Archery Day!!

 June 22nd

Here are some happy things from today:

• It took a while for me to get going but eventually I found a way to make shredding things less boring.  I put an old sitcom on to play on my laptop.  Now I have almost a full trash bag of shredded papers.  Yay downsizing!
• This afternoon I went to archery practice.  We totaled seven people practicing today.  One person was brand new to the SCA, but not new to archery.  It was nice to spend time shooting and catching up with friends.  One person had an arrow go high and it hit a tree and stuck.  It was retrieved after practice using a ladder!  My scores weren't the greatest, but they weren't bad.  I need more practice.

The red and blue arrow are pointing to the top (feathered end) and bottom (pointy arrow end) of the arrow.

My scores.

• Tomorrow afternoon I'll need to go to bed early in preparation for going back to work on Tuesday.  I'm trying to get to sleep early tonight, and up early in the morning, to help me transition.  It isn't dark yet, and I'm ready for bed.  It reminds me of being on the Appalachian Trail and getting into the tent before dark.  

☮

Continued listening to: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, by Mark Twain.

Thank you for being here and being part of my daily happy things. Stay safe!

Puzzles of Differing Kinds

 June 21st

It was a beautiful day to go down rabbit holes! Here are my happy things for today:

• The first rabbit hole I went down was looking online at genealogical information. Yesterday I posted pictures where I couldn't identify the people.  At least two of the pictures (B.S. and 1955) turned out to be my grandmother's brother.  That mystery is solved.  The weird thing I seem to have learned while researching is that both my ex-husband and I have distant ancestors with the first name of Mehitable.  I expect common first names like John, William, and Thomas.  Mehitable was a surprise.  
• My second rabbit hole was working on the puzzle.  I was home alone so there was no other claim to the table.  If my accountability friend from Texas hadn't called, I might have finished it.  She reminded me that I could go through a box.  She was right.  I still worked quite a while on the puzzle.

Before

After

• The box I chose had some things I could easily say that I don't want.  It also contains things to shred.  There are some keepers in the box too.  I didn't finish going through it.  When I realized most of it was to be shredded, I stopped.  I'm leaving shredding for another day.

One of the keepers.  An anvil. 

• In moving around things in yesterday's box, I found a letter that I hadn't looked at.  I opened it and it turns out it is from 1879.  I don't believe it is anyone related.  I think it was left behind in a house we rented when I was a little.  It is difficult for me to read the handwriting, but it is from a brother in Ohio to his sister in New Hampshire.
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☮

Continued listening to: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, by Mark Twain.

Thank you for being here and being part of my daily happy things. Stay safe!

Old Pictures

 June 20th

Happy Summer Solstice!  Here are some happy things from this first day of summer:

• The morning weather was absolutely perfect.  There was a breeze and the temperature was delightful.  Before I started mowing I picked some of the orange hawkweed, yellow (or maybe meadow?) hawkweed, and a purple Vetch. The hawkweeds were mowed down, their offense being in the yard.  Honestly, if they were considered a native flower instead of European, I probably would have mowed around them.  

• Keziah and I try to spend two hours together on Mondays and now Bel and I try on Fridays.  Today Bel and I decided to work at cleaning out the porch.  It is a general catch-all place.  There are some boxes of mine that are being stored there.  Unfortunately, more than I thought.  However, two of those boxes are now reduced in size.  In hindsight, I might be able to combine them down to one box.  Steps in downsizing were made, yay!

• There was an event happening at Keziah’s store tonight.  I ended up leaving later than I wanted and missed some of the happenings.  There were some vendors there with some fun items for sale.  I'm trying to downsize though, and made no purchases. 

Here are some pictures of things I found today:

This pamphlet is from 1964!

These two pictures look like my grandfather, my mom's father, but I'm not sure.

This one has "B.S." on the back.

?

Possibly my grandfather again.  The image is small enough and at an odd angle, I can't be sure.

The name on the back of this picture doesn't seem to fit with the 1955 date on the frame.

This picture says, "1943 Rocks Village," on the back.

Originally I thought these pictures all had to do with my grandfather.  They don't.  This all makes me want to find more of the genealogy information that my mom had and get it saved and backed up on a computer and multiple hard drives.  I'm tired enough that I'm second guessing what my grandfather looked like!  😵‍💫😴

EDIT:  I don't know why my great uncle, born in 1907??? Has his youthful looking picture in a frame dated 1955.  But that is him and B.S.  I've now found genealogy online and may not sleep...

