Take A Hike

The past week was as good as it gets. Vacation at home. No need to pack a bag. Just impromptu jaunts around town. Visiting with the kids and our grandson. A great booming display of God's might as a thunderstorm rolled in and caught us off guard. Hiking and splended scenery. Fresh air to fill one's lungs and near perfect temps.

Photos: Falls (Falls Park, Post Falls, ID, Mrs. Mac hiking Tubbs Hill, Coeur d'Alene, ID

Oops, I Did It Again

Last night I had high hopes of watching the movie, National Treasure, Book of Secrets. Popcorn was made ... surround sound on ... It takes a lot for me to sit down and watch a movie, period! Once in a blue moon I even make it to a theater. Last such occurrence was to see the Narnia flick a few years ago ... before that ... Pearl Harbor ... and before that the Star Wars 'prequel' ... That's three movies (out) in about eight years and they all put me to sleep. My track record for most movies is: ZZZZZZZzzzzzzz before the plot thickens. I even drank a few cups of java around 8:00 PM to give me a nudge. From what my family tells me, the movie was great. Maybe I'll revisit the movie later perhaps in fifteen minute intervals.

Remembering Our Fallen Soldiers

Mr. Mac and I attended a memorial ceremony honoring those lost in battle and those veteran's that have passed away this last year. Yes, that's a vintage WWII uniform dh is wearing.

The Face of Freedom

Thank you son, for serving our country!


Photo: My son, Patrick, US Army

Lest We Forget

Memorial Day, a day to honor our nation's fallen war soldiers, has become a nonchalant holiday relegated to the "official" beginning of summer vacation. When we as a nation forget the price paid for our freedoms, we are a nation sorely out of touch with our own history and the reason we can go about our daily lives in relative safety today.

Help Restore The Traditional Day of Observance of Memorial Day

Memorial Day History

The Pledge of Allegiance and Proper Display of our Flag

Enjoy our day with your family, but please don't forget our fallen heroes.

Ship Shape & Organized

For two years I've pushed myself beyond the average PUSH. And ... for the last year I've been waiting for dh to move home to be a regular fixture around here. So for a very long time now, boxes have been waiting ... closets have been waiting ... storage rooms have been waiting ... the garage has been waiting ... filing cabinets have been waiting ... you get the picture. Mr. Clean/Neat/Organized hubby is working his magic around here getting everything organized, consolidated, and together. A regimented life is an orderly life. I sometimes think I've signed up for military service and am at the bottom of the rank and file. Just call me: Mrs. Mac, PFC at your service.

Why Oh Why?

... am I gravitating to senior citizens magazines? Maybe there are just more such periodicals on coffee tables at doctor's offices ... or arriving in the mail now that dh has retired. I don't feel 'senior' ... but the geriatric crowd is breathing down my neck everywhere I turn. I am having a few senior moments (but don't tell dh). One such magazine I picked up today had an interesting idea about supper clubs. A group of 3-4 couples rotates hosting a themed dinner (think of traveling abroad and what you might eat while dining out). I'm halfway between the baby diaper bag set and the other diaper bag set ;) Is this what people with too much time on their hands do??? Feedback please.

Update on going gray: My children now call me Calico.

Walk This Way

.... getting with the routine. Dh has unknowingly kept me in stitches as he learns the ropes around here. So far this morning (his first at home on a school day morning after retiring) Nathan's closet doors have gotten off their track ... the little fellow's shoes have been misplaced and I almost had to send him to the bus stop wearing his snow boots (84F outside today). A week ago this man was toting a gun at work ... now he's gone from jailbirds to wanting to put out food for the bluebirds ;) ... what a life ... this morning when hubby mentioned something about needing a dumb waiter I had to bite my tongue very hard ... (to be continued)

My Last Few Days of Goofing Off

Hubby is supposed to arrive home in three more days (Friday). That means I have only three (make that 2 and a half) days before I have to get accustomed to living with him full time once again ;) ... Tsk, tsk ... it's been a long two years ... only seeing each other every few months ... how will I ever adjust ... can I cope??? Right now I'm sporting four shades of hair ... that's right FOUR colors: There are silvery streaks in my bangs ... salt and pepper on the crown area and natural brown near the neckline. Then I have the outgrowth of brown with coppery auburn highlights waiting to grow just a wee bit longer to cut off. I'm a mess ... no really, I am. He may take one look at me and want to run back to his mother's home ... that's where's he's been living the past two years. Pity the poor person just dropping by my blog without having any prior acquaintance ;) ...

