Remembering Memorial Day

I have friends who have lost family. Friends who have served and lost their friends while they were both serving in wore torn countries. I never like saying Happy Memorial Day because the reason for the day is an emotional thank you to all those who have given their life for me, for you, for all of us. So I just wanted my post to remember all those who have served. 

Sunday's songs

What a great day....

It's been a long time since I had a TV in my bedroom and I have been missing it. Out of the blue, a friend of mine asked me if I needed a TV. Him and his wife got a new one. He said it was HDTV but not a smart TV. So I was just going to see if an antenna would work and then decided to do some research and "educating" the TV to make it smart. I got a Roku stick, an AV cable, an HDMI to AV switche and a universal remote (he didn't have one with the tv). I got all that for around $57, included tax. 

So I came home and moved the TV into the bedroom. Opened all the stuff and hooked it up. Programmed my Roku with all the accounts and settings as the one in the living room. And 20 minutes after I started unboxing every package, I had the TV up and running with all my favorite channels and streaming. 

I could not be more proud of myself. I didn't even have to call anybody for assistance. 

Friday Flip Flops Plus

I think over the years we have established that I love flip flops. I have a shoe bag on the back of my bedroom door that holds a lot of my flip flops. I have a shoe rack in the closet with some that I only wear for certain occasions. 

My three favorites are all Tommy Hilfiger.

Three were gifts to me over the past 2 or 3 years. They fit the best and are the most comfortable flip flop I have ever owned. Well, you know I am a girly girl and like my glitz. When my daughter sent me this picture of the Tommy's that are on sale at Belk for $17, I knew I had to order them.

I can't wait to go pick them up tomorrow. They have a little gold glitter to them so they are perfect.

While I am out, I need to look for some new basic tennis shoes for those rainy days when I don't do flipflops. I have a pair of these Skechers in black so I may get a pair of the white.

But I also like both pairs of these Adidas. 

I kind of like these the best because they have some air holes for cooler feet. We will just have to wait and see.

I ate too much...

 I am a picky eater. I care more about the dessert than I do the actual meal sometimes. Unless my daughter makes meatloaf. Now I love meatloaf and she make it just like my Mom does. She had me over one night a few week ago for supper and this is what it was. My favorite meal. Minus the peas. I never eat those and since she had made some, I decided to try them. Well, okay, to be honest I tried one. Not one spoonful. But one pea. I was done with them after that. Remembered why I don't like them. But wow the rest of the dinner was amazing. 

I have baked a lot of cookies since the first of the year. I don't eat them all. Some were for get togethers in BCV (before corona virus) and some were for me.

I went to one of my friends house earlier this year because she wanted me to teach her how to make the brownie cookies. They were a huge success and we ate a lot of them that night.

But I treated her and one of our other friends to some homemade pizza on flat bread. My favorite is with pork saugsage and Colby-Jack finely shredded cheese.

One weekend I baked a chocolate cake and had it with peaches because Mom did that a lot for dessert at Sunday dinner growing up.

I was proud of myself on this meal. I made French toast all by myself. I know that is not a big deal to some people. But I was married 34 years to a man that cooked every meal and got a little spoiled. Since he passed away, I am always proud of myself when I make something that I love and it turns out as good as his was.

This was school cafeteria vegetable soup found on Facebook on a recipe board. It is my favorite soup now.

But I am still partial to the beef cabbage vegetable soup as well. It is just that there are a lot more steps to it.

I have a bigger appetite since I have been laid off due to the virus. I got on the scales last night. That's a mistake I won't make again until I get some self-control over my food intake.

Wednesday Hodge Podge

Joining the Wednesday Hodge Podge at From This Side of the Pond.

1. In a single sentence tell us something about your 40's. If you haven't reached that milestone yet tell us (in a single sentence) something about whatever decade you're in now.

I was 43 when I became a grandmother for the first time. 

2. Life begins at forty. Agree or disagree? Tell us why. And if not at forty, when?

I sorta agree. I was in my 40's when the kids were out of high school. They both got married 2 year after high school. And by the end of my 40's I had three beautiful grandchildren. It's been an amazing ride ever since then. I am now a grandmother to 5 Grands, three boys and two girls.

3. Share a favorite book, song, or quote with a number featured in it somewhere.

Three Wooden Crosses by Randy Travis

4. A picture's worth a thousand words, a stitch in time saves nine, back to square one, catch-22, on cloud nine, my two cents...pick a number phrase and tell us how it applies to your life currently.

Catch 22. With being laid off in March due to the virus, I have been able to do so much around my house. And even though we were in quarantine, I had some great days. I am 63 and can retire in 2 1/2 years. There in lies the problem. Being home has been amazing and I start thinking about maybe doing early retirement so I can continue to do all the things I enjoy. But they cost money and if I retire I will be giving up a weekly income so I won't have the money to do the things I want to retire to do. See? Catch-22.

5. Last time you drove more than 40 miles from home? More than 400 miles from home? Where were you going? Was it before or after this current season of social distancing?

Last time I drove 40 miles from home was back in Feburary. We went to West Knoxville to shop at Turkey Creek. Exactly 40 miles from my house. Last I drove over 400 miles was in 2018 when me and my friend Sherrie went to Myrtle Beach for a week and I drove. That was 407 miles each way. So yes both trips were before the social distancing.

6. Insert your own random thought here.

Speaking of driving, I am excited that I am going to go to Turkey Creek again this weekend. It is a large shopping complex with about 65 stores and restuarants over 654,000 square feet.

Top 10 Tuesday

I start in mid-May decorating with a patrotic theme. For May Memorial Day, for June Flag Day and for the Fourth of July. Even though I showed you my kitchen table yesterday, it was done 4 weeks ago. But this week, I did my patriotic kitchen centerpiece. I love the metal flag from Hobby Lobby.

Isn't this pillow cute. I need to get a sewing machine so I can start sewing again. I just love this.

I love this Framed flag idea with the yarn balls.

I actually went to Joann's yesterday to try to find this fabric. They didn't have anything similar. There is a little store in my town that has primitive fabric. I will try there when they open back up.

I love these lace flags, Would like to do one this year.

But this smaller version is cute as well.

I actually have the paint and the clothes pins to to try this today. It's raining on and off so it's a good gloomy day to stay in.

Love these super simple little firecrackers.

These last two on my top 10 list are more seasonal not patriotic. But watermelon is definitely a summer standard.

And check out these little apples that would be perfect for September with back to school decor. 

Well there are my Top 10 items for this Tuesday morning. Have a blessed day.