Coffee and Cocktails at the Casa

Friday, March 28, 2025

Well, my first favorite is that it is Friday! I am linking up with Erika and Andrea to share an eclectic bunch of favorites today. I hope there is a little something for everyone!

I thought this was pretty cool – LL Bean and Free People collaboration or collab as the young kids say…

Now I want a new boat tote.

I am really enjoying seeing all the spring offerings!

Did you all watch With Love, Meghan? I wasn’t a fan. I did, however, read about the shoes she wore to go garden in; apparently they made a big splash. I ordered them! They are Crocs and will replace my rubber Danskos that Eddie Otis snacked on. I like a slip on option for taking him out and that can get wet.

It’s margarita season! I want to remind you of this skinny marg recipe that I got years ago from my sis. Mix 1/3 to 1/2 stick Crystal Light lemonade into a shot of tequila. Add some lime juice if you desire. Top with Fresca. Feel free to do more or less of the ingredients depending on your preferences. Add a lime wedge to make it more professional and fancy. You will be shocked by how good it is.

I also want to remind you of my skinny buffalo chicken dip – mine now – can’t remember where I first saw it:

I used two cans of chicken – like tuna – you can also buy in the pouch now, too. Trust me that it works best with this kind of chicken. Add one laughing cow wedge, 2 tablespoons of non fat plain Greek yogurt, some ranch dressing powder – maybe 1-2 tsp. and a glug of Frank’s hot sauce. I like to heat mine up in the micro. I like it a bit warm. You can add more hot sauce, more ranch powder, more yogurt.

So, yeah, I had buffalo chicken dip, celery, and a skinny marg one day after school this week!

My keychain broke so I bought this and love it so far. I love having a keychain that you can wear on your wrist.

I want to talk about my new favorite lipstick. It was recommended by a reader back in the winter when I was talking about red lips and I have recently realized just how good it is. I have now ordered two more springy colors.

It is the Revlon Colorstay Ultimate liquid lipstick. It goes on so smooth, you can smack your lips together to get more coverage, and it has lasting power. I am super picky about texture. This is great and I think it’s cheaper on Amazon than in the stores. Here are the other colors I ordered. I also did the virtual try on that Amazon offers. Lol. You turn your camera on and it puts the color on your lips.

This is Top Tomato. I ordered Miracle Mauve and Stellar Sunrise.

I picked this mint up from a planning period meeting we had last week because it is the kind of mint my Dad always had and it made me smile. It made me smile again to find it in my school backpack. I swear that these show up in places when I need to see them.

I am so doing this! I put Peeps in my Kroger order. I also have hot chocolate in my order so that would be so fun, too!

Well, that’s about all I have for you today!

What was a favorite of yours this week?

Amy

PS – If you are behind in posts, this week I shared:

Hello Monday

Cooking Lately

Hodgepodge

and

Fashion Files

Thursday, March 27, 2025

When the clock hits 3:20 today I will be on spring break! I am linking up today with Kellyann and Jill for Fashion Files.

I keep wondering how my style will change in retirement but right now I don’t think it will change much. Plus, I do plan to work again after a break. Since the pandemic I have definitely worn more jeans to school. Jeans seem dressy now – hard pants – remember that term? I almost exclusively wear dresses until like October and then switch to jeans and wear jeans or pants until after spring break. That seems to have been my post-pandemic teacher outfit pattern.

I remember my friend Beth getting rid of all of her teacher clothes and then saying she was left with not much. She retired pre-pandemic.

I have been really good to my feet lately so all of my outfits would look better with different shoes.

Let’s go back to last Thursday. I was excited to wear my new Natural Life rainbow cardigan that has Aviator Nation vibes – well, kind of.

Thursday night happy hour I switched to my hot pink cougar blouse, fringe sweater vest, and black booties.

Friday for school I wore my new Aerie tassel sweatshirt.

It was pretty cool out but I added my summery bracelet stack that is really, really old.

Saturday for the baby shower I went to I wore my gold clogs, J.Crew Factory clearance pants, and my new Natural Life black super lightweight blouse. I wore a beige cami underneath.

Sunday for a guitar concert it was cold and rainy so I wore the rainbow cardigan again. I like it better with black underneath.

Monday for school I brought the spring break vibes as it was the last week before break.

Tuesday I had to proctor a test and knew I would be on my feet so it was super comfy.

