Monday, August 25, 2025

Can you even believe it’s the last week of August? And, that this coming weekend is Labor Day weekend? It is early this year if I’m not mistaken. Boy, did that sneak up on me! I am excited for Tom to have a long weekend. He has been so busy at work this summer and has hardly taken any time off.

Let’s link up with Sarah and Holly and recap the weekend which I like to say starts sometime on Thursday here on the ol’ blog!

Why is it just such a pleasure to shop at Trader Joe’s? I apologize again if you don’t have one, but maybe you have your own version of a smaller market that would give you joy?

Anyway… I went there on Thursday.

People keep asking me how I am liking retirement and first, I feel like it’s still summer for some reason so it hasn’t really hit me, and second, I would say I like not being in a hurry. I don’t feel like I am in a hurry right now.

They had these $3.99 bouquets at the front and I thought they were early fall colors.

Mason bought a bougie chocolate milk in a glass container a few weeks ago and I have been saving it for some flowers. Now, how cute is that? You better be sitting in your house saying “so cute”!

This was gone, gone, gone last time I was in TJ’s and I found it this time and it really is quite impressive! It’s 10 calories a squirt. I don’t like that word; it’s a little heavy on the onomatopoeia. I used to be able to spell that without checking, but I must admit that I copied and pasted.

I had a leftover Chick Fil A salad when I got home:

Also, can I say I felt like a different person when the heat broke? Look at this! I told Tom it felt like Michigan Thursday morning!

I made fish sticks, mac and cheese, and peas for dinner – one of Tom’s favorite meals and probably my least favorite.

Friday I did house work and then I met Erica for happy hour at a hole in the wall called Joe’s Older Than Dirt. The night I first met Tom we ended up there so that is a fun memory. Heather was dating his friend so a group of our girl friends met up with Heather’s friend and his posse and the rest is history.

I got a blackberry lemonade slushie. It was a little sweet and I couldn’t finish it all but it was good.

I got there early to avoid traffic and read my book and when Erica arrived we got some pretzels and queso. Their queso is surprisingly really good. She filled me in with school stuff and told me some sweet things people said about my absence. She told me some drama, too. I feel pretty neutral hearing about school. I don’t know if I am just blocking that or if I feel like that was another lifetime ago already!

Then, I went home and Tom picked me up and we met our friends at the Mexican place we like. I ordered what I thought was a skinny strawberry marg and this arrived. It was way too sweet and I couldn’t drink it.

I also had zero chips because I had the prezels and queso. Who even am I? Send ayuda! That’s just a little Spanish.

Saturday morning was another Michigan morning and it feels so good to be able to sit outside again! I forgot to say I had a fresh mini library haul on Thursday, too.

I picked up some interesting canned bevvies – as the young kids say. This lemon mojito was surprisingly good and not too sweet.

And, this can has my heart. And, it’s delish. I am going back for more of these.

I got to drive my favorite road Saturday. It’s been closed for work for quite some time but it’s open for a month break in the work. It runs right along the river.

We had a super chill boat day with my high school friends who are now also Tom’s friends. We looked at the downtown from the river and then pulled into Captain’s Quarters and sat in the shade, ordered lunch, ate the lunch, chewed the cud, and then tooled around a bit more. These people are called Dan, Mike, and Beth.

We saw the cutest little boat that had more dogs than people.

The water and the sun takes it out of you so I showered and then finished this book. So cute! I learned about some NYC landmarks while reading this. It’s like NYC is a character, too.

Then I decided to start this next..

I am pretty much done with books with “summer” in the title. I may have overdosed. Where are the fall books? Anyone?

Kristin mentioned watching Bad Teacher recently so when I saw it coming on the tv Saturday night (Youtube TV so much like the old normal tv/cable) I was able to watch the whole thing. It’s so silly/funny and there are lots of good actors in it. Do I use slashes too much? I like them.

This is what Eddie Otis thought about it:

I love when he has part of his cheek/mouth (I did it again) in his mouth like this. He’s the weirdest dog.

Another cool morning with another frothy coffee. You want to break up with Starbuck’s? Get you some fun coffeecessories like a frother, cute cups, cold foam, etc.

I walked, put laundry away, got a couple of things from Kroger, and then met one of my Heathers at a Sunday afternoon farmer’s market.

She specifically wanted to see this lady that paints gorgeous oyster shells and sells them for a reasonable price. Have you seen these?

We walked around and bought a couple of things and had a nice time.

Then, I got some patio time with my book – ahhhhh.

Saw this on IG this weekend. Isn’t this great? Limit your time with those who drain if you can, right? What if it’s your boss? Um, you just have to deal with that for now.

Screenshot

Tell me something that made you happy this weekend?

Did you also have cooler temps?

