Saturday Morning Coffee Ponderings.....

Brrrr!!!!!  It is a cold one this morning.  Beautifully bright but Flipping Freezing.  And this week I noticed two things that make me think that Spring is on its way:  Sun stays up for a little while longer when I get home from work and the angle has moved toward the northeast.  So Earth is waking up.  We may have a few more days like the latter part of this week, but we are on our way.  Can't wait to do some outside work at our house.  Flowers!  Deck boxes!  YEAH!

This week has been very busy once again (seems to be a theme) and throw in an emotional roller coaster and that is a combination that creates a tinderbox of explosion.  Just waiting!  The outcome may be a disaster and the Hazmat crew will need to be called in.

Can't figure out the edit tools for the photo!  OOPS!

The extreme highlight of my week was a visit with my friend Dawn (and her family) in the "trailerhood".  For work, I travel across the state to visit programs that receive grant funds.  I had to make two visits to Northeast Iowa.  I was able to then camp out at her house for the overnight and continue on my way the next morning.  First of all, I have known Dawn from my Women of Today days.  Some of you know this organization, but it is a civic club that brings women together for community service projects, fundraising, etc.  Dawn was in the Nashua Women of Today and I was in Spencer Women of Today.  Both of us became fast friends.  Our kids are about the same age.  In fact, Emily and Bailey hung out at a Women of Today State meeting once.  We would see each other at least 4 times a year when we were active in the club and have a great time.  Over the years, our kids grew up; we both decided to move on from Women of Today; but we remained friends.  Facebook has been instrumental in rekindling that friendship.  The other common ground we have is WINE.  We both love our grapes - I like the dark variety and she likes the white ones. I admire this friend as she has raised an amazing family, has a hubby that is funny (similar to mine - note the picture sneak in) and is a decorating genius.

So my visit included a bottle of red wine that she saved specifically for me - which was really good by the way -- so good I drank the damn thing by myself and decided not to just save corks any more but the whole dang empty bottle.  INSPIRED by Dawn of course!  Think Wine Bottle TREE in the "woods" of my backyard.  More on that when the ground isn't frozen.

Wednesday afternoons are dedicated to hanging out with her grand daughter Addie.  Adorable funny child that has her grandma wrapped around her finger - and her grandpa, and her aunt Emily......she has it made.  But Dawn picks Addie up from daycare and then they hang out in the afternoon.  So I arrive later than I planned because I got lost in Basset Iowa.  Who does that?  Me of course!  There were too many trailers to pick from evidently and Dawn is out in the boonies so has no cell phone reception and my desperate text and voice mail pleas were not heard until about 3 hours later.  (I actually knocked on another trailer door - thank God no one was home cause it looked a little sketchy.)  But I finally found it and arrived with Addie getting her bath.  Dawn fixed me a great supper and we sat down for some wine and fellowship.

Addie has her own trampoline in the house!  Yep!  It is set up in the living room and she jumps and has a blast.













She is also an incredibly bright child.  She was reading the dictionary to her grandpa.  Teaching him a few words apparently.







Addie can give any one the "grandparent fever".  I think I almost caught it, but I took some medicine (think wine again) so I am better now.  I am just fine with Grand Cats at the moment.  I have two - Sputnik who is a naughty child of Jordan and Kendall and now Chris and Kara got Setzer this week.  Can't wait to meet him.

All in all the evening was grand - including a little amateur Taro Card reading -- will have to do more of that later.  Wish I could have stayed longer however work beckoned the next day and I hope we can get together soon for some "junking" and wine!

Other than my Garbes family fix, the week was about school and work.  We are headed to Sioux City today (via Spencer) to see Mat D and the Profane Saints.  One of my absolute favorite bands and song writer (not just in the local area but EVER!).  It will be a really fun time and I hope the road trip breaks up my FUNK of a mood.  www.matdandtheprofanesaints.com  Ready for some testifying!  So off to shower and pack.

I have another blog in the "edit" pile and hope to be able to finish it after this weekend.  I know I promised that this past week, but it is really going to happen now!  Really!  I promise!!!

Take care all and enjoy your weekend!