Fishy friends, raindrop dings & keyboard looking like new

 I know I haven't posted in a few weeks.... where does time go???

Who knew in that time there would be bombs dropped on another country,  a billionaire's wedding would take over the news, alligators are the new police & a bill is up to be passed that basically causes havoc for Americans & rural areas in need .... oh, another day in 2025.  A lot can happen in just a few weeks in 2025. That's for sure.

In my little world - its just been a lot of busy, a lot of the same. - here's some updates

MOM
Yes, she's STILL in Rehab. A lot of traveling to visit & taking her her Diet Cokes & snacks. Checking in to see the progress & get in some Bingo & chat with the residents that even I know now on first name basis.  I really do think its good for mom to have so much socialization because when she's home - she only sees me or my brother for just a little bit each day... here, she's been getting constant community & help when she needs it & GAMES! Who doesnt love games? ... plus, she's taken to feeding the fish every time we go walking. She swears they know her now.... could be!

TOP IT OFF
The Hubby has been working on a little project. He's been wanting to see if he could construct an overhang on our back shed. He's never really "built" anything before & wanted to give it a try. Now, why he waited till a heat dome was over us, I dont know.... but he felt like he must do the hardest work in the hottest temperatures. Men. 

But he did a great job!!!! It has a metal roof & we were out under it when it started raining the other day & that DING of the rain drops hitting that metal - just made my heart tug. Growing up, my dad & I would sit out under our covered porch in each & every storm! The stronger the storm, the better!!! & that sound just took me back into a time warp.

This looks out into the back woods & deer are constantly coming out & actually coming close there.  This will be a very peaceful place to go visit. I cant wait for fall to sit out under this.

BOOKS
I finished 4 books I think since I last posted! WOW.... I've had a really good reading year so far. (Hope I didnt jinx myself for the last half of 2025)  I've been all over the place with my reading too.... keeping it interesting.  Some romance, some creepy reading & some historical fiction - throw in a little American History - & I'm currently reading a thriller/mystery. Just like my Spotify play lists - a little bit of everything!

NEW PEN
Excited about my new LAMY Pen I just got... These write like BUTTA if you like Fountain pens but I had a medium nib & wanted to try the FINE. Its really nice. I may even go next for an EXTRA FINE nib... they're just so pretty too!

CLICK HERE FOR LINK

KEYBOARD REFRESH
My keyboard at work was looking rough with the keys all faded out. I brought my own wireless keyboard in to the office so this is mine & not office property - so I wanted to give her a clean up. Who knew they had little stickers to put on the keys to make them look brand new. I'm super happy with it. I thought it may feel weird or that the stickers would lift up... nope - it feels like part of the key board.  - now to get numbers for my numeric keypad - those are sad looking too!

CLICK HERE FOR LINK

THROWBACK
My brother sent me this picture of me & him with our grandpa. This was taken at my aunts house that we used to go to every September for their town parade.  We figured up my grandpa's age here ... & its about MY AGE.... what the ........... Did people just age differently then? GOD PLEASE SAY YES! It does really mess with your mind when you see things like the Golden Girls were the same age as the Sex in the City ladies. ... anyways - those were the days.  

Gold couch & shaggy rug & all

SAD OUTSIDE MONTH
Man... June & the heat dome took it out of my outside time. I wasn't about to go out where its an instant sweat. No thank you.  

You can see on June 19- nearly 7 hours outside though. That was because I was off work that day - & OUR POWER WAS OUT. A storm made our road look like a HOT MESS.  Trees down, power lines down - luckily it wasn't horrific hot that day so that was over a third of my month total in just one day LOL

Were you in the heat dome?

Have you ever used a fountain pen?

Dont you think aging looks different than it used to?

One Sentence a Day - June 2025

 

1 - Finish a book & then read a whole other one #escapefromreality

Total 5 Star book for me!!!!

