Monday, September 15, 2025

Whew – last week was a week, wasn’t it? I am grateful for some quality time and conversations with people I care about and people that care about me. Isn’t that what we need when the world and our world seems dark? Thank you for Sarah and Holly for providing this link up. I read that in times of anxiety we should pray and give thanks so that is what I’m trying to do.

My Dad’s birthday was Thursday (9/11) and my mom’s was Saturday so I did like all modern women do and did a photo collage on Facebook. I received some nice messages through this social media platform so I am grateful for this technology that helps keep me connected with people that I might not otherwise connect with.

The original fam is one picture I posted. I’m the oldest – the one in the 80s sweater like my mom’s. I’m lucky to have had such a nice family, not that we were perfect by any means.

Books are my form of escapism now and I have fallen into a Love is Blind habit on Netflix, too. I have watched some of Sweden, some of France, and I’m excited about Germany. But, I am finishing US first! USA! USA! It is all people from Minneapolis, Minnesota right now. Their northern accents, northern-ness, and their love of a hot dish comes through. I actually think it’s really smart to do a dating show with people from the same geographical area. The premise is that you date behind a wall and have to fall in love without seeing the other people, so just going off of voice and conversation. Well, you know they aren’t going to have a bunch of junkyard dogs on it, right? The people are all fairly physically attractive and around the same age, too.

So, back to the books. Here is my request haul from the library. I’m not sure if I will get to all of them but a girl has got to have choices.

Friday was a lovely afternoon. Blonde Heather has a pool and I had been requesting a pool day so she invited Brunette Heather and I over around 3:00.

It’s back up into the mid to high 80s so it was a perfect day to do this – we had some charcuterie and I brought old pictures to look at. I was always the main photographer/historian in college. Then, we sat in the pool and chatted.

Later the husbands came to a Mexican place to eat dinner with us.

I ordered a chimichanga and it was a super weird version. It was tiny, very brown, and looked like a piece of fish. No comprendo as they say. Our waiter Homero loved me, though.

Saturday morning was lovely. I enjoyed my early fall decor on the patio.

I made restaurant quality bagel sandwiches (if I do say so myself) and then Tom wanted to go to my mom’s house to look at some house stuff.

Eddie Otis got to go this time and meet the neighbor doggies.

We had some house/realtor drama last week so that is what this trip was about. There were no showings Saturday so it was a good day for us to be there. I was able to change an HVAC filter all by myself and to turn off the notification on the thermostat.

It’s still very hard to go to my mom’s house and see it empty. I have been there three times now with it empty. My sisters haven’t seen it like that. It still has the same smell, but there is nothing in it.

I am trying to be kind to myself with a kid’s moveout two weeks ago, my mom and dad’s birthdays, the weight of selling the house, dealing with the responsibility of the house and its bills to keep it running for the showings, and a couple of other things on my heart.

Also, I have started worrying about what the holidays will look like this year. So, that’s fun!

With the weight of all those things, I am grateful for Tom’s steady but sometimes annoying presence. He is still the person that makes me laugh the most and usually it’s about really stupid things that we both think are hilarious. He’s also the person that I butt heads with the most. We fought about phone chargers in the car.

I also am trying to say YES to fun when I can, so our Saturday night was really fun. Our friend was playing guitar and singing at a cute little old general store turned tap room from 5-8 and we invited our friend Elizabeth to join us.

Look how cute!

We got to meet the guitar player’s new puppy Ruby Sue the cavapoo who was with Beth, his wife. I just realized I talk about two Elizabeths and two Beths and two Heathers and two Jessicas. Call me Noah.

The food was typical bar food and we got loaded tots and hot dogs, but they were fancy with prosecco on tap!

My prosecco from the tap!

And, they have a little ice cream shop on the corner of the general store.

Beautiful sky on the way home…

Eddie Otis has become better at just chilling…

It rained over night Saturday into Sunday but the morning was still beautiful and I decided to start this cute book; it’s a mystery which isn’t my usual genre but I’m loving it so far!

How are you doing? How was your weekend?

Amy

26 thoughts on “Hello Monday”

  1. Awww, lots of heavy but lots of good things- sending hugs! Well, a bit philosophical for 4:18 am on a Monday but that’s sort of a metaphor for life. We’re born into good (if we’re lucky) but flawed families, each of us flawed ourselves and try to do our best in spite of knowing there are no guarantees about tomorrow. We mess up, we forgive, we keep on going… I think it’s wonderful you have such great friends and family who are there for you (and yes sometimes annoy you!) On a lighter note, it’s like the kitchen at the restaurant used the wrong sized tortilla when making the chimi- like it should be the extra large one, not the regular tortilla size! Have a great Monday!

