This and That

Well, my fears about hours and hours on the phone with Dell proved to be baseless.  They were fast, courteous and able to tell me in short order that my computer hardware is all fine.  Bad thing, though, is that I have a software conflict of some sort since I installed Vista Service Pack 2.  So now, my laptop is in the shop and I'm limping along with my old fritzy computer.  Old and fritzy is better than none at all, though, so I'm not complaining.

It's been 11 days since I've seen Elliott.  And I won't get to see him until Sunday at the earliest.  (Sunday is his first birthday, so I really hope they get home early enough for us to see him!)  It's by far the longest we've gone without seeing him and I MISS HIM something dreadful!  They've been on vacation in the Outer Banks.  I'm glad they're having a good time and I can't wait to see the pictures of Elliott on the beach, but Sunday can't come soon enough for me.

This week my dear niece, Meg, came for a visit on her way back to Ohio from her vacation in the NorthWoods of Wisconsin.  We had such a wonderful time with Meghan, but it was TOO SHORT!!  I made her promise to come back and bring my mom with her!

Next week, Meg's sister Katie and her boyfriend are coming for a few days.  I can't wait!  We haven't met Steve yet, so we are looking forward to spending time with the two of them.

Yesterday, I shampooed all the carpets.  One of the dogs had an 'accident' in my office, so I had to clean that rug right away and one thing led to another.  Why not clean them all since I had the cleaner out, right?  I was so exhausted last evening that I fell asleep on the couch before 8 pm, got up around 8:30 and went to bed and slept until 5:30 this morning.  I am a perennial insomniac, so that is AMAZING!

We've had a pleasant, cool spring so far!  It's been wonderful to sit out on the patio in the afternoon after supper is in the works and read for an hour or so before Tom gets home.  Now that home schooling is over and summer is here, I can get all my housework done in the morning and enjoy some time outside every day.

I've been walking about 45 minutes every morning with my neighbor, Sharon.  I really enjoy getting out there in the morning and chatting with her while we do our power walk. 

I've discovered two more nests to watch.  A sparrow family has nested in one of our bird houses (I didn't think they would build in a bird house!) and I have been watching a nest in our crabapple tree.  So far, I haven't been able to identify the kind of bird that has nested there, but it is smallish and seemingly, shy.  I can see the nest from my kitchen window, but it is high in the tree, so I won't be able to peek into the nest like I'm able to do in the Robin tree.

Speaking of the Robin, I've seen Mama in the tree but so far, not in the nest.  I'm hoping she'll lay another clutch and raise them until they are ready to fly.  One year she laid eggs four times and raised all but the last clutch.  I sure hope she will again this year!

I've got a huge pot of Chicken Cacciatore simmering away for dinner tonight.  Smells good.  The table is set for dinner, the salad is prepared and I baked the bread yesterday, so I guess it's time to take Ivy and my book out on the patio and enjoy the day.  Maybe I'll be able to see who's nesting in the crabapple if I can find my binoculars.

Hope you're all enjoying the last days of spring, too!

Comments

[heidi]

I know what you mean about missing Elliot- at this age every day is an experience and they are all to be savored!
I'm glad you have some afternoon reading time this summer- Elliot time, reading time, God time- time is precious!