A very nice Mother’s Day

Mother’s day, my siblings and some of my Mom’s grand children gathered at her house to celebrate Mother’s Day. It was a nice day, with a lot of hugs going around and really great conversations between all of it.

What I loved about this day, was how laid back and peaceful it was. Even my Mom seemed to relax a bit and it was great. Usually she gets a bit antsy when there are a lot of people in her home, even if they are all “us kids” and she knows that we are there for her. She isn’t like that with me, but I go to spend time with her far more than my brothers and sisters do.

Once we got back to our house, the evening is going as smooth and peaceful as the whole day went. All in all, THAT is MY kind of way to spend Mother’s Day.

Bamboo fencing and outdoor fountians theme

While looking for various theme ideas for the section of my back yard that I would like to make in to my own personal outdoor space, I came across bamboo fencing. I had never even thought to look at that type of fencing before, and I really like how it looks. I’ve always wanted a sort of tropical look in my gardens, and when I decided to make my own sitting area to meditate, read and just be alone, I wanted to fence it in, but none of the fencing I looked at was what I wanted.

Once I fence in my area, I’ll start putting in plants that look tropical, but can be grown in our area. I also have always wanted a couple of outdoor fountains, because the sound of the water makes for a really relaxing setting. I’d love to have moss as my ground cover also, but that is a project I have to work on and see if I can grow it. I’ve been looking at various fountains and I’d love to have matching ones, that have a flat back so I can put one on two sides of my fenced in area.

I’m really looking forward to this project, now that I’ve found the perfect fencing for it to come together. I know it’s going to take time, and will no doubt cost quite a few dollars to get perfect, but for serenity and relaxation, it will be well worth it.

Musical kids

My sons are very musically inclined. It seems they have teamed up with my friend and blogging buddy Lindsay’s sons to form not one, but two bands. Her sons are nearly the same age as mine, and actually that is how we started being friends. We met through our kids since they all were and are interested in the same things. It was sort of uncanny at first, but now we are both used to.

Today was sort of a blessing for me, for awhile anyway, but my poor friend is about to experience the wonders of music through a whole complete drum set. 🙂 Oh the joys of kids swapping musical instruments.

I think now in this house at least, we are down to 11 various kinds and makes of guitars, a flute, a mandolin, a dulcimer, an electric piano and I know there are a few I’m missing, but you all get the idea. I feel sort of sorry for Linds, but I’m sure there will be another drum set in the house, and I’m going to want to do some home improvement and get the room they play in, sound proofed. It will help a lot with to save the family’s hearing and relaxation.

For stainless steel lovers

Since I love fireplaces, I’ve decided I want one. I’m not sure what kind of fireplace I want yet though, since this is just at the whim stage. I went online and came across a place that sells blomus stainless steel. While looking for a fireplace, I never thought such beautiful items could be made of this material.

I decided that I’d look at the fire places anyway, not knowing what I’d find. The Blomus fireplace search gave me photos of some really unique fireplace accessories but there was a lack of fireplaces, at least that I could find. I did see one little stainless steel item that had an oval opening and there was a small blaze in it,so it must be a fireplace. I didn’t see any others, but the one I did see, looked more for ambiance than function. I might be wrong.

After trying to find the fireplaces, I decided to just browse, as my sister loves stainless steel items, and shes been remodeling her house.  She want to go stainless all over the house. I’ll have to tell her about blomus stainless. The prices are good, and she’ll love the selections. Maybe I can get her a gift card if they have them. If not, they should think about it.

 

Hot tub pumps and maintenance

For years we have had a hot tub that we’ve never had to actually put much maintenance into, but we just found out we are going to have to look at new hot tub pumps. This is fine by us though, since all of these years we have found great relaxation and enjoyment out of our hot tub, so it’s well worth the new pump.

I remember years ago, battling my husband about getting a hot tub. I wanted one right outside the patio doors in the back yard. Three steps down and we’d be in it. He refused to even look at them. At that time, I was constantly on horse back, getting older and my sore muscles totally made me feel so tensed up, it hurt. Plus at the time, my job was really very stressful. As HE himself got older, the hot tub of course, became something that was, his idea. Yep, right. At least it was one way to get my hot tub…make it seem like his idea.

