Friday, August 15, 2025

Happy Friday to all who celebrate! That’s just a little joke from the retired world.

I am linking up with Andrea and Erika to share some faves.

I would like to share a deep thought before we get into the weekly favorites. I ran into a friend at Trader Joe’s and she just closed her retail business at pretty much the same time I retired. So, we were both chatting about both being retirees. I told her I was kind of tired of people asking what I am going to do and why I had to do anything. A lady in her 70s (I would guess) chimed in and said, “that’s exactly right. You go, girls. You have already done your part.” It was nice to get that validation.

And, yes, I live in a place where strangers regularly strike up conversations or join in and I love it!

Now for some favorites…

Monday as the school children were playing behind our house on the elementary playground I snapped this photo of Eddie looking longingly like he wanted to be part of it:

Isn’t that the sweetest? It was until he decided it was time to bark his head off!

Monday I had to get two cavities filled! I haven’t had a filling for 30 years and I only had one filling. Boo! But, the people at the dentist office are so nice and my friend is my dentist!

My reward after was getting to see Madeleine, my former student who taught in Madrid and is going back in September to do another year at the same school.

My outfit for dentist and coffee shop was a favorite:

I always feel weird sharing stuff like this but this blog is also for my memories. I got a follow request on IG from a former student that I honestly didn’t think liked me very much, and, honestly he could be difficult.

Awww! We had a nice little chat back and forth! We have to love them through their high school years and then they come out on top I guess. It’s just a reminder to tell people you appreciate(d) them because it can really make someone’s day.

Sister Kate (she said she sounds like a nun when I say that and I can assure you she is definitely not – lol) asked if my encounters with former students made me sad and I honestly don’t think so. Seeing Madeleine and hearing from the IG former student make me happy.

This book has all the stuff you would think it has to get you motivated…

I really loved this. I have friends and family who can’t park their car in their garage! I also loved “just because you have the space to store it doesn’t mean you should”.

Is anyone else concerned about the literal storage unit businesses we have popping up all the time in this country?

Anyway, what do you do if the clutter isn’t your problem yet? Also, this book has lots of bad words if you are sensitive to that. You can’t really do anything about someone else’s clutter unless they ask you for help in my opinion.

I made copycat Taco Bell enchiritos for dinner this week and I loved them! I never ordered that but apparently it was a thing. Here is the recipe I used.

And, I served it with a Caesar salad because Caesar salad was developed in Mexico! Look at me still teaching!

The next night I made Kristin’s Caesar wraps and added bacon:

Target has really great super chopped salad mixes and I used this:

Lots of Caesar going on around here!

For my baking this week I made such a good peanut butter chocolate bar. You put graham crackers in the peanut butter mixture and it added a little something something. It’s only a 5 ingredient recipe with no baking involved. You’ve got to try this if you are a pb/choc fan.

I also made the Kat James lentil recipe again this week. I can’t get enough of that for my lunches. I actually liked the canned lentils better than the Trader Joe’s refrigerated lentils and you can find canned lentils at any grocery.

Did you know that I am not allowed to step foot on my school property until a 3 month break in service from the date of my retirement? I can’t even go to a football game until October 1. So, I asked Erica to do a pick up at my driveway and I gave her an enchirito, lentils, and some chocolate peanut butter bars for her lunches this week. Erica is my old meal prep partner. I wanted to make her first 5 day week a little easier.

I did a Kroger pick up this week. I went in to the store on Saturday did a pick up mid-week. If you read my Grocery Epiphany post you read that I am trying to buy less at a time to make sure I am using up my food. Pick up is free with a $35 purchase and we all know it’s not hard to get to $35 these days. Go back and read the comments on that post. My readers have a wealth of tips.

I am trying to send more cards and the recipient of this one texted me that they loved it!

I finished this – loved it!

And, I started this. It starts out quite melancholy.

I’ve been putting this off but I finally did it – got my first of the Shingles shot series. I walked around for the 15 minute period that they want you to wait. They gave me a coupon but I didn’t buy anything yet.

Fall stuff it out! I am team love candy corn.

I love to have some seasonal plates and napkins for happy hours and get togethers. I especially like the small cocktail plates and napkins. This reminds me of my mom. She had so many paper products on hand at all times. I am still using some of her napkins that I thought were cute.

It’s been fun and not sad to think of all the ways I am like my mom and the seasonal napkins and plates is definitely one of them. The little ghosts with the glasses are super cute, too. Maybe this is how I will spend my Walgreen’s 20% off coupon.

I feel like this post is getting long because I type like I would talk to you, I guess. It’s like a long one-sided conversation.

I was so, so, so thrilled when Nordstrom.com came through for me! My sister Molly had her bday on Wednesday and she is a big Nike girl. As a first grade teacher she only wears sneakers to school now. Nordstrom told me these wouldn’t arrive til Friday but they were there when she got home on her actual birthday! Yay!

She sent me this picture and said she loved them. They are grey but they look lavender.

Bad photo but Mason, Tom, and I had Mediterranean this week and it hit the spot. This fed all three of us with the addition of some pita and hummus and some sidewinder fries with a spicy dipping sauce. This is rice, salmon, and chicken. It’s so good. It’s Shiraz if you are local.

Tom turned on the patio lights for me the other morning. I am out of the habit of it and enjoyed seeing this when I got up and went outside.

And, that’s a wrap for my favorites of the week! I’d love to hear one of yours and thanks for reading!

Amy

21 thoughts on “Friday Favorites”

  1. I’m getting the same thing from lots of friends and family members about what job I’m going to be looking for when Evan starts school next year and they all seem rather surprised when I tell them I don’t plan on looking for one. A few have been openly vocal and judgy about it too! Honestly I think a lot of those comments come from a place of jealousy.

