36 Hour Work Week: Outdoors

Outdoors

Showing posts with label Outdoors. Show all posts

Camera Critters, Brown dog in the backyard

"Velvet, Velvet. Come on."

It took her about two minutes to finally come in the house through the back door. Can you guess what might she be thinking?

I was looking at these pictures and thinking, perhaps she needs sunglasses :)

Have a good weekend.

See more animals in other blogs.

What am thankful for?

There's not just one, but more

And in no particular order

They are here, in no number

I am thankful for my daughter

She obeys the court order

She has been doing better

Not just her but her brother

I am thankful for the baker

The awesome cupcake maker

The cake's a diet breaker

Oh well, I'll "diet" later

I am thankful for my hobby

It sure does make me happy

Do you see my broccoli

That I display so proudly?

I am thankful for the park

The trees, the lake, and the ducks

Yesterday, they helped a lot

When I had my "downs" not "ups"

And although this is not fitting

I thank the trap for trapping

A mouse that's not inviting

In this picture I am displaying

My teens remained home. My daughter, in particular has not runaway. I was looking at their pictures yesterday and I pulled the one from six years ago when they were hanging on the monkey bars, kissing each other. They were (nearly) always in my view. They were always together playing, giggling . . . or arguing.

I put so little time gardening this year but yet I have some success. I have broccoli, green onions, kale, sage, and berries. The broccoli was sweet; I ate it raw as it was without dressing.

Last Thursday was especially difficult. I had another day in court with daughter yesterday. We were just there last week. I had to go with her every time because she is a minor. It went okay, yet, still stressful. The judge indirectly blamed me for the two tickets she earned last summer.

“How many more tickets does she have to get?”

I looked at him, and then turned my head to her standing by me. Out of frustration and irritation, I responded,

“Your honor, that should be a question to her, not to me . . . Should I lock her up in her room while I go to work and when I sleep? She is fifteen years old . . . “

After his lecture to us, he told us that her fine and community service will be waived if she goes to two assigned classes. We should be happy, right? But the court scene was like a nail hammered deeper into my chest. My heart aches as it is and for the judge to point out to me that I failed in parenting HURTS a LOT. I left the court room with tears rolling down my cheeks. . . And then she kept asking me if I was okay.

Yesterday, I took a walk in the park for a little nature walk. Thank you, nature, for awakening my good spirits. The autumn trees, the blue skies and their reflection to the still water, the ducks, and the cold breeze were all so calm and beautiful.

What awakened your senses this week?

ith cold feet, I got out of bed this morning when my daughter rushed in my bedroom.

“The cops are in the house looking for my friend. I told them you are sleeping . . . ”

Only partly dressed, I looked down on myself and instantly felt violated without being seen yet by the unwelcomed “guests” in my house.

“Your friend is here?”

“No.”

“The cops are here? You let them in?”

"I thought I have to. I don't want to get in trouble."

I got fully dressed. The cops was just coming back from the basement to the main level of the house.

“You came here searching in my house without my consent?”

“She let us in.”

“She's a minor!”

“She lives here, doesn't she? She can let us in if she wants . . . “

“Well, I want you guys out.”

So they left after asking my daughter, if she hears anything about her friend, let the police know. I would have let them search inside willingly but they knew I was inside the house and they did not ask for me. I expect courtesy that I am asked first before they went in searching inside.

Anyway, the kid they were looking for was not in my property. Apparently, he went running after his siblings with a knife and then rushed out of the house early this morning. His parents called the cops after him.

He later returned. He “just” played a prank in this Halloween morning. He might have thought he is too old to “trick or treat,” so he decided to play a troublesome “trick” to scare his family. I understand, this day is one of the days where mischief is in the air. But while a little bit of innocent fun is acceptable, this prank is not okay.

Enough said. What am I thankful this week?

Simple Reasons to be Thankful

Well, I worked last Sunday. So I didn't go to mass but I sacrifice my day instead working--taking care of my patients, with pay, of course. I am thankful for my job in the same hospital for eight years now.
I am getting over a cold. I am thankful for my health. Achoo. I did not spread it to my family.

Daughter's back in varsity volleyball
I am thankful my daughter is back after a week after running away. She came back on her own, went back to work, her volleyball, and her school. She paid for her absence with an overnight stay in the juvenile hall. I hope this is the last. I am thankful she decided to come home.
I am thankful for my son who is doing better in school compared to last year when he hardly went to school. His teachers from parent-teacher conference had him last year as well, and they noticed his improvement. He is passing all his classes.
I am thankful and hopeful that my son is taking a new prescription to control his impulsiveness. It may be working. He is not worse, for sure.
I am thankful for my dogs—Velvet and Snowball. They welcome me each day with their "tail wags"and kisses, and they are not ashamed of being seen with me when we are out on a walk.
I am thankful for Marie Callender's frozen pies. I never had them before until this week. The Lemon Meringue and Berry Pies taste so fresh as if I bought them from a bakery. Yum.
I am thankful for Extreme Couponing sites for providing the links and where and when to buy some groceries on sale. Because of them, I could try more varieties of food I did not think of getting before like the frozen pies above.
Daughter working at Amusement
Park

I am thankful for today, even with the morning irritation from the cops. I got to get out in the nice, cold, sunny weather. There is no snow in the ground which is unusual in Denver for a Halloween morning. My daughter worked today and we got to sit together and talk while she was on a break operating rides.
I am thankful I no longer have to walk from house to house tonight with my teens. They outgrew trick-or-treating. We stay home tonight instead.

What are you thankful for?

You can read more thankful posts by Ten Things ofThankful group.

Please help a teen or two play sports they love

and keep them out of trouble.

Contribute to fundraising here.

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Hurray, it's Saturday.

Yay, it's thankful Saturday that actually falls on my day off, on my summer break.

What ten things can I think off to share with Ten Things of Thankful (TToT) group?

Well, here I go.

Snowball refuses to take more steps away from the back door and into the snow.

boxer dog reluctnnt about playing in snow woman blog

Velvet is contemplating whether to play in the snow or not.

vegetable garden in the snow last crop popular woman blog

Who else is still harvesting crops besides me?

Playing in the snow can be fun if it's warm enough. Today is another cold day, brr. Even my dogs refused to stay out long to play. They squat/raise leg and do their business within seconds, then run back into the house. But when temperature rises, I am sure they will spend more time in the snow to play.

Go out and chill out

My teens are too old now but parents with the young ones should head out and chill out. This is one of the cheap fun I used to do with my kids when they were small. Oh how I miss those days making snowman, snow angels, and other snow sculptures with them. They even helped me shoveling snow with their mini shovels. Talk about tricking them to do chores!

What else can you use for snow toys?

Get some toys with your little ones out there. Check this out! This one is available for a limited time only.

What can you do with Snow Sculpture kit.

Sale Snow Sculpture Kit Cheap Fun Winter

$12.99. Available on sale for a limited time while supplies last.

Give kids the crayons to decorate the white snow canvas. Mess free
Play Tic-tac-toe.
Use the snow molds and carvers to build snowman, robots, whatever. Heck, it even includes a waterproof instructions.

What are you doing in the snow these days?