You know when you are mature, like 57, but you think you are still younger, like 27? And you think you can still do the things you did at 27? For example, cartwheels. My grandot asked, “Nana, can you do a cartwheel?” I looked at her like she asked me if I could stay up all day without a nap. “Of course I can do a cartwheel.” So, I assumed the pose-hands up, toe pointed. I was ready. A few moments later, I was still ready. My pose was on point. Then I saw the future. My future. It centered around two broken wrists. What can a girl (old broad) do with two broken wrists? Nothing. A broad can do not one thing with two broken wrists. I use my hands daily, like all of us, so I slowly put my hands down, un-pointed my toe and admitted, “No, sweet girl, I cannot do a cartwheel.” And we laughed and laughed. Which was so much better than sobbing and sobbing.

Last night, my youngest daughter and I made 24 and a half dozen cinnamon rolls. I had everything ready and at 5:00, we started. We have a pretty good system, I mix the dough at Station 1, then transfer it to her (Station 2) and she rolls the dough, butters it, sugars it and coats it with cinnamon cuz we don’t do “Honey Buns” in this house, we do CINNAMON rolls. Then she cuts the dough into rolls and I pan them up. When they are beautifully baked and smell perfect, I head to Station 3…the frosting! I have to do Station 3 because I don’t measure the goodness. I just make it. 🤷‍♀️It gives her a touch of anxiety. What could go wrong, it’s butter, powdered sugar, vanilla and milk, for God’s sake. The worst part of our “system” is that she leaves before clean-up can commence. Sigh. By 10:15, I was pulling the last pans out of the oven and the mess was 95% taken care of. As soon as they were cool, I covered them and limped into bed. One more time I was reminded, I am not 27 anymore. I need to get my head wrapped around that. I wonder what I’ll struggle with when I’m 67? I shudder to think. I wouldn’t trade this time of my life for anything, but I’d love to cartwheel all over my lawn. Gotta run, not really…I’m walking, but I have a cinnamon roll to eat. I’ll be talking to you!

It seems 2019 has blown in tough. Like a bully. In my personal family and in the lives of several people I love and lots of families I don’t know well. Strife abounds. The grey, cloudy, cold, damp weather us Southern Kansans have endured “all year long” does not help my mood. Surely brighter days are headed for us like a bowling ball down a bowling alley. I’d gladly be a bowling pin…knock me over, Mr. Sun! Today, the first step happened…I was gifted these beautiful sunflowers from a sweet friend. You know that old adage, “A small town is where you loan a cup of sugar and get back a pie”? Yep, I live there. I had an extra bag of cinnamon chips and offered them to her, because they seem non-existent at the walmarts right now, and when she came to get them, she came bearing gifts! Aren’t they sunshiny? I love them! Thank you, friend. ❤

I also have another photo to show you, a blast from the past! I cleaned out my bathroom cabinets, vanity and drawers this last week. Boy did I find some treasures. A mustache kit with a TG&Y price tag stuck on the bottom…$8.88. Did you know that meant ‘Toys, Games & Yo-yo’s”? This must’ve been from the late 70’s I’m guessing. I bet that mustache wax was still pliable. Or not. And a package of Goody foam curlers. How many of you slept with those in your hair, night after night? 🙋‍♀️ Also lots of expired medicinal boxes, tubes, bottles, etc. It feels good to know I’m not going to accidentally poison myself or the mister by grabbing a quick fix out of the ‘medicine tub’.

I hope this post finds you all healthy and happy and sunshiny. Life is a journey, slow down, take in the sights and sounds. Be the tourist, discover new treasures in your everyday and enjoy the trip! Even if it is grey, cloudy, cold and damp. Be ready to be “bowled over” by the sun…soon I hope! I’ll be talking to you. 🙏

Sometimes I don’t even know myself. Like this week.

Here’s a bit of backstory, because I always need to explain…I’m a terrible eater. I mean, I can eat with the best of ’em but not healthily. Is that a word? Most people love fruit, I do too if it’s baked in pastry. Lots of people love veggies, Mr. Colquhoun included. But me, not so much. I do really love a good salad as long as there is Bleu Cheese dressing! Now the basics-potatoes, corn, green beans, peas-I’ll eat, however, not daily. Sometimes not even weekly, except for spuds…I love all things potato. And those potatoes love all parts of me too-belly, butt, chins, flabby arms, etc. Please tell me you feel my pain. Okay now back to the story:

They say your taste buds change as you age, Lord knows-I’m aging. Fast. I do really like cole slaw on a pulled pork sandwich now. And broccoli, some days I kinda crave it. Not the same craving as fresh bread but an inkling of crave. Since Saturday supper, I’ve made (and eaten) 1. Broccoli Cheddar Soup with carrots. 2. Fresh sweet potato fries. 3. Garlic parmesan roasted brussel sprouts. My body is screaming healthy! I’m one-up on the mister, he would not try the brussel sprouts, he says because I will not agree to go see the new Halloween movie. What the what? Firstly, we hardly ever go to the movies and secondly, we don’t “do” scary movies. Smh.

