Happy Chilly Fri-YAY!

 Happy Fri-YAY! Again, I don't know why this end of the week day excites me more than the others now that I am free every day, but I guess "brain muscle memory" just reminds me that it is the end of another week and no matter how busy or the complete opposite of busy that week was, it is cause to relax and enjoy! And so I am. As soon as I woke up and knew what today was, the whole day took on a new "complexion". Somehow everything I am doing just seems like more fun. Lol

I still don't have the end of our tour ready for you but I do have a bit to share. Wednesday was Grandparents' Day at my grandchildren's high school and it is something I look forward to every year and this year was no exception. I left my house with the thermometer reading 30 degrees so I knew that some things might have to be handled differently than in past years-specifically all of the time we would spend out in the courtyard. Usually we were there before mass and then again after as the gym was set up for breakfast service. This was also the time that we would have our "formal" photos taken.

This year, as soon as I arrived, I was told to head straight into the gym-where it was nice and toasty. The grandparents arrive first and then the students are all released to join us. And, the mass usually speaks to how important all of the family is in forming a young person's life and how involved grandparents play such an important part in that. It always reminds me just how grateful I am to have had all of my grandchildren close enough that I didn't have to miss out on much of their lives-and, how quickly time has gone. 

My first grandchild went to pre-school 29 years ago and ever since then I have been a part of all of the special times not just for her but for her 6 cousins that followed. And, it is hard for me to fathom that after this one, I only have one more to go!

In any case, after the mass we were told to head to the "Trinity Cafe" where they had set up this year's breakfast. I'm not sure if this change was weather related or just the way it was planned but this year there was no "formal" breakfast. And, since the kids had an early dismissal and I can check them out, they asked if I wouldn't rather head out to one of their favorite restaurants for a "proper" breakfast. And, of course, I was onboard.

Normally they know I would want that photo but that was a bit different this year as well so the kids grabbed a friend and we got a picture on campus before heading off.

We had a wonderful, unrushed breakfast and it is always so nice to just have a chance to talk and really hear what is going on in their lives.

After breakfast, they took me back to my car and, since their school is so close to our mall-where I hardly ever go anymore-I decided to take a trip down memory lane and headed on. I used to be at our mall a lot!! I loved shopping there. But, traffic, the change in the stores, the fact that I don't really need that much any more and other things just don't draw me there much any longer. But, I was on the search for a "Fresh Cut Roses" Yankee Candle and since we have a store there, I decided to give it a try.

I will say, the mall is not the happening place it used to be. For someone like me who likes to see and touch something before I buy it, it is still one of my best choices. And, Macy's was FULL of beautiful spring colors so that was invigorating as I shopped with my heavy coat still on. Lol

And, lucky for me, I was able to get my candles so I didn't have to wait for delivery or pay for shipping and I even managed to find myself a cute new top. I have a couple of trips in my future and I'm already starting to think about what I will be wearing.

In any case. when I got home and printed up my pictures I was a little sad that we didn't have the ones they usually did so I got busy with my photo shopping. Now, anyone who knows me knows that this isn't my forte. I might be able to do a better job if I had a more complex program but that isn't something I need often so I resort to the "jerry-rigging" style that I am so used to. This time it amounted to making copies of past pictures, cutting them apart, trying to hide the past date, sizing this year's pictures correctly, etc. And, of course, by the time I was done, the generations definitely showed their "degeneration". Colors changed and I had to chuckle at a few that came before the one that I finally settled on but I am happy to just have one with the border and it will go on the large bulletin board on the side of my pantry amongst so many other photos that I don't think the inconsistencies will even show. 

I was surprised to see a Trinity Facebook post about Grandparents' Day with pictures from the past to see the one back from when grandson #1 was a senior and grandson #2 was just a freshman. Not sure why they used that picture but it was fun to see our faces pop up where they were least expected. Lol

I headed back out yesterday for a few more errands and managed to find a lot of little things I was looking for as well as some I wasn't. I found the prettiest green glass candle holder in Walmart as well as the matching round tray. I loved the feel of them but I don't use a lot of tapers so I almost went on by until I realized how pretty they would look put together. And so, with just a little Gorilla Clear Grip, this is what I have now.

That will look pretty with a pillar candle or a half sphere and I can see me using it for St. Pat's, Easter and spring at the very least.

And, the other thing that used up way more of my life than it should have this week was the repair of the Valentine bracelet that I told you about. I should have taken a picture as I was about 3 hours into this repair and had enough tools out to build something let alone repair a little bracelet. I knew this was going to be difficult-and it was-but, I am nothing if not determined when I put my mind to something. I thought I was going to have to give up when even the drill bits on my Dremel wouldn't open up those holes but somehow I finally made it. I couldn't find the right replacement beads but I made do with what I had and I will be wearing this soon! If you look quickly, you don't even notice the different beads...very quickly! Lol

And, you can see where my mind is heading. Somehow the first of the St. Pat's decor magically appeared right next to me in my office for me to start going through it! Lol

So that's all I've got for today...although it sure took me a long time to say not much of anything. Lol I'll be back-probably after Sunday so I can show you how the decorating turned out and maybe we can finish out tour. Stay safe and stay tuned.