Our building AC got turned on and it has been very cold outside. Make that make sense. Our building is very cold. I am never cold at school. So, figuring out what to wear has been a challenge.

What have you been wearing lately?

Amy

Wednesday, March 26, 2025

It’s Wednesday and that means hodgepodge day with Joyce.

These may be my favorite questions ever for a Wednesday Hodgepodge!

1. Spring has officially sprung (in the northern hemisphere anyway)…did she roll in more like a lion or more like a lamb in your neck of the woods? What needs more of your attention in terms of a good spring clean this year-your house or your garden/yard? 

She rolled in like a lion! It was so cold on the first official day of spring! I wasn’t too mad since we have had some great weather. And, I know how fickle spring can be in my area.

Goodness – both! I will be more focused on the house. Can I tell you my excuses? Puppy. Four people living here again. Tom will have to deal with the yard since it’s all I can do to keep up with inside. The kids do help and I leave notes almost everyday. The biggest thing they help with is puppy who requires a lot. Some of the stuff I need to do or want to do. Decluttering is at the top of the list. We have a pretty small house and if I am not careful and let too much in it becomes a problem.

2. What’s put a spring in your step lately? 

Spring clothing! All the color! A few new things!

Less clutter in my closet that enables me to see what I have!

Patio time!

Reading on the patio!

Being intentional to see friends again after a long winter of not much socialization and then the sadness that came with 2025. I saw friends, but not in a fun visiting sort of way. I also have not been able to do much for friends. I have been hanging on by a thread.

3. When you were a kid, what was the best snack to find in your lunchbox? If you didn’t do the lunchbox thing, tell us what was your favorite after school snack. 

I remember discovering string cheese in Wisconsin on vacation. I think we were watching a water skiing show. Cheese and you could “string” it? But, at home we had Little Debbies in our snack drawer. I guess I liked those in my lunch, too. I remember my quarter taped to the top of my lunch box to buy milk. The tape would get crumbs in it and it was gross. This was when lunch boxes were metal.

I still love string cheese but I think Little Debbies are really gross and artificial tasting now. Why did I like them?

4. In what area of your life are you planting seeds ? 

I guess in my relationships but only in the ones that I feel are mutual. For the people that don’t give much to me, I have put them in the peripheral. I think I am getting more like my Dad as I get older in that I don’t need as many people in my social circle but I want those people to be quality people. I am done with toxic relationships or people that don’t mutually check on me. I’m not going to throw anyone away, but I will just not expect much. Does that make sense? I also am trying to understand that people are going through things just like me and it’s not necessarily about their feelings toward you.

This may sound bad, but I will not keep up with many people from work. Not many people said anything to me when my mom passed. You could say it’s on me that I haven’t cultivated work friendships but that is not the case. I get to know as many people as I can and ask about them. I offer help to them. when I can. So, that is fine. It makes it easier. Some people say that elementary and middle schools have more friendly cultures because they are in the trenches together. At a big high school it is easy to be more distant and cliquey perhaps? Also, some subjects think they are superior to others. Ha!

I don’t want to become bitter and I hope this doesn’t have me sounding bitter. I really don’t feel bitter. I am trying to say this in a matter of fact way because that is how I feel.

5. Why do you live where you do? Would you consider living somewhere else? Why or why not? 

I guess you could say I live where I live because it’s close to home or has always felt like home. I was raised in Madison, Indiana and the closest big city was Louisville, Kentucky. We came here for the zoo, for museums, for shopping, for dates, for prom dinner, and more. I went to college near Lexington and then lived there for four years and then was ready for a change and thought Louisville was the answer. Then, I met Tom who was living in Louisville and it all came together to move here.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

It’s hard to believe that exactly a year ago we had just said goodbye to Ernie and that we were already looking for a new puppy.

New puppy:

Look at my baby!

We are definitely in love. We miss our Ernie, but we have a new love, too. Their personalities could not be more different. Ernie was the easiest we have had and a bit of a loner. This one wants to be touching one of your body parts at all times.

We just don’t deserve dogs, do we?

Amy

Tuesday, March 25, 2025

Friday night we had breakfast for dinner:

I was really scared I wouldn’t get back my brain for meal planning there for a while. After my mom passed away people fed us for a good two weeks. Then, I relied too much on take out because I just didn’t care and couldn’t manage. It was all I could do to get out of bed in the mornings and go through the motions. Finally about three weeks later, I started to want to cook again.

