Best Laid Plans

 When last we talked, I told you I had a slew of errands to run today and I didn't know when I would be back again...and here I am. I awoke this morning ready to set out to run those errands and, hopefully, find some new treasures and craft supplies. And I was just about to get ready to do just that when I noticed that one of the valance rings had slipped off its holder on the very long window in the sunroom. And, since those things can then drop off in domino fashion, I decided to get a stool and fix it before it went any further. And that is when I saw this!

There have been 3 posts that were wobbly and needing replacement for a number of months. This is something that the muscles in my family usually do-they have actually replaced others in the past-but everyone has been so busy that it just didn't happen. We talked about it this past weekend and it was scheduled to happen after lacrosse season. Unfortunately, I guess it can't wait now and it might also be a repair now larger than the "muscles" in my family can fix. My daughter called a fence company and I am waiting to hear from them. Unfortunately, I guess a lot of fences went down yesterday because of the winds. I think I posted that our winds weren't at all what I had expected. There may be a few hunks of Spanish moss down in my yard-that is it-no branches, not even the usual twigs that come down in every rain. But, I guess they got the fence.

And so, because I am on standby for the fence guy, I didn't feel comfortable leaving the house because I seldom hear my phone ring when I'm out and about. And so, no errands today. I also didn't want to start any projects that I would get in knee deep just in case he would be coming by. And so...what to do? and that question is what led me here:

Do you remember the packing materials that I got when I ordered some candles?

I kind of got Easter basket vibes from them. They are sort of like a peat pot but larger. And so, I thought I would see if I could do anything with them because I'm thinking ahead to Easter decor and know I will definitely need two similar, small things to go in the new living room shelf. I found those adorable images and blew them up to what I am hoping will be the right size.

And then, I mixed up some paint to kind of look like a basket color.

And while I was waiting for them to dry I thought I would just download the new pictures I had taken and come in and start this post. Well, have I told you how much I truly dislike change?!!!? There are SO many new things to learn every day just to keep up with the essential technology to live life doing things you have been doing all of your life but now they must be done with technology. I have come to accept that but why, as soon as I learn something and finally become comfortable using it, do the powers that be have to come in and change everything?!!

Let me explain. When I had to get a new computer, I had to get all sorts of new programs that were very different than what I was used to. The most notable was my photo download and editing programs. I have to be able to use those to be able to post this blog. My grand daughters were showing me some things on the computer this weekend to make my life easier and I was grateful. And then this morning as I was trying to download my new pictures, the access button that is always there, wasn't. I thought maybe we just somehow removed it and it could come back. I tried everything I could. And finally, in a panic, I texted grand daughter #3 to ask her. She got on her program and after a bit of investigating decided that there must have been an update-which makes sense because I had used the program the old way several times after we were on the computer this weekend so I should have realized that we didn't remove anything! In any case, she was able to see where I now have to go to start the download and I am working again and good! Thank goodness for younger minds who actually understand how these things work because I know just enough to be dangerous. I actually got myself to the right page at one point but I didn't have the camera attached then so the new little icon didn't pop up. Lol

So now I'm off to grab some lunch and then see how I want to finish these things-or even IF I want to finish these things?! Lol

I am back-two days later...and the title of this post is even more apropos. I ended up heading out to do my errands yesterday after waiting at home all day Thursday for the "fence guy". My daughter said both he and the handyman knew what to do and could do it even if I wasn't there, so off I went. And, before I go any further, let me say, sometimes some good "retail therapy" is just what the doctor ordered. I will say from the get-go that these photos leave MUCH to be desired. I was totally exhausted at this point of my day but wanted to get some pictures before putting things away and then sitting down for the evening. I snapped all of them without once looking to see how they looked-my mistake but....The first picture is my stash. I got some decor items, some craft essentials and then just some things I thought I might want in the upcoming months. I got a late start because my girlfriend called right as I was leaving and we ended up talking for over an hour. Then, I hit $Tree, Target, HL, Walmart and Publix. In the old days, that would have just been a drop in the bucket but, these days, that wears me out! Lol

I spied this cute bunny board in HL and then grabbed more of those pretty frames from Walmart as well as a few others. I also grabbed some more of the scrapbook flowers since I gave my bunny to my daughter when she was here this weekend. She saw it and liked it and I didn't think I cared...until it was gone and I decided that I need to make myself another. Lol

I picked up that very inexpensive green pillow in the Target Dollar Spot for $5 and thought it would be perfect with some of my other smaller St. Pat's pillows-actually wish I had gotten two. Then I grabbed the small egg planter thingie. I am not a fan of the arrangement but I like the bit of gold to add to my new "gold" obsession so I will probably redo it soon. I think I will need to know where I am putting it before I know what to do. And then, I was looking for a large gold bunny and there were none in the places I stopped so I grabbed this big guy at HL and figured I can paint him and he will be perfect. I did find the smaller gold bunnies at Target and the medium sized silver one-jury is still out as to whether he will maintain his silver status or bow to the gold. Lol

I found the cute wood bunny tray from HL, some small real touch tulips from Target and new clock hands to try to fix my family room clock that fell off the wall and is no longer working. Everyone says I don't really need a clock there since I have my phone next to me most times but I am a creature of habit. Even though I know that that clock no longer works, I must have looked up at it a thousand times since it broke.

 

I grabbed a pink candle holder at $Tree as well as the inexpensive Easter pot holders. I have much prettier pot holders but I don't like to use them because they are so pretty and so, I rely on these. Lol I also grabbed the lemon plates and napkins from HL. I just thought they were so pretty and I will hopefully get a chance to use them this summer.

So, this morning I decided to get back to my little project before I had to get ready for another unexpected something. But, as I looked at the "basket" that I had been working on-I wasn't done with it yet but I liked the way it was headed-I was thrown off a bit by the proportion of the image to the basket. And then I thought about blowing up the image but it was already on the cusp of blurring from the previous "blow -up" so I grabbed some peat pots and first painted two a light sage green and then painted one in white. After a bit of debate with myself, I think I have decided that I am going to continue with the green peat pots and use the others for something else.

 

And now on to my next "best laid plan" gone awry. Lol

I thought I would have today to do what I wanted-seems that none of the needed people will be here for the fence, etc. until Monday-when I got a message from daughter #3 asking me what I was bringing to the bar-b-que today? Bar-b-que? What bar-b-que?? I guess either she thought she had already told me-which she didn't-or this came up rather quickly but it seems as if the families of the boys' lacrosse team will be having a bar-b-que in the tailgating zone of the field before today's game here at home. Honestly, I thought his Saturday game was for his travel team-which I don't generally go to because they're far away and LONG! But, no, we're at home today and so I am now off to make some Paula Deen brownies which are always a favorite and then get ready to head.

Hopefully tomorrow I will get back to my "best laid plans" and I'll show you how things turned out. Until then, stay safe and stay tuned.