Carol's space...and I don't mean the kitchen

I gathered up all the additional info that the accountant needed in order to finish up our year end and had a meeting with her so that big chore is nearly over with. I'm using that as an excuse for getting behind in my regular work. It is so HOT today that I was glad to have an excuse to stay in the air conditioning. I also needed to do laundry and that's even better because the basement is extra cool. I had coffee with my best friend and her daughter who is visiting from Portland. Now I need to scrounge up something for supper... something easy and cool preferably. Oooh, problem solved... Cass just came from Grandma's garden so we're having fresh corn and cucumbers and tomatoes with our chicken breasts. And yah, ice cream sounds good, thanks, Curtis.

I'm back from another weekend at the cabin and I should be doing my bookwork but I thought I'd do a quick post first. We had a pretty quiet weekend so I finished my Agatha Christie book and started "Uncle Tom's Cabin", a classic which I hadn't ever read. This morning my best friend came over for coffee and we caught up on the last few days. Kristy has gone to work at a band camp this week so it's kind of quiet here so I better go and try to get caught up with work things.

First thing this morning I did payroll and it took me (Curtis take note) an hour and a half! Then I had to drive out to get my Mom and bring her into town for a doctor's appointment. She has a cracked rib and so was advised to take calcium and will be scheduled for a bone density test. We went out for lunch and we both had liver and onions,haha. She's the only person I can go out with and not hear comments about how gross liver is. Not only do I like it, I need the iron. We also both had milk with that for the calcium (and also because I love milk.) She then wanted to buy groceries and pay a bill so after errands done I drove her back home. I made a banana split dessert and cooked some pasta for a salad, packed up some food, watered my flowers, and now I'm off to the cabin for the weekend.

Yesterday was my work day at the paint store so I put in a couple of hours there. I did some of my work here today (bookwork) but I am getting behind just like every summer. This afternoon I spent quite a while out on the deck with my book. I told Cass that when they declare suntanning and reading as olympic events I will go for the gold!! We may go to the cabin for the weekend but not till I do payroll and get my Mom to her Dr. appt. She somehow cracked a rib last week and is on painkillers that prohibit her from driving.

Today marks 33 years of wedded... ummm... bliss? 33 years of marriage anyway - mostly good. We went out for supper last night for Cassidy's birthday and called that our anniversary celebration too. Besides, tonight is men's night so Garth is golfing. I had coffee this morning with my best friend so again, not much got done til after lunch. Since then I've done laundry, some banking, bought groceries and made pastry to use in a couple of chicken pies that I will freeze. Kristy made a yummy shreddies cereal bar with dried fruit and peanut butter and syrup. Yah, I guess it's still all about food here.

A busy day yesterday cooking for more people than I am used to! I made blueberry french toast for all my kids and some of their friends for brunch then made a roast chicken supper for Cass's birthday supper one day early since her brother and boyfriend were both here. I finished reading The Poisonwood Bible this morning, I thought it was really good and educational to boot. I had coffee with my best friend this morning too and one of her cinnamon buns fresh from the oven, yummy. I'm going for a haircut (and a little chemical alteration of the color) this afternoon so I will likely come home with nicely straightened hair which may not last long in the humidity we're having right now! Well, I better get some work done now as the morning has been enjoyable but not all that productive.

We got home last night from our cross border shopping trip with lots of loot, Cass & I maxed out our exemption,lol. Kristy had to claim one of my purchases. We all got some new clothes and the girls didn't get me out of the bookstore til we had racked up $100 worth of books! (most were bargains). So guess what I'll be doing for the rest of the summer... ok, you knew that already. Besides the shopping, we enjoyed eating out. We went to Applebees for supper the first night which was really good, I don't think we have any of those here. When we'd had enough shopping on Thursday we went to see Mamma Mia which I loved! Pierce Brosnan isn't the best singer I've ever heard but he's still Pierce Brosnan,lol. That night we went to a Mexican Restaurant close to the mall called Paradisios. It was really good too. We went swimming in the hotel pool which wasn't busy at all, just us and two little kids. Spent a little time in the hot tub with the jets going to massage our tired shoppers bodies. Yesterday morning I woke up with a bit of a headache which wasn't too bad til we started driving home. As soon as we unloaded the vehicle I went straight to bed and when I decided the tylenol I took just wasn't working, I took one of my "magic" pills and zonked out. Feeling much better this morning and anxious to finish the book I'm currently reading so I can start a new one,lol.

The girls and I are packing a bag and going to head down to Minot for a couple days of shopping and just doing something different. We used to do this once a year when Kristy lived in Estevan which is only 9 miles from the US border. We always had fun and so are going to do it again. At least now our dollar is stronger so if we get bargains they really will be bargains even with the exchange. So be back later.

I'm back in "town" from the cabin. We had a quiet weekend out there, the highlight was Kristy's birthday supper on Sunday. Same menu every year, spaghetti with meat sauce, caesar salad, garlic bread and angel food cake with strawberries and ice cream. I did quite a bit of reading as usual, fiinished one book and started "The Poisonwood Bible". I like the way it's written, the mother and four daughters are all narrating their story. I was a bit bored yesterday, so much so that I almost considered going golfing. Instead, we packed up and came home and I watched a movie, Derailed with Clive Owen and Jennifer Anniston, which was pretty good.

I slept in this morning and now feel kind of groggy, I think a big pot of coffee is in order strictly as a remedy!  

Yesterday was catch up day for me at the store. I also had to pay the last of the bills before the end of the month which just sneaks up on me so doggone fast! The thunderstorms just keep rolling in day after day. We had a terrific storm around 5:30 PM (yesterday) with one lightning strike awfully close... so close our house shook. It cleared off after that but another one was brewing and hit at 1AM... woke me up from my beauty sleep! This one had hail with it and it did some damage to some of my flowers. It looks like we may have a few days now without storms, I hope so. This morning I baked a big batch of cupcakes - chocolate with cream cheese and chocolate chip filling... yummy. Most of them are going over to a friends house as many of her family will be arriving because sadly one of her brothers died suddenly. Two other friends and I are planning on making a meal for them tomorrow night. Now I must go shopping for ingredients for a large potato salad that I will also contribute. Be back later to visit hopefully.