My cobb salad:

When I am in times like this I tend to go for the classics – tacos, spaghetti, a piece of salmon, broccoli, and potatoes. So, that is what I did and it worked. I think I also did fish sticks, mac and cheese, and peas and hot dogs and baked beans. So, it doesn’t always have to be cooking. It can simply be heating up. I also recently made a big cobb salad for our main dish and we loved it.

These are not bad and I think they are better in the air fryer. We use our oven’s air fryer setting.

When I hear or see a recipe that I want to make I type it in my phone memo or screenshot it and that guides me for the next week.

I almost always steal something when I see someone else’s meal plan, so here goes!

Here is my meal plan for this week:

Sunday – gumbo

Monday – spaghetti, Texas Toast, and bagged salad

Tuesday – chicken enchiladas

Wednesday – salmon, brussel sprouts with balsamic and some type of potato

Thursday- leftovers or everyone fend for themselves – at this point we should have gumbo and enchiladas left

For lunch, I have those bagel slims and I am putting garden vegetable cream cheese on it with tomato, cucumber, shredded carrots, pickles and lettuce. Erica liked it the last time I brought it and it is a very common lunch for me in the summer.

Other lunches are gumbo leftovers, spaghetti leftovers, and that’s all we need because we just have 3 lunches to do this week. We are ordering lunch one day for the co-worker who is having a baby. I told Erica I would do them all this week because she is taking kids to Cuba from our school and has a lot to do. She fed me lunch for 3 weeks after my mom died! So, we try to help each other out.

Next up:

Things with roasted cauliflower

fish tacos with mango salsa – you want to talk about a restaurant quality recipe?

asparagus fries that Jen shared!

buying us a new grill!

I am excited to change up foods to more springy meals, too.

What have you been cooking lately? Anything you want to cook?

Amy

Monday, March 24, 2025

It’s Monday and it’s the last week before Spring Break for me! I am linking up with Sarah and Holly to share my weekend.

Let’s go back to Thursday. Have you made any new friends lately? It’s pretty hard in your 50s, no? Well, I have always talked and been friendly with my principal’s administrative assistant. I taught one of her kids before she worked at my school and she is maybe a year or two older than me. She keeps my school running and she has great style. Well, we talked about doing a happy hour and adding in her neighbor who I also kind of know. I also taught one of her kids. We made it happen on Thursday night.

We went to Steak and Bourbon for their 5-7 happy hour and I was a little nervous just since I didn’t know the other lady very well.

We had the butter candle, of course! We spent two hours chatting and there wasn’t an awkward moment. It’s daunting to take an acquaintance to the next level, though.

Friday was an easy day at school because all the juniors were involved in a junior ring ceremony and then they could sign out.

I came home, rested, and then did a big breakfast for dinner that included grits. Tom loves grits and almost always complains about restaurant grits. He doesn’t want cheese. He’s a grits purist.

I watched – don’t judge – Farmer Wants a Wife Friday night. Lol. It made me chuckle.

Saturday morning – my favorite day of the week! Ahhhhhh – I move slowly, piddle around, and just see where the wind takes me most Saturday mornings. I have been going to get a spray tan around 10 or 11 after I shower. I get medium clear and this time I remembered to cover my face. I ask for another hair net. I think the tan face brings out my melasma and doesn’t look good. Pretty scary!

I did a Kroger pick up. I have been doing them like two times a week. I just can’t get all my shizz together for a whole week.

Then, Tom and I went to a couples baby shower for my co-worker. She taught my kids Spanish 2, also! So, we have worked together for a long time. She looked gorgeous and the cake was amazing.

I had some time on the sunny patio and I am reading this Nicholas Sparks and it sucked me in. I haven’t read one of his in a while. The man can write a story.

Someone asked what devotional book I am reading right now. I found this brand new on a shelf at my mom’s house. My last devotional book made me mad at something I took as extremely chauvinistic. It makes me happy to use something of my mom’s anyway.

Sunday morning was cold but I braved it anyway…

I did my Easter decor and started gumbo. I got the recipe my French teacher colleague gave me and it turned out perfect to simmer on a rainy Sunday.

We went to a classical guitar recital of Jack’s teacher as a family. All four of us in one car!

We came home and I made this to go with the gumbo:

I read a bit more and then I thought I needed to get out before my Sunday ended. I got gas, cash, and went to the mall. Anthro has lots of lemon stuff.