2 - Work, Doctors Appointment, visiting mom, take care of her cat, pick up dinner - twas a busy day #helloMonday

3 -  Didnt expect to spend the whole time playing Bingo with mom & the ladies are the rehab center - but it was such a pleasant experience #TwoPeopleWonAtOurTableToo

Large Print bingo cards for the WIN

4 - Woke up early on my Work from Home day & it was a glorious morning so went out to watch the sun rise before having to log on #peaceful

5 - Mom wasn't having a good day but they got her moved to another room that helped & she got to go to Craft class & crafts always makes things better #IWannaGo

6 - So excited Love Island USA is back for the summer #TrashTVatitsFinest

7 - Got to play Bingo with mom again & I won & let the whole table reap the benefits #CandyforEVERYONE

8 - Took mom her clean laundered clothes back to her & watched more of the tennis finals with mom even though the SOUND was out on that channel #MimeTennis

9 - Crazy busy day covering for a coworker & then visiting mom & then go take a new scratch pad to mom's kitty #SheMissesHerMomma

10 - HAIR DAY & got to see a friend I hadnt seen in awhile while under the dyer & do a quick catch up

11 - Welp.... mom isnt come home as soon as we thought #ShesUpset  #IDontBlameHer 

12 - Took Ernie with us to go to mom's house & he loves getting a break from his brothers #lovethewindowsdown

13 - Closing remarks on the Karen Read case #NowWeWait

14 - Went to my first protest on No Kings Day & just cool to be a part of history #IKnowWhatIStandFor

15 - Happy Fathers Day to my daddy in Heaven #misshimsomuch

16 - Took the day off work to go to the doctor & get some things done & not shocked when the doctor tells me I need to lower my stress #FUNNY

17 - More Bingo with mom & am now knowing people on a first name basis there #IWONTOO

18 - KAREN READ IS NOT GUILTY! #somuchreasonabledoubt

19 - Juneteenth was a day off work but spent the whole day outside because we had no power for the majority of the day & no WiFi the WHOLE day so lots of reading outside. #betterthanworking

20 - After not having a good day the day before & not being able to sleep well in a house with no AC, I was SOOOO thankful to be working from home where I could get an extra hour sleep #MuchNeeded

21 - ..... anddddd we bombed Iran #BoysWithToys

22 - The dogs arent understanding why I wont throw the frisbee for more than 5 throws before I make them come inside #SOHOT #overheating #getintheACnow

23 -  Between my knee & my shoulder, I dont know what hurts worse! #AllTheIcePacks

24 - Love the sun light up early so I can see beautiful views from work before the days get crazy #MorningLouisville

25 - My car hit 100,000 miles!!!! #ShesGrowingUp

26 - Finished a really enjoyable book

27 - Ricky is finishing up his little project where he built a covered area off of our shed in the back #GoodJobHoney

28 - Mom had a little floof ball of a visitor today #SoSweet #SoFluffy

29 - Finished Season 3 finale of Squid Game & just trying to process #WhyaBaby?

30 - So we're now a country that puts human beings in a place surrounded by alligators & dangerous wild life - while also screwing over the habitat..... my God  #WhatInTheHungerGamesIsThis?

How was your June?

The Good Ole Days in the Hodgepodge

 

1. What does adventure mean to you? 

ad·ven·ture

/ədˈven(t)SHər/

noun

1. an unusual and exciting, typically hazardous, experience or activity.

I'm down for the "unusual & exciting" - but you lost me at "typically Hazardous" LOL
Its totally subjective, isn't it? .... I dont think I was made for Adventure. I hurt myself just getting out of bed.  & I'm a true Enneagram 6 & I can sit & think EASILY of 10 things that could go horribly wrong on any outing... so yeah, Adventure isn't so much in my blood. 

Give me an "Adventure" to the bookstore or library & a coffee shop any day - my type of adventure.

2.  What are your thoughts on tipping? What businesses or service providers do you regularly tip? Do you resent being asked if you'd like to add a tip? What about when a suggested amount is presented? 

I'm all for tipping for service. I dont get the tipping at every check out though.  You want a tip at a fast food restaurant? You hear all the stories too that the employees dont even get that - it goes to the corporation. No ... nope.

I heard someone say, "if I didn't sit down, I aint tipping". That makes sense to me.

Though - there's a (*) on that for me -  I do tip at food trucks. Those people are working hard for their money. The one to three people crammed in one place pumping out orders.  Overcharging for food - yes - but working hard usually trying to create income for small run business. Yes, you get my money.

3. I scream you scream we all scream for ice cream...do we? Is ice cream a favorite treat at your house? What's your favorite flavor? Regular, soft serve, gelato, sherbet, or some sort of non-dairy version of ice cream...what's your pleasure? 

