Monday, May 08, 2023

May 8, 2023 Monday--11am

Good morning!

I was able to smash the envelope full of annual review forms under the office door--lol!  Nobody was there, as usual.  

I don't think it was below freezing at night all week so the snow banks are gone.   

Keanna came to clean on Tuesday.  Leah did a quick drop off of groceries.  She and the boys came by later on.  She unearthed this old folding table from the garage for me.  
Yes, my garage is a disaster area.  It's full of donations and things we plan to sell--plus other stuff.  Spring is finally here so we have to deal with it all soon.  I have two of these rectangular folding tables I got on sale from Target over two decades ago.  As you can see they have been used to all kinds of things--including art projects--over the years.  Right now Leah has the other one holding seedlings she's been growing for planting.
I wanted this one in so that I can use it for more surface space when I work on the satchels.  After she plants I will get the other one over here, too.  As I empty and sell the old bookcases I will be in need for some extra places to pile things--lol!  ;)

No, I haven't gotten to the satchels yet.  But I finished all the pen trays...and added an 8th tray to the bunch.  My TWSBIs were so smashed in there.  Now they are spread out a bit.
I need room for my spacer highlighters besides the pens themselves.

For those who are interested (and me to look back on one day)...
Tray #1--Lamy Safaris and Alstars
Tray #2--Platinum Plaisirs
You can see the old yellow and pink highlighters I use as place-keepers for my daily journaling and letter writing.

Tray #3--Pilot Metropolitans
Platinum Prefontes
Pilot Explorers
TWSBI Gos and Swipes
TWSBI ECOs
TWSBI Minis, Diamonds, and a Vac700R
My newest way to keep track of them all--my red binder.
I can see the color, too, because I use it to write it in the binder.
Fountain pens and stuff is kept in the middle shelf...
...of one of my rolly carts.  All the little vials in that holder to the side are for the currently inked.
So, you can see what I was working on this week.  Now this coming week I can finally (yes, finally) get to the tall stack of satchels in my living room.

The boys had a birthday party to go to on Saturday and it was Trent's birthday last weekend so no more framing was done...
...but some more lumber was picked up.
The boys also wanted to help.
They carried the boards downstairs when they got home.
So they are helping to make Gramma's apartment, too.  :)

While out shopping they spied some of those big round balls and wanted one.  Leah said she might have to get one this summer.
Since we decided I would have flowers one last time...well, Leah picked up my usual geraniums from Costco...8 of them--2 for each planter.  
I do plan to stick to what has worked so well for me here.

The boys were able to go to one of the parks for the first time this year.
Crazy to think a couple weeks ago my planters were buried under the snow!  
It was 77 degrees on Wednesday!
On May the 4th (be with you) they played Return of the Jedi at the Fargo Theater downtown.  Dagan and Leah took the boys!
Out front there were people in costumes!  How cool was that!
Liam wanted his picture taken under the flashing, moving lights.
Leah got these collapsible bowls she brings with places.  The boys had popcorn.
  Now this looks more like a movie theater to me.  Of course, that's because it is the old Fargo Theater--lol!  ;)
On Saturday morning the boys went to the Home Depot kids' event.
This time they made these little wooden table flowerpot holders!  Cute!
They stopped at Scheel's because they had an hour to kill before the birthday party and they had tokens for the ferris wheel that they were given at Christmastime for shopping there (but the wheel wasn't working at the time).
The boys pretending to be attacked by the buffalo mascot statue...
...and riding the ferris wheel!
Then at the birthday party roller skating.
Ian in the colorful shirt skating.
Lastly--Ian had made this robot at the Plains Art Museum a while back.  It was falling apart and he wanted a picture of it for posterity before it went in the bin.
You may notice I have had a lot of picks of McFamily this year.  I guess because pretty soon I will really be more a part of McFamily and am looking forward to it.  Getting and sharing pictures makes me feel more a part of that new life to come, you know?  Won't be too long and I will literally be a part of their lives more than I ever have been.  This fall?  Winter? 

Till next time...have a really great week!!  :) 

15 comments:

Far Side of Fifty said...

Hope it works out that you can move before Winter! Winter is such a cold time to move. The boys do some interesting activities! :)

Victoria Zigler said...

Glad the de-cluttering and organizing are going well. Sounds like the boys have been having a lot of fun with various activities. And I bet they're thrilled to be able to say they're helping with Grandma's new apartment. Hope you can move in to it in the Fall, so you can be there before Winter hits.

Beatrice P. Boyd said...

Ian and Liam sure had a busy week and how wonderful that they were able to get back to the playground too. The indoor activities looked fun, but there is nothing like being outdoors! Glad to read and see that the pen cleaning project is done and you do have a lot of really colorful ones, my friend! yes, it will be great when you can be living with McFamily and sure you will have so many more photos to share of your new home and activities. Also, glad that everyone is feeling better too including yourself it seems.

Jo-Anne's Ramblings said...

Moving is a big job that is harder in winter when it is bloody cold like it is here at this time. So many nice looking pens and a messy garage is pretty normal not that I have one

Deb J. in Utah said...

Hi Rita! You had another very productive week getting organized and ready for your move. Scheels is a fun place for kids. We have one not far away with the big ferris wheel. See your boys making crafts at Home Depot brings back memories of taking my boys to home depot to make wooden crafts years ago. I hope you have a great week!

David M. Gascoigne, said...

I think that rather than face the unenviable chore of downsizing and getting rid of stuff one of these days, I am simply going to drop dead and let my daughter deal with it! Don't tell her though!

DJan said...

You certainly do have a lot of pens! Thanks for the review of them and all the pictures you posted here. You have been very busy this past week, for sure!

Janie Junebug said...

The boys are such good helpers. How sweet that you'll move in knowing they took part in the preparations for your apartment. The Home Depot crafts really are wonderful. I would love to have 77 degrees. We had a few nice days but since Feb it's mostly been way too hot. Pens, pens, and more pens! McFamily turned back time by seeing Return of the Jedi in an old movie theater. What fun. I'm glad you'll have your flowers again.

Love,
Janie

Jenny Woolf said...

Those kids are just wonderful...I love to see their happy antics and their parents are such good people. No wonder you are so proud of them. I hope you can move before winter too and I am glad your summer seems to have arrived! It IS May, after all.

Rajani Rehana said...

Beautiful blog

Harvest Moon by Hand said...

You're getting closer to moving! That's so exciting. I bet it feels good to go through everything and get ready for a garage sale or donate items. You are so organized with your art supplies. The pens are just waiting for you to use them! :) That's crazy the change in weather - from snow cover to 77 degrees in a matter of a couple of weeks. We are having 81 degree weather here. Just like you, a few weeks ago there was still snow and ice on the ground. The geraniums will brighten your patio!

Anvilcloud said...

Glad spring has arrived for you. It is moving apace here although we did have a frost advisory last night. It didn’t quite get that cold as it turned out.

Divers and Sundry said...

All those pens!!! Cool!

The patio flowers will be nice. You can enjoy them while you're continuing the work of downsizing and packing up. It'll be a cheering sight :)

Jim and Barb's Adventures said...

All that purging, packing and organizing seems a bit overwhelming but you are getting there!

Jeanie said...

I love seeing photos of the kids and I can tell how much you are looking forward to being an even greater part of their lives soon. And your pens -- wow!