For awhile, I bought the hot tub chemicals and maintained both the hot tub and the pool also. Now though, it’s up to him to maintain both. I have done it for years and it’s his turn. Kids are nearly all grown and if they want to use either the hot tub or the pool, they too will have to take turns at buying the chemicals and taking care of levels and such, because it’s my turn to relax when I want to and not worry about such things!

Seeds and stones

I always carry a small leather pouch that I put seeds or small stones, feathers and anything else that may strike my fancy that I come across on my walks through fields, lanes and in the forest.

Needless to say, I have collected quite a few items that I NEEDED to bring home. I find this relaxing, and sometimes I get a surprise by the stone being semi precious, or a seed grows some sort of very unique flower or plant.

I have a special place in my house of the gifts Nature has given me. It makes one remember just how small we really are in this Universe.

Getting away from it all

My daughter and I are at other place that we both love, and have left the guys to fend for themselves over the weekend. It’s good to go a bit South for awhile, to get away as there has been a bit of turmoil going on over stupid stuff that I just didn’t feel like dealing with this weekend. My daughter and I just needed to get away. My daughter Iris, is a sensitive young lady and she is the kind that likes and wants to keep the peace, but I could tell she needed the break as much as I Having my two sons stay with their dad for a time might be a wake up call for them, and it might be a good one…I don’t know. He lets them get away with basically anything, and I’m kind of tired of being the bad guy all the time. Of course, they will indeed take full advantage of the fact that their father when home, tends to get lost into the sofa and television and doesn’t have a clue what is happening around him. Yes, I am a bit worried, but I’m leaving that worry to fate. What happens if anything, will.

In the mean time, once we got here it was like we breathed a deep one and then relaxed. It’s so peaceful here.  I am however a Mom first and foremost, and indeed want to call to see if everything is going alright. BUT, I have to have Faith it is and then let it go.

Tomorrow I think Ris and I are going to go shopping. I need to try and find some film for my old camera and also want to get more acrylics to finish a painting I’ve been working on here. I’ll also take Ris out to lunch and to any shops or stores she would like to go to also. We’ll go to mass on Sunday and it’ll give me a chance to get updated on what is happening in the community and the congregation. It’s Lent and I’m anxious to catch up on what is happening and if there is any volunteer work that needed to be done, that Ris and I usually sign up for if we know for sure we can get down here. Other than that, we have plans to do things around the house and in general…relax a bit.

A very hectic tomorrow

Tomorrow, indeed will be very hectic. My son got a new battery last month and it was defective. Now it won’t hold a charge. We have to try and charge it anyway, to have him drive to the shop and get a new one, and of course my husband and I will follow him. I have to once again go to the grocery store for some things I forgot yesterday. Then I have a doctor’s appointment and lab work to be done.

We have to get me to the doctor and lab and in the mean time, my husband has to take two of the kids to the dentist and also in the mean time, make sure our oldest son’s car is fixed.

My husband works third shift and I have no idea when he is going to get some sleep. I worry about him, since he works so hard all the time, and has to drive out of State to get to his job, which takes a good hour and a half. I might have to switch around some appointments.

We relaxed

It was a nice New Year’s Eve at our house. My daughter and I relaxed, ate goodies and even my husband surprised us and didn’t work like sometimes he has to.

We saw in the New Year, and then went to sleep. My husband picked up my youngest son from his girlfriend’s house shortly after 12:30, and my oldest son was safe at his friends house, and even he called to check in. (I was kind of shocked! LOL).

Now it’s time to get back to “normal” and start cleaning this house! It got rather messy over the holidays and I actually didn’t even care!

Going “Home”

My daughter and I are going to go out of state this evening to visit my Mom. I was going every other weekend, to help her with things that she needed done around the house, and to just visit. Lately though, there has been so much happening around here, that I haven’t been able to make it down there and it’s been bumming us both out. Her house I will always consider home, even though I have my own house. It’ll be nice to relax in my room there, and also spend time with Mom. 🙂