Monday, February 29, 2016

Once Every Four Years

It's Leap Day! I won't post on February 29th again for another four years. So crazy! I don't know what things look like where you live but here in Northern Virginia it's looking absolutely gorgeous outside. Blue skies, fluffy white clouds and a breeze that is whispering "Spring is coming...Spring is coming..." And man - I hope that breeze is right!
I'm trying to encourage Spring to come right along - seriously - no more snow!
Monday after work, I got out with Watson and we were able to take a long walk across the first 4 holes of the golf course; we've reached the time of the year when the sun is still out but the golfers are already gone, leaving the golf course open for walking - and it makes a perfect "track". The walk/jog was almost like a nature walk since along the way we saw four deer, a rabbit and two geese...all of which Watson thought he'd catch. Not so much. We had some friends over for supper and coffee and of course, some good conversation. All in all...not a bad way to start a week - you know?

Rainy branches - but at least they weren't snowy branches.

Wednesday afternoon monsoon

And this is supposed to be a rainbow...but I'm not seeing it. Oops!
It started raining on Tuesday afternoon and rained...and rained....and rained. It started out a mizzle (you know that word right - mist+drizzle=mizzle) and just got wetter by the hour. The final fanfare arrived on Wednesday afternoon when a monsoon hit around 4:15, complete with lightning and thunder! Now - I can't explain why the weather is one way in one place and completely different in another...but can I just tell you, Wednesday was the first time I'd heard thunder in over a year. I promise that I'm not exaggerating even a little bit either. It rains here...it snows here...the wind blows like crazy here....but thunder? I think there has been a legit thunderstorm here maybe three times in the (almost) two years I've lived in Northern VA. I - for one - am not complaining since I'm kind of a wuss about "bad" weather. But it was sort of..."nice"....to hear a rumble or two of thunder.

The evening moonrise on Wednesday - not captured so well. iPhone camera fail.
I'm so proud of my wreath - even if it weighs a ton.
The rest of the week passed easily enough - just work, walking, hanging out with the dog. All those things. A couple weeks ago I ordered a bed and a wreath (those things don't relate at all - right? Right.) and they both arrived on Thursday...one was decidedly bigger than the other and is still sitting in our kitchen in the two boxes it arrived in. You see - this is the "problem" with suddenly realizing I'll have my own apartment is that I want to buy ALL the furniture and I kind of want to buy it all right now. I have had my couch and chair and ottoman on my Ikea shopping list for literally over a year and sometimes I just open my Ikea app and look at the pictures...like...I'm coming for you furniture. Soon.

Wow - that's not creepy at all. Moving on... My bed arrived and I think at this point it will just stay boxed up until the move; it seems easier than tearing down one bed, putting together another and then having to disassemble it all over again in a few months. I feel like my Dad should thank me for this wise life choice. Now...the wreath I'd have bought regardless of having/not having a front door to hang it on...I was convinced that I'd hang it on my office door. With a command hook. And then it arrived and the realization that a wreath made with real baseballs isn't exactly light sank in...and so, I'll hang it from something...just not sure what yet.

This face gets me every time. So precious.
Friday night I had plans with a friend but it didn't shake out due to some unforeseen illness on my friend's part - which left Watson and I on our own on Friday night - and a whole bottle of wine with no one to share with. Shucks. Now - lest you think I drank a whole bottle of wine - chill out. I drank and glass...and a half. And instead of watching a movie and chatting with my friend, I ended up continuing my binge watching of DaVinci's Demons. While the night went differently than I'd planned, it was nice to have a relaxing Friday night...a night for unwinding from the week, just chilling in the recliner and doing nothing.

Rose' and clouds that matched on Friday night. 
Watson and I, drinking in coffee (me) and the morning (him).
Deadpool - funnier than I'd imagined; not as crude as I'd expected. Verdict: Loved it.
Saturday morning passed pretty lazily - just sipping coffee, watching more DaVinci's Demons (I said I was bingeing (SP??) it - remember) and chatting with my family on the phone. We spent some time discussing my little sister's new assignment - there will be lots of visits to Vegas over the next three years...and while her assignment wasn't quite what she'd hoped for...we are all looking for God's will in her life and trying to find the positives: living 40 minutes from Las Vegas is one of those positives. I foresee quite a bit of adventure in the desert for my little sister...and I plan to get out to the desert and get in on those adventures as often as I can. 

I met up with my friend Jennie around lunch time and we went to the Alamo to see Deadpool - the latest in the Marvel movie universe's takeover of the box office - and also the first Marvel superhero movie rated R. I chowed down on a burger and fries while watching the Merc with a Mouth do his best to exact revenge and win back the girl - and I must say, I really liked the movie. I wondered if it would be too gory (which is funny since nothing can top Game of Thrones for gore) or crass for me to really like it - but it was actually hilarious and I loved every minute of it - well, maybe not so much the blood splatter...but, you know...everything else.