☮

Continued listening to: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, by Mark Twain.

Thank you for being here and being part of my daily happy things. Stay safe!

Juneteenth

 Thursday, June 19th

Here are some happy things from today:

• Before it got too hot, I got a little bit more of the yard mowed and I started fixing some outside stairs.  The stairs have just been getting pushed by weeds, but it has made them unstable.  Once I started trying to fix them, I realized it could be more of a project than I was prepared for.  So the stairs are somewhat better, and I need to consider my next step, so to speak.  😁

Orange hawkweed.

• Once it started getting hot, it was time for me to come inside.  My tasks turned to things like laundry and watching TV until it was time to pick up Gideon, my grandson, at school.  It was Gideon's last day of eighth grade.   He came home with a bag full of things from his locker.  He is very excited to start summer break.
• First though, Gideon had promotion night.  His parents and I watched the kids get promoted this evening.  It was a nice ceremony.  After, we all went out to dinner.  Not only was this Gideon's Eighth Grade Graduation, it was also Keziah and Zed's wedding anniversary.
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☮

Continued listening to: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, by Mark Twain.

Thank you for being here and being part of my daily happy things. Stay safe!

Boxes

 June 18th. Wednesday

Here are some happy things from today:

• An email from work arrived today with the Leave of Absence ending notification.   Last week I messaged work to make sure everything was all set.  With this email, my schedule has filled in too.  That blank schedule had been concerning me.  When someone goes on a LOA part of the fine print is that they can change your schedule if they want.  I've never heard of that happening, and I'm happy to say my schedule is the same.  Tuesday I'll be back at work.
• I went through a couple boxes today.  It would be nice to say that I'm getting rid of a bunch of the stuff.   Some was put in the trash, and some wiil be donated, but most of it is to be kept.  Some things are better organized now.
• There are two things I found that I want to write about.  The first is a headband with the word 'Kish' on it.  If I remember correctly that would be the Native American name I chose for myself in Campfire Girls.  I didn't keep the headband, but I appreciate the memory.  The other thing is a P-38 can opener.  Before heading out on my Appalachian Trail adventure I was hoping to find a can opener, just in case.   Now I have found one and will put it with my backpacking things. 

☮

Continued listening to: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, by Mark Twain.

Thank you for being here and being part of my daily happy things. Stay safe!

Trees Down

 June 17th

• Yesterday I made a list of things to do today and said that I hoped to complete at least half of it.  Just over half the list is done.  Yay!
• This morning I went out to mow the lawn and take down some large saplings.  It had just started to drizzle when I stepped outside.  It wasn't too bad out, so I cut down at least four saplings/small trees.  It was too wet for me to mow though.  While outside I checked out some a the flowers that are blooming.  

• Inside I worked on cleaning the kitchen up some and making dinner.  All the ingredients for chili were placed into a crock pot and sat cooking all afternoon.  It came out really well.  
• I also puttered in my room for a little while.  I rearranged some things now that I have more drawers.  The bottom drawer will be for tools and be like my junk drawer.   That is the only drawer I've figured out.
• Keziah picked me up a cinnamon roll cookie gift from Crumbl.  It was sweet and delicious. 

☮

Continued listening to: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, by Mark Twain.

Thank you for being here and being part of my daily happy things. Stay safe!

Stairs!

 June 16th

Happy Monday!  

• Monday mornings are the time that Keziah and I set aside to try to spend some time together.  Today we painted in my room again.  She says she still isn't quite done with the morning glories she has been working on.  I think they look great.  She worked on that and I worked on the drawers of the stairs Bel and I picked up last week.  

• The stairs were also moved into my room and the ladder was removed.  They are almost a perfect fit.  Because they have shelves built in, I can even access the power outlet.  I think they look pretty good.  I've started putting a few things on the floor under it.  By using the drawers and shelves, I'm hoping for some better organization.  

