Jennifer Apodaca's Blog, page 8

Weekend Roundup

It seemed like a busy weekend…

Friday, we looked at laptops, and I think I know what I want (we will both use it). We happened to get lucky, and talk to a really knowledgeable guy who really outlined pros and cons and spent as much time as we needed even though we made it clear we were not buying at that moment. I love good customer service. We will make a decision this week or next week. We also stopped by my hair saloon so I could make another hair appt for the end of the month.

Saturday I took Youngest his brownie cookies. When I pulled up to his house, he was in the garage working on the frames for our new deck. I was surprised he was already working on it! At this pace, it’ll be done in a few weeks. Later, we were in his backyard, and I saw him getting antsy. I told him to go work, I’m hanging out and talking to his wife and mom in law. He happily returned to his man cave AKA garage. Then I stayed like another hour and half chatting with them while he worked on my deck. That sounds fair right? LOL! We appreciate all he’s doing, and he really enjoys doing it.

That afternoon, he brought the frame over to our house. Maggie was thrilled to see him! We got the frame safely stored, and talked for a while.

Sunday, Wizard and I went to breakfast, then we (mostly me) moved a bunch of rock to begin prepping the dirt area where the frame will go, then Wizard went with Youngest and Wife to watch some local car racing. Now…Wizard’s thinking about racing the Shelby. It looks like a fun thing, not a dangerous one, so I’m okay with it. But I kind of doubt he will, I mean the Shelby isn’t allowed out of the garage if the weather isn’t perfect. Even light fog or a stray could keeps the car grounded where the elements can’t touch it. So, yeah, I doubt he’ll race it!

The rest of the day was normal stuff and gathering info to ask my web guru for a quote. I’m also trying to learn about 10 new things, and suffering from trying to do too many things at once. So all is normal here. I’ll learn in time.

Oh and I haven’t murdered any plants this week! That’s always a win.

How was your weekend?

The post Weekend Roundup first appeared on Jennifer Lyon.

Friday Five

TGIF!! You all know the drill — it’s time to share five random things about our week. Here’s mine:

It was a busy week with Wizard’s medical tests. These are just followups on issues, basically time-suck stuff that needed to be done We’ll get results sometime before 2026 because we all know how fast the medical system works these days. Okay, that was a tad sarcastic…we’ll get results in a few weeks.Maggie was fine when I picked her up from boarding. We really worried because it was a heck of a thunder storm in this area, but we also truly trust the woman who owns this shop and her staff so we were confident she’d be okay. We’ve had a lot of humidity already this year. Mother Nature appears to be confused about the zip codes she’s sending this humidity too.New ideas are fun! It’s my opinion that they “just thinking” process is the most fun. It’s all potential and big dreams without all the hard work, pitfalls, unexpected disasters and failures This project is about changing this blog into something entirely different. It’s fun to just hang with a few people, but I think I’m ready to do something more constructive again and see if I can build. But there’s a huge learning curve for me involved, and we’ll see if I’m up to the task, and if life will cooperate. But now I really want to laptop and I need to get cracking on that. I’ve been researching it and then I see the prices and gasp dramatically and close the windows where I’m shopping. When I look again the next day, the price is usually the same or higher, so this method is not helping get me a better deal.I promised youngest cookies last weekend and I still haven’t made them yet. Do you all wonder who I even am?? I sure do.  And Wizard is too, I know this because I ordered a maxi skirt from Amazon, and when it showed up, I tried it on and told Wizard I loved it. He looked at me a long time and said, “Who are you?”  Apparently, he isn’t in love with my long skirt, but I am! And I’ll find places to wear it — maybe even while I’m making youngest cookies And then Wizard will be really confused.I have no idea what we’re doing this weekend. Maybe I’ll get Wizard out to look at computers, or we will visit CeeGee (Turbo is on vacation), or do something entirely different. I also plan to stop by my hairdressers to see if she thinks it’s possible to do another weave (color) in my hair. I want more of the silver (okay gray) with some dark woven in too. We’ll see what I can talk her into, and get it scheduled. She’ll probably make me wait a few more months, but I won’t know until I beg politely ask.

That’s my five, now I’d love to hear yours! I hope everyone has a safe and fun weekend!

The post Friday Five first appeared on Jennifer Lyon.

Wednesday Reading

We are having a pretty decent thunder storm as I write this on Tuesday evening. Unfortunately, I took Maggie to boarding for the night as Wizard’s having a minor procedure this morning. She’s terrified of thunder and I hope she’s okay. I’m such a dog mom, LOL, and really fretting about her. Hopefully she’s okay.