Now, that leaves the spaghetti squash that also came in the Bountiful Basket last Saturday with the sweet potatoes and brussel sprouts. I’m thinking I’ll be putting it in the crock pot, I know there’s a recipe out there, waiting for me.

We don’t eat fast food very often, our small town got a brand new McDonalds that opened Aug, 2017 and neither of us has even been in the parking lot, let alone inside. Right now, the local Wendy’s is being totally re-done and when we do go the fast food route, our favs are Sonic and Wendy’s. It seems as though Wendy’s commercials have been on repeat lately and every single time he sees one, Mr. Colquhoun grumbles, “they should not be showing Wendy’s burgers since we can’t have one right now.” So when they re-open, we are goin on a date! Living large, dontcha think?

If you have a great, fool-proof recipe for spaghetti squash…send it my way! You know, for the person who has taken over my body. Now, where is that candy bar I’ve been hiding, I mean, saving?

Enjoy your week, friends…I’ll be talking to you!

Good evening! This week has been relative uneventful which can certainly be a good thing. A couple, well three, things have happened, one caused my heart to hurt, one caused me to feel great concern and one caused the hairs on the back of my neck to bristle. When someone I love loses someone they love, I feel heartache for all. The main character involved in the concern issue is doing pretty well, God is good. And lastly, my bristling hairs have laid down…

I normally bake. A lot. Especially over the holidays. I haven’t had the need to do any since 12/30 so you know what I’ve done? Nothing. Mr. Colquhoun referees basketball in the evenings and this is the 3rd night I’ve hunkered down in his chair…hehe…and watched TV. Who am I? 🤷‍♀️ We have been trying to stay away from all the good things with sugar anyway. You know what they (who are they anyway?) say, “It doesn’t matter what you eat between Christmas and New Years, it’s what you eat between New Years and Christmas that matters.” Well my little town has a huge 4 day fall festival called Arkalalah the end of October and there are blocks and blocks of food vendors set up. Most of the population is downtown all 4 days, walking and eating and visiting. Not in that particular order. So…our way of thinking should be, “It’s not what you eat between Arkalalah and New Years but what you eat between New Years and Arkalalah that matters”! Am I right??!! Because personally, I’ve been enjoying all the food for those 10 weeks. So many good things.

Enjoy your weekend, our weather here in South Central Kansas is cold and rainy so we’ll be rooting for the KC Chiefs from the warmth of our family room. Go Chiefs!! And remember, I’ll be talking to you….

Glorious morning wishes for you, readers!

I shop at a local, small business for custom t-shirts and sweatshirts, and late last year she was having a year-end blow out sale (because who wants to count more inventory than you really need to when the new year starts?). One shirt on the chopping block, I mean ‘internet flash sale site’ was a t-shirt that said, “She believed she could so she did.” It spoke to me. Self-confidence is not a strong point of mine, among a myriad of other things. I was commenting on the picture when my fat fingers typed, “I live this!” obviously meaning ‘I love this!’ But then I thought…you SHOULD live this. Everyday. So I bought the shirt and I’m gonna try hard to live it. Will you join me?

I also follow a lot of cooking sites on Facebook and this one tickled me…look at the name of the site posting, then look what they’re cooking. Everyone needs protein every now and again, apparently. And there is bacon in the recipe…

This is what I see out of any of my north windows and when I’m in my backyard. My eyes are drawn to it. It is especially comforting in the bleak, cold, lonely winter. Beauty thru the tree limbs and my personal reminder that I am never truly alone. It is one of my favorite things about this structure we call ‘home’ and it belongs to a very small neighborhood church a block over. It’s the simple things, my friends. Have a beautiful Tuesday, I’ll be talking to you…

Good morning, Sunday blessings to you all. Every so often (very often, actually) when I tell a story, I precede it with a disclaimer, so nobody gets their panties in a bunch. So disclaimer: I am an only child, if a person/couple decide to just have 1 child, I think that’s great. Only children are pretty amazing in their own right. 😉 It’s apparently what is best for you I’m not judging you nor criticizing your choice, okay? Okay!