• The stairs were made to attach to a set of bunk beds.  The back of the stairs is tall and made to screw onto the beds.  This little bit of extra room is just the right size for my bow!  I'm going to get some kind of a hook to hang it there.  Before this it generally hung downstairs or under my bed, but these aren't the best spots.  I think this will work very nicely.
• Keziah and I also went to her store and measured and folded fabric.  It was nice to spend more time with my daughter.   We folded about two bins worth of fabric before going back home.

• Today's productivity gave me hope for tomorrow.  I've already put together a list.  It is probably too long, but I'm hopeful that I can at least get about half of it done.  Some of the things are outdoor chores.  If it rains, they won't get done.  Some things shouldn't take too long.  

☮

Continued listening to: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, by Mark Twain.

Thank you for being here and being part of my daily happy things. Stay safe!

Father's Day

Happy Father's Day!

• It took a little while, but I got busy this morning and cleaned the house bathroom and mowed the lawn until the batteries were all dead.  That didn’t take very long, unfortunately.   The batteries aren't holding a charge like they used to.  The yards are also big, so breaking up the amount of mowing in a day is good.
• Bel and I went to take care of my flat tire.  They filled it with air, I drove it home, then Bel put the ‘spare’ tire on.  When I was a kid, the spare tire was a regular, actual tire.  Now they are mini tires that aren't meant to last.  Still, it is better than no tire at all.  I'm so happy that Bel is here and was able to change the tire for me.  I'm also thankful that I know someone who is willing to fix the tire for me too.
• In the afternoon we went to the movies with some friends.  We saw How to Train Your Dragon.   I enjoyed it.  I'm fairly certain that I never saw the original, animated version.  If I did, it was long enough ago that I have no memory of it.
• There was a cookout at home for a friend of ours.  As well as Father's Day, it is a friend's birthday.  Good food, friends, and a fire is a nice way to close out the weekend. 

Some pictures:

☮

Continued listening to: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, by Mark Twain.

Thank you for being here and being part of my daily happy things. Stay safe!

People-ing Day

June 14th

Here are some happy things from today:

• It was a good morning to relax, so I did.  There were a few things I had hoped to do, but I didn't.  When I think back on the rest of the day, it was good that I relaxed.
• In the afternoon, my grandson Gideon and I went to the protest happening today at the State House.  Keziah and I both gave him rules and advice for attending.  One rule was that he and I were to stick together.  We did.  We found a place not far from the podium.   It was good to hear what speakers had to say. Last time I went to one of these I didn't hear any of the speakers.  It made it easier for me to handle the crowds when I could listen to the people talking.  When my crowd threshold was met, we walked back to Keziah’s store.  The street was busy with more people holding signs and we had to cut through the line to cross the street.  All was good.

• Eventually, I got back to my car and it had a flat tire!  Thankfully I was able to use Keziah’s van.  The flat tire is tomorrow's problem.  
• There was a small gathering of SCA Foresters that Corvidae and I went to in the evening.  It was really good to spend some time with friends.   There was a fire to sit around and talk.  It was really nice.  Bel was there long enough to get a chicken coop and head home with that.

Sunset beyond the trees.

☮️

Continued listening to: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, by Mark Twain.

Thank you for being here and being part of my daily happy things. Stay safe!

Painting

Happy Friday (the thirteenth)!

• This morning I woke up early, but not for chores.  I met my friend Stephanie and we hiked up North Uncanoonuc Mountain.  It isn’t a large mountain, but it had many of the same rocky challenges as other NH mountains but on a smaller scale.  We stopped near the top and had a nice chat with a man and his dog.  

• In the afternoon I finished painting my bedroom.  Keziah still has a little more to do, but that is a different wall.  Then I put a layer or two of paint on the free stairs Bel and I picked up last weekend.  Those are done enough that they can go into my room, and the ladder can be removed.  I still need to paint the drawers.  I don't know what will end up in those drawers, but I have books that will fit onto the shelves.

Before I started today.

After.

I painted the outlet cover, but I can't find the screw!  😂

Hopefully I'll do more to these after they are in my room. 

• Before the sun set, my grandson Gideon and I went for a short walk.  He has an idea for a video game that he was telling me about.  He plans to start programming it over the summer.  It sounds interesting.  Next week he graduates from eighth grade.  Time flies.

Sunset

This is what happens when paints get too close to each other.  I think it is super pretty.

☮

Continued listening to: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, by Mark Twain.

Thank you for being here and being part of my daily happy things. Stay safe!