Now to the weather report: According to the weatherman, it's supposed to be in the 80's by Saturday. We'll, I'll just believe that when Saturday rolls around. So far this year, we've only had two days in the 70's ... April and now the beginning of May have been on the chilly side. After nurturing my seedlings indoors for weeks, I finally set them outside last week ... and yep, they got frost nip. Just a few will pull through. Why, oh why, did I set them out and forget to bring them in at night? I'm going to head over to Walmart and buy some tomato plants as mine are toast.

This week I sanded the top railing of our front porch and re-varnished it. The hanging planters are just waiting for some flowers (but I'm going to wait a few days) ... my bird feeders are in business ... I even spotted a humming bird last week ... but he hasn't been back. Maybe next week, eh. I think the one I saw was a 'scout' ... just checking out the dining fare before settling in for the summer.

Enough of this nonsense ... I have housework to do.

Image: similar style of a new hat I'm sporting to cover my mop :)

All Things Sour Dough (update below)

Lately I've been on a quest to bake the perfect loaf of sour dough bread. Near the end of March, I started my own starter and have been nurturing, coaxing, oooohing and aaaaahing at its transformation from a bowl of water, flour and a pinch of sugar ... and turning into this wonderful wild yeast mixture. Thankfully, my new oven has a proofing mode which is a perfect environment to produce the starter. My official taste tester is Ann. She is a sour dough bread affectionado and is quite honest with her opinion. Last night I prepared a sponge dough that included a cup of the starter ... and after getting good and sour in the oven all night ... this morning I baked two loaves of pretty good sour dough bread. My attempts to make said bread in my bread machine were not very well received ... so I'm going to stick with making the sponge dough and tweaking the recipe a bit. If anyone has a suggestion, just leave me a comment. Tonight I'm going to whip up a batch of sour dough pancake mix to make in the morning. My kids are the guinea pigs once again....

Ann's comment as she ate some of the bread: "It makes my mouth pucker" ... the sourer the better in her book. Pancakes came out much as I remembered from childhood ... first had them in Jackson Hole, Wyoming on a family vacation. With the cost of a loaf of good quality sour dough bread ... I'm going to bake to my heart's desire and thumb my nose at store bought. Thanks for the suggestion, Connie ... sounds yummy. Pat ... do you really want some bread ;) ... Margie ... this bread is better and very easy to make without a bread machine. I'll try to post the recipe on my much neglected cooking blog. Grandma ... glad you made it back from your extended trip.

Homeward Bound

Ok ... I just can't seem to find the will to come out of the beautiful sunshine to blog. Winter blahs are hard to shake off and need fresh outdoor air to get rid of. My yard has been raked, new trees and bushes have been planted ... flower boxes are just waiting a bit longer for frost free nights until they get adorned.

Mr. Mac's last work day is May 10th. The first few days of next week will be spent in the administration office or working the front desk ... he's keeping a low profile and using up some 'sick' time ;) Wednesday is his going away roast/luncheon (would I love to be there ... but it's not going to happen) ... Thursday & Friday he's off to the Peace Officer's Memorial ... Saturday (last work day) he may show up in blue jeans and a T-shirt sporting two guys and two dogs sitting in the front of an old beat up pick-up truck with the caption "Double Dating" ... Sunday is Mother's Day ... which he'll spend with his mom and family ... Monday (5/12) is a send off with some of his 'utes' from his childhood ... Tuesday 5/13 he's off on the final trek making a stop at my folks and a to visit a friend in Oregon. On 5/16 (LORD WILLING) he will pull up in the driveway at our home with the comforting thought that he doesn't have to leave in two weeks. By then I'll have my honey do list completed for his first day back ... and will add to it incrementally :)