Monday Memories

HAPPY MONDAY!
Yeah, ok, sure.....it's Monday. How happy can it be? Right?
I'm sure there are many reasons it is....can't think of one right now though.  :)

Hope your week is off to a good start!
Didn't get the opportunity to post yesterday, so here I am....Miss me?

Let's start with Friday!
Friday morning was Tax Day. Yippee...aren't you glad we started with Friday?
It was fairly uneventful. Not nearly what I thought we would get back but not terrible either. No where near enough for the floors...so we are going to have to go a different route to get them done. More on that as it comes.

Friday night was great! Go dressed and we left the house around six thirty. My wife drove, I just got to relax and not worry about where we were going or the dinner bill or nothin'. It was nice. :)
Half way there I thought that we were headed to the new Olive Garden, but my wife suddenly turned in the other direction. And for the life of me I couldn't think of one restaurant that was in that direction. Up the road a bit, around the corner and we pulled into Longhorn Steak House. Not somewhere we go very often - can not honestly remember the last time I was in one. The parking lot was slammed. People standing in line, from inside the door out and around the sidewalk. As if reading my mind, my wife says 'I made reservations'. So I just smiled. We parked and I followed her through the thongs of people, weaving and bobbing around them. She says 'come on'.....as I came around the corner what do I see? Lots of people! Many of whom I know! It was a surprise party...for me. :)  I have to admit that I was surprised, really. They had pulled 4 or 5 tables together right in the middle of the room. Barry, Amy and Barb were there - Sally somehow conned them into coming and holding a table, as Longhorn doesn't take reservations - for an hour and a half, I found out afterwards. And Yvonne (no Eddy, he had to work) and Adam, with Yvonne's friend Laura and her son Gage. My daughter and her fiance too! My son, his wife and my two oldest grandchildren as well. And with Sally and me it made 15. We had a great meal, ate too much (like that's a surprise). I had Sirloin and Shrimp with a salad and bread. And a couple of amaretto and 7-ups. I got some really nice gifts....including a complete set of Dr. Ph. Martin's concentrated water colors. And lots of conversation. After dinner we had cake, that my daughter picked out and my neighbor, Amy, baked. They actually put 47 candles on it. Adam burnt his fingers trying to light them (because they started lighting them from the outside in). Lawton (my oldest grandson) helped me blow them out....I really thought we were going to set off the fire alarm, sprinklers and all. A huge cloud of smoke went up, up, up and straight for the fire alarm. I just closed my eyes.....guess what I wished for. :)
Immediately after cutting the cake and passing it around, the waitress, with lots of help, brought me ice-cream and of course had to sing for me. I cringed, but it was good anyway. It turned out to be a pretty damn good night. I just want to say 'thanks' to everyone who came out and helped me celebrate!
I have some photos, but can't get them to load. My phone doesn't want to let me keep photos that people send me. It's really becoming an aggravation. As soon as I can get them on my computer I will post them. Thanks to all the people who called, emailed, texted and sent me cards too! Who knew I'd get so much attention for being old? LOL

wait...i lied....got one of the balloons (this was

on the table at longhorns)

Last time around I had taken my dogs to the vet. Turns out it was poison ivy or oak. I had to take them back on Saturday for a follow up. They are doing so much better now. Pixie isn't bright pink and they are scratching themselves bloody any more. I went looking for the culprit on Sunday, but found nothing that even resembles poison ivy or poison oak. Going to look again this weekend, got to find it and get rid of it.

I got the curtains for the kitchen finished and put up. And then realized, while writing this, that I had only a picture of the back door and not the sink (must be old age). So here it is....

little chefs with black and white checkers

I got my table set up to sculpt this past weekend too! I started working on a new project - no photos yet, not much to photograph. I should have some this week though.....assuming I can actually work on it. It felt good to have my hands in clay again. 

all ready to go....

Had dinner with the neighbors on Saturday...and a few drinks. Barry made chicken and pork chops on the grill. Yummy! Amy and I discussed our plans for our "YuleMas" party as well. I think we're going to have Barry cook on the grill and Eddy come and make some of his fabulous mexican dishes. It ought to be memorable! I've been working on the invitation, still in the planning stages but I will share when it gets a little further along. 

I've been plugging along with the exercise as well. It dawned on my last night that I had read 3 books and started a fourth while riding my bike. YES! Two birds, one stone. :)

Been doing some research on Jack the ripper too....not sure exactly where that one is headed yet. Possibly a new painting. I'll have to wait and see what pops into my head.

Well, folks...that's all!

til next time,

Be Good, Be Safe, Be Happy!

TTFN