And that’s a wrap!

What was the highlight of your weekend? I hope you had a good one!

Amy

Friday, March 21, 2025

We are still almost a week away from Spring Break! Well, we have four days next week. Both of my sisters are heading into their well-deserved spring breaks today so I am happy for them.

We are trudging along over here. School has not been easy. I wonder if this is God’s way of saying I am doing the right thing by calling this my last year. It’s pretty hard to retire – they need a copy of my social security card, Tom’s social security card, my birth certificate, Tom’s birth certificate, and our marriage license. There is a lot of paperwork to fill out. Unfortunately, I can’t just do my favorite type of good-bye – the Irish good-bye.

Let’s link up for Friday Favorites with Andrea and Erika.

This soda bread is so good and so easy! I have enough buttermilk left to do another loaf so I think I might just do that this weekend! Also, if you don’t have buttermilk there is a regular milk and vinegar trick you can do.

If you have never made bread before, this would be a good first one to make. It ain’t sourdough, but it’s got a really nice rich flavor and you hardly need butter. But, Kerrygold butter makes it even more amazing.

Here is Jen’s recipe:

Ingredients:

• 2 c. unsifted flour
• 2 Tblsp sugar
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 Tblsp butter, softened
• 1/2 c. raisins
• 1 c. buttermilk

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Grease cookie sheet.
• In a large bowl, mix flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt.
• Cut butter in with pastry blender or fork until crumbly.
• Add raisins.
• Add buttermilk; mix with fork only until moist.
• Turn out onto floured board. Knead 1 minute until smooth. Shape into a ball. Flatten into 7 inch(ish!) circle (about 1/2 inch thick)
• Press floured knife 1/2 through the bottom; do again at right angle into quarters.
• Bake 30-40 minutes until golden brown & hollow sound when tapped.
• Cool on wire rack, brush top with melted butter & dust with flour if desired.

I leave the raisins out. No thank you – I prefer my grapes in liquid form, not shriveled form!

If you are in the mood for cheesy, here it is. This chick takes Spanish cooking lessons in the movie. I did some “jejeje” – that is a chuckle in Spanish.

Totally random but I just can’t hate social media. I have been messaging with my old buddy. I babysat this guy a lot during the summer when he was six years old. He lived across the street from me and he was my little buddy, too. He just got the cutest little puppy named Sherman.

If used correctly, social media keeps us connected to people we care about, that we share a history with, you know?

I did two lunches this week for my meal prep partner and I. The first was simply the Irish leftovers! The second was the lemon arugula bagged salad from Trader Joe’s and the lemon chicken breast that is already cooked from Trader Joe’s. Erica loved it.

Erica is really sad that I am retiring but she is happy for me. I have told her I will bring lunch to her window.

Baby got neutered and chipped this week. Here he is all groggy.

Sleepy boy with Daddy.

Ok, I will tell you that I called it the “chip and chop”. He bounced right back and we are trying to keep him calm now.

Monday and Tuesday were beautiful here.

A little rose on a Tuesday?

Highly recommend! I am not sure why I enjoyed this book so much but I did.

Then, I started this…I simply adore the hot pink boots and title font. It’s set in Scotland, too! I think something is happening that I am not sure I can read. Scroll to the next photo if you don’t want a spoiler.

I am pretty sure the love interest guy is a lochness monster that changes back and forth from man to monster. I don’t know that Amy can do that. That’s too weird.

You are safe now if you scrolled…You see this view a lot, but it is a favorite.

Baby being calm.

I tried something really, really delish this week. Have you heard of the Pineapple Dragonfruit lemonade from CFA? The order taker at the drive thru told me there was both diet and regular, but the diet I ordered was pretty sweet. So, he could have been mistaken.

It is really yummy. I will get this again!

I have certain brands I really love and stand by. One of those is Reef. Should I get these for summer?

I mean – it says “from coffee to cocktails”!

For the brands I really like I go directly to their website and look around. Most of the retailers that sell them only scratch the surface of what they offer and sometimes the website offers a nice first time discount.

My list of favorites is pretty short this week!

What was a favorite of yours?

Amy

Thursday, March 20, 2025

It’s Thursday and Fashion day with Kellyann and Jill!

Can we now say I have gotten my money’s worth from my three pairs of wide leg Halaras? Who is tired of hearing the word HALARA? What about my new wide New Balances?

