what you mean about books, I have already read more this year than I have in each of the last 2 years but it will take about another 5 years before I read what I have! I guess that neither of us will ever be without something to entertain us!
ReplyDeleteHopefully your weather Sunday was as nice as ours - cooler temps and no humidity - so the lack of power wasn't too bad. And you'd be surprised about camping. Most camp grounds have wifi now and cable. It is hysterical to us to see people show up and promptly set up big screen TVs. What's the point of getting away if you are going to watch TV all weekend. Love your butterfly pictures. Our butterfly bush also took off this year - nearly 8 ft tall. I can never seem to get good pictures like yours though.
ReplyDeleteMy husband works for a power company. He's a manager in the Substation maintenance field. If power goes out that is not to do with a line he must go out and get it back up. He is required by the coops that his company services to keep that outage time at a very minimum. So yes, we understand here how MOST people don't really deal with being out of power. We live in the country, next to the substation that services our home and we keep a generator big enough to run most of our home.
ReplyDeleteLove that butterfly bush. It appears the Monarch (not sure of the variety of the others) does as well.
I could not leave a bookstore without purchasing something. I don't have that great of will power! :) Hope you have a really great week!
Unexpected power outages are awful. I sort of (emphasis on 'sort of') enjoy the planned outages - like during blizzards or hurricanes. The one's you're prepared for, physically & mentally. But those sudden, no internet, no lights, no microwave outages are Horrible! Glad you got your lights back on. And your butterfly bush is gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteWe are very spoiled/dependent on our utilities. Very. Glad you are back up and running again! Impromptu dinner plans with friends are always the best! I just finished The Secrets of a Charmed Life. Very good. It's hard for me to leave a bookstore without a new book. ;) blessings ~ tanna
ReplyDeleteps BEAUTIFUL photos!!
It sounds like a wonderful weekend, until this morning.
ReplyDeleteI had one of those too. Until. This. Morning.
I won't even bother with the details, suffice to say that all has passed, I think, but I still will be happy when I can put this day to bed!!! :-)
We love camping, but after a weekend I am ready for my conveniences!!
ReplyDeleteSounds like a great weekend up until the power went out. Such a pain. Funny - I love to go camping, but not power at home I hate! Love all your butterfly pictures - thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteI wish for you ability to love the salad with only the changing of the dressing conditional. Alas this is not me. Or I like salad, but I like other people's salad? Dining with friends and enjoying the chat of good meal is the best.
ReplyDeleteThe way you feel about justifying another book is how I feel about justifying anymore yarn purchases.
Sounds like you had a good time with your friends, those evenings with good food and good company are so fun. I think having no electricity would refresh me in a way, I just got back from camping and only went on Instagram the second night so I did not go the whole time without checking out what was going on on Insta, but I wasn't on it as much which was nice. Pretty butterflies!
ReplyDeleteI am so sorry about your electricity being out for that long. We've had periods where we have been without for a week...that was as close to "camping out" as I wanted to be. :) So I understand your frustration. ..and your joy when the appliances started humming again. :) I'm glad you were at least able to knit some even though the electric was off.
ReplyDeleteOur weekend was great. We celebrated our 52nd anniversary as well as the eclipse in OR. Lots of fun!
ReplyDelete