I just mentioned this not too long ago but I'm all about the YASSO bars.... so good - so yummy. 

I keep seeing a recipe going around to make your own Mango Ice Cream using cottage cheese & frozen mangos.... it sounds weird - but everyone I see that tries it - they give it a thumbs up. Healthy alternative!!! I'm here for it. .... Found the LINK

4. What's your 'back in my day, we____________________ ' story or saying? 

HAD TO USE OUR IMAGINATIONS / SPEND TIME OUTSIDE.... I just think kids dont just play outside anymore.  I can remember as a kid, summer breaks - the streets were always full of kids. Playing kickball - riding bikes - swimming at someone's pool & then going down to someone else's pool later in the day. & of course, you know the time to go home was when? ... yep - when the street lights came on.

& if you werent out on the street with friends - you were in your home entertaining yourself with games or making up something for fun.  I can remember setting up my dolls around the basement & teaching them - full on teacher mode with the black board & practicing handwriting. ... or I would write stories on a manual typewriter.  Or read. Loved to read even then. You knew how to entertain yourself as a kid.

It was just a different time.... no phones - no cameras - TV was Price is Right in the afternoon or some other game shows - but there wasn't much screen time - all real interaction with people who lived near you.  Connection of community.  What a world & time it was then.

5. Somehow this is our last Hodgepodge in the month of June. Next week's Hodgepodge lands in July. Wow. Sum up your June using three adjectives. 

Stressful, Exhausting, and Painful

.... well that's bleak

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Crazy concept .... Right?

Give me pens, car ride & love corny 80's ....

 

Every Friday the 13th - I always think of Saturday the 14th.... anyone else remember that movie? I need to see if I can stream it anywhere. Its such a spoof 80's movie LOL - I love me some corny 80's movies. Xanadu anyone?

IMDB page on it with a trailer.... wow. it looks SO OLD

NOPE
We had big hopes that mom would come home soon.  We had a meeting with her case worker & all her therapist - Occupational, Physical & Speech Therapist.  Nope - they're not releasing her yet. To say she wasn't happy is quite the understatement.  So.... we press on. Not sure where this is going to lead.  Its quite stressful. 

STARBUCKS
The one good thing about leaving mom's rehab center - there is a Starbucks about a mile away that I drive by.  Needless to say - the Peach Green Tea Iced Lemonade is just calling for me each time.

KAREN READ TRIAL
We're coming to an end. Defense has settled & we're getting ready for closing arguments on Friday.  I am so anxious to see how this all plays out. It was TOTALLY different than the first trial. SO much left out & still, we've been going for like 6 weeks on this one.  I just dont see how they find her GUILTY.  I'm going to be biting my nails waiting for that verdict

Its funny because the trial started on APRILS FOOL DAY & is ending on FRIDAY THE 13TH - hope no one is suspicious here.

PEN ADDICT
Yep... I love me some stationary items.  I had to run into Target to grab one of those ice packs that you can pop & have a fast ice pack... I needed it for my shoulder before I went to get my hair done this week.  Dont ask. But I'm walking to the check out & see these pens on clearance for 6.99 - you dont have to ask me twice! ... I'll have to share these with mom too since they're blue

And when I got home that day - I had a JetPens order .... I just ordered a new Fountain Pen - which I'm still waiting on delivery of - but got some refills for it- & 2 new little pens I keep seeing on Planner YouTube videos and some refills for those too. I wont be left behind in stationary things. Give me all the goodies!

INSTAGRAM POST OF THE WEEK
Why does this feel so correct right now?

BEREAL OF THE WEEK

We had to go over & drop off something at my mom's house & we took Mr. Ernie for a ride. If you dont know - he is a daddy's boy THROUGH & THROUGH.  I dont exist in a world where Ricky is.  Ricky is walking down to the barn here & I couldnt even get Ernie to look my way. 

What's a highlight of your week?

Do your dogs like to ride in the car?

Do you have a favorite pen?

Did you ever watch Saturday the 14th?

Prime Time

I havent done one of these in awhile & I have so much, I could do two posts of these each month.

& I want to say - I had a full post ready to go & accidentally CLEARED THE SCREEN. I dont even know how it happened - but everything disappeared. To say I was so FURIOUS is an understatement.