You know what I’m not doing? Reading many books right now. I’m mainly reading research stuff online, mostly. However I did finish Rebecca Yarrow’s THE LAST LETTER. Wowzer, she had a twist at the end that I did not see coming. Serious warning: If anyone is thinking about reading this book and is looking for a traditional romance only, don’t read this book. This book has a romance, but it’s also a heartbreaker and the sad stays with you. I loved it, and have been thinking about it this week. But it’s not for every romance reader.

I also have been listening to the nonfiction book, THE POWER OF REGRET by Daniel H Pink. I heard him on a podcast and he caught my interest, which  is how I impulse buy of books these days :-). I mainly listen to that when I’m cleaning, otherwise I’m listening to podcasts.

What are you reading or listening to? Is anything new or different catching your interest?

Happy Wednesday!!

 

The post Wednesday Reading first appeared on Jennifer Lyon.

Weekend Roundup

Happy first Monday of June!! Now let’s talk about the weekend.

I can’t remember Friday, LOL! Oh wait, I found the memory! I worked out, cleaned and played around with my blog ideas. And with that, I really thought about what my regrets are, the time I took off once I stopped writing to find my joys outside of writing and my family, and I really concentrated on forming a clearer picture of what my goals are now. So yep, that was Friday and the pondering continued through the weekend and beyond…so that’s a work in progress I also had fun with using AI as a tool for feedback. I love the logic of it. AI is not where I look for emotion for the heart of my story or ideas, nor where I go for writing. But it’s a fun and useful tool.

Saturday was a good day. Youngest and his wife came over. Youngest measured and estimated the cost of the deck in the back he’s going to build for us. Once we revived Wizard after his heart stopped — he agreed. Nah, just kidding. Wizard had already mentally estimated the costs, and just played the outraged dad for fun. We all chatted, then youngest just had to drive the Mustang with Wizard and that, somehow, turned into a trip to the hobby store. They were gone awhile, and that gave my daughter in law and I a chance to talk. I loved have that hour and a half with her!  Later that day, Youngest sent me a picture of the wood he’d brought. I’m not sure of the timeline, but I’m guessing soon!

Saturday evening, we drove out to CeeGee’s to celebrate Middle’s birthday. CeeGee woke up for a nap right after we got there, and guys, you’ll be so proud of me — I didn’t run in to get her! I let Wizard do it since he hasn’t seen her in a while. See, I can be a good wife sometimes! Wizard brought her out, and she was still half asleep. But then she saw me and her face lit up with a big grin. I loved it! She also had a ton of fun with Grandpa, but that moment when she saw me was one of those fleeting special moments that I tried to mentally capture and cherish.

We all went out for Italian food, where in Wizard got his second shock at the bill.  Bwhahaha!  There is only so much a retired account’s heart can take! The dinner was good, I tried wild boar in a wine reduction sauce with gluten free noodles. I liked it as something different, and am willing to try other versions of wild boar. All the other had lasagna and loved it. Daughter in Law brought a truly lovely bottle of wine too. We also shared some chocolate mousse dessert as well.

Sunday Wizard raced, I did stuff. The day was quiet and peaceful.

How was your weekend?

The post Weekend Roundup first appeared on Jennifer Lyon.

Friday Five

TGIF!! Friday is here and it’s time to share five random things about our week. Let’s get started!

This has been a nice week for me — calm. I’ve been mostly home, just running around in town doing normal things. I love the weeks when I feel like I can catch my breath.Turbo’s last day of school was yesterday. He’s done with first grade and on his way to second. Time sure moves faster when we’re grandparents! Turbo is also going to Canada on a family vacation soon — the boy travels more than I ever have! What cracked me up is when I was talking to Oldest about his trip, he was most excited about unlimited time to play with his son. I approve of his priorities.So I’ve been kicking around an idea — that’s not writing a book Today I did a little research and also snagged a domain name. But will I follow through…that’s unclear Right now, it’s a fun project to think about, and that has it’s own value.I need to reach out to some friends. Procrastination Jen is, well, procrastinating. You know, I keep waiting for life to give me the updated schedule with some stuff, and that’s just dumb. I think it’s better to make plans with friends and force life to go around us!Yesterday was Middle Son’s birthday. He’s such a joy to us and I’m so proud of him! Saturday, we are going out there, and taking him, his wife and CeeGee to dinner to celebrate. I’m really looking forward to spending time with them, and then again on a mini vacation on July 4th.