Saturday afternoon caffeine - always a wise choice.
So cuddly and sweet.
After the movie, we made a stop at Starbucks - I have to say I think I love the Smoked Butterscotch Latte more as a cold drink. I'm definitely attributing this to it tasting more like the Butterbeer I got at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter...because - cold. We also made a quick stop in at Wal-Mart because the photo center called to tell me that my photo order was ready! Wait - back up - what now? What photo order is that you ask? Why - that would be my Christmas cards that they lost way back in early December and they just wanted to let me know that they'd found them and didn't I want to come pick them up?? I mean - they were already paid for and everything. So, yes...now I have 50 "Merry Christmas 2015" cards and I have absolutely no clue what I'm going to do with them...but I've got them! Watson and I rounded out our Saturday evening with a couple long walks, multiple episodes of DaVinci's Demons and some coffee before bed. It was decaf...but don't tell.

Sunshine = so many golf balls.
Like - what am I going to do with these??
Sunday was absolutely gorgeous - I hope that Sunday was a preview of the glorious Spring weather to come because it was delightful. I joined my friend Margaret for the 8:30 service at our church and by 10 AM I was at home, walking Watson around the back yard in the seriously wonderful breeze, just drinking in the sunlight. He laid out on the deck while I cooked lunch and I'm assuming he snoozed in the sunshine while I went to the movies to see God of Egypt. Which was both delightful and cheesy - but hey, those things go together just fine - right? I liked it and that's what matters. When I left the theatre, I had to shed my jacket because it had warmed up considerably and felt absolutely amazing...and when I arrived home shortly after three, Watson and I took the first of three long-ish walks in the sunshine...which I think we both thoroughly enjoyed. The walks also seemed to absolutely wipe Watson out...

Afternoon exploration in the sunshine....
Watching the sunset...and DaVinci's Demons....
I whipped up some homemade baked macaroni and cheese for supper (with a glass of wine, of course) and Watson and I munched on it (he always gets small bites - because he's spoiled rotten) while watching...you guessed it...more DaVinci's Demons! I made it all the way to episode nine of season two! Only twelve episodes to go to finish the series! I can't decide if I'm excited or sad...but that's the way it goes with binge-watching, right? I completely skipped watching the Oscars for the first time in years...only because I was more interested in DaVinci's Demons, the book I was reading and the fact that the only person I cared to see win was Leo - and that award isn't until near the end anyway. 

I was sound asleep before 11 and if that isn't the perfect end to a lovely weekend - I don't know what is.

Weekending is exhausting...

Friday, February 26, 2016

The Flashback - February

I find myself starting this post by thinking that surely 2015 can't be in the past...didn't it just begin? I'm then reminded that February of 2015 did; in fact, happen twelve months ago and I need to get it together, get with the picture and move into the present.

I remember as a child thinking that each year took ages to pass. Days were long, months were longer...and let's not even get started on how impossibly long it took for time to pass in the month of December! It seemed like Christmas would never arrive! I have to wonder - what makes time "seem" to pass differently from childhood to adulthood? Perhaps as a child, life is filled with wonder and the only "job" is to play...to learn and grow...but as an adult there are so many jobs, so many responsibilities, so many things that need to be done/want to be done and the hours in the day are so finite. 

I'm not sure what causes time to pass so much more quickly at thirty-one than it did at thirteen, but it certainly does. It's already 2016...February is already almost gone...time is passing, quicker than ever it seems...

2016
Snow Watson - The Sequel
And after the snow...comes ice...
The Shenandoah River in the snow...

2015
Snow Watson is "born" - and loves every minute of exploring piles of frozen fluff.
Amelia is NEVER amused by my faces...
The temperatures took a crazy dip & dog walking required serious outdoor wear.


2014
Feeling dark in 2014... I still love it.
Work day snowfall fun with Melissa!
Loving on a precious sweetheart in the nursery.


2013
Practicing my ski jump pose (duck face and all) in Colorado Springs.
Striking a pose with Lindsey in front of the AOG at USAFA.
Three generations.

2012
Celebrating "good friend" with some of my good friends at Cater's Market.
Weekends spent with friends = the best.
I'm such a shorty - I'm the "leader" and the shortest in the bunch, ha!

2011
Cuddling the sweetest little bit of love - Ryleigh.
Some ice in Mississippi...
Saturday morning cartoons with two of my favorites.

2010
Saints 2010 + Super Bowl = WIN.
DiscipleNow - Working on my leadership skills.
Watson in costume for the girl's video.

2009
My first year as a DNow Leader
My four girls - such an easy group!
Loving on Lindsey during DNow Weekend.


2008
Cheering on the Golden Eagles with Kristen & Lisa - whoa flash! 
I promise more people came to our basketball games...ha-ha!
Enjoying some time between classes outside the Powerhouse.


2007
Lunch with friends in Meridian.
A Winter sunset...the sky on fire.
The littlest "soldier"...on her way to do something with CAP.


2006
Cuddling another wee Riley - my cousin's sweet daughter. Can't believe she's TEN!
Meridian Community College Choral Competition - tra la la!
Road tripping to the MS Gulf Coast...


2005
DiscipleNow - helping with the afternoon activities.


And...that's all I've got! I managed to make it "back in time" eleven years and I think I'm pretty pleased with myself for that one... 

So - until March, that's all the flashing I've got for today. Ha!