Amy

31 thoughts on “Hello Monday”

  1. Oh yes our temps are much cooler now; so cool that I can’t really sit outside in the morning anymore as all the furniture is covered in dew. But it’s gorgeous to sit out in the afternoons so it’s really just a trade off. I really enjoyed Battle of the Bookstores too but can’t find too many cute fall themed rom-coms that I haven’t already read!

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    1. I would take that! I take my cushions in because they get so wet from the dew. That helps a lot. I love a sweatshirt in the morning! But, the afternoon is great, too! Maybe better?
      I am enjoying it! It’s cute. I’ve got a few more serious books on request so maybe that is what fall reading will look like.

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  2. Our forecast is incredible this week- it’s not supposed to even hit 70 today or tomorrow. That’s insane in the best way possible :). Your weekend looks nice- plenty relaxing yet plenty of social time, too. I wouldn’t worry about your /’s. I use lots of -‘s in my writing. I’m not a professional writer- no one’s paying me and if my -‘s and /’s bother someone, well, no one is making them read, ya know? Have a great Monday or Tuesday or Wednesday or whatever it is in retiree world, hehe…

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    1. I am going to savor this weather! I’m not worried about it at all/just commenting – lol. See what I did? That was totally wrong. Ha – good one! I do seem to know the days of the week. I guess I am still a pretty routine person.

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  3. The flowers are cute! I bet the best part of retirement is just doing what you want, when you want. No rushing around. You had an awesome weekend. The weather has been so great…this week looks fabulous! EO is too cute…I bet he loves the extra time with you

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      2. That is relatable. I am struggling with so much unstructured time but this week I have had a nice amount of obligation that helps craft my days if that makes sense.

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  5. Your flowers do look so cute in that chocolate milk bottle! We went to a German Winefest on Saturday night. It was fun! The rest of my weekend was pretty chill, went to church on Sunday and did nothing else!

    xo,

    Kellyann

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  6. Your library hauls are always so great! I always have such high hopes, but then I end up not liking them. I’m so glad that you’re enjoying the not rushing part of your life. I also love that you’re using your week days so well; it seems like you have a great balance going on right now. I’m sure you don’t miss work drama! Your weekend sounds perfect with the time with friends and boating. How fun to catch up with high school friends! I hope you have a great day, friend. Happy Monday!

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  7. We had cooler temps, but not much sun which would have been nice. Nobody complained though as everyone has been melting all summer long. Labor Day is early this year and for me that signals the end of summer. Even though we’ll still be in the lake and will likely still have some really warm days. This week is going to feel like fall. I think when you retire it’s a little surprising how uninterested you become in the drama of the workplace. Glad you’re enjoying life and yes to taking your time and not being in a hurry to get to the next thing all the time. That’s a good feeling.

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    1. That is how Michigan was. A little more sun would have been nice, but it was ok.
      Yes, that is true. I am so uninterested and it seems so petty now.
      It’s a good feeling to have margin and space.

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  8. No cool temps here but praying for it! ☹️ My mom has made those decorated oyster shells. You modge podge a paper napkin onto the shell, trim it and paint the edge with gold paint. She gave me a few shells and napkins to try myself.

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  10. I’d say retirement is good for you!

    We drove past a bunch of boaters on the lake this weekend and Scott is like “I feel like we’re doing it wrong” because that’s the life he’s looking forward to at some point.

    Did you see Forgetting Sarah Marshall? Also some of Jason Segal’s best work!

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    1. Thank you! Maybe that is a plan for Scott’s retirement. Used boats are great because people never use them as much as they think. We bought our boat 11 years ago and have used it about 30 times a season.
      Yes – pretty recently! Mason brought it up and we watched it and loved it!

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  11. Ok, you’re not allowed to post your temperatures for the next few months! They look divine, and I’m so jealous! I want to read the bookstores book, so let me know what you think. Albie does that with his cheek/mouth and I also think it’s cute. He has gotten more and more “jowl-y” with age. I plan to stop in for a mini-shop at TJ’s this week. I’m intrigued by the cold foam. Hope you have a good Monday!

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  12. My favorite thing of the weekend was seeing Darius Rucker. He brings the heat!! 🙂 Although seriously, loving the cooler weather here this week too. It seems almost life changing. Now I need to get outside more! Sounds like you had a busy, fun weekend!

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  13. Oh, the temperatures!! I feel like fall is here, but I know Indiana weather so it will soon be back in the 90s! I spent time with my youngest one on one which doesn’t happen as much now that he has a significant other (which I’ve been praying for). I kinda miss knowing that I can call him and say, “Hey, wanna go do thus and so?” But, I’m also happy he’s finally happy. I’m just waiting on wedding bells.

    https://marshainthemiddle.com/

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  14. We’ve just had a long weekend, the August bank holiday which seemed early to me too! I am glad Tom has the long weekend off, he deserves it.
    Those flowers are so pretty and the vase too.

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