We:
* hiked with the boys and Corrine.
* ran errands and played at REI.
* dug up weeds in the garden to be rototilled on Monday.
* put together our pre-fab chicken coop and got the ladies situated in their new home (more on that later).
* Happy hour with good friends on Friday.
* BBQ'd
* Sadly on Sunday, went back to work.

A portrait a week for a year.
This week- wearing mama's running shoes.  I couldn't stop laughing as she attempted to walk from the bedroom to the front door.

This past Sunday evening I was sitting on the mezzanine level at the airport (because it is quieter with less foot traffic).  I had my earbuds in listening to Jane Eyre on the Craft Lit podcast.  I was knitting on  my second square swap square when this young lady approached me and introduced herself.  My first thought as I saw her walk up to me was that she wanted to talk to me about what I was knitting.  She had been sitting across the aisle from where I was knitting.  We introduced ourselves (although now I can't remember her name). She told me that Jesus had told her to come talk to me.  Immediately I had my defenses up.  I thought she was going to preach her religion and practice her recruitment techniques.

But as she talked she put me quite at ease.  It was clear that was not her intention.  He told her I needed a prayer and she felt obliged to do so.  She asked if there was a reason that I needed a prayer and I told her of my upcoming surgery.  Surgery has been on my mind a lot lately.  Mostly because my shoulder hurts daily and I'm ready for some relief of the pain.  But I am very nervous of this whole process and I don't know why.  I have had numerous injuries that have required surgery and all has been ok.

She asked if she could do her prayer right there and then.  I said of course and she said her prayer.  After we both said Amen, we talked a moment.  Then she said, have a good flight and I said the same to her.

Here it is almost a week later and this simple gesture by a complete stranger is still on my mind now as much as it was the moment it happened.  Goodness in people in still out there!

We really need the moisture so I'm not complaining.  OK, I am complaining a little bit.  We've had over 15 inches of snow in April!  Crazy!  The garden will get planted by June, I'm sure of it.

Have a great day!

A portrait a week for a year.
This week- laughing after bath time.

The girls in the box in front of the heater vent.

The snowy morning on April 16th.

Corrine with her snowman and Buffett.

 I'm boiling the lemons with some sugar/honey water.  After they simmered for about 10 minutes I poured the whole mess through the mesh strainer to contain the gazillion seeds.  After that I poured the lemon sugar water into the lemon infused vodka that was in the jug.  Those flavors will soak together for a few days in the fridge.   I'm hoping that it will soon be warm enough to drink some icy cold limoncello!

Almost a month ago, Colleen at Five Little Homesteaders tagged me to do the 5 Random Things about myself.  I completely spaced it out.  Then last week Sarah at Sezza Knits also tagged me for the same thing.  Ooops.  That was when I remembered.  I blame a lot of things on mama brain, this being one of them.

Here it is, the 5 random things...

1.  When I was in my 20's, I had a lot of issues.  Food issues.  Commitment issues.  Self-Esteem issues. I'm in a much better place now than I was then.

2.  I got my Masters Degree in Gerontology.  I used that degree for approximately six months.  I was a social worker in an Alzheimer's facility.  It was a temporary job to begin with (I was covering a maternity leave).  The day I was hired at the airline, she gave her notice and they offered me the job.  Ugh.  What to do?  I'm still paying for that degree, but I love my airline job.

3.  I learned to knit when I was 5 or 6 and in 4H.  I made a poncho in 70's gold.  It won a ribbon at the county fair.  (I'll have to see if I can find it in my "life in a box" at mom's house).

4.  I have always owned a Volkswagon.

5.  I am a huge believer in Karma.  What goes around, comes around.  And I try to live my life accordingly.

Well, that was harder than I thought it would be to come up with 5 random things.  But there you have it.  Five things that are a part of what makes me who I am!

A portrait a week for a year.
This week: helping dad fix mama's car door wearing mama's sunglasses.

Joni on the edge!

The ladies in their new home

Now they have room to spread their wings.  I have found a pre-fab chicken coop (think IKEA for the chicken set) on Amazon that I like and will purchase in the next week or so.  It's still been too cold for them to go outside yet.  They are in their awkward teenage years and don't have all of their feathers yet and it was 7 degrees last night.  Ideally I would like for them to be in their permanent home by May 1st.  It's good to have goals!

 My aunt gave Corrine this book.  She LOVES Pete the Cat.  We read it at least once a day, sometimes two or three times.
I started reading The Casual Vacancy.  I'm at the beginning of it and I'm not sure about it yet.  I know several people in the Yarn Along group have read it and did not like it.  The book has started out very slowly.  But I'm not sure if I am having a hard time with it because I absolutely loved the Harry Potter books.  This is nothing like HP.  Two of my good friends (we are all HP fans- so much so we waited in  line at the midnight release of the last four books) have started it but have not finished it.

Happy Yarn Along Wednesday!

A portrait a week for a year.
Easter morning before we set off for Oma and Papa's.  Corrine insisted on carrying her new (to her) CU Buffs backpack.

A few thoughts running through my mind today:

*  I am learning to be patient.  It's a must with a toddler who says constantly, "I do it."  Deep breath in.  Ok. You do it.

*  Why is it always nice weather when I am at work and not home to work in my garden?  So much to be done.

*  Why must I fax documentation to the flexible spending people from TWO YEARS ago?  Why are they just now getting around to it?

above the early morning clouds outside of Los Angeles

* I think I have pretty much decided to buy a chicken coop.  I found a one on a website a friend sent to me.  I was going to build a chicken tractor and had an idea of combining three of them that I liked into one.  However, the purchase of a kit may in fact just save my marriage, so I'm all for that.  We won't kill each other over "some assembly required."

I have been reading Bone Bed.  It's the new Kay Scarpetta book by Patricia Cornwell.  Dr. Scarpetta bothers me at times with her feelings that every one is against her and she can't trust anyone, even those close to her. But that didn't stop me from staying up late on Sunday night reading.  Just one more chapter.  I finally had to make myself turn off the light.

I've been playing around on the computer this afternoon while the kid naps.  I've got a gazillion things I should be doing instead since I've been gone for five days.  One of those things was to work on my blog.  I am not the most computer savvy person in the world.  Blogger is pretty easy to use and when I get to playing one of the easiest things to do is to change backgrounds.   I had wanted to add pictures to what I think is the header, but couldn't figure it out the way I wanted so I just changed the background again.

Another addition is the follow via Bloglovin tab.  I also "claimed" my blog (although I'm not sure what that does but I did it anyway).  Which is what the gobbledygook is below.  
<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/4469773/?claim=6sma6rzfhb7">Follow my blog with Bloglovin</a>

OK.  I'm going to quit while I'm ahead and still actually have a blog to type on!  Ha.