That’s my five, now it’s your turn to share!!!  I hope you guys all have an amazing weekend!

The post Friday Five first appeared on Jennifer Lyon.

Wednesday Reading

So Wizard gave our daughter-in-law (CeeGee’s mom) a book, and now she blames him for igniting her love of reading Before this, she was an  occassion reader, but now she’s hooked. Which is awesome for me, because she loaned me a couple of hers that she loved. And we get to talk about books!

Right now I’m reading THE LAST LETTER  by Rebecca Yarrow and loving it! It’s fully of tragedy and hope, and involves a sick child (I mention that as a caution for those who don’t want that story line in their reading entertainment). I think it’s a cross between romance and women’s fiction. I’m about 3/4’s of the through it and look forward to reading it when I can.

On Audio, I have BUTCHER & BLACKBIRD by Brynne Weaver. It’s about two serial killers who fall in love. So…different and a little funny for the who can occassionally be a little dark and twisted like me. However I’m not so engaged that I’m rushing through it. In fact, at times, I get tired of it and switch to podcasts.

What are you reading or listening to?

The post Wednesday Reading first appeared on Jennifer Lyon.

Weekend Roundup & Memorial Day

I want to take a moment to remember all those who have served our county. Today many of us have BBQs and parties to celebrate life. But I think it’s important to take a second and remember those who paid the ultimate price so that we can live and celebrate. So to all those who have served, those who were wounded or lost their lives, and to all their families: THANK YOU. It matters to me, it always has and it always will.

Now for the weekend — all went well.

Friday, while I cleaned, Wizard took Maggie to get a bath and picked up something I needed from the grocery store. He really pitched in so that I could have a little time to repot a plant I’ve had for a week now

Saturday, I made apple pie. Biker Witch and Hubby came later in the afternoon and it was great to see them. We had Balsamic Flank Steak, Lemon Greek Chicken, Cilantro Lime Rice, fresh fruit that Biker Witch brought and pie with ice cream. The best part was just getting to talk and hang out. I nixxed the idea of inviting others so that we could just have some time together. When my kids or Biker Witch’s kids show up, it’s a blast but hard to relax and just visit. Next time, I’ll invite others.

Sunday, Wizard went racing, I worked out, then took my shoes back to the mall, and came home with two more pairs of shoes and two pairs of shorts. A 40% sale motivated me, LOL. Hopefully everything fits, or I’ll be making the trek back. In shoes, I’m focusing on casual, comfortable, and affordable sandals. Other than my walking shoes (which are very pricy but worth it) I live in sandals for 6 to 8 months of the year. I try to find some support to protect my feet as best I can. Walking so much–often 2 or more miles a day–can take a toll over time.

Today, I’m not sure what we’re doing. But since we had our fun Saturday, I’d be fine staying home and doing regular stuff.

How was your weekend?

The post Weekend Roundup & Memorial Day first appeared on Jennifer Lyon.

Friday Five

TGIF!! It’s time to share five random things about our week. Here’s mine:

Monday, I worked in my little garden. That was fun and hot! Maggie’s always happy when I’m in the backyard with her. What wasn’t so fun — I learned what root rot smells like. Whoa!!! I tried what I guessed would help to rescue the plant, and repotted it in a better pot that I can see in to make sure I’m not over watering so much. I later learned I may not have done enough, but we’ll see. The good news is, that I’m learning! So far, the plant looks pretty good. As for me, I’d rather not smell root rot again anytime soon!Wizard saw me working out there and came out to chat, when he noticed I was using a small side table to work on my plants. A few days later, he suddenly needed a new folding table, bought one, and gave me his old one to use as a gardening table. This is classic Wizard move — finding a way to make things easier for me without making it seem like he went to any trouble   The table can stay up on the side of the house where no one sees it and it’s out of the way.Wednesday I saw CeeGee!! She is a delight. She’s nine months old and getting super active. She isn’t crawling yet, but her brain is now in “Go” mode and she’s doing all the right moves to be crawling soon. She now weights a chunky 18 lbs. This baby started life a bit underweight, and made up for it swiftly (thanks to mom’s and dad’s care). The pediatrician said she’s exactly what they like to see as she’ll be burning it off  soon crawling, walking then running. All true! And I loved spending time with my daughter in law too. Plus she sent me home with two books, I started one last night and already like it!I began the two day process of making sourdough bread yesterday. It’s been a while. I also worked out, did stupid chores, ran to Trader Joes, and founds ways to get super tired, LOL. I also made an appointment for Maggie to have a bath at the groomers today. Maggie heard her name and bath, and was instantly concerned enough to get up out of her bed, sit and stare at me while I finished the call. I’ve been giving her in-between baths but the groomer does a better job.This weekend, we’re having Biker Witch and Biker Hubby out for and early dinner on Saturday. Sunday, Wizard should be racing, so I get some time alone, but I also need to run out to a mall to return some shoes I ordered. I’m looking forward to seeing Biker Witch and Hubby, but the mall is not high on my list of fun things to do Monday I’m not sure if we’re doing anything for Memorial Day — we’ll see.