Let’s go back to last week. I think this was Thursday and I wore this white Old Navy ribbed long sleeve tee under and old consignment kimono/poncho thing.

I can’t remember what I wore Friday and I forgot to take a photo!

Saturday night I wore:

Monday I wore the black Halaras, white tank, and old green/white Loft button up.

Tuesday I wore my new Natural Life tee. I feel like I look like a toddler. Does this outfit come in a 3T?

I thought the t-shirt material would be thicker, but I do like it and received a lot of compliments on it.

I was comfortable!

What have you worn lately?

Do you have a favorite outfit?

Amy

with Joyce!

Wednesday, March 19, 2025

1. I write the Hodgepodge questions so they’ll post on Sunday, which sometimes throws me off in terms of what day it is. St. Patrick’s Day will be celebrated on Monday, March 17th. Did you mark the day in some way? Wear green? Make a special meal? Watch or participate in a parade? 

I watched the parade two weekends ago:

I wore this on Monday again:

I ate this for both lunch and dinner – lol:

And I made this soda bread after school Monday, so yeah, you could say I celebrated!

My students did shamrocks and they are still in the hallway:

I plan to celebrate all the things – big and small. I need more celebration in my life.

2. Do you think luck plays a part in your life? Explain. 

I do think I have had some strokes of luck. I think you have to be ready to take advantage when luck finds its way to you. I think it’s actually a combo of luck, timing, and your own scrapiness. I got the teaching job right next to the house I had just purchased and that has made my quality of life so great. But, I had to call that principal 25 years ago, go interview, show her my portfolio, and wait patiently as there was no opening. She called and asked if I would do part time. I couldn’t. She made a position for me because she liked me! And, I stayed for 25 years!

3. Of the 15 green foods listed, which one is your favorite and how do you like it prepared? Any on the list that are a hard no for you? In general do you like fruits and veggies? As a kid did you eat them willingly or did you hide peas in your napkin hoping your momma wouldn’t see? 

Asparagus, avocado, broccoli, celery, cucumber, grape, green bean, kale, kiwi, lettuce, lime, 

pear, peas, pistachios, spinach

I would say avocado, broccoli, and lettuce. I love guac and a good salad. I love roasted broccoli. I am way more into veg than fruit. I think most people are way more into fruit, but I could be wrong. Give me a roasted veg other any fruit.

I taught my sisters to do the canned pea and lima bean in the napkin trick at dinner. In the 80s we didn’t really know a fresh veg. Canned vegetables are not great. My mom loved her canned goods. They worked well in all the 80s casseroles! I think many people did canned veg.

4. What’s something that makes you ‘turn green’? (with envy or with illness… whichever way you want to run with it)

I turn green with envy at photos of people enjoying the outdoors. I want to be there, too. Dining outdoors, reading outdoors, walking outdoors – everything is better outside!

Something that makes me kind of turn green with illness is people who don’t work for what they have. People who just have things handed to them, I guess. I probably don’t know the whole story, but still…

5. Did you spend a lot of time outdoors as a child? Doing what? Do you spend a lot of time outdoors now? Doing what? 

Yes! I grew up in a neighborhood on a lake and we were always outside. We biked, played Dukes of Hazard on bikes, roller skated, jumped rope, swam, explored the woods, built forts in the woods, tried to find the boys’ forts in the woods and I wrote songs and poetry while sitting by my tree in the front yard.

My Dad was running, shooting basketball, mowing, sitting on the porch, tinkering in the garage; he was always outside when he was not working. My mom was indoorsy. My mom’s hair drove many of her decisions and she didn’t want to mess it up – lol. I feel like so many women of that generation were like that. So, I think I got my love of outdoors from my Dad.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

It’s time to clean and spruce up my patios. We are re-doing the upper patio because the wood has deteriorated! I need to decide the theme/decor of the lower patio area. Will it be tropical? Will it be lemons?

Any ideas?

Amy

Tuesday, March 18, 2025

I decided to document yesterday so let’s see how it went! This could be the most boring thing on the internet today. I haven’t done one of these in a long time.

I am so sleepy lately. I am going to bed a little too late, probably. I fall asleep on the couch around 8:30-9 and finally make myself go to bed around 9:45 or 10.

Therefore, I hit snooze and got up 10 minutes late. It’s ok. I really only have to manage myself in the mornings and play defense with Eddie Otis. He loves to pull my robe belt out.

