May 082022

Mother’s Day 2022

Happy Mother’s Day! I was talking with Gigi yesterday and she said, “You know. I think JDub is the best mother.” I would have to agree. Some of the projects and activities she comes up with are amazing, and that’s on top of all the normal mom stuff that mom’s do. I don’t use the word “blessed” very often, but I think think the boys are truly blessed to have her. Many people hear the phrase “above and beyond” in relation to their work-life. JDub is definitely an above and beyond kind of mom.

Out here in the almost-country it’s sunny today. This is a welcome change from the rain we’ve had all week. I’m reading a series right now that takes place primarily in Scotland and it seems to rain nearly every day there. Although that part of the world sounds lovely, I don’t think I could bear living somewhere that is so often cloudy and rainy. Fortunately starting today, our forecast for many days is SUN with highs in the 80’s starting Tuesday.

I have been busy gardening for the past week or so. I started a little early this year, but I saw nothing in the forecast that told me it would be anywhere near freezing, so why not? I love this time of year. Everything is so green, colorful and alive. Evenings sound like a serenade with all toads croaking. (no crickets yet) This year I have gotten into trying to divide and propagate plants that have gotten too large since we’ve move here. My hostas are enormous! Even dividing them a bit, they’re still huge. The beds look beautiful though. I can’t wait to see them in a few weeks.

S is mowing the lawn right now, because well… it’s rained for days so everyone’s lawn is a jungle. Then we’re going to go for a walk. I’m going to grill some chops later with sweet potatoes and seven layer salad. I’ve been really into marinades lately. I grill a lot. In this marriage I used to be the watcher while S grilled, but those roles have reversed.

The NFL Draft has concluded. I think the Bengals did well + they picked up some awesome free agents. Hopefully they will stay healthy and have another strong year. The sky’s the limit with this group, but staying injury free is the most important. In other news, the Reds are terrible. I mean worst-in-baseball terrible, which is pretty sad after last year’s fairly competitive team. Being such a huge sports fan, I can’t wait for football season. On the other hand, summer is not even here yet and I want it to last.

As I alluded to earlier, I am reading the Outlander series. I am also occasionally watching the series. I found myself reading a lot of what I refer to a “light & fluffy” books over that past several months. I recently finished the Bridgerton series. I typically only have a mild interest in romance novels, but they were very good. I’m enjoying a lot of historical fiction recently. My favorites so far of 2022 in addition to Bridgerton are Kate Quinn’s, The Rose Code and Andy Weir’s Hail Mary.

XOXO