    Lots of great favorites this week; we used to make no bake PB bars like that and they were gone overnight. All your food looks so yummy and I bet Erica loved her drive thru lunch! We have so many friends that can’t park their car in the garage or pay for storage units and I just don’t get it. I am not a clutter/hold onto things kind of person. I know a few (who have kids my boys’ ages!) that still have baby furniture and things like that around! Unless you are moving/between houses a storage unit is just a crazy waste of money, I think.

    Like

    Reply

    1. I’m sorry. That must be hard. I think it’s our country’s culture about work, right? We are so live to work here. I think clutter is crazy. Think about others who could be using that stuff! My sister and her hub are not on the same page about clutter. He won’t sell all the extra stuff he has accumulated and she can’t park in the garage.

      Like

      Reply

  2. I love the EO photo. So precious! You are still teaching — I had no clue about Caesar salad! lol
    The Mexican recipe looks delish! I bet Erica appreciated lunch so much. I’m loving your new red shoes. Did you share a link? Are there other colors?

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  3. I love the sneakers you got for your sister – so perfect!

    People ask my husband all the time what he’s going to do, well people who don’t know him very well. Anyone who does knows that this man never sits still and is always working his other business. But I think they ask because they are afraid of just sitting and doing nothing. In some ways retirement scares people so they may need validation that they’re either not ready or yeah, I could do that. Does that make sense? I think if people ask you what you’re going to do say this: I AM LIVING MY BEST LIFE EVER.

    Have a great weekend!

    xo,

    Kellyann

    Like

    Reply

    1. Thank you! She is up to 11 pairs of Nikes now but they are not all the same style. She wears dresses and not just jeans or casual things.
      That does make sense and he already had his side hustle going strong!

      Like

      Reply

  4. I love that your former student reached out to you this week! I can’t imagine how rewarding it feels to read what he said about you. You should be proud of yourself! I love all your favorites from the week; I think my favorite was from Wednesday night: it was such an unexpected night out that went long and ended up being so much fun. I wasn’t tired when I woke up the next day either, which was a bonus. I thought for sure I’d regret that decision I made to do that, but I was fine. Happy Friday!

    Like

    Reply

    1. It seems more special when it comes from a male student because the girls are usually more sentimental, you know? I also talked to a couple of my field hockey girls posse this week on IG and this is why I will never truly hate social media. I have been able to stay connected to students from as far back as my first year of teaching!
      I used to love having a Wednesday night break from the routine so maybe this will be your “thing”. Also, many restaurants do a half price wine on Wed.!
      I am sorry you had a bit of a rough week. I can talk after school today or any time this weekend.

      Like

      Reply

      1. Yes! It’s definitely different coming from a male student. I agree about social media; that’s something I love about the platforms we have to enjoy staying in touch with people we wouldn’t normally see again! Wednesdays might become “it” for me! It was so much fun talking and listening to live music. I don’t get out until 4, so it’d be 5 for you, but maybe tomorrow morning sometime?

        Liked by 1 person

  6. You’re not allowed on school property for 3 months?? That’s insane! I’ve never heard of that. And I’ve heard of a LOT of weird things in schools over the years!

    I don’t like having kids who are old enough to ask for fall candy but I do like seeing the candy corn out in the stores.

    Like

    Reply

  7. I think people ask that because they just don’t want to say, “You stink!” Hahaha! I did have a teacher call me a quitter which has stuck with me all these years. Love the photo of EO. I am exactly like my mom and embrace it. Happy birthday to Sister Kate (I love it)!

    https://marshainthemiddle.com/

    Like

    Reply

  8. Haha yes on the retirement questions! People always asked what I was going to do and had suggestions of part time jobs that I might like. I just retired from a perfectly fine job why would I want another one? Also all the questions about being a substitute. Not sure if people knew the difference between retire and quit lol! Glad to hear you have embraced retirement and that first year August is the best along with your first retirement check!

    Like

    Reply

  9. What a sweet message from your former student!! ❤️ Recently I drove thru my old neighborhood where we lived in our first house. There were a couple of garage doors up and there was so much stuff in those garages!! You couldn’t walk in as they were packed floor to ceiling!!

    Like

    Reply

  10. “Storage units are an expensive cry for help” reminds me that some foreign exchange students who were staying with our small group hosts were amazed when they found out a) that Americans had so much stuff that they needed a storage unit, and b) that we actually pay for said units! Your peanut butter chocolate bar reminds me of the Gold Medal flour advertisement that has the Choco-Peanut Butter Bars recipe. I made them in home economics in the seventh grade and was thrilled to find the recipe in a vintage section of a popular cooking magazine. Speaking of a napkin stockpile, when I left the gift shop where I had been volunteering, I scooped up all the napkins that were 75% off and I’m still using them. I left there in 2018! Have a great weekend!

    Like

    Reply

  11. Good on that stranger giving you and your friend validation (even though you don’t need it). You don’t have to do anything, you have done your part.
    That is such a sweet message from your former student! You must be so proud that you have helped shape their lives.
    Yum to all the delicious looking food, especially that peanut butter chocolate bar.
    I noticed the Fall things in the shops the other day and I love it, I only bought a couple of things.

    Like

    Reply

  12. What a kind, thoughtful message from your former student! So glad you are enjoying retired life now that school has resumed. How kind and thoughtful of you to make lunches for your friend too! I am also a fan of candy corn! Maybe we talk about this every fall? Hope you’re having a good weekend!

    Like

    Reply

Leave a reply to kedarhower Cancel reply