If all goes to plan, Tom has Eddie Otis outside for his lap around the playground so I can unload the dishwasher while my coffee brews. It’s impossible to load or unload if EO is in the house or not contained because he likes to “help” especially with the Tupperware lids.

Coffee set up ready:

It really is a race against the clock to get it unloaded! I did it!

Then, EO comes in and eats and I get a little blog and devotional time.

Dog hair on the devotional – lol!

The devotional spoke to me yesterday:

“Imagine carrying a heavy suitcase filled with useless things everywhere you went…That is what we do when we carry the burdens of worry and anxiety.”

Little boy stays by my side and plays with toys and we get lots of petting time in, too.

7:30 – Tom emerges from his hour of getting ready. What on Earth takes men so long? We chat about the day and I help him not forget things. He debates which of his 100 jackets to wear. It’s never easy for him to decide.

7:45 – I finally decide it’s time to get ready. I am getting ready later and later and walking out the door later and later as we approach Spring Break!

8:10- Walk out the door after crating EO. He knows when I pack my backpack it’s time. Mason gets up at either 8:00 or a little after so he doesn’t get crated for long if at all. Yesterday he didn’t get crated but got in the crate anyway.

It’s a good day because the person behind me isn’t there and I get to pull through! Spoiler: it is not really a good day and I will tell you why later…

8:20 – Arrive at school, sign in, and head to my room. I have first period planning so I get to ease into my day, eat my breakfast in my room, and check my email to see what fresh new survey, video training, or task awaits me that I didn’t know I would have to do on top of my actual job.

The fire alarm starts going off. There is no easing into the day. Students start leaving the building. Announcements tell them to go to first period and then they will leave again. I have planning but the fire alarm is so loud I am rattled.

I manage to settle down and eat my…

homemade egg mcmuffin.

My planning period is taken up by my post observation conference. I had a good observation but I was too loose lipped and told my assistant principal some of my opinions.

Oops. She didn’t like some of my opinions.

I hurried to the restroom before my first class started.

9:35 – My first class started – Spanish 3. It was good.

I am really glad I had everything ready for this class before I left on Friday. They leave and AP comes in.

I taught AP from 10:30-11:19. It was fine.

I taught another Spanish 3, but only half of it because our lunch is in the middle from 11:45-12:09. I teach 4 sections of level 3.

It was my turn for lunch so I had packed up some of the Irish crock meal for Erica and I for lunch. Neither Erica nor I had a great Monday because we both had parent requests for conferences. Hers was because a kid was unprepared for an assignment and mine was because I told a girl to start her work before going to the restroom and she asks me everyday to go to the restroom. Yes, this is what parents are like today. My girl is not getting homework done and I want her to improve her homework grade.

The lunch:

I taught the second half of of that class.

Ahhhh study hall. I get a chance to do some work in almost total silence from 12:43-1:31. Have you noticed how weird our bell schedule is?

Chug the water when I can. I try to fill this twice a day. That isn’t that much so I try to do about two more at home.

I teach another Spanish 3 from 1:35-2:26. I feel like I have gotten a second wind and this class is fun and they laugh at everything I say so you know I love that.

They leave and I teach another Spanish 3 from 2:30-3:20. This class is great, too. They are my smallest class of the day.

This class lines up at 3:19 and I would like to do that, too.

I talked to Erica and used the bathroom and then it was 3:44 when I got in my car.

Yay! I love when I get a package! I have been getting them less recently so this was a treat.

This is one of the things I ordered.

Eddie Otis and I went outside.

Then, we went inside to make Irish soda bread. EO and I were both so happy that dinner had been cooked all day Sunday in the crockpot.

Mason got home from work and we were happy!

Dinner time! Tom has arrived home and done a lap with EO.

Amy time. I finally feel like my work is done. Ahhhhhhh.

Now it is time for Captain Jason and I.

And, I also have time for all my other Bravo friends.

I make myself go to bed between 9:30 and 10:00.

And, then I get up and do it all again.

I know it’s a luxury to not have obligations after work right now. But, the routine gets old and I feel like I do nothing besides my work work and my home work. So, that is why I plan a happy hour or take myself out for Wednesday errands some weeks.

Anyway… that was my Monday!

Amy

Monday, March 17, 2025

Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Are you wearing green? Also, it’s my sister Kate’s 50th! Happy birthday, Kate!

