Outside My Window ~ 2.21.10

Outside My Window…is blue skies, sunshine and 38ºF.  And we have had a moisture free weekend…that makes two in a row.  Our forecast high is for 57ºF today.  Our next chance of rain is Monday afternoon and evening.  Our next chance of snow is Thursday with a forecast of a few snow showers.  But our high for that day is forecast in the 40ºF range, and because of the previous days of 50ºF plus weather, I doubt it will cause too many problems.  I believe we are getting a little late in the season for snow to impact us too much until spring.  That doesn’t mean we won’t get a ton of rain though….it has been known to happen.  🙂

I am thinking…about two friends of mine that are going through a very hard and difficult time right now.  One is someone I work with……another is a friend I have made through blogging.  Both women are in the beginning stages of a divorce that was not their choice ~ one is a little older than me and has been married for 27 years, the other is quite a bit younger and has been married for 6 years.  As someone who has walked that path, I am familiar with the range of emotions they are experiencing.  I have noticed with these two women that it doesn’t matter how old you are or how long you have been married, their emotions are very much the same.  It is a life changing experience and they are both afraid right now.  There are no magic words to be said, it is different for everyone….much like grieving.  All I can do is be there, listen and let them see that you can survive. 

I am thankful for…the sunshine and a bit warmer weather we have had recently.  My battery definitely needed some recharging and sunshine was just what I needed. 

From the kitchen…is my cinnamon hazelnut coffee ~ and more dishes than I want to do right now.  🙂  I got a bit lazy last night and decided to leave the dinner dishes until today….something I wish I could take back now.  Curse my laziness last night!!  Breakfast this morning ~ for me ~ will be a brown rice, egg and asparagus mixture.  I promised Cailin I would make cinnamon bun pancakes.  Dinner tonight will be chicken, Au gratin (or Parmesan mashed – I’m still debating)  potatoes and asparagus.  Lunch is unknown at this point ~ maybe a serve yourself. 

I am creating…a DVD collection of my home movies.  I am transferring all the videos to DVD before the videos deteriorate and lose their quality.  I have experienced loss of quality on some old television movies I had recorded years ago, I didn’t want to take that chance with my home movies.   If you have the capability to do so, transfer them before that happens and you lose the memories.  If you do not have the capability, there are places that can do it for you.  And while on the subject, it has been wonderful watching all these old movies again as I transfer them….from the time after my daughters were born, birthdays, Christmas, family vacations, seeing people who have passed on…..priceless!   I highly recommend it!

I am going…to be working from home tomorrow so I can take Alanna to court in the afternoon to pick up her official license.  In Virginia, new drivers are required to report to court to pick up their license.  Until you are notified when to come to pick it up, you drive around using your learner’s permit and a card you received when you completed and passed the driving portion of your driver’s education class.  I’m not sure what exactly this will involve other than I will have to drive to the downtown area immediately after the massive shipyard early shift traffic is leaving for the day and then driving home during normal rush hour traffic.  I’m still trying to figure out what genius thought court at 4:30 in the afternoon was a good idea.  😕

I am reading…instruction manuals!  One for my new camera and one for the new DVD/VCR player I purchased recently.  Actually, all I really needed was a VCR player to replace one that died about a year ago.  I really wanted another to transfer my movies and so we could watch some older video movies we have…..but did you know you can’t find VCR players by themselves any longer?  Or at least I couldn’t!  I was lucky and found this one at a steal, maybe in part because the VCR player is going by way of the reel to reel, 8-track and cassette tape players……recording tape must surely be dead.

I am hoping…that this car Alanna has her eye on works out.  She has found a Honda Civic with low miles….it looks and sounds like a very good deal but she has a few things she needs to deal with before I can say for certain.

I am hearing…the ticking of my many clocks…….our local forecast on the weather channel………..my stomach growling!   🙂

Around the house…last nights dishes………..laundry…….DVD and video tape clutter…..bags of my oldest daughter’s clothes to donate.

Plans for the week include…working from home…..taking Alanna to court…..and completing my DVD project.  I may try to post a couple of recipes on the blog this week as well. 

One of my favorite things…is watching my baby girls on video.  It has been a long time since I smiled or laughed as much as I did yesterday while I watched my daughter’s on the home movies.  It was magikal!  🙂

A picture I’d like to share with you…I’m digging back into the archives because if you are like me, I’m really missing warmer temps…….flowers from last May….

Daisy Gardenia

Rosebud

Periwinkle (or Vinca ~ a ground cover which blooms with delicate purple flowers in the Spring)