SO I'm going to try this again - may not have as many items as I had before & save some for my next post since........... UGHHHHHHHHHH. Internally screaming.

BOOK CLIP

Click HERE for link

This is the most underrated item! If you are someone who uses a planner or a journal, you probably have seen these. & they can be VERRRRY expensive. I've seen some up to $50.00 or MORE! 

This has some weight on it & you clip it on your journal/planner & it holds it up if you have pages that come up - or if you want to keep your place.  

This one is so nice. & its around $11.00! I have two of them. You can see some of my planner pics in my Planner Instagram on the side bar to see how I use them. These have different coffee designs too so loving the designs I got.  It comes in a cute box too if you have a planner/journaler in your life - the perfect gift!

ZIVO REPLACEMENT

Click HERE for link

Its that time of year! Little gnats flying all in the house - especially if you're like me & loves fresh air & leaves your door or windows open all the time. I will say, I do try to save moths from getting stuck in this.... but ZIVO's are great in our home. The replacements are expensive though - like $35.00 for 3 - I think. But on this - you get 10 for $15.00!!!!!!  Even less if you do a subscribe & save! 

PILL CASE

Click HERE for link

I have a pill case that holds meds for each day - but I only take 2 meds each evening & I was slacking at filling up the daily one each week. So I grabbed this - able to pour my whole prescription for both pills in this. Now I just open this & grab my meds each night. Plus, I can throw it in my bag if I'm not going to be home. Easy peasy.

HAIR BALM

Click HERE for link

I never even thought about hair balm but my friend Nathalie was talking about products she loves & talked about one she enjoyed. I started searching into them & decided to give this one a go. Its really nice - gives my hair some moisture - which between menopause & summer - its much needed.

FACE SERUM

Click HERE for link

Being outside more during the warmer days, I need all the SPF. I use this on the weekends mainly - easy to reapply.  Give me ALL the Daily Age Defense please!

FLAMELESS CANDLES

Click HERE for link

I use these ALLLL winter long when the nights are so dark so early.  They give such a beautiful glow to a room.  But it gets dark in summer too & I love cozy vibes. 

These are so beautiful - they're small - & the flames look so real - & there's 8 of them!!! & 2 remotes. 
I'm currently using 3 of them on a table during summer - but when the dark months come - & the holidays - I'll be pulling out all 8. Love it has 2 remotes too so I can keep them apart & use different remotes.

These also come in a gray tone candle! 
Out of all the flameless candles - these have been my fav.

PRETZEL SNACKS

Click HERE for Link

I picked up a bag of these Pop'um's not knowing exactly what they were... & O.M.G!!!!! They are so delish! They're pretzels - but the shape of them is just so easy to grab & snack on. They come in 3 flavors & I buy them ALLL now.  The White Cheddar & this one are my favs. - but I also buy the Sea Salt one. I keep these on stand by. If I get low - I'm ordering more bags. So delicious!

WATER TRANSFER

Click HERE for link

If you're asking WHAT IN THE WORLD? Same. I did the same when Hubby got this.
So in quick terms - you put that bottom of a stick in water & it shoots out ... so why would you want this? Ricky got it in situations where water can't reach - he can take a 5 gallon bucket of water & put this in & shoot water somewhere in the woods.  Or if you have water standing somewhere - you can put this in it & drain the water out, shooting it somewhere else.  So you could drain a pool - or water a garden that isnt near a water source. Its got a few ideas that I never even knew existed. 

It comes with a battery too!

The things out there that you dont know exists.

SOLAR FAN

Click HERE for link

I love solar products. Makes it so easy to not have to deal with electricity.

Not the problem is - who gets this. Hubby wants it for his garage. I want it for my little spot in my reading nook outside.  We shall see who wins.
But put the solar panel out & you have a fan that gives off some air without needing electrical power.

I see that peopel use these in tents - or on a patio - or even in a chicken coop! How nice is that!!!

CHEW BONE

Click HERE for link

Our little new boy, Rusty - he LOVES to chew on things. Socks - shirts - paper - lots of paper.  Rocks - LOTS of rocks! This boy!
So trying to give him things he can chew on with no injuries. This is a good one that is holding up strong too. I thought he would be able to get those nubs off - nope. Its hanging strong!

.... & we're just beginning on this list - ever growing - so yeah, we'll do another post soon on more goodies that we've had show up at our home.