I am linking up with Sarah and Holly to share my weekend…

By Thursday, it was feeling like Groundhog Day. Go to school, come home, go to school, come home. I guess that is a luxury that some would covet? But, I was happy to have plans immediately after school on Thursday with my friend Beth. The weather was gorgeous and we went to what is probably my current happy hour fave Osteria. It was the first time I have sat outside this season!

Beth spoils me with little gifts and I love this card she gave me.

After we left Osteria, we went in Tunie’s Boutique outlet. I had bought orange gauzy shorts and they worked out great so I wanted to see if they had other colors. I came home with this turquoise – only $15!

Friday was another green blouse – lol. I have realized that I have a lot of green.

I have kind of gotten into a Friday Starbuck’s routine.

When I got home from school my oven reminded me that it was Pi Day.

Mason was the only one who wanted to go out Friday night so we went to my former student’s new restaurant Adelita’s. Mason hadn’t been yet and he loved it! Mason prides himself in picking out good dishes on a menu and he did it again!

Saturday morning it was mild enough to sit outside. Oh, have I missed this. I guess November or December was the last time I could drink my coffee outside?

I am so grateful for reading this winter. I have really read a lot and it’s so much better for me than scrolling or tv. I still scroll and I still watch tv, but I have cut back on both.

I finished these in time to take them back to my library Saturday morning:

I kept this to read over the weekend:

And, I added these three. Tin-Tin, my Swedish reader and friend, told me about The One Thing. I love to have a non-fiction at all times.

I had a great Saturday morning! I hadn’t been to Trader Joe’s since the Christmas holidays if I remember correctly. I went to TJ’s, the library, and I used my Sun Tan City spray membership. I am doing medium clear about once a week if you are interested in trying it.

I had my best kind of Saturday – I read on the patio for quite awhile and then I moved into the living room with Tom and he watched tv while I kept reading.

Is She Really Going Out with Him by Sophie Cousens is so cute and I am almost done!

We spend a lot of time talking about how cute our Eddie Otis is.

I did a shamrock mani:

It rained all day long so I got dressed for dinner in my short rain boots:

Our friends picked us up for the British pub Pints & Union – these are not our friends – was just trying to get a photo of the cute atmosphere:

I mean – no offense – they look like really nice people.

We split some scotch eggs…

Sunday morning was rainy again but colder and I thought my boy looked so big standing guard.

I set my alarm for 8:00 to start Jen’s Irish meal!

You add the cabbage at the end but I chopped it while my cutting board was out.

A little more patio time…

A little meal prep – my week was rough last week with lack of meal prep!

I only left the house once yesterday to do a donation drop off. I did the first pass over my spring and summer closet! I packed up 4 bags.

All day Saturday I was so excited because my sister’s boyfriend surprised her with a little getaway to Cincinnati and I couldn’t wait to hear how it went down! She loves art so I suggested 21 C art hotel and the art museum there. I hope she felt special and had so much fun. I will hear today after school, I hope! I wanted to leave her alone yesterday to enjoy the rest of her getaway.

It was a good weekend. I needed it. What about you?

We have a 5 day week and then a 4 day week and then it will be spring break. I have a half day one day this week so that will help. I’m pretty happy at school with my students when we are on normal routine. I just struggle with not having a little more time at home and to myself if that makes sense.

Also, when my Dad passed away it was right before winter break so I had that time to grieve or start grieving. This has been different. I felt like I needed to get back and it’s been hard to not really have that time. Especially since I am retiring, I felt it was right to get back. Maybe it’s even better for your mental health to be amongst people?

Here is our current struggle…the students have been forgiven 5 school days for the snow and don’t have to make them up, but teachers have not because they are not going to pay us for not working. So, currently, teachers are going to have to work 5 days at the end of the school year without students until June 2. The work will be done, grades will be turned in, etc. I really can’t think what they would have us do for 5 days and with me retiring I am not into creating for next year – lol. I wrote up a proposal about letting teachers work the time or some of the time in a flexible manner from now until May 23 when we need the time. Erica is a union big wig so she presented it and the president is meeting with district officials.

You thought I was just a complainer, but I am trying to be the change. Ha! While going through the change. I think my students are tired of me saying, “do you all think it’s hot in here?”

Ok, thank you for reading and for your comments! I read them all!

Amy