Now it’s your turn to share five random things! I hope everyone has a great weekend, and a good Memorial Day!

The post Friday Five first appeared on Jennifer Lyon.

Wednesday Reading

Whew, we’re already at hump day! And that means time to talk about books.

I listened to a romance I really liked. Lately, that’s a real win. First, I don’t generally like listening to romances, I prefer reading them because I’m weird. And second, romances just aren’t catching my interest as much anymore. I’m pretty sure it’s a season of life thing where my interests go in another direction now. Anyhow, I stumbled onto JUST FOR THE SUMMER by Abby Jimenez, and I really enjoyed it. I liked the characters, the banter, the fun and some of the darker threads of real life (or as real as we get in romances). I will look for more of her books!

I’m staying busy enough that I’m too tired when I sit down to read print books without falling asleep. But audiobooks are a great way for me to do two things at once. Also, I (usually) like being busy and finding hobbies besides reading. I spent so many years sitting at a computer writing about other lives, and now I’m making up for lost time living mine Ok seriously, I don’t regret a minute of writing — I truly loved it. Now I’m loving being more active during the day and trying my hand at things like NOT killing every plant I get.

All that said, I still love books! I always will!

What are you reading?

The post Wednesday Reading first appeared on Jennifer Lyon.

Weekend Roundup

It was a good weekend. Saturday we headed out to Turbo’s, Wizard gave him the RC race car…and it broke in the first 10 minutes, LOL! That is RC cars. Wizard brought it home to fix the issue and will probably drop it off this week when he’s out there for other stuff. But Turbo was excited about it! And he didn’t even blink about Wizard needing to take it home and redo something on it. He and his dad have RC trucks they play with, and his dad is always fixing them, so he wasn’t at all surprised or upset. We didn’t stay long, and left to head towards home then stop somewhere for lunch when we were closer to home.

But the freeway was closed due to an accident involving a runaway propane tank. The tank’s house — a food truck — was involved in an accident and the propane tank saw it’s opportunity to escape and rolled out onto the freeway (I didn’t said it was a good plan, LOL). This freaked out the authorities since they didn’t know if it had been punctured and was ready to spectacularly self destruct in a massive fireball and take out everything around it. And this led to the freeway closure.

Fortunately, we were able to get it around it fairly quickly since they had just closed the freeway a few minutes before we got there, and we went on with our day. We went to lunch, came home then headed back out to drop in on Youngest unannounced. Because we wanted to see the finished back yard! And we did! They have an oasis that is just lovely after a year or more of work. It was worth all the sweat and money they put into it. But Youngest had planned to show no one until he was ready for his Big Reveal in what I assume will be a family swim party. Which is why we dropped in We’re the parents, we get away with stuff like that all the time. But he’s making the rest of the family wait and there was a long text chain about this in which Youngest told his siblings and family that we had to pay for an early preview. Then he showed a picture the Mustang in his garage, implying we gave it to him for the privilege of seeing his backyard.

I’m seriously worried my kids are strange. Just saying…

Sunday Wizard went to practice at the track and see his friends. That left me home unsupervised, so I went to Lowes and spent money on more pots, soil, plant stands and one plant. I need to do some repotting and such. Maggie went with me and had a great time with that adventure! She loves going anywhere.

Oh, and back when we were at Turbo’s, oldest son said he’d take paddle board lessons with me (stand up paddle board), and I am going to hold him to it! It’s a bucket list thing that I really want to try. My daughter in law said she and Turbo will Kayak while we paddle board. I’d totally do kayaking too, but I really want to try paddle boarding.

Today I’m working out then gardening in the back.

How was your weekend?

The post Weekend Roundup first appeared on Jennifer Lyon.