I have noticed, no scientific experiment here, that most often only children have more than 1 child of their own. Myself included. I can name 10 only’s, in just a few minutes…right off the top of my head, that have at least 2 kids, but no only’s that have just 1. Interesting, huh?! Well to me it is. I’m sure they are out there and when brought to my attention, I’d feel dumb that I couldn’t recall. So when those said children are fighting obnoxiously with their siblings, we have no clue what the heck is going on. Because we would love to have a precious sibling-best friend for life. Right? When my girls were younger and fighting amongst themselves I remember hollering at them, “if God struck me down right now and asked what my biggest wish was, I’d say ‘for my girls to get along.'” They both just looked at me and Courtney (the oldest), replied, “no it wouldn’t…your biggest wish would be to win the lottery.” Well dang. She had me there, but girls getting along would be my second wish! So good luck only children parents of multiples, they really are God’s best blessings. And if you’re an only with an only, let me know. Because we all need to feel dumb every once in a while. 😏

I hope y’all have the very best week, I’ll be talking to you….

I got a fitbit for Mother’s Day, 2017 and I really like it, however, I have taken it upon myself to add 2 letters at the end and I call her the ‘fitbitch’ because she wants me to be fit and I’m not so much fit. This Christmas, the mister got one and he’s been tracking his sleep and steps, etc. He has a basketball game tonite so it will be cool to see how many steps it accrues as he is officiating! Anyway, today he said, “this fitbitch is a little sarcastic sometimes.” I raised an eyebrow and asked him why he would say that. He replied, “she just told me good job for exercising 5 days in a row.” He’s only had it on for 5 days so he’s batting 1000%. And it’s been Christmas break with mostly lousy weather so that is an accomplishment. He said, “She better not get used to me doing that everyday.” He’s been married so long he’s forgotten that a man should never give a woman everything she wants in the first 5 days of a relationship! 😂

Speaking of lousy weather, we were lucky enough to take a trip to Maui last March and I never deleted the Lahaina weather tab on my phone. Yesterday while it was 28° here, it was 81° there….I don’t even know why I looked. 🌡But this weekend looks to be shaping up quite nicely. Thank you, Mother Nature.

Have a blessed Friday, I’ll be talking to you…

Happy hump day 🐫! How about a little background? I’m an only child, born in Winfield, grew up with my mother, the most ‘Florence Nightingale’ nurse I’ve ever known and erratic visits with my dad, they were divorced when I was 7. I met my future husband when I was 10, we got reacquainted in 1978 then married later that same year. (40 years ago! 😍) We have 3 children (3 in-love add ons) and 2 grandots. Oh, and 2 well loved rescue dogs.

I love children, baking, wine and beer, gardening, chocolate, tacos, gathering with friends and sitting in the sun. Those are not in any particular order, it depends on the day! I also believe homes are for living in, laughing in and loving in. We do all of those, often. I’m not sure what I want to be when/if I grow up but life suits me well right now. I can laugh at myself and do so often and I’m probably not as funny to anybody else as I think I am. This is more info than you surely wanted but now you know me a bit better. Thanks for joining this wanderlust with me…until next time!

Thanks for joining me!

Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter. — Izaak Walton

Good afternoon and happy 2019! I’m not sure about all this but we’ll see where the chosen road takes us. I’ve been told to write a blog and people would read it…where are you friends? Truly, I don’t even know that I did any of this correctly, I’m old, you know. Technology and all that…

Hopefully my sense of humor and quirkiness will not be lost on either of you. Surely 2 people will read this, after all I do have 2 daughters…girls?

2019 might be THE year. I’m not certain what is THE but it could be around the next corner. Join me and let’s explore together. Thanks in advance, I’ll be talking to you.

Well who knew there are so many friends out there?! Y’all have blown me away in a few short hours and I’m still trying to figure out all this configuration in the technology tsunami, so bear with me. Hopefully soon I’ll be comfortable enough with my knowledge (ha) to be funny. Just a tad of food for thought: you know the Christmas Carol that says, “mom and dad can’t wait for school to start again”? Wives. Wives of men who work at schools can’t wait for school to start again either. 5 more days. 5. A whole hand of fingers. I love Mr. Colquhoun with my whole being but I really love him when the weather cooperates during Christmas break. Time flies when you’re having fun. 😶 Sleep well my friends! Oh Lord, scratch that since it is only 6:42. Sigh.