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  2. What a week, lots of emotions for you. Sending hugs and love my friend, it’s not easy at this stage.

    On another note, I love blonde Heather’s pool! So gorgeous!!

    I’m in Charleston this morning waking up with all of these wonderful women!

    xo,

    Kellyann

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  3. You really have had a lot of change/heaviness all at once…I’m sure you have a wave of emotions and I’m glad you have Tom, your sisters and so many wonderful friends. The pool day looks amazing. You – Noah- I LOL’d.

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  4. You have been navigating a lot and I do hope all works out with the house sale. Nobody needs realtor drama. The holiday thing shifts a lot when kids are grown and move out and it’s often one more thing to figure out a new way of doing. It’s a process for sure. That pool looks so inviting. Glad you have lots of family and friends around to keep you smiling. Have a nice week!

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    1. Thank you! I know; it was stressful for a bit. Yes – I am sure the holidays constantly have to be re-navigated with each change in life.
      The pool is really pretty. She said the heater wasn’t working but it was perfectly refreshing to me.
      Yes – I am lucky! So cool you met Marilyn!

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  5. The heaviness from the week continued into the weekend for you, my friend. I’m so glad you got to some fun things this weekend! That pool and charcuterie board look amazing. What a fun Saturday night, too! I love the realness that you share here with; it’s great that you have Tom, and it’s normal that you you bicker some. I miss that! How are you with the son moving out? Have you seen him much since he left? I know it’s different with just one of them there now. I was sad for Jonah when Noah moved to Dallas; he still misses him so much!

    I hope you do something relaxing and restorative today, my friend. Much love! xoxo

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    1. Yeah, I am on the upswing now – I think.
      I did something stupid and commented on a stranger’s IG post about their grammar and now I’m getting a lot of messages. Why did I do that?
      Yes, I feel for Mason because he misses him and is measuring where he is at with still living at home. But, Jack has come twice to do laundry and we’ve had nice conversation and he seems to appreciate us more!
      Thank you! I hope you have a good day!

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  7. You made it through a hard week and so many transitions this year. I am glad you are giving yourself grace. Like the others have said, so glad you have Tom and a fun group of friends, who come in 2’s, ha! The general store music and food sounds so fun and low key too. Hope the socialization was good Friday after I talked so much on the phone Friday :).

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  8. I really enjoyed Pomona and just finished reading an ARC of the second book in the series. They are really cute and fun for murder mysteries! That pool looks fabulous!

    Oh the holidays; ours have felt so weird to me since my family moved south; I mean they’re not dead and I can still talk to them but it’s really weird basically celebrating the holidays just us 5 with my mother in law. And I am so very aware that one year it might not even be the 5 of us as my younger two have often talked about moving far away/looked into dual citizenship and work visas!

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    1. Oooh – there is a sequel? I have a couple of pages left of the book and don’t want it to end.
      Yup – I can imagine. I feel like this is a stage where each year needs to be re-evaluated.

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  9. Sending love and hugs. It sounds like last week was a heavy week for you. What a lovely photo of your family.
    How great to spend some time at your friends pool and to go and see your friend playing guitar. The bar looks a fantastic place to spend some time.

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  11. That is so many big changes all at once. Definitely one step at a time. I’ve realized nothing will ever actually “fall into place”, as they say. There’s always something.

    Scott and I fight over phone chargers too. He has that weird samsung. I don’t even know what his charger looks like and he accuses me of “taking it”. Yeah, okay.

    That pool looks amazing.

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  12. Hi I’m sorry for all your going through…I am 64 and experiencing a super hard season. My best friend of over 35 years died in July from pancreatic cancer. I don’t have a lot of friends..but church friends. I am married 39 years and we couldn’t have children so its very quiet. Long story short, holidays suck a bit more, but you just get through as best you can..just know your not alone..xo It says Steve but I’m Julie

    >

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  13. It sounds like you have lots on your mind, and I’m glad Tom can help you laugh. I feel the same way about Michael. He works hard to bring me out of the occasional funk. I am also already worrying about the holidays. We are scheduled to go to see the kids for Thanksgiving, and I’m already worried about what will be going on with Albie at that time. Mollie is also starting to chill a little. Your library holds look great and the time at the pool sounds wonderful. Our neighborhood pools have closed now, and I am missing my fall pool time! Hope you find some sunshine today and this week.

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  14. Last week was hard, and I’m still trying to process so much of it. My mom’s house was sold very quickly. This was probably 25 years ago…I can’t believe it’s been that long. My brother was there recently so my oldest sister and I were peppering him with questions about what had changed. I was so shocked to realize just how small it was. It never seemed like it. Your Blonde Heather’s pool and backyard are just exactly what I’ve always wanted. I am still holding out hope for something like that someday. I hope this week gives you a little more peace.

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